Chapter 910: Stating the Facts

Fa Zheng's words did not ease Ma Chao’s guard; instead, they made him even more cautious. Unlike Fa Zheng, who was calm and collected, Ma Chao, although aware of Fa Zheng’s existence before, only truly began to understand him after entering the Central Plains.

Even though Fa Zheng had the status of a Marquis before, Ma Chao didn’t give it much thought. However, after Xiahou Yuan provided him with extensive information on Fa Zheng, Ma Chao became extremely wary of this man who so casually claimed they had a personal grudge.

"It seems I can't remove your hostility, but that doesn't matter. At the very least, I never intended to have you fall into despair—at least not before you understand what kind of person I am," Fa Zheng said mockingly, glancing at the still-cautious Ma Chao.

"Just say what you want to say!" Ma Chao frowned and urged impatiently. Though he knew Fa Zheng wouldn’t harm him, after learning about the history between them, he couldn’t remain as calm as Fa Zheng.

While Ma Chao could sense Fa Zheng’s enmity and discontent towards him, what unsettled him was how Fa Zheng could maintain his composure despite those feelings. This made Ma Chao all the more wary.

"I'm only here to tell you some things, to ensure you don’t fall before you reach your peak," Fa Zheng said casually. "You probably realize that, although you are quite strong, there’s still a gap between you and the true top-level experts."

Rather than getting straight to the point, Fa Zheng casually talked about irrelevant topics, which annoyed Ma Chao. Already uneasy being around Fa Zheng, Ma Chao’s frustration grew as he listened.

"It seems you're growing impatient," Fa Zheng noted, his expression unchanged. He felt no fear toward Ma Chao. Earlier, he had deliberately provoked him to ensure that Ma Chao remembered certain things: the etiquette of the Han Dynasty must not be discarded!

Fa Zheng paused for a moment. At this point, Ma Chao was growing increasingly restless, his expression shifting frequently. He had considered turning his horse around several times but ultimately held back, eager to find out why Fa Zheng had called him over.

"You’ve passed the test. You’re now qualified to know," Fa Zheng suddenly said with a teasing smile, causing veins to bulge on Ma Chao’s forehead.

"As a general, or even as a commander, there are times when you need the patience you showed today. Trust me, it will benefit you," Fa Zheng laughed, then abruptly shifted the topic, "Your Ma family has close ties with the Qiang people, correct?"

"So what? As if you wouldn't know!" Ma Chao sneered, barely suppressing his urge to leave. He knew that the real reason for this conversation was about to surface, and everything else Fa Zheng had said was just noise.

"If I were in the Ma family’s position, I definitely wouldn’t be gathering the Qiang people so blatantly. Remember your identity: you are descendants of the Han Dynasty’s noble lords. Pacifying the Qiang is your duty, nothing more!" Fa Zheng’s expression turned cold as he fixed Ma Chao with a stern gaze.

"Hmph, that’s all you have to say?" Ma Chao scoffed. "My family has guarded Liang Province for generations. Without our good relations with the Qiang, the Han Dynasty would have lost control of the region long ago. I thought you’d have something more meaningful to say!"

Fa Zheng did not respond, simply smiling and staring at Ma Chao. His calm demeanor sent a chill through Ma Chao’s heart. Whether Ma Chao admitted it or not, Fa Zheng was one of the most brilliant minds in the land. His expression alone made Ma Chao’s earlier sneer feel hollow, so he stopped laughing.

"Why aren’t you laughing anymore?" Fa Zheng asked casually.

Ma Chao remained silent, now growing uneasy as he stared intently at Fa Zheng, waiting to hear what he would say next.

"During Emperor Huan's reign, the Qiang people caused losses of over 24 billion coins, and yet the rebellion wasn’t quelled. Do you know why it was eventually pacified?" Fa Zheng asked with a smile. In fact, the costs of suppressing the Qiang were even higher, nearly 40 billion coins in total.

"Hmph, because the butcher Duan massacred innocent people, forcing the Qiang to rebel!" Ma Chao responded without hesitation.

"Was it really because Grand Marshal Duan forced them into rebellion?" Fa Zheng chuckled. "As I recall, later in Emperor Huan's reign, the Han Dynasty expanded its territory by a thousand miles after Grand Marshal Duan exterminated the Qiang, putting an end to the so-called pacification. That was also when the Ma family began to decline, wasn’t it? Because the Qiang people were nearly wiped out, you couldn’t continue benefiting from their existence."

Fa Zheng’s blunt words were hard to refute, even for Ma Chao. The supposed reverence that the Ma family held among the Qiang people for pacifying them in the name of the Emperor was far from the whole truth. By that time, the Ma family had become dependent on the Qiang.

"Hmph!" Ma Chao snorted, unwilling to respond. He couldn’t deny that the Ma family’s presence had indeed contributed to a long period of peace between the Qiang and the Han.

"You might not understand a simple truth: ‘Those not of our race must have different hearts.’ The Qiang people can be accepted, but if they don’t adopt our culture, precautions must be taken. Back then, the Qiang were nearly exterminated. If it weren’t for your Ma family, Liang Province wouldn’t be in the state it’s in today," Fa Zheng’s calm words made Ma Chao’s expression darken.

"Now, there are over two to three million Qiang people in Liang Province under your family’s control. Do you think you can truly manage that many? Do you know why Li Jue and his men were able to leave Yong Province unscathed?" Fa Zheng turned and asked, not believing for a second that Ma Chao was unaware of the precarious situation his family was in.

"If you won’t say it, I will: Li Jue managed to leave because he gave the Qiang a harsh lesson, slaughtering tens of thousands of them! That’s why the Qiang haven’t dared to invade the Three Prefectures since then," Fa Zheng continued, looking at Ma Chao, who was now deeply concerned.

"But that peace won’t last long. By the way, if the Qiang don’t learn from the Han people’s wisdom, they’ll remain short-sighted. They will eventually invade the Three Prefectures again, and when that happens, your Ma family will be caught in a very difficult position. And do you think the Qiang are truly strong?" Fa Zheng asked, his tone dripping with mocking laughter.

At this moment, Ma Chao wanted to curse. The Qiang weren’t truly powerful at all. If the Han Dynasty really wanted to, it wouldn’t be difficult to completely wipe them out. After all, it had already happened once, forty years ago. When the Han Dynasty decided to act, the Qiang couldn’t even put up a resistance—they were slaughtered.

"Don't you think the Qiang have been far too unruly lately? And there are too many of them. On top of that, they aren’t obeying central orders and have effectively sealed off Liang Province. What do you think Cao Cao will do with the two to three million troublesome Qiang? Or better yet, can your family control them? Do you think they will even allow it?" Fa Zheng's every question left Ma Chao increasingly alarmed.

"It’s unlikely, right? Frankly speaking, Li Jue’s approach was quite appropriate, and the measures that follow will be even more fitting. Either they submit, body and soul, or they face the same bloodshed that occurred forty years ago. Whether it’s Cao Cao or my lord, both will have no choice but to act decisively. The Han Dynasty is in no position for appeasement," Fa Zheng's cold words caused Ma Chao to break into a cold sweat.

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