Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1166 The banquet was more like an attempt to reveal one's true intentions.

After Ma Chao and others entered the city with Liu Bei, Zhang Xiu, who was outside the city, was led by Wen Ping to the military camp. The camp was indeed as Zhuge Liang had described: the tents were neat and tidy, the grain and fodder were piled up like small mountains, hot water was steaming, the cooks were busy around the stove, and even the hay for the horses was sifted clean.

Wen Ping, with a warm smile on his face, patted Zhang Xiu on the shoulder: "General Zhang, you must be tired from your journey. Why don't you go to the tent to rest for a while? I've had some local rice wine prepared to help you relax."

Zhang Xiu turned slightly to avoid his hand, cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your trouble, General Wen, but military affairs are complicated and I will not trouble you for the time being."

Wen Ping wanted to say something more, but Zhang Xiu raised his hand to interrupt him: "General Wen is busy with official duties and there is no need to linger here. We will take care of it ourselves." His tone was calm, but it carried an unyielding distance.

Seeing this, Wen Ping could only smile awkwardly: "In that case, General Zhang, if you need anything, please send someone to find me. I'm in the next tent." With that, he turned and left with his personal guards.

As soon as he walked away, the politeness on Zhang Xiu's face faded. He turned and leaped onto a nearby earthen slope, gazing at the tall city walls of Xiangyang, his brow furrowed. He then turned to his personal guards and shouted in a low voice: "Pass on my orders—all soldiers, armor at all times, bows and crossbows drawn, swords and spears unsheathed! Do not eat or drink any of the food or water they have prepared. If we are hungry or thirsty, we have our own rations. Increase the number of sentries around the camp, one every three steps, one every five steps. No one is allowed to enter or leave without permission! Double the night watch, and sound the alarm immediately at the slightest disturbance!"

The guard paused for a moment, then said, "General, Wen Ping said..."

"Enough with the talk!" Zhang Xiu's eyes flashed sharply. "Have you forgotten the lesson learned outside Chang'an? Our lord trusts Liu Bei, but we cannot let our guard down! Xiangyang may look peaceful, but who knows what dangers lurk within its walls?"

The guard felt a chill run down his spine and dared not ask any more questions. He turned and hurried off to relay the order.

A moment later, the seemingly relaxed Xiliang army camp instantly tensed up like a bowstring. The soldiers silently checked the straps on their armor, gripped the hilts of their swords at their waists, and scanned their surroundings warily—they may not know about the past entanglements between their lord and Liu Bei, but they understood one thing: in someone else's territory, only by gripping their swords can they sleep soundly.

Zhang Xiu stood at the camp gate, gazing in the direction of Xiangyang City, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, his knuckles slightly white. He didn't know what would happen inside the city, but he had to prepare for the worst—as long as the swords outside the city remained, his lord would have more confidence.

Back at the mansion, Liu Bei led the group through the corridor. A maidservant announced that Lady Gan and Lady Mi were already waiting in the main hall. The two ladies, dressed elegantly, greeted Ma Chao warmly. Lady Gan smiled and said, "I heard from Xuande that a young hero had come with you; indeed, he is quite handsome." Lady Mi nodded in agreement, "You must be tired from your journey. Please take a seat and rest." She then led Dong Bai and the other women to the inner quarters, where soft laughter soon filled the air, and a lively atmosphere began to fill the space.

The banquet had just been set out in the main hall when Zhang Fei strode over from the corridor, his eyes wide and scrutinizing Ma Chao. Ma Chao rose, cupped his hands in greeting, and asked in a calm tone, "How have you been, Third Brother Zhang?"

Zhang Fei snorted and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Excellent! Now that we've taken Jingzhou, we have plenty of wine and meat, of course it's good!" His voice was so loud that it shook the dust on the beams.

Ma Chao knew that Liu Bei was straightforward, and when they entered the city, Liu Bei mentioned their master, reminding Ma Chao of his master's earnest teachings. Ma Chao valued their brotherhood even more and did not want to hold a grudge against him, thus ruining Liu Bei's good intentions.

As the banquet began, Liu Bei was in high spirits and frequently raised his cup to drink. As soon as Ma Chao put down his cup, the crisp sound of the cups clinking together had barely faded when Liu Bei personally took the wine pot and went to Ma Chao's seat, smiling as he poured him more wine: "Junior brother, you have come a long way and have had a hard time. This cup is for you."

The wine flowed from the spout into the cup, creating fine bubbles. Liu Bei suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "Yesterday we were so busy talking about old times that I forgot to ask—besides investigating Bo Fu's death, is there anything else you've done for coming from Jiangdong this time?"

Ma Chao paused slightly in his hand holding the wine glass, his fingertips brushing against the cool glass, and said in a low voice, "There is also a personal matter. Back when I was fighting against Jiangdong with Bo Fu, I met Sally in the Shanyue region, and we later got married."

"Oh? Is that so?" Liu Bei's eyes flashed with surprise. "Where is your sister-in-law? Why didn't she come with you?"

Ma Chao's voice deepened, tinged with a hint of melancholy: "I originally intended to bring her and her son back after settling things in Chang'an. But then that incident happened in Chang'an, and Bo Fu took them into his residence to care for them. After Bo Fu's death, assassins tried to kill Bo Fu's son, Sun Shao, in his residence. Sally was killed by the assassins while protecting Sun Shao." He paused, then looked up at Liu Bei, "We have a son who just turned six this year. We came here this time to take him back to Chang'an to raise him."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei put down his wine jug and patted his shoulder, saying, "Your sister-in-law is such an extraordinary woman, a true heroine. You don't need to be too sad." Then he slapped his forehead, "It was my oversight. I didn't ask about your family matters while we were drinking yesterday. Where is that child now? Why didn't he come to the city with you?"

“In the military camp outside the city.” Ma Chao smiled bitterly. “He grew up in the Yue tribe, always surrounded by thirty or forty children of the same age, who were all his playmates in the tribe. I, as his father, am away from home most of the year, so he has become estranged from me. He eats and sleeps with his friends and refuses to come into the city with me no matter what.”

"That won't do." Liu Bei glared at him, feigning anger. "How can a father stay in the military camp while his son is in the city? You're such a careless father!"

Before Ma Chao could explain, Liu Bei turned and walked into the inner hall: "I'll have your sister-in-law take two capable nannies and prepare a carriage to go outside the city to bring the child in. How can we leave the child outside when we're already home?"

"Brother, wait a moment!" Ma Chao quickly stood up to stop him, "The children are used to being wild; they might disturb the inner quarters..."

"What's with all the talk of disturbing you!" Liu Bei waved his hand, not stopping in his tracks. "We're all family, why be so formal?"

Liu Bei turned and headed towards the inner quarters, instantly creating a subtle atmosphere in the flower hall. Seeing Liu Bei's absence, Pang Tong saw this as an opportunity to act. He lightly tapped the table with his wine cup, his gaze sweeping over Zhang Fei, a barely perceptible hint flashing in his eyes.

Zhang Fei, who had been itching to get his hands on something, had been holding back his excitement after seeing Liu Bei and Ma Chao chatting so happily. Now, seeing Pang Tong give him a meaningful look, he slapped his thigh, stood up abruptly, and shouted in a rough voice, "Mengqi! It's been many years since we last met. Your martial arts must have improved even more, right? Today's banquet is perfect. Let's have a little spar and see what you're made of!"

Ma Chao was looking at Liu Bei's hurried departure, his heart filled with warmth. Hearing this, he turned around, a hint of surprise flashing across his face—he hadn't expected Zhang Fei to propose a contest at this moment.

Guan Yu, who was sitting next to Xu Huang, was also startled when he heard this. He frowned and looked at Zhang Fei, his tone somewhat displeased: "Third brother, Mengqi is now the King of Liang, with a noble status. How can we use knives and spears at a banquet? Please be rude."

"Second Brother, that's not right!" Zhang Fei retorted, his voice even louder. "He's of noble birth, but isn't he the same Ma Chao who could fight me for three hundred rounds back then? Competing in martial arts is showing him respect, how does that become rudeness?" With that, he picked up the wine bowl on the table, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp. The wine dripped down his chin onto his clothes, but he didn't care. Pointing at Ma Chao, he said, "Back then, you and I really fought each other! Today, I just want to get closer, can't you even give me, Old Zhang, this little bit of face?" With that, he raised the wine bowl high, secretly thinking that if Ma Chao refused, he would smash the bowl, and the axemen would immediately rush out.

Looking at Zhang Fei's expression, and recalling Liu Bei's warm gesture of holding his hand and saying "we're all family," Ma Chao sighed inwardly. He knew Zhang Fei was straightforward, and if he insisted on refusing now, he would be betraying Liu Bei's kindness.

So he put down his wine glass, slowly stood up, and said with a faint smile, "Since Third Brother is in the mood, Ma Chao will gladly keep you company. However, today is a family banquet, so let's stop here and not spoil the mood."

Seeing Ma Chao accept the challenge, Zhang Fei no longer cared about smashing the bowl as a signal. He slammed the wine bowl down on the table with a loud crash, making the cups and plates rattle. He suddenly drew his long sword from his waist, its cold light flashing, and before Ma Chao could regain his footing, he pounced on him, the wind from his sword carrying the smell of wine, aimed straight at Ma Chao's face.

Ma Chao moved to the center of the arena and, seeing Zhang Fei's impatience, felt a surge of anger—even in a friendly spar, there should be some discipline, yet this fellow was so rude. But he managed to suppress his anger, drew his sword from his waist, and with a flash of silver light, steadily parried Zhang Fei's blade.

With a crisp "clang," sparks flew. The two exchanged blows, the clash of their swords ringing out incessantly, and in the blink of an eye, they had fought thirty or forty rounds. Ma Chao, mindful of Liu Bei's feelings, held back in every move, maintaining a slight distance between his attacks; Zhang Fei, however, seemed to be exerting all his strength, his swordplay fast and fierce, showing no intention of sparring, each strike aimed at vital points.

Ma Chao felt something was wrong as he fought. This wasn't intimacy; it was clearly a fight to the death! He was furious and thought to himself, "How can this guy be so reckless?" His moves suddenly became fierce, and the wind from his sword swept across the ground, kicking up dust and forcing Zhang Fei to retreat repeatedly.

Seeing this, Pang Tong secretly gave Zhao Yun a wink. Zhao Yun understood, drew his longsword, and said loudly, "King Liang has excellent martial arts! It seems that Third Brother is no match for him. I will also have a go at it!" After saying that, he stepped forward with his sword, and together with Zhang Fei, they attacked from both sides, and with both swords drawn, they instantly surrounded Ma Chao in the center.

The situation on the field changed drastically. Ma Chao was fighting two opponents at once, yet he remained calm and composed. His sword flashed like lightning as he parried Zhang Fei's fierce attacks and deflected Zhao Yun's clever moves. His movements were fluid and unperturbed.

Xu Huang, standing in the corridor, felt a pang of anxiety and, his hand on his sword hilt, was about to step forward: "What are you doing...?"

"Gongming, calm down." Guan Yu reached out and pulled him back, his brows furrowed slightly but he remained calm. "Zilong is always composed, and Yide, though impatient, knows his limits. It's just a friendly spar; he certainly won't hurt Mengqi."

Xu Huang refused to believe it. He watched the sword shadows in the arena grow faster and faster. Zhang Fei's sword moves became more and more vicious, and Zhao Yun's movements gradually tightened. It was not like a friendly sparring match. It was clearly an attempt to trap Ma Chao! He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his knuckles turning white. His heart was already in his throat. His eyes were fixed on the battle, ready to rush in at the slightest sign of trouble.

The three were locked in fierce combat, their swordplay whistling through the air, stirring up fallen leaves and causing the candlelight in the corridor to flicker. Ma Chao gradually sensed something was amiss—Zhao Yun's sword, seemingly nimble, always managed to cut off his retreat unintentionally; Zhang Fei's relentless attacks seemed more like a deliberate attempt to exhaust him. A chill ran through him, and his swordplay abruptly changed. He held back, his silver sword flashing like a dragon emerging from the sea, forcing both men to retreat half a step.

"You..." Ma Chao was about to question him when Zhang Fei roared and pounced again, followed closely by Zhao Yun, whose twin swords formed an impenetrable net that enveloped him.