Zhao Hanzhang took all the cavalry and only eight hundred infantry, leaving the rest to guard the fortress.

The cavalry went ahead. The fortress wasn’t far from the county seat—at full gallop, they could arrive in a quarter-hour.

Just after leaving the fortress, they encountered common people fleeing the city in all directions. Seeing them from afar, the common folk turned and ran, dashing straight into the fields.

Some dropped their belongings but didn’t dare turn back to retrieve them. Those who fell simply rolled and crawled into the fields, trying to stay as far from them as possible.

Zhao Hanzhang merely glanced once before saying to Zhao Ju, “Pass down the order: after entering the city, only rescue people—do not disturb the civilians!”

Zhao Ju acknowledged and selected two scouts with booming voices to relay the command.

The group rode swiftly to Xiping county seat’s main gate. The entrance was a scene of devastation, with fallen corpses everywhere. Apart from the occasional commoner fleeing the city, no one stood guard.

Zhao Hanzhang rode her horse through the gate tunnel. A man was just pulling his disheveled wife and a child out when they ran straight into them. His legs gave out and he collapsed to the ground.

Without clearly seeing Zhao Hanzhang mounted on her horse, he shoved his wife and child behind him. Zhao Hanzhang reined in her horse and asked, “We’re from the Zhao clan fortress. Where are the chaotic troops in the city now?”

The ashen-faced man, hearing “Zhao clan fortress,” recovered slightly. Looking up and seeing Zhao Hanzhang was a young woman, he immediately burst into tears. He kowtowed repeatedly while pointing with trembling fingers toward the city interior. “In-inside…”

Zhao Hanzhang looked at the empty, desolate streets where occasional shrill screams could be heard. She summoned scouts. “You enter the city to announce that Zhao clan reinforcements have arrived.”

“Yes!”

The scouts galloped off, shouting loudly, “Zhao clan reinforcements have arrived—”

“Zhao clan reinforcements have arrived—”

Zhao Hanzhang ordered, “Form groups of ten. Everyone advance toward the county office. Any chaotic troops encountered are to be completely eliminated, but protecting the common people takes priority!”

Everyone responded loudly, “Yes, ma’am!”

Zhao Hanzhang turned to Zhao Ju. “You take one group.”

“Sanniang, you…”

“I can lead a unit myself.”

Zhao Ju glanced at Fu Tinghan and acknowledged the order. The group rode forward swiftly. Upon reaching a fork in the road, they turned in, listening for sounds before going to rescue people.

Zhao Hanzhang soon separated from Zhao Ju.

With scouts announcing their arrival ahead of time, the common people hiding in houses throughout the city heard that Zhao clan reinforcements had come and took heart, hiding even more securely.

Meanwhile, those whose homes had already been breached by chaotic troops, hearing the scouts’ voices, struggled desperately toward the outside, crying out loudly for help.

The retainers, hearing cries for help, went to rescue them. The county seat, which had only had shrill wails before, now erupted with battle cries.

Like a dead city, Xiping county seat came alive again.

A dozen chaotic soldiers who had just seized gold and silver heard the scouts’ shouts on the main street. They immediately grabbed their bundles and ran out. Turning around, they saw Zhao Hanzhang’s group riding swiftly toward them. Before they could react, an arrow flew forth, piercing straight into the chest of the man in front.

His bundle scattered on the ground, his eyes widened, and he fell unwillingly.

The gold and silver they’d looted rolled out of the bundle. His companions, seeing this, instinctively crouched down to grab it. In an instant, the cavalry arrived. Zhao Hanzhang drew her sword and killed two with two strikes. The rest were all slain by the retainers behind her.

The group didn’t stop. They left the gold, silver, and jewels on the ground untouched and departed directly for the next location.

Qiuwu led the infantry running in. Entering the city and hearing the chaos erupting within, he recalled the woman’s instructions before departure and immediately ordered, “Seize the county office!”

“Yes!”

Throughout the city, chaotic troops were looting and setting fires. Zhao Hanzhang’s group killed their way toward the county office. Halfway there, some chaotic troops received word and also assembled on the main street. When the infantry arrived, Zhao Hanzhang’s group was blocking the middle of the road.

Seeing so many reinforcements suddenly appear, the chaotic troops froze, then hastily retreated.

They had breached the county seat last night. Though the magistrate had died, the wealthy households in the city still had their gates tightly shut, each mounting their own resistance. So they’d spent all night busy killing and robbing.

Now they’d seized quite a lot and were at their most relaxed mentally. When Zhao Hanzhang’s forces struck, their morale was already scattered. It was also the time when they were most exhausted. These hundred-plus cavalry had already struck terror into their hearts. Seeing suddenly so many more reinforcements appear, they lost all will to resist and turned to flee.

Zhao Hanzhang’s group pushed all the way toward the county office and soon recaptured it.

Zhao Ju entered and searched the entire office inside and out. They’d retreated very cleanly—not a single chaotic soldier remained. However, Qiuwu found a dying servant in a pile of corpses.

Fu Tinghan stepped forward to examine the wounds on his body, then shook his head at Zhao Hanzhang. The blade had struck directly through his heart—the man had nearly lost consciousness.

The servant’s eyes opened slightly. Seeing Zhao Hanzhang, his eyes widened slightly as he clutched at her sleeve, his voice barely audible as he murmured, “Young lady, young lady…”

Fu Tinghan leaned in close and asked, “What are you saying?”

The servant stared intently at Zhao Hanzhang, saying in a small voice, “Young lady…”

Zhao Hanzhang heard him. She crouched before him and asked, “Your household’s young lady? Where is she?”

“Chaotic troops… captured, captured her… please, save, save the young lady…” Before the servant could finish speaking, his hand clutching Zhao Hanzhang’s sleeve went slack, and his eyes gently closed.

Fu Tinghan had already leaned in very close but could only vaguely hear the words “young lady.” He looked at Zhao Hanzhang.

“They abducted Magistrate Fan’s daughter,” Zhao Hanzhang suddenly remembered something and stood up. “Call everyone here. Uncle Qianli, you take one unit and stay behind to clear out the chaotic troops remaining in the county seat. Everyone else, come with me to pursue the retreating chaotic forces.”

Zhao Ju said, “Sanniang, one shouldn’t pursue desperate enemies.”

“They’ve abducted many people. We must rescue them.” Otherwise, those women wouldn’t survive long in their hands.

Zhao Ju could only obey the order.

Zhao Hanzhang led her men in pursuit out of Xiping county. Ji Ping dismounted to examine the tracks, then reported, “Sanniang, they’re heading toward Nan’an county.”

Fu Tinghan said, “This is the main road. I remember there’s a shortcut that’s closer. Perhaps we can intercept them from ahead.”

“How boring would that be?” Zhao Hanzhang said. “We’ll split into two groups. Qiuwu, you take Master Fu and three units via the shortcut to block them from ahead. I’ll lead the cavalry in pursuit from behind. We’ll make them into dumplings.”

“They’re carrying people and property, so they definitely can’t run fast. Since we’ve decided to rescue the captives, we might as well seize back everything they stole as well.”

“Yes!”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded to Fu Tinghan. “You guide them and wait for us in the rear.”

“Alright, but don’t pursue too closely.”

“I know. I’ll drive them toward you. I won’t engage until I see you.”

Though she said this, before seeing any sign of them, Zhao Hanzhang still accelerated to give chase. With everyone mounted, they naturally moved quickly. After pursuing for less than two quarters of an hour, they spotted the chaotic troops fleeing with large amounts of property and captive women.

Zhao Hanzhang then slowed her pace, following neither too close nor too far behind them. She could let them see her, and occasionally she would even accelerate as if to catch up, forcing them to scatter more widely before pulling back without actually overtaking them.

—