As night fell, the camp was brightly lit, and Ma Chao and Lü Bu stood facing each other once more. Determination and resolve shone in their eyes, and a fierce night battle was about to begin.
Lü Bu carried a heavy burden in his heart; Ding Yuan had sternly pressured him to win before the battle, which made him feel immense pressure. But at this moment, he had no time to consider much; his eyes were fixed only on the formidable enemy, Ma Chao. He spurred his horse, urging his warhorse to charge towards Ma Chao like a gust of wind, his Fangtian Halberd in hand, striking down with a fierce momentum, as if to tear the night apart. Seeing this, Ma Chao did not retreat, raising his spear to meet it. The spear tip instantly met the Halberd, erupting in a dazzling shower of sparks.
The two engaged in a thrilling and intense battle on horseback. Lü Bu's Halberd swung impenetrably, each strike containing immense power, accompanied by the whistling of the wind. Ma Chao's long spear also danced like a nimble snake, thrusting or parrying, with exquisite and peerless moves. Their mounts also galloped and neighed in this fierce battle, their hooves echoing through the night sky.
The two went back and forth, fighting from dusk till midnight, a difficult and inseparable struggle. The night battle was in full swing, and Lü Bu and Ma Chao had been fighting for a long time. Lü Bu's warhorse, after a long period of strenuous galloping and fierce engagement, gradually ran out of stamina. Suddenly, the warhorse let out a heavy gasp, its front hooves suddenly buckled, and its entire body involuntarily tilted, unable to support itself any longer, throwing Lü Bu to the ground. Lü Bu scrambled to his feet, feeling annoyed, but helpless that his warhorse had reached its limit.
And just as Lü Bu fell from his horse, Ma Chao, seeing this situation, felt a surge of chivalry. He decided to dismount and fight Lü Bu fairly on foot. He lightly patted his horse's neck and dismounted. At this moment, Ma Chao's mount, Aurora, seemed extremely displeased with its master's decision. It snorted, constantly shaking its head, and its hooves impatiently pawed the ground, as if protesting its master giving up his advantage. Its bright eyes seemed to reveal a sense of unwillingness and confusion, but Ma Chao's mind was made up. He merely gently stroked its head, then, holding his long spear, he resolutely strode towards Lü Bu, preparing for the even more brutal foot battle that was to come. On this flickering battlefield, the figures of the man and his horse were particularly striking.
As the battle grew more intense, Ma Chao's helmet was knocked off by Lü Bu, and Ma Chao also snapped off one of the pheasant tail feathers fluttering on Lü Bu's head. Ma Chao tore Lü Bu's cape, while Ma Chao's cape was cut in half by Lü Bu. The brocade robes on both of them were poked with several holes by the opponent's weapons. Although both generals were able to dodge agilely at critical moments, they inevitably sustained some minor scrapes.
Finally, both sides were exhausted from fighting and were pulled back by soldiers from their respective armies, bringing a temporary end to this thrilling night battle. The two returned to their camps under the escort of soldiers, both feeling even greater admiration for each other's martial arts, and secretly vowing to determine a winner next time.
After Ma Chao was brought back, Dong Zhuo was incredibly distressed and immediately called for a medical officer to check Ma Chao's injuries. Even after learning that Ma Chao was only exhausted and drained, Dong Zhuo remained uneasy, repeatedly ordering people to frantically brew medicinal soups and tonics for Ma Chao, and even specially summoned Imperial Maid Cai'e from the palace to diligently serve Ma Chao. Ma Chao said he was fine, but Dong Zhuo still blamed him for not taking care of his body.
Meanwhile, when Lü Bu was brought back, in the solemn main tent, Ding Yuan angrily rebuked Lü Bu in front of all the generals, shouting, "You usually claim to be unparalleled in bravery, yet now, after three battles, you still cannot defeat that Ma Chao. Last time, I already said that if you couldn't win, you would be dealt with by military law. Guards, tie him up!" Lü Bu was already exhausted and filled with indignation and grief, but he had no strength to struggle at this moment. He could only be tragically tied with his hands and forced to kneel on the ground by the soldiers, his heart full of humiliation.
Seeing this situation, the generals all pleaded for Lü Bu. Ding Yuan, however, was overcome by a scholar's petulance at this moment. His face flushed crimson, his brows furrowed tightly, and his eyes were full of anger. His refined face now appeared somewhat distorted as he shouted, "He looks so mighty on ordinary days, but why is he so useless now! He can't even defeat a Ma Chao!" He gasped for breath, his voice trembling with rage, "Last time, I clearly said that if he couldn't win, he would be dealt with by military law. Are you all ignoring me!" With that, he ordered his attendants to tie Lü Bu up. Zhang Liao and Gao Shun, seeing Lü Bu about to be forced down by the soldiers, immediately pushed the soldiers away with great effort and shielded Lü Bu behind them. Ding Yuan became even more furious, shouting, "Are you trying to rebel! A bunch of martial artists, truly useless! For now, I will record this military law, but if you dare to not give your all next time, I will have all of you dragged out and executed!" For a moment, all the generals in the hall felt extreme despair, looking at Ding Yuan's angry appearance, their hearts filled with helplessness and sorrow.
After Ma Chao rested, Dong Zhuo summoned Li Ru for a discussion. Dong Zhuo paced back and forth in the tent, his brows slightly furrowed, and he said with a worried expression, "This Lü Bu is indeed incredibly brave. Mengqi is so formidable, and they have fought several battles without a clear victor. I truly do not want them to continue fighting. If anything were to happen to Mengqi, I truly wouldn't know how to forgive myself, and how would I explain it to A'bai?" Li Ru sat to the side, stroking his chin, his eyes slightly narrowed in thought for a moment, then he said to Dong Zhuo, "Dong Gong, I observed Lü Bu closely today." Dong Zhuo stopped walking and looked at Li Ru, saying, "This man's martial arts are superb, and I also greatly admire him, but what does this have to do with the current matter?" Li Ru continued, "Dong Gong, your observation is not detailed enough. Lü Bu seemed to have something on his mind in his last two appearances. From his expression and state, his mindset was not peaceful. And observing his attire and the condition of his horse in his last two battles, it seems he hasn't received the same level of importance as you show towards Mengqi. There's a lot that can be done here." Dong Zhuo's eyes lit up, and he immediately became interested, quickly walking closer to Li Ru and eagerly asking Li Ru to elaborate. Li Ru cleared his throat and slowly said, "Dong Gong, think about it. If a general fights desperately on the battlefield, and returns not in defeat, he would certainly be treated with all kinds of courtesy, and his expression would surely be radiant. Look at Lü Bu. His first battle was due to his horse's disadvantage, but in the second battle, although his horse had been replaced, there was no improvement. In the third battle, he even seemed subtly anxious, clearly feeling anxiety and irritation internally. Furthermore, although Ding Jianyáng is a great general, he essentially still has the temperament of a scholar. He has never been very close to his subordinate generals, and it has long been rumored that Lü Bu is famous for his bravery in his camp, yet his position under him is only Chief Clerk. This shows that Ding Yuan has not shown much courtesy to Lü Bu." Dong Zhuo listened, nodding frequently, a thoughtful expression gradually appearing on his face.
Li Ru then continued unhurriedly, "Lü Bu and Mengqi can be said to be evenly matched in strength. However, in these three consecutive battles, his horse has been in poor condition. In my opinion, Lü Bu will certainly develop a very special obsession with horses. And Dong Gong, you possess the treasured horse Red Hare. We might as well find an eloquent person to go and present the horse, and take the opportunity to sow discord between the two of them." Dong Zhuo said thoughtfully, "Oh? What's so difficult about that? If giving away Red Hare can make Lü Bu come and surrender, then I would be willing to give him two Red Hares, three Red Hares. It's just, who do you think would be a suitable candidate?" Li Ru pondered for a moment before replying, "Dong Gong, Li Su, who is under your command, is originally from the same hometown as Lü Bu. Li Su is actually just a mediocre talent. Dong Gong, you can promote him exceptionally. Think about it, Lü Bu, such a heroic figure, is only relegated to a position like Chief Clerk, while a mediocre talent like Li Su can hold a high position. This will, on one hand, demonstrate your magnanimity, Dong Gong, and on the other hand, it will further exacerbate the conflict between Lü Bu and Ding Yuan, highlighting Ding Yuan's inability to value talent and his incompetence in employing people. Then, have Li Su stir up more trouble. I believe such a scheme of discord will certainly yield significant results." After hearing this, Dong Zhuo carefully considered it and felt that this plan had great feasibility, so he instructed Li Ru to quickly go and implement this matter as soon as possible.
