sjar Chapter 1186 Ma Chao's Thoughts Warn the Dong Family
Chapter 1186 Ma Chao's Thoughts Warn the Dong Family
The candlelight in the rear hall was warm and cozy, making the carved patterns on the beams and pillars even clearer. As soon as Ma Chao stepped across the threshold, he saw his father, Ma Teng, sitting upright at his desk, his face as serious as ever, though his gaze flickered slightly when it swept over the dust on Ma Chao's clothes. His mother had already come to greet him, her eyes red-rimmed, and she was holding Ma Yue's hand—the child's head was bowed low, his face tense, the stubbornness he had shown at the palace gate hadn't dissipated, and even though his grandmother was pulling him along, he still looked unwilling to give in.
"You're back." Ma Teng said, his voice revealing little emotion, yet a subtle hint of easing.
"Your son greets Father and Mother." Ma Chao bowed respectfully, dust falling from his armor.
His mother quickly helped him up, her fingertips tracing the scratches on his armor, her eyes reddening further: "You've lost weight and gotten darker... You must have suffered a lot outside." She took Ma Chao's hand, then looked at Ma Yue beside her, her lips moved, but she swallowed her words in the end, and instead smiled and said, "Sit down quickly, Mother has asked the kitchen to make some soup, I'll bring it to you right away."
Ma Yue was held down by his grandmother and reluctantly called out "Father" in a voice so soft it was like a mosquito's hum, before turning his head away. Ma Chao looked at his tense profile, understanding perfectly well, but didn't say anything. He only said to his parents, "I've just returned. I'll go wash up first and then talk to you and me later."
Ma Teng nodded: "Go ahead and get some rest." Ma's mother wanted to say something more, but Ma Teng stopped her with a look—her son had just returned from the battlefield, how could he let these trivial matters of children disturb his mind?
Leaving the rear hall, Ma Chao and Dong Bai walked side by side toward the bedchamber. The lanterns under the eaves swayed gently in the wind, casting their shadows together. Dong Bai was already the designated matriarch of the Ma family. Although she and Ma Chao were not formally married, their affection for each other was already deep. As they walked, she naturally took the cloak draped over his shoulders, her tone filled with concern: "The armor is heavy; you must be exhausted from the journey."
The bedchamber was warm and cozy, with steam rising from the hot water in the copper basin. Maids had already prepared a change of clothes, and upon seeing the two enter, they discreetly withdrew. Dong Bai stepped forward personally, her fingertips loosening the straps of Ma Chao's armor. The silver plates were removed one by one, revealing the damp lining beneath, soaked with sweat. Her movements were gentle, and whenever her fingertips occasionally touched the old wounds on his back, she would soften her touch.
"The water temperature is just right, go wash up." Dong Bai scooped up a ladle of water and gently poured it on his shoulder.
As Ma Chao immersed himself in the water, his tense muscles gradually relaxed. He looked at Dong Bai's focused profile and finally spoke: "Tell me about the children. Judging from Ma Yue's appearance and Ma Xiang's, they've clearly had a big argument."
Dong Bai paused in her hand holding the cloth, then sighed, "Actually, it's nothing serious, just the children's temperaments..." As she rubbed his back, she recounted in detail the incident a few days ago in which Ma Yue and Ma Xiang got into a fight, and Li Ru unintentionally stirred things up. "Ma Yue grew up in Jiangdong and is naturally stubborn. After coming back, he always felt that others treated him coldly; Ma Xiang and the others grew up around you, so they are inevitably a bit arrogant. They started fighting over a few words."
She scooped up some water and rinsed the foam off his back: "To be honest, it was my fault for not taking better care of him. I thought that once you came back, this would be over, but I didn't expect..."
Ma Chao remained silent, his fingertips tracing the surface of the water, creating ripples. He recalled Ma Yue's distant "Father" and Ma Xiang's reddened ears when he lowered his head, and suddenly smiled: "They're just kids, there's no such thing as a grudge that lasts overnight. Tomorrow I'll organize something, let them have a little fuss together, and that'll be fine."
Seeing his relaxed expression, Dong Bai breathed a sigh of relief and splashed some water on the back of his neck with a smile: "My lord is truly resourceful."
In the misty steam, the two shadows leaned against the wall. The weariness of their journey and the trivialities of the household seemed to be washed away by the warm water, leaving only the peace and tacit understanding of the moment.
After Ma Chao finished bathing, water droplets dripped from his hair. Dong Bai took a soft towel and gently wiped the water droplets from his shoulders and back, her movements as gentle as a breeze brushing against flower petals. Once the water droplets were dry, she took a clean, plain-colored undershirt and helped him put it on. Her fingertips occasionally touched his warm skin, making her ears burn slightly.
Just as he finished tying the tie at her collar, Ma Chao suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms. His arms were strong and powerful, carrying the refreshing scent of someone who had just showered. "Bai'er," he said, looking down at the person in his arms, his voice full of genuine warmth, "You've worked so hard preparing for the wedding these past few days. I'm so glad you were here."
Dong Bai's heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks flushed instantly. She hugged Ma Chao even tighter, buried her face in his chest, and said in a slightly shy but joyful voice, "Just thinking about marrying my husband soon makes my heart feel like it's filled with warmth. How can I feel tired at all?"
Ma Chao was amused by her appearance and laughed loudly. The vibration of his chest traveled through his clothes to Dong Bai's heart, making her feel more at ease. He led her to sit down on the edge of the couch, but Dong Bai quickly got up, took a thick brocade robe from the side, and insisted on putting it on him: "Put it on quickly, be careful not to catch a cold."
"I'm not that delicate," Ma Chao said with a smile, declining the offer, but still going along with her wishes, letting her drape the brocade robe over her shoulders and fasten the belt.
"The autumn wind is chilly, so we mustn't be careless," Dong Bai said reproachfully, her eyes full of concern.
Ma Chao grasped her hand, his fingertips tracing the calluses on her palm—marks left by days of hard work. His tone shifted, his expression growing more serious: "You just said the children were arguing, and that Wen You was stirring things up?"
Dong Bai's blush hadn't faded when she heard this, but she was suddenly startled. She looked up at Ma Chao, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes: "My lord... Uncle-in-law..." She composed herself and said softly, "As you know, since Uncle-in-law followed my grandfather, he has been wholeheartedly devoted to the Dong family, grateful for my grandfather's kindness. We will be married soon, and all he wants is for me to have a stable life, and for our future children to be valued by you..."
Ma Chao's expression darkened, and his fingers tightened slightly: "Wen You deserves much credit for Xiliang's current state, and I have always respected and appreciated him. But if he extends his reach into the inner quarters and tries to scheme against the children, that goes too far."
Seeing this, Dong Bai quickly stood up and knelt down before him with a thud, her skirt spreading out on the ground like a blooming white flower. "My lord, please forgive me!" She looked up at Ma Chao, her eyes full of pleading. "I have already spoken to my uncle. No matter how many children we have in the future, the heir of Xiliang can only be Yue'er. I have long regarded him as my own son. My uncle may have some selfish motives, but it was for my sake... I beg you, my lord, to forgive him this time for the sake of our past relationship. He will certainly not do it again in the future."
Seeing her like this, Ma Chao quickly reached out to help her up and pulled her back into his arms. He sighed, "What are you saying, Bai'er? There's no need for such a grand ceremony between us." He gently patted her back, his tone softening, "It's just... if we don't sort out Wen You's thoughts soon, I'm afraid they'll cause trouble in the future. Children are pure of heart and can't tolerate being stirred up by others."
Dong Bai leaned against him and nodded: "Don't worry, my lord, I will explain it to my uncle again. Although he is stubborn, he is reasonable and will surely understand your intentions and realize that a peaceful household is the greatest blessing for Xiliang."
Ma Chao looked down at her soft, flowing hair, and the knot in his heart gradually dissipated. The autumn wind was still howling outside the window, but the hall was warm and cozy. He knew that the person before him was not only the wife he was about to marry, but also a confidante who would share the fate of the Western Liang family with him.
Ma Chao gently stroked Dong Bai's hair, his fingertips brushing through her soft strands, his voice tinged with melancholy: "Bai'er, my heart is filled with too many emotions after our trip to Jiangdong. Sun Ce and Sun Quan were brothers born of the same mother, yet for that bit of power, Sun Quan actually poisoned his own brother, personally ending Bo Fu's life. Was Jiangdong really worth such a cruel act?"
He sighed, his fingers tightening slightly: "Looking at Jingzhou, Liu Biao's two sons, Liu Qi and Liu Cong—Liu Qi's mother died early, and Liu Biao favored his younger son Liu Cong, so the two brothers had a long-standing feud, and the vast Jingzhou was thus torn apart. There are also Tao Qian's sons, Tao Shang and Tao Ying, who couldn't hold onto Xuzhou left by their father; Yuan Shao's three sons had also long since broken ties... Even the death of the late Emperor Liu Bian still seems suspicious to this day."
Dong Bai listened quietly, then gently placed his hand on the back of his hand, signaling him to continue.
“That night, on our way back to Xiangyang from Jiangxia, we rested, and my senior brother Liu Bei and I chatted. He also revealed some things—Liu Bian’s death is probably related to Liu Xie.” A cold glint flashed in Ma Chao’s eyes. “You see, power can really blind people. Now that our great cause is not yet accomplished, there are already so many examples of brothers fighting each other and family members killing each other. We must be on guard.”
He paused, his tone becoming more serious: "So when I was in Jiangdong, I made it clear early on that I would make Yue'er the heir. Firstly, Yue'er is a bit older, and by the time he comes of age, I will probably still be under forty, so I can personally guide him for a few years and teach him to distinguish right from wrong and to know when to advance and retreat; secondly, although this child has not been by my side these past few years, he has been taught by Gongjin and others, so I think he is not the kind of person who does not understand things."
“The people of the world are suffering now,” Ma Chao said, looking out at the bleak autumn scenery, his voice heavy with a sense of responsibility. “If I can truly achieve great things, I must keep a close eye on these children and not let them repeat the mistakes of their predecessors and squander the country.”
“When we were in Jiangdong, Gongjin also advised me,” he said, his brows furrowing slightly as he recalled Zhou Yu’s words, “Yue’er’s maternal clan is weak. In this deep mansion, without any support, he is easily wronged. By making him the heir apparent, I not only gave him a title but also provided him with support. With your care and the foundation of Xiliang, he can walk more steadily in the future.”
Dong Bai leaned on his shoulder and said softly, "My lord has considered everything very carefully. I will treat Yue'er as my own son, teach him to distinguish right from wrong, and let him know that the position of heir is not a privilege, but a responsibility to protect Xiliang and pacify the people. As for the quarrels between the children, I will sort them out slowly and never let outsiders take advantage of the situation and ruin the harmony of our family."
Ma Chao looked down at her, his eyes growing warmer: "With you here, I feel at ease. Bai'er, remember, whether it's Yue'er or our future children, the first thing to teach them is not political maneuvering, but the human heart. He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world; only by guarding one's true heart can one protect this country."
Dong Bai nodded emphatically, pressing her face against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, feeling a sense of peace in her heart. The wind was still blowing outside the window, but it couldn't dispel the warmth inside the hall, nor could it shake the two people's hearts that were in sync at this moment—for the sake of peace in this chaotic world, for the sake of harmony in this family, they still had a long way to go, but as long as they were of one mind, they would not fear any storms.