Chapter 797: Changes in Yong and Liang

After the powerful surge of energy from the Xuanyuan Cauldron swept across the land, the pace of Cao Cao's actions in Yong and Liang began to accelerate.

At this time, Sima Lang had already entered Liangzhou through special channels, preparing to activate the long-planned contingencies. After all, Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and Liu Bei were all in position.

Meanwhile, relations between Ma Teng and Han Sui had eased significantly. This was not only due to the deterrent effect of Ma Teng's warriors, Pang De and Ma Chao, but also due to the bond of comradeship forged during their shared hardships.

Having both suffered at the hands of Fan Chou and Zhang Ji, experienced defeat, licked their wounds, and endured their most painful days together, much of the animosity between the two men had faded.

Moreover, Han Sui had finally lowered his pride and explained the circumstances surrounding the death of Ma Teng's wife. While Han Sui had been involved, Ma Teng understood, once it was all laid out, that the incident had been full of unforeseen factors.

Though Han Sui had earned the nickname "Nine Curves" for his cunning, there had been no real reason for him to plot the death of Ma Teng's wife. The event had resulted from a series of unexpected turns.

As for why Han Sui had initially taken responsibility, it was simply because he hadn't cared to explain at the time. After all, they had been enemies then—why bother explaining? Now that they had sworn brotherhood, Han Sui didn’t want to leave a lingering thorn in Ma Teng’s heart, one that might one day be triggered unexpectedly.

After hearing the full explanation, Ma Chao, though still displeased, understood the truth behind Han Sui’s words. While he still didn’t like Han Sui, he no longer harbored the same burning desire to kill him.

With these changes, Han Sui and Ma Teng finally united in earnest, no longer engaging in the shallow deceptions of before. They began working together to strengthen their forces and to avoid being swallowed by Li Jue, whose power had surged dramatically.

Even with their combined strength, Ma Teng and Han Sui were no match for Li Jue and his forces. Furthermore, with Li Jue having realized the benefits of excavating the Zhengguo Canal, he had begun extensive efforts to improve irrigation throughout the Guanzhong Plain, boosting his reputation among the local population.

To be honest, in times of peace, the common people placed great importance on the emperor. However, in times of chaos, they cared little for the emperor and more for those who could ensure their survival.

After receiving a casual suggestion from Zhong Yao, Li Jue realized that the common people were his shield. Thus, he began massive irrigation projects throughout the Guanzhong region, reclaiming farmland and expanding settlements.

He excavated six auxiliary canals alongside the Caoqu, Longshou, Baiqu, Lingji, and Zhengguo canals. Within two years, the Guanzhong region had returned to its former prosperity, with fertile lands stretching as far as the eye could see. People even fled from Jingzhou, Yuzhou, and Yanzhou to settle in Guanzhong.

Of course, Li Jue had no reverence for the powerful families of Guanzhong. He dealt with them ruthlessly, seizing their lands without hesitation. This was one reason why the amount of fertile land in Guanzhong had steadily increased.

In fact, if not for Li Jue's previous crimes of desecrating imperial tombs and oppressing the emperor, his current achievements would have earned him the title of a wise and virtuous minister in any era. However, even with those past misdeeds, the millions of people who now had enough to eat were constantly praising him. Li Jue’s reputation in Guanzhong was growing quite favorably.

As for the desecration of the imperial tombs, the common people hadn’t witnessed it firsthand, and rumors of oppressing the emperor meant little to them. In times of chaos, the emperor mattered far less than the officials who ensured their survival.

Naturally, Ma Teng and Han Sui didn’t want Li Jue’s growing reputation to continue unchecked. After all, Guanzhong was no ordinary region.

The saying "heroes arise from the east" wasn't an exaggeration, and the righteous men of the Three Qin regions weren’t mere legends. If Li Jue continued to gain favor, countless people would be willing to lay down their lives for him.

Unfortunately, though Han Sui was one of the leading strategists of Longxi, his intellect paled in comparison to the great heroes of the Central Plains. He had no effective countermeasures against Li Jue's simple but effective way of winning over the people.

"Report!" One day, while Ma Teng and Han Sui were drinking in frustration and pondering how to deal with Li Jue, Pang De suddenly rushed into the room.

"What’s the matter, Lingming?" Han Sui asked with a sigh, turning to look at Pang De.

By now, Pang De was no longer an unknown warrior. He had risen to the rank of Zhonglang General under Ma Teng, commanding an entire army. Anything serious enough for him to report was certainly no small matter.

"Envoy Sima Boda has arrived," Pang De replied with a respectful bow.

Pang De harbored no particular ill feelings toward Han Sui, nor did he have any strong attachments to anyone. His sole ambition was to live and die on the battlefield, caring little for who his opponents or masters were. His only desire was to fight to his heart’s content.

"Sima Boda?" Han Sui furrowed his brows. "Isn’t he one of Li Jue's trusted aides? What is he doing here?"

"Hmph, bring him in. I’d like to see what tricks Li Jue is trying to pull," Ma Teng snorted, his disdain for Li Jue evident as he called him by name.

"Bring him in, but show him due respect," Han Sui instructed Pang De.

Pang De soon returned with Sima Lang. For some reason, the moment Pang De saw the polite, courteous young man, he felt an immediate sense of respect and personally reported his arrival, allowing Sima Lang to meet with Ma Teng and Han Sui far sooner than he otherwise might have.

"Greetings to General of the East and General of the West," Sima Lang said with a smile, bowing respectfully to Ma Teng and Han Sui.

"Boda, I didn’t expect you to come all the way to Jincheng," Han Sui remarked. Seeing Sima Lang’s warm demeanor, any thoughts of lashing out dissipated. Han Sui forced a smile, though he remained somewhat unwilling.

"The lands of the Han belong to all. Why shouldn’t I come?" Sima Lang sighed, then looked at Han Sui with a strange expression.

"The Han Dynasty may be in decline, but countless righteous men still fight for its survival. Some, like the imperial clan Liu, rise in defiance. Others, like Generals Ma and Han, bow before traitors out of necessity, yet still strive for the nation’s future. And some, like me, remain unknown, biding our time under the shadow of evil, awaiting the right moment!" Sima Lang’s gaze fixed firmly on Han Sui and Ma Teng.

Both men felt as if struck by lightning. It took them a long while to recover, their eyes locked on Sima Lang. Ma Teng slammed his hand on the table and sneered, "Who dares slander General Li like this? Don’t you know that he is celebrated by the people of Guanzhong?"

"Merely the result of deceiving the ignorant," Sima Lang replied calmly. "Last time, I chose to serve a villain to prevent you from confronting Li Jue head-on. You would never have defeated him with your strength alone. Fortunately, Chancellor Zhong provided cover for us. Otherwise, we would have dragged the emperor into our troubles!"

Han Sui was startled, staring at Sima Lang with flickering eyes, uncertain whether to believe him.

"Perhaps you doubt my loyalty, but I believe General Ma will recognize these two items." With that, Sima Lang reached into his sleeve and pulled out two objects.

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