Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

In the distant city of Wuwei in Western Liang, laughter and joy filled the air. Zhang Fubao, half-coaxed and half-tricked by Li Ru into coming to Western Liang to preach, found her life comfortable and carefree. Her clever, playful demeanor and innocent appearance quickly won the hearts of Ma Chao's mother, Dong Bai, and Cai Wenji. Even Ma Teng couldn't help but show a touch of fondness upon meeting her.

Zhang Fubao spent his days either accompanying Ma's mother on Buddhist teachings. Ma's mother, a fervent believer in the Five Pecks of Rice Sect, solemnly donated five pecks of rice and even had Zhang Fubao personally preside over the initiation ceremony. Even when accompanying Dong Bai on her travels through Xiliang, Ma Yunlu would always follow like a little tail. Ma Yunlu was slightly younger than Zhang Fubao, but the three of them, doted on by their elders since childhood, had cultivated fearless and bold personalities. While Dong Bai now found a loved one and enjoyed a relatively stable life, Ma Yunlu remained a naive young girl, spending her days hanging out with Zhang Fubao, mischievously getting into all sorts of mischief. Whenever they got into trouble, Ma Yunlu unhesitatingly took the blame, fearing Zhang Fubao would be blamed. In the eyes of Ma's mother and Ma Teng, Zhang Fubao was a well-behaved and sensible girl, completely unaware that she was behind all these hilarious mishaps.

In his free time, Zhang Fubao would often visit Cai Wenji for playful moments. More often, she would take Ma Chao's two adopted sons on wild adventures. Cai Wenji, born into a family of scholars, was gentle and quiet, always looking at them with a doting smile.

Zhang Fubao's time in Xiliang was comfortable and smooth. With her mother Ma's unreserved support and Ma Teng's leniency, she had no trouble spreading the teachings of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect in Wuwei City. Ma Teng had specially selected a prime feng shui location within the city and built a magnificent Taoist temple for the sect, dedicated to its founder, Zhang Daoling.

In her daily life, Zhang Fubao maintained a saintly image before the people. Dressed in a plain white Taoist robe, her face dignified and holy, her every gesture exuding a solemn and awe-inspiring aura. The people held her in high esteem, and as the number of her followers grew, her status in Xiliang steadily rose, allowing her to lead a carefree and worry-free life.

As the Lunar New Year approached, a chilling wind blew, and Liangzhou City was festooned with lights and decorations, a festive atmosphere permeating the air. One day, a sudden commotion erupted at the city gates. It turned out to be Zhang Fubao's second brother, Zhang Gui, who had arrived from Hanzhong, at the behest of their father, Zhang Lu. The delegation was large, and their accompanying vehicles were laden with rare Hanzhong specialties and exquisite gifts. These were both a New Year's gift to Ma Teng and a gesture of friendship from Zhang Lu to Xiliang. Of course, the key purpose of this trip was to visit Zhang Fubao and see how she was faring in Xiliang, to see if she was enduring hardships.

Zhang Fubao, thrilled to learn of her second brother's arrival, hurried to greet him. Seeing that familiar, friendly face, her eyes instantly welled up, her voice trembling with excitement. She quickly grasped Zhang Gui's hand and began to pepper him with questions about the family. Zhang Gui finally felt relieved as he watched his younger sister grow increasingly beautiful, and saw that she lived a comfortable and respected life in Xiliang.

That evening, Ma Teng hosted a banquet to welcome the Hanzhong envoys. The tables were filled with delicious food, and everyone toasted and chatted, their topics ranging from the customs and practices of the two regions to recent anecdotes. Laughter and joy echoed through the hall for a long time.

The banquet was bustling with activity, but Zhang Gui remained anxious, hoping to speak to his sister alone. After the guests had finally dispersed and the noise in the hall had died down, Zhang Gui seized the opportunity and quickly walked over to Zhang Fubao.

He gently patted his sister's shoulder and whispered, "Fubao, our father has been worried about you every day since you left. He often can't sleep at night, eats less and less, and has lost a lot of weight." Zhang Fubao's smile froze when she heard this, and her eyes were filled with shock and heartache. She thought of her father's past appearance and her second brother's description of his increasingly thin father, and her heart felt like it had been hit hard.

Zhang Fubao's eyes instantly turned red, her nose slightly sore, and her playful spirit vanished without a trace. That night, she hurried to Ma's mother's residence. Upon seeing her, she plopped down on her knees, tears welling in her eyes, her voice tingling with sobs. "Ma's mother, I'm deeply worried about my father's recent condition. I beg you to ask Uncle Ma to let me return to Hanzhong so I can fulfill my filial duty to him."

Seeing Zhang Fubao crying so hard, Ma's mother felt so distressed that her eyes also turned red. She quickly reached out to help Zhang Fubao up, hugged her tightly in her arms, and said, "Fubao, I know you are filial, but my heart is empty when you leave. You brought us so much joy when you were here. You were my pistachio." As Ma's mother spoke, she gently stroked Zhang Fubao's hair, full of reluctance to let her go.

Seeing that Ma's mother looked troubled and reluctant, Zhang Fubao felt a pang in her heart. She knelt down again with a plop, tightly grasping the corner of Ma's mother's clothes with both hands. Tears rolled down her face uncontrollably, and she cried, "Aunt, I know you love me, but my father is in this state now. If I don't go back, I will feel guilty. I play and have fun here every day, but my father in Hanzhong is worried about me and becomes sick. How can I swallow this? Please have mercy on me and let me go back to accompany him!" Her voice was trembling, full of earnestness and pleading, and her body was twitching slightly with excitement and sadness.

Seeing Zhang Fubao's heartbroken expression, Ma's mother's eyes welled up, and her heart ached. She leaned over, gently helped Zhang Fubao up, and gently wiped the tears from her face. She sighed and said helplessly, "Fubao, your crying breaks my heart. Okay, I'll go talk to your Uncle Ma Teng. He always respects filial piety, and maybe he'll agree to let you go back."

Night fell, moonlight streaming down the mansion's courtyard like water. A candle flickered in Ma Teng's study. Ma's mother quietly pushed the door open, revealing Ma Teng facing a vast sand table, his brow furrowed in a frown. His eyes were fixed on the banners representing the various factions. He gestured with his command arrow across the sand table, absorbed in the complex situation.

Ma's mother stepped forward. Her voice, though soft, carried an undeniable firmness: "My dear, please rest for a moment and listen to me. Fu Bao just came to me, crying bitterly, wanting nothing more than to return to Hanzhong. Her father, Zhang Lu, has been growing increasingly haggard and ill from longing for his daughter. This child is truly filial, and we really shouldn't stand in her way."

Ma Teng shuddered upon hearing this, slowly turning around. His once deep eyes were now filled with worry, a look that only grew more intense. He shook his head slightly and said gravely, "Madam, this matter is far more complex than you might think. Chao'er is currently engaged in a fierce battle with Yuan Shu in Yangzhou. The situation on the front lines is ever-changing, and food supplies are the lifeblood of our army. They are of vital importance." He raised his hand and pointed solemnly at the position representing Ma Chao's army on the sand table. "Zhang Fubao's stay in Xiliang was the key to Zhang Lu's agreement to allow us to pass through Hanzhong. Only by using the route to Hanzhong can the food and fodder we've gathered be successfully transported to the front lines and into the hands of Chao'er and his men. If Fubao leaves, and Zhang Lu becomes disgruntled and regrets his decision, severing our food supply, Chao'er and his men will be completely trapped and in imminent danger. How will we fight this war then? What will become of our years of planning?"

Ma's mother sighed softly, slowly sitting down in a nearby chair. She patiently advised, "I understand the stakes involved, but try to put yourself in their shoes. If our own child were wandering away, homesick, wouldn't we, as parents, feel the pain? It's only natural for Fu Bao to return to fulfill her filial duty. Zhang Lu has always valued friendship and loyalty. From what I know about him, he wouldn't easily turn against her and do something as detrimental as cutting off her food supply just because Fu Bao returns." She paused, looked at Ma Teng sincerely, and emphasized her words. "Besides, if we forcibly stop Fu Bao, she and Zhang Lu would both see us as unreasonable. What if Zhang Lu learns of this and thinks we're heartless and completely disregarding his deep longing for his daughter? In a rage, he actually cuts off her food supply. We'd be completely self-defeating, completely overreaching. By then, we wouldn't even need Yuan Shu to intervene; we'd be thrown into disarray."

Ma Teng paced hurriedly back and forth in the room, his hands behind his back. His footsteps were especially clear in the still night. He was torn between his conscience and his own. On the one hand, the fighting on the front lines was intense, and the importance of food and fodder was self-evident. On the other hand, his wife's words made sense; forcing the talisman to remain with him was indeed unethical. Each step felt heavy, as if he were weighing the lives of millions against the balance of morality.

After a long moment, Ma Teng finally stopped, a long, heavy sigh emanating from his chest, his face filled with helplessness. "Madam, you're right. Well, let's do as you say and let Fu Bao return. I only hope Zhang Lu can consider the overall situation and not make any mistakes at this critical juncture. Otherwise, our Xiliang army will be in danger."

When Zhang Fubao heard Ma's mother say that she could stay in Xiliang until the end of the New Year before leaving, her face, originally filled with sorrow, suddenly blossomed into a delighted smile, her eyes also lit up. She excitedly took Ma's mother's hand and said, "Auntie, is this really possible? That's great! I was worried that I wouldn't be able to spend the New Year with you, and I missed my father back home. Now it's the best of both worlds!" Ma's mother touched her head lovingly and said with a smile, "Silly child, I just hope you can be happy. This New Year should be lively and festive."

In the days that followed, Zhang Fubao immersed herself in the joy of preparing for the Lunar New Year. Along with Ma Yunlu and Dong Bai, she learned how to cut window paper-cuts from the servants. Their tiny hands folded and cut red paper, and soon, a variety of flowers, birds, fish, and insects appeared on the paper. Zhang Fubao also wrote Spring Festival couplets herself. Though her brushwork was a bit immature, every stroke was filled with her beautiful hopes for the new year. On New Year's Eve, the Ma Mansion was decorated with lanterns and the family reunited. Everyone gathered together to enjoy a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner, and laughter and joy echoed throughout the mansion.