Ma Tie 馬鐵

In Chapter 57 of the Romance, Cao Cao, discussing a southern campaign with his advisers, worries that if he goes on a distant campaign Ma Teng may come and raid Xudu. Xun You proposes issuing an edict making Ma Teng General Who Conquers the South and ordering him to attack Sun Quan, luring him into the capital and getting rid of him first. That same day Cao Cao sends a man with the edict to Xiliang to summon Ma Teng, and Ma Teng, after consulting his eldest son Ma Chao, decides to take the summons as an opportunity and go to the capital. Romance, Ch. 57 §38–41

Ma Teng's elder brother's son Ma Dai remonstrates, fearing that he will come to harm, and Ma Chao says he will raise all the troops of Xiliang and go with him. Ma Teng tells Ma Chao to guard Xiliang with the strong troops, and says he will have only his younger sons Ma Xiu and Ma Tie and his nephew Ma Dai go with him. His thinking is that Cao Cao, seeing that Ma Chao is in Xiliang and that Han Sui is helping him as well, will not dare to harm him. Romance, Ch. 57 §42

Ma Teng leads five thousand troops of Xiliang, first making Ma Xiu and Ma Tie the vanguard and leaving Ma Dai behind in support, and stations his men and horses 20 li from Xuchang. Huang Kui, the Attendant Gentleman of the Gate sent by Cao Cao, opens his heart to Ma Teng and proposes killing Cao Cao when he comes out of the city to review the troops. But Huang Kui's concubine Li Chunxiang tells this to Miao Ze, Huang Kui's brother-in-law, with whom she has been carrying on an affair, and Miao Ze informs Cao Cao. Romance, Ch. 57 §44 · 46–48

The next day, as Ma Teng leads the men and horses of Xiliang close to the city, bows and crossbows are loosed all at once from where the red flags bearing the Chancellor's banner part, and Cao Hong comes out at the head. Xu Chu strikes from the left and Xiahou Yuan from the right, while Xu Huang attacks from the rear, cutting off the men and horses of Xiliang and surrounding Ma Teng and his sons, the three of them, in the very center. Ma Tie is killed early on by a hail of arrows, and Ma Xiu, charging this way and that alongside Ma Teng, is captured with him and put to death together with Ma Teng and Huang Kui. Cao Cao calls in the men and horses of Xiliang and reassures them that it was Ma Teng and his sons who rebelled and that it has nothing to do with them. Romance, Ch. 57 §49–52 · 56