Mythical Three Kingdoms

Fa Zheng's words did not cause Ma Chao to let down his guard; on the contrary, he became even more cautious. Unlike Fa Zheng, Ma Chao, though aware of Fa Zheng's existence beforehand, only began truly understanding him after entering the Central Plains.

Previously, even though Fa Zheng held the title of Marquis, Ma Chao did not pay much attention to him. However, after Xiahou Yuan provided Ma Chao with a large amount of information, Ma Chao became immensely wary of Fa Zheng, who casually mentioned animosity between the two.

"It seems there's no way to eliminate your hostility towards me. But that's fine; at least, I've never thought about making you fall in frustration. At the very least, you need to understand who I am," Fa Zheng said mockingly, glancing at the slightly cautious Ma Chao.

"Speak plainly!" Ma Chao furrowed his brows and said impatiently. Although he was aware that Fa Zheng would not harm him directly, given their relationship, he could not remain as composed as Fa Zheng.

Even though Ma Chao could sense Fa Zheng's hostility and displeasure towards him, the fact that Fa Zheng could maintain his composure when confronting him made Ma Chao all the more cautious.

"I'm just telling you a few things, to ensure you won't fall before reaching your peak," Fa Zheng said casually. "Frankly, you should be able to see that, while your abilities are respectable, you still fall short compared to true masters."

Fa Zheng did not dive straight into the main topic but instead diverted the conversation, causing Ma Chao to grow increasingly irritated. Already uneasy with Fa Zheng's presence, Ma Chao naturally felt even more vexed hearing Fa Zheng's words.

"It seems you're almost at your limit," Fa Zheng said, his expression unchanged. He had no fear of Ma Chao whatsoever; his earlier intent to suppress him was merely to ensure certain principles were remembered: Han etiquette cannot be abandoned!

After a moment of silence, Ma Chao was growing even more impatient. His expression shifted repeatedly, and several times he wanted to turn his horse around, but in the end, he restrained his impulses. He wanted to know why Fa Zheng had stopped him!

"You've passed; you're qualified to know about this matter," Fa Zheng suddenly said mockingly, causing the veins on Ma Chao's forehead to bulge.

"As a general, or even as a Commander-in-Chief, there are times when you need patience like you showed today. Trust me—it's beneficial for you," Fa Zheng laughed heartily, then shifted his tone and said, "Your Ma Clan has strong ties with the Qiang and Hu, right?"

"So what? Given your status, how could you not know this?" Ma Chao said coldly, suppressing his impulse to turn away. He knew the crux of the matter had arrived, and whatever Fa Zheng said earlier about patience barely registered with him, as Fa Zheng had anticipated.

"If I were your Ma Clan, right now I would absolutely avoid gathering the Qiang and Hu in large numbers. Remember your status—you are heralds of the Han Court. Pacifying the Qiang and Hu is merely your duty!" Fa Zheng said, his expression cold, as he stared at Ma Chao.

"Hmph, is that all you're here to say?" Ma Chao sneered. "The Ma Clan has guarded Xiliang for generations. Without us maintaining good relations with the Qiang and Hu, Xiliang would have long ceased to be part of the Han Court. I thought you had something worthwhile to say!"

Fa Zheng did not respond, merely watching Ma Chao quietly. His gaze made Ma Chao's heart chill. Whether Ma Chao admitted it or not, Fa Zheng was among the finest Sages in the realm. With such an expression, Ma Chao sneered for a while, but finding it increasingly pointless, he stopped.

"Why aren't you sneering anymore?" Fa Zheng asked casually.

Ma Chao said nothing. He was growing uneasy, staring at Fa Zheng intensely, waiting to hear what he would say.

"Back in Emperor Huan's era, the Qiang and Hu cost two hundred forty billion in expenses yet remained unchecked. Why were they pacified later?" Fa Zheng asked with a smile. In fact, the total cost of subduing the Qiang and Hu during that time was closer to four hundred billion.

"Hmph, Butcher Duan's indiscriminate killing forced the Qiang People to rebel!" Ma Chao answered without hesitation.

"So it was Grand Commandant Duan who forced them to rebel?" Fa Zheng chuckled. "Then why do I recall that during Emperor Huan's era, vast territories were gained after the Grand Commandant eradicated the Qiang and Hu? That's when the so-called pacification ended, and the Ma Clan began to decline, isn't it? Because the Qiang and Hu were nearly wiped out, you couldn't sustain your influence by cultivating dependency anymore!"

Fa Zheng spoke bluntly, and Ma Chao could not refute it. The Ma Clan's supposed prestige among the Qiang and Hu as agents of the Emperor's peace was, in truth, no longer true in later years. By then, the Ma Clan indeed relied on the Qiang and Hu's existence!

"Hmph!" Ma Chao snorted, refusing to answer further. He couldn't explain such incidents clearly, but the truth remained—the Ma Clan's existence had indeed allowed the Qiang People and the Han People to maintain prolonged peace.

"Perhaps you don't understand this statement: 'Those not of our kin are sure to have divergent hearts.' The Qiang and Hu may be accommodated, but if they fail to embrace our culture, then precaution must be taken early. Back when the Qiang and Hu were nearly exterminated, if not for the Ma Clan, Liangzhou would likely be less chaotic today," Fa Zheng said calmly, prompting Ma Chao's face to darken.

"Currently, Liangzhou has two to three million Qiang and Hu under your Ma Clan's command. Do you think you can control millions of Qiang and Hu? Do you know why Li Jue and his men managed to leave Yongzhou unscathed?" Fa Zheng turned his head and asked rhetorically, as if daring Ma Chao to sense the looming threat upon the Ma Clan.

"Allow me to explain. Li Jue escaped because he taught the Qiang and Hu a lesson, slaughtering tens of thousands, leaving them too terrified to invade Sanfu for a while!" Fa Zheng turned his head to face Ma Chao, whose expression was now gravely serious. At this point, Ma Chao had understood.

"This reprieve won't last long. Let me add—the Hu People, unless they embrace Han wisdom, are shortsighted. They will surely invade Sanfu again, leaving your Ma Clan in a precarious position. Do you think the Qiang and Hu are truly powerful?" Fa Zheng smirked and taunted Ma Chao.

At this moment, Ma Chao wanted to curse aloud. The Qiang and Hu? Powerful? Absolutely not. If the Han Dynasty truly decided to act, even a total massacre of the Qiang and Hu would pose little difficulty. Forty years ago, such an event had already occurred—the Qiang and Hu stood no chance in the face of direct action from the Han Dynasty and were ruthlessly eradicated!

"Don't you think the Qiang and Hu have been far too bold lately, and they're far too numerous? Moreover, they've ignored Central Government's commands and blocked Liangzhou. Tell me, what do you think Cao Cao will do with these troublesome millions of Qiang and Hu, or rather—can your Ma Clan truly control them? Alternatively, will they even allow you to persist in this?" Each of Fa Zheng's rhetorical questions made Ma Chao increasingly alarmed.

"It's unlikely, isn't it? Let me be frank—Li Jue's approach was highly effective. Therefore, similar measures would be even more effective going forward: either submission and absolute loyalty from mind, body, and spirit—or annihilation. Otherwise, another bloodbath like forty years ago is inevitable. Whether it's Cao Cao or my liege, the Great Han Dynasty is no longer suited for appeasement!" Fa Zheng's chillingly sharp words caused cold sweat to run down Ma Chao's back.