Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

In Chang'an, Cao Ang's injuries had healed considerably. One day, he suddenly heard from a spy that Liu Biao had issued a decree to attack Cao Cao. Before Jiang Ji arrived, Cao Ang learned of this news and was immediately distraught. Knowing the dire situation, he hurried to find Ma Teng, intent on returning to Xudu to confront the crisis with his father.

Seeing Cao Ang in such a hurry, Ma Teng quickly reached out and said, "Zixiu, don't worry. Even if you go back now, what effect will it have? Meng Qi is not in Chang'an, and Mr. Li Ru has also gone to Bingzhou. This sudden news has even made me a little panicked. In my opinion, it is better to send a letter to Mr. Li Ru and ask for advice on how to deal with it."

Cao Ang looked anxious and said hurriedly, "I appreciate your kindness, uncle, but speed is of the essence these days. If I wait for Mr. Li Ru to report back, it might be too late. My father must be in urgent need of help right now. As a son, how can I just sit back and do nothing?"

Ma Yunlu, standing by, also said anxiously, "Father, what Zixiu said makes sense. This situation is urgent. If we wait any longer, we might end up making mistakes."

Ma Teng waved his hand and said, "Zi Xiu, as the saying goes, haste makes waste. If we act too hastily, we're more likely to make mistakes. Let's wait a moment and let me think of a solution. After all, I can't just watch you go back like this. Calm down for a moment, and we'll work it out."

Although Cao Ang was extremely anxious, he also understood that what Ma Teng said was not without reason. He suppressed his inner panic and paced back and forth in the hall, trying to calm himself and think of a response. Ma Teng frowned, lost in thought, trying to make sense of this complex situation. Ma Yunlu was also anxious, his eyes full of worry. He looked from time to time at Cao Ang and then at his father, hoping to come up with a proper solution to the crisis. At this time, Chang'an, although outwardly calm, was filled with tension due to the sudden news.

Just then, a servant arrived, announcing that Jiang Ji had requested an audience. Cao Ang and Ma Teng exchanged a glance, a glimmer of hope, and hurriedly ordered the servants to bring Jiang Ji in. Jiang Ji hurried into the hall, and upon seeing Cao Ang and Ma Teng, without a moment's hesitation, he said, "Master, Lord Ma, the situation is urgent. Yuan Shao, Liu Biao, and Yuan Yao are allied and eyeing Xu Du. Our lord hopes you can persuade Lord Ma to send troops to aid us."

Ma Teng nodded slightly and said, "Mr. Jiang, we just learned the news and are worried about this matter. Zixiu is extremely anxious and wants to rush back to Xudu immediately. I am trying to persuade him to be patient."

Jiang Ji looked at Cao Ang and said, "My Lord, the journey back to Xudu is too long now, and the situation is changing rapidly. It would be better to persuade Lord Ma to send troops first. This is the key to lifting the siege of Xudu."

Cao Ang took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Jiang is absolutely right. Uncle, my father is in a difficult situation now. I hope you can remember our past friendship and send troops to help."

Ma Teng looked embarrassed and said, "Zixiu, I naturally want to help Prime Minister Cao, but now that Meng Qi is away, I still need to carefully plan many matters such as troop deployment."

Jiang Ji hurriedly said, "Lord Ma, there's no time to lose. Yuan Shao's army of 100,000 is advancing menacingly. If Xiliang can send troops, it will surely intimidate Yuan Shao and disrupt his deployment. Moreover, although the King of Liang is away, the Xiliang army is strong and capable of playing a significant role in this battle."

Ma Teng pondered for a moment and said slowly, "Okay, in that case, I will immediately mobilize 20,000 troops, led by Pang De, to accompany Zixiu to Xudu for the rescue. However, matters such as subsequent food and fodder supplies still require further consideration."

Cao Ang was overjoyed and hurriedly thanked him, saying, "Thank you very much, uncle, for your righteous help. This kindness and virtue will be remembered by the Cao family and his sons."

Ma Teng looked at Cao Ang's anxious and exhausted face and said with concern, "Zixiu, you should go down and rest first. After Wei Yan has assembled his troops, he will accompany you from Tongguan to join him in Xudu. You're working so hard right now, your body can't handle it."

Cao Ang nodded gratefully and retreated. Seeing Cao Ang leave the hall, Jiang Ji hurried to follow. After putting some distance between them and making sure no one could hear him, Jiang Ji whispered to Cao Ang, "My Lord, you are a distinguished guest of Xiliang. Even though Xiliang has just been through war, you're only sending 20,000 troops. Isn't that a bit... We are allies with Xiliang. How can we treat an ally like this?"

Cao Ang looked helpless and said softly, "Mr. Jiang, you don't know. Ma Chao is currently fighting against foreign tribes on the grasslands. Chang'an and Tongguan combined currently have only 50,000 to 60,000 troops. Uncle Ma was able to spare 20,000 elite troops from this limited force and hand them over to Wei Yan. The remaining troops will probably have to rely on the former Black Mountain Army to defend Chang'an."

Jiang Ji frowned slightly, still somewhat puzzled: "That being said, the situation is so critical. Twenty thousand troops seem to be a drop in the bucket for the difficulties Cao Gong is facing."

Cao Ang sighed deeply and said, "Mr. Jiang, Uncle Ma has done this, which is a great favor to our Cao family. The situation is complicated now, and Xiliang has its own difficulties. We can't force it. Besides, if Uncle Ma didn't really want to help us, why would he hand over these 20,000 elite soldiers to us? This is the greatest support he can give after weighing the pros and cons."

Jiang Ji suddenly realized what was going on. A look of shame appeared on his face as he said, "I was reckless and didn't consider the actual difficulties facing Xiliang. Thank you, Young Master, for your understanding. I was judging others by my own standards."

Cao Ang patted Jiang Ji on the shoulder and said, "Mr. Jiang is also thinking about my father and the overall situation. He is not wrong. What we need to do now is to take these 20,000 troops and rush back as soon as possible to deal with the crisis with my father."

In less than half a day, Ma Yunlu, wearing a helmet and armor, dressed in a neat female general's uniform, looked heroic and valiant. She quickly walked up to Cao Ang and said in a crisp voice: "Zi Xiu, Wei Yan has assembled 20,000 Xiliang cavalry and is waiting in the training ground. They are ready to set off at any time."

Upon hearing this, Cao Ang knew there was no time to lose, so he and Ma Yunlu immediately arrived at the parade ground. There, they saw 20,000 Xiliang cavalrymen arrayed in neat rows, with Wei Yan standing tall and proud at the front. After Cao Ang and Wei Yan joined forces, they prepared to depart immediately.

When the troops had left Chang'an for some distance, Cao Ang turned to look at Ma Yunlu beside him and said with concern, "Yunlu, you should go back. There's no need to see me off. The battlefield ahead is extremely dangerous, and swords have no eyes."

Ma Yunlu, however, looked determined, his eyes blazing as he looked at Cao Ang and said, "I'm not here just to see you off, but to go with you."

Upon hearing this, Cao Ang became increasingly concerned for his beloved's safety and hurriedly advised, "Yunlu, this is no joke. The battlefield is ever-changing and full of dangers. Besides, does Uncle Ma know you're going there?"

Ma Yunlu smiled slightly, reached out and gently grasped Cao Ang's hand, saying, "Zixiu, since I've chosen you, I must face all the difficulties with you. I have Sister Bai'er to speak for me with my father. Besides, a general is not bound by the king's orders when he's away. Now that we've already set off, it's too late for them to catch up."

Cao Ang looked at Ma Yunlu's resolute eyes, feeling both moved and helpless. He knew Ma Yunlu was a man of unwavering character, and once he made a decision, it was difficult to change it. After a moment's hesitation, Cao Ang said, "Yunlu, since you've made up your mind, I won't try to persuade you any further. But you must promise me that you will be cautious on the battlefield, not act impulsively, and prioritize your own safety."

Ma Yunlu nodded vigorously and said, "Zixiu, don't worry. I will be careful. Together we can help Lord Cao resolve this crisis."

Ma Yunlu looked at Cao Ang helplessly and said softly, "Zixiu, you know that my elder brother is away fighting on the grasslands, and Xiliang has just experienced war. The garrison in Chang'an is currently understaffed. You see, Chang'an and Tongguan combined are only defended by less than 40,000 troops led by General Zhang Yan. These 20,000 elite Xiliang cavalry have already been brought out with us. I hope you don't hold a grudge. Father has truly tried his best."

Cao Ang was deeply moved by Ma Yunlu's words and quickly said, "Yunlu, don't worry. I know Uncle Ma is in trouble. These 20,000 elite cavalry are a tremendous support to my Cao family. I'm deeply grateful, so how could I harbor any resentment? On this expedition, I will not betray Uncle Ma's trust and will work with my father to resolve this crisis."

Seeing Cao Ang's understanding, Ma Yunlu smiled with relief and said, "Zixiu, it's great that you think this way. I believe that with our efforts, we can help Cao Gong overcome this difficult time."

As the two were talking, Wei Yan urged his horse up to them and said, "Master, Miss Ma, the road ahead is clear. Our army is marching very quickly. We expect to reach Xudu in a few days."

Cao Ang nodded and said, "Well, General Wei, thank you for your hard work. Pass the order down and tell the brothers to stay alert and not slack off."

Wei Yan took the order and left. Cao Ang turned to Ma Yunlu and said, "Yunlu, we will have to rely heavily on General Wei's experience on this march. As a girl, if you feel any discomfort along the way, please inform me immediately."

Ma Yunlu said coquettishly, "Zi Xiu, don't underestimate me. I have been practicing martial arts since I was young, so riding a horse and fighting is not a difficult task for me. But don't worry, I will take good care of myself."

As they spoke, the team continued to march forward. Twenty thousand Xiliang cavalrymen surged across the vast land like a black torrent. They endured hardships along the way, but their morale remained high. They knew full well that this journey to Xudu was a momentous mission, and a fierce battle awaited them.

Ma Yunlu actually had something else in mind that she hadn't yet shared with Cao Ang. As Ma Chao's younger sister and Ma Teng's daughter, she was well aware of her special status. Though her brother, Ma Chao, was far away on the grasslands, if she were to be caught in the enemy's line on the battlefield, Ma Teng would certainly not sit idly by. Given his deep love for his children, Ma Teng would undoubtedly dispatch troops from Xiliang to respond, ensuring that she suffered no loss. After all, to Ma Teng, her safety was paramount.

On the other hand, if Xiliang were merely an ally, they might not easily send additional troops. After all, Xiliang had just experienced war and faced numerous difficulties of their own, and the deployment of troops was already stretched thin. However, if Ma Yunlu were in danger, the situation would be completely different. Ma Teng would never watch his daughter fall into danger. To save her, he would do everything he could to mobilize troops, even if it meant greater risk for Xiliang. However, Ma Yunlu felt it unnecessary to tell Cao Ang these words at the moment. She did not want to burden Cao Ang with the additional psychological burden of her status. She hoped to fight alongside Cao Ang and use her own abilities to help Cao Cao resolve the crisis.