Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 734: Convincing Liu Bei to Deal with Ma Chao

The atmosphere in the inner hall was stagnant, awkward and suffocating. Liu Bei, mindful of his fellow disciples' friendship, spoke earnestly in Ma Chao's defense, each one well-reasoned and well-founded, yet also subtly refutatious to the Emperor.

Guan Yu, standing behind Liu Bei, had a slight change of expression, a flicker of worry in his eyes. He quietly reached out and gently tugged at the hem of Liu Bei's shirt, shaking his head slightly, his eyes signaling that he shouldn't be so disrespectful to the emperor. Such an act of insubordination was a grave sin. However, Liu Bei was so engrossed in defending Ma Chao that he didn't notice Guan Yu's warning.

At this moment, Wang Yun stepped forward, his face filled with discontent and seriousness. He looked at Liu Bei and said, "Lord Xuande, His Majesty hasn't even made a final decision on this matter, yet you're so eager to jump to Ma Chao's defense. Are you so focused on your fellow disciples' friendship that you've forgotten the Han Dynasty? As a minister, you should prioritize the country over your own. "

As soon as these words came out, Zhang Fei, who already had a hot temper, instantly opened his eyes wide and his face turned red. He shouted loudly: "Old bastard! My brother is a relative of the Han Dynasty and is devoted to the court. We brothers have been fighting on the battlefield and fighting to the best of our ability. Unlike you, you are in cahoots with Lu Bu and have not put in any effort on the battlefield in Jizhou. Now you are here to say some sarcastic words and mock my brother. What are you thinking?" As Zhang Fei spoke, he took a step forward, clenched his fists, and emanated a strong anger, as if he was about to rush up and attack in the next second.

Upon hearing Zhang Fei's humiliation, Lü Bu flew into a rage, his face darkening to a terrifying degree. He stepped forward, pointed his finger at Zhang Fei, and shouted, "Say it again, you ring-eyed thief! Do you think you can slander others just because you have a loud voice? If you don't give me an explanation today, I won't let you off easily!" Lü Bu, a massive figure and a menacing presence, glared at Zhang Fei with wide eyes and roared, "Ring-eyed thief, you better watch your mouth! You're just a reckless warrior, and yet you dare to speak so arrogantly!"

Zhang Fei was furious when he heard this. Veins popped out on his neck and he shouted back at the top of his voice: "You traitor, you have the nerve to criticize me? You recognize the enemy as your father and are fickle. Everyone in the world knows about your ugly deeds! Today I will teach you a lesson, you shameless thing!" As he said that, Zhang Fei rolled up his sleeves, tucked the hem of his robe into his waist, and made a gesture to rush forward.

Lu Bu was not willing to be outdone. He swung his cloak hard, clenched his fists, and cracked his knuckles: "You are so good, Zhang Fei. Today I will beat you to a pulp and let you know how powerful I am!" The two men glared at each other, the anger in their eyes seemed to want to devour each other, and the air around them seemed to be ignited by the smell of gunpowder. A fierce fight was about to break out.

The emperor, watching the two men at loggerheads, felt no anger. Instead, he secretly thought: Lü Bu and Liu Bei's disagreement is a perfect counterbalance, allowing him to better control the situation and use it to his advantage. But the emperor's face instantly filled with anger. Feigning extreme displeasure, he slammed the table, stood up, and shouted, "How dare you! This is my inner palace. I have kindly invited you here to discuss state affairs, yet you are engaging in a brawl here. How can you be so unbecoming? Such unscrupulous behavior is unbecoming of a trusted minister. Do you even care about me and the Han court?"

Seeing this, Liu Bei thought to himself that something was wrong. He hurriedly stepped forward, bowed to the emperor, then turned around and grabbed Zhang Fei, advising him: "Third brother, don't be reckless! His Majesty is here, how can you be so rude? Get out of here quickly!" Although Zhang Fei was dissatisfied, looking at Liu Bei's stern eyes and the majestic emperor, he could only snort unwillingly, loosened his fists, and took a few steps back, but he was still muttering dissatisfaction in his mouth.

At the same time, Wang Yun also hurriedly stood up, bowed to Lu Bu and said, "Fengxian, don't be impulsive. His Majesty is worried about national affairs. As subjects, we should focus on national affairs. How can we fight among ourselves and make His Majesty worry?" Lu Bu's face turned pale, and he glared at Zhang Fei fiercely. Then he slowly put down his posture, straightened his clothes, bowed to the emperor and apologized, but there was still a trace of unwillingness and resentment in his eyes.

Seeing that both sides had finally stopped fighting, the emperor's expression softened slightly. He sat back on the dragon throne and cast his gaze upon Liu Bei again. He spoke earnestly, "Uncle, as the Emperor of the Han Dynasty, my every move affects the fate of the nation. The heroic spirits of my ancestors are watching. You must not take the Ma Chao incident lightly based on your own speculation and goodwill. This empire was hard-earned and cannot afford to make even the slightest mistake."

"If Ma Chao is truly a loyal minister, I will naturally not treat him unfairly. I will simply take away his military power, ensure his lifelong prosperity, and spare his life. This will be considered as my gratitude for his past contributions." The emperor frowned slightly, his eyes filled with worry. "Uncle, don't you realize that Ma Chao's power is now too great? He commands a large number of troops and is allied with Sun Ce. The two of them occupy key positions, and their strength cannot be underestimated. As descendants of Emperor Gaozu, we have the heavy responsibility of protecting our country. We must not judge the situation based solely on personal likes and dislikes and disregard the country and its people."

Liu Bei was about to say more, but Wang Yun raised his hand to interrupt him. Wang Yun cleared his throat, stepped forward, and said, "Your Majesty is absolutely right, Lord Xuande. The situation is complex, and we must look beyond the surface. Ma Chao's power has grown, becoming a serious threat to the court. If he remains unchecked, the consequences will be disastrous. Lord Xuande, while you may be mindful of our fellow disciples, personal feelings must be set aside for the sake of our country."

Liu Bei's expression was agonizing, his heart struggling for a long time between loyalty and friendship. Finally, he sighed deeply, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I understand your painstaking efforts. I simply beg Your Majesty to show mercy. No matter how you deal with Ma Chao, please spare his life. Even if he has made mistakes, I hope Your Majesty will spare his life for his military service to the court."

Wang Yun was the first to step forward and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty is wise. This plan not only demonstrates your generosity and benevolence, but can also properly resolve the hidden danger of Ma Chao's excessive power. It is indeed a foolproof plan. I will certainly assist Your Majesty with all my strength, maneuver through it, and ensure that everything goes smoothly." He narrowed his eyes slightly, and began to think about how to communicate and coordinate with various forces in his mind to ensure the smooth implementation of the plan.

Though Liu Bei still harbored concerns, the emperor's well-reasoned and well-founded arrangements, along with his reassuring words of benevolence, made it difficult for him to object. Frowning, he hesitated for a moment before clasping his fists and saying, "Your Majesty has made such an arrangement, and I shall do my utmost. However, I do not wish to engage in battle with Ma Chao, a fellow student. I hope Your Majesty will grant me the opportunity to offer my personal counsel while I rein in his troops. If a peaceful resolution is possible, there will be no need for a major conflict." Liu Bei's expression was sincere, his eyes filled with a cherished memory of their past and a hope for a peaceful resolution.

At this moment, everyone in the hall cast their gazes into the distance, as if they had already witnessed the complex situation following Ma Chao's return. Seeing this, the emperor rose slightly, his gaze gentle, and his tone gentle yet commanding: "You are all pillars of our Han Dynasty. This task is arduous, but I believe that as long as everyone works together, we will be able to properly resolve the Ma Chao incident. When this matter is settled, I will not treat you unfairly, and I will remember your contributions." Everyone knelt in gratitude, shouting "Long live the emperor!"

After everyone finished their discussion, the emperor felt fatigue wash over him like a tide, and he was anxious to take the elixir, so he hurriedly ordered everyone to leave. When Liu Bei and his three brothers walked out of the palace, night had already fallen in Chang'an, and the moonlight was like water, shining on them.

Liu Bei looked up at the night sky and sighed, his face filled with worry. "Your Majesty may be wise, but this matter is rather heartless. Ma Chao had just achieved great military success in Yangzhou, and now his military power is being taken away. It is truly sad."

Guan Yu patted Liu Bei's shoulder gently, his expression calm, and he slowly said, "Brother, Your Majesty is also concerned about the country. Ma Chao's growing power does cause some concern to the court. However, Your Majesty's promise not to harm his life can be considered as leaving room for maneuver."

Zhang Fei, however, was filled with disdain. He snorted, "Who cares? Ma Chao is nothing special. If you weren't so soft-hearted, wouldn't you be talking about fellow disciples? We should just fight him and see if he dares to act so arrogantly!"

Liu Bei glared at Zhang Fei and said helplessly, "Third brother, stop talking nonsense! Ma Chao and I are from the same school, and I really don't want to see him end up in such a miserable state."

Guan Yu frowned slightly, and after a moment's contemplation, he said, "Brother, since His Majesty has assigned us to control Ma Chao's troops, we must do our utmost to avoid conflict with his men. We should resolve the situation peacefully if possible, and persuade them to surrender if possible, to avoid unnecessary casualties. This will both complete His Majesty's mission and preserve our camaraderie with your fellow disciples."

Liu Bei nodded slightly, a flicker of approval in his eyes. "Yun Chang is absolutely right. When Ma Chao returns, I will approach his subordinates with sincerity, express our stance, and try to resolve any major issues into minor ones."

The three of them walked slowly under the moonlight, their figures stretched out on the cobblestone road.