readytorunbook Chapter 1170 Each Serves Their Own Master, Tempering Their Character
Chapter 1170 Each Serves Their Own Master, Tempering Their Character
Pang Tong remained silent, his gaze passing over Zhang Fei to look into the hall. Liu Bei was sitting in the main seat, the white hair at his temples clearly visible in the candlelight.
"My lord." Pang Tong finally cupped his hands in greeting, his voice losing much of its former assertiveness.
Liu Bei looked up at him, his eyes still red, but he managed a faint smile: "Shiyuan, please sit down."
Pang Tong sat down silently. Seeing that the atmosphere had eased, Zhao Yun and Huang Zhong quietly withdrew. Zhang Fei wanted to stay and smooth things over, but Liu Bei gave him a look, and Zhang Fei quickly ran away. Actually, Liu Bei was afraid that he would say something like, "Back then, we didn't even have straw sandals to wear," which would hurt people's feelings even more.
When only the two of them remained in the hall, Liu Bei slowly spoke: "Shiyuan, I understand the reasoning you're talking about. In chaotic times of vying for supremacy, one must be ruthless when necessary. But I always think that no matter how dirty the road is, one must hold onto something clean in one's hands. Otherwise, if one day we win, we might look back and not even recognize ourselves."
He gazed at the flickering candlelight: "Back in Zhuojun, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and I swore brotherhood, promising to 'serve the country above and bring peace to the people below.' These past years, to put it nicely, we've fought in the south and north; to put it bluntly, we've been fleeing everywhere. Some of our brothers have died, and others have scattered. This one promise is the only thing we haven't lost. If we really lay a hand on Meng Qi today, tomorrow we might dare to break our promise to the people. Then how are we any different from Dong Zhuo and Yuan Shu?"
Pang Tong said in a low voice, "I understand what you mean, my lord. But..."
“They just think I’m old-fashioned,” Liu Bei replied with a smile, tinged with self-deprecation. “But this old-fashionedness is something my brothers protected for me with their lives. They don’t believe in how much territory I can conquer, they believe in the fact that I, Liu Bei, keep my word.”
He looked at Pang Tong, his eyes shining brightly: "Shiyuan, I know you're anxious and want us to gain a foothold as soon as possible. But this world wasn't won by force; it was won by the people's hopes. It's okay if we're a little slower. As long as we walk the right path, we'll eventually reach Chang'an and Luoyang."
Pang Tong put down his bowl, stood up, and bowed deeply to Liu Bei: "My lord is right, I know I was wrong."
Liu Bei quickly got up and helped him up: "What lesson are you talking about? I should be thanking you for being willing to walk slowly with a stubborn person like me."
The wind outside the window had stopped sometime earlier, and moonlight streamed in through the windowpane, falling on the two of them. The footsteps of night patrol soldiers could be heard in the distance, accompanied by the three clapper strikes of the watchman. Liu Bei stood up and said, "It's getting late, Shiyuan, let's go back and rest. Let's see what else we can do for the people tomorrow."
The night wind swept across the ranks of the Xiliang cavalry, stirring up dust kicked up by the horses' hooves, which then dispersed into a hazy mist in the cold night. The column moved forward in silence, with only the soft clatter of armor and the steady thud of hooves on the ground, like a silent lament.
Lu Su and Xu Shu rode side by side, their gazes occasionally drifting towards Ma Chao at the front of the column. Their lord sat upright on his horse, the bloodstains on his silver armor gleaming dark purple in the moonlight, yet his face remained calm and expressionless—there was no resentment at being ambushed, nor any bitterness at being tricked, only an almost frozen silence.
Dong Bai, Gongsun Rou, and Sun Shangxiang did not ride in a carriage, but instead rode their own horses, following closely beside Ma Chao. They looked at his blood-stained robes, at his deep eyes beneath his hair disheveled by the night wind, and even though he did not utter a word, they could feel the weariness that emanated from his very bones.
Ma Chao was truly exhausted.
His hand holding the reins was slightly sore, and a thought kept swirling in his mind: How did this road end up like this?
There shouldn't have been such an entanglement between him and Liu Bei. Regarding the old incident in Chang'an, he hated Emperor Liu Bian for manipulating people's hearts, but felt more bewildered by Liu Bei's perceived deception—at that time, he didn't understand why his respected senior brother had been drawn into that vortex. Yet, he ultimately trusted Liu Bei's character; otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen to change his route to Jingzhou years later, also wanting to reminisce with his senior brother. This path was truly lonely; they were from the same school, and their thoughts were always focused on the people. He wanted to discuss with his senior brother how to end this chaotic world and bring prosperity and peace to the people.
When he first arrived in Jingzhou, he had secretly observed this land. The smiles on the faces of the people in the streets and alleys, the farmers working diligently in the fields, the cheerful cries of the vendors in the market… it was a kind of inner peace, a genuine support for the ruler. At that moment, Ma Chao was delighted. As fellow disciples of Lu Zhi, they may have chosen different paths, but they were both doing practical things for the people. He even thought, "My senior brother hasn't changed at all; he's still Liu Xuande, who has the word 'for the people' engraved in his bones."
He saw clearly what had happened today. Liu Bei's anxiety as he rushed in, the resolute determination with the sword to his neck, the surging guilt and anger in his eyes... it wasn't feigned. Ma Chao wanted to believe that this ambush wasn't his senior brother's intention. But he also knew that those in high positions often had no control over their own lives.
Just like himself at this moment, even though he still had some old feelings for Liu Bei, the Xiliang cavalry behind him were already on high alert; even though he wanted to question and pursue the matter, the responsibility on his shoulders did not allow him to stop.
Dong Bai seemed to notice his distraction, so he gently spurred his horse closer and whispered, "It's late, would you like to change to another carriage to rest?"
Ma Chao shook his head, his voice hoarse as if it had been sanded: "No need." He looked up into the distance, the night was deep, and the road ahead was long. "Some roads must be walked alone."
Gongsun Rou picked up the conversation, her tone tinged with worry: "My lord, with such an impetuous person as Pang Tong under Liu Bei's command, what will become of him in the future..."
“I know.” Ma Chao interrupted her, his gaze sweeping over the soldiers around him, over those silent yet resolute faces. “From the moment you step into this chaotic world, you should understand that if you want to protect those behind you, if you want the people of Xiliang to live a peaceful life, this path is destined to be lonely.”
If you don't want to fight, those below you will push you to fight; if you want to stop, the responsibilities on your shoulders will force you to move forward. Just like Liu Bei, perhaps he really wanted to uphold that "trust and righteousness," but the strategists and generals around him would use "great cause" and "safety" to put him on a high pedestal, allowing no room for retreat.
The night wind grew colder, causing the banners to flutter loudly. Ma Chao took a deep breath, tightened the reins, and the sound of his horse's hooves suddenly quickened.
"Hurry up," he whispered, as if speaking to someone beside him, but also as if speaking to himself. "Let's go back to Chang'an; that's home."
The iron cavalry behind him accelerated in response, their formation like a long black dragon winding its way forward in the night. No one knew how much weariness and struggle this young Liang king harbored in his heart; all that was known was that his back stood straight in the moonlight, like a sword, covered in dust but unbroken, walking alone and resolutely towards his own battlefield.
When Guan Yu caught up with Ma Chao's army on horseback, the Xiliang cavalry were advancing under the moonlight, their iron armor reflecting the light in the night to form a desolate starry river.
"Yun Chang, is there anything else?" Ma Chao reined in his horse, his voice revealing little emotion, only a hint of travel fatigue. Zhang Xiu and the others behind him gripped their weapons tightly, their eyes warily fixed on the red-faced general who had suddenly caught up with them.
Guan Yu dismounted and bowed to Ma Chao, saying, "Your Majesty, I will accompany you for a while. My elder brother has ordered that no checkpoints along the way should make things difficult for Your Majesty and your party. I will personally escort you to prevent my subordinates from being confused in their work."
Ma Chao suddenly threw his head back and laughed loudly. The laughter spread in the night wind, but it brought no warmth; instead, it carried a lingering sense of loneliness and desolation. "Yun Chang, Yun Chang, do you know how many times I have been in grave danger, trapped in a small place, without a single soldier by my side?" He patted the neck of his warhorse beside him, his gaze sweeping over the disciplined Xiliang cavalry behind him. "Now I have over ten thousand Xiliang warriors behind me, all of them skilled in battle. In open field combat, which of the lords of the world can stop me?"
He suppressed his smile and looked at Guan Yu: "Why did you have to make this trip again, senior brother? Are you afraid I'll hold a grudge, or that I'll retaliate later?"
“Your Majesty’s might is indeed unstoppable at this moment.” Guan Yu’s tone was calm, but his eyes were earnest. “But this is my elder brother’s attitude and his determination. He said that His Majesty must not suffer even the slightest grievance.”
"Hypocritical!" Zhang Xiu, unable to contain himself any longer, spurred his horse forward, his eyes blazing with anger. "General Guan, please go back! Go back and tell your lord that we in Xiliang have remembered this humiliation! We will definitely avenge him in person one day. There's no need for this pretense of kindness!"
Looking at Zhang Xiu's red-rimmed eyes, and recalling Xu Huang, who was being carried on a stretcher and barely breathing, Guan Yu felt a heavy weight pressing on his heart. The old grudges between him and Xu Huang, which had been gradually easing, would likely be irreparable after this incident. But in the end, he didn't say much. He simply remounted his horse and said in a deep voice, "I will escort Your Majesty out of Jingzhou and then return."
Seeing his resolute attitude, Ma Chao said no more, simply stating, "As you wish." With that, he spurred his horse forward.
Guan Yu silently followed at the side and rear of the group, his green robe standing out conspicuously in the night. He didn't speak, but when they passed a pass, he rode forward ahead and showed the guards on the city wall the token personally given to him by Liu Bei: "By order of my lord, open the gate and let them pass. Do not obstruct the Liang King's party."
The garrison commanders, already terrified by the imposing presence of over ten thousand Xiliang cavalry, were at a loss for what to do. However, upon seeing Guan Yu personally intervene and hearing that it was Liu Bei's order, they had no choice but to reluctantly open the city gates, despite their lingering concerns.
Along the way, there was indeed no further conflict. Under the moonlight, the Xiliang cavalry formation resembled a silent giant python, while Guan Yu's figure was like a solitary shadow. Although separated by several feet, they seemed to be separated by an invisible chasm, as they slowly moved towards the border of Jingzhou.
Ma Chao occasionally glanced back and saw Guan Yu's stubborn green robe, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He knew Liu Bei's intentions, but he also understood that some rifts, once formed, were difficult to mend. Just like the cold night wind, it couldn't dispel the solemnity in the ranks, nor could it bring back the betrayed trust.
After traveling for several days, with his horse's hooves pounding the dusty official road, Ma Chao finally reined in his horse and stopped to look back when the city gate of Luyang Pass was far behind him.
"Yun Chang," he said calmly, his voice slightly hoarse from the journey, "we're already in Luoyang territory. Don't see me off any further."
Guan Yu had been accompanying them in silence, but upon hearing this, he spurred his horse forward a few steps, his brows furrowing slightly. He still wanted to say a few more words: "Your Majesty, we were indeed reckless in this matter... but my elder brother truly knew nothing about it."
Ma Chao waved his hand, a relieved smile appearing on his face, though tinged with a hint of melancholy, it was no longer as cold as before: "Yun Chang, there's no need to say more. I believe my senior brother has no such intention." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the Xiliang soldiers behind him, who were fully equipped and ready to go, "As for Pang Tong and the others, they are simply serving their own masters, there's nothing to complain about."
“But…” He looked up at the distant horizon, his tone becoming more resolute, “If we meet again in the future, it will probably be on the battlefield.”
Guan Yu's heart sank. He wanted to say something, but Ma Chao's next words cut him off.
“Go back and tell my senior brother,” Ma Chao’s voice suddenly became clear, with an undeniable firmness, “next time we meet, there’s no need to hold back. He and I will fight for this world squarely. I only hope he remembers one thing—treat the people well and never change his original intentions.”
Having said that, he didn't linger any longer, spurred his horse on with his legs, and shouted, "Go!"
The Xiliang cavalry moved in response like a tidal wave, their hooves thundering once more, raising clouds of dust. Ma Chao stood at the very front of the column, his silver armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight, his back ramrod straight, showing no intention of turning back.
Guan Yu stood there, watching the troop gradually disappear at the end of the official road, his heart filled with mixed emotions. Looking at Ma Chao's much younger figure, at the stubbornness and persistence hidden beneath his calm demeanor, at his unyielding spine, he suddenly felt—perhaps, things didn't have to come to this.
"Alas..." A long sigh dissipated in the wind. Guan Yu turned his horse around, and Red Hare, with heavy steps, slowly headed towards Luyang Pass. Sunlight fell on his green robe, casting a long shadow, like a tangled entanglement that could not be severed.