Zhao Hanzhang nodded and said, "We’ll go and take down the two checkpoints left by the Shi Army tomorrow; there must be supplies there."
Yuan Li responded affirmatively.
Zhao Hanzhang instructed, "Let Wuliang handle this. Your task is still to protect the two young princes, especially King Qin. Don’t let him die, and don’t let him escape."
Yuan Li was surprised, "Your Excellency has chosen King Qin? But isn’t Prince Yuzhang more suitable?"
Zhao Hanzhang lifted her eyelids and gave him a cold glance.
Yuan Li shuddered and imdiately bowed his head to admit his mistake.
Zhao Hanzhang withdrew her gaze and did not explain her choice of King Qin.
The two checkpoints left by the Shi Army were not difficult to attack. Once they finished, they turned back to head to ng County, when Xun Ming managed to trace their path and catch up.
Zhao Hanzhang looked at Xun Ming with a cold expression.
Xun Ming knelt on the ground and reported, "...Lost the trail, took a wrong turn. By the ti we turned back, we’d already missed the opportunity."
Zhao Hanzhang: "In broad daylight, and with them fleeing in haste, the tracks were clear on the road. How could you take the wrong path?"
Xun Ming hurriedly defended, "Perhaps because the Shi Army passed by a few days ago, leaving traces on the road."
"Could you not distinguish between fresh and old tracks?"
Xun Ming lowered his head and did not dare to argue further.
Zhao Hanzhang softly withdrew her gaze and paused before saying coldly, "Get up. When we return to ng County, report yourself guilty to General Xun."
Only then did Xun Ming rember an important matter he hadn’t reported yet, and he quickly said, "Inspector, our general is seriously injured and unconscious, yet to awaken."
Zhao Hanzhang’s face grew colder and more serious. She nodded and said nothing more, imdiately leading people back to ng County.
The large fire in ng County had been extinguished. Despite the tily firefighting efforts, many houses were still burned due to the dry weather.
The soldiers found many charred bodies inside the houses; all were burned after death.
The Shi Army killed too many people over those days. The survivors couldn’t even bury their relatives before hiding, leaving the corpses to rot in the houses.
A big fire reduced them to bones, and the remaining unburned houses were filled with a foul stench.
When Zhao Hanzhang returned to ng County, the soldiers were following Zhao Ming’s orders to clear out the corpses from the houses. If there were surviving family mbers and they were willing, the bodies were given to them for burial.
For those without family, or if they were unable to bury them, the bodies were collectively buried in a mass grave.
In the fields on the outskirts of the city, ten large pits were dug, next to the sprawling rice fields which, due to drought and war, were patchy and incomplete. Although harvest ti was near, half of the grain husks were empty upon inspection.
Zhao Hanzhang watched as the bodies were carried out, summoning a civil servant and asking, "Who is responsible for this?"
The civil servant quickly bowed and replied, "It is Chen Changshi."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "Have him find so li and wormwood. Use wormwood water to sprinkle the whole city, and use more li. The weather is hot, and whether they are soldiers or civilians, no one is allowed to drink raw water. Find a military physician to carefully prevent and treat epidemics."
The civil servant responded, took the order, and went to find Chen Changshi.
Zhao Hanzhang headed directly to the county governnt.
Only half of the county governnt was intact, while the other half was still smoking.
Zhao Ming had also moved Xun Xiu into the city. Half of the army was on guard outside the city, while the other half remained inside to calm the people and restore production.
Seeing Zhao Hanzhang, he let out a sigh of relief and quickly asked, "Was Zhi Xiong captured?"
Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "I had his head hung on the North City Gate, and his body on the South City Gate."
Zhao Ming: ... that was unnecessarily cruel.
Zhao Hanzhang said, "Count how many of the Shi Army remain dispersed outside. Tell them that they won’t be killed if they surrender and lay down arms; I will spare their lives and even provide them food and grass to return ho."
Zhao Ming: "Are you worried they’ll disperse and beco bandits?"
Zhao Hanzhang pursed her lips, "ng County suffered severe damage this ti, with only one-tenth of the city intact. Who knows how many years it will take to recover production."
While it’s possible to bring a large number of people from elsewhere to fill in, the scar of death will always remain.
Zhao Ming nodded, agreeing to her plan.
Zhao Hanzhang had Zhao Ming go check on King Qin and Prince Yuzhang and arrange accommodations for them.
As soon as Zhao Ming heard Zhao Hanzhang had brought back King Qin and Prince Yuzhang, he beca invigorated, imdiately running to see them, then returning to Zhao Hanzhang and saying, "You should establish the Crown Prince imdiately and inform the world."
Zhao Hanzhang also had this intention; after sitting at the head seat, she invited him to sit down, "We can’t delay this war any longer. Let’s draft the edict now."
She continued, "Appoint King Qin as Crown Prince, and order the troops nationwide to co to our aid. This ti, we aim to annihilate Shi Le and the Xiongnu Khanate in one sweep."
"Send Qiu Wu back to Chen County imdiately, and command the Weapon Workshop to increase the production of explosives..."
"Wait a minute," Zhao Ming interrupted her, "You want to establish King Qin?"
Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "Yes, establish King Qin."
"Why?" Zhao Ming frowned, "Prince Yuzhang is the younger brother of the forr Crown Prince, and his age is more suitable. I just saw him; he’s also very obedient."
Zhao Hanzhang’s ambition was obvious. Although a "ruler" was needed at the forefront, she would eventually carry out the act of dethronent and establishnt. Why not choose soone young and obedient from the start?
Zhao Hanzhang said, "Prince Yuzhang is weak and indecisive, lacking his own judgnt. He’s too young; he would listen to my words, but he would also listen to others."
She added, "I prefer an obedient king, but one who understands advantages and disadvantages, knows when to advance and retreat, rather than listening to everyone."
Zhao Hanzhang believed King Qin was better than Prince Yuzhang.
In fact, she wasn’t too impressed with King Qin either.
Zhao Hanzhang said, "Uncle Ming, you misunderstand . My goal is not to beco an emperor; it is to achieve my ambitions and guide the world according to my vision. If a king can help realize my ambitions, why would I burden myself with such aspirations?"
Zhao Ming snorted as he listened to her evasion, "My son Zhao Shen, ever since he was born, I’ve hoped day and night that he would grow up to be a noble gentleman, learned and open-minded. I taught him hand in hand until he was fourteen, but he didn’t beco a gentleman; instead, he beca a ranger."
"He called himself a ranger, but in so views, that’s just a rogue."
Zhao Hanzhang: ...
Zhao Ming continued, "Those of you who like to resort to force to solve problems, don’t even think about associating with gentlen, or even with intelligence. Only those incapable of reasoning resolve matters with force in the end."
"Look, he’s my son. Even after all my efforts, he didn’t grow into what I wanted. You hope to have a king who completely follows your designs; that’s more far-fetched than flying in broad daylight."
So, what’s the use of finding such a lofty excuse?
You will still need to enact the act of dethronent and establishnt in the end.
Zhao Hanzhang was stifled by his words, suppressing her impulse to act, her face reddened slightly, she nodded vigorously and gritted her teeth, "Uncle is right. Still, establish King Qin."
Seeing Zhao Ming frown, Zhao Hanzhang quickly added, "At least he knows how to adapt to circumstances. I like children who understand the situation, which saves a lot of effort."
She intended to establish a figurehead to use as leverage to command the troops nationwide, not to actually raise a child.
Zhao Ming thought for a mont, then nodded, "Alright, establish King Qin then."
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