knife

Chapter 574 Chance Encounter
Han Zheng was deeply worried.

Upon receiving He Jiong's message, he did not hesitate for a moment and immediately set off for Yong'an County.

He had already received news of the coup in Danyang.

He had always assumed that the Empress Dowager would inevitably retaliate in any way.
But to everyone's surprise, the Empress Dowager was truly defeated this time.
Leaving Danyang and coming to Yong'an County alone meant that the Empress Dowager had lost control of the overall situation.

This is a complete defeat.

For the Han family, this was tantamount to annihilation.

From the very beginning, the Han family was Jiang Qian's full supporter. When Jiang Qian came to power, the Han family did a lot of work behind the scenes, doing countless things for her, both openly and secretly.

The two sides are so deeply intertwined that Han Zheng now feels he has absolutely no way out.

Despite the eloquent words and numerous promises made by Xiang Ying and his associates, none of these so-called promises are reliable to Han Zheng, a seasoned official with extensive experience in countless political struggles.

When that time comes, any excuse can be used to overturn past promises, and settling scores later is a common occurrence in politics.

It's just a different way of saying it.

What's yours, I've already given it to you.

The reason it's being taken back now is simply because you've committed a new crime and must be punished.

Who doesn't know how to pull off this kind of act?
Fortunately, the Empress Dowager managed to escape.

This was undoubtedly Xiang Ying and his team's biggest blunder.

Over the years, the Empress Dowager has accumulated considerable prestige and gained many followers. Whenever the Empress Dowager appears, these people will inevitably come to her side in the following days.

However, Ruyin County and Yong'an County seem too small.

The presence of tens of thousands of elite troops in Yong'an may seem like a great help, but in the long run, it is a major hidden danger.

These tens of thousands of people are indeed an elite force, but they are also money-grubbing patriarchs!
The logistical supplies, provisions, and salaries, which were not much for the entire Chu state in the past, were an unbearable burden for the two prefectures of Yong'an and Ruyin.

Besides the Tiger Warriors, what about the navy?
The navy is also an expensive branch of the military!
In the short term, the Empress Dowager may still be able to keep the Tiger Army and the Navy in check with her prestige, but in the long run, without money and food, how can she rely on just her mouth?

Where does the money come from?
Han Zheng felt a headache just thinking about it.

There is only one way to solve this problem.
While the army still has pay and morale, let's start the war!
Who to hit?

Of course, it's a counterattack against Chu.

If Xiang Ying claims the Empress Dowager is a sorceress from a demonic sect who plotted to murder the late emperor, then his side could also accuse Xiang Ying of plotting a rebellion and usurping the throne. Arguing about this kind of thing will ultimately lead nowhere.

Ultimately, it all comes down to who wins on the battlefield.

History is written by the victors.

One advantage of launching a counterattack on Chu is that the Empress Dowager still has many supporters in Chu, even if they no longer have any in the open, they must still exist in the shadows.

However, launching a counterattack now would present another hidden danger.

That was He Zudao, one of the Eight Towns of Jiangnan.

Feng Kuan is currently attacking Yong'an. Previously, He Zudao had not made any public statement, but had been putting pressure on Han Zheng. But now that this matter has come to light, how could He Zudao let this opportunity pass? He will definitely launch a major offensive.

Without eliminating this hidden danger, there is no way to launch a counterattack against Chu. Although He Zudao is a troublemaker, he is quite capable, and his tactical skills are superb.

Whether it was the battles between Hedong and Hexi, or the subsequent battle of Luoyang, Han Zheng was ashamed of his own lack of keen sense on the battlefield as this person demonstrated.

If I were in that situation, I probably would have collapsed long ago.

He Zudao was not only able to gather his soldiers under his command, but also to lead them to move freely in a small space, ultimately carving out a path to survival.

So we need to deal with this person first, which is difficult!
Han Zheng was worried just thinking about it.

"Father!" Han Tan walked over carrying a water bag and handed it to his father. For a day and a night, everyone had barely rested. They ate and drank on horseback. When they were extremely tired, they would rest briefly on their horses. Everyone looked disheveled and haggard.

They were about to enter the city, so Han Zheng had to tidy himself up and perk up. He couldn't let the Empress Dowager, He Jiong, and the people from Yong'an see a listless and dispirited governor of Ruyin.

Now, every appearance of someone like Han Zheng is crucial to the morale and fighting spirit of this small group.

Compared to the last time, Han Tan now appears much more mature and composed. In less than half a year, the somewhat unruly and frivolous boy from before has completely disappeared.

That trip to Luoyang and the subsequent escape were a true transformative journey for Han Tan.

Especially after returning to Ruyin County, Han Zheng and Han Tan had a heart-to-heart talk.

Jiang Ping is actually Empress Dowager Jiang Qian.

And that Li Bao was actually Li Dachui, the Protector-General of the Beiting Protectorate.

In front of those two people, I truly felt like a fool.

Thinking about her behavior during their journey together, Han Tan was so ashamed that she wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground.

The father wanted him to go out and gain experience, to make a good impression on the Empress Dowager, and to lay a good foundation for his future promotion. But this backfired, allowing the Empress Dowager to see through his naivety.

Whenever he thought about these things, Han Tan felt his face burning.

After helping his father wash up, Han Tan scooped up a handful of water and splashed it on his face, rubbing it vigorously. The cold water instantly cleared his somewhat dazed mind.

He wiped the water droplets from his face with his large hand, then looked up and surveyed the increasing number of pedestrians on the road.

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed, and a person who should absolutely not be there appeared in his field of vision.

Han Tan thought he was seeing things, so he rubbed his eyes hard and looked again. But when he looked again, he couldn't believe his eyes.
That familiar bearded face not only appears in my memories, but also frequently in my dreams.

Shaking his head and patting his face, his strange movements caught the attention of Han Zheng, who had just finished wiping his face.

"What's wrong?" Han Zheng's low voice came from beside me.

Han Tan swallowed hard, and just as he was about to reply, he noticed that the familiar bearded man was riding over on horseback.

He dismounted, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, and the familiar voice rang in his ears once again.

"Brother Han, what a coincidence! I never expected to run into you here! Haha, we're really destined to meet!"

Han Tan gave a wry smile, turned to look at his father, and said, "Father, this is Li Bao, Brother Li, whom I told you about!"

(End of this chapter)