In July, the weather is getting cooler.

At night, the sky is full of stars, and the soft moonlight spills down, dispelling the sticky night.

Outside Chang'an City, the camp where Ma Teng led his troops was brightly lit.

The torches burned brightly, illuminating the camp as if it were daylight. In the camp, soldiers in armor and armed with spears are patrolling back and forth, responsible for guarding the camp. At this time, there was no sound in the camp except for the sound of footsteps, the crackling of burning torches, and the chirping of birds, beasts and insects in the dense forest and grass around them.

The big tent of the Chinese army is still brightly lit.

In the tent, there were three sturdy and burly generals.

The military general on the main seat in the center sat cross-legged, his eyes did not squint, his expression was introverted, and he was bland, this person was Ma Teng.

Below Ma Teng, a young general sat on the left and right sides.

The general on the left is very young, about twenty times, with sword eyebrows, sharp eyes like knives, and a high but slightly hooked nose bridge, which is a typical eagle hook nose. His cheekbones and forehead are slightly protruding, making his eyes appear a little inverted, so that the young man gives people a sense of fierceness and looks domineering!

This person is Ma Teng's eldest son Ma Chao.

His lips were pursed, his eyes narrowed slightly, he did not speak, and there was a sense of arrogance and inviolability.

Opposite Ma Chao, is Captain Pound.

Pang De was sitting precariously, with his hands on his knees, his expression was humble and respectful, not as domineering as Ma Chao, but a glimmer of essence occasionally flashed in his eyes, showing that this person was not simple.

Ma Teng looked at Ma Chao and Pang De and asked, "Meng Qi (Ma Chao), Ling Ming (Pang De), the army is going to attack Chang'an tomorrow, have you ever prepared?" ”

Ma Chao's eyes opened, and he clenched his fists and said, "Father, don't worry, you can lead the troops to attack the city at any time." ”

Ma Teng nodded with satisfaction, a happy smile on his face.

Immediately, he looked at Pound again, waiting for Pound's reaction.

Pang De's expression was serious, and he said in a deep voice: "My lord, the soldiers under the command of the last general are also ready, and they will be able to attack Chang'an tomorrow." It's just that the last general is thinking about another matter, which is related to the safety of the army, and he has to think about it carefully. ”

When Ma Teng heard this, he immediately asked, "Ling Ming, what's the matter, let's talk about it." ”

Pang De arched his hand and said: "Liu Fan left the army from Xinfeng County and has now returned to Chang'an. Although he said that when we attack Chang'an, there will be an army in the city to meet us. However, is it really as Liu Fan said, we can only see tomorrow, once we attack Chang'an, but there is no one in the city to answer, we are in a dilemma, we can't take Chang'an in a short time, what should we do? ”

When Ma Teng heard this, he said: "Ling Ming, you are too worried, Liu Fan is a member of the royal family, he said that there is, there must be." ”

Ma Chao glanced at Pang De and said lightly: "Captain Pang, you should believe Liu Fan." ”

Ma Chao didn't say anything superfluous.

However, Pound could hear another layer of meaning from Ma Chao's words. Ma Chao subliminally means that Pound lives the belly of a gentleman with the heart of a villain, although Ma Chao did not say it explicitly, but Pound can understand. It's just that he is Ma Teng's subordinate, so he must consider Ma Teng and cannot have other selfish motives.

Pang De hugged his fists and said: "Lord, the art of war says that if you don't win, you will lose first, and we must think about the way back." Once Chang'an cannot be captured, and the army of Wang Can and Cao Cao also arrives in Chang'an, what should the three princes do when they are stationed outside Chang'an City together? Maybe the lord and Wang Can and Cao Cao can join forces to take Chang'an, but with Wang Can and Cao Cao here, can the lord have an advantage? Therefore, it is necessary to plan ahead so as not to mess up when things come to an end. ”

"Humph!"

Ma Chao snorted coldly and said: "Captain Pang, you think too highly of Wang Can and Cao Cao, the soldiers led by my father are all veterans of a hundred battles, experienced, and not afraid of death." Even if you fight with Wang Can and Cao Cao, what are you afraid of? As long as we enter Chang'an, we can take advantage of the righteousness of the Son of Heaven to repel Wang Can and Cao Cao, and we do not need to fear their army. ”

In the final analysis, Ma Chao still believes that he can enter Chang'an.

When Pound heard this, his face turned bitter.

Ma Chao is handsome, talented, and outstanding in martial arts, and also knows the art of war, and has a high prestige among the Qiang people. However, Ma Chao is very proud, his sense of superiority and martial arts since he was a child make him look at everything, and he doesn't put anyone in his eyes, even Wang Can and Cao Cao, who have been famous for a long time, are not in Ma Chao's eyes.

Such a situation made Pound smile bitterly.

Sun Tzu's Art of War: The Lord must not raise the army in anger, and the general must not be angry and lead to war, which means that the Lord who leads the army must not be emotional, and the army must be rational in marching and fighting. However, Ma Chao's personality determines that he can't do things rationally, and he treats someone and something with preconceived ideas, which directly determines the direction of things.

Pang De clenched his fists and said: "Lord, attack the city and plunder the land......"

He wanted to persuade, but saw Ma Teng waving his hand and said, "Ling Ming, I know you have good intentions, but this time is different, the situation is different." If the Ma family needs to revive the prestige of the ancestors, it must rely on the support of the little emperor, and if the little emperor wants to revitalize the Han family, he can only rely on my Ma family. The Ma family has been loyal to the Han family for generations, and coming to me is no exception, don't persuade you, no matter what, you have to attack Chang'an. ”

When Ma Teng spoke, there was a look of nostalgia on his face.

Didn't the ancestor Ma Yuan also be framed in the past? can still be loyal to the Han family.

Now, if he retreats when he encounters a little difficulty, he will not be Ma Teng, the descendant of the Ma family. Ma Chao heard Ma Teng's words, clenched his fists, and showed a resolute look on his face.

He does not have the idea of being loyal to the Han family like Ma Teng, but he has the desire of the descendants of the Ma family to fulfill it for generations and restore the prestige of the Ma family. This point, Ma Chao and Ma Teng are the same, and they have never changed. This is a family, a kind of bloodline inheritance, but also a mission.

After Pound heard this, he did not continue to persuade him.

The words have been made clear and clear, and if he continues to persuade him, he will be a villain in vain. Pang De was a little disappointed in his heart, and clenched his fists and said: "Lord, there is a big battle tomorrow, and the general will leave." ”

Ma Teng nodded, watching Pound leave.

Ma Chao was also about to get up and leave, but was stopped by Ma Teng reaching out.

Ma Chao asked, "Daddy, what's the matter?" ”

Ma Teng waited for Pang De to leave before he said: "Meng Qi, Ling Ming's words, although they are not advisable, are also quite reasonable. The father can sacrifice his life for the revitalization of the Ma family, that is because the father has passed on the blood of the Ma family and has completed what the father should do. However, you can't fight hard, if you can't capture Chang'an tomorrow, you take Ma Dai, Ma Tie and others back to Yixian, and you can't easily lead the troops out. ”

This sentence is tantamount to arranging the way back.

Ma Teng means that he can risk his life to fight for the Ma family, but he will not let his children and grandchildren die with him.

After hearing this, Ma Chao said: "Daddy, I will arrange for Ma Dai to leave with the second and third brothers, but the son and the father live and die together, the rise and fall of the Ma family is not carried by the father alone, and the son also has this responsibility." ”

After hearing this, Ma Teng burst into tears.

In the big tent, there was silence.

Ma Teng waved his hand and motioned for Ma Chao to leave, and he sat alone in the big tent, deep in thought.

PS: The second of the four guarantees is for collection, flowers.