After Liu Cong escaped from Luoyang, he ran back to Pingyang and reported the situation in Luoyang to Liu Yuan.

He didn’t know at the time that Wang Mi was dead, but Wang Mi’s betrayal of the nation was undeniable. They had to seize the territories Wang Mi had previously controlled before he could return, or else the Han Kingdom would lose the southern part of Bing Province.

And Jinyang in Bing Province was in Liu Kun’s hands. Once they joined forces, they would become a powerful enemy to the Han Kingdom.

Although Liu Yuan was angry about Liu Cong’s defeat, he hated Wang Mi’s betrayal even more. He couldn’t bother pursuing Liu Cong’s responsibility and immediately deployed a large army for him, ordering him to take over Wang Mi’s territories.

Halfway there, he received news of the Jin Emperor’s relocation of the capital. He was so shocked he couldn’t speak for a long time. “Who did you say escorted the Jin Emperor in relocating the capital?”

“Gou Xi.”

“It was Gou Xi, not Wang Mi, and not Zhao Hanzhang?”

“Yes, it was Gou Xi. Wang Mi was killed by Zhao Hanzhang, and Zhao Hanzhang was left behind in Luoyang. According to reports, she’s going to send troops to rescue the Jin officials who fell into Shi Lei’s hands.”

Liu Cong’s mind raced with confusion. After cursing several times inwardly, he still couldn’t help but spit. “That little brat Wang Mi actually hoped for wealth and glory after surrendering to the Jin Kingdom, never expecting to end up with his head separated from his body. He deserved it!”

Then he became contemplative again. “Zhao Hanzhang actually couldn’t compete with Gou Xi? She was the first to attack Luoyang, and even Wang Mi died by her hand. What strategy did Gou Xi use to snatch the Jin Emperor away?”

The scout couldn’t answer. He could only gather some peripheral information; he didn’t know the deeper details.

Liu Cong pondered for a moment and said, “Send orders to Shi Lei to immediately detour to Bing Province and rendezvous with us. It would be best if he could also lure Zhao Hanzhang to Bing Province.”

“Yes.”

Shi Lei had Xun Xiu following behind him, harassing him from time to time, so he couldn’t move quickly. Moreover, information was even more delayed during the march. He didn’t know that Zhao Hanzhang had gone to Shangdang, and Liu Cong didn’t know either.

But Zhao Hanzhang wasn’t stupid. She could guess.

Shangdang’s geographical position was special, and it was Shi Lei’s hometown, so he would definitely go to Shangdang. Liu Cong also wouldn’t allow Shangdang to return to the Jin Kingdom with Wang Mi, so he would also bring troops.

Besides that, there were the thirty thousand troops that had escaped with Wang Mi. Their leader was Wang Shou, and it was unknown whether he had managed to notify Wang Zhang.

Wang Zhang was now Wang Mi’s only heir to his property.

Wang Zhang had been obediently following Shi Lei around killing Jin people who had escaped from Luoyang. Then suddenly one day, a Jin person who had been captured as a slave appeared beside him and whispered, “General, the Great General died in battle at Luoyang. Bing Province is in crisis and needs you to rush back to Shangdang for emergency aid.”

Wang Zhang didn’t believe him at first and even wanted to drag him away to be beheaded. But then the man produced Zhang Tao’s letter.

Zhang Tao was a general who followed Wang Mi, loyal and devoted. Wang Zhang couldn’t help but believe him.

So on a dark and windy night, Wang Zhang quietly led his army away from the formation and ran straight toward Shangdang.

When Shi Lei found out, he immediately accelerated his march while leaving behind a troop to block Xun Xiu.

Xun Xiu was planning to use the same trick again—dividing his forces into two routes, with one staying behind to engage the enemy while one detoured around to continue pursuing the main force. He didn’t expect Shi Lei to get serious this time.

Xun Xiu remembered Zhao Hanzhang’s instructions and decisively led his men to retreat, just watching from afar without pursuing relentlessly.

The deputy general left behind saw him run faster than a rabbit and spat angrily, “What a coward! If you’ve got the guts, come fight properly! What kind of hero sneaks around following from behind?”

He wanted to pursue, but Shi Lei hadn’t left him much provisions. After all, Shi Lei had been out for quite some time, and the route was full of deserted villages and ruined cities, making it difficult to obtain supplies.

But Xun Xiu had brought sufficient provisions. He could chase them for half a month. Could they do the same?

While they were entangled like this, Zhao Hanzhang arrived at Shangdang first.

Zhao Hanzhang and her companions, who had been harboring bad intentions all along, immediately changed into Wang Mi’s army’s armor and helmets.

Actually, only about a thousand men were equipped. The remaining soldiers were still in tattered clothes, which was also normal. Except for the elite personal guards of various armies, who could really fully equip everyone with armor?

Zhao Hanzhang had Zeng Yue take two thousand men forward, while she and Zhao Erlang took the remaining men and fell behind. They changed into Shi Lei’s army’s armor.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much, only enough to equip four or five hundred men. She deliberately placed the tallest and most imposing men at the front, then had Yuan Li at the very front, while she and Zhao Erlang hid among the soldiers.

From now on, they were two separate forces.

Honestly, this kind of strategy was a first for both Yuan Li and Zeng Yue.

Both were doubtful. “My lady, can this succeed?”

Zhao Hanzhang replied, “Won’t we know if we try?”

Without trying, how would she know if it would work?

Zeng Yue and Yuan Li exchanged glances and both agreed. So Zeng Yue mounted his horse and led the two thousand disguised men forward first. Two quarters of an hour later, Zhao Hanzhang and her group set out, pursuing them from behind.

This was broad daylight. The city gates of Shangdang had originally been open, but when they saw dust flying and soldiers heard the sound of horse hooves, they immediately closed the city gates.

When Zeng Yue and his men galloped over, the gates weren’t completely closed yet. From afar, he shouted in a Qingzhou accent, “Open the city gates, open the city gates! The general is returning, Shi Lei’s left army is in pursuit, quickly repel the enemy—”

The soldiers on and below the city tower were alarmed. The soldiers who were about to fully close the gates hesitated. In that moment of hesitation, Zeng Yue and his men had already approached the gates.

The people on the city tower looked into the distance and indeed saw Shi Lei’s banner and the pursuing army. Combined with the fact that Zhang Tao had indeed sent someone to notify Wang Zhang to return, the deputy general on the city tower hurriedly said in this urgent moment, “Quickly open the city gates, just open one side!”

He shouted down to the soldiers below the city tower who wore the same armor as them, “Quickly come in, Shi Lei’s army is about to catch up.”

The banner became clearer and clearer.

One side of the city gate opened. Zeng Yue led his men charging into Shangdang city. Soon after, screams came from below the city tower…

The other gate was also slowly opened, and Zhao Hanzhang led her army into the city.

The common people in the city fled home in panic, hiding in their houses trembling with fear. The streets were scattered with dropped goods. Zhao Hanzhang rode swiftly past. In an alley, a woman desperately covered a young child’s mouth and nose, preventing him from making a sound.

Zhao Hanzhang caught a glimpse of this and flicked her whip, lightly striking the woman’s hand. The woman cried out in pain and immediately released her grip.

Zhao Hanzhang continued toward the governor’s office of Shangdang without looking back. She shouted loudly, “Zhao Family Army, listen to my command! You are not to disturb the common people. Any violators will be executed without mercy!”

The people behind her immediately passed down the order.

The Zhao Family Army entered Shangdang in an orderly manner. When she arrived at the main road in front of the governor’s office, Zhang Tao gave a command and archers appeared in unison from the top of the wall, aiming at Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang reined in her horse, stopping exactly three hundred meters from the governor’s office.

Zhang Tao angrily pounded the wall and could only come out to negotiate. “Zhao Hanzhang, what do you want coming to my Shangdang?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “General Wang and I had an agreement. He promised to give me ten chests of silver, ten chests of gold, and ten chests of treasures. Today I’ve come to collect these items.”

Zhang Tao couldn’t help but curse angrily, “You’re talking nonsense!”