It took Ma Chao two days to return to Jincheng from Qiangzhong. Because along the way, it was necessary to evacuate the soldiers from Longxi and Jincheng, and hand them over to the county officials to take back to their hometowns and receive the fields. At the same time, Ma Chao intended to bring the cavalry brought back from Qiangzhong to Liangzhou, firstly, to reduce the risk and ability of rebellion in Qiangzhong, and secondly, to enrich Liangzhou with population.

When Ma Chao crossed the Yellow River to Jincheng, his subordinates still had 90,000 horsemen.

In a long pavilion twenty miles to Jincheng, Ma Teng, his Ma family and the officials of the Assassin's Mansion were waiting for Ma Chao's triumph. There are also many people who heard the news that Ma Chao is about to return to Jincheng, and they have gone out of the city to greet them. A small pavilion on the official road is like a flat boat on the sea in the waiting crowd.

The first thing that appeared on the horizon was the banner of Ma Chao. After getting the canonization of the imperial court, Ma Chao ordered the craftsmen to make a new banner embroidered with gold characters: Shenwei General Ma.

Soon, the iron cavalry under Ma Chao was also exposed on the horizon, and the red Zen clothes of the Han army were particularly eye-catching on the yellow earth. Ma Chao also saw the crowd of people waiting from a distance, and saw that in addition to Ma Teng and other officials, there were also many soldiers and people, and Ma Chao felt even more relieved.

After fifty paces, Ma Chao dismounted and walked, and saw from a distance that Ma Teng, his mother, brothers and sisters and others were all smiling as he led the horse and slowly approached, and his heart was warm. The people who came spontaneously were crowded on both sides of the official road, and the soldiers lined up in two rows on both sides of the official road to maintain order. When Ma Chao approached, the crowd that was originally chattering instantly quieted down, and then looked around, there were people's backs on both sides of the official road: everyone knelt on the ground. The soldiers in the line also knelt down on one knee and bowed their heads respectfully.

This scene caught Ma Chao a little off guard, but the next second Ma Chao came back to his senses, and couldn't help but stop and stare at the kneeling piece. Ma Chao suddenly saw a piercing white head in the kneeling crowd, which turned out to be an old woman. The old woman held the dove staff, and like the others, she respectfully placed her forehead on the ground, and fell to the ground with one hand, and the dove staff in the other hand was trembling.

Ma Chao hurriedly stuffed the reins to the guards and quickly walked into the crowd. People watched Ma Chao approach in amazement, not knowing what Ma Chao was going to do. Ma Chao hurriedly raised the old woman's arms with both hands, and helped her up under the old woman's confused and shocked gaze.

"Will... General, how does this work? The old woman's voice trembled a little, and she said that she was about to kneel down again.

How can Ma Chao stand the gift of the old man? He quickly stopped and said, "You are old and old, although I am a general, I have not been crowned, how can I receive your great gift?" It should be me who salutes you. ”

As he spoke, Ma Chao bowed down and shook deeply. The people kneeling on the ground couldn't help but raise their heads to look at Ma Chao, and their hearts were full of indescribable emotion and warmth.

The old woman watched Ma Chao bend down in front of her, her eyes gradually changed from shock to moistness, the old woman held the dove cane, supported Ma Chao's arm with one hand, and said: "The old woman has obtained the dove cane, and she doesn't need to salute the other uncle." Saluting the general is not because the general is high and powerful. ”

Ma Chao was a little puzzled when he heard this.

The old woman calmly explained: "The old woman wants to thank the general! The old woman lived for more than eighty years. For more than 80 years, Liangzhou has been in constant turmoil. The old woman's family originally had more than 20 sons and nephews, but now there are only three left. If it weren't for the general, the old woman would probably not even be able to keep her last three nephews and nephews, and she would already be a lonely person. ”

When Ma Chao heard this, he was infinitely emotional, and looked at the old woman's calm and serene expression for a while, thinking that it was probably because her family members died one after another, and the old woman had become numb from grief, and wanted to say something comforting, but Ma Chao couldn't say anything.

The old woman pointed to the crowd again and said, "Not only the old woman, but also everyone survived because of the general's favor in pacifying Liangzhou." In the future, with the general here, there will be no more war in Liangzhou, and the common people can finally live a peaceful life! As she spoke, two lines of tears flowed out of the old woman's cloudy eyes, and the old woman cried in a low voice.

When the old woman cried, the people who knelt on the ground also sobbed, and they raised their sleeves to cover their faces.

For a while, Ma Chao had all kinds of words and feelings in his head, but he couldn't say anything in his heart. After a long time, Ma Chao solemnly said to the old woman: "Don't worry, the old lady, as long as my Ma Chao is in one day, I will definitely do my best to ensure the stability of Liangzhou, and I must let the people of Liangzhou live a peaceful life!" ”

"General Xie!" The crowd responded in unison.

Then Ma Chao hurriedly called people to get up. After saying goodbye to the people, Ma Chao continued to walk towards the horse that greeted him.

Ma Chao walked up to Ma Teng and said, "Chao meets my father......" Just as he was about to salute, Ma Teng grabbed his arm and said lovingly: "Between you and me, why be polite!" ”

Ma Chao was not hypocritical, Ma Teng looked at Ma Chao and said with relief: "The unicorn of the father has grown up, and the unfinished work of Liangzhou Sanming has finally been completed in your hands." ”

"Isn't it that the father is helping his son behind his back, so that his son has no worries, so that his son can let go of his hands and feet to compete with Han Sui?" Ma Chao said with a grin.

Ma Teng sneered and said, "Eh, how can my father help you in anything?" But now, Liangzhou is finally my Ma's, and big things can be expected! Ma Teng's eyes flashed when he looked at Ma Chao.

Ma Chao was also excited, and his whole body was full of pride! Now he is also a prince and the lord of Xiliang, he wants a strategist to have a strategist, a military general to have a general, a soldier to have a soldier and a horse, a territory to have a territory, the strength is not weak, and the power is just beginning!

At this time, his mother Beigong stepped forward, and Ma Chao hurriedly saluted: "Mother! ”

Seeing that Ma Chao's face was a little tired, Beigong reached out and stroked Ma Chao's cheek lovingly, and said, "My son, you have lost weight!" ”

Ma Chao's heart was warm, and he couldn't help but regard the Beigong clan as his mother in his previous life, and said, "Everything is okay, is my mother good?" ”

"Okay, it's all good, it's just that sometimes you think about it ......so much," he said, and Beigong wiped away his tears.

As soon as he heard this, Ma Chao almost burst into tears. Ma Chao reluctantly turned his head, suppressed the tremor in his voice, and said, "Liangzhou is stable, and my son will definitely be able to stay with his mother for a long time this time." ”

"That's good, you can eat more at home, you see that you have lost a lot, and there are still so many cracks on your hands, and you don't know how to ...... yourself" Beigong Clan's hands wrapped Ma Chao's hands and rubbed them gently.

Ma Teng pretended to be impatient and said, "Okay, okay! Today is the day to welcome Chao'er's triumphant return, and it is a day of great joy for the pacification of the eight counties of Liangzhou, why are you crying? You should laugh! ”

The Beigong clan burst into tears and laughed, and said: "What I said is that my mother should be happy for my son, and my son is now a big hero in the entire Liangzhou!" ”

Ma Chao was a little embarrassed: "Mother, don't say that......"

At this time, Ma Tie, Ma Xiu and Ma Yunlu squeezed out from among the retainers and officials who were gathered behind Ma Teng and the Beigong clan. ”

Ma Chao rubbed Ma Tie and Ma Xiu's heads, hugged Ma Yunlu and said, "Have you missed your brother during this time?" ”

"I don't want to! My brother hasn't been back for so long! Ma Yunlu suddenly thought of something, suddenly turned his face away with his hands, and became angry.

Ma Chao rubbed his stubble against Little Loli's pink face and said with a smile: "Don't you really want to be a brother?" ”

Little Lori was itched and giggled, but still said, "I don't want to, I don't want to ......"

Ma Chao rubbed faster, and the little Lori finally couldn't stand it anymore, and said with a smile: "Think, think, brother, please spare me!" ”

"It's pretty much the same, did the three of you listen to your parents at home?"