Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Now that the general framework for the future battle plan had been agreed upon, Ma Chao insisted on meeting the Shanyue leader, Shamoke. Despite their utmost dissuasion, they ultimately gave in. With no other choice, they had to proceed with all matters as planned.

Ma Chao, in turn, arranged for Gan Ning to dispatch his Jinfan troops to ply the Yangtze River in fast boats. The Yangtze's gentle currents enabled the Jinfan troops, like nimble fish, to frequently ply the waters, shouldering the important task of communicating with the Western Liang army in Runan, ensuring timely exchange of information between the two sides.

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, on the other hand, were making a grand display, pretending to be about to launch an all-out siege of the Shanyue. Inside the camp, soldiers were frequently maneuvering, flags fluttering, as if a battle was imminent. But in reality, they were secretly deploying troops and meticulously planning, preparing to launch a surprise attack on Xu Gong of Wu Commandery.

Meanwhile, Ma Chao, leading his personal guards, resolutely ventured into the depths of the vast mountains. Within the forest, towering ancient trees and thickets of thorns grew thickly. Sunlight filtered through the crevices of the leaves, casting dappled shadows. Ma Chao and his companions appeared and disappeared in this deep forest, following the winding path, searching for Shan Yue's traces.

To ensure a smooth journey, Gan Ning served as the group's apparent leader. After all, Gan Ning's nickname, "Jinfan Thief," was well-known in the area. Under the guise of Gan Ning's Jinfan Thief, they headed towards the Shanyue settlement, hoping to lower their guard and secure a smooth meeting with Shamoke.

Forgetting the other troops' deployments, Ma Chao, accompanied by Gan Ning, led a group of personal guards through the mountains and forests, painstakingly searching for the gathering place of the Shanyue tribe. They had no idea where the camp was, and even with a guide, they continued to wander through the mountains and forests, unable to find any trace. For at least a day or two, the group trudged through the forest, still finding nothing.

Gan Ning's face was filled with confusion, and he couldn't help but ask Ma Chao, "General, why do we have to go after these Shanyue people? With our abilities, we can just defeat them. Wouldn't that be easy?"

Ma Chao's expression was solemn, but he still maintained his emphasis on the people. He said, "Xingba, you don't understand. If it weren't for the corrupt government and their excessive taxation, how could the Shanyue people have gathered to rebel against the imperial court? These mountain dwellers truly yearn to escape the mountains and live a stable and prosperous life. Living in the mountains is not only difficult, but also extremely inconvenient in many ways. If we can properly appease them and bring them back, we will not only reduce casualties, but also improve the well-being of the people."

Gan Ning heard this, but his face remained puzzled. He cast his gaze at Lu Su standing nearby. Worried about Ma Chao's safety, Lu Su had insisted on following, having endured considerable hardship along the way. Seeing Gan Ning's gaze, Lu Su patiently explained, "Xingba, the General is absolutely right. The Shanyue people have long been trapped in the mountains, lacking supplies, medical care, and medicine, and their children struggle to be educated. If we can treat them with kindness and alleviate their plight, they will surely be grateful and join us. This will not only accord with the people's wishes, but also provide additional support for our army. Overall, it will be a win-win situation."

Gan Ning's face was still filled with confusion as he muttered, "If we have to consider the safety of the people at every turn, how can we even fight this war? If reasoning were effective, then every time we have to fight, the general should just go and persuade them to surrender. Why go to all this trouble? In my opinion, these Shanyue people have repeatedly rebelled, and their bad habits are hard to change. How can they truly submit to the imperial court's teachings? If they refuse to obey, we will fight them until they submit!"

Ma Chao still wore a gentle smile as he patiently explained, "Xingba, that's not the way to put it. In fact, it's precisely these people, struggling to survive, who truly desire a peaceful and stable life. Think about it, the Shanyue people live in poverty. To survive, they're even willing to sacrifice the lives of their own people. People like them are actually more willing to negotiate, so I think it's necessary to have a good talk with them."

Ma Chao paused, his gaze sharpening as he continued, "On the contrary, those aristocratic families and various princes who command large armies live in luxury, completely oblivious to the suffering of the common people. They provoke war simply to satisfy their endless desires and expand their territory. With such people, there's really no need for peace talks. Simply defeat them with force and crush their ambitions. This is precisely why I've insisted on coming to negotiate with the Shanyue people."

After hearing Ma Chao's far-sighted insights, Gan Ning, Lu Su, and Ma Chao's personal guards were filled with admiration, their eyes brimming with admiration. They gathered around a crackling campfire, discussing the situation and countermeasures in the quiet of the forest night, their gazes etched on the flickering flames. Before they knew it, night had fallen. Finally, they arranged for someone to keep watch, and the rest of the group found a relatively flat spot, where they drifted off to sleep, accompanied by the chirping of insects.

Finally, on the morning of the third day, the first rays of sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, illuminating the group. After simply packing their belongings and hastily eating their rations, they set out again, led by their guide. The guide cautiously explored the path ahead, seemingly figuring it out, and his steps grew more resolute.

When they reached a valley, the surroundings were unusually quiet, with only the faint echo of their footsteps. Suddenly, a sharp-eyed guard noticed the grass not far ahead tremble slightly, as if something was stealthily moving. Ma Chao and the others were instantly alert, their hands unconsciously pressing on the hilts of their swords. After exchanging a glance, they slowly advanced towards the source of the movement.

Just as everyone was absorbed in their thoughts, a group of Shanyue people, clad in animal skins and armed with crude weapons, emerged from all directions like ghosts, instantly surrounding them. The Shanyue were lean and dark-skinned, their eyes wary and defensive, their faces smeared with strange paint. They shouted incomprehensible words, their weapons pointed directly at Ma Chao and his companions, as if ready to attack at the slightest sign of movement.

Ma Chao's heart tightened, but he remained composed. He slowly released his sword's hilt, signaling with his eyes that they must not act rashly, lest they provoke the tense Shanyue. Then, with a friendly gesture, he tried to defuse the tense atmosphere. He took a small step forward, spreading his hands to show he meant no harm. However, the Shanyue remained unmoved, their encirclement tightening. The atmosphere was as tense as a fully drawn bowstring, poised to explode at any moment.

Gan Ning and the guide looked at each other and understood each other. They slowly stepped forward and spread their hands to indicate that they were not carrying any weapons.

The guide, speaking in authentic dialect, shouted to the Shanyue people, "Brothers, listen! This is General Gan Ning. He leads the Jinfan Army, which crisscrosses the Yangtze River! I'm sure you've heard that the Jinfan Army has always been dissatisfied with the corrupt imperial court." Then, the guide leaned slightly, pointed at Ma Chao, and continued, "He is a man of noble character. I heard that your leader is fighting against Wujun, so I came to speak with you. I have no ill intentions, I just want to discuss your future livelihood."

Upon hearing this, the Shanyue people began to whisper among themselves. One of the Shanyue men, seemingly of some prestige, stepped forward, scrutinized Gan Ning and Ma Chao, and spoke in stilted official language, "So what about the Jinfan Army? Who knows if you're spies sent by the imperial court to trick us into lowering our guard? The Wu Commandery is pressing us hard. How can we trust you so easily?"

Gan Ning stepped forward, his expression calm, and spoke loudly, "Brother, if we truly wanted to be your enemy, there's no need to do so now. The Jinfan Army crisscrosses the river precisely to avoid being bullied by the imperial court. Now that we see you're also being oppressed by the government, we empathize. We share the same goal: to escape this predicament. Why not have a good talk? Perhaps we can work together."

The Shanyue man frowned, his eyes darting around among them, as if trying to weigh the truth of Gan Ning's words. After a moment's silence, he asked, "You said you wanted to talk, but what exactly do you want to talk about? Are you trying to trick us into laying down our weapons so you can do whatever you want?"

Gan Ning keenly sensed the deep suspicion in the Shanyue people's eyes, as if sensing an undercurrent about to surge on the surface of a river. Under Ma Chao's meaningful gaze, he knew that only by showing complete sincerity could he break the deadlock.

Gan Ning turned abruptly, facing his companions. His gaze was firm and unwavering, as he shouted, "Put down your weapons! Let our Shanyue brothers clearly see that we hold no hostility!" A flicker of hesitation crossed his companions' faces. After all, in this perilous situation, laying down their weapons would undoubtedly put their own safety at risk. But seeing Gan Ning's resolute attitude and glancing at Ma Chao's calm expression, they finally obeyed and slowly placed their weapons on the ground.

Seeing this, the Shanyue people, whose nerves had been tense as if they were facing a formidable enemy, relaxed slightly, but their vigilance remained strong, and they still surrounded them tightly like an iron wall. Then, a Shanyue man hurriedly pushed through the crowd and ran to report the incident to their leader, Shamoke.

After an unknown amount of time, a chaotic, heavy sound of footsteps approached from afar, as if the very earth itself were trembling. A burly man, surrounded by a group of Shanyue people, strode towards them with the speed of a moving mountain. This man was none other than Shamoke, the Shanyue leader. He was clad in a colorful tiger skin that rustled in the wind, accentuating his imposing presence.

Shamoke's eyes were as sharp as lightning as he swept over Ma Chao and the others. His eyes were filled with both wariness of the uninvited guests and curiosity about these bold Han people. Then, in a voice as loud as a bell, he demanded, "Why did you Han people rashly intrude into my Shanyue territory, and still claim to want to have a fight with me?"

Seeing this, Gan Ning calmly stepped forward, his posture erect, and he saluted with his fists clasped. He spoke with neither humility nor arrogance: "Chief Shamoke, I have long heard of your great reputation. Although we are Han Chinese, we deeply detest the corrupt imperial court. We came here because we witnessed firsthand the struggle of our Shanyue brothers for survival in the confrontation with the Wujun. We felt deeply sorry for them. We harbor no ill will, and we only wish to work with you to explore a bright path that will allow us all to live a stable life."