Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Ever since Ma Chao's unjust and brutal murder in Chang'an, a bloody day had enveloped the land, a hero's death filled with hatred. In that fierce battle, Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, and Gan Ning fought tooth and nail, but were outnumbered and could only lead their battered and defeated remnants in a hasty escape towards Hanzhong.

A few days later, the group finally arrived in Hanzhong. Standing atop the city walls, Zhang Lu spotted the troops from afar. The soldiers were ragged, their armor torn, some wrapped in bloodstained cloth. They staggered, their faces filled with fatigue and sorrow. The once majestic warhorses of the Western Liang army now drooped, their hooves dragging against the ground. Alarmed, Zhang Lu hurried down to the city walls to inquire.

Zhang Liao's face was filled with sorrow, his eyes reddened. In a hoarse voice, he recounted the details of Ma Chao's unwarranted murder at the hands of the emperor. His words were filled with anger and resentment, and he clenched his fists tightly, wishing he could kill his enemy immediately. Zhang Lu, hearing this, sighed deeply, his expression tense. He said, "Ma Dai and Zhang Xiu are leading their army to Xiliang. They haven't been away for long. If you spur your horses, perhaps you can catch up."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liao and his two companions dared not delay for a moment. After a brief reorganization, they whipped their horses and galloped off in the direction of Ma Dai and Zhang Xiu's army. Along the way, they slept in the open air, with only one thought in mind: to catch up with the army and avenge Ma Chao.

Finally, amidst a cloud of dust, they spotted Zhang Xiu's army. Zhang Xiu was genuinely shocked to see Zhang Liao and his men. They looked haggard and exhausted, their clothes stained with dust and dried blood. Before Zhang Xiu could ask, Zhang Liao dismounted, trotted over to him, and sank to his knees, tears streaming down his face. "General Zhang, our lord... has been harmed by that tyrant!"

These words were like a boulder dropped into a calm lake, and the entire camp erupted in turmoil. Upon hearing of their commander's tragic death, the soldiers were momentarily silent, then erupted in deafening cries and roars of anger. Xu Shu and his advisors also emerged from their tents, their faces etched with shock and grief. For a moment, the entire army was consumed by immense grief. The sight of their commander, Ma Chao, seemed to be still before their very eyes, yet now, he was gone.

Everyone gathered in the tent, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive. Zhang Xiu's brow furrowed, his eyes blazing with anger, and he slammed his fist on the table, "I will cease to be a man if I don't avenge this!" Xu Shu stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and said, "Since that's the case, there's no need to return to Xiliang. Let's march eastward directly to Chang'an and demand justice for General Ma!" Everyone echoed his sentiments.

Xingyue rushed forward and finally rescued Dong Bai and the others.

After setting up camp, candlelight flickered in the central army tent. Dong Bai sat at the head of the tent, his expression solemn, his voice trembling slightly. "Tell me what happened that day in detail."

Zhang Liao's eyes were red. He took a step forward and knelt on one knee. His voice was full of grief and resentment as he slowly spoke: "Since the great victory in Yangzhou, the emperor ordered us to return to the court. In Wancheng, we split up with Zhang Xiu and Ma Dai, and then we followed our lord to Chang'an. When we arrived outside Chang'an, the emperor ordered us to camp outside the city and only allowed our lord to enter the city with him." Zhang Liao paused, clenched his fists, and his knuckles turned white.

"At first, we thought nothing of it and simply waited outside the city. But before long, we heard faint sounds of commotion from within Chang'an. Sensing something was amiss, we attempted to lead our troops into the city to rescue our lord, but were met with resolute resistance from Liu Bei's forces. They were numerous and powerful, and their defenses were layered. Despite our desperate efforts, we were unable to break through the lines."

Zhang Liao's face was filled with pain as he recalled the fierce battle. "Countless soldiers were killed and wounded, yet even so, we were unable to reach Chang'an. Just when we were desperate and isolated, Lü Bu arrived with his troops. He openly claimed that our lord was having an affair with the queen, and that he had attempted to regicide at a banquet and had been executed."

When Zhang Liao said this, his voice choked and he could hardly control himself: "My Lady, we are incompetent and failed to protect the Lord, causing him to die unjustly. Now, we have no choice but to fight to the death to avenge the Lord!" After saying this, he fell to the ground and could not get up, his shoulders trembling slightly.

Upon hearing this, Dong Bai's face instantly turned pale as paper. She staggered, nearly falling. She struggled to hold onto the table, her nails digging into the wood. Her eyes burned with rage as she spoke word by word, "Absurd! My husband is so loyal, how could he do such a treasonous act? It's clearly that scoundrel Lu Bu who is slandering me!"

Zhang Xiu was furious. He drew his sword and slashed at the table beside him. With a snap, the table broke. "Lü Bu, you bastard, used to be my brother, yet you have done this to me? I will tear him into pieces!"

Dong Bai took a deep breath, suppressing the grief and anger in her heart. She regained some composure and glanced at everyone with a determined gaze: "You are all my husband's brothers in life and death. Now that our great revenge has not yet been avenged, we must work together. Intensify military training, reorganize the armaments, and prepare for the expedition."

At this moment, Li Ru, who had been silent the entire time, stepped forward and, with a bow, advised, "Bai'er, wait a minute. Liu Bei's army is already formidable, and Lü Bu commands the elite troops of the Zuoxu Guard. Our forces haven't yet been fully consolidated. A rash attack will likely lead to failure. It's better to hold our ground for now and wait for General Ma Teng and the Western Liang cavalry to arrive and join us. By then, our forces will be greatly increased, and our revenge plans will have a greater chance of success."

Upon hearing this, Gan Ning's face flushed with anxiety. He retorted loudly, "By the time our old lord arrives, the opportunity will be lost! We are filled with rage, and the soldiers are eager to fight. How can we remain silent?"

Zhang Liao frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Mr. Li Ru has some truth to his words. While our morale is high, our forces are scattered and our logistics are incomplete. If we rush into an offensive and end up in a protracted battle, it will be disadvantageous to our army."

Zhang Xiu also calmed down a bit and nodded in agreement: "Wenyuan is right, we can't be impulsive. But this tone is really hard to swallow!"

Dong Bai's heart was in turmoil. She knew everyone was right, and Li Ru's analysis was incisive. But when she thought of her husband, her rationality was overwhelmed by a surge of grief and longing. Her eyes were red, tears welled up, and her voice trembled, almost choking. "I know you're all right, but how can I wait? I don't know where my husband's remains are. He was so young, we weren't married, and we had no children. Now he's alone, his spirit wandering the world, with no one to collect it, no one to worship him."

She clenched her fists tightly, veins popping out on the back of her hands, she was emotionally agitated and determined, "Every moment I wait, I feel like he is suffering and crying out for help. How can I sit here and do nothing! Even if the road ahead is full of swords and fire, and it's a den of dragons and tigers, I will go now, bring him back, and make those who hurt him pay the price!" After she finished speaking, tears burst out of her eyes, rolled down her cheeks, and dripped onto the ground beneath her feet.

At this moment, Gan Ning suddenly raised his head and said anxiously, "Ah, Madam! When the lord was fighting in Yangzhou, he married the sister of the Shanyue leader Shamoke and gave birth to a son."

These words instantly shattered the silence within the tent, and everyone's gaze snapped to Gan Ning, as if time had stood still for a moment. The Longxi soldiers, still consumed by a passion for revenge, were stunned by the unexpected news. Then, stunned expressions quickly crept across their faces, and they exchanged glances of disbelief.

Upon hearing this, Dong Bai's face, once mirthful, suddenly lit up with joy. For the past few days, she had been consumed by the grief of Ma Chao's tragic death, feeling as if nothing in the world had gained meaning. But now, learning that Ma Chao had left behind a descendant was like a ray of hope in a desperate situation. Though Ma Chao was gone, she thought, his bloodline would continue, giving her a new place to live.

"General Gan, you...are you serious?" Dong Bai's voice trembled slightly. The tears in his eyes had not yet dissipated, but had been replaced by a bright color, which was the rekindled hope.

Gan Ning nodded earnestly, his expression sincere. "It's absolutely true, Madam," he said. "At that time, Yangzhou was in dire straits. Shamoke led the Shanyue tribe to help us and formed an alliance with us. Later, we married Shamoke's sister, and not long after that, our child was born."

Dong Bai took a deep breath, calming her inner turmoil. Her voice became firm, "Great! We must find this child. He is my husband's flesh and blood, and our hope. As for those who murdered his father, none of them will escape. We must avenge this!"

When Li Ru heard that Ma Chao had a descendant, he instantly perked up, his eyes gleaming with shrewdness. He quickly walked over to Dong Bai, his expression solemn, and said, "Bai'er, now that we know General Ma Chao has a descendant, we can no longer act so recklessly as before."

He paused slightly, observing Dong Bai's reaction. Seeing that she was listening attentively, he continued, "Before, we were all focused on avenging the general, even if it meant a life-or-death struggle. But things are different now. The young master is the general's only child, the hope of our Xiliang army. If we continue to attack Chang'an recklessly as before."

Dong Bai looked puzzled, her brows furrowed as she asked, "What does my husband having an heir have to do with our revenge?"

A meaningful smile played on Li Ru's lips. He slowly raised his head and looked around at everyone in the hall with a sinister gaze. His eyes were like the cold frost of December. Wherever he looked, the generals of Longxi were silent. Even Ma Chao's veterans were frightened and subconsciously avoided his gaze.

After a moment of silence, Li Ru took a deep breath, his eyes slowly swept over the crowd, and he said in a deep voice: "Everyone, you are all Meng Qi's old subordinates, so I will speak frankly. Meng Qi died suddenly in the past, and now we are united in our hatred and are determined to avenge him. This friendship is witnessed by heaven and earth. But have you ever thought about what will happen in the future?"

Dong Bai frowned, her tone filled with confusion and impatience: "Mr. Li Ru, why are you bringing up this old matter again?"

Li Ru ignored Dong Bai's questioning, his gaze fixed on Ma Chao's former subordinates. Everyone fell silent, the silence within the tent so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Seeing this, Li Ru continued, "This is an unavoidable fact. You all followed Meng Qi because he was a wise leader, but now that Meng Qi is gone, what will become of the future? The Young Master of Xiliang has passed away so suddenly. If Meng Qi has no heir, Xiliang's future will be shrouded in uncertainty, hopeless. At that point, we will have to choose one of Meng Qi's brothers to shoulder the responsibility for Xiliang's cause."

At this point, Li Ru paused slightly, a glint in his eyes. "But the situation is different now. Meng Qi still has blood. This is heaven's blessing on Xiliang. My Longxi lineage will fully support Meng Qi's son to inherit Xiliang's cause. Since this son is Meng Qi's flesh and blood, he has the right to succeed him. He can rally the hearts of the people of Xiliang and put Xiliang back on the right track so that we can achieve greater success."

Dong Bai listened, thoughtful, then slowly nodded. Niu Fu, beside him, also nodded repeatedly, his expression full of approval. Ma Chao's former subordinates looked at each other. Though still doubtful, a glimmer of hope gradually emerged in their eyes, as if they had finally found a glimmer of direction in this chaotic situation.