Chapter 2: The Ma Family Has a Daughter

The young girl blushed, lightly biting her silver teeth, and then coldly laughed, saying: "So, does that mean your Wei family is also a pack of lost dogs? You must know that Nanyang is currently under the control of Cao Wei, and you too have a home that is difficult to return to"

I am merely speaking the truth. The young girl shot a glance at Wei Wu, then turned her gaze back to Wei Ba's face: Moreover, if we are to speak of slander, it is you who have slandered my father first; I am merely returning the favor in kind.

It seems necessary to remind Father Wei Yan to keep a distance from the Ma family. The Ma family, starting from Ma Teng, has always been true traitors. Although Ma Dai is not as capable as Ma Chao, when it comes to the art of deception, Ma Chao might not even be able to hold a candle to him

Wei Ba felt somewhat guilty. Although he had read quite a few miscellaneous books, he had never actually read any ancient texts. The reason he knew this allusion was merely because those three characters had once caused quite a stir after being used by a scholar. He later found that book and read it once, which gave him a preliminary understanding of the most fundamental Confucian classic, the "Analects." This was also the only Confucian classic he had read in its entirety. His earlier boastful claim of being at her service at any time was because he had guessed that the young woman was from the Ma family. The Fufeng Ma family had produced the great Confucian Ma Rong, who was indeed the teacher of notable figures like Lu Zhi and Zheng Xuan. It is said that both Liu Bei and Gongsun Zan were his disciples. It would be quite embarrassing for someone from the Ma family not to understand this allusion. It seems she was also too shy to ask directly and would likely go back to consult books or seek advice from others. If he were to explain, he wouldn't be able to articulate it clearly either. It seems she was also too shy to ask directly and would likely go back to consult books or seek advice from others. If he were to explain, he wouldn't be able to articulate it clearly either

The young girl was embarrassed and angered by his ambiguous words, huffed softly, turned her head, and walked away, descending the slope amidst the crowd of fierce guards. In the distance, several warhorses were tethered; the girl mounted one, gave a light command, and the warhorse neighed proudly, galloping away with great strides.

Confucius? The young girl raised her delicate eyebrows slightly, showing some hesitation, and her sharp gaze wavered a bit. Without a moment's thought, Wei Ba continued with a smile: "Miss, if you do not believe me and think I am talking nonsense, you might as well go back and check the books. If you cannot find anything, then come back to the General's Mansion of the Northern Town, and I will be more than happy to provide you with an explanation."

Very crisp, very loud, very frivolous

Why is she feeling guilty? Wei Wu was still in the dark, his big eyes blinking as he watched Wei Ba act cute

Wei Ba smiled slightly: "Of course, it cannot be considered praise, but it is also not slander. In the past, even Confucius's wife was referred to as a stray dog. If I compare your father to Confucius, is that slander?"

Wei Ba rolled his eyes, turned around, and pretended to admire the scenery. Wei Wu, still oblivious, was happily contemplating which scholar to scold as a dog, enviously said to Wei Ba: "Brother, I now realize that you are not entirely without merit; at least among us brothers, you can be considered somewhat knowledgeable."

Wei Ba furrowed his brows, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he suddenly realized who this young girl was. He immediately felt a sense of relief, and the smile on his face grew even wider

Wei Wu was enraged. He stepped out from behind Wei Ba, pointed at the girl, and said sternly: "You insolent girl, you are not allowed to slander my father"

Wei Ba, realizing he had misspoken, awkwardly patted his forehead and said, "Oh dear, I feel a bit dizzy, a bit dizzy, I am about to faint, about to faint"

Wei Ba suddenly realized that in his previous life, he looked down on others who relied on their powerful parents, yet now he also had a very capable father with considerable strength, and... it actually felt quite good

Brother, who exactly is she? Just a moment ago, she was so aggressive, saying a few words and then turned to leave

Wei Ba gently pushed aside Wei Wu, took a step forward, and stood in front of Wei Wu. He forced a faint smile, pretending to appear calm. To demonstrate his fearlessness, he pursed his lips and whistled.

With a disdainful glance from the girl in white, Wei Ba suddenly felt a mix of anger and embarrassment. A man who has lived two lives, a true man, was actually frightened like this by a woman, which was truly shameful. As Wei Wu said, this is Hanzhong, and our Wei family is indeed the true local overlord. Since you dare to reveal your identity and know that I am the son of the General of the North, you are clearly not some wandering bandit, but rather a person of official standing. Since you are of official standing, why should I fear you?

Not only he, but even Wei Wu, who usually boasted of his bravery, instinctively reacted with caution. He warily observed the young woman in white, his left hand pressing against his lower back while his right hand reached towards his left side. This was the result of years of practicing with a sword, but unfortunately, he was not carrying one at the moment. As his hand grasped nothing, Wei Wu couldn't help but feel a bit flustered. However, upon seeing Wei Ba behind him, whose face was even paler than the young woman's attire, he gritted his teeth and summoned his courage to shout, "Who goes there? This is Hanzhong, and we are from the General's Office of the Northern Town."

The girl in white, initially displaying a look of disdain, was somewhat taken aback when she saw Wei Ba approaching. In her cold gaze, there was a hint of surprise. Just as she was about to speak, upon hearing Wei Ba's extremely rude whistle, she was instantly enraged, and her previously softened expression turned as frosty as ice.

The girl in white raised her eyebrows: "What, do you think a stray dog is still a compliment?"

"Hehe, you're pretending again, I don't believe you at all." Wei Wule couldn't contain his laughter, laughing so hard that his stomach hurt. "I'm going to tell Dad, he'll definitely beat you until your backside blooms."

Wei Ba remained unperturbed, letting out a light sigh: "It is precisely for this reason that we must cherish our time, striving to restore our homeland and return in glory one day, rather than engaging in verbal sparring here. Miss, I have matters to attend to, so I shall not accompany you in discussion. If you are inclined, I will be awaiting your esteemed presence at the residence of the General of the Northern Town."

Oh—" Wei Wu suddenly realized, let out a long sigh, and then asked: "No wonder she said you insulted her father; it turns out she is the daughter of Ma Chao. What exactly is the story behind the term 'the dog of a ruined family,' and how is it related to Confucius?"

Hehe! Wei Wu is not afraid of him. With a quick leap, he pointed at Wei Ba and laughed, "You are not my elder brother, so why should I be afraid of you? Besides, our father is still alive, so it’s not your place to discipline me. By saying that, are you wishing for our father’s death? Haha, you’re in trouble. I will go tell our father, you’re in trouble."

Ah, brother, just tell me a story," Wei Wu tugged at Wei Ba's sleeve, twisting his hips and acting like a rogue. He was strong, and Wei Ba truly could not pull away from him, stumbling as he was dragged along, and could only shout, "Let go, let go! If you let go, I will tell you.

Miss, are you not being a bit slanderous here

Wei Ba watched as the woman disappeared over the hillside and couldn't help but whistle. Although women in this era did not adhere to the later principles of the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, it was still quite rare to see one galloping on horseback, comparable to those in later times who flaunted themselves in tight leather outfits, riding Harley motorcycles through the streets.

This issue is quite complex. Wei Ba played a trick, diverting the conversation. Turning around a mountain corner, he gazed at the lonely Ma Chao's tomb in the distance, feeling inexplicably sentimental. Ma Chao died in Chengdu but was buried at Yangping Pass, probably because it is closest to Liangzhou, and he had lived in Hanzhong for a period of time. One of the Five Tiger Generals, the splendid Ma Chao, is so lonely in death; who could have imagined this? Ma Chao died in Chengdu but was buried at Yangping Pass, probably because it is closest to Liangzhou, and he had lived in Hanzhong for a period of time. One of the Five Tiger Generals, the splendid Ma Chao, is so lonely in death; who could have imagined this? However, thinking of Ma Chao, he also recalled Ma Dai, which left him feeling quite uncomfortable. According to the historical novel, it was this Ma Dai who later beheaded his father, Wei Yan, plunging the Wei family into an abyss. Although he knew that the novel is seven parts true and three parts false, and that the story of the undercover agent is rather far-fetched and not necessarily reliable, once it concerns his own interests, there is inevitably some resentment in his heart.

"Hey, are you praising me or mocking me?" Wei Ba, feeling embarrassed and angry, reached out to grab Wei Wu's ear, "You little rascal, do you not know that brothers should be friendly and respectful, and that an elder brother is like a father?"

This is purely an instinct, an instinct in the face of danger. The young woman resembles a drawn sword, exuding a fierce aura, her gaze sharp as a blade, piercing directly into the hearts of others. Coupled with the few attendants behind her, who are tense and menacing, in an instant, Wei Ba, who had just overcome himself and his fate, reverted to the true identity of an ordinary passerby, with only one thought left in his mind: to escape

Fufeng Maji? Wei Wu was momentarily taken aback, still not quite understanding: "Are you saying that she also has the surname Ma?"

"Wow, what a fine horse!" Wei Wu couldn't help but swallow his saliva in envy, which led Wei Ba to silently scorn him. This kid really hasn't matured yet; he only asks about the horse and not the rider. He sees the horse is good but fails to recognize that the person on the horse is even better.

Men should be charming, dressed in white; women should be charming, dressed in filial piety. A young woman emerged from behind the hillside, clad in white, with a beautiful appearance that was indeed pleasing to the eye. However, Wei Ba looked at her face, which, although still youthful, bore a gaze that conveyed a sense of weariness. The woman in white coldly regarded him, devoid of any hint of pleasure. He shivered, instinctively sitting up, his sore muscles tensing as if preparing to flee, as if facing not a young and beautiful woman, but a stunning young leopardess.

As a descendant of the Fufeng Ma family, not knowing the origin of the term 'lost dog' is not embarrassing enough

Wei Ba was at a loss for words, raising his hand to pat Wei Wu on the back of the head and saying, "Nonsense, she is here to pay respects to Ma Chao. Those Qiang guards behind her show such reverence for her; if she is not from the Ma family, who else could she be?"

So he is indeed a scoundrel. The young girl scoffed, "The General of the Northern Town truly knows how to raise his children"

"Alright, alright, please go ahead and tell me," Wei Wu chuckled, releasing Wei Ba and eagerly smoothing out his clothes. Wei Ba cleared his throat, adopting a scholarly demeanor, and began to recount the origin of this anecdote. Wei Wu listened with rapt attention, clapping his hands and laughing, "I understand now! It turns out that even Confucius, whom those scholars treat like their ancestor, was once insulted and called a dog. This is wonderful! From now on, if I see any scholar I dislike, I will also call him a dog. If anyone is not convinced, I will tell them to go read some books and improve their knowledge before speaking."

The girl in white glanced at them and let out a disdainful hum

In that fleeting moment, Wei Ba truly felt fear; had he not just run to the point of exhaustion, he might have already bolted out by now

"She is feeling guilty; what else can she do if she doesn't leave?" Wei Ba glanced at Wei Wu with a sense of pride, shrugging his shoulders, finally finding a bit of dignity as an older brother in front of this younger sibling. Over the past few days of running, this kid has helped him quite a bit, but he has also embarrassed him a lot. If it weren't for his current determination to overcome himself, he would have long been crushed by that foul mouth of his.