The Wei family’s main gate was pounded loudly. The Wei family members huddled in the main hall instantly shrank back. Madam Wei nervously flinched, her eyes frantically looking around, wanting to find a place to hide herself.

Wei Zhao forcefully held his mother and turned to his hesitant father. “Father, quickly leave the mansion to surrender. Inspector Zhao is magnanimous. She will be lenient with us.”

Master Wei nervously clenched his fists. “But if she knows our family is Shi Le’s in-law family, how could she spare us?”

Wei Zhao stamped his foot. “What kind of in-law family are we? Elder sister was forcibly taken as a minor concubine. With Inspector Zhao’s vision and breadth of mind, she definitely won’t blame us for this. Father, if we keep waiting and the Zhao Family Army thinks we’re resisting and charges into the mansion, can these household guards and retainers hold them off?”

The young man beside him voiced agreement. “Elder brother is right. Such a large Zhen City only took her half a day to conquer. Can’t she also conquer our small Wei residence?”

Only then did Master Wei shakily rise and go with the steward to open the door.

Wei Zhao handed his mother to his aunt and grandmother and also followed.

The main gate opened wide. Though the Zhao Family Army soldiers outside were quite resentful that they had taken so long to open the door and their faces looked unpleasant, they didn’t particularly make things difficult. They just said with stern faces, “Where is your family head? Inspector Zhao has summoned him. Prepare and come with us.”

Master Wei’s knees went soft and he nearly knelt.

Wei Zhao quickly stepped forward. After saluting, he asked, “May I know what the Inspector summons him for?”

“How would we know? Just go when we tell you to go. So much nonsense. Hurry up, we still have to summon the next family.”

They had to summon three families and had already delayed too long at the Wei residence.

Wei Zhao saw his father was truly afraid and asked, “I am the family head’s son. May I accompany him?”

The Zhao Family Army soldiers waved casually. “Let’s go then.”

They didn’t think much of the pale-faced Master Wei. If the Inspector wanted to discuss matters with them, naturally she needed to find someone who could make decisions and had courage.

This squad led the father and son to knock on the next family’s door.

The knocking was quite rough, banging loudly as if trying to knock down the door.

But the people inside wouldn’t open for a long time. They also didn’t curse or attack.

When they reached the third family, the Yan family, both sides nearly came to blows. But the Zhao Family Army didn’t kill anyone, just beat down their household guards and dragged their family head Yan Qing away.

The reason the gentry and village elders of Zhen City were so difficult to summon was because Shi Le had been stationed here for some time.

At that time, whether to survive or because they were optimistic about Shi Le, many families had pledged allegiance to him. This allegiance wasn’t just like Dunqiu, giving money from plunder and goods, but also providing people.

Many families currently had sons serving in Shi Le’s army, so they feared Zhao Hanzhang would settle scores.

However, Zhao Hanzhang just listened, then asked if they were firmly following Shi Le.

Everyone naturally shook their heads repeatedly. If Shi Le hadn’t invaded, why would these people who were just somewhat wealthier than ordinary commoners want to pledge allegiance to him?

It was merely to preserve their lives and not live so difficultly.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled at them. “That’s good. If you were determined to follow Shi Le, I could only ask you to leave Zhen City. After all, a city can only accommodate one master.”

Everyone secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but their spines remained straight, waiting for Zhao Hanzhang’s next words.

Zhao Hanzhang picked up her tea bowl for a sip and said to them, “As for family members serving under Shi Le, I don’t care about such things. Not to mention father and son, even husband and wife often have different political views. Everyone should follow their hearts’ choices.”

“However, since you’ve chosen Zhao, you must be loyal to Zhao and loyal to Jin,” Zhao Hanzhang said with a serious face. “I can tolerate you dealing falsely with enemies to preserve your lives, but you cannot lose your principles and bottom line.”

Everyone lowered their heads in acknowledgment. Seeing Zhao Hanzhang truly had no intention of pursuing matters, everyone relaxed.

Zhao Hanzhang met with these gentry and village elders individually and also met with the sons and nephews who came with them. No one knew what she discussed with them privately.

In any case, after one night passed, the next morning Zhao Hanzhang selected a new magistrate for Zhen City.

Wei Zhao, a son of the Wei family, only seventeen years old, especially young among the gentry and village elders, so everyone couldn’t understand why she chose Wei Zhao. Even Master Wei didn’t understand.

Honestly, Master Wei was a bit jealous.

Zhao Hanzhang kept Wei Zhao to talk privately. The two walked up to Zhen City’s tower facing the morning light.

The tower was mottled, with bloodstains still on the walls and ground, sword marks everywhere.

Zhao Hanzhang reached out to pat the city wall. “This city is heavy. You must think clearly. Once you shoulder it, you cannot easily put it down again.”

Wei Zhao’s gaze was resolute, his eyes full of earnestness. He bowed deeply to Zhao Hanzhang. “I understand. I am willing to protect this city and the common people within it with my life.”

Thinking of his elder sister who had been seized, Wei Zhao’s eyes flashed with pain. “I won’t let them be slaughtered and plundered again!”

Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help but smile, looking at him appreciatively. “Good! I only hope you’ll keep your word. Remember, standing here, behind you are the common people of an entire city.”

Wei Zhao lifted his robe to kneel and deeply kowtowed, acknowledging, “Yes!”

Zhao Hanzhang helped him up and turned to descend.

The gentry and village elders of Zhen City prepared provisions to reward the army, nervously presenting them before the army.

After Zhao Hanzhang glanced at them, she divided half in front of everyone and gave it to Wei Zhao, saying, “Put it in the storehouse. The common people need consolation. After we leave, you must defend Zhen City well. If there’s an emergency, you can seek aid from Dunqiu. I hope you’ll watch out for each other and advance together.”

Wei Zhao acknowledged.

Leaving Zhen City, Zhao Hanzhang split her forces in two. One route was led by Deputy General Song Xin attacking southward from the eastern road, while she led an army advancing from the western road.

Fu Tinghan followed Zhao Hanzhang, while Fan Ying went to handle Song Xin’s logistics.

Zhao Hanzhang still ordered Qiu Wu to have the weapons workshop prepare more explosives, but transporting them from Chen County required a very long detour. It was better to have her send people to collect materials and hand them to Fu Tinghan and his team to make.

So Fu Tinghan was also very busy. He not only had to manage logistics for her route but also lead craftsmen in making explosives, then distribute some to Song Xin.

However, their luck was very good. For the next three cities, they didn’t use explosives. They had just arrived when the people in the cities rebelled. When the army approached Dingtao County, the magistrate led the county’s bailiffs, assistants, and various gentry and village elders to kill the lieutenant colonel and commandant stationed in Dingtao County, then opened the city gates to welcome Zhao Hanzhang into the city.

As soon as Zhao Hanzhang entered the city, she highly praised Dingtao County’s magistrate Yin Hua. She not only forgave their previous crime of surrendering to Shi Le but also promoted him to Ji Yin Commandery Marshal, truly a meteoric rise.

At the same time, in Linqiu County, righteous men led by Shi Wen charged into the county office and killed the new magistrate, then led the city’s common people to occupy the tower. When Song Xin led the army there, Shi Wen led the way in opening the city gates to welcome the Zhao Family Army into the city.

Song Xin reported this matter to Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang replied with a letter of commendation and a document appointing Shi Wen as Linqiu County magistrate, bearing both Zhao Hanzhang’s personal seal and the Yuzhou Inspector’s official seal.

Shi Wen didn’t question her identity as Yuzhou Inspector appointing a local county magistrate in Yanzhou. Now everyone knew that Gou Xi had surrendered to Shi Le before dying in battle, and the Emperor had been captured by Liu Cong. Now the realm was divided in two, with half heeding Zhao Hanzhang’s orders and half following the Langya Prince in Jiangdong.

Yanzhou was in the midst of war and bordered Yuzhou. The northern lands basically all listened to Zhao Hanzhang, while in the Jiangnan and Huainan areas, many places now recognized the Langya Prince as their leader.

When news of Dunqiu and Zhen City spread, Zhao Hanzhang’s prestige among northern Han people soared to a new height. Dingtao County and Linqiu could be won without battle precisely because her words at Dunqiu had spread.

Before Shi Le could react, Zhao Hanzhang advanced like breaking bamboo, capturing five cities in just eight days and approaching Meng County.

Knowing the Han people’s hearts were wavering in various cities, Shi Le felt he couldn’t do better than Zhao Hanzhang. Moreover, he was Jie ethnicity while Zhao Hanzhang was Chinese Han ethnicity. They were natural allies.

So winning people’s hearts through kindness was impossible. He instead killed people on a large scale, forcing them through fear not to rebel.

Shi Le killed people outside Xiaye County. His subordinate generals followed suit, also massacring in Meng County and Ningling. Everyone in the cities feared for their lives. Though they watched the Zhao Family Army approach, they didn’t dare make a move.

This resulted in Yanzhou counties killing enemies to surrender to Zhao Hanzhang, yet Meng County and Ningling, which she had personally supported, kept their city gates tightly shut against her, standing in strict formation.

Zhao Hanzhang wasn’t angry, only worried. “Order all units to send representatives to meet me. This time we’ll coordinate our operations and strive for victory in one strike.”

Otherwise, Shi Le’s counterattack would inevitably cause heavy losses to Meng County and Ningling.

Xun Xiu was in Sui County, Mi Ce in Yangxia. Zhao Ming ordered Wang Nie to garrison Wuping, barely holding off Shi Le’s two-pronged attack. Zhao Ju led the Zhao Family Army defending Xiaye County, with Wang Xuan from Jingzhou assisting him. But Shi Le’s offensive was too fierce. Xiaye County had been lost several times, and they had arduously recaptured it.

Shi Le grew ruthless and swept clean all the fortified villages and settlements outside Xiaye County, seizing Han people and driving them as shields to attack the city.

Behind Xiaye County were not only the city’s common people but also Chen County. Once Shi Le conquered Xiaye, Chen County would be in danger. That place represented three years of heart and blood from Zhao Hanzhang and others. So Zhao Ju vowed to defend it to the death and could only order arrows released, shooting to kill indiscriminately.

In just half a month, Zhao Ju’s temples showed white hair, the psychological pressure immense. As soon as he received Zhao Hanzhang’s letter, he immediately called Wang Xuan and had him find a way through Sui County to meet Zhao Hanzhang outside Meng County.

The realm was vast, Yuzhou large. Even though Shi Le had captured Ningling and Meng County, he couldn’t completely block all routes. So even Zhao Ming sent people to the main camp to meet with Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang besieged the city while forcing Shi Le to send relief troops, and waited for representatives from all units. Everyone discussed a battle plan, written in code. For those who hadn’t yet arrived, she also continuously dispatched couriers to deliver the messages to each unit.

Three secret letters per unit. As long as one could be delivered to its destination, they could launch the counterattack on time.

Zhao Hanzhang sighed with Fu Tinghan, “All communications depend on people. At times like this, wireless telegraph would be wonderful.”