Zhao Hanzhang tried hard to recall and finally rembered, "Yes, I rember now. Fifth Uncle said he was honest and sincere, but I noticed him because he was well-versed in the ’Analects’ and demonstrated a good Gentleman’s Sword."
Xun Xiu, trailing slightly behind, heard this and laughed, "The magistrate has a good eye. County Magistrate Zhao not only wields the Gentleman’s Sword well, but he’s also good with a knife. When Shi Le’s army stord into ng County, it was he who, alongside the governnt officials and remaining soldiers, fought in the alleys, stalling the enemy so the reinforcents could arrive before Shi Le’s forces could fully seize ng County and we could take it back."
Hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang’s anger subsided a little. She thought Zhao Bin might genuinely not be good at handling certain things, so she looked at Fan Ying, "Go and help him."
Fan Ying understood, responded, then tugged on the reins and stopped at the roadside, waiting for the entire troop to pass before turning around to find Zhao Bin.
In these tis, even escaping for one’s life isn’t sothing just anyone can do.
There’s a saying in later generations that’s quite accurate: whose ancestors weren’t illustrious? Since the ti of Yan and Huang, those who managed to survive through the Shang and Zhou, Spring and Autumn, Warring States, Qin and Han, and the chaotic, hell-like Southern and Northern Dynasties, finally living to see New China, none of their ancestors were simple.
Back to now, those who can afford to escape at the start of a war, can they be ordinary people?
True ordinary people do not have the ans to escape; they can only go with the flow, hoping the invading Jiehu won’t kill them, leaving them as commoners, or perhaps being taken as slaves; they can only adapt to the circumstances.
When entering the city, Zhao Hanzhang saw that, apart from sporadic individuals, everyone else wore at least coarse linen clothes, without even a patch.
In these tis, to wear clothes without patches, other than being wealthy, ans one is a wealthy person’s servant.
If the city really cannot hold, she would let them leave, but now that the morale is unstable, everyone is still defending the city. Once they flee, their military and public morale would completely collapse.
They were still gathered at the city gate, clamoring to get out. Zhao Bin’s throat was almost hoarse from talking, "Don’t worry, everyone. We can certainly hold ng County."
"What if we can’t hold it? Do you expect us to wait here and die? County Magistrate Zhao, Governor Zhao always loves the people; please let us out."
"If Shi Le storms into the city again, can you guarantee our safety? Open the gate and let us out now!"
"We paid the grain tax you asked for, and we contributed the military provisions you needed. What more do you want?"
"Why talk so much, just rush out quickly; today they’re fighting again, who knows when the Jiehu will storm into the city again?"
Hearing this, everyone pushed harder towards the city gate, almost toppling Zhao Bin.
The soldiers guarding the gate were furious, crossing their spears left and right to block them. The City Gate Officer swiftly drew his sword and shouted, "Back off! Back off!"
The people at the front were rushed by this voice, also irate, rolled up their sleeves and surged forward; told to retreat, they refused!
The common people have spirit, and the gentry are even prouder. A few miscellaneous soldiers dared to shout at them, prompting a more vigorous push towards the gate, almost touching it.
Fan Ying led a team of personal guards over, seeing this, kicked the horse’s belly to quickly ride forward, cracking the whip in the air.
Upon hearing the whip crack and horse hooves, the mob at the back turned to look and quieted down, but the front still clamored to get out, pushing hard, almost hitting the City Gate Officer’s face.
Fan Ying rode up from the side, directly whipping a person at the front. Unlike the first ti, rely cracking in the air, the whip snapped onto soone’s face. She tightly pursed her lips, cracking down a dozen tis repeatedly, gradually quieting the noisy crowd.
Fan Ying glared at them displeased, "What’s wrong, why not continue your clamor?"
Zhao Bin, seeing those in front whipped with bloody faces and arms, couldn’t help but want to speak for them.
Fan Ying turned to glare at him, then looked down at the rioting dozens, "With the enemy at the gates, ng County is governed by military law. Anyone who shakes military morale shall be executed without rcy!"
"You can keep shouting, but I’ll keep killing and burying!"
The man whipped thrice was indignant, shouting defiantly, "You dare! Even Governor Zhao wouldn’t treat us like this..."
"This is the command of the Governor!" Fan Ying loudly declared, "Who do you think you are, compared to the entire Zhao Family Army, the Yu State Army, and the people of Yu State, do you think you’re worth that much?"
"Even the Governor will guard the city here, are you more noble than the Governor?" Fan Ying flicked the whip, turned to the City Gate Officer, "Drive them away. If they dare gather again, whether at the gate or elsewhere, they will be treated as spies."
"To disturb public morale at such a crucial mont, I suspect you are spies sent by the Xiongnu and Jiehu!"
The crowd’s faces changed drastically, glaring at Fan Ying, angry but not daring to speak.
Fan Ying saw Zhao Bin still hadn’t moved and glared at him again, making him finally realize and persuade them kindly to leave.
They hesitated but didn’t leave, sneaking glances at Fan Ying, who tapped her palm with the whip, looking at them with a half-smile.
The crowd shrugged their shoulders and quietly turned to leave.
Only then did Fan Ying snort.
Zhao Bin wiped his brow, exhaled heavily, feeling exhausted, "Fan Zhizhong, thank you."
Fan Ying couldn’t understand, asking, "County Magistrate Zhao, aren’t you being too lenient with them?"
Zhao Bin said, "They are my people after all, and it’s normal for people to fear death, not to ntion those with families. Knowing there’s a war looming, who would want to stay in the city?"
He added, "Empathizing with others, if I were an ordinary citizen, if I could run, I would."
Fan Ying: ...
She turned to observe the surrounding soldiers.
Zhao Bin realized, seeing the soldiers’ unhappy expressions, and hastily said, "But as an official with responsibilities, it’s still the people first, oh, the Governor first, since a myriad of citizens stand behind us. Among them are our relatives, we cannot allow the barbarians to invade south."
Fan Ying’s expression improved a bit, "Good that you understand."
In her heart, she couldn’t help but mutter, Fifth Grandfather’s introduction wasn’t wrong, truly honest and sincere, but too sincere.
Zhao Hanzhang stood on the city gate tower, holding binoculars to look into the distance.
Xun Xiu also had one, but he still enviously eyed Zhao Hanzhang’s.
It’s said that the Thousand-mile Eye in the Governor’s hand was personally made by Mr. Fu, a new model that can see farther, one of a kind.
After observing for a long ti, Zhao Hanzhang set down the binoculars, pointing in a direction, asking, "Can they really camp so obediently upstream?"
Xun Xiu: "Is the magistrate worried they’ll breach the riverbank and flood us with water?"
He said, "That’s not possible, it’s a dry year, the river’s clear, not much water stored."
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