"If you disregard the Imperial Edict, Father, you lose nothing. If you obey it, you can station troops in Guanzhong with full legitimacy. How could that scoundrel Han Sui compete with you for the Three Fu then? With the righteous cause granted by the Son of Heaven, all of Guanzhong will be yours for the taking."
Unlike Ma Chao, Pang De, standing nearby, saw beyond the surface and heard Ma Teng's underlying concern. He asked:
"General, are you worried that once the Son of Heaven escapes his predicament, you will end up like a bow put away once all the birds have been shot?"
As his words fell, the Central Army Camp Tent instantly went quiet.
The delight on Ma Chao's face vanished in an instant as well.
A bow put away once the birds were gone-the saying was far too frightening.
It would have been fine if Ma Teng had no past offenses, but his record was riddled with them.
He had plundered the Three Fu, attacked Chang'an, and even refused the Son of Heaven's mediation.
None of those deeds could truly be called the acts of a loyal subject.
Everyone remained silent for a long while, until a scout entered and reported, "General, after the imperial envoy left, he headed straight for Han Sui's camp."
"What!"
Ma Teng sprang to his feet upon hearing this, his face darkening abruptly into an ugly expression.
"The Son of Heaven actually wants to offer Han Sui amnesty as well!"
The expressions of Ma Chao, Ma Dai, Pang De, and the others all changed drastically.
During the Xingping era, Ma Teng and Han Sui had sworn brotherhood despite their different surnames. Later, Han Sui killed Ma Teng's wife and children, and the two became bitter enemies.
They had fought year after year