Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

In mid-June, Li Ru calculated the time and assumed that Guo Jia and his men would soon return to Xudu. So, according to the agreement previously agreed upon with Guo Jia, they began deploying their troops. This time, Wei Yan was appointed commander-in-chief, leading 10,000 Xiliang cavalry and 30,000 Black Mountain troops. They were preparing to march out of Tongguan and head for Hangu Pass to relieve Cao Cao's siege. At that time, Cao Cao's Hangu Pass was under siege by Wen Chou's army, and the situation was critical.

When selecting generals for the expedition, Li Ru specifically selected several of Zhang Yan's officers, including Sui Gu, Bai Rao, Wang Dang, Yang Feng, and Sun Qing. Only Zhang Yan and Yu Du remained in Chang'an, while Gao Ming and Du Xiong were assigned to garrison Tongguan. Li Ru's intention to include these Black Mountain generals was to show Cao Ang Chang'an's determination to spare no effort in aiding Cao Cao.

Cao Ang's previous injuries, though horrific, were minor. After more than ten days of rest, he was able to walk. One day, Cao Ang was resting inside his room when he suddenly heard the thumping of war drums outside. Curious, he, supported by his attendants, headed in the direction of the sound.

Arriving outside the parade grounds, Cao Ang was met with a sea of ​​people, many of whom were bidding farewell to the departing soldiers. Parents called out for their sons, children cried for their fathers. The reluctance to leave them was a scene that shook Cao Ang's heart. He saw in the Black Mountain soldiers' eyes that while they were reluctant to leave their families, they were more determined to fight for the alliance and for the greater good.

Wei Yan, riding atop a tall horse, clad in armor, commanded the army with a majestic presence. Although he had not informed Cao Ang in advance, he had noticed Cao Ang in the crowd. Wei Yan knew that this scene, arranged by Li Ru, was precisely what he had planned to do to Cao Ang.

He clasped his fists and saluted Cao Ang, saying, "Master Cao, I will not fail in my mission this time and will definitely lift the siege of Hangu Pass! However, the Black Mountain Army soldiers have just settled down, and now they have to leave home to fight again. I hope you can take care of their families in your free time."

Cao Ang nodded and said, "General Wei, rest assured. I will pay close attention. You will fight bravely at the front, and Yun Lu and I will do our best to take care of matters at the rear."

Cao Ang watched the troops heading off to the battlefield with mixed emotions. He knew full well that Xiliang's deployment was not only a fulfillment of their alliance promise, but also a demonstration of Xiliang's sincerity and resolve to Cao Cao and him. The sight of the civilians and soldiers bidding farewell made him feel the cohesion of Xiliang. All of this seemed closely linked to the King of Liang's governance.

As the army slowly advanced, the cries and shouts of the people gradually faded. Cao Ang stood still for a long time, his mind lost in thought as he pondered the events of Xiliang. When Ma Yunlu arrived after hearing the news, she found Cao Ang lost in thought. She gently approached him and said, "Zixiu, the soldiers of Xiliang are fighting for a righteous cause. I believe they will return victorious."

Cao Ang came back to his senses, nodded slightly, and said: "Yunlu, Xiliang's move, I will definitely remember this friendship."

Li Ru observed all of this. Hiding in a corner, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, he secretly anticipated Cao Ang's next reaction. He believed that this series of arrangements would further strengthen Cao Ang's favorability towards Xiliang, and thus develop in the direction they expected...

After many days of travel, Guo Jia and Cao Hong finally returned to Xudu with their warhorses. Upon hearing the news, Cao Cao was overjoyed to learn that not only had they successfully formed an alliance with the Western Liang, but that the Western Liang had also generously gifted them 2 war horses and pledged to send troops to help lift the siege of Hangu Pass. He immediately led a large group of civil and military officials out of the city to greet them.

Upon seeing Cao Cao, Guo Jia and Cao Hong hurried forward to greet him. Cao Cao personally helped Guo Jia to his feet, smiling sincerely, and said, "Fengxiao, your journey must have been exhausting! Without your resourcefulness, how could we have facilitated this alliance so readily?"

Guo Jia stood aside, his face hesitant, his eyes flickering towards Cao Hong. But Cao Hong, unfazed, excitedly pointed at the warhorses in the distance and exclaimed, "Brother, look at these 2 fine horses! They're all rare and precious! With them, we can form a full-fledged elite cavalry. When we face Yuan Shao, we won't be afraid of him at all!"

Cao Cao looked in the direction Cao Hong pointed, and seeing the herds of plump and robust war horses, he couldn't help but burst into laughter, exclaiming repeatedly, "Great, great! With such a powerful weapon, our army will surely achieve great success!" However, as he laughed, Cao Cao suddenly looked surprised. Looking around, he felt a sense of foreboding. Why was Cao Ang, the mastermind behind the peace talks, nowhere to be seen? His heart tightened, and he quickly looked at Guo Jia, anxiously asking, "Fengxiao, where is Zixiu?"

Countless thoughts raced through Cao Cao's mind. He couldn't understand why, unless something catastrophic had happened, Guo Jia and Cao Hong had returned safely, but his own son hadn't. Could it be that Cao Ang's life was threatened? Thinking of this, Cao Cao's face darkened.

At this time, Cao Hong still said nonchalantly: "Hey, brother, Zixiu is in Chang'an now. He has a beautiful woman by his side and is probably having a good time."

Cao Cao's expression changed again when he heard this. He felt relieved, but then he became angry and worried. He looked at Guo Jia again and asked, "Feng Xiao, what's going on?"

Guo Jia looked embarrassed, as if he didn't know where to start. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "My lord, there are so many people here, and some things cannot be said here. Could you allow me to report to you in private?"

Cao Cao was so anxious that he had no time to review or gather the horses. He quickly ordered, "Cao Ren and Cao Hong, you will be responsible for the proper placement of these horses immediately." With that, he hurriedly led Guo Jia back to the Sikong Mansion. Along the way, Cao Cao was anxious and hurried, filled with worry and confusion about Cao Ang's situation. Guo Jia, on the other hand, was secretly thinking about how to explain to Cao Cao why Cao Ang stayed in Chang'an.

Cao Cao hurriedly dragged Guo Jia into the study. As soon as they entered, he couldn't wait to ask, "What's going on? Why didn't Zixiu come back with you? And what about that gentle place Cao Hong mentioned? What's going on?"

Guo Jia hurriedly said, "My lord, please be patient and listen to my story. Zixiu met Ma Yunlu, the daughter of Ma Teng, in Chang'an, and they fell in love with each other."

Cao Cao forced himself to remain calm and nodded slightly, saying, "Oh, if she's Ma Teng's daughter, she'd be a good match for Zixiu. But, how could they..."

Guo Jia continued, "Later, Zixiu encountered a tiger while out and was injured while trying to protect Ma Yunlu."

When Cao Cao heard this, his face was immediately filled with worry. He asked anxiously, "Is the injury serious? What's the current situation?"

Guo Jia hurriedly reassured him, "My lord, rest assured. Zixiu's injuries are not life-threatening. After recuperating for a while, his condition is gradually improving. It was because of this incident that the relationship between the two of them deepened, and it can be considered a commitment. It was also because of Zixiu and Ma Yunlu's relationship that created an opportunity for peace talks and ultimately facilitated the alliance with Xiliang. However, Zixiu's injuries have not healed yet, and it is not suitable for him to travel long distances, so he stayed in Chang'an to recuperate."

Cao Cao listened to Guo Jia's explanation, his brow furrowed slightly, and he paced back and forth in his study, a mixture of emotions. On the one hand, he felt heartbroken for his son's grief, but on the other, he felt that a marriage with Xiliang might not be a bad idea. It was just that it came so suddenly that he couldn't fully accept it. After a long moment, Cao Cao stopped and looked at Guo Jia. He said, "Fengxiao, although what you did makes sense, I'm still worried about Zixiu being far away in Chang'an. Do you think Ma Teng and the others are trustworthy? Will Zixiu be in danger if he stays there?"

Guo Jia pondered for a moment and said, "My lord, from what I've observed in Chang'an, Ma Teng and Li Ru are indeed sincere in forming this alliance. Firstly, Yuan Shao's power is immense, posing a threat to Xiliang as well, and they need our joint efforts to combat him. Secondly, Zixiu and Ma Yunlu are well-connected, and Ma Teng certainly wouldn't want to damage the relationship between the two families. However, human nature is unpredictable, and we must not be complacent. I will have reliable individuals closely monitor developments in Chang'an and report any signs of trouble immediately to you."

Cao Cao paced back and forth, his expression solemn, muttering, "Zixiu will remain in Chang'an. For the time being, we trust that Ma Teng and his men won't act rashly. However, do we really want to form an alliance with Xiliang? The pros and cons of this matter require careful consideration. Fengxiao, please explain the advantages and disadvantages of a marriage with Xiliang."

Guo Jia pondered for a moment, then bowed and said, "My lord, a marriage with Xiliang offers many advantages. First, from a strategic perspective, Yuan Shao's power is growing, posing a significant threat to us. A marriage with Xiliang will solidify our alliance and strengthen their resolve to join us in the fight against Yuan Shao. Xiliang's military prowess is formidable, especially their cavalry, which should not be underestimated. With their assistance, we will be a formidable force in our fight against Yuan Shao."

"Furthermore," Guo Jia continued, "if Zixiu and Ma Yunlu marry, we will become relatives of Xiliang, and our interests will be deeply intertwined. This will strengthen our power and influence in the eyes of the princes, which will undoubtedly be extremely beneficial for our future struggle for supremacy. Furthermore, a marriage can enhance mutual trust and cooperation, promoting exchanges and collaboration in various fields such as politics and economy, allowing us to share our strengths and resources and strengthen our respective capabilities."

At this point, Guo Jia paused briefly, then changed the subject, adding seriously, "However, this is also the downside of a marriage with Xiliang. My lord, while our power continues to grow, Ma Chao's forces in Xiliang are also seeking to develop. Xiliang has always been strong in both military and cavalry, and its foundation is deep. To some extent, Ma Chao's forces are actually more powerful than ours. As the saying goes, there can't be two tigers in one mountain. My lord, you are determined to dominate the world, and a battle with Xiliang will come sooner or later."

Cao Cao said, "That's fine. The affairs of children are private, while the struggle for world domination is public. I think Ma Chao is the same as me, clearly distinguishing between public and private matters. This marriage won't have too much of an impact. Besides, it also provides a way out for both sides. If one side is defeated, at least it can leave the other side with dignity and live a peaceful life."