Ma Teng and his son received letters from Chang'an at the same time.
Ma Chao screened away the people around him, turned his neck left and right, and after making sure there was no one around, he quietly opened the letter.
Since the last time you returned to Liangzhou like a beggar, Ma Chao has become low-key.
He was deeply afraid of the people in Liangzhou, knowing that they had surrendered to Wang Ding.
After coming back, he only said that he had fallen into the trap of King Han Sui, but he still fought through the siege alone.
Never mention surrender.
So much time has passed that the people of Liangzhou still don’t know that Ma Chao was captured and then released.
"Brother Meng Qi, how are you doing these days? I'm going to capture Liangzhou soon. I hope Meng Qi will help you secretly. After the success, I will grant you a title, brother."
"In life, you should base your life on honesty. If you lose your integrity, you will become the laughing stock of the world..."
Ma Chao tore the letter into pieces, his chest heaving up and down, as if there was a burst of anger about to burst out.
He rushed out and directly called a dozen soldiers to fight with him.
Bang bang bang...
In a moment, all a dozen soldiers were defeated by Ma Chao.
Compared with half a year ago, Ma Chao's strength has improved.
"It's too much to bully someone."
"This is too much!"
Ma Chao roared, and a dozen soldiers lay on the ground, looking at Ma Chao in fear, wondering why Ma Chao suddenly went crazy.
Half a year ago, Ma Chao led a large army to attack the Han army. After returning alone, Ma Chao seemed to be a changed person. He no longer led people to various tribes to show off his power, but was training crazily in the army.
Every day, most of the soldiers were injured by Ma Chao when fighting against Ma Chao. On several occasions, the soldiers fighting him were even accidentally beaten to death.
These ordinary soldiers were not as strong as Ma Chao. They were forced to fight by Ma Chao, but they did not dare to be cruel, so they all deserved to be beaten.
But if Ma Chao is not satisfied, he will continue to be beaten.
Normally, after Ma Chao defeated them, he would always show disdain.
But today, looking at the somewhat crazy Ma Chao, they really don't understand who else dares to bully Ma Chao in Liangzhou.
Even Ma Teng wouldn’t dare.
Someone realized that it might be the letter Ma Chao received before.
But they didn't know who wrote the letter to Ma Chao and what content was written that would anger Ma Chao.
Soon, someone reported Ma Chao's performance to Ma Teng.
Ma Teng just read Han Sui's letter to him.
He was also upset at the moment.
The content of Han Sui's letter put him under great pressure.
Now that Wang Ding's power has been established, and coupled with his consecutive defeats at the hands of Wang Ding last year, Ma Teng really doesn't want to play against Wang Ding.
Also, some time ago, Wang Ding recruited five thousand Qiang cavalry.
The territory of Liangzhou is also dominated by Qiang people, and more than half of Ma Teng's soldiers are Qiang people.
Ma Teng now relies on his Qiang cavalry.
But now, facing Wang Ding, he has no advantage in cavalry.
Ma Teng put away Han Sui's letter and asked someone to call Ma Chao.
"My child pays homage to his father." Ma Chao still had anger on his face.
Ma Teng asked: "What is it that makes my son so angry?"
Ma Chao said: "It's Han Sui. He sent a letter today asking the child to surrender."
Ma Teng said: "What do you think?"
Ma Chao said: "My father is at ease in Liangzhou, why should he surrender and become Wang Ding's lackey?"
Nowadays, it sounds nice to say that it means surrendering to the Han Dynasty, but everyone knows that surrendering to the Han Dynasty is like surrendering to Wang Ding.
Emperor Liu Xie's every word and deed are under Wang Ding's control.
These princes from all walks of life have ambitions in their hearts, so they speculate on Wang Ding even more maliciously.
Ma Teng said: "Wang Ding has recruited five thousand Qiang cavalry, plus the cavalry he trained before. Now the Han army has at least tens of thousands of cavalry. Do you have confidence?"
Ma Teng can't say he likes Ma Chao. These princes seem to prefer their younger sons.
But Ma Teng cannot deny that as his eldest son, he has the courage that no man can match. If he really wants to fight the Han army, he will have to rely on Ma Chao.
Ma Chao said: "Father, don't worry, the boy has confidence. The boy will be able to kill as many Han troops as they come."
Ma Teng said: "My son has such ambitions, and I feel relieved as a father."
Ma Teng did not tell Ma Chao that he also received a letter from Han Sui.
Surrender is his last option.
If possible, Ma Teng would naturally not want to succumb to others.
Even though Liangzhou is remote, bitterly cold and not as comfortable as the Central Plains, he is still a prince here, with more than ten thousand people.
"You should retreat first. We will send more people to patrol in the past few days to keep an eye on the Han army." Ma Teng said.
Ma Chao said: "My child understands."
Zhang Liao led 10,000 cavalry and had arrived at Chencang.
Five thousand of them are Qiang cavalry.
Zhang Liao only trained them for a short time, but the combat effectiveness of the five thousand Qiang cavalry has been greatly improved after being replaced with Han army weapons and equipment.
They are definitely big men. They are the most powerful cavalry unit today and will never lose to Dong Zhuo's Xiliang cavalry in the past.
Part of the original Xiliang cavalry was inherited by Wang Ding. In the past two years, the cavalry has not made much use, but their combat effectiveness has definitely surpassed that of the original.
Zhang Liao set out from Chencang and entered Anding County, Liangzhou.
Thousands of horses are galloping, and swords are shining brightly.
When ten thousand cavalry appeared at the gate of Anding County.
The residents in the city hid one after another.
The county guard Zhang Heng ordered the city gates to be closed tightly, and he hid in the city and did not dare to come out.
The Qiang tribes outside the city were even more frightened and hid one after another.
Zhang Liao did not attack these Qiang tribes.
His purpose was to demonstrate the might of the Han cavalry, to intimidate the Qiang people, and to put pressure on Ma Teng.
At the foot of Anding City, ten thousand cavalry were parked neatly in front of the city gate.
"Ma Teng, surrender quickly, or else we will destroy Liangzhou with blood when we break the city."
"Bloodbath in Liangzhou."
"Bloodbath in Liangzhou!"
Ten thousand cavalrymen shouted in unison outside the city.
The five thousand Qiang cavalry who followed were actually very excited, and each one shouted louder and worked harder.
After shouting three times, Zhang Liao quickly moved to the next city with 10,000 cavalry.
On this day, Zhang Liao led 10,000 Han cavalry back and forth between various cities in Anding County.
The entire Anding County, with a total population of 300,000, is all in panic today.
People in the city dare not leave the city.
People outside the city want to hide inside the city.
"The Han army is not really going to kill Liangzhou with blood, is it?"
The Han and Qiang people in Liangzhou are living in fear today.
Originally, if we just conquered Ma Teng, it would not matter much to civilians like them. It would just be a change of ruler.
Perhaps in this war, some people will die unexpectedly and lose a lot of property, but most of them are not worried about their lives.
But things are different now. The Han army is using the slogan of bloodbath Liangzhou.