sjar Chapter 1215 The Arrogant King of Liang and His Farewell
Chapter 1215 The Arrogant King of Liang and His Farewell
After the inspection was completed, Ma Chao stood atop the highest point of the city wall, suddenly drew his longbow from his waist, and nocked a feathered arrow. The wind stopped abruptly, and under the watchful eyes of the entire army, he drew his bow to its fullest extent, and the arrow pierced the air, striking the bullseye in the distance, its fletching still trembling.
"My lords!" His voice boomed like thunder, echoing across Chang'an, "What have you fought alongside me for so many years?"
Hundreds of thousands of soldiers below the city roared in unison, their shouts shaking the clouds: "For the King of Liang! For Western Liang!"
"It is for the sake of serving our country and bringing peace to the people!" Ma Chao threw his longbow to the ground, his black armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight. "To fight against the northern barbarians is to protect the territory of our Han Dynasty; to contend for the world in the south is to save the people from suffering! Today, what you have shown the world is not only the sharpness of Xiliang, but also the confidence to pacify this chaotic world!"
"Ho-ho-ho!"
The soldiers' roars shook the city bricks, the iron cavalry's warhorses pawed restlessly, the halberds of the Trapped Camp were all pointed to the sky, and even the children of the Young Lin Army had their faces flushed red as they shouted themselves hoarse.
"You are the source of my confidence to dominate the world!" He suddenly drew his sword from his waist, the blade reflecting the flames in his eyes. "These years of continuous warfare have kept you all away from home for a long time. Now that the grasslands are pacified and Chang'an is stable, we can rest and recuperate for the next two years. You can all go home and visit yourselves."
"Long live the King of Liang! Long live the King of Liang!"
A thunderous roar swept across the land, forcing even the envoys atop the city walls to take a half-step back. Ma Chao sheathed his sword, the tassel gleaming as it brushed against his armor. He turned, his gaze sweeping over the envoys' varied expressions, then suddenly threw his head back and laughed. His laughter was filled with an arrogant disdain for the world, an undeniable confidence, and a chilling, oppressive force beneath its madness.
"Have you all seen that?" Ma Chao pointed to the still-boiling army formation below the city, his smile full of arrogance. "You always say that I, Ma Chao, only know how to wage war and exhaust my resources, but in this world, to yield even half a step to wolves is to hand them a knife—if we don't fight, how can we protect the country behind us?"
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the changing expressions of the envoys, and his tone suddenly softened: "Since you are all here, please pass on a message for me. Xiliang has been engaged in endless wars for years and truly deserves a rest. Go back and tell your lord that I, Ma Chao, have no intention of competing with the warlords of the Central Plains, nor do I care to seize those few territories. I only wish to protect the homeland of Xiliang, to prevent the iron hooves of foreign tribes from setting foot in the Han Dynasty, and to ensure that the people within its borders live in peace."
The envoys each had their own calculations in mind—these words sounded like a gesture of goodwill, intended to lower the guard of the Central Plains lords, but combined with the overwhelming military might just now, they seemed more like a declaration of "I have the strength but I don't cause trouble, but you shouldn't mess with me either."
Just as everyone was pondering this, Ma Chao suddenly raised his voice, his tone abruptly turning sharp, like a heavy hammer striking everyone's hearts: "But!"
The single word resonated deeply, and even the wind atop the city wall seemed to pause.
"Anyone who dares to invade an inch of my Xiliang territory," he tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, his knuckles turning white, his eyes blazing with murderous intent, "will be ready for me to raise the armies of Xiliang and strike with thunder! Then, don't blame me, Ma Chao, for showing no mercy!"
These words were so blunt they were almost naked, a threat laced with undisguised sarcasm—you want to covet it? Want to test it? First, consider whether you're even qualified.
The envoys' expressions froze instantly, their previous thoughts choked back by the sudden harsh words. Yang Biao's lips moved, but he ultimately didn't dare to reply; Feng Ji lowered his eyes, avoiding Ma Chao's gaze; even the usually outspoken Xu You could only stroke his beard and remain silent.
After a long silence, Zhuge Liang broke the silence first, forcing a gentle smile on his face. He cupped his hands and said, “King Liang has made outstanding contributions over the years, repelling foreign tribes in the north and guarding the southern borders. We have all witnessed his merits. We admire King Liang’s magnanimity in protecting the country’s borders. Now that King Liang has set the national policy, we will certainly return to report to our lord truthfully. This trip has been incredibly fortunate, as we have witnessed King Liang’s wedding and the might of his army. However, we have lingered here for too long, so it would be better if we took our leave of Your Majesty today. Would Your Majesty agree?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Biao, Xu You, and the others quickly cupped their hands in agreement, clearly not wanting to get involved in the mess in Xiliang anymore.
Ma Chao waved his hand, a smile playing on his lips: "What's the rush? At the end of the month, I'm going to marry a concubine. You've all come from afar, why not stay a few more days and have a drink at the wedding before you leave?"
Upon hearing this, everyone's faces froze—having just held two weddings and married three concubines, was he now going to marry a secondary concubine? Was this a deliberate delay, or was he really being so blatant?
Zhuge Liang quickly cupped his hands again, his tone earnest: "We appreciate Your Majesty's kindness, but we have already witnessed Your Majesty's grandeur and intentions. If we delay any longer, it will only waste the resources of Xiliang, which makes us uneasy. We beg Your Majesty to grant our request."
Ma Chao pondered for a moment, as if considering something, before nodding and saying, "Very well, you may return if you wish. However—" He changed the subject, his gaze falling on Feng Ji and Xu You, "The envoys from Hebei, please stay a while. The two concubines you are to marry at the end of the month are Gongsun Rou, daughter of General Gongsun Zan, and Zhen Mi, daughter of the Zhen family of Zhongshan. Both have considerable ties to Hebei. You should at least witness the ceremony before leaving, to fulfill this obligation."
A flash of anger crossed Feng Ji and Xu You's faces, their eyes practically spitting fire.
Who is Zhen Mi? She was once the fiancée of Yuan Xi, the second young master of Hebei, yet Ma Chao forcibly took her into his household—a disgrace to the entire province. Gongsun Rou's father, Gongsun Zan, was a sworn enemy of Yuan Shao, with whom he had fought for years. Ma Chao insisted on mentioning him at this time, demanding they stay to witness the ceremony. This was hardly "showing affection"; it was blatant public humiliation!
Having just witnessed the might of the Xiliang cavalry, their earth-shattering military might still echoed in their ears. Despite their burning anger, the two could only suppress it. Xu You clenched his fist, and Feng Ji took a deep breath. In the end, they could only bow, their faces filled with complex emotions, and say, "...I will obey Your Majesty's orders."
Guan Yu, standing beside Zhuge Liang, gripped his sword, veins bulging on his hand. His phoenix eyes widened, and veins on his forehead throbbed. He had heard it clearly: they actually wanted to take Gongsun Rou! He glared at Ma Chao, anger churning in his throat, almost shouting "Insolence!" Even if you lust after beautiful women, it doesn't matter how many you take. Gongsun Rou was a concubine of the late emperor, and by seniority, she was Ma Chao's niece. Such behavior was not only a trampling of the Han dynasty but also a disgrace to fraternal bonds!
Zhuge Liang reacted swiftly, grabbing his wrist and pinching his palm hard with his fingertips. He whispered, "Yun Chang, calm down." He shook his head slightly, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. "There are too many people around here, why argue over such a trivial matter?"
Guan Yu's chest heaved as he finally loosened his grip on the sword hilt, but he still turned his face away angrily, his robe sleeves fluttering loudly.
The wind swept across the city wall, carrying the remaining snow. Ma Chao stood with his hands on his hips by the crenellations, looking at the complicated expressions on everyone's faces. He threw his head back and laughed loudly, his voice shaking the sky, full of ruggedness and unruliness: "Hahaha! Since you are all determined to leave, I will not force you to stay. Men, bring up the prepared local specialties!"
As soon as he finished speaking, several soldiers carried forward with heavy wooden boxes. When they opened them, they found dried beef and mutton and grape wine from the Western Regions inside.
“This little bit of stuff is nothing,” Ma Chao patted the box, his eyes suddenly darkening as he suppressed his smile, his tone carrying an undeniable weight. “Also, go back and tell your lord that as fellow Han officials, why must we fight to the death every day? Why do we disregard the survival of the nation for our own selfish interests?”
His voice echoed in the wind, carrying a sense of dejection, leaving everyone speechless for a moment. The envoys who were preparing to take their leave looked at each other, wondering if Ma Chao truly had no ambition to contend for the world.
"Let's go!" Ma Chao waved his hand, turned around and strode down the city wall, his cloak fluttering in the wind, with his personal guards following closely behind.
In the afternoon, outside Chang'an, the ground was still covered with a thin layer of snow. The envoys from all sides packed their belongings and turned to bow to Li Ru, Jia Xu and others who were seeing them off.
"Thank you all for your hospitality these past few days. We will certainly report what we have seen and heard to our lord truthfully." Zhuge Liang lightly waved his feather fan, his gaze sweeping over Li Ru and Jia Xu, his tone calm yet carrying a deeper meaning. Guan Yu followed closely behind, saying little but nodding slightly to the group as a gesture of respect.
Yang Biao, Wang Lei, and the others also bid farewell in turn, their hearts heavy with the things they had seen and heard over the past few days. The refugees on the city wall, the disputes at the banquet, the military might of the parade, and Ma Chao's arrogant yet somewhat sincere words—all these things surged in their minds.
Jia Xu returned the greeting with a gentle smile, saying, "Take care on your journey, and may your return be smooth." Li Ru merely nodded slightly, his gaze lingering briefly on the departing figures of the envoys before looking away, as if he had already planned out the game after their departure. Xu Shu and Lu Su stood to the side, watching the envoys' figures gradually disappear into the distance, their expressions each containing a complex mix of emotions.
Only Feng Ji and Xu You were left standing there, watching the others board the carriages and drive away in a cloud of dust. Xu You couldn't help but spit and mutter, "Ma Chao was clearly humiliating us on purpose, but we have to put up with it." Feng Ji's face was ashen, but he could only suppress his anger: "There's no point in saying more. Let's go back to the inn and make a decision later."
The two walked back one after the other, the snow crunching under their feet, much like their oppressive mood. The inn was hidden deep in the alleys, looking somewhat like a cage trapping a bird, making their hearts heavy.
The next day, outside Chang'an, the willow branches by Ba Bridge had just sprouted tender buds, carrying a hint of early spring chill. Cao Ang, dressed in a plain brocade robe, stood at the bridgehead, followed by several guards. His luggage had already been loaded into a carriage, and he was just waiting for the order to set off eastward.
Ma Chao patted Cao Ang on the shoulder, his touch neither too light nor too heavy: "They've left, why are you in such a hurry to go back?"
Cao Ang cupped his hands, his expression solemn: "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, brother, but there is still war at home. I have been bribing Xu You with money, and I expect that the troops in Hebei will be withdrawn soon, which will free up my hands to deal with Lü Bu!"
"Alright!" Ma Chao grinned, revealing a hearty expression. "Remember to come to fetch the bride on time in mid-March. I'll use this time to prepare more dowry, haha..."
Ma Yunlu, who had come to see him off, was gazing at Cao Ang with eyes full of reluctance. Her gaze was like silk threads dipped in spring dew, lingering on him. Suddenly hearing her brother's straightforward words, her cheeks flushed red, even her ears were tinged with a blush. She playfully raised her hand and gently tapped Ma Chao's arm, then moved aside, hiding behind the three princesses, Dong Bai, Zhang Qiying, and Zhang Fubao, who had come to see him off.
Ma Chao deliberately raised his voice: "Look, look, my sister is shy!"
Amidst the laughter and banter, he suddenly stopped joking, straightened his clothes, and said to Cao Ang in a serious voice, "Let's get down to business. No matter how intense the battle is at the front, your wedding should take place."
Upon hearing this, Cao Ang solemnly cupped his hands, straightened his back, and said in a firm and resounding tone: "I will obey my elder brother's command! No matter how busy the war is, I will personally come to Yundu to marry Yunlu and will never break my promise."