Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Ma Chao's grip on the sword suddenly tightened, and the gilded wrist guard made a clear sound. He stared at Li Ru with a sharp gaze: "Wenyou, what do you mean?!" The sharp questioning voice was wrapped in a chill, and the birds in front of the formation were frightened and fled in all directions.

Li Ru stood with his hands behind his back, his dark robe rustling in the wind. A profound smile played on his face, a smile veiled like a thin veil, leaving no room for interpretation. He didn't directly respond to Ma Chao's question, but simply raised his hand, signaling the Xiliang cavalry to shout, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!" Amidst the deafening roar, Ma Chao watched the enthusiasm flicker in the soldiers' eyes and suddenly realized that Li Ru's seemingly abrupt gesture actually held a hidden agenda.

When the cheers gradually faded, Li Ru finally stepped forward slowly, tapped his palm with his folding fan, and said with each word as sharp as a knife: "My lord, do you know that 'only those with the surname Liu can be crowned king'?" His eyes swept across Wang Yun's pale face not far away, and fell on Liu Xie's terrified eyes, "Today the court has made an exception to confer a kingship. It seems to be an honor, but in fact..." His voice stopped abruptly, but Ma Chao instantly understood the deep meaning.

This proposal for a kingship was a double-edged sword, bringing immense honor to Xiliang while also severing the last remaining ties between Xiliang and the Han Dynasty. From then on, even if Ma Chao had never harbored any rebellious tendencies, the imperial court would never trust him again. The dictum, "Anyone not of the Liu clan should be attacked," would undoubtedly thrust Xiliang into the spotlight. While Li Ru's move might appear to be a move to secure Xiliang's interests, it actually pushed Ma Chao one step closer to self-proclaimed kingship.

Ma Chao gazed at Li Ru's confident expression, a mixture of emotions welling up in his heart. He gripped the sword at his waist, his knuckles turning white from the strain. At that moment, he finally understood that there was no turning back, and the future of the Xiliang Iron Cavalry would be forever changed by this.

Wang Yun hunched over the carriage, his robe folds still stained with dust from the recent fall. His cloudy eyes darted around. "Your Majesty, this title of king is nothing but a hot potato." His bony fingers tapped against the shaft. "Emperor Gaozu established the iron rule that 'no one except the surname Liu can be ennobled,' and every prince in the world is watching closely. Now, ennobling Ma Chao is ostensibly a reward, but in reality, it's putting him on the spot. How could the likes of Yuan Shao and Cao Cao tolerate such an act of usurpation?"

Liu Xie's knuckles turned white as he gripped the dragon robe. The young emperor bit his lower lip, remaining silent, yet a hint of struggle flickered in his eyes. Wang Yun, observing this, lowered his voice, a hint of beckoning: "Besides, Xiliang is remote. Spreading the title 'King of Liang' is nothing but empty promises. But if you don't grant him the title, Ma Chao commands a hundred thousand cavalrymen. Your edict will become worthless once it leaves Chang'an, and what good will it do?"

Suddenly, the coordinated shouts of the Western Liang cavalry rang out from outside the carriage, shaking the curtains slightly. Liu Xie looked up suddenly and saw Li Ru standing beside Ma Chao, waving his folding fan and smiling sinisterly. His heart trembled. He gritted his teeth and finally managed to say, "Si Tu... your intentions are good."

"Your Majesty is wise!" Wang Yun immediately put on a fawning smile, but the young emperor turned his head away, staring blankly at the jade pendant left by the previous emperor on the table. Liu Xie's Adam's apple rolled, and his voice was filled with suppressed bitterness: "When my brother was alive, the Han Dynasty was in danger, but there was still hope. Now, before I even ascend the throne, I am doing something that undermines the dignity of the royal family... If I cannot restore the order of the court one day, won't the world laugh at me?"

Wang Yun was about to offer his words of comfort when he heard Cao Cao's hearty laughter from outside the carriage: "Since Marquis Wei has been crowned king, he should drink this wine!" The aroma of wine, mixed with the north wind, filled the carriage. Liu Xie clenched his jade pendant, and tiny beads of blood oozed between his fingers. Outside, the sound of horse hooves mingled with the clinking of glasses. Yet, in this small carriage, Liu Xie, the uncrowned emperor, watched helplessly as the cracks in the Han Dynasty deepened.

Cao Cao strode forward, wine cup in hand, his laughter so resonant it shook the remaining snow from the eaves. "Congratulations, Marquis Wei, on receiving this honor! If he achieves great things in the future, I will surely be your whip and your stirrup!" Even as he finished his words, his fingertips secretly rubbed the cracked rim of the cup—behind this smile, a deep fear of the Western Liang cavalry. He knew that if they ever aimed to conquer the Central Plains, Ma Chao's powerful army, the one that had intimidated the Xiongnu, would sooner or later become a formidable obstacle in their path. But with Yanzhou newly secured, Yuan Shao eyeing them covetously, and Tao Qian stationed his troops in Xuzhou, to antagonize the Western Liang at this moment would be tantamount to seeking death. Better to go with the flow, both to gain favor and to use Han Dynasty rules to shackle Ma Chao.

Ma Chao's grip on the gilded wine jug tightened slightly. His eyes scanned the fleeting calculation in Cao Cao's eyes, and he caught a glimpse of Wang Yun's whispers. His previous hesitation receded like a tide—if the late emperor were still alive, he would have deposed the tyrant and established a new ruler after conquering Chang'an. But how different would that be from what Dong Gong had done back then? Li Ru's plan might seem to thrust him into the spotlight, but it was actually a godsend. The emperor himself conferring the title of "King of Liang" on him would legitimize his title, far better than bearing the infamy of a traitor.

"Thanks for your good wishes, General Cao!" Ma Chao raised his head and drank the liquor, a hearty laugh emanating from his throat. The liquor dripped down his clothes, leaving dark red marks on the blue bricks. "Since I have been conferred the title today, if there is any need for Xiliang in the future, General Cao, just let me know!" He deliberately emphasized the word "in the future", which startled Cao Cao's hand holding the glass and trembled slightly.

A chill wind whipped up the remaining snow. Wang Yun gazed at the two warlords facing off, sweat forming on his hands beneath his dragon robe. He knew full well that this seemingly happy situation would actually plunge the empire into deeper chaos. But as long as he could leverage the power of the other princes to control Xiliang, even if the Han Dynasty was reduced to a mere shell, it would be enough for him to continue to manipulate the world in this chaotic world.

Wang Yun raised his hand and gestured, the sleeve of his python robe slipping down half an inch to reveal a gilded wrist buckle. He said with a forced smile, "Since Marquis Wei has no objection, we will..."

"Where is Lu Wan?" Ma Chao suddenly shouted, his silver armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight. The Aurora Horse pawed its hooves nervously, its iron hooves colliding with the bluestone, sending sparks flying and startling the Bingzhou Wolf Riders into gripping their weapons.

Lu Bu grunted in dissatisfaction and slammed his Fang Tian Hua Ji into the ground: "A woman is also worth..." Before he could finish his words, Cao Ang suddenly rushed out, his brocade robe stained with dried blood, and the sword at his waist swayed slightly with his rapid breathing.

"Brother Mengqi!" His voice was hoarse. "Last night, Lu Bu led his troops to plunder the Lu Mansion. Dian Wei, our family general, fought hard to protect the Lu family!" He ripped open his bloodstained sleeve, revealing the hideous wound on his arm. "If I hadn't led my personal guards to arrive in time, I'm afraid..."

Ma Chao's hand gripping the reins bulged with veins, and his gaze pierced Lu Bu like a poisonous blade. Lu Bu flew into a rage, pointing the tip of his halberd at Cao Ang: "Cao Zixiu! Stop your slander!"

“Enough!” Wang Yun slapped the shaft of the carriage anxiously, and the hem of his dragon robe swept across the dusty wheels. “Marquis Wei is very discerning, it must be a misunderstanding! Miss Lu is safe now, just…” Before he finished speaking, a deafening roar suddenly rang out from the Xiliang army. The soldiers slammed their shields hard, and the sound waves made the plaster on the top of the city wall fall down.

Li Ru's sinister gaze roamed across everyone's faces. "A misunderstanding? Could those valuables bulging out of the Bingzhou Wolf Riders be fake?" He deliberately dragged out the last syllable, watching Wang Yun's face turn pale. "You know the friendship between Prince Liang and Miss Lu Wan. Prince Liang's anger can't be quelled by a few empty words."

Lu Bu was furious, raising his Fang Tian Hua Ji high and sweeping across the Xiliang generals. His red eyes almost popped out of their sockets: "Miss Lu Wan is unharmed! Chang'an has been handed over to her, yet she still dares to make things difficult for me again and again!" The veins on his neck bulged like a dragon, and the Red Hare under his crotch was infected by his master's anger, raised its head and let out a deafening neigh.

The neighing was like the roar of a war drum, instantly stirring the ferocity of the Horse King, Aurora. Ma Chao's divine steed reared to attention, its front hooves pawing the air, its long neigh threatening to overturn the banners atop the city walls. Ma Chao thrust his golden spear forward, the clink of armor mingling with a roar of fury. "Lü Fengxian! Do you think I've forgotten the vengeance of the Chang'an volley of arrows? Do you still think it's the old days in Chang'an..."

"Wait a minute!" Wang Yun tumbled and crawled between the two camps, his dragon robe covered in dust. "Prince of Liang, calm down! The soldiers are blind. The perpetrators of last night's incident have been executed!" He turned and winked at Cao Cao, cold sweat rolling down his forehead. "Meng Degong, please say something!"

Cao Cao's brow furrowed. A glimpse of Guo Jia beside him, his lips curled into a meaningful smile as he gently waved his folding fan. Guo Jia lowered his voice, a hint of joking, "Mingshang, if you make an enemy of Lü Bu at this moment, you're like driving a tiger to devour a wolf. Yanzhou's foundation is unstable, and this 'ferocious tiger' may prove useful in the future."

Cao Cao's expression changed slightly, and then he laughed heartily and stepped forward, clasping his hands together. "Lord Wei, I understand! General Lu may have a strong character, but he has absolutely no intention of harming the Lu family!" He emphasized his words, "If I tell you even a single lie, I, Cao Cao, will gladly accept the punishment!"

Ma Chao's sword flashed with a cold light, and he slashed straight at the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry flag in front of Lü Bu. With a "swish", the black flag embroidered with the Bingzhou wolf's head was broken in half, and the flagpole fell to the ground with a loud bang, raising a cloud of dust. His voice was as cold as ice: "We agreed not to fight today, so I will spare you this time!" He pointed his spear directly at Lü Bu, "But the next time we meet - this flag will be your fate!"

Lü Bu's knuckles turned white as he gripped his Fang Tian Hua Ji. He muttered, "He's just a defeated general..." The words seemed to come from deep in his throat, the tail end shattered by the howling north wind. He stole a glance at Ma Chao, but seeing that he didn't even glance at him, he felt a surge of anger, but fearful of the vast forest of spears in the Xiliang army, so he swallowed his resentment.

Ma Chao gently tugged on the reins, and Aurora slowly turned with small steps, his silver armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight. He gazed at the towering city walls in the distance, realizing that his once-persistent personal bravery had become nothing more than a man's rage. The epiphany between life and death had taught him that a truly powerful person commands the overall situation—just as the Xiliang Iron Cavalry, arrayed like a mountain, barely needing a single strike, had already thrown the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry into disarray.

Ma Chao rode slowly closer, the broken ice on his black armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight. Cao Ang's eyes lit up like sparks, and he rushed forward in two steps, his brocade robe kicking up dust that hinted at his excitement. "Brother Mengqi!" the young man bowed.

Ma Chao reined in the reins, his hooves pawing at the horse's front with a puff of white mist. He gazed at the young man before him. His features vaguely recalled the youth who had pursued him at the Lu Mansion in Luoyang to learn spearmanship, though the frost and weather had etched a steely firmness into his angular face. "But Cao Ang?" he asked tentatively, his voice softening unconsciously.

"It's me!" Cao Ang practically leaped to his feet, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I've taken the courtesy name Zixiu!" Before he could finish his words, Ma Chao had already dismounted, his heavy silver armor clattering with a dull thud. A cold hand slammed heavily on his shoulder, shaking Cao Ang's body, but his smile only grew wider.

"Good, good, good!" Ma Chao said three times in a row, his eyes sweeping over Cao Ang's blood-stained collar. "The young man who pestered me to learn spearmanship back then is now able to protect Senior Sister Lu." He suddenly lowered his voice, with a hint of emotion, "If Lord Lu knew this, he would be relieved."

Cao Ang puffed out his chest, a flush of pride on his face. "Of course! Master Lu has taught me, even at the cost of his life..." Before he could finish his words, the atmosphere suddenly faltered. He turned to see Cao Cao standing with his hands behind his back, his gaze on them complex—a mixture of joy at his son's growth and a veiled fear of Ma Chao's brilliance. The shrewd and calculating leader chuckled bitterly, finally realizing that his son, Ma Teng, was no longer the young man from Luoyang. His every move, a domineering aura, betrayed the power of a man capable of stirring up world affairs.