Tuoba Yilu parted ways with Zhao Hanzhang midway and led his troops back to Dai Jun, while Zhao Hanzhang went through Jizhou to return to Yuzhou first, pick up the Emperor, and then return to Luoyang.

After consideration, Zhao Hanzhang still believed they should return the capital to Luoyang, with Chen County managed as a secondary capital.

After years of war and chaos, large numbers of aristocratic families and common people had migrated south to Jiangnan. If there were a satellite dynamic map, people would see that currently throughout the country, in the areas north of Yuzhou, there were still large numbers of small groups of people moving about, migrating southward, wanting to escape this place ravaged by natural disasters and warfare.

These people numbered several times more than the common people willing to settle down. Therefore, she needed a northern base to stabilize people’s hearts.

Although Luoyang currently had few people, the city was broken, and resources were far inferior to Chen County, its geographical location was most suitable.

Only if she and the Emperor settled in Luoyang, with various government orders issued from Luoyang, would the refugees who had been migrating south stop and be willing to return to the north. Only then would the northern lands not become wasteland and might possibly regain their prosperity.

If she took the Emperor back to Chen County, probably everyone would surge toward Yuzhou. Right now Yuzhou’s land was still sufficient, but after a few years, there would be more people than land, limiting development.

It was better to set the direction of development from the beginning.

Zhao Hanzhang planned as she wrote to Zhao Ming, telling him to first take the Emperor back to Chen County. When she returned to Chen County and picked up the Emperor, they would leave.

However, the letter would still take some time to arrive. At this moment, the imperial entourage was in Meng County.

Zhao Hanzhang was counting on her fingers calculating the days for the return journey when a rider came galloping up urgently, reporting: “Great General, a rebellion has broken out in Ji County of Jizhou. The rebel army’s momentum is tremendous, and they’re currently in Wuyi County not far from us.”

Zhao Hanzhang: “……Where did this rebel army come from? Why didn’t we receive any news beforehand?”

Soon, the scouts dragged over several people with pale faces to report. They had only learned about the rebel army ahead because they ran into these people head-on.

The army stopped to rest temporarily, and Zu Ti and others all hurried over to listen to the report together with Zhao Hanzhang.

These people had been sent out by the Wuyi County magistrate to deliver messages and request aid. Zhao Hanzhang took the official seal they brought out and immediately opened the letter.

“……The rebel army came suddenly, and the uprising was swift. The magistrate had just taken office and had no time to react at all. From Guang County to Wuyi County, in just three days they gathered twenty thousand men, and refugees continue to join. Although Wuyi County has not yet been breached, it won’t be long. Please, Your Excellency, save us.”

Zhao Hanzhang asked, “What about the magistrates of Ji County and Fucheng County?”

The official who came was weeping continuously. “In response to the General, this humble one is the chief clerk of Ji County. The magistrate, the magistrate died defending the city. He, he had only been in Ji County for half a month!”

Zhao Hanzhang naturally knew this—she had personally selected and dispatched him, and it hadn’t even been a month. She clenched her fists and asked calmly, “Was his governance brutal, so the people could not tolerate him?”

“Not at all. After County Magistrate Zhao took office, he immediately comforted the people and gave the disaster victims two days’ worth of rations. Later he personally worked tirelessly to lead us in rebuilding Ji County.”

Zhao Hanzhang: “Then was he partial in his conduct, slighting the local gentry and aristocratic families, making them uneasy?”

The chief clerk was crying with tears streaming down his face, but still shook his head. “Not at all. The magistrate visited each of the remaining gentry families in the county one by one, requesting them to enter government service and serve the court together. Even those who refused, the magistrate did not compel them. His words were mild, and he never showed anger or annoyance.”

Zhao Hanzhang then asked him, “Then where did the rebel army come from?”

The chief clerk kowtowed and said, “The leader, Wang Heng, comes from a gentry family in Ji County. Before the incident, he was on good terms with the magistrate. The magistrate liked to consult him for advice and even had the intention of appointing him to office. Because of the work-for-relief program and insufficient relief grain, some people in the county were dissatisfied. The magistrate was just about to investigate and pacify them when rumors suddenly erupted. Some people rebelled out of hunger. Wang Heng asked the magistrate to go pacify them, but just as they faced each other, he suddenly drew his sword and killed the magistrate, then forcibly occupied the county town.”

Zhao Hanzhang gritted her teeth. “What a fine trap to lure the prey.”

She quickly scanned through the words in the plea for help. Because it was written in haste, the characters on the paper were sloppy, and it was only a short sentence. She snapped the letter closed and immediately ordered: “Zu Ti, you lead twenty thousand troops and capture the rebel leader.”

“I obey your command!” Zu Ti paused for a moment, then still asked, “Should we prioritize battle or reconciliation?”

Although Zhao Hanzhang was grinding her teeth in hatred, she still suppressed her rage and said, “Reconciliation!”

Zu Ti acknowledged the order and withdrew.

Zhao Kuan sat silently to the side, enduring the cold aura emanating from Zhao Hanzhang. He turned to look at Fu Tinghan, wanting him to speak up and comfort her, when he heard Fu Tinghan ask, “What about Ji County……”

Zhao Hanzhang sneered coldly and called out, “Zhao Kuan.”

Zhao Kuan immediately stood up. “This subordinate is here.”

“You and Zeng Yue take ten thousand troops to Ji County and Fucheng, retake both cities, and invite the rebel leader’s family and clan members to come. I very much want to meet them.”

Zhao Kuan’s heart went cold, and he lowered his head and responded, “Yes.”

He bowed and withdrew, going with Zeng Yue to muster the troops.

The army gradually split into two routes and departed, leaving only Zhao Hanzhang’s two thousand personal guards at the original location.

Zhao Hanzhang sat in place silent for a moment, then still stood up and said, “Let’s go to Wuyi County and see.”

This rebellion started quickly and ended quickly too. Zu Ti led twenty thousand troops and arrived swiftly, reaching just as Wuyi County was about to fall. They surrounded them from the outside. This was a peasant army pulled together temporarily. Most of their weapons were still seized from the county offices and garrison of the two conquered county towns; the vast majority of people held farming tools and wooden sticks in their hands.

They were just relying on their numbers to besiege the city, attacking with a life-for-life approach.

The army Zu Ti led had been through hundreds of battles, with excellent weapons. They came charging in with great momentum and surrounded them from the outside. They had barely started fighting when someone on the other side began shouting loudly about surrendering.

The speed was so fast that even Zu Ti was stunned.

The battle lasted less than half an hour before the rebel army of over twenty thousand all dropped their weapons and expressed surrender. Wang Heng raised his sword with both hands over his head, led a group of people past the crowd and walked forward, kneeling before Zhao Hanzhang’s horse. He shouted loudly, “General Zhao, Heng has long admired your benevolence and great reputation, and has long yearned for you. It’s just that Ji County was unfortunate—the newly arrived magistrate was brutal and inhumane. We common people truly could not survive anymore, which is why we rose up in revolt. Now that I can see the General with my own eyes, Heng is willing to lead my subordinate generals and twenty-four thousand troops in surrender. Please, Great General, accept us.”

Zhao Hanzhang looked at the sword raised before her eyes. In her chest was not the joy and magnanimity she usually felt when accepting surrenders, but only a rage surging and impacting. She gripped the reins tightly, suppressed her fury, nodded and smiled, saying, “Good. You’ve brought quite a few men. What position do you seek from me?”

Two people behind Wang Heng instinctively sensed something was wrong and were about to remind Wang Heng when he had already raised his head, his gaze burning as he stared at Zhao Hanzhang and said, “Heng dares not be presumptuous. I only wish to be an ordinary general under the General’s command, awaiting orders.”

“What a fine ‘general,’ what fine ‘awaiting orders’!” Zhao Hanzhang laughed in extreme anger, her eyes blazing as she swept her gaze over the twenty thousand plus people kneeling scattered and disorderly behind him. She shouted loudly, “You all surrender to me—what can you do for me?”

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