1. Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei went to Shu together. Ma Liang wrote to Zhuge Liang, saying that Luocheng (now Guanghan County, Sichuan Province) had been captured, and my brother wanted to make meritorious deeds and push forward. On this basis, people speculate that he and Zhuge Liang are brothers or related by blood. Zhuge Liang is old, so he calls Liang his brother.
Ma Liang was ordered to go to Wu Dong. He asked Zhuge Liang to write a recommendation letter to Sun Quan, and Zhuge Liang asked him to draft and sign it himself. The last two sentences hope that Sun Quan will "calm down and be patient to comfort his life". After reading the letter, Sun Quan respected him very much.
The two stories recorded in The Three Kingdoms, Shu Shu and ZhuGeLiangChuan can already explain the role and position of Ma Liang in Shu. In fact, one thing can better illustrate Zhuge Liang's feelings for Ma Liang. That is the story of "crying and beheading Ma Su" in the future. Zhuge was cautious all his life, preferring to waste rather than longitudinal in employing people. For example, he was very harsh and cautious about Wei Yan, but he made a major mistake on the Ma Su issue, probably because of his deep affection with his brother Ma Liang (who died six years ago).
In the first year of Zhangwu (AD 22 1), Liu Bei brazenly launched the "Yiling War" and attacked Wu Dong. Being familiar with the customs of four counties in southwest Jingzhou, Liu Bei sent him to Wuling to help Shu cut Wu, which was highly valued by Liu Bei. Later, in the battle of Yiling, Liu Bei was defeated and Ma Liang was killed at the age of 36.