Chapter 271: Ranking the Three Kingdoms' Top Ten Military Powers, Seventh Place: Ma Chao

Ranking the Three Kingdoms' Top Ten Military Powers, Seventh Place: Ma Chao.

Period: Late Eastern Han to Shu Han era.

Font style: Meng Qi.

Lifespan: AD 176 – AD 222.

Native place: Fufeng Maoling (present‑day Xingping, Shaanxi).

Identity: Descendant of General Ma Yuan, the Wave‑Breaking General; warlord of Western Liang; Piaoji General of Shu Han; one of the Five Tiger Generals.

Titles: Divine‑Might Celestial General, Brocade Ma Chao, Western Liang Brocade Ma Chao, formerly likened to Lu Bu.

On the left side of the plaque, light and shadow coalesce into the image of a peerless young general whose face is like coronet jade, eyes bright as stars, eyebrows sharp as swords, clad in a suit of silver fish‑scale armor, astride a white dragon horse, and holding in his hand a radiant silver spear with five hooks.

His face is like coronet jade, yet his brows carry an innate, even slightly scornful, arrogance and murderous aura.

The background shows the endless yellow‑sand Gobi of Western Liang, and behind him the dark, wolf‑like and tiger‑like iron cavalry of Western Liang.

On the golden scroll of the heavens, a poem slowly appears:

"Silken robes, white horse, northern wind soaring; lion's roar at Tongguan, daring spirit high."

"Spear dances like a silver serpent, startling the veteran; horse gallops like red lightning, shattering the sturdy wall."

"At Wei Bridge, fierce battle makes Cao Gong tremble; Jia Meng fights drunkenly, while Yi De (Zhang Fei) is occupied."

"Righteous valor and loyal heart illuminate the sun and moon; the fine gentlemen of Western Liang spread their elegant fame."

Emperors of all dynasties praise it, saying: "Fine poem."

The voice of Heaven resounds across the ten thousand realms again, and the scene unfolds: a desolate, vast northwestern land.

Ma Chao, a native of Fufeng Maoling.

His ancestor was the renowned Wave‑Breaking General Ma Yuan of the Eastern Han.

His father, Ma Teng, stood eight chi tall, known as "the father of the brocade Ma Chao of Western Liang," and was a top warlord who held sway over Liangzhou.

Ma Chao trained in martial arts with his father from childhood, and also received guidance from a famed Western Liang martial‑arts master; his Western Liang spear technique is peerlessly fierce, and his horsemanship surpasses all.

In his youth, he was famed in Longyou for his bravery, called "Robust and Courageous."

In the scene, the young Ma Chao sweats profusely in the camp, his silver spear moving like a flood‑tide dragon.

His father Ma Teng, standing nearby, twitches his mustache and nods, his eyes full of pride.

In his early years he rose spectacularly, his might shaking Western Liang.

In the first year of the Jian'an era, Ma Chao went on campaign with his father and fought Yan Xing, a subordinate of Han Sui.

Yan Xing was also a fierce Western Liang general; the two fought a prolonged, intense battle.

Ma Chao broke Yan Xing's long spear with his bare hands, becoming famous in a single battle, his fame shaking Western Liang.

In the scene, Ma Chao battles an enemy commander; with a single deft move he snaps the opponent's finely forged iron spear cleanly in half! Yan Xing is shocked, turns pale, and retreats in defeat.

In the seventh year of the Jian'an era, Cao Cao ordered Zhong Yao to lead a western expedition; Ma Chao was appointed by the court and led troops to assist.

In the Battle of Pingyang, Ma Chao joined forces with Pang De, slaying Guo Yuan, a subordinate of Yuan Shang, and forced the Southern Xiongnu Chanyu to surrender, gaining fame throughout Guanzhong.

Cao Cao repeatedly summoned Ma Chao to serve at court, but he politely declined each time, showing his ambition to rule his own domain.

In the scene, Ma Chao in silver armor on a white horse, among ten thousand troops, thrusts his spear to flip the enemy commander Guo Yuan, exuding awe‑inspiring majesty.

Cao Cao, hearing the battle report from the rear, could not help but sigh, "If the horse lives, I have no burial ground."

Rising in rebellion against Cao Cao, the Wei River is shaken.

In the sixteenth year of the Jian'an era, Cao Cao intended to annex Liangzhou.

Ma Chao, to safeguard Western Liang's foundation, allied with Han Sui and other Guanzhong lords, gathered a hundred thousand troops and rose in revolt against Cao Cao.

At Tongguan the forces faced off; Ma Chao led the Western Liang iron cavalry, holding Tongguan to the death.

Cao Cao's massive army attacked for a long time without success; faced with Ma Chao's bravery and the elite Western Liang troops, Cao Cao could not help but sigh:

"If the horse lives, I have no burial ground!"

In the image displayed on the heavenly scroll,

Below Tongguan City, Cao Cao's army loomed like a black cloud over the city; atop the walls, Ma Chao in silver armor on a white horse, spear horizontal, stands majestically, his Western Liang troops behind him, each fierce and unafraid of death.

The Battle of Wei River, Cao Cao pretended to cross the river but actually retreated.

Ma Chao had already calculated; he personally led ten thousand Western Liang iron cavalry, striking the Cao forces like a raging storm.

Cao's army suffered a crushing defeat, arrows rained down amid the chaos.

Ma Chao spurred his horse to pursue Cao Cao relentlessly, shouting:

"The one with the long beard is Cao Cao!"

"The one in the red robe is Cao Cao!"

Cao Cao, helpless, cut off his beard and tore off his red robe, fleeing in a ragged state, mingling with the chaotic troops to survive.

The heavenly scroll then shows the scene of that time:

By the Wei River, Cao's army was in disarray.

Cao Cao, escorted by his personal guards, crossed the river in a disheveled scramble.

Ma Chao on a white horse with a silver spear, like a deity descending, raced along the bank in swift pursuit.

Cao Cao, terrified, turned pale, cut off his own beard, removed the conspicuous red robe and tossed it ashore, only then salvaging his life.

This scene became one of the most humiliating moments in Cao Cao's life.

Fortunately, Xu Chu, clad only in his bare skin, fought Ma Chao and staunchly blocked the pursuing troops, and Ding Fei released cattle and horses to lure the Western Liang army into a scramble; only then did Cao Cao narrowly escape.

After the battle, Cao Cao, still shaken, sighed again: "If the horse lives, I have no burial ground!"

In the scene, Xu Chu and Ma Chao, one bare‑chested like an iron tower, the other in silver armor like a deity, clash hundred‑fold on the banks of the Wei River, fighting so fiercely that day and night lose their light.

Defeated and on the run, a lone and bereft man.

Cao Cao employed Jia Xu's stratagem to sow discord between Ma Chao and Han Sui. Ma Chao fell for the trap, fell out with Han Sui, and the allied forces suffered a crushing defeat.

Ma Chao had no choice but to retreat to Liangzhou, continuing to contend with Cao Cao.

Later, the Inspector of Liangzhou, Wei Kang, opened the gates to surrender, but Ma Chao angrily killed him, a move that lost him much popular support.

Yang Fu and others took the opportunity to rebel; Ma Chao's wife, Lady Dong, and his eldest son, Ma Qiu, were both killed.

Ma Chao had no way out, so he went south to seek refuge with Zhang Lu in Hanzhong.】

The picture's color tone turned dim and gray.

Ma Chao fought alone in Liangzhou, but eventually the city fell; he escaped alone, looked back at that city filled with bloodshed and betrayal, his eyes full of despair and hatred.

【Zhang Lu feared Ma Chao's valor, and, listening to slander, sought to harm him.

Ma Chao had no way forward or back; upon hearing that Liu Bei had entered Shu, he secretly wrote a letter to surrender.】

In the picture, Ma Chao in Hanzhong was constantly suspected; he could not sleep at night, often dreaming of his family's tragic death, waking to find his bedding soaked.

【His might shook Chengdu, and he was listed among the Five Tigers.】

【In the nineteenth year of Jian'an, Ma Chao led his troops straight to Chengdu.

Liu Zhang heard that the Heavenly General of Divine Might, Ma Chao, had arrived at the city walls; thinking of Ma Chao's fearsome reputation at Tongguan, where he forced Cao Cao to cut his beard and discard his robe, he was terrified and surrendered without a fight.

Liu Bei took Yizhou without bloodshed.】

In the picture, outside Chengdu, Ma Chao in silver armor on a white horse, with the Xiliang Iron Cavalry lined up behind him like a forest.

On the city wall, Liu Zhang, ashen-faced, trembled as he ordered the gates opened to surrender.

【Liu Bei advanced to King of Hanzhong, enfeoffed Ma Chao as Left General, and placed him among the Upper Generals of the Five Tigers.

Later Liu Bei proclaimed himself emperor, then transferred him to Piaoji General, appointed him Governor of Liangzhou, and ennobled him as Marquis of Xiang.】

Ma Chao defended the northwestern border of Shu Han; hearing his name, the Qiang and Hu tribes dared not invade.】

In the picture, Ma Chao in Shu Han held the highest rank among subjects, yet his face always bore a trace of unshakeable melancholy and loneliness.

【A tragic end, with a dying entreaty.】

【Ma Chao's life, having risen in rebellion against Cao, saw his father Ma Teng and over two hundred clan members exterminated to the third degree by Cao Cao.

In his later years he often felt worry and dread; whenever he thought of his family's blood feud, he beat his chest and stamped his feet.

In the year 222 CE, Ma Chao fell gravely ill; on his deathbed he memorialized Liu Bei, entrusting his cousin Ma Dai to Liu Bei.

A generation's Heavenly General of Divine Might, in solitude and regret, ended his life at only forty-seven years old.】

Finally, the picture shows a sickroom with a lamp like a bean; Ma Chao's emaciated hand tightly grips Liu Bei's sleeve, tears glimmering in his eyes before finally falling limp.

Outside the window, the cold moonlight of Shu Han.

【Reason for ranking: Xiliang Brocade Ma Chao, having the reputation of "formerly comparable to Lü Bu".】

His valor caused Cao Cao to cut his beard and discard his robe, in utter disarray, eliciting the timeless lament, "If the horse does not die, I have no place to bury myself."

His prestige could shatter the courage of Chengdu, causing strongholds to surrender without battle.

Although he had courage but lacked strategy in the Zhongping era, and regretted his lonely later years, his martial prowess was strong enough to place him in the top echelon of Three Kingdoms combat power.

Ranked seventh, truly deserved!】

The voice of Heaven faded, and the picture froze on Ma Chao's silver-armored white horse, his mighty posture that shook Xiliang.

Before the hall of Weiyang Palace, the atmosphere was heated.

Huo Qubing stared, eyes wide, and couldn't help slapping his thigh: "Good! Well done! This Ma Chao, he's got guts!"

"Being able to chase that old fox Cao Cao until he cut his beard and tossed his robe, looking so disheveled—this boldness, this skill, is superb!"

He considered himself brave, but usually just led troops in charges; seeing someone like Ma Chao, a lone rider, terrify an enemy commander into cutting his beard and discarding his robe was a first for him, and he admired it greatly.

Li Guang also nodded repeatedly: "Heavenly General of Divine Might… the name is not in vain."

"With the Xiliang Iron Cavalry matched to such a commander, it's no wonder they could make Cao Cao abandon his helmet and armor."

Wei Qing, however, saw deeper, frowning: "What a pity—brave he may be, but extreme brittleness makes him prone to break."

"Having fallen for Cao Cao's scheme of discord, he lost Liangzhou, then killed those who had surrendered, losing his heart, and ended up a lonely widower. For a commander, mere bravery is not enough."

Liu Che also felt a myriad of emotions: "Cutting the beard and discarding the robe… hah, Cao Cao has his day too!"