Chapter 77 - 71 Shangcai
In the end, only twenty-eight retainers were willing to leave with Zhao Dian. Out of the ninety-four retainers who survived up to this point, which doesn’t include Ji Ping and his group, less than a quarter were willing to leave with Zhao Dian.
Zhao Dian didn’t say anything, and after receiving the allocated dry rations, he bid farewell to Zhao Hanzhang early the next morning.
Of course, Zhao Hanzhang wouldn’t let him return just like that. Not only did she write an emotionally rich letter for him to deliver to Zhao Zhongyu, but she also collaborated with Fu Tinghan to write a letter to Fu Zhi, explaining their plans.
The farther they went from Luoyang, the calmer the chaos became. Although there were many mountain bandits along the way, Zhao Hanzhang brought along quite a few retainers, and with refugees following them, ordinary bandits wouldn’t trouble them.
With provisions, they smoothly headed east, then bypassed Yingchuan to enter Ru Nan. Their long-lost guards had wandered off on the wrong path, and as they rode their fast horses directly through Yingchuan back to Ru Nan, they encountered the refugee army there, finding it hard to advance...
Zhao Hanzhang, who had been waiting for them to catch up, was left in suspense: ...
Zhao Hanzhang had few memories of Ru Nan, but Uncle Cheng was very familiar with it.
Before reaching the boundary stele, Uncle Cheng pointed to a field of wheat that had just started to turn yellow and said, "Third Lady, that’s our manor."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang turned her head to look and raised an eyebrow, "Are we in Ru Nan?"
Uncle Cheng laughed, "Ahead is Anchang, which is within Ru Nan’s borders. It’s at least another three days’ journey from here to the family home in Xiping."