Chapter 288: Chapter 288

Chen Wan was very afraid that she was deceiving him, but when his gaze swept over the soldiers behind her, he silently left with Qiu Wu.

As soon as he left, Zhao Hanzhang instructed people to throw aside the confiscated weapons, then said to the commoners waiting to be apprehended, "I know you fear County Magistrate Sun’s retaliation, and I am also afraid that with him around, I won’t be able to fulfill my promises to you. So, I ask for your support."

Someone immediately asked, "Do you want us to rush in and kill County Magistrate Sun?"

"But you’ve taken our knives and sticks. If we rush in, wouldn’t we be sent to our deaths?"

Zhao Hanzhang raised her hand to quiet them, "Keep your voices down. The walls of the county government are not far from here, and if you shout any louder, someone will hear."

Only then did everyone quiet down.

Zhao Hanzhang said, "No need for you to rush in, just stay here and make noise. Shout a few more times, something like ’Kill the corrupt official,’ and feel free to shout whatever you want."

"You won’t take this opportunity to frame us and then kill us, will you?"

Zhao Hanzhang, in a moment of excitement, immediately pointed to the crowd and asked, "Who said that?"

The crowd suddenly became silent and shifted, no one dared to speak, and they covered up the person who spoke.

"This is a talent," Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes gleamed as she scanned the crowd, "Come out and let me meet you. Such a talent lost in the fields is too much of a waste."

Whether she was speaking truthfully or not, the person hiding in the crowd still made his way through the people and came out, taking a gamble that Zhao Hanzhang might really consider him a talent.

A sallow-faced young man, thin and sickly, stepped forward.

Zhao Hanzhang looked him up and down, smiling, "What’s your name?"

"Good name. I’m assigning you to lead these people. You just lead them to make noise here. We will rush into the county government to rescue County Magistrate Sun, and then send him away. You just shout and make noise on this street, but do not engage in violence or damage property, understand?"

Xiang Yu did not expect her to assign a task so quickly, really trusting him, and was momentarily stunned.

"What’s wrong? Can’t you do it?"

Xiang Yu shivered and immediately said, "I can!"

Only then did Zhao Hanzhang nod arrogantly, "Then let’s begin."

Xiang Yu tentatively raised his hand and shouted, "Kill the corrupt official!"

The mob looked at each other, paused for a moment, then slowly began to shout, "Kill the corrupt official..."

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t mind and looked at Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan immediately shouted loudly, "Negotiations have broken down, there’s nothing more to discuss. We’re rushing in to rescue County Magistrate Sun!"

After shouting, he led a group past the mob, directly charging towards the gates of the county government.

The mob had just handed over their weapons and didn’t dare to stop them, watching him pass with wide eyes.

Xiang Yu suddenly felt a sense of absurdity. If this was Zhao Hanzhang’s scheme to lure them into rebellion, they would surely perish without a trace.

Fortunately, it was not a trick; Zhao Hanzhang was very trustworthy. Ji Yuan led about twenty or thirty people to rush ahead, while she and the remaining soldiers stayed back.

Ji Yuan reached the gates of the county government without any obstruction and started knocking loudly, shouting to the people inside, "Open the door quickly, reinforcements from Xiping County have arrived—"

The people inside the county government did not move. They had just heard unusual commotions outside, though the exact words were unclear, but the reactions of the mob outside were also peculiar. What if it was a trick?

Seeing them not open the door, Ji Yuan became furious, ordering his people to break it down while shouting, "Bring your General, I am Ji Yuan, by the side of the County Lord of Xiping County. I was also there during last year’s Yu Yang City relief battle. He surely recognizes me, and our County Lord is also here..."

After shouting, he turned around to look at Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang immediately beckoned to the crowd, "Quickly, shout, quickly shout."

The crowd instinctively looked at Xiang Yu.

Xiang Yu gritted his teeth and raised his arm, shouting, "Kill the corrupt official—"

The crowd followed suit, "Kill the corrupt official!"

The sound echoed through the county, also alarming County Magistrate Sun, who was hiding deep within the county government. He paced around anxiously, urgently asking General Ding, "Why are the mob causing a commotion again?"

Just then, a soldier came to report, "General, County Lord, outside they are saying that reinforcements from Xiping County have arrived. They’re fighting with the mob. Should we let them in?"

County Magistrate Sun was taken aback and quickly asked, "How many people?"

"We don’t know yet, but they said the County Magistrate of Xiping is here, and someone named Ji Yuan."

"Third Sister Zhao! Is the leader a woman? I know Ji Yuan, a trusted aide beside Third Sister Zhao, formerly a counselor to Mr. Zhao." County Magistrate Sun said excitedly, "Let them in fast."

The soldier looked to General Ding.

General Ding, knowing Zhao Hanzhang as well, nodded slightly. He had seen her fight on the city wall during last year’s Yu Yang relief, and he instructed, "Have the archers ready, do not allow the mob to approach the county government, and certainly do not let them inside."

"General Ding, didn’t you say we don’t have many arrows left?"

"That’s why we should use them sparingly, ask Ji Yuan how many people Lady Zhao brought."

Ji Yuan and over twenty others were let into the county government, while the shouting of the mob outside was deafening. Fortunately, they did not storm the county government, and by this time, it was completely dark. Climbing onto the walls and looking into the distance, they could only see a crowd of people far away, with chaotic and mighty noise, unsure if they were in hiding.

In other parts of the county town, occasional firelights could still be seen, indicating that the situation was not too good either.

Ji Yuan, upon entering the county government, directly headed towards County Magistrate Sun.

County Magistrate Sun and General Ding both recognized Ji Yuan upon seeing him, and County Magistrate Sun quickly asked, "Mr. Ji, where is Lady Zhao?"

General Ding asked, "How many people did Lady Zhao bring?"

Ji Yuan, covered in sweat, said, "No time to explain in detail, County Lord Sun, our lady drew the tiger away from the mountain, blocking those mobs at the front and had people lead away the mobs surrounding the back door. Let’s hurry and leave the city now."

"Leave the city?" County Magistrate Sun questioned, torn with uncertainty, "Why leave the city? How can I abandon the city and flee?"

"But the entire city is in chaos. When we entered the city, all the townspeople were out looting the wealthiest homes. Otherwise, why do you think there are so few people surrounding the county government?" Ji Yuan said, "The County Lord must hurry out of the city to either Lin County or Chen County for reinforcements. Otherwise, not only County Magistrate Sun but even our lady might get trapped here."

General Ding kept asking, "How many people did Lady Zhao bring? I have over two hundred well-trained troops here. We could coordinate from the inside and outside..."

"How many townspeople are there in the city? You can ask County Magistrate Sun," Ji Yuan replied, "If they insist on rebelling, how can our small group stop them?"

County Magistrate Sun nodded vigorously, "Yes, we can’t stop them!"

"So quickly, let’s go, County Magistrate Sun. Take your family, and I will escort you out of the city." Ji Yuan urged.

County Magistrate Sun hesitatedly looked at General Ding, fearing that he might object.

After lowering his head in thought for a moment, General Ding said, "County Magistrate, go fetch reinforcements. We’ll hold the county government and wait."

County Magistrate Sun immediately agreed, "Don’t worry, General Ding. I’ll certainly bring back reinforcements."

County Magistrate Sun proceeded to leave with Ji Yuan, and to reassure General Ding, he chose not to take his family with him, leaving them at the county government as hostages.

Nonetheless, he didn’t care and promptly escorted County Magistrate Sun outside.