Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Prior to this, Dong Zhuo dispatched Li Su to Western Qiang to try to persuade the King of Western Qiang to dispatch troops to contain Han Sui's Jincheng, thereby preventing Han Sui from launching a full-scale attack on Ma Teng. Li Su, bearing generous gifts and a long journey, finally arrived in Western Qiang territory. However, he unexpectedly learned that the King of Western Qiang had already marched, leaving him stunned and bewildered, filled with doubts.

Despite this, Li Su suppressed his inner uneasiness and traveled to the Western Qiang royal court to meet with Prime Minister Yadan. Prime Minister Yadan looked at Li Su sternly and bluntly informed him that Ma Chao was the sworn brother of Qiang King Cheliji. When Ma Teng was in danger, Qiang King Cheliji had unhesitatingly led numerous warriors of his tribe to his rescue.

Prime Minister Yadan went on to say: "We Qiang people value friendship and loyalty. We will entertain our brothers with the best wine and delicacies; and we will never show mercy to our enemies. We have strong horses, sharp bows and arrows, and deadly scimitars." At this point, a sharp light flashed in Prime Minister Yadan's eyes.

Afterward, Prime Minister Yadan solemnly instructed Li Su to convey to Dong Zhuo that the Western Qiang had formed an alliance with Ma Teng and that they had no connection to Dong Zhuo in Liang Province. Dong Zhuo should pay attention to our situation and take proactive action to rescue us. Otherwise, the Qiang would regard Dong Zhuo as an enemy, and he would undoubtedly face our wrath and retaliation. This was not a threat, but a statement of our firm stance and attitude. Prime Minister Yadan hoped that Dong Zhuo would understand this and not underestimate the strength and resolve of the Western Qiang.

After hearing the news brought back by Li Su, Dong Zhuo frowned and fell into deep thought. He then discussed it with Li Ru, who said solemnly, "Wenyou, this alliance between the Western Qiang and Ma Teng is somewhat unexpected."

Li Ru nodded, a look of delight on his face. He cleared his throat and said to Dong Zhuo, "Father-in-law, in my opinion, this is actually a good thing. Think about it, Ma Chao is incredibly brave and a rare talent. We've seen his prowess before. And Ma Teng, although a local lord, has always claimed to be loyal to the Han Dynasty and still has a sense of loyalty in his heart. If we can win him over in the name of justice, he will definitely be used by us."

Li Ru became increasingly excited as he spoke, "Their friendship with the Qiang people will make Xiliang even more secure. This way, we have a double guarantee for Xiliang. When we attack other places, Xiliang will be our strongest backing. The key now is to find a way to win over Ma Chao. As long as we can control him, we can contain Ma Teng. With these two guarding Xiliang, what do we have to fear when we fight outside? We can rest easy!"

After listening to Li Ru's analysis, Dong Zhuo's gloom gradually dissipated, revealing a hint of a smile. He nodded and said, "Wen You is absolutely right. In your opinion, how should we win over Ma Chao?"

Li Ru thought for a moment, then said, "Father-in-law, we can promise Ma Teng a high position and generous salary, giving him some tangible benefits to make him feel our sincerity. At the same time, we should do our utmost to relieve the siege of Wuwei and send another thousand Flying Bear troops to Ma Chao to make him rely on us. This will make it even harder for him to betray us."

After hearing what Li Ru said, Dong Zhuo nodded repeatedly and immediately ordered reinforcements to be sent to Ma Chao. The army then marched towards Wuwei with all its might, in an effort to quickly resolve the crisis in Wuwei.

After successfully capturing Beidi County, Ma Chao allowed his troops a brief rest. During this time, he carefully reviewed the gains and losses of the campaign. He knew that while his soldiers were brave and fearless, they still had some shortcomings in warfare, such as their lack of complete compliance with military orders.

Ma Chao solemnly addressed his soldiers, "Brothers, I have only one request of you: follow me closely. Wherever my spear points, that's the direction we'll advance. I'll be the first to charge, and you'll follow closely behind me, charging headfirst into battle. After the battle, do as I command." Ma Chao's words resonated deeply, and every soldier felt his unwavering resolve and strong conviction. They pledged to follow Ma Chao's command, fighting bravely on the battlefield with him for victory.

After a short rest, Ma Chao led his troops to attack the Xianrong Qiang tribe of Dongqiang, north of Beidi County.

Across the vast grasslands, the Xianrong Qiang camps were scattered like countless stars. Ma Chao led his army, advancing in a mighty procession toward them. Astride his warhorse, Ma Chao gazed at the tented encampment ahead, his eyes gleaming with determination. The nature of nomadic peoples meant their camps were scattered, but this did not deter Ma Chao from retreating.

As the army approached, the Xianling Qiang people sensed the approaching danger and panicked, shouting and trying to organize a resistance. However, Ma Chao's army, like an unstoppable torrent, quickly broke through the Xianling Qiang's defenses. Ma Chao led the charge, brandishing his spear, and wherever he went, the Xianling Qiang warriors retreated. His army, demonstrating its formidable fighting power, engaged in a fierce battle with the Xianling Qiang across the grasslands.

Despite their valor, the Xianling Qiang were powerless against Ma Chao's well-trained army. Tents were overturned, horses bolted in panic, and the entire camp was plunged into chaos. Ma Chao seized the opportunity, advancing his troops further and completely defeating the Xianling Qiang. The defeated Xianling Qiang fled in all directions, and their camp was overrun by Ma Chao's troops, leaving it in ruins.

Ma Chao, mindful of their difficult lives and the considerable losses suffered by both sides in the war, decided to spare them and to appease the Xianrong Qiang people. He hoped that this would help them understand the value of peace and refrain from easily provoking war.

However, the Xianrong Qiang people were different from the Han Chinese, with vastly different ways of thinking and behaviors. Feeling that Ma Chao had not exacted harsh retribution against them, these Qiang people considered him weak and vulnerable, and so they rebelled again. They gathered before Ma Chao's troops had even advanced far, and pursued and slaughtered them.

Caught off guard, Ma Chao's troops suffered some casualties. Upon learning of this, Ma Chao was furious. He had never imagined that these Xianrong Qiang people would be so ungrateful as to stir up trouble again. He immediately led his troops back, engaging in an even more intense battle with the Xianrong Qiang.

Ma Chao led the charge, his spear wielding once again like a flash of lightning, tearing through the Xianrong Qiang camp. His troops, energized by his fury, fought with high morale. Under Ma Chao's leadership, they once again routed the Xianrong Qiang, inflicting a bitter defeat on them.

This time, Ma Chao showed no mercy. He ordered the execution of the young and strong Xianrong Qiang who rebelled again. For a moment, the Xianrong Qiang camp was a river of blood, and wailing filled the air. Ma Chao's ruthless tactics demonstrated his resolve and authority to the Xianrong Qiang, making them never dare to challenge his limits again. This victory further strengthened Ma Chao's reputation across the grasslands, earning him a deep respect from all.

After this battle, Ma Chao paid a heavy price for his previous leniency. His army had only lost a little over 200 men in the battle against the Xianrong Qiang in the north. However, after the second Xianrong Qiang rebellion, despite successfully suppressing the rebels, he was left with only about 500 men. Although these 500 men had been reborn through the trials of blood and fire, becoming a true elite force, their strength rivaling that of other powerful armies, it was undeniable that this loss was a significant loss compared to the 1,000 he had originally led. And these 1,000 men were originally borrowed from Dong Zhuo, which made Ma Chao feel ashamed.

At this critical moment, Dong Zhuo unexpectedly dispatched another thousand elite Flying Bear soldiers, who quickly caught up with Ma Chao and joined him. Ma Chao was instantly moved by Dong Zhuo's gesture. He knew that this was not only Dong Zhuo's support for him, but also a recognition of his abilities. Ma Chao secretly vowed to lead these brothers to fight bravely on the battlefield, live up to Dong Zhuo's trust, and win glory for himself and his brothers.

Perhaps all of this was part of Li Ru's careful planning, and it was exactly what Dong Zhuo had hoped to see. When the passionate young man Ma Chao went alone to borrow troops, Dong Zhuo did not hesitate to send a thousand soldiers to support him, and soon after, he added another thousand elite soldiers.

How could a teenager, only fourteen or fifteen, not be filled with gratitude for such trust and support? And how could he not feel a deep sense of gratitude towards Dong Zhuo? This undoubtedly created a close emotional bond between Ma Chao and Dong Zhuo, and Dong Zhuo's actions left Ma Chao deeply emotionally entangled. When Dong Zhuo later wreaked havoc on the world, Ma Chao, on the one hand, witnessed Dong Zhuo's evil deeds, and on the other, found it difficult to let go of his gratitude towards him.

This complex emotion made it even more difficult for Ma Chao to make a decision when facing Dong Zhuo. He was caught in a struggle between morality and emotion, which also added more twists and turns and troubles to his future destiny.