coobybook Chapter 1189 Ma Chao Teaches His Son on the Training Ground
Chapter 1189 Ma Chao Teaches His Son on the Training Ground
On the drill ground of the Xiliang camp, the autumn wind whipped the banners, making them flutter loudly. Two groups of teenagers stood on opposite sides, about ten feet apart, clearly divided. Ma Yue, with Gan Xiang, Pan Hu, and other orphans of his personal guards from Jiangdong, stood ramrod straight, their eyes showing a hint of restraint, yet also a stubborn refusal to admit defeat. On the other side, Ma Xiang, Ma Guan, and Jiang Wei led the sons of generals, each with their necks stiffened, their eyes glancing across the other side every now and then, clearly declaring, "We fear no one."
On the stands beside the training ground, veteran generals like Pang De, Zhang Xiu, Xu Huang, and Dian Wei stood in a circle, watching the awkward antics of the youngsters and suppressing their laughter. Xu Huang, his arm still bandaged from an arrow wound, couldn't resist giving Ma Xiang's shin a light kick, deliberately putting on a stern face: "Kid, you have no manners. Do you respect the rules your father taught you?"
Ma Xiang was startled and quickly straightened his back, but secretly made a face at Xu Huang, which made the surrounding generals burst into laughter. Dian Wei crossed his arms and shouted gruffly, "Sit up! When the King comes, let's see who dares to slouch!"
The children were a little nervous about the scene, but none of them were willing to back down first, and they remained locked in a standoff across that invisible boundary.
Suddenly, a deafening cheer erupted from the camp gate, surging into the campus like a tidal wave—"The King has arrived!"
The soldiers instantly fell silent, turning to face the camp gate. Ma Chao, riding his prized "Snow-Treading" steed, his silver armor gleaming in the sunlight, followed by his personal guards, slowly entered the training ground. The soldiers on either side knelt in unison, the clanging of their armor plates shaking the ground, shouting in unison, "Greetings, King of Liang!"
The veteran generals in the stands bowed in salute. Pang De's iron sword clattered to the ground, and Zhang Xiu stroked his sword with a respectful expression. Seeing this, the two groups of children quickly knelt down as well, their childish voices mingling with the shouts of "Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Ma Chao dismounted, tossing the reins to his guards. With a whip in one hand and his other on the sword at his waist, his gaze swept across the field like a hawk's. He ignored the kneeling soldiers and the children, striding straight towards the high platform in the center of the training ground. His boots clattered firmly on the flagstones, each step seeming to weigh heavily on the hearts of everyone present.
Only after he sat down on the high platform did he slowly raise his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the still kneeling crowd, his voice as cold as ice: "Get up, all of you."
His words, though lacking in embellishment, carried an undeniable authority. The soldiers felt a chill; their smiles vanished instantly, replaced by solemn expressions—judging from the king's demeanor, he likely had something important to say, and it was certainly not something lighthearted.
The crowd on the drill ground slowly rose, but no one dared to look up; even their breathing became softer. The two groups of children also quietly stood up, glanced at each other, and quickly lowered their heads, not daring to make a sound. The autumn wind continued to blow, but it could not dispel the suddenly heavy atmosphere; even the fluttering of the banners seemed to have become cautious.
The air on the training ground was so heavy it seemed to drip water. Ma Xiang quietly nudged Ma Guan beside him with his elbow. The two exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of tension in each other's eyes. The root of the problem lay with Ma Xiang himself—that day at the martial arts training ground in the manor, he had seen Gan Xiang bowing as he handed water to Ma Yue, and a surge of resentment had suddenly welled up inside him. He couldn't help but mutter, "Those from Jiangdong know how to serve others," which Ma Yue overheard, and the two immediately started arguing.
The three of them, Ma Xiang, Ma Guan, and Jiang Wei, were all adopted sons of the King of Liang. They grew up in the Prince's Mansion in Chang'an, surrounded by the sons of generals like Pang De and Zhang Liao, or the children of Zhang Xiu and Dian Wei. Pang Hui's honesty, Zhang Hu's cleverness, Zhang Yi's composure, and Dian Man's bravery were all seasoned veterans of military life. When they gathered together, they would either compete to see who could shoot the farthest arrow or who could wield the spear the best. They always considered themselves "adopted sons of the King of Liang" and never suffered any hardship.
But everything changed the moment those children from Jiangdong entered the manor. Gan Xiang's composure, Pan Hu's quick wit, and the dozens of orphaned guards—each one, though not talkative, exuded a tenacity, and in everything they did, they subconsciously centered their actions around Ma Yue—they would hand things to Ma Yue first, wait for Ma Yue to speak, and even let Ma Yue choose the dining area first. That tacit understanding, like a thorn, made the "natives" of Chang'an very uncomfortable.
What frustrated them even more was the attitude of the people in the manor. When the servants saw Ma Yue, they always respectfully called him "Young Master"; when the teacher called Ma Yue's name, his tone was always a few degrees gentler than when he called them; even a stern old general like Pang De would ask Ma Yue, "Have you done your homework today?"
"Why should he?" Zhang Hu complained to Ma Xiang in private. "What's so great about Ma Yue? He's not necessarily older than us, but he's always so arrogant, acting like some kind of big brother!"
These words struck a chord with many children. Especially Ma Xiang and his two companions, who already bore the title of "adopted sons," and rumors began to circulate in the manor that Ma Yue was the biological son of the King of Liang and would surely be the heir to the Western Liang kingdom. These words, like tiny pebbles, were thrown into their hearts, stirring up unrest. They didn't say it aloud, but they couldn't help feeling uneasy—having grown up under the King's wing, was it because he wasn't his biological son that he would be inferior to others in the future?
Li Ru came to the manor that day to check on their studies. As he was leaving, he casually sighed, "Although you are adopted sons, you should act like elder brothers and not trouble the King." These were just ordinary words of advice, but Ma Guan, who was holding back his anger, misunderstood them. He immediately grabbed Ma Xiang and said he was going to "teach those boys from Jiangdong a lesson in manners." However, after a few words, they started pushing and shoving each other, and the matter was only resolved when it reached Dong Bai and Cai Wenji.
Standing on this solemn training ground, listening to the whistling of the banners in the wind, Ma Xiang suddenly felt a pang of regret. He secretly glanced at Ma Yue opposite him and saw that the boy was bowing his head, his exposed neck taut and straight, like a stubborn sapling. The resentment in his heart suddenly faded a little.
Pound watched all this from the stands and couldn't help but shake his head slightly. He patted Xu Huang's arm beside him and whispered, "They're just kids, all they're fighting for is a word of approval."
Xu Huang gazed at the scene, lost in thought: "The King of Liang brought them here today; I'm afraid he'll have a serious talk with them."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Ma Chao on the platform suddenly moved. He lightly tapped the table with his riding whip, producing a soft "thud" that instantly drowned out the sound of the wind in the training ground. All eyes turned to the platform.
On the high platform, Ma Chao's gaze, sharp as a torch, slowly swept across the training ground. When his eyes fell upon Ma Xiang, the boy felt as if a thousand-pound stone had been placed on his shoulders, and his previously stiff neck involuntarily lowered. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, but ultimately could not withstand that imposing aura. With a thud, he knelt on the ground, his voice hoarse with the characteristic huskiness of youth: "Father, please calm your anger... It was your ignorance that caused a rift with Ma Yue, making you angry. I will accept your punishment."
Upon seeing this, Ma Guan and Jiang Wei quickly knelt down as well, pleading guilty in unison.
Ma Chao didn't look at them. His gaze swept over all the children in the field. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the training ground: "I called you here today not to stand up for anyone, nor to judge who is right and who is wrong. In the end, you're just a bunch of kids, and it's normal for you to fight and make a fuss."
He paused, his gaze falling on Ma Xiang, his tone becoming sharper: "Even if you really beat Ma Yue up, I might still praise you for having a 'ruthless streak.' But your mistake was speaking recklessly—think about what you said that day, those 'all the people from Jiangdong are fatherless wild children,' could you really say such nonsense?"
“Look at them,” Ma Chao raised his hand, pointing to Gan Xiang, Pan Hu and others behind Ma Yue, his voice suddenly becoming heavy, “Which of these children wasn’t born of parents? Their fathers followed me to conquer Jiangdong back then, and to protect me, they all perished in foreign lands! These children have never seen their fathers since they were little, and some of their mothers have raised them alone through hardship!”
His gaze swept over the orphans of the guards. The children pursed their lips, their eyes involuntarily reddening: "You have been pampered by your parents since childhood. When you get into trouble, your fathers support you, and when you suffer injustice, your mothers comfort you. But what about them? They can only hold onto their mothers' clothes at night, watching them secretly wipe away tears, not daring to even say 'I miss my father' out loud!"
These words were like a dull knife, gently cutting into people's hearts. The children from Jiangdong could no longer hold back; tears rolled down their cheeks, dripping onto their clothes and leaving a small wet patch. Wu Niu wiped his face hard, but he couldn't stop the tears from flowing; Pan Hu bit his lip, his shoulders trembling slightly, but he stubbornly refused to cry out.
"What are you crying for!" Ma Yue suddenly turned his head and shouted at his companions behind him. His voice was trembling with tears, but it also revealed a stubbornness. "You're just making a fool of yourself in front of these young masters!"
His own eyes were also very red, but he stubbornly stared at Ma Xiang and the others, like a little beast that had been provoked.
The drill ground fell silent instantly, with only the sound of the wind rustling the banners. Ma Xiang knelt on the ground, his face flushing red and then turning pale. His earlier resentment had vanished, leaving only a heart full of guilt.
Pang De sighed softly from the stands and nudged Zhang Liao with his elbow: "The King of Liang has hit the nail on the head. The children aren't fighting over who's better or worse; they've forgotten the bonds of friendship they share."
Xu Huang nodded, looking at the children in tears in the arena, a complex mix of emotions and reminiscence flashing in his eyes.
Ma Chao slammed his hand on the table, his voice rising abruptly, filled with barely suppressed excitement: "You say they don't have a father? Have you forgotten that towering monument on Chang'an Avenue? Every name engraved on it is a true man of integrity!"
His eyes were bloodshot as he pointed at the silent children below the stage and shouted, "Wu Niu and Pan Hu!" The two children, sobbing, solemnly knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Yes!"
"His father's names are Wu Anguo and Pan Feng, which are on the stone tablet. Haven't I taken you to see them? Which of the names below corresponds to the fathers of these children?" Ma Chao said, his eyes bloodshot.
Before the words had even finished, the children below were already overwhelmed by this unprecedented aura. The children from Jiangdong clutched their clothes tightly, while the children from Chang'an hunched their shoulders, their faces pale, and none dared to raise their heads. Someone suddenly knelt down with a thud, and then, with a rustling sound, all the children were kneeling on the ground, not daring to even breathe, leaving only the suppressed breathing echoing in the empty schoolyard.
Looking at the scene before him, Ma Chao's chest heaved violently. His earlier excitement gradually subsided into deep sorrow, and his voice became hoarse: "These names are memories earned with lives. You may not remember their stories, but at least... don't belittle the fact that they share the same blood."