Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1319 The Inevitable Trend: Three People Submit

After the sacrificial ceremony, Zhang He, Xun Chen, and Chen Lin were led to a side hall of the Prince's residence. Armored soldiers stood guard outside, but they were not restrained; they were neither shackled nor had their movements inside restricted, only forbidden from entering or leaving at will. The three were clearly still immersed in the sacrificial scene, Ma Chao's words still echoing in their ears, and remained silent for a moment until Zhang He broke the silence.

“Mr. Xun, Mr. Chen,” Zhang He stroked the sword at his waist, his gaze complex, “what do you two think of Ma Chao’s demeanor today?”

Xun Chen stroked his beard lightly with his fingertips and pondered, "Their momentum is magnificent, and the morale of their soldiers is even higher. They are far superior to ordinary commanders."

“Yes,” Zhang He took a deep breath, his tone tinged with admiration, “The Xiliang army has also fought a bitter battle for more than a year, yet everyone is full of spirit. This is not just the vigor brought by a great victory. And look at the people—only five days after the city fell, they dared to gather around the soldiers, their eyes no longer numb, but filled with more hope. Such a sight is truly rare.”

Chen Lin chimed in, "What Ma Chao said on the stage just now resonated with the people. If our old lord (Yuan Shao) and young lord (Yuan Shang) had the same mindset, it wouldn't be so easy for the Xiliang army to conquer Hebei. The outcome is still uncertain."

Xun Chen nodded in agreement: "Judging from the people's reaction, Ma Chao certainly did not allow his troops to harass the people or plunder their wealth after he captured the city. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for the people's hearts to be so calm within five days."

Zhang He frowned, still completely baffled: "But in the past, when our army passed through, the people were all terrified and fled. Today, do you see even a trace of fear in the eyes of these people? The soldiers and civilians stand together, seemingly complementing each other. They are, after all, 'invaders,' so why are they reacting like this?"

Chen Lin looked at the Xiliang soldiers coming and going outside the palace. Each of them walked with a steady gait and showed no arrogance towards the passing attendants. He couldn't help but say softly, "It seems that the old saying is true. He who wins the hearts of the people can win the world."

The three fell silent again. Only the rustling of leaves in the wind outside the window filled the side hall. In each of their hearts, the changes in Ye City over the past five days had stirred up waves of emotion.

Suddenly a sound came from outside, followed by the sound of armored soldiers saluting, greeting Military Advisor Xu.

The sounds outside the hall had barely subsided when the hall doors were pushed open, and Xu Shu, dressed in a plain long robe, entered steadily with a gentle smile, fanning himself with a feather fan in hand. His gaze swept over the three men inside. Although they all sat motionless, their expressions showing a hint of defiance, he was not annoyed. Instead, he spoke first, his tone relaxed: “The three of you are all renowned scholars and generals of Hebei. Although you are temporarily serving in our army, we have neither humiliated you nor shackled you. Why then do you greet me with such an attitude? Such arrogance is hardly befitting of a scholar.”

Xun Chen then slowly rose, cupped his hands, and said, "We are sorry for our rudeness in coming to see you, Mr. Xu. But we don't know if you have come here as an envoy for the King of Liang?" His tone was calm, without any flattery or timidity.

Upon hearing this, Xu Shu laughed heartily and waved his feather fan lightly: "The three of you are overthinking it. His Majesty heard that the three of you are here and specially prepared a small banquet to have a chat with you. As for whether you stay or leave, it is entirely up to you, and there is absolutely no coercion involved."

Zhang He pressed the sword at his waist and said in a deep voice, "The fate of a defeated general has already been decided by the King of Liang. Why go through all this trouble? We will obey whatever punishment you deem fit."

Xu Shu raised an eyebrow, his smile deepening: "Oh? What does General Zhang mean by this? Could it be that as one of the Four Pillars of Hebei, you are actually afraid to attend a banquet?"

These words struck the three men's pride like a light whip. A flicker of displeasure crossed Zhang He's eyes, but he said nothing more, rising to leave. Xun Chen and Chen Lin exchanged a glance, then also rose. The three straightened their robes and followed closely behind Xu Shu towards the banquet hall. The sunlight outside cast long shadows on them; though prisoners, they still retained some of the dignity and bearing of renowned scholars and generals.

The banquet had just begun. Ma Chao sat in the main seat, his gaze calm. To his left sat Zhou Yu, Gan Ning, Pang De, Zhang Liao, and other generals, their armor still on, exuding a commanding presence. To his right sat strategists Jia Xu, Xu Shu, and others, their expressions composed. There were four empty seats, clearly reserved for Zhang He and his two companions.

Xu Shu stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, the three of you have been brought here."

Ma Chao looked up at the three men and said in a calm tone, "Since you're here, please take a seat. I've been busy with military affairs these past two days and have neglected the three of you."

Zhang He, Xun Chen, and Chen Lin still looked puzzled and stood there, refusing to move.

Xu Huang sneered from the side: "Defeated generals, how dare you disobey the King's orders?"

Zhang He suddenly looked up, a hint of arrogance flashing in his eyes: "We are the fish on the chopping block, to be killed or tortured at will, Your Majesty. Why bother with this trap and waste words?"

Upon hearing this, the faces of Zhou Yu and the other generals immediately darkened, and they all gripped the swords at their waists. Xu Huang even drew his sword with a "whoosh" and shouted sharply, "Insolence! Do you really think I wouldn't dare to kill you?"

“Gongming,” Ma Chao gestured, his voice low but carrying an undeniable authority, “this is a banquet, and I am still at the table. Don’t you think it’s impolite to draw swords like this?”

Xu Huang reluctantly sheathed his sword, grunted, and sat back down in his original position.

Ma Chao stood up and looked at the three of them again: "I called you here just to have a drink. Sit down."

Looking into Ma Chao's open and honest eyes, Zhang He thought that since he was going to die anyway, he might as well be calm and took the lead in stepping forward and sitting down. Xun Chen and Chen Lin exchanged a glance and then sat down as well.

To everyone's surprise, after Ma Chao sat down, he stopped looking at them and instead discussed the post-battle defenses with Zhou Yu in a low voice. They talked about everything from clearing out the remaining enemies in Youzhou to the allocation of grain supplies in Jiangdong and Xiliang. Every sentence was about military affairs, as if the three of them were just ordinary guests.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Zhang He could no longer contain himself. He wiped his mouth and stood up, saying, "King Liang, we are prisoners, and your hospitality in hosting this banquet is already a great favor. However, the discussions at the banquet have all revolved around the military affairs of Xiliang. We, the defeated generals, are truly superfluous here. If you wish to punish us, please name your name, and we will accept it. Why go through all this trouble?"

All eyes turned to Zhang He. A playful glint flashed in Ma Chao's eyes as he slowly spoke, "Oh? General Zhang He, then tell me, what should I do if I want to keep you here? And what should I do if I don't want to keep you here?"

The question caught Zhang He off guard, his expression freezing instantly. Xun Chen and Chen Lin also frowned, clearly pondering the seemingly simple question, which concealed a crucial decision about whether to stay or leave.

After a long pause, Zhang He finally forced himself to say, "Although we are defeated generals, we have received great kindness from the Yuan family. If the King of Liang insists on keeping us here, we regret that we cannot comply."

"If that's the case, then I'll let you go." Ma Chao said decisively, his tone completely calm.

Zhang He was taken aback and blurted out, "Really?"

"When have I, Ma Chao, ever lied?" Ma Chao looked up at him. "But you need to think carefully about where you'll go after you leave. Will you join another master and continue fighting on the battlefield, so that your skills won't go to waste? Or will you retire from the military and never want to be involved in warfare again?"

Zhang He's expression was uncertain, his lips moved but he didn't speak. Xun Chen and Chen Lin exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with astonishment and doubt. How could this be? A defeated general not only escaped humiliation but was also allowed to choose his own fate?

Seeing the changing expressions on the three men's faces, Ma Chao knew they were in turmoil. He took a step forward and said in a steady voice, "Don't overthink it. I, Ma Chao, keep my word." He looked at Zhang He with an open and honest gaze, "If you want to leave, I will not stop you."

He turned to his personal guards and ordered, "Go and fetch the weapons and armor of the three generals, prepare three good horses, and have the quartermaster prepare plenty of dry rations and water bags to send them out of the city."

The guards obeyed and left, leaving Zhang He and his two companions even more bewildered and uncertain. They looked at each other, unsure how to react. Xun Chen couldn't help but speak up: "King Liang... what is the meaning of this? We are, after all, defeated generals. Aren't you afraid of raising a tiger to cause trouble if you treat us like this?"

"Afraid?" Ma Chao laughed, his laughter filled with a sense of pride. "If I, Ma Chao, didn't even have this much magnanimity, I wouldn't deserve to stand here." He took a few steps closer and looked at the three men. "You may have lost, but you are still men of honor. On the battlefield, each served his own master, and there's nothing shameful about that. Now that the war is over, whether you want to stay or leave is entirely up to you."

"What if...what if we want to leave?" Zhang He asked tentatively, his voice filled with disbelief. He had fought in many years and had never seen a commander-in-chief be so lenient towards a surrendered general.

“Go then,” Ma Chao said decisively. “I’ll have someone escort you to the border, and from then on, we’ll have nothing to do with each other. Whether you want to join Cao Cao, Liu Bei, or return to your hometown in Hebei, it’s up to you.” He paused, his gaze sweeping over the three men. “But I have one thing to say beforehand. I’m letting you go today because you are men of courage. If we meet again on the battlefield, I won’t hold back.”

No sooner had he spoken than his personal guards entered carrying weapons and armor, placing them one by one before the three men. Zhang He looked at his long spear, which he had used for many years, the shaft still bearing the marks of the battles of recent days, and his eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

Zhou Yu spoke up at the opportune moment, his gaze sweeping over the three of them: "Since you, brother, are unwilling to stay, you should carefully consider your future paths. If you were to retire from the military and return to your hometown to cultivate a few acres of land, your children and grandchildren could live a peaceful and prosperous life according to the laws of Xiliang. However, your talents would likely be buried here."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming sharper: "If you want to seek another lord and continue to be an enemy of our army, you should think it through. Among the warlords of the world today, who is your match? Is it Cao Cao of Yuzhou? Or Liu Bei of Jingzhou? Can they tolerate surrendered generals like you? How much trust can they give you? If we meet again on the battlefield, we will be enemies, not friends. At that time, you can't blame us for our friendship today."

These words were like a bucket of cold water, startling the three of them. Zhang He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, while Xun Chen and Chen Lin lowered their heads in deep thought. The hall fell silent again, with only the crackling of the candlelight reflecting the three men's shifting expressions.

“I, Zhang He, will remember Your Majesty’s kindness,” he suddenly knelt on one knee, his voice choked with emotion, “This humble general… is willing to surrender!”

Xun Chen and Chen Lin exchanged a glance and then knelt down as well: "We are willing to surrender!"

Seeing this, Ma Chao smiled and reached out to help the three men up: "Get up. Now that you've joined my Xiliang army, you're brothers." He patted Zhang He on the shoulder, "Your spear skills are good. You'll stay under my command as a general, how about that?"

Zhang He was both surprised and delighted, nodding repeatedly, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Xun Chen was appointed as a military advisor, while Chen Lin became the army's clerk, responsible for official correspondence. The three received their appointments and left to pack their belongings, their steps light and quick. They knew that they had not only saved their lives but had also found a wise and worthy ruler to serve.

Zhou Yu walked in, looked at Ma Chao, and said with approval in his eyes, "Brother, your strategy of using both kindness and force is much more effective than killing them."

“Killing is easy, winning people’s hearts is hard,” Ma Chao sighed. “In these chaotic times, the more good soldiers we have, the greater our chances of victory.” He looked out the window, where the moonlight shone on the land of Xiliang, a silvery glow. “Once the Central Plains are pacified, I want all the people in the world to live a peaceful life and no longer have to suffer from the ravages of war.”

Zhou Yu walked to his side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him: "That day will come."