The elder gasped and, under Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze, forced a smile, reached out to take the human head, and nodded, "Thank you, heroine."
Everyone looked on confused.
The elder scanned the restless crowd and said in a deep voice, "Shi Army is vicious and immoral, our people from the Northern Land have always avoided them. Wu Sanlang is not ashad, but proud, and even uses Shi Army’s na to bully villagers. Truly, he is a disgrace to Guangzong. Luckily, the heroine has fought against evil and upheld justice today. Mr. Li thanks you here!"
A mber of the Wu clan protested, "Elder Li, we left Guangzong all thanks to Yongfu’s lead. We shouldn’t be ungrateful, right?"
The elder’s face turned solemn, "We depended on Wu Sanlang to leave Guangzong, but among us, the seven clans, who didn’t contribute?"
"From Guangzong to here, we traveled eighteen days, how many died? How many died because Wu Sanlang led them to a senseless death?" The elder shouted, "I won’t ntion my Li family; even the Zhang family and Zong family lost dozens of sons! We left Guangzong County with 1,286 people, look at how many are left now?"
Before the elder finished speaking, sobs broke out among the crowd, and by the ti he was done, tears and cries were heard from won and children huddled by the fire.
The Wu-surnad man irritably shouted at them, "Why cry? This is an escape, people die in escapes. If Yongfu hadn’t grabbed so much food, we would all starve!"
The elder said nothing, but his gaze swept over his young son, who was indeed quick-witted and imdiately spat, "Nonsense! Is the Li family lacking in grain, or the Zhang family? Even the minor surnas traveling with us, if we save a bit, we could reach Yu State. If he hadn’t hard the grain, using our stuff to recruit those ruffians, would the rations be so tight?"
He glanced at Zhao Hanzhang and quickly said, "Moreover, today’s incident was his own doing. He had to provoke people, snatching armor and belongings, and even humiliating them. It’s not people claiming him; it’s heaven claiming him!"
"You!" The Wu-surnad man wanted to speak, but the elder suddenly said, "Let’s part ways."
The Wu-surnad man choked, and everyone instantly fell silent, afraid to speak further.
The elder continued, "Divisions have arisen; traveling together only creates tensions. How about Li and Wu families separate here?"
The expressions of the Wu-surnad people beca vivid, and for a mont no sound ca, while the ruffians recruited by Wu Yongfu imdiately heckled, "Split then split, are we afraid of you?"
Even as they heckled, the Wu-surnad ones dared not truly separate.
With Wu Yongfu gone, they couldn’t provide for the rations or control those people. If they traveled together, the Wu family might be devoured, leaving not even bones.
Following Elder Li, everyone left from the sa place, they were related, and with many people, they weren’t afraid of these ruffians rebelling.
Zhao Hanzhang saw this, scoffed inwardly, knowing the elder’s position was stable. She clasped her hands toward the elder and said, "Please ensure to restrain your younger generation, we won’t consider the remaining matters further. Farewell."
The elder bent slightly, thanked her, and no longer ntioned having the Wu-surnad leave. Once Zhao Hanzhang left, they resud discussing the leader’s matter.
The Wu-surnad people resentfully watched Zhao Hanzhang and her group leave, feeling unwilling.
But Wu Yongfu’s head was still fresh; no one dared to stop Zhao Hanzhang for revenge.
Zhao Hanzhang casually took Wu Yongfu’s sword, and passing by Shi Le, she gestured to Shi Hongtu and the other two with her chin. The three reacted, rushed forward to pick up Shi Le.
Fu An followed closely behind, belatedly realized, "Mistress, this is, this is..."
Zhao Hanzhang turned back and hushed him, signaling not to speak out.
Fu An held back, curiously watched Shi Le being carried like a dead pig, his face pale, looking almost dead.
Zhao Hanzhang was scanning for a good resting place when a familiar young man waved at them from the side.
Fu Tinghan didn’t recognize him and stood still, while Zhao Hanzhang glanced at him, pulled Fu Tinghan over, "From Wusui County?"
The young man said, "I’m A Wei, seventh in my family; you can call Qi Lang."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded and smiled, calling "Qi Lang," then asked, "Why are you seeking ?"
The young man first looked behind them, then whispered, "I know a place sheltered from the wind, with few people; a good spot for the night."
Zhao Hanzhang sized him up montarily, weighted her judgnt, found him trustworthy, and followed him.
A Wei ntioned a place not far from where his family was stopping. Here, a small ridge blocked the wind, with only two groups nearby. A glance showed one group had five or six people, making it indeed open and sheltered compared to the crowded refugees.
The only downside was there was no fire pit here, and it was far from people. If t with bandits, the other party would drag soone into the darkness without a word.
Perhaps even if known, the refugees wouldn’t care.
If dragged amidst the crowd, perhaps there would be a righteous person willing to intervene.
So, people could be both dangerous and safe.
Typically, those like Zhao Hanzhang with skills and secrets would pick such a place away from the crowd.
Young A Wei thought they had secrets, and hence ran far ahead to find them, sneaking a glimpse at an exciting duel.
His blood was boiling, looking at Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes shining, eager to wedge between her and Fu Tinghan to speak to her.
He eagerly ran back to his family’s spot and carried over the firewood his elder siblings gathered, starting a fire for them, "Heroine, would you like so food? We have so bean cakes."
Zhao Hanzhang looked at his enthusiastic face and, without shyness, nodded, "Sure."
The young man imdiately ran back to get so bean cakes but wasn’t so lucky this ti; he took a long while.
A Wei was stopped by his brothers, who tried to persuade him with anguish, "Giving wood is one thing, it’s early autumn, wood isn’t urgently needed; we can gather so on the way. But food is life-saving, we have little at ho, how can we give it to others?"
The young man said, "She’s not ’others,’ she’s my ntor! Brother, you didn’t see how incredible she was. She killed Wu family’s tyrant just like that and chopped off his head; Wu family’s people didn’t touch a hair on her."
Isn’t a person who verbally assures his bright future a ntor?
Zhao Hanzhang didn’t mind whether the young man returned. Wu Yongfu had hurt her. She tore her clothes off her shoulder to let Fu Tinghan check her wound.
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