Should they take Ma Teng in for treatment?
In Bai Xiaowen's view, that depended on whether he could be cured.
If he could be cured, then they could naturally take him in—and squeeze the Western Liang Army for a little extra while they were at it.
If he could not be cured, it was better not to invite that trouble.
Guided by this line of thought, Bai Xiaowen neither agreed nor disagreed with Ma Dai's statement. He merely said, "I have already asked Daoist Master Langya Zi, a distinguished man of the Daoist Gate, to examine General Ma's injuries. If they are within his abilities, then for the sake of our shared status as high officials of the Han Empire, I will naturally ask Langya Zi to do his utmost to treat him. But if it cannot be done, you should seek another skilled physician."
After making his position clear, Bai Xiaowen had Dong Zhao arrange lodging for the envoys at the guesthouse.
Not long after the Western Liang Army's envoys departed, Chief Secretary Dong Zhao reported that Han Sui's daughter, Han Qi, wished to see him.
After unifying the north, Bai Xiaowen had not become like Cao Cao in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, whose gates ran deeper than the sea, where even a mere gatekeeper could slight visiting envoys.
Just two days earlier, Bai Xiaowen had beheaded three gatekeepers in a fit of rage for privately demanding bribes. He then selected new gatekeepers and decreed that they were not to judge people by appearance, attire, or official rank. Anyone who came to visit had to be reported to the inner residence, where Chief Secretary Dong Zhao would decide whether to receive them.
Details might not determine success or failure, but they could influence it.
In Romance of the