Zhao Hanzhang ingratiatingly handed the telescope to Zhao Ming, “Uncle Ming, take a look.”
Zhao Ming frowned at the object in her hand. He had been puzzled since watching Zhao Hanzhang point it toward the opposite shore.
He reached out to take it and mimicked Zhao Hanzhang’s movements, putting it to his eyes to look across. The blurry Prince of Donghai suddenly appeared right before his eyes. Zhao Ming lowered the telescope, looked down at it, then raised it again to look. His mood lifted considerably…
“Where did this come from?”
Zhao Hanzhang pointed to Fu Tinghan and smiled, “Tinghan had the glassworks develop it. They were still working on it before we left.”
Zhao Ming turned to Fu Tinghan, about to speak, when he heard the sound of hoofbeats. He looked back and saw Gou Xi approaching with a contingent of soldiers.
He immediately gripped the telescope tightly and tucked it directly into his wide sleeve.
He smoothed his sleeve, and when he raised his head again, his face already wore a gentle smile. He quietly warned Zhao Hanzhang, “Be cautious around Gou Xi.”
Zhao Hanzhang also turned a smiling face toward Gou Xi, responding in a low voice, “I know!”
Gou Xi arrived with his soldiers. Under the Prince of Donghai’s watchful gaze from across the river, the two sides formally met, both displaying smiles visible enough for the Prince of Donghai to see even in his blurred vision.
The Prince of Donghai was furious. He spun in circles on the spot and shouted angrily, “What does Zhao Hanzhang mean? Are the Yuzhou forces formally declaring war against me, against the court?”
His attendants all remained silent.
Gou Xi looked Zhao Hanzhang up and down and nodded in greeting, “General Zhao, I trust you’ve been well.”
Zhao Hanzhang’s face bore a brilliant smile, “General Gou remains unchanged, still so spirited.”
Neither was given to small talk. After a brief greeting, Zhao Hanzhang began introducing those on her side, “Yuzhou’s troubles were greatly alleviated thanks to General Gou’s intervention. Everyone in Yuzhou is deeply grateful. I’ve specially brought my officers to pay respects to the General.”
Zhao Hanzhang first introduced Zhao Ming, smiling, “This is the pillar of our Zhao family, my uncle Zhao Ming.”
“So this is Zhao Shanjun—I’ve long admired your name.”
Zhao Hanzhang was slightly stunned and couldn’t help looking at Zhao Ming. What Zhao Shanjun? She didn’t know her Uncle Ming had this title.
Zhao Ming merely nodded slightly from his horse, “Zhao has also long admired General Gou’s great name.”
Zhao Hanzhang hurriedly introduced Ji Yuan, then Xun Xiu and the others.
For some reason, neither dismounted. Actually, Zhao Hanzhang had wanted to dismount and even touch the river water, but seeing Gou Xi showed no intention of dismounting, she could only remain mounted.
Gou Xi also noticed the Prince of Donghai on the high platform across the river. He lifted his chin slightly, looking toward the opposite shore while asking Zhao Hanzhang, “General Zhao, what do you think the Prince of Donghai will make of our meeting?”
Zhao Hanzhang raised her eyes to glance across, belatedly realizing that Gou Xi remained mounted so as not to appear shorter than the Prince of Donghai standing on his high platform, right?
Zhao Hanzhang thought this ridiculous but kept her face serious, “He will surely conclude that we two have formed an alliance. Congratulations, General Gou.”
Gou Xi turned to look at her, “Only congratulating me? General Zhao, are you unwilling to ally with me?”
Zhao Hanzhang replied, “General Gou, my heart holds only the interests of Yuzhou and Dajin. The Prince of Donghai acts perversely, while General Gou was able to temporarily set aside your grievances with him to help Yuzhou escape its predicament. This sentiment and righteousness, Hanzhang will never forget.”
Gou Xi understood. In other words, she allied with him now because it benefited Yuzhou and Dajin. But should the day come when his existence instead threatened Yuzhou and Dajin, alliances and such would cease to exist.
He pulled at the corner of his mouth, though his mind had already rapidly processed this, and nodded in acknowledgment of Zhao Hanzhang’s words, asking, “Given his current defensive deployment, where do you think we should strike, General Zhao?”
Zhao Hanzhang frowned slightly.
Gou Xi noticed and said, “General Zhao doesn’t think merely arraying the Yuzhou forces here will frighten the Prince of Donghai into retreating, do you?”
He sneered, “He’s an arrogant man who’s grown increasingly autocratic these past two years, unable to bear the slightest grievance. Do you think he’ll voluntarily withdraw his troops?”
“This battle—whether you want to fight or not, General Zhao, you must fight!”
Zhao Hanzhang’s brow relaxed and she smiled, “General Gou speaks correctly. Where do you propose we strike?”
Gou Xi didn’t mince words, saying directly, “To attack him, we must cross the river. But crossing puts us at a disadvantage from the start. If they launch an attack while we’re crossing, it will be unfavorable for us.”
“So?”
Gou Xi glanced across the river, seeing the Prince of Donghai had already been provoked enough to leave, and leaped down from his horse.
Zhao Hanzhang also dismounted. The two stood by the river as Gou Xi casually picked up a stick to draw on the ground, “This location—General Zhao should find it very familiar. It’s where you secretly crossed back.”
Zhao Hanzhang nodded.
Gou Xi’s lips curved up, “The Prince of Donghai’s troops lack fighting spirit. They didn’t even scout this entire area, so General Zhao can cross the river again from here.”
He turned the stick in his hand and drew a long line on the ground, using the stick to point upriver, “There’s another easy crossing point upstream. My men will cross there and attack the Prince of Donghai’s camp from another direction.”
Zhao Hanzhang showed no objection but asked, “With just our two forces? Even lacking fighting spirit, they still have two hundred thousand men, don’t they?”
Gou Xi’s lips curved up, “Rest assured, General Zhao. This battle is a conflict between myself and the Prince of Donghai. I naturally won’t use you as the vanguard.”
His gaze swept over Xun Xiu and the others behind her. Zhao Hanzhang smiled, “Rest assured, General. All these officers are trustworthy.”
Gou Xi smiled slightly, “I trust them naturally. Those you would bring here surely have no divided loyalties.”
He asked seemingly casually, “Why didn’t Magistrate Zhang of Yuyin Jun come today? Now that I think of it, he and I are old acquaintances.”
Zhao Hanzhang’s expression didn’t change in the slightest, still smiling warmly, “Magistrate Zhang has fallen ill and is recuperating in camp. However, if General Gou wishes to see him, I believe he would be very willing to meet you. Should I have him visit you this evening?”
Gou Xi declined, smiling, “No need. Just give him my regards.”
Behind Zhao Hanzhang, Xun Xiu and the others were nearly breaking into a cold sweat. Even Zhao Ju couldn’t help feeling anxious, his expression changing several times.
The only ones who remained consistently composed were Zhao Ming and Ji Yuan, and… Fu Tinghan.
Zhao Ju couldn’t help glancing at Fu Tinghan, surprised he possessed such composure.
Having finished their verbal sparring and confirmed that everyone present was trustworthy, Gou Xi finally revealed his plan, “I want General Zhao to break camp and leave, making it appear the Yuzhou forces are returning to Chen County, while I lead a feint attack to draw his main force across the river.”