Wang Mi’s foundation was in Shangdang. When he sent troops to Luoyang, he had departed from Shangdang, so at this time Shangdang had insufficient military strength. Transferring troops from other places would take time, and most critically, Zhang Tao didn’t have the authority to transfer troops.
Wang Shou’s whereabouts were unknown, but even if he returned, he wouldn’t have that authority either.
Before Wang Zhang officially returned to Shangdang, they dared not spread the news of Wang Mi’s death.
Zhang Tao could be certain that the moment he released the news of Wang Mi’s death, those generals and officials would immediately seek out the next patron to depend on.
Their personnel composition was complex—there were Xiongnu people, former Jin Kingdom officials and scholar-officials, and generals from impoverished peasant backgrounds. They had little loyalty to Wang Mi.
So Zhang Tao couldn’t stop Zhao Hanzhang.
Zhao Hanzhang raised her hand, and the soldiers behind her immediately drew out specially made arrows and nocked them to their bows.
Zhao Hanzhang also took out an arrow, turned it in a circle in front of him, then produced flint and steel, lit the oil cloth on the arrowhead, and looked at Zhang Tao with a slight smile. “General Zhang, I would rather be shattered jade than intact pottery. If you don’t fulfill General Wang’s promise, then I’ll shoot these fire arrows.”
Zhang Tao clenched his fists, his face turning purple with rage. “Zhao Hanzhang, you want to destroy the city? You wouldn’t dare!”
“You can try whether I dare or not,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “This Shangdang is no longer the Jin Kingdom’s Shangdang. What would I not dare to do?”
Zhang Tao didn’t dare to test her. He stared at Zhao Hanzhang for a long while before finally gritting his teeth and retreating into the office, ordering in a low voice, “Open the storehouses!”
“General, what she’s demanding is not little—that’s ten chests of gold, ten chests of treasures, and ten chests of silver!”
“Give them to her!” Zhang Tao said. “This Zhao Hanzhang is a lunatic with no credibility. There’s no guarantee she won’t really set fire to Shangdang, and Shangdang has more than just these thirty chests of items.”
Of course Zhao Hanzhang didn’t want only these items. Wang Mi must have been very wealthy, but he certainly wasn’t the only wealthy person in the city.
Before coming, Zhao Hanzhang had already inquired and made a list, which she handed to Yuan Li. “Don’t kill or injure anyone. Just go sit for a visit and ask for more military funds and provisions.”
Yuan Li understood and acknowledged the order.
“Wait,” Zhao Hanzhang called him back, pondering for a moment before saying, “Take Erlang with you.”
She glanced at him and said, “Yuan Li, you’d better not corrupt my younger brother.”
Yuan Li shuddered and bowed his head in acknowledgment.
He quietly led a troop away.
Ten chests of treasures were easy to obtain, ten chests of silver weren’t difficult either, but the hard part was ten chests of gold.
Zhang Tao stuffed some gold objects into the chests as well, but found it still wasn’t enough. He could only squeeze his eyes shut hard and exchange white silver and copper coins with Zhao Hanzhang.
Zhao Hanzhang didn’t mind. She watched as they carried out the chests, had Zeng Yue go forward to inspect them, and after confirming the bottom and top were consistent, she smiled at Zhang Tao. “Please also prepare ten horse-drawn carts for me, General Zhang. I came in a hurry and forgot to bring carts.”
Zhang Tao said coldly, “There are only ox carts, no horse-drawn carts.”
Zhao Hanzhang’s face turned cold. “I want horses!”
“General, that Yuan Li has taken men to the Chief Administrator’s house, saying it’s to raise provisions for the Jin Kingdom.”
The Shangdang Chief Administrator was the younger brother of the former governor, a Jin official who had surrendered to Wang Mi. Zhang Tao immediately turned to look at Zhao Hanzhang.
Zhao Hanzhang glanced at him with a cold expression.
Zhang Tao, suppressing his humiliation, said, “Give them to her!”
Immediately someone went to prepare horse-drawn carts.
The gold had been exchanged for quite a bit of white silver and copper coins. The white silver didn’t take up much space, but the copper coins were packed in sack after sack, filling several carts.
Zhang Tao and his men deliberately selected weak and old horses. Zhao Hanzhang waited until they had loaded the carts and hitched them up before arrogantly saying, “These horses are inferior horses. I don’t want them. I want top-quality good horses.”
“You—Zhao Hanzhang, don’t push your luck.”
Zhao Hanzhang asked with a smile, “So what if I am pushing my luck?”
She leaned forward on her horse, looking at him with great interest. “I’ve discovered that General Wang was truly wealthy indeed. Worthy of being a great general who has campaigned for many years. These things were all robbed from the common people of my Jin Kingdom, weren’t they?”
The strategist at the side was the first to react, stepping forward to pull Zhang Tao back. “She’s stalling for time for Yuan Li. General, Yuan Li has already been to three houses. The scout just reported that he’s about to go to the Zhang residence.”
The Zhang residence was Zhang Tao’s home. The wealthy and powerful basically all lived in one large area. Yuan Li didn’t even need to waste time on the road—he could have a cup of tea at one house, turn around and go drink a cup of wine at another house.
Yuan Li watched as people moved everything from the storehouse onto the carts, nodded in satisfaction, and said to the swaying middle-aged man, “Old Master Qi is generous. My lord and the court alike won’t forget Old Master Qi’s kindness. When the court recovers Shangdang in the future, you’ll definitely have a share of the credit.”
Old Master Qi forced a smile. “General Yuan is too kind. I am also a Jin person. Being able to help Administrator Zhao and the Jin imperial house is the Qi family’s honor.”
Yuan Li raised his lips sarcastically. “Old Master Qi understands well.”
He turned to leave but saw Zhao Erlang curiously watching the soldiers move the treasures. He stepped forward with a smile. “Does Erlang Gongzi see anything he likes?”
Zhao Erlang pointed to a case of gemstones. “They’re beautiful.”
Yuan Li immediately handed him the case, smiling. “That these can earn Erlang Gongzi’s favor is their good fortune.”
Zhao Erlang held the case and said, “But Elder Sister said that spoils of war must all be stored to buy provisions for the soldiers.”
Yuan Li’s heart went cold. He knew he had done something foolish. Although Erlang Gongzi was simple-minded, he was innocent and obedient. This matter would probably reach my lady’s ears. His thoughts raced, and glancing at Old Master Qi beside him, he immediately smiled. “This isn’t spoils of war. This is a gift Old Master Qi is giving to Erlang Gongzi separately.”
Old Master Qi immediately caught on and quickly said, “Yes, yes, this is a gift I’m giving to Erlang Gongzi.”
Hearing this, Zhao Erlang immediately clutched the case in his arms tighter, smiling so much his eyes narrowed into crescents. “It’s a gift! Alright, I’ll accept it.”
Yuan Li secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Old Master Qi, however, watched Zhao Erlang and Yuan Li with a thoughtful expression.
Yuan Li walked out of the Qi residence and nodded to Old Master Qi. “Thank you, Old Master Qi, for preparing the carts for us.”
Old Master Qi twitched the corners of his mouth and saw them off, then went into the neighboring house.
He clutched his chest and asked his steward, “How much did they take from the granary?”
The steward said with a mournful face, “They emptied one entire granary.”
“Bandits, bandits!”
Zhao Hanzhang’s bandit behavior forced Zhang Tao to take another step back and replace the horses with healthy ones, and quite quickly at that.
Zhao Hanzhang looked at the carts now hitched with healthy horses, her face showing some regret.
Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand, having the soldiers take the goods out of the city first, then sent someone to notify Yuan Li. She remained here continuing to chat with Zhang Tao. “Has General Zhang sent someone to notify Wang Zhang?”
She reminded him, “Wang Zhang was ordered to follow Shi Lei. Once he leaves, Shi Lei will notice immediately. Tell me, will Shi Lei take advantage of the situation and seize Shangdang in one stroke?”
She continued, “Liu Cong knows Wang Mi betrayed the kingdom. He absolutely won’t give up Shangdang either. So, isn’t he also sending troops here right now?”
Zhang Tao’s whole body went cold.
Zhao Hanzhang turned her horse around. “A word of friendly advice—General Zhang had better immediately summon troops to Shangdang. If you can hold Shangdang, you can hold the east and west of southern Bing Province, and your master’s territories won’t be lost.”