The Ma Family's Great Gamble
In the modern era, when people spoke of a "veteran general" from a fallen house, two names usually rose to the surface. The most famous was Huang Zhong, the fierce warrior who served under Liu Bei as one of the Five Tiger Generals alongside Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, and Guan Yu, ultimately carving down Xiahou Yuan in a feat that shook the land. The other was the very synonym for such aged heroes: Yan Po of the Warring States period, one of the four great generals known as the "Ji Jian Pa Mu" group. Even in his advanced years the man devoured an entire bushel of rice and ten pounds of meat, then mounted his horse and put on a display of martial prowess that practically shouted, "Employ me." That much food amounted to well over a hundred servings of rice and thirty portions of meat; it was as if a gluttonous ghost had possessed him. Yet despite the feat, a corrupt official who'd taken bribes spread vicious rumors, and Yan Po died in lonely obscurity without ever receiving a post.
Still, there was one more general counted among such legendary veterans. Ma Yuan, the renowned commander of the Later Han who fought under Emperor Guangwu and left an indelible mark through his unshakeable loyalty. Known as General Who Pacifies the Waves, his descendants had survived into the present turbulent age and managed to leave their own marks on this era of the Three Kingdoms. Those descendants were none other than Ma Chao—one of the Five Tiger Generals alongside Huang Zhong—and Ma Chao's father, Ma Teng.
That did not mean they lived well. Far from it. Their circumstances were desperately poor. Despite bearing the name of a celebrated ancestor, Ma Teng had never secured a proper official post. He had even married a woman of barbarian blood, something that drew sidelong glances from the people of the Central Plains. The land he settled was the barren frontier of Xiliang, a place crawling with barbarian tribes where governance was loose at best. Even among Han territories, the distant provinces—Yi Province, Liang Province, the far reaches of Jingdong, Bing Province, and You Province—were quietly discriminated against by the great clans of the Central Plains. Xiliang was the frontier of the frontier.
Naturally, feeding an entire household before even thinking of advancement was no easy task.
Haah… Life really never cuts me a break. How many mouths do I have to feed…?
Though he possessed a famous ancestor, the family’s fortunes had long since collapsed. If things continued this way, the bloodline itself might be in danger of dying out before any legacy could be restored. Ma Teng had managed to obtain a minor, insignificant office thanks to his own modest talent, allowing them to scrape by. Yet hoping for anything more felt like staring at an unclimbable wall.
Even if I fail, my son Ma Chao possesses the talent to shake the world…
As a father, he could not become a sandbag that weighed down a gifted child. He refused to be the obstacle that prevented his son from soaring.
…Of course, there was one small catch in this story. Ma Teng’s beloved child was still a little brat with many years left before he became an adult. Never mind that the boy already possessed stunning looks that made children his age cry with envy and martial talent that surpassed even his father. In short, these thoughts were pure doting-father nonsense.
Still, it was true that the household’s circumstances were far from good. Xiliang was a barren land where trust had evaporated and betrayal occurred constantly for the sake of profit. Without both overwhelming personal strength and overwhelming factional power, uniting this region was impossible. Ma Teng survived here through his minor official post and by raising good horses, but he understood better than anyone that the future did not look bright.
He might never surpass his son Ma Chao in future fame, but Ma Teng was no fool. That was why, on this particular day, as he sat in his room worrying about the road ahead while keeping his daughter in mind, an unexpected visitor arrived.
Creak…!
“What are you thinking about so deeply? Don’t tell me you were having those strange thoughts again.”
“Hwah?! You startled me…! I nearly jumped out of my skin!”
“I didn’t exactly sneak in. Why the dramatics? How is a military officer serving in Liang Province supposed to protect anyone if his heart is as small as a bean?”
“Ahem. Even the bravest man can be caught off guard by an unexpected ambush…”
Ma Teng, born of mixed Han and barbarian blood, looked far more like the latter. Yet that very appearance carried its own rugged charm. Tall and powerfully built, he had kept his impoverished family fed through sheer strength and stamina.
“Anyway, you… you didn’t cause some kind of trouble, did you?”
“Trouble? I haven’t done anything that would cause trouble…”
“If you say so. Still, I wonder why this letter arrived.”
“A letter?”
“Here. I didn’t read the contents, but they say it’s from an extremely prestigious family.”
At his wife’s words, Ma Teng quickly took the letter and examined its contents. The sender was—
To the descendant of the illustrious General Who Pacifies the Waves, Ma Teng.
I, Yuan Shu, legitimate heir of the Yuan clan that has produced Four Generations of Three Dukes, hereby extend an invitation to you and your entire family. Come visit me. I wish to speak with the scion of a hero I have long admired.
— Yuan Shu
“The… the Yuan family?! A letter from the illustrious Yuan clan that has held the Four Generations of Three Dukes…!!”
It was a letter personally sent by Yuan Shu, the direct heir of the greatest noble house in the present Han dynasty. Although he was not yet the family head, everyone acknowledged that he would one day rule the Yuan clan. From a young age he had been known for his bold character and martial talent; he had even taken his close subordinates to suppress bandits and perform righteous deeds. His reputation was already widespread, and now he had begun his official career.
“Why would someone like that contact me? How does he even know who I am…!”
The answer became clear once he read the letter. Yuan Shu had sent it precisely because he knew Ma Teng was the descendant of the renowned General Who Pacifies the Waves, Ma Yuan.
“So that’s why he sent this…”
“What is it about?”
“It seems he heard of my ancestor’s great name and grew interested in me, his descendant. This letter… it isn’t anything ominous. It’s an invitation from Yuan Shu himself, the legitimate heir of the Yuan family!”
“I see… But that’s hardly a small matter, is it?”
“Mm, it’s no small thing, but I was half-convinced I’d somehow been framed for a crime. Who would have thought that someone like me—living in such humble circumstances despite being Ma Yuan’s descendant—would catch the eye of the Yuan heir?”
“That’s true. After all, I married you because of your face.”
“…Ahem. Saying something like that so suddenly…”
Ma Teng cleared his throat, then straightened his expression into one of grave seriousness.
“This letter… I don’t know what Yuan Shu is thinking, but he has invited our entire family. If we handle this well and catch his eye, we might finally escape this life of poverty.”
“…But that man called Yuan Shu is also known for acting entirely on his own whims, regardless of his good reputation. It might be nothing more than a fleeting interest. If we all go and he merely wanted a look at our faces, our family’s situation will become even worse than it is now.”
“You’re right, wife.”
Ma Teng closed his eyes and nodded. This invitation was, quite literally, a gamble. Success could reverse their entire fate. If things went well, they could become Yuan Shu’s guests, relocate the family, obtain better positions, and receive proper offices. The weight of a house that had produced the Four Generations of Three Dukes carried exactly that much influence.
Yet if it went poorly, even if they returned safely, their already tottering household would collapse completely. In the worst case… they would be marked by the greatest noble family of the Han. Then surviving in Xiliang would be the least of their worries; they would have to fear being branded as traitors and having their entire clan exterminated. The Yuan family possessed more than enough power to casually crush a powerless house like theirs.
“But cowering in fear will achieve nothing. This is the very opportunity I—and all the hidden talents of this land—have been desperately waiting for!”
Ma Teng was, after all, a man who would one day rise as a warlord of Xiliang and make his name known. A man like that possessed the courage to seize a single ray of hope and charge forward.
“We will go to Yuan Shu together. If he truly is the man the rumors describe, he will not harm us unduly. Besides, this is an invitation from a noble young master. We are going as honored guests. Even if things go sour, there is no need to worry, wife.”
Ma Teng smiled confidently.
“I am no weakling myself, and more importantly, I have a younger brother far more outstanding than I—one who can make his name resound across the Central Plains.”
“You’ve already made up your mind. Very well. I’ll prepare everything.”
“Haha. Tell Chao and the others to get ready. I must prepare a gift for the young master of the Yuan family and go persuade my brother.”
The man Ma Teng sought out was Pang De. A warrior who would one day slay Guo Yuan, a general under Yuan Shao, distinguish himself beneath Ma Chao, earn recognition from Cao Cao himself, and even cross blades with Guan Yu.
“…Understood. I will accompany you, elder brother.”
“Hahaha! Having you with me puts my mind completely at ease!”
And so the invitation sent by Yuan Shu not only hooked Ma Teng and his son Ma Chao, but also reeled in the fierce general Pang De as an unexpected bonus. With this magnificent catch, Ma Teng returned once more to Yuan Shu’s side.