Zhao Hanzhang led twenty thousand troops straight to Shangdang, consecutively taking Gaodu and Xuan Shi, two cities. Finally, she joined forces with Mi Ce and Yuan Li at Changzi County, then divided forces again to attack cities in Shangdang Commandery and Wei Commandery, presenting an attitude of being determined to take both Shangdang Commandery and Wei Commandery.
At the same time, Zu Ti also received Zhao Hanzhang’s letter. He divided his forces from Ji Province into two parts—one going west, one going south, nibbling away at the territories of Shi Lei and the Xiongnu Han state.
By the time Shi Lei received the message, Zhao Hanzhang and Zu Ti had occupied half his territory. But the Jin state hadn’t fared well either—he had occupied one-third of Yan Province’s territory, much larger than Shangdang Commandery, though its geographic position wasn’t worth mentioning.
Shangdang was extremely important. Shi Lei naturally was unwilling to abandon it, nor were his strategists willing. They all urged him to return to relieve Shangdang.
But Zhang Bin had a different opinion. He said to Shi Lei: “Great General, if you return now, it’s already too late. Returning now, not only will Shangdang be difficult to recapture, I fear even the conquered cities of Puyang, Linqiu, and Baima will be lost.”
Shi Lei greatly trusted Zhang Bin and quickly said: “Please save me, Master!”
Zhang Bin said: “Having reached this point, Great General might as well continue down this wrong path.”
He said: “Take Yan Province, capture the Jin Emperor, kill Gou Xi, then exchange Shangdang for the Jin Emperor’s and Gou Xi’s heads.”
Zhang Bin said: “This person Zhao Hanzhang’s reputation is too good. She succeeded because of this and will surely fail because of this. With the Jin Emperor in our hands, she won’t dare refuse.”
Shi Lei himself was a bandit and scoundrel. He never thought well of people and directly asked: “What if she just refuses?”
Zhang Bin paused, then said: “If she’s not threatened, then we’ll take Yan Province and attack Yu Province from Yan Province. What’s wrong with trading places with her?”
Shi Lei thought what he said made sense. Although Shangdang’s terrain and position were more advantageous for them, still… Yu Province wasn’t bad either. This was the Central Plains.
Shi Lei immediately suppressed his heartache and summoned a trusted aide: “Send word to the Grand Commandant, asking how much longer he plans to lure the enemy. Zhao Hanzhang is about to cut off our rear supply lines.”
Shi Lei urged: “Tell him to counterattack immediately. Say we’ll fully support him!”
“Yes!”
Battles were everywhere, and information exchange was poor. A single letter might require the sacrifice of over ten courier soldiers’ lives to be transmitted. Some letters would disappear without a trace, along with the couriers. Apart from them, no one knew where they and the letters had vanished.
The army could only recognize courier soldiers as killed in action after receiving no response for a period.
Since arriving at Shangdang, Zhao Hanzhang found communication very difficult. Apart from the route from Yu Province to here being relatively safe, letters from other places had all gone missing.
But from letters arriving from Yu Province, she knew the battle situations in Yan Province and Si Province were very intense. Fu Tinghan and Zhao Erlang had captured several county towns surrounding Pingyang City and still had a northward trend. Now Pingyang City was almost isolated.
Meanwhile, Beigong Chun single-handedly held back the forces Liu Yuan and Shi Lei had divided to attack Luoyang. As long as they wanted to withdraw troops to relieve Pingyang City, Beigong Chun would bite down hard on them.
This was also one reason why Fu Tinghan and Zhao Erlang could so smoothly recover other cities in Pingyang Commandery.
The second reason was that Fu Zhi sent troops from Chang’an, surrounding Pingyang City’s west gate. Together with Zhao’s Army at the south gate, they attacked intermittently, leaving the main army in Pingyang City no time to attend to the outer cities.
Yan Province was also going smoothly. She heard Gou Xi had won several consecutive battles, recovering several cities Liu Cong had taken. However, Shi Lei had also run to attack Yan Province, leaving half his forces to fiercely attack Yu Province.
Xun Xiu and Mi Ce’s deputy general weren’t very capable in other areas, but they could defend cities. Especially backed by Yu Province with abundant resources, Fu Tinghan had provided them with plenty of catapults, crossbows, and such in these two years. Shi Lei’s main army attacked several times but couldn’t take Meng County or Ningling.
Zhao Hanzhang was wholeheartedly seizing the opportunity to take Shangdang. She divided forces with Mi Ce and others to attack, taking a city every interval, extremely pleased.
Also because of this, letters sent from Yu Province had to pass through two locations before reaching Zhao Hanzhang.
Zhao Hanzhang had just taken Tunliu County and was standing on the city tower watching soldiers enforce martial law on the streets. Her subordinate officials went down to pacify the common people.
Currently, Shangdang was predominantly non-Han peoples, especially Tunliu County. The number of non-Han peoples inside exceeded Han people, so this city had been rather difficult to take. They had besieged it for a full twelve days before capturing it.
At this time, many commoners’ eyes held hatred toward her. Zhao Hanzhang didn’t mind. They were Jie, Xiongnu, Xianbei. When Shi Lei was in power, their status was higher—they could avoid being sold and driven like slaves by Han soldiers. So their hatred of her was normal.
However, she had no intention of pleasing or accommodating them.
Since Tunliu County had been taken by her, it must follow her rules.
Troubled times required harsh measures. Zhao Hanzhang completely changed from the conciliatory policies in Yu Province and Si Province. Her management of Ji Commandery, Wei Commandery, and Shangdang Commandery was very strict.
When soldiers approached, a Jie youth suddenly pulled out a dagger to stab. Yuan Li, standing nearby, discovered it in time and kicked the man over with one foot.
He flew into a rage. Without giving the other party a chance to speak, he drew his sword and chopped off the man’s head. Blood spurted out. Fan Ying, standing beside Zhao Hanzhang, was startled and turned her head slightly away, somewhat displeased: “Commander, should we warn him?”
“No need,” Zhao Hanzhang said coldly. “The other party drew a blade against our soldiers. He deserved death.”
Fan Ying lowered her head and responded “Yes.” Seeing a bedraggled messenger running up to the city tower led by a personal guard, she immediately stepped forward to receive him.
After asking two questions, she immediately led the person forward: “Commander, it’s a letter from Yu Province.”
Zhao Hanzhang withdrew her gaze, scanning over the messenger, taking the letter he presented while asking: “What happened? The route from Yu Province here isn’t difficult—why are you in such a state?”
The messenger hadn’t caught his breath yet. Kneeling, he nearly collapsed entirely and quickly said: “Commander, something happened in Yan Province. This is an eight-hundred-li express.”
Zhao Hanzhang heard this and couldn’t wait to slowly tear the wax seal. She directly ripped open the envelope. Eight-hundred-li express—even when Liu Cong attacked Yan Province and the court sought aid from various regions, they only used six-hundred-li express.
Zhao Hanzhang unfolded the letter and scanned it rapidly. After a long while, she couldn’t speak.
Fan Ying saw her face turn iron-blue and asked with some concern: “Commander?”
Zhao Hanzhang gripped the letter in her hand tightly, saying through clenched teeth: “Go summon Master Ming to the command tent for discussion, and also Mi Ce, Yuan Li, Zeng Yue, and Li Tianhe—summon them all.”
“Yes.” Fan Ying hurried to give instructions.
Zhao Hanzhang summoned a personal guard: “Help him down to rest well and have the military physician examine him.”
“Yes!”
Zhao Hanzhang took the letter into the command tent. Seeing Ming Yu waiting there, she directly handed over the letter: “His Majesty has been captured.”
Ming Yu’s eyes widened instantly as he quickly took the letter to read.