Zhao Hanzhang pulled out all the able-bodied young men visible to the naked eye and arranged their positions. Glancing sideways, she noticed a curtain being lowered and walked over to drag out Second Young Master Jia, who was hiding inside. “You go to the front.”
Second Young Master Jia’s face turned deathly pale. “I’m not going. My family has already sent out no fewer people than yours—stop using your false authority to intimidate me.”
Zhao Hanzhang pulled him to the front. Second Young Master Jia discovered he actually couldn’t break free from her grip.
Zhao Hanzhang shoved him forward forcefully and tossed the sword he wore as an accessory onto him, saying, “You guard in front of this carriage. Behind this vehicle are your mother and sister. If you don’t defend it, I’ll leave this position exposed.”
Second Young Master Jia: …
The other young masters who had been contemplating whether to slack off and hide in the back: …
Although they were indeed afraid of death, their mothers and wives or daughters and sisters were right behind them.
They silently gripped their swords tighter. Zhao Hanzhang raised her chin slightly and said, “Move forward according to the positions I’ve assigned you.”
The formation adjusted and became much more orderly. Their speed also increased, appearing stronger than before. But Zhao Hanzhang knew this was just a facade. Without training, their coordination was practically zero. Once they encountered rebel troops, this force would crumble at first contact.
However… at least it improved their chances of success and gave everyone a sliver more hope for survival.
Behind them, commoners who had escaped through the city gates caught up. Seeing their orderly movement and numerous able-bodied men, they immediately followed step by step, wanting to travel together for a stretch.
Zhao Hanzhang’s group was also happy to have them follow. This was open wilderness—the more people, the greater the probability of survival.
The entire group exerted all their strength running forward. The horses and mules panted heavily from exhaustion, but no one dared stop because those catching up from behind shouted, “The rebel army is pursuing! The rebel army is pursuing…”
Zhao Hanzhang looked back and saw in the distance rebel troops chasing a group of fleeing commoners in their direction, with about a dozen on horseback.
Perhaps not daring to pursue too deeply, the mounted troops would charge up to drive and kill for a while before turning back, then after some time would charge again to kill.
This continued repeatedly. As Zhao Hanzhang kicked her horse forward, she kept looking back to calculate the interval between their attacks and their speed of advance. Her heart couldn’t help but sink.
Running like this, in less than an hour they would break through the fleeing crowd behind and reach them.
Unless they scattered and fled like those behind them—because their numbers would be too scattered and sparse, the rebel troops would be too lazy to pursue.
But this was impossible. Not to mention they were traveling with so much baggage—even if they abandoned all their belongings, they still had so many people and carriages and horses.
They couldn’t possibly split up to escape.
Zhao Hanzhang gritted her teeth and reined in her horse, turning back to speak with Old Master Jia and the others. “This won’t work. We must stop the pursuing troops.”
Old Master Jia was not without experience. He looked back at the gradually approaching rebel army and said with a headache, “They’re all desperate criminals, and we’ve scattered quite a few of our people—how can we possibly stop them?”
Zhao Hanzhang said, “The most important thing is their horses. We must disable their horses. Otherwise, in less than an hour, none of us will escape.”
Old Master Jia pondered for a moment, then asked, “What does Sanniang propose to do?”
Zhao Hanzhang: “Give me bows and arrows, and another twenty men.”
Old Master Jia looked at Zhao Ji.
Zhao Ji opened his mouth, wanting to tell Zhao Hanzhang not to be reckless. But Old Master Chen, their neighbor from the adjacent street who was fleeing with them, had already said, “Good. My family will provide five men to be dispatched at Sanniang’s command.”
Old Master Jia then also said, “Good. For bows and arrows… I’ll provide ten sets. I’ll also provide five men.”
Zhao Hanzhang said lightly, “Then for the remaining ten, our Zhao family will provide them.”
Zhao Hanzhang looked at Zhao Ji. “Uncle, I need to select ten men to stay behind.”
Under everyone’s gaze, Zhao Ji nodded.
Zhao Hanzhang didn’t stand on ceremony and directly selected ten men.
As for the remaining bows and arrows, the Zhao family also provided them.
Zhao Changyu had money. Although somewhat stingy in living expenses, he was not at all stingy in maintaining his private troops—their equipment was all of the highest quality.
The bows and arrows were the same.
Zhao Hanzhang took a bow from a guard’s hands, slowly pulled it open to test its tension, then released it. She took a quiver of arrows.
She spurred her horse to catch up with Madam Wang’s carriage ahead and said to Chengbo sitting on the shaft, “You take my mother and Erlang to catch up with the main army. I’ll guard the rear.”
She turned to look at Erlang, leaning down to touch his hair. “Erlang, you must stay close to Mother’s carriage and protect her, understand?”
Zhao Erlang nodded seriously and promised, “Sister, don’t worry. I will definitely protect Mother.”
He paused, then said, “And also Sister.”
Zhao Hanzhang smiled and nodded. “Good.”
Madam Wang had heard everything. She lifted the curtain to look at her. “Sanniang, you’re so young and a young lady—how can we let you guard the rear?”
She said indignantly, “Is your uncle trying to harm you?”
This time, Zhao Ji was wrongly accused. Zhao Hanzhang said, “No, I requested to go myself. Mother, if no one stops the rebel troops behind us, they’ll catch up very quickly.”
Madam Wang said timidly, “But there are still quite a few people behind us. We’re running at the very front—perhaps we’ll catch up with the main army soon.”
“When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. I don’t dare gamble that the situation ahead will necessarily favor us, so this batch of rebel troops behind must be stopped. At minimum, we must disable their horses.”
Zhao Hanzhang reached out and slapped the horse’s rump hard, making their carriage speed forward. She gradually reined in her horse, watching them run into the distance.
The guards who had been selected also stopped to the side, standing by the roadside watching them leave. Fleeing commoners continuously ran past them. The density of people made it impossible for her to set traps on the road.
Zhao Hanzhang gripped the bow in her hand tightly. Her gaze swept over the forests on both sides. She carefully examined the nearby terrain, arranging them in groups of three—four groups total—positioned to support each other defensively on both sides.
“Our objective is to shoot the horses. As long as their horses are injured, the infantry will have great difficulty catching up to our group.”
“But what about us? If we miss, they can reach us in an instant. Then we…”
Infantry against cavalry had basically no chance of victory, especially against Xiongnu who excelled at mounted archery.
“So we’ll ambush from within the forest. Each person has three arrows. After shooting all of them, immediately retreat into the forest. Here the trees are dense—horse speed will be limited. After that, whether you can escape alive depends on your luck.”
The eight men who hadn’t been assigned yet looked at each other and asked quietly, “What about us?”
“You’re responsible for the trip ropes.”
“Although their cavalry are making surprise attacks, their infantry are following right behind. Once we pull the trip ropes, we…”
Zhao Hanzhang sighed inwardly. After all, they weren’t soldiers from the military. In an army, there was only obedience to orders. Even if soldiers feared death, they wouldn’t voice their cowardice and fear as if questioning orders.
Zhao Hanzhang dismounted and patted her horse’s rump, sending it into the forest to rest briefly. She looked at them calmly. “I’ll be with you. You shoot arrows, I’ll also shoot arrows. Moreover, I’ll guard your rear. Only after you’ve all fled will I withdraw and leave. So if you die, I’ll die too.”
“Running ahead are my relatives and friends. If we can’t stop their horses, in at most an hour, they’ll leave our relatives and friends dead on this road.” Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze swept over their faces as she asked in a heavy voice, “So, will you join me? Of course, this is a matter of nine deaths and one survival. If you’re unwilling, you can leave now.”
The twenty men couldn’t help looking at each other. After a long silence, they clasped their fists and bowed. “We respectfully await Lady Zhao’s command.”
Zhao Hanzhang quietly breathed a sigh of relief, nodding. “They’re approaching fast. Prepare yourselves.”
—