20359

2023

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Ma Teng was a warlord in the late Eastern Han dynasty, featured in the historical novel *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*. He controlled Liang Province (涼州, present-day Gansu) in northwestern China.

Historically, Ma Teng maintained a somewhat ambiguous allegiance, sometimes siding with the Han court and sometimes acting independently. He initially allied with Han Sui, another warlord in the region, but their relationship eventually soured leading to conflict.

In the novel, Ma Teng is portrayed as a loyalist to the Han dynasty. He entered into a secret alliance with Liu Bei to assassinate Cao Cao. This plot, however, was discovered, and Ma Teng was lured to the capital, Xuchang.

Ultimately, Ma Teng was betrayed and executed by Cao Cao, along with his sons Ma Xiu and Ma Tie. His son, Ma Chao, then sought revenge against Cao Cao, leading an army to avenge his father's death.