When Zhao Dian saw Zhao Hanzhang giving their horses to Mr. Chen and his daughter, he said nothing. When they set off immediately in the morning sun, he was startled and chased after him two steps. He couldn't help but ask Zhao Hanzhang, "Sanniang, we are going too."
Looking for the second prince and the prince, why don’t you let us go together?”
Zhao Hanzhang said: "They went to collect food and grass. If you leave again, we will have no one to protect us, so I have to ask you to escort us for a while. When they come back, I will not stop you from finding my uncle and uncle."
Zhao Dian: "This..."
Zhao Hanzhang's face darkened, "Why, now the master of the Zhao family's main house can no longer command you?"
Zhao Dian immediately lowered his head, "I don't dare."
Zhao Hanzhang said coldly: "Pack your luggage, have breakfast, and set off as soon as possible."
The carriage was damaged, but only one ox cart was still intact. The ox cart had to pull the coffin, and Wang and others had to ride horses.
Zhao Hanzhang took her, while Fu Tinghan took Zhao Erlang, who had a bruised nose and swollen face. They couldn't move any faster at all.
As soon as the refugees saw them leaving, they immediately dragged their families to follow them.
At noon, they reached a fork in the road. Zhao Hanzhang stopped his horse, looked back at the refugees who were following him near or far behind, and turned his horse's head to move forward.
She hugged her fists and said to everyone: "Everyone, look at the ruts on the ground. The army is not far ahead. If you are fast, you can catch up with the army tonight. Slower, as long as you don't encounter the insurrectionary army.
I can catch up tomorrow."
"I want to carry the coffin and return to my hometown. I will transfer here to Runan, and I won't be able to go with you."
When the refugees heard this, they felt sorry for each other, but they could only accept it.
Just as Zhao Hanzhang was about to leave, several middle-aged people in the crowd shouted: "Lady, wait a moment."
Zhao Hanzhang looked back.
I saw them crowding up with several women and several children, kneeling on the ground and saying: "I don't know that the girl's family is in need of servants to cultivate the fields. The young people are willing to sell themselves, just asking for the girl to give them a bowl of rice."
eat."
Zhao Hanzhang glanced at them one by one and saw that although they were not rich and noble, they were dressed in neat and thick fine linen. The clothes fit well and there were no patches. They were not bad at all. However, the twelve people in their group did not carry a single piece of luggage, and one middle-aged man carried a piece of luggage.
There was also an unconscious woman on his back.
She thought for a moment and realized that they had been robbed of everything.
Zhao Hanzhang asked, "Do you know how to farm?"
"Yes," the middle-aged man said immediately, "We are all neighbors, and we do the sowing and harvesting in the spring and autumn with our own hands every year."
"I heard your answer is not like that of ordinary farmers. Can you read?"
The middle-aged man said: "I read two books when I was young and could barely recognize some words."
It's rare for someone to be able to read now. Zhao Hanzhang immediately said: "Okay, I've accepted it all. What's your name?"
The other party has already led everyone to bow down, "Little Hu Zhi pays homage to the girl."
The others were obviously selling themselves for the first time, and they followed suit and bowed down, not as if they were worshiping their masters, but as if they were worshiping their ancestors.
Zhao Hanzhang waved to Uncle Cheng, who immediately went up to make arrangements.
Seeing this, some people in the crowd joined in and wanted to betray themselves.
They went after the army so that they could rest against the big trees and enjoy the shade, so that they could follow the army back to Luoyang in the future.
But they didn't expect that it would be so difficult to escape. Before they could catch up with the army, all their luggage was robbed, and half of their family members were killed.
To keep up with the army, they have to rely on their own efforts. If they can find a way to survive now, they don't have to follow the army.
They all found out yesterday, and the three families who rushed out with them were the Zhao family, the Jia family and the Chen family of the former Zhongshu Ling. Among them, the Zhao family was the most powerful.
After what happened yesterday, everyone knew that Zhao Hanzhang had a good heart and a good person, and following her was not necessarily worse than following the army.
The emperor is so noble, and they are following him. If the rebel army catches up, they might be pushed out as a human shield.
So when someone saw someone successfully joining Zhao Hanzhang's family, others immediately followed suit.
But Zhao Hanzhang didn't accept everyone. Seeing that there were so many people coming to submit, she simply asked everyone to stop and rest, let the horses rest, and then asked Uncle Cheng to lead people to count the people who wanted to accept.
"Those with skills will be given priority. Those who can read will be better at arithmetic," Zhao Hanzhang said: "The rest depends on character, and don't bring too many people. The team will be burdened and difficult to move."
Uncle Cheng didn't quite understand, "Sanniang, why are we buying people on the road? People are not valuable now. When we get back to Runan, if there is a shortage of people, we can just buy them."
Zhao Hanzhang said: "What we lack is not people who can provide strength. What we lack is people who can manage people. What we lack are people with skills. If you encounter good ones on the road, just accept them. There is no need to be rigid."
Zhao Hanzhang said: "I still have enough money for a bowl of rice."
She just took so many assets from Zhao Zhongyu. She is a girl, her younger brother is a fool, her mother has not returned to her hometown for many years, and she suddenly returned to inherit a lot of family property. Naturally, the more people she can use, the better.
Uncle Cheng understood. He stared at the people who came to seek refuge with his old eyes. He had lived his whole life and had seen all kinds of people around Zhao Changyu. He did not dare to say that he had the ability to recognize people, but he could still understand the character of ordinary people.
You can see it.
He just picked and picked nineteen people. Except for the twelve people Zhao Hanzhang asked to bet on, he only reluctantly settled on seven people.
Uncle Cheng simply asked them to sign a deed of betrayal on the spot, stamped their fingerprints without knowing how to write, and then took them to kowtow to Zhao Hanzhang to recognize the master.
Zhao Hanzhang was also generous. With a wave of his hand, he asked Uncle Cheng to take out the steamed buns that were so hard that they could kill people and give them to them, one to each of them. There were no more.
Uncle Cheng touched the deflated grain bag and wanted to ask Sanniang, who was sitting aside calmly, how she felt they were not short of food.
Fu Tinghan glanced at the grain bag and was a little worried, "If they can't bring back the grain in time..."
Zhao Hanzhang said: "Didn't you say there is a gathering point ahead? If they haven't come back tomorrow, I will go borrow food."
Fu Tinghan's first reaction was, "Do you know someone in front of you?"
"No, but we can make some friends."
He turned to look at her solemn little face, and silently retracted his gaze for a long time. If it was her, it would really be possible.
The group had lunch and took a short rest before setting off. They separated from most of the refugees. The crowd that had once gathered together slowly split into two groups. Although some people did not choose to seek refuge with Zhao Hanzhang, they decided to follow her.
He left and did not chase the army.
Zhao Hanzhang did not stop them, and even slowed down so that they could catch up.
Zhao Dian slowly led people to escort him. He knew that it would be impossible to chase Zhao Zhongyu today, and he might not even be able to go tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.
and……
He glanced at his men. They were obviously very moved by Sanniang's charity. If this continues, there's no telling how many people he could take with him in the end.
The group of people moved forward tiredly. In order to prevent the horse from getting too tired, Zhao Hanzhang got off the horse halfway and led the horse forward.
Fu Tinghan also dismounted and walked beside her, "I seem to have seen a house."
Zhao Hanzhang squinted his eyes and looked into the distance, smiled slightly and said: "I saw it too, let's go!"