Hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang immediately gave orders, “Uncle Qianli, assemble all the retainers. Each person should bring three days’ worth of dry provisions. We depart in one hour.”

Zhao Ju stood and acknowledged, “Yes.”

Ji Yuan, seeing she had made up her mind, said, “If that’s the case, then I’ll make a trip to Shangcai county to add some assistance for my lady.”

Shangcai county town was in chaos. County Magistrate Chai saw the beacon fires and instinctively wanted to have the city gates sealed. It was Changning who stopped him, suggesting, “County Magistrate, at this time you should send people to Quyang and Xiping to gather intelligence and coordinate with Xinxi, Nan’an and other counties to provide relief to Quyang and Xiping.”

“Quyang and Xiping have lit beacon fires, and we in Shangcai are situated in the middle. If we also lend out troops and the enemy army attacks, won’t we become lambs waiting for slaughter?”

Changning said, “If both Quyang and Xiping cannot stop the enemy army, how can we in Shangcai stop them? Better to repel the enemy at Quyang and Xiping.”

County Magistrate Chai wouldn’t listen.

While they were in chaos, Ji Yuan led people pushing past the guards and strode in, “County Magistrate, great disaster is upon us. Why are you still in Shangcai?”

Seeing Ji Yuan, County Magistrate Chai instinctively weakened his voice. This person had once been Zhao Changyu’s advisor. “What great disaster? Master Ji, don’t make alarmist statements here.”

Ji Yuan said, “Doesn’t the County Magistrate know that chaotic troops are attacking Quyang and Xiping? Once both places are breached, Shangcai will be in danger.”

“Quyang has Magistrate He, Xiping has the Zhao clan. How could they be so easily breached?”

“Does the County Magistrate know where the chaotic troops attacking both places came from?”

County Magistrate Chai had no idea. Both places had only managed to light beacon fires, and the messages certainly hadn’t been sent out yet. Even if sent out, it would take time to reach him.

Beacon fires were lit when a place was under attack and needed rescue. Those guarding the outposts would see the beacon fires and light their own at their posts. This way, layer by layer, they transmitted outward—both as a warning and a call for help.

But specifically—who the enemy was, how many enemies there were—these things couldn’t be expressed by beacon fires. They still had to wait for detailed reports.

Ji Yuan, seeing he truly knew nothing, felt both disappointed and relieved. So he pulled him aside and began to deceive him, “It’s the Xiongnu’s great army!”

County Magistrate Chai’s eyes widened as he loudly said, “That’s impossible.”

“Why is it impossible? Do you really think they were driven out of Luoyang by force?” Ji Yuan said, “They merely looted Luoyang clean and had nothing left to plunder, so they left. The Prince of Donghai only cares about power in his hands and couldn’t bear to use his great army to fight the Xiongnu head-on. They only returned to the capital after the Xiongnu retreated.”

“In the battle of Luoyang, the Xiongnu army’s morale greatly increased. Their ambition to destroy our Central Plains has never changed. Even the capital was conquered by them—what else do they fear?” Ji Yuan said, “So as soon as they withdrew from Luoyang, they began moving south. They want to seize the Central Plains territories.”

County Magistrate Chai collapsed weakly into his chair, believing it. Even Changning didn’t realize Ji Yuan was deceiving them, thinking he had special intelligence channels. He hurriedly asked, “Then what should we do?”

“Right now there’s only one solution: send reinforcements to Quyang or Xiping to block the enemy outside Shangcai.”

“The Xiongnu great army that even the imperial court’s army couldn’t stop—can we stop them with just us?”

Ji Yuan then pulled him aside and lowered his voice, “County Magistrate, why must you fixate on one outcome? By sending out reinforcements, you can advance to attack or retreat to defend.”

County Magistrate Chai looked at him with complete incomprehension.

Ji Yuan lowered his voice, “If you send out reinforcements and manage to block the enemy army, you’ll have a share of the credit. If you cannot block them and the battle ends outside Shangcai, when the enemy army enters and you have no troops left, you naturally cannot defend the city. Then, to surrender the city for the sake of all the city’s people—the scholars and gentry of Great Jin will praise you as someone who knows how to bend and stretch.”

“Xiongnu’s Left Worthy Prince Liu Yuan has a reputation for recruiting talent. If you surrender, he will certainly treat you with courtesy. Isn’t this being able to advance and attack or retreat and defend, County Magistrate?”

County Magistrate Chai’s eyes brightened as he gave a thumbs up, “Master’s plan is wonderful.”

Ji Yuan smiled modestly.

County Magistrate Chai then asked, “Then where does Master think I should send these reinforcements?”

Ji Yuan said, “Quyang has Magistrate He and garrison troops. Other counties seeing the beacon fires will also go to provide relief. As for Xiping, there aren’t many soldiers stationed in the county. Even with the Zhao clan there, facing the Xiongnu great army is somewhat difficult. County Magistrate, why not send people to Xiping?”

He continued, “It just so happens my lady also wants to go to Xiping to support her clan members. The County Magistrate has a body worth a thousand pieces of gold and must also guard the county town, so naturally cannot easily leave Shangcai. Why not entrust these troops to my lady to lead?”

“This…”

“Of course, my lady is also willing to lead her retainers under the County Magistrate’s command. When the higher-ups ask, just say they were all the County Magistrate’s troops and the County Magistrate’s achievement.” Ji Yuan said, “My lady is a woman and has no use for merit and fame. She merely has a soft heart and cannot rest easy about her Xiping clan members.”

County Magistrate Chai immediately agreed, “Good!”

Ji Yuan stepped back two paces and bowed deeply, “The County Magistrate’s great virtue—I first thank the County Magistrate on behalf of my lady and the Zhao clan of Xiping.”

County Magistrate Chai felt somewhat elated being thanked.

Changning stood to the side silently watching, not reminding County Magistrate Chai that these troops, once given out, might very well be like meat buns thrown at a dog—gone never to return.

Though Zhao Hanzhang’s actions had selfish motives, she was indeed going to save Xiping. Saving Xiping meant saving Shangcai.

Ji Yuan was right. If either Xiping or Quyang couldn’t hold, the next would be Shangcai.

And Shangcai definitely couldn’t stop the invading chaotic troops. At that time, they would either be massacred or surrender—there was no third path left.

Since that was the case, why not choose this path provided by Ji Yuan?

However, he had to ensure that Zhao Hanzhang, after obtaining these troops, truly went to save Xiping and didn’t flee.

So he pulled Ji Yuan aside, “Master Ji, if Zhao Sanniang goes to Xiping to save people, only her widowed mother and weak younger brother will be left at the villa. She’s working hard for the County Magistrate—the County Magistrate cannot show no appreciation. How about this: have Lady Zhao and Young Master Zhao move into the county office. With the County Magistrate present, he can guarantee the lady and young master’s safety.”

Ji Yuan’s smile faded slightly. After thinking for a moment, he slowly nodded, “That’s fine too. However, there’s no need to move into the county office. The lady and young master are still in mourning and it would be very inconvenient.”

He said, “If the County Magistrate is willing, why not find a villa near the county office to settle our lady and young master?”

County Magistrate Chai looked at Changning. After he nodded slightly, he smiled, “Excellent, excellent. Right by the county office then. There happens to be a villa there. I’ll have my wife go keep the lady company, so she and the young master won’t be afraid.”

Ji Yuan acknowledged this and reminded him, “Our lady will depart immediately. These troops…”

County Magistrate Chai said, “I’ll assemble them right away.”

Zhao Hanzhang also strapped three days’ worth of flatbread onto herself, filled her water flask, took her long spear and was about to leave. After thinking for a moment, she turned back and also brought that sword.

Lady Wang, hearing that Zhao Hanzhang was going to Xiping to save people, hurriedly pulled Erlang over and stood at the doorway without speaking, just looking at her blankly.

Zhao Erlang was very excited and wanted to break free from his mother, “Elder Sister, I’ll go with you.”

—