Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The dawn broke, its rays like fine golden threads penetrating the dense forest foliage, gently spreading across the quiet camp. Ma Chao slowly awoke from his room. Outside the tent, Pan Feng, perceptive enough to detect movement within, quickly stepped inside to meet Ma Chao. Standing tall, he clasped his fists in a respectful bow, and inquired, "My Lord, what are your plans for today?"

Ma Chao knew perfectly well that Pan Feng and Wu Anguo must have worked tirelessly, taking turns keeping watch. Seeing Pan Feng arrive first, he was filled with admiration and said, "You've worked incredibly hard this night. It's unnecessary. We're short-handed, and Shamoke is a brave and righteous hero. We'll be safe here."

Pan Feng's face was filled with determination, and he responded solemnly, "The safety of our lord is our highest priority. This is all part of our duty. Your praise is truly a testament to me."

Ma Chao nodded slightly and asked casually, "Oh, we had a great time drinking last night. The enthusiasm of the Shanyue people was truly overwhelming. I wonder if everyone else is up yet?"

Pan Feng quickly reported back, "There's movement in Mr. Lu Su's tent. He must have gotten up to wash up. But..."

Ma Chao sensed a hidden meaning in his words. His expression was casual yet revealing concern. He said, "Just what? Feel free to tell me. No worries."

Pan Feng hesitated for a moment, then slowly spoke, "I shouldn't have said anything. After all, we all serve our lord and are one. But last night, after Xingba got drunk, Mr. Lu Su and Xingba were both escorted back to camp by a beautiful young Shanyue woman. Mr. Lu Su went back to his room and fell asleep, and he immediately let the woman go. However, the woman went into Xingba's room and didn't come out all night."

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao frowned slightly, sighed softly, and said, "Alas, Xingba is young and impulsive, so I understand why he occasionally behaves like this. However, as a man, he should always act with moderation. We are currently negotiating peace with the Shanyue, and this matter is still unclear. It is not wise to start a quarrel with a local woman. Please ask Zijing to come over first. I need to have a good chat with him."

After saying this, Ma Chao looked at Pan Feng, who still looked as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. Ma Chao then continued, "If you had anything else to say last night, just tell me everything."

Pan Feng looked a little embarrassed as he said, "Last night, our lord returned drunk, and it was Chief Shamoke's sister, Sally, who supported him all the way. After she put him to bed, she very considerately took off his outer clothes and gently tucked the covers in. We watched from the sidelines, feeling that this was inappropriate due to the gender gap, and wanted to help. But Miss Sally said that we men were clumsy and were afraid that our movements would accidentally wake you. We had no choice but to stand by and worry."

After hearing this, Ma Chao slapped his head in frustration and sighed, "Ah, this wine is really ruining things! We haven't even officially started the peace talks with the Shanyue yet, how can we easily get caught up in emotional entanglements? Besides, I already have a lot of debts of love around me, I really don't dare to provoke any more beauties and make them worry."

Pan Feng was secretly watching Ma Chao's face. Seeing that he wasn't angry, he grinned and said quickly, "Alas, my lord, forgive me for saying something unpleasant, but your natural appearance makes you attractive to women. What's wrong with having a few more women like you? Just take them all in." As soon as he finished speaking, fearing that Ma Chao would change color and scold him, he hurried out of the room, saying loudly, "I'll go and ask Mr. Zijing to come over."

Ma Chao watched Pan Feng depart and couldn't help but smile bitterly. He had a vague feeling that Sally's feelings for him seemed somewhat unusual. He hadn't expected her to personally help him to sleep last night, though, and that had left Ma Chao feeling a bit uneasy. After all, he was already troubled by a debt of love, and his purpose for coming here was to negotiate peace with Shamoke, but before the talks even began, he'd already become entangled with his sister. How could this not be a headache for him?

When Lu Su arrived at the tent, Ma Chao hurriedly greeted him, "Come, come, Zijing, come in and sit down." After Lu Su was seated, Ma Chao, with a smile on his face, asked, "Zijing, did you enjoy singing and dancing with those Shanyue women last night?"

Lu Su said solemnly, "My lord, I sang and danced with these women because I wanted to learn about their customs. Fortunately, you didn't accept Sally's invitation to dance last night, otherwise we would have gotten into trouble."

Ma Chao, unfamiliar with local customs, immediately became interested and said, "Well, then, tell me in detail what information you got from those women?"

Lu Su narrated, "According to their customs, if a woman meets a man she likes, she will personally feed him wine from a wine cup, which means she is satisfied with him. And if a man or a woman invites the other to dance, it means they have mutual affection, and then the family will discuss the marriage."

After hearing this, Ma Chao echoed with a lingering fear, "Oh, that was a close call. I'm glad I didn't agree to dance." Then, looking at Lu Su with interest, he teased, "Zijing, you danced with that woman last night. Didn't you have any feelings for this Shanyue woman? Why didn't you spend the night with her like Xingba did?"

Lu Su said with a serious expression, "My lord, I have long since pledged my wife and I. To save face for both parties, I did not reject the woman. Although I harbor a slight affection for her, I was simply improvising, trying to extract some information. Gan Ning and Gan Xingba were born into Jiang bandits, and their thieves' hearts remain unchanged. This time, while visiting their territory, they have become entangled with a Shanyue woman. My lord, I implore you to punish Gan Ning according to military law."

Ma Chao thought for a moment and said, "Isn't that a bit too harsh? You said they only had sex because they were in love. If that were the case, why would Gan Ning marry that woman? Besides, Gan Ning is a high-ranking general. If we criticize him harshly for such a personal matter, wouldn't he harbor resentment? Even if he doesn't harbor resentment, it would still embarrass him and damage his prestige."

Lu Su's face was serious. He immediately stood up, bowed respectfully, and advised Ma Chao, "My lord, your remarks are truly inappropriate. As a monarch, you should reward meritorious service and punish faults. How can you only consider past relationships? If rewards and punishments are unclear, how can you command the army and lead the soldiers?"

He paused, his expression growing more serious. He continued, "Furthermore, we have just arrived in the Shanyue land, with the intention of negotiating peace. While Gan Ning and the Shanyue woman may have a mutual affection, as a general, his every word and action affects the overall image of our army. My lord, you have shown remarkable composure and have not succumbed to the allure of Miss Sally's beauty. However, your generals have indulged themselves in lust for beauty. Such behavior will undoubtedly make the Shanyue people view us as those who indulge in alcohol and sex, and thus look down on us. If they develop contempt for us, how can subsequent peace talks proceed smoothly? If the peace talks are hindered, all our plans will be wasted. I urge my lord to reconsider and ensure that Gan Ning is punished, and military law and discipline are enforced strictly."

Ma Chao, upon hearing Lu Su's words, fell into deep thought. He knew that every word Lu Su said was true; clear rewards and punishments were fundamental to military discipline. If he condoned Gan Ning's actions due to his unique circumstances, he feared other officers would follow suit, violating military discipline and weakening morale.

However, Gan Ning had only recently joined our army and had previously saved our lives, so Ma Chao couldn't bear to punish him harshly. After a moment's reflection, Ma Chao said slowly, "Zijing, you're right. However, Gan Ning is new to our army and has already saved our lives. It's hard to bring myself to punish him harshly, and I'm afraid it will discourage the soldiers. How about this: tell Gan Ning that his behavior was inappropriate and order him to apologize to Chief Shamoke in person. This will demonstrate our sincerity, while also ensuring he behaves in a way that won't happen again. This way, we can enforce strict military discipline without giving the soldiers the impression that we're being unreasonable."

After Lu Su pondered, he bowed and said, "My lord, this plan is very clever. It takes into account both the dignity of military law and Gan Ning's kindness. However, I must remind Gan Ning to apologize sincerely so that the Shanyue people can see our sincerity in the peace talks."

Ma Chao nodded and said, "Let's do as you say. You'll tell Gan Ning to meet with Shamoke today. Also, please inquire carefully about the customs and taboos of the Shanyue. We must be very careful not to let any mishaps affect the peace talks."

Lu Su took the order and left. Ma Chao looked at his back and knew that this peace talk would be difficult. Only by acting cautiously could he achieve his goal and develop his power.

Soon, Lu Su, along with Pan Feng and Wu Anguo, escorted Gan Ning to the courtyard where Ma Chao was staying. Gan Ning was completely bewildered, not knowing what he had done wrong.

Ma Chao was sitting in the courtyard with a stern expression. Seeing Gan Ning being brought in, he glared at him like a blade and asked in a deep voice, "Gan Ning, do you admit your guilt?"

Gan Ning, his face full of confusion, looked up at Ma Chao and said, "My lord, I don't know what crime I have committed. I hope you can explain it clearly."

Lu Su, observing this, stepped forward and said sternly, "Xingba, your incident with the Shanyue woman yesterday has severely damaged the image of our army. Local custom is that a man and a woman dancing together signifies mutual affection and the prospect of marriage. As a general, you've just arrived and are already entangled with a woman. This will make the Shanyue people look down on our army, and peace talks may be hindered."

Upon hearing this, Gan Ning suddenly woke up from his dream, filled with remorse and panic. He quickly knelt on the ground with a plop, and said with a tone of self-blame and guilt, "My lord, Gan Ning was greedy for wine and failed to control his lustful heart. I did such a foolish thing and almost ruined your important plan. I hope you will punish me."

Ma Chao felt a pang of resentment as he watched Gan Ning kneel down and plead guilty. He had no intention of truly chastising the general, but merely wanted to frighten him and serve as a warning to others. Ma Chao quickly stepped forward, personally helped Gan Ning to his feet, and said, "Well, I don't mean to embarrass you. If you and that woman are truly in love, I will marry her and give you a family. But what you did was truly inappropriate. If you don't enforce military law, how will you get along with the Shanyue people in the future? How can you clearly distinguish rewards and punishments and convince the soldiers?"

Gan Ning said sincerely, "My lord, you are right. I admit my mistake and accept the punishment. I would like to personally apologize to the Shanyue leader."

Ma Chao nodded and said, "Since that's the case, Pan Feng and Wu Anguo, gather your personal guards immediately. In front of everyone, give him thirty blows of the military stick, then take him to the Shanyue leader to apologize."