Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1110 Zhang Song's Plan Meets a Setback

Seeing Zhang Song's tense expression, Ma Chao couldn't help but chuckle, his tone softening slightly: "Brother Yongnian, why are you so nervous? Although Zhang Ren, Fa Zheng, and I are all in Xiliang, they are important military officials with military power, while I am merely a member of a collateral branch of the Zhen family, somewhat related to the future imperial relatives. I am nothing special. Even if you say a few more words, it won't cause any harm."

He paused, then added casually, "But to be fair, King Liang, Ma Chao, is actually a good place to go. With the great victory on the grasslands and the Guanzhong Plain secured, it's the perfect time to have capable men. Isn't that more stable than these warlords in the Central Plains who are constantly fighting each other?"

Hearing this, Zhang Song finally relaxed a little and agreed, "Yes, yes, the Liang King's power is indeed formidable." But he had other plans in mind—Ma Chao? How could he dare to surrender? Putting aside the fact that everyone in Yizhou regarded Xiliang as a tiger and wolf, the blood feud between Ma Chao and the Liu family over two generations was like an insurmountable obstacle.

Back then, Ma Chao killed two of Liu Zhang's brothers, causing Liu Yan to die of anger. This blood feud remains unresolved; how could I dare to seek refuge with Ma Chao? Now, Ma Chao's power is immense, and anyone with eyes can see he will sooner or later attack Yizhou. If I were to join him now, even if it were a genuine surrender, I would only be branded as a "traitor who sells out his master for personal gain."

More importantly, if the Western Liang forces obtain the map of Western Sichuan, they will definitely take action against Liu Zhang. The Zhang family has deep roots in Yizhou, and if even a hint of news of their allegiance to Ma Chao leaks out, no matter how muddle-headed Liu Zhang and his ilk are, they will never let his clansmen go. At that time, forget about their future prospects; they might even have their ancestral graves dug up.

This is why, even though Xiliang was the closest to Yizhou, he took a long detour to Xiangyang and Qiao County first—he would rather seek refuge with Cao Cao and Liu Bei, whom he had never met, than dare to get close to Ma Chao. That would put his entire family's lives on the line; he wasn't that crazy.

“But…” Zhang Song coughed twice, concealing his inner thoughts, “The Prince of Liang is, after all, a bit too bloodthirsty…”

Seeing the flicker in his eyes, Ma Chao could easily guess his concerns. However, he didn't point it out, but simply smiled and pointed ahead with his whip: "Let's not talk about this anymore. We're almost at the market town. Let's find a place to rest first."

Zhang Song felt as if he had been granted a pardon and hurriedly urged his horse to catch up, but in his mind, he drew a clearer line between Ma Chao and Xiliang. He didn't see that Ma Chao reined in his horse behind him, gazing at his back with a meaningful glint in his eyes—this Zhang Song was full of concerns, but also harbored a hint of cowardice, unwilling to take the gamble.

Xu Shu and Lu Su exchanged a glance and quietly moved closer to Ma Chao's side. Lu Su lowered his voice, his tone carrying a hint of certainty: "My lord, although Zhang Song's words are witty, he is by no means an ordinary person. Judging from his familiarity with the situation in Yizhou, and his past relationship with Zhang Ren and Fa Zheng, if we can recruit him, he will definitely be a great help in taking Yizhou."

Xu Shu nodded in agreement: "This man carries a map of Western Sichuan, yet he is searching everywhere for a wise ruler, which shows that he has great ambitions. Liu Zhang is muddleheaded and cannot retain such a person, which is our opportunity."

Ma Chao gazed at Zhang Song's retreating figure as he spoke with his attendants, a faint smile playing on his lips. His voice was so soft that only the three of them could hear: "He knows the terrain and the people's hearts in Yizhou perfectly well; he's certainly a good prospect." He paused, his fingertips lightly tapping on the saddle. "However, right now, he doesn't trust us and is even more afraid of getting involved with Xiliang. Forcing him to stay is useless; it's better to go along with his wishes."

Upon hearing this, Lu Su frowned slightly: "Does our lord intend for him to first be worn down by Cao Cao and Liu Bei before being recruited? But if he encounters setbacks with Cao Cao, he may not be willing to join our Xiliang. After all, the Yuan family is powerful, and Hebei is a strategically important place. He may not be willing to bow down easily."

Ma Chao reined in his horse, gazing at the distant, rolling mountains. A confident smile flashed in his eyes: "Cao Cao is currently busy confronting Lü Bu and also has to consider the marriage with my Xiliang. How could he have the mind to pay attention to an unknown nobody from Yizhou? Zhang Song thinks too highly of himself and is determined to show off in front of Cao Cao. But Cao Cao hates those who are too clever for their own good. At best, he will be given the cold shoulder; at worst, he will be imprisoned."

Xu Shu clapped his hands and said, "My lord has accurately predicted Cao Cao's suspicious nature and has also figured out Zhang Song's arrogance. He was humiliated by Cao Cao and then met with a setback by Liu Bei, so his morale must have plummeted. Now that my lord is treating him with courtesy and offering him high-ranking positions and generous rewards, how could he not be tempted?"

“That’s not all.” Ma Chao turned his horse around, his eyes sharp as an eagle’s. “If he joins me, I will show him the way. Now, among all the warlords in the world, only Yuan Shao of Hebei can rival my Liangzhou. When the time comes, he can go to Yuan Shao and persuade him, and that will be the completion of Liu Zhang’s mission.”

He paused, then emphasized, "At that time, in the eyes of the officials in Yizhou, he will be both a meritorious official who connects Hebei and secretly a person of Xiliang, with room for maneuver. And he knows in his heart that only Xiliang can give him this security. How could he not sincerely submit?"

Lu Su suddenly realized: "My lord, this is killing three birds with one stone! It has not only worn down Zhang Song's arrogance, but also won him over and allowed him to gain a foothold in Yizhou, laying the groundwork for our Xiliang to conquer Yizhou in the future!"

Xu Shu also exclaimed, "Among all the warlords in the world, only you, my lord, dare to make such a strategic arrangement. Cao Cao is suspicious, Liu Bei is weak, and Yuan Shao is indecisive. Who else can calculate the hearts of the people and the situation as thoroughly as you, my lord?"

Ma Chao reined in his horse, gazing at the faint outline of the city ahead, and laughed loudly, "Alright, alright, stop thinking about these things. We'll be at Qiao County soon. Once we get there, we'll part ways with Prefect Zhang."

Xu Shu followed his gaze and nodded, saying, "Qiao County is Cao Cao's hometown. Since he is so eager to see Lord Cao, it is just right to part ways here."

Lu Su also said, "Prepare some wine and food for him before we part ways, so as to maintain our friendship as fellow travelers and avoid arousing his suspicion."

Ma Chao nodded: "As Zijing says." He turned to Zhang Song, who was chatting with his servants not far away, and said loudly, "Brother Yongnian, Qiao County is just ahead! When we get to the city, let's have a farewell drink to honor our friendship along the way."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Song looked up, a look of delight on his face. He quickly urged his horse forward, saying, "Great! The wine in Qiao County is famously strong. Perfect, I'll have a few more cups with Gentleman Zhen!" In his heart, however, he secretly planned that once he arrived in Qiao County, he would be able to meet Cao Cao's men, finally bringing him one step closer to his goal.

Upon arriving outside Qiao County, Ma Chao parted ways with Zhang Song, saying that he was not qualified to meet Cao Cao and would wait for him outside the city. Zhang Song did not suspect anything and asked him to wait outside the city until he had met Cao Cao, after which he would introduce Ma Chao and his party.

The gates of Qiao County slowly opened, and Zhang Song rode in. The streets of the city were bustling with activity, and the cries of vendors rose and fell, but Zhang Song had no interest in looking closely. He kept glancing in the direction of Cao Cao's residence, a hint of urgency hidden between his brows.

When Zhang Song arrived at Cao Cao's residence, he requested an audience. Cao Cao was currently bedridden with headaches, and although he had specifically sought out Zhang Ji and Zhang Zhongjing for treatment, his condition had not improved after several days of medication. Upon hearing that Zhang Song was from Yizhou, Cao Cao refused to see him. After all, Xiliang and Yizhou were currently at war, and Xiliang was his ally. If Guo Jia hadn't advised him, "A person from Yizhou must have ulterior motives; perhaps we can discover the true strength of Shu," Cao Cao probably wouldn't have even granted him a meeting.

Finally, Cao Cao agreed to meet him. Zhang Song tidied his clothes and followed his servants to the mansion. However, upon seeing him, Cao Cao frowned slightly. Zhang Song was already ugly, and after days of travel, he was even more dusty and travel-worn. To Cao Cao, who valued appearance, he was truly unappealing. In addition, Zhang Song, with a hint of testing in his voice, unconsciously spoke with the arrogance of a scholar from Shu. When mentioning the customs and culture of Yizhou, he subtly implied that "the land of abundance is beyond the reach of outsiders," which made Cao Cao's expression even more somber.

"Hmph, if Shu were truly that good, why would they send someone like you?" Cao Cao snorted coldly and flicked his sleeve, about to order someone to "see the guest out."

Zhang Song was also a man of strong character. Seeing Cao Cao's disrespectful attitude, he became even more spirited and said loudly, "Lord Cao, do not judge a book by its cover! Although I am not talented, I know the maps and records of all the prefectures and counties in the world. If Lord Cao does not believe me, you may test me in court!"

These words surprised Cao Cao. He then ordered a map to be brought out. Zhang Song was indeed a man of great talent. Although Cao Cao was still dissatisfied, he valued Zhang Song's learning and ultimately did not send him away. Just as Zhang Song regained his face, a commotion broke out outside. It turned out that a message had come from Cao Cao's personal guards—Ma Chao had personally led a large army to the city gates and was requesting an audience with Cao Cao!

The news struck Cao Cao like a thunderbolt, instantly jolting him awake from his bed, his headache seemingly cured. He didn't bother to straighten his robes or even put on his shoes properly, rushing out in his slippers, shouting as he ran, "Quick! Prepare the horses! Follow me out of the city to greet them!"

The coldness he had shown towards Zhang Song vanished completely; Cao Cao's face no longer bore any trace of illness, and his eyes were filled with urgency. After all, Ma Chao's importance at this moment far outweighed that of Zhang Song from Yi Province.

Hearing the commotion outside, Zhang Song's face turned pale and then flushed. He finally understood that Cao Cao hadn't been taken seriously at all. But Ma Chao's arrival had caused Cao Cao to lose his composure so completely. The contrast shattered his pride, leaving him with only a bitter taste. Thinking that Cao Cao judged people by their appearance, no different from that big-eared scoundrel Liu Bei, he didn't linger and quietly left.

Ma Chao reined in his horse and stood under a willow tree outside the city, gazing in the direction of the Qiao County city gate, a faint smile playing on his lips. He had deliberately sent Zhang Song into the city first, having calculated Cao Cao's temperament—the Cao Cao was known for valuing appearances and grand gestures, and would surely be disrespectful to Zhang Song, who was unassuming in appearance and possessed a certain arrogance typical of Shu scholars.

As the sun climbed to its zenith and began to set in the west, movement finally broke out at the city gate. Zhang Song appeared inside, still walking with his head held high, but the hesitation in his steps and the forced composure on his face did not escape Ma Chao's notice.

"How is it?" Ma Chao asked slowly as Zhang Song approached, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

Zhang Song's face flushed red. After a long pause, he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence through gritted teeth: "That Cao Cao... truly lives up to his reputation, he's very 'respectful and courteous to scholars'." The sarcasm in his words was like a barb.

Ma Chao chuckled softly, then suddenly pulled on the reins, turned his horse around, and said to Zhang Song, who was still in a daze, "Well, seeing that Brother Yongnian has not been treated well here, I suppose the wine in Qiao County may not suit his taste either."

He raised his voice and instructed Dian Wei beside him, "Dian Wei, you know Cao Cao, so please go and inform him that he has offended my friend. We will set up a tent outside the city and drink wine. We can enter the city when my friend has calmed down."

Dian Wei responded in a deep voice, "Yes, sir!" He picked up his double halberds and strode toward the city gate, his back exuding an aura that left no room for argument.

Zhang Song looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with astonishment—he never expected Ma Chao to pull such a stunt. The resentment he felt from being treated coldly by Cao Cao was still stuck in his chest, but upon hearing these words, it was as if someone was protecting him. The grievances and indignation in his heart suddenly surged up, only to be suppressed by an inexplicable warmth.

"Young Master Zhen... this...?" he stammered, a strange feeling rising in his heart. This "branch of the Zhen family" before him was probably more than just a merchant; he acted with more audacity than even Liu Zhang, the governor of Yizhou, daring to challenge Cao Cao like this.