Zhao Hanzhang cursed “idiots” in her heart – both stupid and vicious – then asked, “When does he plan to dig it?”
“We don’t know.” They were just sent to dig the opening, which was how they learned that Qiao Xi planned to breach the dike. More specific details weren’t something people like them could know.
Zhao Hanzhang thought of her own plan and sneered coldly. Fine, never mind when – after tomorrow he wouldn’t have the chance anyway.
“Are there people stationed at the opening now following orders?”
Wei You and the others could confirm this. They shook their heads. “No.”
Breaching the dike was hard labor. They needed to dig a very deep and large opening, and one misstep could get you swept away by the water. Such thankless work was usually done by Jie barbarians like them.
Zhao Hanzhang felt relieved, but she still asked them for the exact location where they planned to breach the dike, then turned to find someone and give orders. “Set out at first light. Ensure the river dike is safe. If there are Xiongnu guarding it, fine if they don’t act, but if they do, spare no cost to stop them.”
“Yes!”
Only then did Zhao Hanzhang let them withdraw.
By this time, dawn was nearly breaking. Zhao Hanzhang sat cross-legged by the fire, closing her eyes to rest.
Fu Tinghan had just gone to count the captured Han people and separate out those seriously wounded or severely ill. Seeing Zhao Hanzhang with her eyes closed as if asleep, he lightened his footsteps, sat beside her, exhaled lightly, and also closed his eyes to rest.
Zhao Hanzhang had truly fallen asleep, though she herself didn’t realize it. She only felt she had closed her eyes for a moment, but when she opened them, it was already light.
Fu Tinghan opened his eyes after she did, nodding slightly to her. “Morning.”
Zhao Hanzhang instinctively nodded back. “Morning.”
Only after speaking did she remember where she was and what her circumstances were.
She raised her hand to rub her forehead, almost thinking she was still at school.
Fu Tinghan, however, remained expressionless as he stood up and said to her, “The number of hostages and prisoners is considerable, already exceeding our troop numbers. What do you plan to do?”
After pondering for a moment, Zhao Hanzhang said, “I’ve decided to have two hundred soldiers escort the common people and some prisoners in the rear, while the remaining prisoners will accompany us in the surprise attack.”
Fu Tinghan didn’t ask how she selected the prisoners, only reminding her, “Mind the ratio.”
Zhao Hanzhang smiled faintly. “I know. After all, we’re making a deal with a tiger.”
She had to ensure that when the tiger turned to bite her, she could break its neck.
In these few exchanges, Zhao Hanzhang had regained her spirits and rallied. She called Qiu Wu over to give orders. “Speed up the entire army. We’ll depart after eating.”
“Yes.”
Barbarians and Han people did have some facial differences. Zhao Hanzhang went to the prisoner camp to select captives, looking into their eyes and examining their hands as she chose one by one.
She didn’t stop them from recommending fellow townsmen or comrades to each other. As long as she had seen them and felt they met her requirements, she kept them.
This point made the prisoners trust her a bit more. Not to mention that after selecting them, Zhao Hanzhang directly gave them horses and weapons, and even led them before a pile of armor, waving her hand generously. “Choose what you like!”
Clearly this wasn’t sending them to be cannon fodder. The Jie barbarians felt somewhat better, and also selected their gear seriously. As for the remaining people, they continued to be bound with rope, strung together one after another, wearing cloth clothes and straw shoes, or going barefoot.
Zhao Hanzhang told them, “You will be sent to Guancheng. When we reach the city walls, I’ll release you.”
The prisoners looked at each other.
Zhao Hanzhang’s expression turned serious. “If I wanted to kill you, I could bury you alive right now. There’s no need to risk taking you to Guancheng.”
“I value righteousness and hope you all can keep faith with righteousness as well. You have already surrendered to me. If you harm the lives of my Yuzhou troops and people again, in the future, whenever I encounter Jie barbarians and Xianbei, I will definitely not allow them to surrender.”
Cheng Da, who hadn’t been selected but was deliberately kept in the prisoner camp, straightened his expression and said solemnly, “Since we have already surrendered, we are the general’s people. Naturally we won’t commit such dishonorable acts.”
Zhao Hanzhang nodded seriously, giving each of them half a steamed bun and some water. After they ate, she had two hundred soldiers escort them away first.
They took a different small road that was shorter in distance, but since they were on foot, their speed would be slower.
Zhao Hanzhang was much gentler with the captured common people. She specifically called Li Lai and Li Zhao over, having them select able-bodied young and middle-aged men from among the refugees, even women, and lent them the surplus weapons and armor they had confiscated.
“You must listen to Squad Leader Song’s orders. Only act when prisoners cause trouble or when you encounter enemy troops.”
The two agreed.
Zhao Hanzhang nodded. After they were armed and departed, leaving behind a scene of devastation, only then did she wave her hand. The soldiers immediately pounced on the pile of clothes like wolves and tigers to make their selections.
Ting He brought over two sets of clothing. “My lady, I selected carefully. They all stink terribly – these are relatively less smelly.”
One set for Zhao Hanzhang, and one for Fu Tinghan as well.
Fu Tinghan looked at the clothes presented before his eyes and didn’t move for a long while.
Zhao Hanzhang knew he loved cleanliness. Having him follow the army on campaign was already compromising enough for him. To make him wear these dirty clothes that others had worn…
Zhao Hanzhang said, “Never mind, one less person won’t matter. With armor on the outside, it won’t be noticeable…”
Fu Tinghan had already reached out to take them and turned to change. “When there are a hundred secrets, there’s bound to be one oversight. We’ve all seen it – if we don’t plug it but instead tear the opening wider, isn’t that asking for death?”
Zhao Hanzhang swallowed her words, showed sympathy on her face for a moment, then asked Ting He, “Where’s Erlang?”
Ting He felt somewhat hurt. “Second Young Master dislikes that the clothes I found for him are too small and refuses to wear them. He insists on finding them himself.”
Zhao Hanzhang said, “Then you wear them. If you run into barbarians who question you, just lower your head.”
Ting He agreed.
Zhao Hanzhang also changed clothes. After putting on her armor and mounting her horse, the soldiers finished their scramble and also changed into their clothes one after another, mounting their horses. The flag bearer also hoisted the Xiongnu banner.
Even many of the warhorses were confiscated Xiongnu mounts.
Zhao Hanzhang looked on with satisfaction and nodded. She didn’t bother with a speech, directly waving her hand. “Move out!”
Wei You had been selected and was now swept along among the soldiers, and he was placed near the front, not far from Zhao Hanzhang.
Zhao Hanzhang had only selected just over three hundred men, still keeping the cavalry numbers controlled at around two thousand.
The prisoners were all dispersed among the various units, but Zhao Hanzhang also kept those most familiar with each other in the same squad, so they couldn’t coordinate with each other, yet had trustworthy companions at their backs to fight with peace of mind.
The group galloped swiftly toward Guancheng. Oh, and there were several wagons too, carrying the wealth the Xiongnu army had plundered during this period.
Before noon, Zhao Hanzhang reached the outskirts of Guancheng. She led her people directly to escort the wealth to the main camp. Upon reaching the camp’s perimeter, she slowed her horse and fell back with Fu Tinghan, letting Qiu Wu and Zhao Erlang take the lead. Beside them were Wei You and several other Jie barbarians.