Chapter 130 - The Master’s Posture

Chapter 130: Chapter 124: The Master’s PostureThe disbanded army had no formation or discipline. Seeing Zhao Hanzhang closely pursuing them from behind, unable to shake her off, some started to bundle up their belongings and scatter in escape.

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t chase these stragglers, she stayed on the main force.

The leader, Qiao Cheng, was infuriated and decisively ordered some troops to stay behind to block Zhao Hanzhang, "You must hold her here for me."

Then he took the remaining men, along with the treasure and hostages, and fled first.

Seeing some of them stop ahead, turning with weapons aimed at her—yet in a loose formation—she sneered, drew her sword and said, "Charge through."

"Yes!"

The group accelerated and charged, killing their way through; those left behind barely exchanged a few moves with Zhao Hanzhang before being slaughtered.

As the group rushed past, Ji Ping glanced back and couldn’t help but remark, "Third Sister Zhao, cavalry sure has an advantage over infantry."

Zhao Hanzhang replied, "That’s why we need horses; we need enough cavalry."

"Let’s go, keep pursuing." Zhao Hanzhang caught up again slowly, and when Qiao Cheng saw that they had caught up once more, he almost broke down, "Why won’t they leave us alone? So many people only stalled them for such a short time."

His subordinate muttered, leaving only a few dozen men, infantry against hundreds of cavalry—wasn’t that like sending a melon to a knife?

Zhao Hanzhang saw a wisp of smoke rising ahead, smiled slightly, and urged her horse forward, "Yoo-hoo, charge—"

The soldiers were thrilled, crouching down and charging forward, and Qiao Cheng was startled. He grabbed a young girl and placed his knife across her neck, yelling, "Don’t come any closer, or I’ll kill her!"

Zhao Hanzhang drew her bow and shot an arrow that grazed his ear, hitting the subordinate behind him.

Without a glance, Zhao Hanzhang shouted, "Charge, kill them, and all this treasure is yours!"

She looked every bit like a female bandit.

Seeing that she didn’t care about the hostage’s fate, Qiao Cheng, knowing he couldn’t threaten her, tossed the girl toward her horse’s hooves and turned to flee.

Zhao Hanzhang pulled her horse to the side, caught the girl with a twist of her body, placed her on the front of her horse, and rode into a nearby grove to set her down, "Hide here and don’t run."

She turned her horse to charge back, when suddenly, a few hundred men appeared from the mountain forest ahead, directly cutting off their retreat.

The opposing forces clashed in a chaotic battle. The women who had been captured screamed shrilly, running around with their heads covered. The enemy had no time to capture them, only wanting to escape from these troops, thus leaving the women and the stolen riches behind.

Seeing defeat, Qiao Cheng slashed the reins of the horses pulling the carts, mounted a freed horse, and fled into the forest with a dozen bodyguards following him.

Zhao Hanzhang watched them flee but didn’t pursue. Instead, she called out to the chaotic soldiers still fighting, "Your general is gone; what are you still fighting for?"

The chaotic soldiers looked at each other, holding their swords, searched among themselves, and found that Qiao Cheng was indeed gone.

Zhao Hanzhang said, "Lay down your weapons, and your lives will be spared."

Without thinking, they immediately dropped their swords and knives—on such matters they were practiced; as long as they wouldn’t die, they could switch allegiances from one leader today to another tomorrow, whoever won would have their allegiance.

Scanning their expressions, Zhao Hanzhang waved for Ji Ping to come forward and tie them up together.

Fu Tinghan came down from the mountain and saw they had tied up over a hundred people and asked, "What are you going to do with them? There are men with lives on their hands among them."

"They’re already prisoners, I can’t just execute them," Zhao Hanzhang said. "Take them all back; the village needs people to repair roads, build bridges, and cultivate wasteland; we need people everywhere."

The troops also brought back the women who had scattered and fled.

Zhao Hanzhang slapped a soldier’s hand lightly, "Don’t you understand gentleness? These are ladies, not captives."

The soldier immediately bowed his head in apology, "Yes, my lady, I know my mistake."

Zhao Hanzhang took the woman’s hand and led her to the center, announcing to the frightened women, "Don’t be afraid, I am Third Sister of the Zhao Family; soon, I’ll send you back to the city, and you can return to your families."

She continued, "Those hiding in the forest, come out too; there are still bandits outside and wild beasts in the mountains. It’s not safe to stay inside there."

After a long while, there was finally movement in the forest as women who had hidden during the chaos slowly emerged.

The young girl Zhao Hanzhang had set down earlier also came out.

Zhao Hanzhang nodded at her with a smile, and after scanning her gaze around, asked, "May I ask who is the lady from County Magistrate Fan’s family?"

The young girl stepped forward cautiously and said quietly, "It’s me."

Zhao Hanzhang looked at her, "Are you Miss Fan?"

"Yes," the young girl curtsied, "I am Fan Ying, thank you, Third Sister Zhao, for saving my life."

Zhao Hanzhang reached out to help her up, "There’s no need for formalities. You can ride back with me later."

Ji Ping had already ordered the gathering of scattered gold and silver jewelry, and they had indeed looted quite a few valuables. The overturned carts had boxes filled with gold, silver items, pearls, and gems, as well as some apparently precious fabrics.

Ji Ping approached and asked, "Third Sister Zhao, how should we handle these treasures?"

Zhao Hanzhang glanced at him and said, "Do you need me to tell you how to handle spoils of war?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Ping immediately replied, "Yes, I will have them stored properly."

County Magistrate Fan died at the city gate, his body later found at the foot of the city wall; his eldest son lay not far from him, while his second son died in the county government. Lady Fan hanged herself, leaving only Fan Ying alive among the entire household.

Their bodies were recovered and laid in the courtyard of the county government; Zhao Hanzhang was worried Fan Ying might do something rash, so she had her sent back to Zhao’s Fortress.

Zhao Ju came in to report, "Third Sister Zhao, the chaos in the county city has been completely cleared. Outside, some people have gathered, all wanting to pay respects to Third Sister Zhao."

Zhao Hanzhang asked, "Have all the ladies we brought back left?"

"They’ve all left, according to your instructions, they’ve been allowed to leave on their own, without being followed."

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "Let them in. Also, gather up the valuables we brought back; don’t leave them lying around. We’ll take them with us later."

"Yes."

Zhao Hanzhang sat in the main hall of the county government. Soon, Zhao Ju led in a group of middle-aged and elderly men.

It seemed the heads of each household varied widely in age.

Zhao Hanzhang closed the booklet in her hand and looked at them.

The newcomers hadn’t expected Zhao Hanzhang to be sitting in the County Magistrate’s seat, and the head of the Zhao Family here was indeed a lady. They were stunned for a moment before bowing and greeting, "Greetings, Third Sister Zhao."

Zhao Hanzhang raised her hand, "No need for such courtesy, everyone, please sit."

Immediately, attendants brought in several cushions and mats, placing them casually on either side.

Zhao Hanzhang explained, "Earlier, there were corpses and blood everywhere here, and the mats and cushions were stained red. These were found in the county government storeroom, they’re rather crude, I hope you won’t mind."

Everyone quickly expressed they didn’t dare complain.