Chen Gong and Yang Xiu acknowledged the order and withdrew.
After making all these arrangements, Liu Xie turned around again, pulled off the cloak behind him to wipe the blood from Gao Lan, and said with feeling, "General Gao, thank you for your hard work!"
Gao Lan was already moved beyond measure. The Son of Heaven was wiping a subject's blood with his own cloak-what an honor that was!
Hearing Liu Xie's words, he said, his eyes reddening, "For Your Majesty, I would die without regret!"
Liu Xie helped him to his feet, then said to Yuan Xi and the others, "My beloved subjects, thank you all for your hard work. Every one of you deserves credit for preserving Chang'an!"
"Without you, Chang'an might already have been massacred by that villain Ma Chao, and the people within would have been plunged into misery."
Ma Teng said with a face full of shame, "All of this was caused by that wicked beast. As the saying goes, a son's failings are his father's fault. With such a disgrace coming from my family, I cannot escape blame either. I dare not claim any credit and ask Your Majesty to punish me."
Although he had long since drawn a clear line between himself and Ma Chao and firmly declared his position, blood ties could not simply be severed at a word.
He sought no reward, only that Ma Chao's crimes would not implicate the Ma Family.
Liu Xie heard the worry and fear in Ma Teng's words and reassured him, "You speak too gravely, old General Ma. Am I someone who cannot distinguish right from wrong, black from white?"
"Like Xianyi, you are a hero who placed righteousness above family. I can tell the difference."
With Yuan Xi's precedent already established.
This matter was