Zhao Hanzhang patted his head, “Next time I’ll take you. This time I’ll scout the way for you first. Stay home and protect Mother well.”
Having said this, she looked at Lady Wang and nodded to her, “I must go now. Please take care of yourself.”
Lady Wang’s tears fell like strings of pearls, “I thought returning to Runan would make things better. Who knew the chaos of war would reach here.”
Zhao Hanzhang wiped her tears, “Mother, in this world right now, where is there any pure land? Don’t worry, I’ll return safely.”
Fu Tinghan had also put on his armor. It was a bit heavy and he was very unaccustomed to it. He walked over to find Zhao Hanzhang and stood waiting for her at the bottom of the steps.
Zhao Hanzhang saw him, nodded to Lady Wang, took her sword and walked toward Fu Tinghan.
She extended her hand and passed the sword to him.
Fu Tinghan paused looking at the longsword in her hand before accepting it, “I’m not very good with swords.”
“It’s fine. It’s just for your self-defense. Having a handy weapon is always better than having nothing at all.”
Fu Tinghan accepted the sword and went with Zhao Hanzhang to see the assembled retainers.
Ji Ping had already returned from the county town. He said, “This subordinate made a circuit around the county town and also inquired with people from the county office, but they also don’t know who the enemy army is or how many there are. When I was returning, I saw Master Ji entering the county office.”
Zhao Hanzhang nodded and looked at the time, “Wait a bit longer for Master Ji. If he hasn’t returned in half an hour, we’ll depart first.”
“Yes.”
Zhao Ju came up, “My lady, everyone has been assembled. A total of seven hundred eighty people.”
He paused before asking, “Should we recruit all the able-bodied men from the estate and bring them along?”
Zhao Hanzhang thought for a moment then shook her head, “When we recruited them, we didn’t say they’d become retainers. They’ve only just entered the estate—their loyalty isn’t sufficient. Having them go to the battlefield at this time would do more harm than good.”
Once the first person fled, military morale would scatter.
“Moreover, they haven’t been trained. Going to the battlefield would just be sending them to their deaths, adding another life in vain. Just let them stay at the estate.” Zhao Hanzhang pondered for a moment, “Come, I’ll go see them with you.”
Because she wasn’t certain how many people Zhao Hanzhang would take away, Zhao Ju had summoned all the able-bodied men in the entire estate. Zhao Tong was currently calming the anxious farmhands.
Seeing Zhao Hanzhang, the farmhands slowly quieted down and looked back at her with somber expressions.
Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze swept across their faces inch by inch as she loudly said, “I’m about to leave. This journey is to save my clan members and also to save ourselves!”
She said, “After Xiping comes our Shangcai. Once Xiping is breached, the enemy army entering Shangcai will be like entering an uninhabited realm. And our estate doesn’t even have a defensive wall. At that time, we can only wait passively for slaughter. Are you willing to accept this?”
Some farmhands quietly replied, “Not willing.”
Zhao Hanzhang loudly declared, “In this estate, besides you, there are also your parents, wives and children, brothers and sisters. I ask you—are you willing to wait passively for slaughter?”
“Not willing! Not willing!” The farmhands, stirred by her shouts, couldn’t help but loudly respond to her.
“Very good! Then stay here and defend the estate, defend your families!” Zhao Hanzhang said, “Shangcai is a good place. Here there is land, there is water. We’ve just built our houses, just settled into stable lives. We absolutely cannot let others destroy this! Here, do you dare to defend?”
“Defend! Defend—”
Zhao Hanzhang nodded slightly, turned to Zhao Tong and said, “I’m entrusting the estate to you. If you’re uncertain about anything, find Master Ji.”
Zhao Hanzhang turned to see the assembled retainers. They were all prepared. Unlike the farmhands, since deciding to become retainers, they had known there would be such a day.
Zhao Hanzhang also knew they knew, but still had to say, “This journey to Xiping, we’re not only fighting for Xiping, fighting for Shangcai, but also fighting for ourselves!”
She said, “You’ve been training for some time now. This time is the opportunity to test you. I only hope you remember that on the battlefield, those who disobey orders die first, followed by those who fear death. I ask you—are you afraid of death?”
“Not afraid! Not afraid!”
Zhao Hanzhang nodded with satisfaction, glanced at the time, feeling it was about right, and waved her hand, “Let’s go!”
Fu’an brought the horses over. Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan mounted.
They didn’t have many horses—only fifty-eight. The rest were all infantry who had to rely on their own legs to travel.
Zhao Hanzhang kicked her horse’s belly and ran at the front at a controlled speed. Fu Tinghan ran at her side, “What’s your plan for fighting?”
“We’ll decide when we get there, but with just this few troops, we definitely can’t fight head-on.” Just as she finished speaking, Zhao Hanzhang looked at the troops running toward them and exclaimed, “Looks like we have more than just these few troops now.”
Ji Yuan brought just under two hundred men running over, including twenty-some horses.
When both sides got close, they stopped. Ji Yuan and Changning brought one person forward, “Sanniang, the County Magistrate showed great righteousness and decided to send troops to aid Xiping.”
Zhao Hanzhang lowered her voice and asked, “Just this few people?”
Ji Yuan also lowered his voice, “Not few. Shangcai county didn’t have many soldiers to begin with. He still has to keep some to guard the city gates. However, this trip wasn’t just for people.”
He cleared his throat and said loudly, “The County Magistrate knows my lady also intends to go to Xiping for relief but lacks weapons and horses. Therefore, he specially wrote a letter permitting you to take horses from the horse farm and also gave you one hundred sets of military equipment.”
Hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes brightened slightly.
What she lacked now—was it people?
What she lacked now was military equipment! One who knows her is Master Ji indeed.
The horse farm was a bit far from their estate, but happened to be on the way to Xiping. So Ji Yuan only brought one hundred sets of war equipment; the horses needed to be obtained by themselves.
Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand, having Zhao Ju lead people up to distribute the war equipment. She withdrew to the side to express her abundant gratitude to Changning and also took the opportunity to clarify that this credit all belonged to the righteous County Magistrate Chai.
Changning smiled, “Zhao Sanniang is too polite. The one showing great righteousness is Sanniang. The County Magistrate should be thanking Sanniang.”
He glanced at Ji Yuan, “So please rest assured, Sanniang. We will take good care of Lady Zhao and Erlang.”
Zhao Hanzhang looked at Ji Yuan.
Ji Yuan then came forward and said quietly, “They want the second lady and Erlang to move into the city as hostages. I took the liberty of agreeing on Sanniang’s behalf.”
Zhao Hanzhang glanced at Ji Yuan and said almost inaudibly, “Master certainly understands well.”
Ji Yuan also lowered his voice to reply, “Emergency situations call for emergency measures. Didn’t Steward Tan fail to understand this principle, causing Second Master to miss the first opportunity since becoming clan head to win people’s hearts?”
“You certainly know how to draw inferences from one example.” Zhao Hanzhang didn’t blame him but instead stepped back two paces and gave him a formal bow, “My mother and younger brother are entrusted to you, Master.”
Ji Yuan hurriedly bowed in return, “Ziyuan will do his utmost and not fail my lady’s trust.”
Zhao Hanzhang, in front of Changning, said, “I also won’t disappoint Master and the County Magistrate. Please tell the County Magistrate, Master, to await my good news in Shangcai city.”
Never mind whether it worked out or not—first blow the trumpet and settle everyone’s hearts.
—