Chapter 397 - Two People Kill One
Chapter 397 of "After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times" opens with: Gou Xi finally had the time to listen to reports from various places, and learned... Find out what happens!
Gou Xi finally had the time to listen to reports from various places, and learned that this time the Zhao Family Army had taken quite a number of prisoners from the riverside, which made him frown involuntarily, "Zhao Hanzhang is not someone who doesnât know discretion. We are the main force; why would she compete with us for the remnants by the river?"The enemy troops in the river were basically defeated by him.
Ming Yu glanced at Gou Chun standing nearby and said with his head lowered, "General, today General Zhao was almost killed by a hidden arrow. In the end, it was Fu Tinghan who was seriously injured, and now his life is uncertain."
Gou Xi casually said, "Knives and arrows are blind; isnât injury and death on the battlefield normal?"
After a pause, he then reacted, frowned, and looked at Ming Yu, "What does Mr. Ming mean?"
Ming Yu, with a solemn expression, said, "At the time of the attack on the camp, the Zhao Family Army had already taken over most of the tents. They were the ones who drove Prince East Sea out of the camp. The person who shot the hidden arrow was on horseback, carrying a short bow, and managed to mix in during the Zhao Family Armyâs charge."
Gou Xi thought for a moment, then turned to look at Gou Chun, his gaze cold and hard, "Gou Chun, was this your doing?"
Gou Chun pursed his lips and said, "Brother, Zhao Hanzhangâs ambition is too grand, and sheâs unruly. Letting her grow unchecked, Iâm afraid she would become the next..."
After glancing at Gou Xi, Gou Chun changed his words, "The next Prince East Sea."
Gou Xiâs face turned dark, as he understood Gou Chunâs implication: that he believed the Prince East Sea was going to fail and Gou Xi would be the first in Great Jin, but Zhao Hanzhang might turn into the next him.
Gou Chun said, "Itâs better to stifle her now while her wings arenât fully grown."
Gou Xi, angry, grabbed a cup on the table and threw it at him, directly hitting his body, "Fool!"
Gou Chun didnât dare to dodge and stood there, getting hit.
"Do you think Zhao Hanzhang is an idiot? You think she canât deduce it was you just because you let people change their military uniforms?" Gou Xi gritted his teeth, "She might really be convinced it was me now!"
"By abandoning allies on the battlefield, who will ever trust you in the future?" Gou Xi glared at him fiercely, "If word gets out, people wonât think it was you, but that I, Gou Xi, acted faithlessly and broke alliances!"
"Brother, she broke the alliance too; she secretly mobilized troops and left..." Gou Chunâs voice dwindled under Gou Xiâs increasingly cold gaze, and he said no more.
Gou Xi suppressed the anger in his chest, lowered his eyes to think, and asked Yan Heng and Ming Yu, "What do you gentlemen think I should do to win her back?"
Yan Heng thought for a moment and said, "Kill Gou Chun, and offer his head to make amends to General Zhao."
Upon hearing this, Gou Chun turned to glare at him angrily, "You traitor, how dare you propose such a venomous plan to my brother!"
Gou Xiâs lips trembled and he also said, "No way!"
He added, "Although Zhao Hanzhang indeed has ability, itâs not worth exchanging my brotherâs life for it."
Yan Heng sounded disappointed and said, "General is accustomed to valuing promises, yet Gou Chunâs actions have placed General in an irreputable position; can it go unpunished?"
After a moment of silence, Ming Yu said, "You can have Gou Chun pressed to go apologize, and also invite renowned doctors for Fu Tinghan; even if the enmity between Zhao Hanzhang and Gou Chun cannot be dissolved, it could resolve the misunderstanding between the general and her. Given her generosity, she should not bear a grudge against the general."
Gou Xi pondered.
Zhao Hanzhang was also waiting, waiting for Gou Xiâs reaction.
With his dominance and capability, Gou Chunâs actions could not be hidden from him.
She was also waiting for his reaction so that she could respond accordingly.
But what Zhao Hanzhang didnât expect was that Gou Xiâs reaction was no reaction.
Even until the next day, when the battlefield was cleaned up and Gou Xi had already sent people to pursue Prince East Sea, preparing to lead troops to Luoyang, she hadnât received any response from him.
Looking at the morning light emerging on the horizon, Zhao Hanzhang sighed deeply. Gou Xi had ultimately become the version of himself he once despised most.
Yet she only sighed for a moment before quickly revitalizing and calling Wang Nai and Xie Shi, "After breakfast, lead the captives back to Xuchang first."
Fearing sheâd go to confront Gou Xi, Wang Nai asked, "And you, Inspector?"
Zhao Hanzhang glanced at him and said, "Iâll cover the rear."
Wang Nai hesitated and said, "The people weâre leading are disorderly, so Iâm afraid itâs difficult to take Mr. Fu."
"Heâll stay, and Iâll bring him back."
Wang Nai and Xie Shi both breathed a sigh of relief. With an injured Fu Tinghan, Zhao Hanzhang was unlikely to confront Gou Xi.
Gou Xi was very powerful; Zhao Hanzhang was far from a match for him now.
Zhao Hanzhang naturally knew this as well. A gentlemanâs revenge, ten years is not too late; she temporarily let go of Zhao Ji and Prince East Sea, another grudge to bear, but it didnât matter. She could wait!
As for Gou Chun, she would have her chance for revenge.
Yan Heng was also very disappointed, and couldnât help saying to Ming Yu, "The general has become more stubborn and arrogant than before, which isnât a good thing."
Ming Yu said nothing.
Yan Heng lamented, "With someone as unyielding as Gou Chun by his side, Iâm always worried about the generalâs path going astray."
Ming Yu sighed, "All we can do is try our best to admonish."
Yan Heng asked, "Has Zhao Hanzhang left?"
"Some have left, but Zhao Hanzhang hasnât; the alliance isnât over yet. Since the general doesnât want Gou Chun to take responsibility for this, Zhao Hanzhang will mostly pretend not to know. She will probably come to bid farewell to the general."
Yan Hengâs heart stirred and he said, "Given the current situation, the reputation is already ruined, so why not be ruthless: when Zhao Hanzhang comes, keep her directly..."
Ming Yu had the same thought and exchanged a look with him before immediately going to find Gou Xi.
But Gou Xi did not agree.
Gou Chunâs conduct had already embarrassed him enough; how could he continue to break alliances?
Yan Heng couldnât help but be irritable, "If the general doesnât want to kill her, then kill Gou Chun. Between her and Gou Chun, only one can remain; otherwise, letting her go back to Yu State is simply releasing a tiger back to the mountain, unnecessarily inciting an enemy."
Gou Xi was stubborn, unwilling to kill his own brother, and unwilling to betray Zhao Hanzhang in the alliance, and he dismissed the two.
Yan Heng stomped his foot in frustration.
Yet Zhao Hanzhang didnât come personally to bid farewell; she wasnât foolish enough to knowingly run towards the enemy camp when someone there wanted to take her life.
Historically, werenât there many heroes and formidable figures who lost their lives unwisely due to a moment of carelessness?
If truly ambushed, even heroes and formidable figures could become bears.
So Zhao Hanzhang directly wrote a farewell letter and sent it to Gou Xi through a trusted aide.
Prince East Sea had been defeated; most of his troops scattered in Yu State, a significant number had been seized by Gou Xi. Even if he returned to Luoyang, it would be difficult to muster strength to counter Gou Xi again.
Not to mention coming to Yu State and Yan State to trouble Gou Xi again.
Since they wouldnât come to Yu State, Zhao Hanzhang wouldnât interfere with the remaining matters.
Therefore, using Fu Tinghanâs injury as an excuse, she stated she would take him to Chen County for medical attention and had to leave with the troops.
Feeling guilty, after receiving the letter he didnât pursue her for not helping till the end and directly agreed to let them leave.
Zhao Hanzhang obtained his approval and then led her troops away, though she remained very cautious, deploying scouts both ahead and behind to prevent any unforeseen snares.
Due to pain, Fu Tinghan fell into a deep sleep and didnât wake up until they met Ji Yuan, who had come to assist them midway, allowing Zhao Hanzhang to finally breathe a sigh of relief.