Zhao Hanzhang looked around, her gaze moving back and forth between the two roads. “Which way do you think the Prince of Donghai would intercept Grandfather Fu?”

Fu Tinghan pondered, then asked back: “If he were supporting Yuzhou, which road would he take?”

The two thought briefly, their gazes falling together on the road to the right. “Grandfather Fu is upright—he would never imagine the Prince of Donghai would intercept him halfway, so he would take the fastest route to reach Yuzhou.”

Fu Tinghan nodded. That was his thinking too.

Zhao Hanzhang turned her horse and immediately set off. “Let’s go take a look.”

They changed course toward the southwest, not heading directly south back to Yuzhou.

Zhao Hanzhang had conscripted some troops in Guancheng, and with the prisoners, she now led eight thousand soldiers. Though more than half were infantry, their forced march speed was quite fast.

The army ran for two days. Just when Zhao Hanzhang almost thought they’d reach Chang’an, they spotted the blocked forces.

It was a three-way intersection with a mountain on one side. Fu Zhi was blocked at the crossroads.

Scouts had explored the situation first and reported to Zhao Hanzhang: “Assistant Director Fu brought twenty thousand men and was blocked right here. Today is the fifth day. Leading the forces ahead is General Ma, while blocking Assistant Director Fu’s retreat from behind is General Chunyu.”

Zhao Hanzhang: “Which General Ma?”

“General Ma Jia’en under the Prince of Donghai. It appears he also has about twenty thousand men—more specific details we couldn’t ascertain.”

Zhao Hanzhang: “And who is this General Chunyu in the rear?”

“Chunyu Ding of the Chang’an garrison.”

Zhao Hanzhang sighed: “Sima Mo.”

Sima Mo was Sima Yue’s younger brother. With his elder brother now serving as regent, naturally the younger brother would listen to him. The two brothers had a fairly good relationship, cooperating closely together, both ignoring the Great Jin’s common people and caring only about the power in their hands.

Zhao Hanzhang tossed the spear in her hand to Ting He behind her, picked up her longbow and slung it over her shoulder, kicked her horse’s belly and called out: “Let’s go meet General Ma!”

Fu Zhi had been blocked here for five days. He paced anxiously back and forth in the camp but could do nothing about it.

The Prince of Donghai had only sent troops to block him, with no intention of attacking. But if they forced their way through, they would certainly fight.

A total of fifty thousand troops were here, with the opposing side holding thirty thousand. Once fighting started, they would be at a disadvantage.

Most importantly, these were all soldiers and civilians of the Great Jin! They hadn’t even seen the Xiongnu yet but were already fighting among themselves.

Every time he thought of this, Fu Zhi’s heart ached unbearably, which is why he couldn’t decide whether to force through.

But they also couldn’t remain trapped here forever. Yuzhou was already at war—the situation there was unknown—and they didn’t have much provisions left.

Fu Zhi walked out of camp, his face dark as he mounted his horse, determined to negotiate with the other side again. For now, national affairs should take priority—couldn’t the internal fighting wait until after the Xiongnu left?

Just as he mounted, a scout came racing to report: “Assistant Director, there’s a troop approaching from ahead!”

Fu Zhi’s face darkened, thinking the Prince of Donghai had sent additional troops, his anger making his nose smoke. He asked: “How many are there, and how far away?”

“When we spotted them they were fifty li away. They should be twenty li away now. Roughly speaking, there are nearly ten thousand men with about three thousand cavalry.”

Fu Zhi was slightly stunned. “So many cavalry? What does the Prince of Donghai want—to directly annihilate me?”

At the same time, Ma Jia’en’s scouts also detected this force. Zhao Hanzhang hadn’t concealed her movements—as long as the scouts weren’t blind, they could see her.

Unlike Fu Zhi, Ma Jia’en clearly knew this wasn’t the Prince of Donghai’s army.

If the Prince were sending additional troops here, he would certainly know about it.

So he immediately ordered the entire army on alert, then mounted his horse to go check the news.

Fu Zhi and he arrived at the crossroads simultaneously. When the two sides met face to face, both their eyes reddened slightly. Over these five days, though they hadn’t drawn swords or spears, physical clashes had been inevitable.

Fu Zhi had even stood at the front lines cursing Ma Jia’en and his ancestors, having nearly enumerated up to the opponent’s eighteenth generation.

So upon seeing Fu Zhi, Ma Jia’en’s face turned livid, though his manner remained relatively restrained. He raised his hand in a cupped-fist salute: “Assistant Director Fu, reinforcements have come for you?”

Hearing this, Fu Zhi narrowed his eyes and said nonchalantly: “Then what is General Ma doing here?”

Ma Jia’en snorted coldly: “Coming to see who has the audacity to oppose the Prince. Assistant Director Fu, you’re too short-sighted. The Prince’s actions are for the good of the Great Jin.”

He was about to continue when he heard the sound of galloping hooves. He immediately stopped talking and turned to look.

Fu Zhi had no interest in probing him further and turned to look as well. He saw dust flying as the two lead riders brought countless troops galloping toward them.

Ma Jia’en’s men immediately tensed their backs and gripped their weapons tightly. A soldier, following Ma Jia’en’s signal, rode forward to block them: “Halt! Who goes there? State your name!”

But Zhao Hanzhang didn’t stop immediately. Instead, she led her army charging right up to Ma Jia’en, stopping within arrow range.

Her troops had just finished fighting—over a month of combat had left them steeped in an aura of blood and killing intent, completely unlike the army that had been peacefully blocking people. The difference was stark.

Even the horse beneath Ma Jia’en couldn’t help but retreat two steps in agitation, clearly frightened by their murderous air.

Not until Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan stopped nearby did Fu Zhi recognize the two. Surprised and delighted, he couldn’t help calling out loudly: “Dalang, Sanniang!”

Ma Jia’en narrowed his eyes as he looked over, also recognizing Zhao Hanzhang. His grip on the reins immediately tightened.

Unlike Fu Zhi, who viewed his own children through a filter, Ma Jia’en’s view of Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan was more objective.

He knew about Zhao Hanzhang’s rise in Yuzhou over the past two years. Moreover, he had directly faced Zhao Hanzhang that year and watched her report her father’s death. This person had a resilient character and exceptional intelligence.

At the sight of her, images flashed through his mind of her clear, limpid eyes from that year, watching him with little expression…

Ma Jia’en shuddered and stared intently at Zhao Hanzhang.

The current Zhao Hanzhang was different from the one over a year ago. Her lips curved slightly in a shallow smile, her gaze more gentle, but her bearing was coldly fierce. When her eyes fell on him, he felt a palpable murderous intent.

Zhao Hanzhang looked Ma Jia’en up and down before turning to the Assistant Director and bowing from horseback in greeting: “Grandfather Fu!”

Fu Tinghan also spoke: “Grandfather.”

In this brief moment, many thoughts flashed through Fu Zhi’s mind. Seeing them travel-worn, with infantry still running up from the distance in the rear, bloodstains on their bodies, he felt anguished: “How did you come here? What about Yuzhou? Has Yuzhou fallen?”

Zhao Hanzhang said: “No, Liu Yuan has withdrawn his troops.”

Fu Zhi had been trapped here with no information flow, but Ma Jia’en standing nearby knew this, so his expression didn’t change much.

Seeing Fu Zhi’s relieved expression, Ma Jia’en said: “Assistant Director can rest easy now. Our Prince knows priorities. Now that Yuzhou’s crisis is resolved, please lead your troops back to Chang’an, Assistant Director.”

Fu Zhi lowered his eyes. After thinking only briefly, he raised his head: “I must return to Luoyang to see His Majesty.”