Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The next day, after the clamor of the night's revelry had faded, Dong Zhuo majestically beat the war drums and summoned his generals to discuss the next steps in the campaign. Ma Chao and his son, Ma Teng, emerged from the ranks, their figures standing tall and proud, their expressions radiating determination and courage.

Now, with Han Sui's rebellious army defeated, the people of Xiliang had already begun to regard Dong Zhuo as their supreme leader. Dong Zhuo, with a sharp gaze, first loudly announced that all his troops were to march out immediately to hunt down Hou Xuan, Li Kan, and other rebel leaders, and to completely eradicate the rebel forces in Xiliang.

Ma Chao stepped forward, clasping his fists and requesting the order, "I am willing to go and destroy Han Sui's forces in Jincheng County. I am a sworn brother of the Western Qiang King, Cheliji, and I will be able to coordinate more effectively with him." Dong Zhuo nodded slightly, his face appreciative, and readily agreed. He then turned to Ma Teng and offered earnest encouragement, "Ma Teng, you must devote all your energy to rebuilding Wuwei County. Wuwei is in such great need of reconstruction right now. You must not let your guard down; you must proceed steadily and steadily." Ma Teng respectfully accepted the order, his eyes determined.

With everything settled, everyone's attention turned to the captured generals Cheng Yin and Yang Qiu. Dong Zhuo's face was gloomy, and he was filled with anger at the previous defeats. His eyes widened, and he shouted, "These two traitors are rebels. There's no point in keeping them alive! They should be executed!" His generals rubbed their hands, eager to fight, as if they couldn't wait to execute the two men on the spot.

However, at this moment, Ma Chao stepped forward, took a step forward, bowed and said, "Mr. Dong, please calm down. Although these two generals have made mistakes, I think they were just confused for a moment. Now that the war has just ended, it is the time to use people. Why not give them a chance to make up for their mistakes." Dong Zhuo frowned, looked at Ma Chao coldly, and said, "Ma Chao, don't plead for them. They dared to betray, their crime is unforgivable!" Ma Chao replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Mr. Dong, I am well aware of their mistakes, but I also believe that no one is perfect. If you can give them a chance and let them make meritorious contributions while serving their crimes, I am sure they will be grateful for your magnanimity and will be more loyal to you in the future." Dong Zhuo was silent for a moment, thinking about Ma Chao's words, and felt a little hesitant. At this time, Ma Chao continued, "Sir, the land of Xiliang has just been pacified, and it is not appropriate to kill again. These two generals also have some reputation in Xiliang. If you can subdue them, it will also be beneficial to your future governance of Xiliang." After hearing this, Dong Zhuo nodded slightly and finally said, "Forget it, I will do as you say and hand these two generals over to you for disposal." Ma Chao bowed and the two generals were very grateful to Ma Chao.

After everything was arranged, the generals accepted the order and went to make arrangements for the expedition. However, Dong Zhuo ordered Li Ru to keep Ma Teng and Ma Chao, father and son, and to host a banquet for them.

At the banquet, Dong Zhuo said to Ma Teng, "I have reported your achievements to the court, and we are just waiting for the court to reward you." Upon hearing this, Ma Teng hurriedly stood up, bowed, and thanked Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo waved his hand and said, "You're welcome, Shoucheng." Then he looked at Ma Chao and asked, "How old is my dear nephew Ma Chao now?" Ma Teng replied, "The boy is not yet twenty years old. He is only fourteen or fifteen years old." Dong Zhuo sighed, "Hey, Shoucheng, although Ma Chao is still young, I think he has the style of a great general. When the court awards him, it's time to give him a courtesy name and hold the coming-of-age ceremony as soon as possible." Ma Teng said, "Mr. Dong, you don't know, my eldest brother unfortunately died in battle in his early years, leaving behind only a son named Ma Dai. Although Ma Dai is not as old as Chao'er, he is my eldest brother's son. If we hold the coming-of-age ceremony, how can we skip his elder brother? Let's wait and hold the ceremony for him first." Dong Zhuo said, "This is not difficult. Let the two of them hold the coming-of-age ceremony at the same time." Ma Teng nodded in agreement.

Dong Zhuo then soothed Ma Chao with gentle words and discussed the military plan in detail. He added, "I have a young man who has loved spearmanship since childhood. Ma Chao is going to destroy Han Sui's forces in Jincheng County. You might want to let him join the army. You should guide him." Ma Chao, assuming Dong Zhuo was promoting a younger member of the family to gain experience, nodded in agreement. After all, Dong Zhuo was the Ma family's savior and immediate superior. Ma Teng then instructed Ma Chao to ensure Young Master Dong's safety. Dong Zhuo smiled, but didn't point out anything. The banquet was a joyous occasion for both host and guest.

After finishing Dong Zhuo's banquet, Ma Teng and his son began preparing for the coming-of-age ceremony for Ma Dai and Ma Chao. The coming-of-age ceremony was a rite of passage for Han Chinese men in ancient China, typically held when a man turned 20. However, in modern society, it can be adjusted to suit individual circumstances and cultural traditions.

After everything was ready, Ma Teng invited Dong Zhuo to hold a coming-of-age ceremony for Ma Dai and Ma Chao.

On the day of the ceremony, the venue was solemn and dignified, with all the necessary items carefully laid out. Ma Dai and Ma Chao, dressed in their finest attire, stood respectfully in the center of the venue.

Dong Zhuo, dressed in gorgeous attire, walked forward majestically, his face solemn, his eyes gleaming with a subtle admiration.

Dong Zhuo first picked up the cloth crown, slowly walked towards Ma Dai, solemnly placed the cloth crown on Ma Dai's head, and carefully adjusted it. Then, he picked up the leather crown, walked towards Ma Chao, and solemnly placed the leather crown on Ma Chao, carefully adjusting it.

Dong Zhuo then put on the imperial caps for Ma Dai and Ma Chao respectively, and every movement was done with great care. During the process of crowning, Dong Zhuo would often look into Ma Dai and Ma Chao's eyes, as if conveying some kind of expectation and blessing.

After the crowning ceremony, Dong Zhuo stepped back and looked at Ma Dai and Ma Chao with a smile, seeming to be filled with confidence in their growth and future. Ma Teng stood by, watching this scene with a heart filled with joy. The entire crowning ceremony concluded successfully in a solemn yet warm atmosphere.

Ma Teng gave Ma Dai and Ma Chao courtesy names. Ma Dai's courtesy name was Bozhan. This was because, as the legitimate son and grandson of the Ma family, Ma Dai, despite Ma Teng's elder brother's early death, was still required to follow tradition and use the character "Bo" to reflect his legitimate status. The character "zhan" implies looking upward or forward.

The name "Bo Zhan" is rich in meaning. It can indicate that a person ranks first in the family and has a noble and important status. At the same time, the word "Zhan" also implies that this person has far-sighted vision and ambition, can look forward to the future and pursue higher goals.

Although Ma Chao was Ma Teng's eldest son, his uncle's lineage was not directly related to the eldest son. Therefore, Ma Chao's courtesy name was "Mengqi," beginning with the character "Meng." This was a strict requirement for courtesy names in ancient times and reflects the Han Dynasty's emphasis on family bloodlines and the patriarchal system. This courtesy name arrangement not only conformed to the customs of the time but also demonstrated the inheritance and order of the Ma family.

After completing these arrangements, Dong Zhuo immediately set out for Longxi County without delay. By this time in Xiliang, the once-ferocious rebel leaders had been severely weakened after their fierce battle with Dong Zhuo. Like frightened birds, they hunkered down in their respective counties, unable to stir up any major disturbances and posing little real threat to Dong Zhuo.

Dong Zhuo knew the significance of this victory. Upon returning to Longxi County, he planned to maximize the benefits of this victory, thereby further enhancing the Dong family's voice in the court and its political status. He wanted the entire world to see the Dong family's strength and its irresistible power.

Dong Zhuo left Ma Chao with Zhang Xiu, who had fought under him, and over a thousand elite Flying Bear soldiers. He also handed over the rebel generals Yang Qiu and Cheng Yin to Ma Chao. This was a truly generous arrangement.

Ma Chao and his son, Ma Teng, were deeply grateful for Dong Zhuo's gesture and personally led the crowd to see him off. The road was packed with people, flags fluttering, and the atmosphere was solemn and dignified. Ma Chao and Ma Teng stood at the front of the crowd, their eyes filled with respect and gratitude.

Dong Zhuo rode majestically atop his towering warhorse. He glanced back at Ma Chao and Ma Teng, gave a slight nod, and then, with a flick of his whip, led his troops off into the distance. The clatter of hooves echoed across the land, stirring up clouds of dust as they gradually vanished into the distant horizon. Ma Chao and Ma Teng, father and son, remained where they were until Dong Zhuo had completely vanished from view, then they slowly turned and departed.