Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Upon hearing this, Xin Ping's face instantly grew anxious. He hurried forward, cupped his hands, and said, "General Cao, this is absolutely unacceptable! Ma Chao has now presumptuously declared himself king, his ambitions clearly evident. He has become a grave threat to the other princes. If we don't unite our forces now to eliminate him, once he's fully grown, I'm afraid General Cao won't be able to escape unscathed. How can you, General Cao, sit idly by at this critical moment?"

Guo Jia's lips curled up in a hint of sarcasm as he said, "Mr. Xin, you keep saying that Ma Chao threatens the Han Dynasty's legitimacy, but has your lord, Yuan Shao, ever truly respected and supported the Han Dynasty? When the Han Dynasty was in trouble, your lord didn't step forward. Yet, now, under the pretext of defending the Han Dynasty, you're trying to form an alliance with my lord. I'm afraid he's probably motivated by his own interests."

Xin Ping's face flushed crimson as he argued, "Mr. Guo, you can't say that. The situation is dire. Ma Chao's power is like a raging flood or a ferocious beast. If we don't unite to resist him, all the princes in the world will be in danger of destruction. My lord is proposing an alliance for the greater good. If General Cao stands idly by, he will surely regret it later."

Cao Cao frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, "Mr. Xin, I have made up my mind on this matter. You can return and report back, saying that Cao Cao has his own considerations. However, I am not indifferent to the situation in the world, but it is difficult for me to send troops to help at this time."

Seeing Cao Cao's firm attitude, Xin Ping was extremely anxious, but he could do nothing. He had no choice but to bow again and leave.

After Xin Ping walked out of the tent, Cao Cao turned to look at Guo Jia and said, "Fengxiao, what do you think Yuan Shao will do next?" Guo Jia smiled slightly, with a glimmer of wisdom in his eyes, and said, "Yuan Shao has always been stubborn and self-righteous. I'm afraid he is angry because his alliance was rejected this time. But he is afraid to act rashly because Yuan Tan and Yan Liang are in the hands of Li Ru, so he dare not take action against Ma Chao easily. I guess he will think of other ways, either continue to try to persuade other princes to fight against Ma Chao together, or try to exchange the hostages first and then make plans. However, no matter how he acts, we just need to keep our troops in place, wait and see, and wait for the best time." After hearing this, Cao Cao nodded in agreement, full of expectations and vigilance for the development of the situation.

When Yuan Shao heard Cao Cao's relentless rejection of the alliance proposal, his gloomy face flushed crimson, his eyes widened, and fury threatened to burst forth. He slammed the table, causing the cups and plates to bounce with a resounding clatter. "Cao Cao, you scoundrel!" Yuan Shao roared in fury. "You used to flatter me, but now you dare to defy me so openly! This is truly excessive!" He paced back and forth in the tent, his footsteps rapid and heavy, as if he were trying to tear a hole through the ground beneath his feet.

Upon seeing this, Ju Su hurried forward and bowed to persuade, "My lord, please calm down! The situation is complicated now. It is indeed infuriating that Cao Cao refuses to form an alliance, but we must not lose our composure because of momentary anger. Reclaiming the young master and General Yan Liang is the top priority right now. This is the key to your great cause." After hearing Ju Su's words, Yuan Shao paused, took a few deep breaths, and tried to suppress the anger in his heart, but his face was still full of resentment.

Time quietly entered the spring of March, and the date agreed upon for the prisoner exchange finally arrived. This time, both sides carefully selected the vast, empty plains below Tongguan as the exchange site. In the early morning, the faint sunlight gently cast a shadow over the vast land, yet the tense atmosphere, like a thick haze, remained unshaken.

On Yuan Shao's side, Wen Chou and Zhang He, with solemn expressions, led a team of well-equipped elite soldiers, forming a strict formation at the foot of Tongguan Pass. Clad in heavy armor and wielding spears and halberds, the soldiers' armor gleamed with a cold light in the sunlight, highlighting the army's fierceness and majesty. Behind them was the mighty convoy of the Zhen family. The Zhen family was a prominent and wealthy family, and their ornate carriages alone spoke volumes of their wealth and opulence. The carriages were adorned with exquisite wood carvings and inlaid with dazzling gems, and the horses pulling them were vibrant and swift. However, the Zhen family members sitting in the carriages felt as if they were sinking into an abyss, feeling extremely uneasy.

Zhen Yi sat in the lead carriage, his hands subconsciously clenching the corners of his clothes, his knuckles white from the strain. His forehead was covered in dense beads of sweat, which trickled down his cheeks, soaking his collar. Anxiety surged within Zhen Yi. The Zhen family had been rooted in Hebei for generations; this was the family's foundation. Although his daughter Zhen Mi had been designated Ma Chao's future princess, this status placed him in an awkward position with Yuan Shao, he had long served as Yuan Shao's financial backer, and Yuan Shao, out of self-interest, would not impose too much on him. But now, the family was forced to move out of Hebei, leaving behind the ancestral land they had cultivated for generations. How the family would survive in such a foreign land was the root of his anxiety. The future seemed shrouded in mystery, filled with uncertainty and danger, a source of deep torment.

All of this unfolded because Ma Chao had captured Yuan Tan and Yan Liang. Using these two as leverage, Ma Chao demanded that the Zhen family relocate their entire holdings from Hebei to Chang'an. While this move might seem like a disadvantage for Ma Chao, it actually held a deeper meaning. The Zhen family had long been the Yuan family's financial purse, their wealth staggering beyond imagination. At this very moment, carriages laden with goods and silver were seen pouring in from Hebei towards Tongguan. The mountains of gold and silver, boxed and loaded with treasures, gleamed alluringly in the sunlight, a testament to the Zhen family's immense wealth.

To be on the safe side, the two sides first conducted a handover of supplies. At Tongguan, the Zhen family's convoys drove one by one toward Ma Chao's side, while soldiers busily counted and moved the supplies. Throughout this process, both sides maintained a high level of vigilance and refrained from exchanging personnel. Only after all supplies were delivered, leaving only Zhen Mi's mother, father, and immediate family members in the convoy, did the two sides prepare to exchange hostages.

Here, Yuan Tan and Yan Liang were escorted to the battlefront, their faces etched with dejection. Yuan Tan bit his lower lip tightly, his eyes filled with resentment and helplessness, while Yan Liang lowered his head and clenched his fists, blaming himself for his imprisonment. Back in Chang'an, Ma Chao's army was equally well-prepared, swords and spears gleaming in the air. Li Ru and Ma Teng stood atop the high Tongguan Pass, their expressions composed and composed, observing every move below.

When everything was ready, Li Ru raised his hand slightly and made a simple gesture. At the same time, Yuan Shao's side also received the order. Yuan Tan and Yan Liang were untied and slowly walked towards Yuan Shao's army. Zhen Mi's family was also allowed to leave at this time. Zhen Mi looked around anxiously, and when she saw her parents and relatives coming safely, tears suddenly welled up in her eyes. She hurried forward and threw herself into Zhen Yi's arms, sobbing: "Dad, Mom, I miss you so much. These days, I've been worried about your safety day and night." Zhen Yi hugged his daughter tightly, his eyes moist, and gently stroked Zhen Mi's hair and comforted her: "Mi'er, don't cry, aren't we reunited as a family again?" The surrounding Zhen family members also gathered together, and for a moment, the warmth of family affection spread in this tense atmosphere. At this point, this exchange operation full of twists and turns was officially completed.

Zhen Yi comforted his daughter Zhen Mi while looking around absentmindedly. It was not until he saw Yuan Tan, Yan Liang, and the Zhen family members successfully exchanged, and Ma Teng and Li Ru steadily descended from Tongguan that Zhen Yi forced himself to cheer up and hurried forward to pay his respects.

Seeing this, Ma Teng quickly reached out and helped Zhen Yi to his feet, laughing heartily. "Alas, Lord Zhen, why bother with such a grand ceremony? In the future, Mi'er will be my son Chao'er's princess consort. Our two families will be bona fide relatives. There's no need to be so nervous and restrained." Upon hearing this, Zhen Yi, though grateful, remained apprehensive, unable to find words. After all, the Zhen family had been rooted in Hebei for generations, and now that they had relocated to Chang'an, he worried that their accumulated wealth would be seized, leaving him uncertain about the family's future.

Li Ru seemed to see through Zhen Yi's thoughts. He looked at him gently and said slowly, "Mr. Zhen, why are you so entangled? I see that your heart is full of worries. In my opinion, the current situation is much better than your situation in Hebei. If your daughter Mi'er continues to stay in Hebei and marry Yuan Shao's second son, Yuan Xi, she will only be the daughter-in-law of a prince's family, not the eldest son's daughter-in-law. Even if Yuan Shao can really compete for the Central Plains and dominate the world in the future, Miss Mi'er's husband is not a legitimate son. What can your family do? It's nothing more than guarding some wealth. Moreover, this is only based on the premise that Yuan Shao can dominate the world. What if he cannot achieve hegemony? Then the Zhen family will only continue to become the Yuan family's money bag, and be endlessly exploited."

Zhen Yi listened to Li Ru's words and felt like arguing. But when the words came to his lips, he felt he had no idea where to start and could only sigh helplessly.

Seeing this, Li Ru continued to explain, "Lord Zhen, you still haven't figured out the key to this. Look at Chang'an. If my lord Ma Chao can conquer the Central Plains and achieve hegemony in the future, Miss Mi'er will be promoted from princess to imperial consort. Your Zhen family will then be bona fide royal relatives, and the family's glory will surely be passed down through generations. Can the Zhen family have such a bright future in Hebei? Besides, if my lord achieves great things in Chang'an, won't your Zhen family also benefit from it? Your family is simply moving its roots from Hebei to Chang'an. It will only be more stable here and more conducive to the development of the family."

Zhen Yi listened to Li Ru's words, thinking over them over and over again in his mind, and finally figured out the key. His frown gradually relaxed, and a relieved smile finally appeared on his face.

Ma Teng looked at Zhen Yi with a sincere smile on his face, and continued, "I see that the Zhen family is also a prosperous family, and there must be no shortage of clever and intelligent descendants. Chao'er is currently in Chang'an, governing the Yongliang area and guarding Guanzhong. He is in need of talented and strategic men under his command. If Lord Zhen has a suitable candidate, please feel free to recommend him. As long as he has real talent and knowledge, my Chao'er will definitely make use of him. This is also a great opportunity for the Zhen family's children to realize their ambitions."

Zhen Yi's heart warmed at Ma Teng's words. His previous anxieties about the family's migration had gradually dissipated after Li Ru and Ma Teng's repeated persuasion. At this moment, he felt as if a new path for the family's development had opened before him.

Zhen Mi, standing nearby, was also moved by their words, her heart aflame with emotion, her previous anxieties gone. With graceful steps, she approached Ma Teng and Li Ru, bowed gracefully, and said gratefully, "Thank you both for your concern and consideration for our Zhen family. Zhen Mi will never forget this."

Ma Teng quickly reached out to help Zhen Mi up, and said kindly, "Mi'er, please stop being so polite. You will be the daughter-in-law of our Ma family in the future. Our Zhen family and our Ma family are one family. We are one family, so it's only natural for us to consider our own family. Relax and live a peaceful life in Chang'an. If you have any difficulties in the future, just let us know."

Li Ru also smiled and nodded, "Yes, Lord Zhen and Miss Mi'er, there is no need to be so polite. In the future, if we all work together to help our master achieve great things, the glory and wealth of the Zhen family will naturally be a given."

Zhen Yi and Zhen Mi were deeply moved and expressed their gratitude. The atmosphere at Tongguan became much more harmonious because of this conversation, and the Zhen family seemed to see hope for the family's future prosperity in Chang'an.