readytorunbook Chapter 1172 The teams headed towards Hulao Pass separately.
Chapter 1172 The teams headed towards Hulao Pass separately.
Seeing Ma Chao heading straight for Hulao Pass, tears welled up in Dong Bai's eyes. She quickly stepped forward, grabbed Ma Chao's wrist, and said in a choked voice with an uncontrollable tremor, "My lord, how can you be so reckless with your own safety?"
She raised her tearful eyes and looked at Ma Chao, memories flooding back like a tide, each word dripping with blood: "When the mutiny broke out in Chang'an, I heard the news of your death, and I felt as if I had been struck by lightning, my heart breaking. I truly thought I would never see you again in this life. At that time, I disregarded the shame of a young woman, and as the widow of my beloved, I took the lead in raising an army in Chang'an, just to avenge you. After finally conquering Chang'an and stabilizing the situation, Xiliang was invaded by foreign tribes. You left me and my sisters behind to personally go to Xiliang to quell the rebellion—it was a matter of national importance, and even though we were extremely reluctant, we could not stop you. We could only stay at home, serve our parents-in-law, and burn incense and pray every night, hoping for your safe return."
"You pacified Xiliang and then marched into the grasslands, and several years have passed since then. My sisters and I have longed for you day and night, our hearts breaking with worry. Countless times we have dreamt of your return, only to wake up to empty pillows. When you finally returned to Chang'an in triumph, the joy in our hearts was indescribable. But in the blink of an eye, you are about to embark on a journey to Jiangdong to avenge Bo Fu. It is a matter of brotherhood, and although we are women, we understand the depth of this bond. So we will accompany you and serve you, hoping only to protect you."
At this point, her voice choked with sobs, and she gripped Ma Chao's wrist even tighter: "I never imagined that the Xiangyang incident would happen again! My love, if it weren't for Brother Xuande's lingering affection for us, we would probably be a mutilated corpse in Xiangyang by now... At that time, we thought that if anything happened to you, we would have no choice but to follow you. Although we were not husband and wife in name, we should still fulfill this bond of life and death!"
"Now that we have finally escaped and arrived in Luoyang, we know that Lü Bu is a fierce tiger at Hulao Pass, yet you insist on risking your life. My lord, my lord, how can you disregard your own life? What will become of your concubines and sisters?"
Gongsun Rou, Sun Shangxiang, and others also came forward, their eyes filled with tears. Although they did not speak, their worry and reluctance were like an invisible net, tightly wrapping around Ma Chao's heart.
Looking at Dong Bai's tear-streaked face, Ma Chao felt an even greater sense of guilt. The constant warfare over the years had repeatedly delayed their wedding; he had wronged her. He gently wiped away the remaining tears from her cheeks with his fingertips, his tone resolute and solemn: "Bai'er, you are the princess chosen by our parents, and you have always been my lawfully wedded wife, Ma Chao. That has never changed."
Dong Bai's eyelashes trembled, and tears welled up in his eyes, but he caught them with his fingertips. "We had agreed that upon returning to Chang'an, we would begin preparations for the wedding," Ma Chao's voice deepened, his gaze sweeping across the direction of Luoyang outside the window, where flames of war raged and the sounds of battle could be faintly heard. "But Lü Bu has besieged Hulao Pass, Wen Yuan and the others are shedding blood on the front lines, and waves of Xiliang soldiers are charging forward. How can I, as the lord, hide away in Chang'an and peacefully get married at this time?"
He pulled Dong Bai into his arms, tightening his grip as if trying to absorb all the debts he had owed her over the years into this embrace. "You should return to Chang'an and oversee the wedding preparations for me." He lowered his head and whispered in her ear, his breath brushing against her hair. "You are the first wife, and you will be in charge of all matters in the household, from the sisters' accommodations to the purchase of their dowries."
Speaking of "sisters," his gaze swept over Gongsun Rou, Sun Shangxiang, and the others standing to the side. Although there was reluctance in their eyes, they were all understanding. "We've been through thick and thin together all these years. I owe you all a grand wedding." He looked at Dong Bai, his eyes earnest. "I'm always grateful that you've been so accommodating to them. In the future, the affairs of the manor will be complicated, and I'll need your help to mediate."
Dong Bai's cheeks flushed slightly at his words, and her earlier sorrow lessened somewhat. Knowing she couldn't dissuade him, she could only sniffle and try to project the dignified air of a first wife: "My lord, rest assured, I will certainly take care of everything. But..." She looked up, her eyes still filled with worry, "Hulao Pass is dangerous, you must... you must take good care of yourself."
"Don't worry." Ma Chao held her shoulders and gently pushed her away slightly. His gaze fell on her reddened eyes, and his tone was teasing. "You are the future princess. You should show the demeanor of a first wife. Don't always shed tears and make your sisters laugh."
Dong Bai felt embarrassed by his words and quickly dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, forcing a faint smile: "I understand. Then, my lord... please be careful."
"Go ahead," Ma Chao patted the back of her hand. "Go back to Chang'an, choose the palace, choose an auspicious day, all according to your wishes. Also, where will Ma Yue and those young men live? How will they be taken care of? You'll have to worry about all of that!"
The candlelight in the hall illuminated Dong Bai's calm face. When she heard Ma Chao mention the children, her eyes instantly warmed. Those children were now her greatest concern.
"Rest assured, my lord," she bowed deeply to Ma Chao, her tone solemn as if she were making a vow, "I will arrange everything properly, from the children's lodgings and tutors to all the household affairs. You fight the enemy at the front, and I will guard our home in Chang'an for you."
Looking at her as she shed her fragility and gradually became more composed, Ma Chao felt comforted and raised his hand to support her, saying, "With you here, I feel at ease."
After the generals had dispersed, and the morning dew of the third day still clung to the flags of the camp, Dong Bai, along with his women and children, boarded the carriage bound for Chang'an. A thousand iron cavalrymen lined up to escort them, their armor gleaming coldly in the morning light, making the figure inside the carriage appear even more slender, yet exuding an unwavering determination.
"Your Majesty, you will surely be victorious on your journey." Dong Bai lifted the carriage curtain and looked at Ma Chao, who was standing at the front of the battle. His eyes were no longer filled with tears from the day before, but with full trust. "I have prepared my wedding dress in Chang'an and am waiting for your return."
Gongsun Rou, Sun Shangxiang, and the others behind her also leaned out and, imitating Dong Bai, bowed gracefully to Ma Chao, saying, "Your Majesty has won a great victory; we await Your Majesty's return."
Ma Chao reined in his horse and laughed loudly, "Go back, all of you. After I defeat Lü Bu, I will return to Chang'an to marry you."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Xu Huang, who was scratching his head anxiously, rushed to Ma Chao's horse and said, "My lord! I... I don't want to go to escort him. I want to go with you to fight at Hulao Pass!"
Ma Chao frowned slightly, his tone becoming more somber: "The safety of the mistresses and the young master is more important than the fighting on the front lines. If Pang De and Dian Wei hadn't already escorted the coffin ahead, how could this burden have been entrusted to you?" He glanced at Xu Huang and deliberately said in a deep voice, "Do you think this burden is too heavy for you to bear? If so, I'll have Zhang Xiu come and replace you right now."
Xu Huang, being extremely competitive, immediately retorted upon hearing this, "Who says I can't handle it! I'll go then!" Though his words were harsh, he still pursed his lips as he turned around, reluctantly mounting his horse and shouting to the escort team, "Everyone, stay alert! Protect the mistress and the young master!"
The carriage slowly started moving. Dong Bai took one last look at Ma Chao's figure before gently lowering the curtain. She knew that all her reluctance and longing at this moment had to be transformed into peace and stability in Chang'an, so that those ahead would have no worries.
"Let's go!" Ma Chao brandished his spear at his personal guards, the tip pointing directly towards Hulao Pass. "Let's go meet that scoundrel Lü Bu!"
Hooves kicked up dust as the army surged forward like a black torrent toward the battle-scarred front. The lingering whispers of farewell from the women seemed to drift on the wind, quickly drowned out by the clanging of armor.
The army galloped along the official road, the sound of their hooves causing the withered leaves along the roadside to fall in a rustling sound. Ma Chao reined in his horse, riding alongside Jia Xu, his brow furrowed slightly: "Wenhe, Lü Bu was fighting Cao Cao in Qiao Commandery. I heard he just gained Runan Commandery, and his position is still unstable. Now he has besieged Hulao Pass for more than two months. Isn't he afraid that Cao Cao will take the opportunity to cut off his rear?"
Jia Xu stroked his beard, his gaze fixed on the distant, undulating mountains, and slowly said, "My lord, you may not know this, but the situation in Yanzhou has changed. Tian Feng, Zhang He, and others are now locked in a fierce battle with Cao Cao, and have ironically shielded Lü Bu from Cao Cao's onslaught."
"Oh?" Ma Chao looked surprised. "I know Lü Bu's temperament. If he and Cao Cao fight to the death, it would make sense for Tian Feng and the others to reap the benefits. But why would they take the initiative to take on Cao Cao's offensive for Lü Bu?"
"This is all thanks to a new strategist that Lü Bu has acquired," Jia Xu said. "This man's surname is Chen, his given name is Gong, and his courtesy name is Gongtai. Although he is not well-known, he is extremely quick-witted and has great strategic acumen."
He paused for a moment, then explained the reason: "Back then, when Lü Bu and Cao Cao were locked in a stalemate in Qiao County, Chen Gong offered a plan for Lü Bu to feign weakness and lose three cities to Cao Cao. Tian Feng and Zhang He, seeing Lü Bu's repeated defeats, assumed he was at his limit and wanted to take advantage of the situation to seize Qiao County. So they suddenly launched an attack on the three cities that Cao Cao had just captured."
"Cao Cao had just acquired three cities, but his foundation was not yet stable. He was caught off guard by Tian Feng and others, and not only did he lose the cities, but he was also tied down and could no longer spare troops to deal with Lü Bu. Only then was Lü Bu able to extricate himself and personally lead a large army back to Hulao Pass, with his mind set on retaking Luoyang."
Upon hearing this, Ma Chao frowned even more deeply: "Chen Gong... I have never heard of this person before, yet he has such methods, able to use someone else to kill and relieve Lü Bu's worries." He turned his horse around, looking in the direction of Hulao Pass, a trace of solemnity flashing in his eyes, "It seems that this battle of Hulao Pass will be more troublesome than expected."
Jia Xu nodded: "Chen Gong is not only good at planning, but he can also persuade Lü Bu to adopt his plans, which shows his skill. My lord should not underestimate him."
"Understood." Ma Chao brandished his spear, its tip gleaming coldly in the sunlight. "The more troublesome the situation, the more we must confront him. Pass down the order to speed up the march and arrive at Hulao Pass by noon tomorrow!"
"Yes, sir!" the guard beside him shouted. The military order swept through the ranks like the wind, and the speed of the Xiliang cavalry suddenly increased. The sound of clashing armor and the sound of horses' hooves merged into a torrent as they rushed towards the majestic pass.
Meanwhile, atop Hulao Pass, the cold wind whipped the banners, and Zhang Liao stood with his hand on his sword, his knuckles white from the force. Below, Red Hare trotted along, and Lü Bu, clad in beast-faced chainmail, pointed his halberd diagonally to the sky, his voice like a booming bell, making the city bricks tremble: "Zhang Liao! Gao Shun! You two betrayed your lord for personal gain, do you dare to do it but not admit it? If you continue to cower inside the pass, I will tear down this wall and shred you to pieces!"
Gao Shun stood beside Zhang Liao and whispered, "Wen Yuan, don't fall for his provocation."
Zhang Liao's Adam's apple bobbed, the humiliation of their recent battle still fresh in his mind—in just fifty rounds, Lü Bu had knocked off his helmet plume with a single halberd strike. If Gao Shun hadn't led the Vanguard Camp to withstand Lü Bu's attacks like an iron wall, he would have already perished.
While the Xiliang cavalry was arguably more elite than Lü Bu's Bingzhou wolf cavalry, Zhang Liao was no match for Lü Bu and had instead gained the upper hand. He harbored deep resentment, but was powerless against Lü Bu's unparalleled martial prowess, and could only frantically defend the city these days.