[Lightscreen]
[Pang De's son later followed Deng Ai in conquering Shu. After Liu Shan surrendered, he entered Chengdu and wiped out the Guan clan. That, however, is a story for another time.]
Guan Yu let out a soft sigh, his gaze distant as if lost in thought.
Zhang Fei grew visibly anxious. "Second Brother… are you alright? That Pang De should still be in Liangzhou. If you are worried, I, Zhang Fei…"
Even he could not bring himself to finish the thought of exterminating an entire clan. His mouth opened, then closed again.
Guan Yu exhaled slowly. "If we succeed in defeating Wei and restoring the Han, how could such a calamity ever come to pass? If the historians praised him so, then Pang De must indeed have been a man of worth."
Huang Zhong found himself holding Guan Yu in even higher regard. Few could remain so composed upon hearing that their clan would be annihilated. Then again… the Huang family seemed to have only himself left. Perhaps he should return home and see if there were any kin from whom he could adopt an heir.
He, too, fell into thought.
[Under such circumstances, the Ma Chao who surrendered to Liu Bei was already at the end of his rope. His control over the Xiliang forces had weakened as his subordinates drifted away. From a purely military standpoint, however, Old Ma the five, himself had no real shortcomings.]
"Then that makes me old Zhang the Six?" Zhang Fei grinned, clearly amused, pointing in turn at the others. "Old Guan the Four, Old Zhao the Two, hahaha!"
The others looked at him in silence. No one understood what was so funny.
[Lightscreen]
[It is worth noting that after joining Shu, whether through hard-earned realization or because Liu Bei simply knew how to make proper use of him, Ma Chao changed significantly.
This brings us to a new figure: Peng Yang.]
Huang Zhong lifted his head from his thoughts. Weren't they discussing the Hanzhong Campaign? Who was this Peng Yang now?
[Lightscreen]
[Peng Yang originally served as a clerk in Yi Province. Though talented, he was slandered by others and punished by Liu Zhang with the punishment of hair-shaving and shackling, a deeply humiliating sentence in that era. Under such circumstances, his defection to Liu Bei was only natural.]
"That punishment effectively reduces a man to servitude," Liu Bei remarked, feeling a trace of sympathy… along with a hint of satisfaction.
Another one who came willingly.
For many scholars, such humiliation was worse than death.
[Lightscreen]
[With recommendations from Pang Tong and Fa Zheng, he was appointed as an Assistant Officer of Internal Affairs, roughly equivalent to a high-ranking administrative secretary today, and his rise was swift.
Unfortunately, as recorded in Records of the Three Kingdoms, "once placed above others, his demeanor grew arrogant, and his self-satisfaction only increased." In short, he quickly became insufferable.
Zhuge Liang did not tolerate this and reported to Liu Bei that Peng Yang was "ambitious and difficult to keep under control." As a result, Liu Bei reassigned him as Administrator of Jiangyang.]
Zhuge Liang's expression remained calm. Supervising officials was part of his duty, and this was simply preventing trouble before it arose.
Liu Bei also found nothing improper in it. A man of talent but flawed character should be tempered through service in the provinces. Given time, he might yet become a pillar of the state.
Jian Yong chuckled and shook his head. As a wandering gentleman, he had seen far too many who became arrogant the moment they tasted success. He could already guess how this would end.
[Lightscreen]
[But being demoted from the central court to a remote commandery left Peng Yang resentful. He sought out Ma Chao to drink away his frustrations. During the feast, Ma Chao asked, "Our lord values you so highly. Why have you been sent to govern such a small commandery?"
Peng Yang immediately lashed out, saying, "That old soldier is reckless and unfit to be reasoned with!" openly insulting Liu Bei. The remark left Ma Chao stunned into silence. But while Ma Chao dared not respond, Peng Yang was just getting started.
What followed is best quoted directly from Records of the Three Kingdoms: "You take the outside, I will take the inside, and together we can settle the realm."
Ma Chao, already a displaced man living in constant unease, was horrified and gave no reply.
Afterward, he reported the matter. Peng Yang was arrested and executed at the age of thirty-seven.]
For a moment, no one knew what to say.
Liu Bei, the one directly insulted, instead laughed. "I pacified the Yellow Turbans, fought Dong Zhuo, battled across Xuzhou, and resisted at Chibi. I have fought more battles than I can count. Being called an old soldier is not entirely wrong."
Then he shook his head. "I thought him a man of talent. Who would have expected another reckless fool?"
Could Peng Yang truly have rebelled? Liu Bei did not believe it. Ma Chao was already a declawed tiger, and as for himself, with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and Huang Zhong at his side, any rebellion would have been crushed outright.
Guan Yu glanced at Zhang Fei beside him, making the latter shift uncomfortably. "Second Brother?"
"Drink less in the future," Guan Yu said sternly. "Loose words after wine lead to death."
"I understand," Zhang Fei replied, thumping his chest in assurance.
[Lightscreen]
[This reveals Ma Chao's condition within Shu Han: he lived in constant fear.
Such a cautious, restrained existence stood in stark contrast to the younger Ma Mengqi, who once acted without hesitation, even to the point of bringing about his father's death. Yet for someone with little political experience, such caution may have been the best way to survive.
His life in Shu was not without honor. He rose to General of Agile Cavalry, was appointed Governor of Liang Province, and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Lai.
His appointment as Governor of Liang shows that he remained a crucial part of Shu Han's long-term strategy. Unfortunately, the crisis of Jing Province and the flames of Yiling disrupted all plans. Moreover, Ma Chao died of illness in the second year after Liu Bei proclaimed himself emperor, at only forty-seven years of age.
Looking back on the life of Old Ma the Five, he destroyed his own father in youth, sought to accomplish something in middle age, yet died too early. Only near his death did he express regret, writing to Liu Bei: "Over two hundred members of my clan were executed by Cao Cao. Now only Ma Dai remains of my bloodline. I entrust him to Your Majesty."]
"Only forty-seven?!" Zhuge Liang blurted out.
It was a shocking age. Liu Bei himself was not yet fifty, and according to the light screen, his rise had only just begun, with many years still ahead.
And Huang Zhong, over seventy, could still serve as a vanguard and slay enemy generals in battle.
Yet this Liangzhou Governor, so crucial to their plans… simply died?
Before Zhuge Liang's eyes, the truth behind Shu Han's eventual decline began to take shape. Holding Yi Province, securing Hanzhong, and then advancing into Guanzhong when the time was right, Ma Chao should have been a key piece in that strategy.
With his reputation in Liangzhou and Liu Bei's virtue, reclaiming the region should not have been difficult.
So how did it come to this?
Liu Bei did not notice Zhuge Liang's momentary lapse. Instead, he was moved by Ma Chao's final plea. Thinking of his own future, he sighed.
"Perhaps… when a man faces death, his words come from the heart… Xianhe…"
Jian Yong burst into laughter and cut him off. "Does my lord wish me to make a trip to Liangzhou?"
Liu Bei immediately reconsidered. "There is no need to rush. I will discuss it with Kongming. We have only just secured the four commanderies of Jing Province. Let us first celebrate the new year together."
Zhang Fei chuckled. "Ma Mengqi 'destroyed his father with a flick of the hand'… If it were anyone else, you would think it meant overwhelming strength, like striking down another man's father in an instant. But when it comes to Ma Mengqi… hahaha!"
[Lightscreen]
[Ma Dai did not disappoint his elder brother's expectations. He later suppressed Wei Yan's rebellion, ensuring a stable transition of power after the Chancellor's death, a contribution not to be overlooked.
As for Zhang Fei, everyone knows him well enough, so we will skip him for now and return to the Hanzhong Campaign.]
Zhang Fei immediately protested, "Hey, what do you mean skip? Does Old Zhang the Six not deserve a mention?"