Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Zhang Liao seemed lost in thought, his brows furrowed slightly, his gaze penetrating as he considered various possibilities. Xu Huang and Gan Ning, on the other hand, looked bewildered. Gan Ning scratched his head and exclaimed, "Then it should be Meng Qi's son who inherits everything in Xiliang. What's there to hesitate about?"

Xu Shu sighed softly, his expression solemn. He spoke slowly, "That being said, this is ultimately just our wishful thinking. Old Master Ma Teng is still alive, and he has many children. How could he easily entrust the cause of Xiliang to a baby still in its infancy? In my opinion, he will most likely choose one of Meng Qi's brothers to shoulder the heavy responsibility of inheriting Xiliang. How would we cope then?"

Everyone was stunned when they heard this, looking at each other, not knowing how to respond. After a moment, someone whispered, "If that's the case, it's not too bad. We're all descendants of the Ma family, so we're all family after all."

Xu Shu shook his head with a wry smile, and went on to analyze: "Even if the old lord and his wife have a deep relationship with Meng Qi and really decide to pass the throne of Xiliang to Meng Qi's son, how can Meng Qi's brothers not have any ideas? They have been in Xiliang for many years, each managing their own business, and it is inevitable that they will covet this supreme position. Moreover, how could the aristocratic families in Xiliang be willing to pin the rise and fall of their family on a cradle? Even if all parties do nothing on the surface, those big families will automatically take sides early on out of their own interests. By then, Xiliang will probably be caught in a power struggle and there will be no peace." After hearing this, everyone fell silent. The atmosphere in the tent became more and more solemn. The future situation was like a fog, which made people worried.

Only then did Li Ru speak again, his voice filled with a hint of disappointment: "Everyone, do you understand now?"

Hua Xiong was still bewildered. He scratched his head and asked in a muffled voice, "So what does this have to do with us avenging our young master right now?"

Li Ru sighed heavily and raised his voice, "What a fool! If we all wield all our troops now, how will we be able to support Meng Qi's son in stabilizing the situation in Xiliang in the future? Only by commanding soldiers and generals can we have the final say in this complex situation in Xiliang and be able to assist Meng Qi's son in stabilizing Xiliang."

His eyes blazed as he scanned the crowd. "Revenge for Mengqi is certainly paramount, but long-term planning is equally essential. Right now, we should remain inactive, conserving our energy and gathering strength. Once everything is ready, we will, with our formidable military force as our backing, support the young master in ascending the throne. Then, with legitimate authority, no one will dare challenge us. Revenge for the young master will be even more assured, and Xiliang's future will be bright!"

Dong Bai was obviously persuaded, but when she thought of Ma Chao's blood feud, her eyes instantly turned red again, and she said anxiously, "Then will you not avenge your husband?"

Li Ru felt a warm glow in his heart when he heard Dong Bai finally call him uncle. He was overjoyed and said quickly, "Hey, Bai'er, don't be impatient. Let me tell you what I'm going to say. Meng Qi's hatred isn't just for us, it's for all of Xiliang. The old lord must have arrived with the Xiliang army by now. What we need to do now is to reunite with him smoothly."

Li Ru took a deep breath, his expression firm as he continued, "Once we unite our forces, we'll have enough strength to march to Chang'an in a mighty force and avenge Meng Qi with honor. By then, with a legitimate cause and a formidable force, wouldn't our revenge plan be much easier to succeed? It's just a matter of waiting a little longer. Only with thorough planning can we strike with one strike and make those who harmed Meng Qi pay with blood!"

Dong Bai pondered and asked, "Should we take Meng Qi's child?"

Li Ru pondered for a moment, then said, "It's already November, the coldest month of winter. How can a child in swaddling clothes withstand such wind and rain? Furthermore, this matter should not be made public. If the imperial court learns of it, they will surely kill us along the way, putting the child in great danger."

At this time, Xu Shu also spoke up and agreed: "Indeed. Now that we are about to go to war with Chang'an, it would be better to take the child away. It would be better to let him stay in Jiangdong. With Sun Ce, Zhou Yu and others taking care of him, I think he will be fine."

After Xu Shu finished speaking, Dong Bai raised her eyebrows and said, "Perhaps we can continue to take the Hanzhong route. Hanzhong was previously allied with us, so it should be safe now and won't be disadvantageous to us."

Zhang Liao's expression was solemn, and he shook his head slightly in rebuttal, "Madam, to be honest, when we were leading our defeated army through Hanzhong, I sensed a shift in Zhang Lu's attitude. I'm afraid his mind has changed. With our lord's death, our power has been weakened, and in his eyes, we may no longer be as valuable as we were when we formed an alliance. Furthermore, if the court uses threats or inducements against him, he's very likely to defect, making the chances of us passing through extremely slim. Forcing our way through would likely lead to disaster."

Dong Bai listened to everyone's analysis, frowned slightly, and after thinking for a moment, she said: "But leaving the child in Jiangdong is not a long-term solution. Once this revenge is over and the situation stabilizes, we must bring him back. He is Mengqi's only bloodline." Everyone nodded. Although the tent was still filled with a solemn atmosphere of revenge, they had reached a temporary consensus on the placement of the child.

Dong Bai was finally convinced. After all, Li Ru's words made sense, and now there was hope in the form of Ma Chao's son. She decided to station her army there and wait for the arrival of the Xiliang army.

In the dead of winter, heavy snow fell, the sky and earth were a blanket of white, and the bitter north wind cut through people's faces like a knife. Zhen Mi was extremely anxious. She led a caravan and rode non-stop, their destination being Hanzhong. In one of the caravan's carriages lay a seriously wounded general, his breath weak and his life in danger.

Determined to cure the general, Zhen Mi resolutely embarked on this arduous journey. Along the way, the herbal remedies prescribed by the physician were constantly simmering, but the general's condition showed no improvement. His fever recurred, and his scalding forehead instantly heated the damp cloths applied to his forehead. The wounds began to fester, emitting a foul odor, and pus and blood oozed, soaking through the layers of gauze.

The general was tortured by illness and was unrecognizable. His once handsome face was now gaunt, his eyes sunken, his face as pale as paper, his dry lips trembling slightly with pain, and he groaned from time to time. Every bump was like salt being poured into his wounds, causing him to twitch with pain.

Zhen Mi, watching the generals' plight, was consumed with anxiety, constantly urging the caravan to speed up. However, heavy snow blocked the roads, and the carriages moved extremely slowly. The wheels often sank into the thick snow, forcing everyone to work together to push the carriages forward. The howling wind blew through their cotton-padded jackets, leaving their hands and feet numb from the cold. But to reach Hanzhong as quickly as possible, no one complained.

Finally, after overcoming countless dangers, they entered Hanzhong. However, upon entering, Zhen Mi sensed a particularly oppressive atmosphere. Hanzhong was heavily guarded with checkpoints, and soldiers, armed with spears and vigilant eyes, rigorously checked all who passed. Zhen Mi was consumed by anxiety, worried about her commander's condition and uneasy about this unfamiliar and tense environment. She forced herself to remain calm and pondered her next move.

Zhen Mi stood guard beside the carriage, watching the seriously injured and unconscious general inside, tears welling in her eyes. Saving the general's life was urgent, but Hanzhong was heavily guarded, and reaching the city to seek medical help was fraught with difficulty.

She quickly called the old shopkeeper to her side, her voice choked with sobs and anxiety, and gently instructed him to go to the city to inquire about the news, hoping to find a way to save the general. The old shopkeeper hurriedly left, and with the rich connections he had accumulated over the years and his shrewd worldly wisdom, he soon figured out the reason for the current tense situation in Hanzhong.

The old shopkeeper hurried back, his expression grave. He pulled Zhen Mi aside and whispered worriedly, "Miss, things are not going well! Zhang Lu has been accused by the Emperor of colluding with the rebels in Xiliang, and he's in a panic. Liu Zhang of Yizhou is also putting pressure on the border with his troops. To protect himself, Zhang Lu has severed all ties with Xiliang and is extremely wary of anyone coming from Xiliang, scrutinizing them very strictly. We can tell at a glance that this general in our carriage is from Xiliang, so we must not keep him here. If we're discovered, we'll all be in trouble. It's a disaster!"

Zhen Mi's delicate body trembled slightly after hearing this, and a flicker of panic crossed her face, but soon, a look of determination welled up in her eyes. She looked at the old shopkeeper, her voice trembling slightly but revealing an unwavering determination: "Shopkeeper, I understand you're thinking of us, but I can't abandon him. I've... long been deeply in love with him. When I was in dire straits, he stepped forward and risked his life to save me. Now that he's on the verge of death, how can I abandon him just because I'm afraid of getting into trouble myself? I've made up my mind. No matter the cost, I will save him."

The old shopkeeper looked at Zhen Mi's stubborn expression and couldn't help but sigh secretly. He helplessly advised: "Young lady, why are you doing this? This journey has been extremely difficult, and now it is even more dangerous. We really don't need to take such a big risk."

Zhen Mi looked at the general's pale face in the carriage, her eyes full of affection and reluctance, tears welling up in her eyes: "Shopkeeper, I will always remember your kindness in my heart, but I must repay this favor. Even if the road ahead is full of thorns and dangers, I will never look back. I beg you to help me this time." Seeing her determination, the old shopkeeper knew that he could not change her mind, so he could only compromise: "Well, since the lady has made up her mind, then I will accompany her on this journey!"

Zhen Mi and the old shopkeeper held an urgent meeting beside the carriage. The howling cold wind threatened to tear them apart, and the situation was extremely critical. The old shopkeeper frowned, his face solemn as he analyzed, "Young lady, Hanzhong County is heavily guarded right now. Our caravan is too conspicuous. If we move forward together, we'll probably be targeted immediately." Zhen Mi nodded gently, her beautiful eyes moving in thought for a moment. "Shopkeeper, you're absolutely right. We need to split our forces into two groups. Let's leave the caravan behind for now."

After careful planning, Zhen Mi meticulously disguised herself, donning a coarse linen garment and wrapping her cloud-like black hair in a worn headscarf. She even smeared dust on her face to conceal her natural beauty. The old shopkeeper, posing as her father, supported the two as they walked toward the carriage. Inside, the general lay unconscious, his face as pale as paper. They carefully dressed him in civilian clothing and skillfully covered the arrow wound with layers of gauze, making it barely noticeable.

Along the way, Zhen Mi and the old shopkeeper reluctantly sold the caravan's goods at a low price. At each checkpoint, facing the soldiers' wary gazes and rigorous inspections, Zhen Mi feigned composure, her voice trembling with anxiety: "Sir, this is my husband. He fell and was seriously injured on the way. We are desperate to get to the city to seek medical help." The old shopkeeper assisted her, his face pleading and his words earnest. They used the huge sums of money they earned from selling their goods to bribe the guards, those heavy silver ingots carrying the hope of life. The guards looked at the money, their eyes flickering with hesitation, and finally slowly raised the long spears that blocked the road.