Chapter 915: Unable to Let Go

Up until now, Liu Bei had never done anything overly ambitious concerning the Han dynasty. On the contrary, he had always worked hard to restore it.

Thus, even when rumors spread among the various warlords that Liu Bei harbored intentions of usurping the throne, there was no evidence to support such claims. In fact, Liu Bei had consistently worked to reinforce the foundations of the Han dynasty, a fact acknowledged by even the wisest, including Cao Cao himself—though many were curious where Liu Bei’s funds and resources came from.

This confidence in delaying Liu Bei came from their belief in his loyalty. They didn’t expect him to completely abandon his military campaigns, but they knew that when an imperial edict was issued, even if he suspected foul play, Liu Bei’s loyalty to the Han would make him hesitate. From Xiahou Yuan’s perspective, the edict had worked far better than expected.

Following Liu Bei's invitation, Xiahou Yuan, Ma Teng, and the imperial envoy all entered Ye City with him. Meanwhile, another envoy escorted by Cai Yang had already departed for Yuan Tan, carrying a similar edict along with a secret letter from Cao Cao.

From the moment Xiahou Yuan entered the city, his mood darkened. It wasn’t just because of Zhang Fei's fierce expression, but also because he noticed several dangerous figures among Liu Bei’s entourage. Every one of Liu Bei’s generals was formidable.

Ma Chao, on the other hand, was gawking around like an excited child. Having grown up on the frontier, he had never seen such a densely populated and thriving city. Compared to Ye City's prosperity, the desolate state of Chang’an, despite Zhong Yao’s efforts, paled in comparison.

At that moment, Liu Bei’s attention shifted to Ma Chao, who was looking around in awe.

"This must be the son of General Ma. Truly a heroic young man," Liu Bei said.

"You flatter him, Lord Xuande. My son is unruly. I hope you can forgive him," Ma Teng immediately responded, bowing deeply. He then gave Ma Chao a nudge, signaling him to greet Liu Bei.

"Ma Chao of Xiliang, Ma Mengqi, greets Lord Xuande," Ma Chao said respectfully. This time, he showed no hint of impropriety, and Xiahou Yuan didn’t react, maintaining an air of cordiality.

"Excellent, excellent!" Liu Bei said warmly, taking Ma Chao’s hand. He then brought Fa Zheng over. "Xiaozhi, you and Mengqi are of similar age, and both excel in your respective fields—one in strategy, the other in martial prowess. You two should engage with each other more often."

It was clear that Liu Bei hoped Fa Zheng would let go of his personal grudges and work for the greater good of the Han. Fa Zheng immediately understood Liu Bei's intention and, with a smile, extended his hand to Ma Chao, his previous grievances seemingly forgotten.

However, Ma Chao hesitated. He had been thoroughly vexed by Fa Zheng lately. Could he truly just let go of their past conflict? Why did Fa Zheng’s smile send a chill down his spine?

"That kid seems to have suffered quite a bit at Fa Zheng’s hands," Jia Xu whispered to Guo Jia, who wore a sour expression.

"It seems Xiaozhi has given him quite a headache," Li You murmured to Chen Xi, who only shrugged.

"He probably got bored and decided to use Cao Cao’s tactics to oppress him," Guo Jia muttered, though Jia Xu could hear him loud and clear.

"Definitely too much free time. We should give him more work," Chen Xi added, rolling his eyes. "We’re about to begin reconstruction efforts, so let him and Zijing handle the north. Xiaozhi can handle the south with Kongming. Whoever fights more will handle more tasks."

"It sounds like this is your responsibility," Li You remarked after a brief pause. "If you're not going to oversee construction, then join me and Wenhe in planning the development of the northern regions beyond Youzhou. There are a lot of complications there."

Li You's voice carried a chilling tone as he spoke to Chen Xi. The only thing that truly motivated Li You anymore, besides ensuring the welfare of the common people, was grand projects like the development of the northeastern plains. Everything else seemed trivial to him now.

At this moment, Fa Zheng laughed heartily, extending his hand toward Ma Chao as if all past grievances had indeed disappeared.

"Mengqi, you and I both know the truth behind our quarrels. Neither the women from the Wang family nor the Jiang family had any real say in the matter. It was fate that brought Jiang Ying to me, and it was fate that prevented the Wang family’s daughter from joining me. To let a woman stand in the way of our duty to the Han dynasty is unworthy. Would you be willing to put aside our grudges with a smile?" Fa Zheng asked, smiling kindly, his demeanor completely different from his previous arrogance.

Ma Chao opened his mouth, but in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to extend his hand. Even though he understood that if he did, Fa Zheng would truly let go of the past, just as Fa Zheng had said, it was all merely boredom and a desire to vent. Unfortunately, Ma Chao’s family had been caught in the crossfire.

But could he really let it go so easily? Ma Chao wasn’t sure. He didn’t have Fa Zheng’s carefree demeanor. Fa Zheng stood too high, far beyond where Ma Chao could reach, making it nearly impossible for anyone to drag him down. Ma Chao, on the other hand, hadn’t yet reached such heights.

Fa Zheng’s casual gesture made Ma Chao feel completely out of place. Fa Zheng could let go, but could Ma Chao let go of his own pride? Could he accept this gesture, which felt more like charity than reconciliation? Ma Chao had his own pride too. Was his family not even worthy of being a target for Fa Zheng’s anger anymore? Was there any difference between letting go and receiving charity?

"Lord Xuande, I apologize for my rashness. I also ask for Brother Xiaozhi’s forgiveness for my rudeness," Ma Chao said slowly. At that moment, it felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted from his heart, only for an even heavier one to take its place.

Liu Bei's expression turned slightly awkward, but he didn’t press the matter further. Instead, he continued introducing Ye City to Ma Teng and Xiahou Yuan.

Ma Teng's face darkened slightly. Such a great opportunity, wasted by his own foolish son. Didn’t Ma Chao understand how formidable Fa Zheng was? Had he not realized that during the journey?

"Lord Tai Ting, allow me to take responsibility on his behalf. My son acted impulsively, and I hope you can forgive him," Ma Teng sighed, trying to smooth things over. He was genuinely looking out for Ma Chao’s best interests.

"There’s no need for that, Lord Huaili," Fa Zheng replied, shaking his head. However, in this context, refusing to acknowledge the offer essentially meant he wasn’t willing to discuss the matter any further. The idea of resolving things through proxy was no longer valid.

Xiahou Yuan glanced at Fa Zheng and Ma Chao. He had initially been worried that they might reconcile, but he hadn’t expected things to turn out this way.

"I told you, one day I will repay you!" Ma Chao’s cold voice echoed in Fa Zheng’s ears. "Until then, feel free to take out all your frustration on me!"

"I have no more frustration, and I no longer have any interest in such petty matters," Fa Zheng responded, glancing back at Ma Chao. His calm tone stung Ma Chao even more.

Fa Zheng’s indifferent reply only deepened Ma Chao’s sense of irritation. If Fa Zheng had continued to antagonize him, Ma Chao might have been more inclined to accept Liu Bei’s attempts at reconciliation. But in this current situation, what was the point of making peace?

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