Chapter 60 - Chaos

Chapter 60: Chapter 54 ChaosWhen he saw them lightly equipped and simply escorted, he frowned slightly, "Why do you have so little luggage?"

Zhao Hanzhang glanced at their luggage and said, "It’s about the same as uncle’s, just right, isn’t it?"

How could it be the same?

"Where is your dowry?"

Zhao Hanzhang paused before saying, "Uncle must also know, I signed a contract with my great-uncle, half of my dowry is to be given to Second Son in the future, so to avoid causing trouble for the Fu Family, I sent these dowries to the Fu Family in advance."

Zhao Ji didn’t immediately understand, "Why would it trouble the Fu Family?"

"Bringing in so much dowry creates a spectacle, and in a few years, if half is gone, outsiders might think the Fu Family embezzled my dowry?" Zhao Hanzhang said with a look of regret, "Originally, I was to be married tomorrow, so I sent the dowry ahead two days ago, not expecting to encounter such an event."

Zhao Ji opened his mouth wide and couldn’t speak.

Zhao Hanzhang urged, "Uncle, this is not the time to discuss this, we should hasten our departure; the chaotic army could arrive at any moment."

The two guards also urged, "Young Master, let’s go quickly. When we left, Prince East Sea was already escorting Your Majesty out of the palace. We must hurry to West City, otherwise, if we’re left behind in the city, we’ll be isolated and without aid..."

Zhao Ji: "So much dowry..."

Zhao Hanzhang also looked heartbroken and said, "The Fu Family can’t take it away either; in the end, it will probably just benefit the chaotic army."

"But disaster is where fortune rests, this might be a good thing for our family; escape is urgent now, abandon wealth, travel lightly, and we’ll surely have more chances to survive than others."

Zhao Ji was so angry his chest heaved and he turned and left.

He called his confidant, "Go check if the main house really left nothing behind? When were the things moved out, with so many things, it can’t be done quietly, yet the manor knows nothing..."

Time was tight, and the main house was always under the management of Zhao Changyu and Zhao Hanzhang, so how could they find anything out in a short time?

But the confidant was clever; he did not speak directly and instead wandered around outside for a while before returning to say, "Young Master, I found out that the items were indeed sent away."

Zhao Ji asked, "When were they sent away, from where, and by whom?"

The confidant hesitated, hearing the increasingly close shouts and kill sounds outside, then blurted out, "They were sent away the night before last, through the West Corner Gate, and it is said it was arranged by Uncle Cheng."

Zhao Changyu had given Uncle Cheng to Zhao Hanzhang, so even if it wasn’t his doing, he certainly knew. Just a few days ago, he followed to inventory the cash handed over to Zhao Hanzhang. With someone attacking the city last night, it couldn’t be moved out; since it wasn’t today or yesterday, it must have been the night before last.

Zhao Hanzhang hadn’t expected the other side’s random guess to be correct. Once she confirmed that Zhao Ji was preparing to leave, she had someone fetch horses for her and Zhao Erlang, and also hung Zhao Changyu’s sword at her waist.

She instructed Zhao Erlang, "After we go out, you must stay close to Mother’s carriage and always protect Mother, understand?"

Zhao Erlang replied earnestly.

The Zhao Family’s main gate opened, servants went out first, followed by carriages, mules, and ox carts in an orderly exit, with family attendants and guards following closely by the sides of the carriages, tightly gripping their swords.

They had just gone a short distance when the gate of the neighboring house opened, and a large number of people and carriages rushed out, just like them, with large and small bags, many carrying children, obviously also intending to escape the city.

When the two parties met, someone immediately approached Zhao Ji, "Mr. Zhao, are you going out of the city?"

Zhao Ji was pleased to see them, nodding repeatedly, "Yes, if Brother Jia is also leaving the city, why not join us?"

The other party gladly agreed, nodding immediately, and thus the two groups merged into one, chaotically crowding together.

With so many people, not only were the servants anxious, but the gentlemen and ladies being protected in the center were also frightened.

Zhao Hanzhang, riding on horseback, looked from above and saw people constantly urging the coachmen to hurry, who had no choice but to whip the horses and mules, causing the speed of the carriages to leap forward, pushing aside the carriages ahead or shoving the running servants and guards to the side.

Someone fell, and the carriage behind slowed down, causing the people on the carriage to curse in anger, and the coachman waved the whip to strike the people blocking the way.

Originally following orderly in front and behind Mrs. Wang’s carriage, the main house’s servants were pushed back by this chaos.

Zhao Hanzhang pursed her lips, turned her horse around, seized a drawn whip, and yanked hard, pulling the coachman off the carriage, "If you can’t drive, get down. If you cut in line again, I’ll push your carriage and the people on it to the back."

The person in the carriage suddenly lifted the curtain and glared at her, "Third Lady Zhao, what do you mean by this?"

Zhao Hanzhang threw the curled whip at his face, "I mean what I said. If you’re following us, behave. Your actions have delayed the team. Order brings speed; chaos brings only disorder. Jia Erlang, did you go to school only to feed it to the dogs?"

Zhao Ji and Mr. Jia rushed over. Zhao Ji felt a bit embarrassed for Jia Erlang, who was struck, "Erlang, don’t argue with Third Lady; she’s just anxious."

He turned and scolded Third Lady Zhao, "Apologize to Erlang quickly; how do you get more and more unruly as you grow..."

Zhao Hanzhang had long been dissatisfied with him, seeing he could neither refuse the Jia Family above nor restrain the servants below. She didn’t give him face, snorted coldly, turned her horse around, and left.

Zhao Ji, seeing her undermine his authority in front of outsiders, was infuriated, "You..."

Mr. Jia hurriedly consoled him, "Forget it, they’re just kids, inevitably hot-headed."

He then told Jia Erlang, "Move aside quickly; because of you, the carriages behind can’t pass."

Zhao Hanzhang rode among the crowd, found Uncle Cheng squeezed on an ox cart with a group of servants, pulled him onto a horse, and brought him to Mrs. Wang’s carriage.

Uncle Cheng was uneasy, "How can this be appropriate?"

Zhao Hanzhang: "Uncle Cheng, my brother and I still rely on your care, so stay on the carriage."

Mrs. Wang also lifted the curtain and said, "Yes, Uncle Cheng, it’s too chaotic; the ox cart is too slow, and you might quickly be out of sight."

Uncle Cheng then sat on the carriage shaft.

They headed towards West City. When people they passed by saw so many of them fleeing, they also went back inside to grab their bags, bringing the whole family to join the procession.

After passing two streets, they reached the West City’s gate, and many more had squeezed in among them, creating chaos. The Zhao Family’s group was long, and Zhao Ji had hardly made any arrangements, leaving the front and back unable to care for each other, soon losing many people and belongings.

Zhao Hanzhang rode and constantly adjusted personnel, trying to have the guards and strong servants surround the main house people to minimize losses.

But the second house’s servants were constantly dwindling, and many guards were left behind, shouting to snatch people from Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t want to agree, but the guards knew the Zhao Family was now led by the second house, and without waiting for Zhao Hanzhang’s agreement, they squeezed over to protect the second house.

Zhao Hanzhang: ...She swallowed her words. These guards were not her people; people seek benefit and avoid harm. Now the Zhao Family was led by the second house; if given a choice, she would not be the one chosen.

She sighed and could only tell the following servants to try to keep up with the carriages, not to get lost, and gave up fighting for the departing guards.