Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1117 Ma Chao Borrows Boats to Block the Way on the Great River

Joyful moments are like sand slipping through your fingers; no matter how tightly you grasp them, they cannot be held onto. On the fourth day, just as dawn was breaking, Ma Chao, accompanied by his personal guards, packed his belongings, determined to depart and continue south to Wu County in Jiangdong.

Although Cao Cao's headache had not yet subsided, he still forced himself to personally see Ma Chao off outside the city of Qiao. Looking at Ma Chao's neat attire and the gleaming armor of his personal guards behind him, he couldn't help but sigh, "Your Majesty of Liang is going to Jiangdong. The journey is long, so please take care. If you need anything from me, please send someone to deliver the message."

Ma Chao cupped his hands and said, "Mengde, please rest well and recover from your illness. We'll meet again someday."

Cao Ang, Ma Yunlu, and Wei Yan insisted on escorting them for ten miles. The willows along the official road sprouted new green leaves, swaying gently in the morning breeze, much like the reluctance of those parting. Ma Chao reined in his horse, turned back, and laughed, "This is enough. If we continue, we might end up in Jiangdong territory."

Ma Yunlu gazed at her brother, her eyes already red-rimmed, tears welling up but stubbornly refusing to fall. Since Ma Chao left home to study at a young age, the siblings had rarely seen each other. This reunion lasted only three days, barely warming their hearts before they faced separation again. During these three days, although Ma Chao had chatted with her about everyday matters, he was ultimately somewhat reserved because she had grown into a graceful young woman. On the contrary, she seemed more at ease when she was with Dong Bai and others.

“Brother…” Ma Yunlu choked up, but swallowed the words back, only managing to say, “Take care on your journey.”

Ma Chao dismounted, walked up to her, raised his hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and said gently, "Silly girl, we'll see each other again at the end of the year. Stay with Zixiu and don't be so willful."

Cao Ang said from the side, "Don't worry, King Liang, I will take good care of Yunlu."

Wei Yan also clasped his hands and said, "This humble general awaits good news from the King of Liang and will definitely return to the team on time at the end of the year."

Ma Chao nodded, remounted his horse, and bid farewell to the others, his gaze finally settling on Zhang Song. Zhang Song was about to proceed to Yuan Shao's side as planned, ostensibly fulfilling the mission entrusted to him by Liu Zhang, but in reality, he harbored a deeper scheme.

“Mr. Yongnian,” Ma Chao reined in his horse, his tone solemn, “this journey is fraught with danger. You must prioritize your own safety. Remember, whether you succeed or fail, you must preserve your life.” He gripped Yongnian’s hand tightly, his gaze earnest, “I, Ma Chao, would rather lose Yizhou than see you put yourself in such danger.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Song choked up, then suddenly knelt down, tears streaming down his face: "If the King of Liang treats his subordinates so well, even if I were to be shattered to pieces, I could not repay even a fraction of his kindness! Please rest assured, King of Liang, I will certainly not fail in my mission!"

Ma Chao quickly helped him up, patted him on the shoulder, said no more, turned his horse around, and called out, "Let's go!"

The guards responded in unison, their horses' hooves shattering the morning dew and kicking up a cloud of dust. Ma Chao reined in his horse and looked back, seeing Cao Ang, Ma Yunlu, and the others still standing there waving. Their figures gradually shrank until they disappeared at the end of the road.

The group set up camp in the wilderness, their tents pitched at the foot of the slope, the campfire crackling. Dong Bai sent for Ma Chao and led him to the tent where the women were staying. As soon as he lifted the curtain and went inside, he saw Zhen Mi, Zhang Fubao, and Gongsun Rou sitting around a wooden box covered with coarse cloth, with several packets of dry rations and wild fruit in front of them. However, the atmosphere was not as relaxed as it usually was during rest periods.

Ma Chao lifted the curtain and entered. Seeing their solemn expressions, he couldn't help but laugh and say, "What's going on? Bai'er called me here specifically, as if she has something important to discuss."

Dong Bai rose to greet him, her usual gentle smile gone. She sat down properly, her voice heavy with melancholy: "My lord, just now I was talking with Yunlu about many old times. She specifically mentioned seeing Yue'er in Jiangdong, and said that the child lost his mother at a young age, and how reluctant he was to part with his aunt..." She paused, her fingers unconsciously twisting her sleeve, "As I listened, it felt like a stone was pressing on my heart."

Ma Chao sat down on the wooden box beside her, picked up a wild fruit, wiped it, and laughed, "Yunlu also mentioned it to me, saying that the boy is close to her and met her even before I, his father, did. Judging by his age, he should be over five years old now, right? I wonder how tall he's grown, and whether he still stares wide-eyed at everyone like he did when he was little." He spoke casually, as if he were just talking about an ordinary family matter.

“My lord!” Dong Bai’s tone became more forceful as she looked up at him, her eyes already glistening with tears. “How can you treat him so lightly? That child has hardly ever seen you since he was born. His mother passed away early, leaving him all alone in Jiangdong. Although Gongjin and the others have taken care of him, he is not truly his biological father or mother. A five- or six-year-old child is at the age where he is clingy and wary of strangers. He can’t even remember what you, his father, look like. How can you expect him to come with us?”

Zhang Fubao sniffed and wiped his eyes with a handkerchief: "Yes, Brother Ma Chao, that child is so pitiful... Just imagine if he saw us, he would probably be so scared that he would hide."

Zhen Mi nodded in agreement, her voice soft yet earnest: "Husband, Sister Bai is right. It's inevitable that the child will feel estranged since he's been away from home since he was little. We need to think carefully about how to get along with him when we get to Jiangdong, so that he won't suffer any more grievances."

Although Gongsun Rou didn't say much, she looked at Ma Chao with eyes full of approval.

Seeing their eyes redden, Ma Chao put down the wild fruit in his hands. The ease on his face lessened, but a hint of certainty remained: "You all are just too soft-hearted." He glanced outside the tent, where guards were patrolling along the camp. "With Gongjin looking after him and his maternal uncle Shamoke protecting him, they are all reliable people. How could we let him suffer any injustice? Besides, this time we're going to bring him back to Xiliang. With me as his father and you as his mothers, he will be the young master of Xiliang. Who would dare to mistreat him?"

Dong Bai shook her head, tears finally streaming down her face: "My husband only knows how to protect him, but he doesn't know that what the child needs is closeness. He doesn't even know who you are, how can he recognize you as his father? We have to coax him slowly and let him know that we all truly love him."

Looking at her tearful face and then at the concerned eyes of Zhen Mi and the other two, Ma Chao's initial indifference gradually faded. He raised his hand to wipe away Dong Bai's tears, his fingertips touching her slightly cool cheek, and his tone softened: "Alright, stop crying. You're right, I was oversimplifying things. When we get to Jiangdong, I'll speak less and observe what you do, okay?"

Dong Bai then stopped crying and smiled, saying reproachfully, "Now that's more like a father."

Zhen Mi and Zhang Fubao breathed a sigh of relief, and the atmosphere in the tent gradually eased. The light from the campfire outside shone through the curtain, flickering but adding a touch of warmth.

The group traveled south, traveling by day and resting by night, until they reached the north bank of the Yangtze River. It was only then that the surging river before them posed a challenge for Ma Chao.

The Xiliang cavalry were all fierce tigers on land, accustomed to galloping across the Gobi Desert and grasslands, but faced with this boundless river, they all looked troubled. More importantly, they didn't even have a decent boat; crossing the river was tantamount to ascending to heaven.

“King Liang,” Xu Shu stood on the riverbank, gazing at the hazy shadows on the opposite bank, his brow furrowed, “While the original plan to take the land route is feasible, it will take more than a month. Moreover, Sun Quan’s attitude in Jiangdong is unclear, and our entry with 10,000 troops is bound to arouse suspicion. The waterways in Jiangnan are crisscrossed, and if a conflict breaks out, our cavalry will be unable to maneuver effectively. Even with more than 10,000 troops, we are afraid we will not come out on top.”

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao silently walked to the hastily laid-out map and traced an arc on the river with his finger. The map marked numerous ferry crossings, most of which were controlled by Jiangdong or Jingzhou. He pointed heavily at Xiakou: "If there are no boats, then go and borrow some."

"Borrow?" Xu Huang beside him was taken aback. "Borrow from whom? I'm afraid Sun Quan's side is..."

“Don’t borrow from him.” Ma Chao raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as a knife. “Go find Liu Biao. Xiakou is in Jingzhou territory, and Liu Biao has the Jingxiang navy with countless ships.”

Xu Shu's eyes flickered: "Liu Biao is suspicious by nature and may not be willing to lend us the boat easily."

“If he refuses,” Ma Chao’s lips curled into a cold smile, and he slammed his hand on the land on the map, “we can’t do anything to him on the water, but on land, I, Ma Chao, have never been afraid of anyone. Go to Xiakou and say that Ma Chao of Xiliang needs to borrow a boat to cross the river. If he’s sensible, he’ll give us the boat readily; if he dares to refuse, I’ll hold a three-day martial arts demonstration outside Xiakou and show him the might of the Xiliang cavalry!”

These words were resounding and carried an undeniable air of fierce determination. Upon hearing them, the generals' previous hesitation vanished, and they responded in unison, "As the King of Liang commands!"

Without further hesitation, the group turned westward along the riverbank, heading towards Xiakou in Jingzhou. The river wind whipped the flags, and the horses' hooves splashed water on the muddy riverbank, as if even the river itself could feel the group's determination—to forge a path through any obstacle.

When the garrison on the walls of Xiakou saw the billowing dust in the distance, a scout rushed into the city to report. Huang She was fiddling with a newly acquired bow when he heard that "Ma Chao, the King of Xiliang, has led more than 10,000 troops to the city." The bow in his hand fell to the ground with a clatter, and he was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped.

"Quick! Quickly report to Father!" Huang She shouted in a fluster. Although he was used to running rampant in Jiangxia, he had long heard of Ma Chao's reputation for crushing the Xianbei and shaking the Western Liang. He never expected that this evil star would suddenly come to Xiakou.

In less than half a day, Huang Zu personally led the main force of Jiangxia to arrive. His armor was askew from running all the way, and when he arrived at the foot of Xiakou City, he hadn't even caught his breath before climbing the city wall to observe. Seeing that the Xiliang army's camp was well-organized, with the character "horse" on the banners fluttering in the wind, a chilling aura swept over him, and Huang Zu's legs trembled slightly.

Ma Chao had already reined in his horse and was waiting below the city. When he saw a figure moving on the city wall, he said loudly, "Prefect Huang, I am passing through Xiakou and have come to borrow a boat to cross the river. I hope you will grant me this favor."

Huang Zu leaned halfway out from the city tower, his voice trembling: "The... the King of Liang has graced us with his presence. Jiangxia has failed to greet you properly... However... regarding the matter of borrowing the boat, please allow me... allow me to consider it..."

“No need to hesitate.” Ma Chao interrupted him, his tone decisive. “Not only do I need the boat, but I also need you to send soldiers who are familiar with the water to assist in steering—my men are all warriors from Xiliang, and they are not used to sailing. Once this matter is settled, I will set off immediately and will not bother you any further.”

Huang Zu stood on the city wall, perplexed, cold sweat beading on his forehead. His father, Huang She, leaned closer and whispered, "Father, this is a golden opportunity! They want the ships, and they want our men to steer. Why not wait until they're in the middle of the river and send our navy to attack from both sides? The Xiliang people don't know how to swim; they'll be completely helpless. Ten thousand troops will be trapped, and then..."

"You bastard!" Huang Zu slapped his son hard on the back of the head, his voice low and angry. "What do you know! That's Ma Chao! The one who terrified millions of Xianbei! If he loses a single hair in Jiangxia, not only you and I, father and son, but the entire Huang family and the entire Jiangxia will be razed to the ground!"