Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Zhang Wei's gaze roamed over Ma Chao, his mind racing. Ma Chao's reputation was legendary, his deeds in Xiliang even more legendary. But now, with his injuries still lingering and a complicated situation entangled within him, should he trust him?

"Uncle, Brother Ma is proficient in military tactics. The situation in Micang Mountain is critical now. He will definitely be able to help!" Zhang Fubao shook Zhang Wei's arm and said coquettishly.

Zhang Wei sighed lightly, his eyes fell on Ma Chao again, and after pondering for a moment, he said: "In that case, follow me into the tent and we will discuss in detail. But Ma Chao, the situation is complicated now. If you have any disloyalty, don't blame me for being rude." After that, he turned around and strode into the general's tent, secretly alert in his heart, wondering whether Ma Chao's arrival was a blessing or a curse.

Ma Chao was helped into the general's tent. He glanced at the pile of battle reports on the desk and the messy flags on the sand table. Before he even sat down, he got straight to the point: "General Zhang, could you tell me about the current deployment of troops in Hanzhong and the situation at Micang Mountain?"

Zhang Wei put his hands behind his back, fingertips stroking the hilt of the sword, his eyes alert as an eagle: "General Ma has just recovered from a serious injury, it is best for him to rest well first..."

"Why is General Zhang so alert?" Ma Chao interrupted with a chuckle, his pale face flushed slightly with excitement, "My life was saved by Hanzhong. Now I am still ill but I insisted on coming here, just to help Hanzhong break the predicament with my limited strength. If I had other intentions, why would I fall into the trap?" He coughed violently twice, but forced himself to straighten his back, staring at Zhang Wei with burning eyes.

Zhang Wei's expression shifted slightly. After a moment's silence, he raised his hand and signaled his guards to withdraw. As the tent door closed, he pointed at the sand table and said gravely, "Mi Cang Mountain is the gateway to Hanzhong. If it falls, the Yizhou army will be able to advance straight through. Yan Yan is personally leading 30,000 elite troops in a fierce attack, while Yang Ang and Yang Ren are struggling to hold the line. We've already expended most of our arrows and stones..." At this point, he slammed the mound representing Mi Cang Mountain. "Veteran General Yan Yan is a seasoned warrior, adept at surprise attacks. Our army has already lost two passes in a row!"

"Yan Yan? He's just a defeated general." Ma Chao sneered, his eyes flashing coldly. "I've already figured out his tactics. Why is General Zhang so nervous?" He struggled to his feet, his fingers tracing the winding mountain path on the sand table. "How many troops are available now?"

Zhang Wei sighed, his brows furrowed with worry. "My brother ordered Yang Chou to immediately mobilize 20,000 infantry to defend the southern front, and ordered me to lead 5,000 cavalry to support Mi Cang Mountain. Those two have just assembled their troops and set off, and my cavalry is not yet fully assembled. I'm worried about what to do..."

Ma Chao raised his chin slightly, his eyes gleaming with confidence. "General Zhang, I'm very familiar with Yan Yan's personalities. Looking at cavalry combat, I, Ma Chao, believe I'm among the best in the world. If I could train these 5,000 cavalry, I'm sure they'd be even more formidable."

Zhang Wei's face was troubled, his brow furrowed as he gazed at the situation on Micang Mountain on the sand table, his heart filled with worry. "General Ma, it's not that I don't trust your abilities. It's just that my brother's situation on Micang Mountain is dire. Yan Yan's offensive is swift, and Yang Ang and Yang Ren are almost unable to hold out. Speed ​​is of the essence in war. If we continue to train the cavalry, I don't know how long it will take. I'm afraid we can't wait."

Ma Chao frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then said, "General Zhang, sharpening the knife does not delay the chopping of wood. If these cavalry are untrained and rushed into battle hastily, they will have little chance of victory. In just two days, I will be able to transform these cavalry. In two days, I will accompany you to Mi Cang Mountain and we will surely turn the tide of the battle. Although the situation is urgent now, we cannot rush our troops blindly. These 5,000 cavalry are the key to breaking the siege of Mi Cang Mountain and must not be easily lost."

Zhang Wei gritted his teeth, his eyes full of conflict. "General Ma, this...never mind. I'll trust you this time. But if the cavalry still hasn't trained effectively in two days, we'll miss out on a major event. Mi Cang Mountain is a matter of utmost urgency, and we can't afford any mistakes."

Ma Chao clasped his fists and saluted, his expression resolute. "Rest assured, General Zhang," he said. "If the cavalry proves ineffective in two days, I will sacrifice my life. Now that I'm determined to help break the impasse in Hanzhong, I'll give it my all." Ma Chao then turned and left the tent. Gazing at the cavalrymen outside, ready for battle, he pondered the training methods, his eyes revealing a fierce determination to achieve his goal. Zhang Wei stood in the tent, gazing at the sand table, feeling uneasy. He wondered if these two days of training would, as Ma Chao had promised, allow the cavalry to play a crucial role in lifting the siege of Micang Mountain.

The setting sun shone like blood, drenching the parade grounds in a dark crimson. Supported by his lieutenant, Ma Chao slowly entered this austere landscape. Five thousand cavalrymen, clad in heavy black armor, stood like a steel wall, their iron spears gleaming coldly in the twilight. Their gazes focused on this emaciated, pale man, who even needed support to stand. Their eyes were filled with doubt and scrutiny—could such a frail individual truly command the iron cavalry that roamed the battlefield?

"Silence!" A crisp and majestic voice suddenly rang out. Zhang Fubao leaped onto the observation deck like a dancing flame. She was dressed in a brocade robe embroidered with runes, the Heavenly Master's flag on her waist fluttered in the wind, and the gold ornaments in her hair reflected a dazzling light in the setting sun. "This is Xiliang Jin Ma Chao!" Her voice was like a silver bell, and every word was resounding. "He once broke into the Xiongnu royal court single-handedly. Three thousand cavalrymen were under his command like an arm, and they trampled through the enemy camp. The Qiang people were terrified when they heard his name and took a detour! He is a god of war that the enemy is terrified of!" She raised her chin proudly, her eyes full of admiration and trust for Ma Chao, "From today on, you must all obey General Ma's orders and follow his orders!"

The parade grounds instantly fell into a dead silence, the only sound being the cold wind that whipped up gusts of dust. Then, a resounding "Greetings, General Ma!" pierced the air, like a pebble dropped into a calm lake, stirring up a thousand ripples. The chorus of echoes rose like a tsunami, the sound rising high into the sky and shaking the military flags above the parade ground, as if cheering the arrival of this legendary general.

Ma Chao nodded slightly, his gaze piercing as he surveyed the 5,000 cavalrymen before him. He reached for the saddle, took a deep breath, and, despite his frail frame, slowly straightened. Beneath his pale face, his eyes gleamed with a sharp brilliance, a brilliance honed through countless battles. He removed his cloak and tossed it carelessly to the ground. He declared gravely, "The essence of cavalry lies in speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness! Today, I will teach you the meaning of 'lightning-fast, single-strike kill!'" He continued, "The essence of cavalry lies in shattering formations with projectiles, annihilating the enemy with concentrated fire, dividing and encircling them, and charging and tearing them apart! Today, I will teach you the power of cavalry!" His voice, though slightly hoarse, was filled with undeniable authority, and every word carried a weight that reverberated heavily on the hearts of each cavalryman.

On the first day of training, Ma Chao dragged his injured body, which had not yet healed, to personally demonstrate the art of horseback archery and projectile shooting. He jumped onto the horse with a neat and agile movement, not at all like a man who had just recovered from a serious injury. The warhorse neighed and galloped up, raising a cloud of dust. Ma Chao adjusted his breathing on the galloping horse, and with a slight shake of his wrist, the arrows shot out like meteors, forming a fan-shaped coverage in an instant. "Look!" He shouted loudly, "Projectile shooting is not random shooting! We must arrange ourselves in a goose-shaped formation, use the horse's speed and angle, and let the rain of arrows cover the enemy like a net in the sky!" As he spoke, he fired three arrows in a row, accurately hitting the throats of the scarecrows lined up a hundred steps away, "Aim at the throat and the belly of the warhorse, these are the enemy's most vulnerable points!"

The next day, Ma Chao began teaching the cavalry how to concentrate fire and divide the enemy. He drew a formation on the sand, using stones to represent the enemy. "When you spot an elite enemy unit, the entire force will immediately charge in a cone formation, three riders in a group, creating a triangle of concentrated fire!" He pointed to a target at the far end of the parade ground. "Just like this, three of us will shoot simultaneously, our arrows concentrated in this small area. No matter how strong their armor is, it will be pierced!" With that, he personally led a cavalry unit in the drill. The sound of horses' hooves thundered as the three riders marched side by side, and the sound of arrows piercing the air intertwined like a web, instantly riddling the target with holes.

"And to divide the enemy, we must do so like wolves hunting!" Ma Chao waved his whip, pointing to the other end of the parade ground, where a cluster of wooden stakes had been set up to simulate enemy troops. "Two teams of cavalry will form a crescent formation, encircling them. One team will feint a frontal attack to attract their attention, while the other team will slash from the flank! Like a sharp blade slicing through silk, we will cut the enemy into pieces!" With a command, the cavalry moved swiftly, their horses' hooves kicking up clouds of dust. The two teams of cavalry, like ghosts, weaved their way through the cluster of wooden stakes in an instant, then launched a swift charge and cut through them.

Under Ma Chao's meticulous guidance, the cavalry braved the dangers and trained diligently. They fell again and again, rising again and again, growing through sweat and pain. As dusk once again gently enveloped the training grounds, a miracle had already occurred. The five thousand cavalry were in formation, their movements coordinated. Their volleys of arrows obscured the sky, their concentrated fire was as precise as a barrage of arrows, their slicing was as swift as wolves pouncing on their prey, and their charge was as unstoppable as a shattering bamboo. Their calibrated movements, their powerful strides, resembled a well-trained torrent of steel, ready to unleash unstoppable might on the battlefield.

Zhang Wei stood at the edge of the parade ground, gazing at the revamped cavalry amidst the rising dust. He nearly dropped his teacup in shock. His eyes widened in disbelief—how could this be the same slack and sluggish cavalry of the day before? The cavalry before him were imposing and majestic. Every clatter of their hooves sounded like the beating of a war drum, every charge like thunder.

Ma Chao stood alone on the parade ground, his hands behind his back. These days, the miraculous effects of the Nine-Aperture Linglongzhi had complemented his robust physique. His pale complexion gradually faded, and the longsword at his waist was once again adorned with the gleaming black iron tassel. He gazed at the smoke rising from the parade ground, listened to the distant neighing of horses, and a fierce fighting spirit ignited in his eyes.

When he stepped steadily into the general's tent, Zhang Wei was staring at the sand table, scowling. Seeing Ma Chao's unassisted, heroic form restored, Zhang Wei's wolf-hair brush paused in mid-air, a flicker of surprise and admiration in his eyes: "General Ma's rapid recovery is truly impressive."

"Speed ​​is of the essence in war, General Zhang." Ma Chao stared at the mark of Micang Mountain on the sand table with a sharp gaze. "Now that the cavalry has completed its training, it is the best time to rush to the rescue." His voice was steady and powerful, with the confidence of a veteran on the battlefield.

Zhang Wei stroked his chin, his eyes still filled with doubt: "It's just that this rescue mission is a huge responsibility, command and dispatch..."

"Leave the command to me!" Ma Chao stepped forward, his robe creating a gust of wind. "General Zhang can lead the rear guard, and I'll lead the elite cavalry as the vanguard. Yan Yan may be shrewd and calculating, but I've fought him many times and am familiar with his tactics. With the right deployment, we'll surely lift the siege of Mi Cang Mountain!" He reached for the command flag on the table and quickly mapped it out on the sand table. "Using the cavalry's mobility to penetrate the enemy's flanks, combined with a frontal assault, we'll surely leave Yan Yan in a difficult position!"

Zhang Wei's worries gradually faded as he saw the burning fighting spirit in Ma Chao's eyes. He slammed his hand on the table and laughed heartily, "Excellent! Since General Ma is so confident, I will hand over the vanguard role to you! Tomorrow morning, the entire army will march!"