In the Three Kingdoms period, the opening scene features the killing of Huang Gai, shocking Zhou Yu!

Ma Teng had imagined a thousand ways for Ma Chao to die.

To die on the battlefield, wrapped in a horse's hide, that is glory.

To be captured and executed, or to die cursing—that is integrity.

Even if one dies on the way, it is fate.

I never thought of that.

He died because he didn't believe his father loved cooking.

He died because he didn't believe his father had really gotten fat.

"this……"

"That unfilial son!!"

Ma Teng grabbed the strong liquor from Xiliang that he had originally prepared for Ma Chao and smashed it on the ground.

"You're so stupid!"

"How stupid!"

"Is his brain filled with mush?! Is it a sheep's brain?!"

"So what if I love cooking?!"

"I've fought half my life, slept on grasslands for half my life, and drunk the northwest wind for half my life, can't I enjoy myself a little?!"

"Who says the ruler of Xiliang can't be a cook?"

"Who says heroes have to die on the battlefield?"

He cried as he pounded the table.

"Does he think I'm suffering?"

"I'm here drinking mutton soup, roasting lamb leg, listening to folk songs every day, and I even have to research recipes for that picky emperor!"

"He actually jumped off a cliff for this... for this worthless 'reputation'?"

Ma Teng was both crying and laughing.

When people are extremely sad, their logic collapses.

Sadness mixed with disbelief.

"Meng Qi!"

"My biggest dream in this life is to open a restaurant!"

Why won't you believe me!

"You died...unjustly!"

"You died too hastily!"

Ma Teng sat down on the ground again, holding Ma Chao's helmet.

Han Sui's eyes also reddened.

No matter what, Ma Chao is still his nephew.

But he still stepped forward and gently patted Ma Teng on the shoulder.

He handed Ma Teng a handkerchief.

"Brother Shoucheng, my condolences."

"Mengqi... is a filial son."

Han Sui's voice was choked with emotion.

"In his heart, you are a god, you are the sky of Xiliang."

"God cannot cook."

Ma Teng accepted the handkerchief offered by Han Sui.

I wiped my face haphazardly.

The light in his eyes

It slowly dimmed.

With the death of her son, half of her spirit and energy collapsed.

"That's enough!"

"That's enough!"

Ma Teng muttered to himself.

"That's fate."

"The Ma family... this fiery steed has finally fallen."

"Prime Minister."

Thank you.

"At least... you didn't lie to him."

"He's just unlucky to have had the chance to enjoy this hot meal."

Ma Teng turned around.

Walk to the oven.

He picked up the knife and cut off a piece of the best mutton.

That's a part that only the most distinguished guests can enjoy.

He carried the plate, walked up to Cao Cao, and bowed deeply.

"Prime Minister."

"Try it."

"This is the mutton that Meng Qi... never believed until his death."

Cao Cao took the plate.

This was probably the heaviest bowl of rice he had ever eaten in his life.

He picked up a piece of mutton and put it in his mouth.

It is truly a delicacy.

Chewing it in my mouth right now,

It's a bit hard to swallow.

It carried a bitter taste.

Cao Cao chewed for a long time before swallowing it forcefully.

"Good meat."

Cao Cao put down his chopsticks.

"This chain store."

"I'm going to play alone."

"Let's call it 'Kamui Rai'."

Cao Cao pointed to the lion helmet.

"That was his formidable reputation in Xiliang—the Divine Might Heavenly General."

"Leave something for Mengqi to remember him by."

Ma Teng was taken aback, and his eyes reddened again.

He didn't speak, but silently turned around.

He poured himself a glass of wine, facing northwest.

"My child, in the next life..."

Ma Teng choked up.

"If you're born into an ordinary family, your father will cook for you for the rest of his life."

……

……

Logically speaking...

A hero of Ma Chao's caliber,

The story after the jump off the cliff should be very tragic.

But reality is often more physical—he neither fell to his death nor drowned.

It turned into a frozen fish and washed ashore on the icy beach.

……

"Shh...shh..."

A scraping sound echoed across the empty riverbank.

When Ma Chao woke up

His armor was gone.

I feel myself moving.

With his back flat on the ground,

Accompanied by rhythmic bumps.

He opened his eyes groggily.

All I could see was heavy snow.

"Am I... in the underworld?"

"Why is the underworld so cold?"

He tried to move and found himself wrapped in a cowhide raft.

Only the head is exposed.

He struggled to turn his neck.

Finally, he could see clearly the person dragging him forward.

A thin figure,

Her hair was a complete mess, like a bird's nest.

There was still a clump of snow on top.

You can tell it's a woman.

From behind, he looked as thin as a reed.

Under normal circumstances,

A girl with that physique couldn't even lift Ma Chao's spear.

But it's still snowing now.

This girl is very smart.

He put Ma Chao on the sheepskin raft.

Reduce friction

Like dragging a dead dog... oh no, like dragging a sled.

They dragged along this war god of Xiliang.

Although it saves effort, the road conditions are poor.

"Bang!"

The raft struck a protruding rock.

Ma Chao jerked slightly.

"presumptuous……"

Ma Chao wanted to roar.

He wanted to project the image of a divine and mighty heavenly general.

Unfortunately, he couldn't make a sound at all.

The sound was barely louder than a mosquito's hum.

The girl in front heard the noise,

It stopped.

She turned around, revealing a dirty little face.

She is mute and cannot speak.

He simply made a gesture, but Ma Chao couldn't understand it.

Then he tightened the straw rope.

This is her prey.

Then, they continued to drag it out.

Ma Chao closed his eyes in despair.

who am I? where am I?

Why do I feel like a bundle of firewood waiting to be sold?

……

I don't know how long it was dragged on, it was already dark.

We arrived at the back of a sheltered earthen slope.

There is a dugout (a simple, semi-underground hut) here.

There was a tattered straw mat by the door.

Ma Chao was dragged into the den.

He casually tossed it into a corner.

Although it's not warm inside either.

But at least the biting cold wind was gone.

The mute girl busied herself.

A small fire was started.

The flame was pitifully small.

It's like I could stop breathing at any moment.

As things stand, this is already the highest level of treatment.

She set up a chipped earthenware pot.

I boiled a pot of snow water.

Ma Chao was lying in the corner.

My body gradually warmed up, and my senses slowly returned.

My first reaction upon regaining consciousness was—pain. My whole body ached.

My second reaction was—hunger.

"water……"

The mute girl heard the noise.

I scooped up a bowl of hot water, added some snow, and shook it.

Warm,

Come over here.

They roughly pried open Ma Chao's mouth and forced the contents down his throat.

Water enters the throat,

Ma Chao choked and coughed repeatedly.

They've finally come back to life.

Immediately afterwards, the mute girl untied a corner of the straw rope.

This allows Ma Chao to expose one of his hands.

He pulled a dark, indistinct object from his pocket.

It was stuffed into Ma Chao's hands.

It was a frozen, hard, dark-colored steamed bun.

It was mixed with something that I couldn't tell was either chaff or sand.

This is something even he would dislike feeding horses.

But at this moment, this is fate.

Ma Chao looked at the steamed bun.

The immense sense of loss was more devastating to him than the pain of his wounds.

"I, Ma Mengqi... am a nobleman from a family that has ruled for generations..."

While delivering a powerful monologue,

He tried to bring the steamed bun to his mouth.

Just as the steamed bun was about three inches from his mouth,

The movement stopped.

Those hands that countless girls from Xiliang once wanted to touch.

It is trembling violently.

Not because of excitement,

It is weakness.

Jumping from that height and falling like that, it's a miracle he didn't die.

The body's functions have reached their limit.

It just can't be brought to your mouth.

His hands simply wouldn't obey his commands.

"Clatter".

The steamed bun slipped from his hand again.

……