After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 853 - 840: The Great Counteroffensive III

Xun Xiu was still unconscious, but Zhao Ming received the information. After a brief contemplation, he understood and immediately ordered a retreat, intending to vacate the area outside the South City Gate.

For an ordinary person, it would be natural to know the importance of preserving strength for future fights, but is Zhi Xiong an ordinary person?

Ignoring the escape route, after realizing he couldn’t retake Meng County, and believing he would be encircled and pursued by the Zhao Family Army once outside, he spent considerable effort setting up kerosene and other materials. As Zhao Hanzhang closed in on him, he directly ordered to set the city on fire, then fled through the opened South Gate with his men.

It was late summer in July, following the hottest June and a continuous drought. The kerosene-soaked buildings ignited and exploded in an instant, the flames snaking along the poured kerosene like fiery serpents.

Zhao Hanzhang, enraged by the sudden conflagration, immediately ordered, "First and second squads, put out the fire. Third and fourth squads, contain the blaze. Fifth and sixth squads, notify the entire city and evacuate the civilians from Meng County. The rest, follow me to pursue Zhi Xiong, Zhao Ze."

"Present!"

"Go to the north of the city and escort Ting Han to the main camp."

Zhao Ze agreed.

Zhao Hanzhang also instructed someone to inform Xun Xiu to immediately dispatch troops and intercept Zhi Xiong, further saying, "Have Xun Xiu send twenty thousand troops to Xiaxi County to support Zhao Ju."

Judging by the time, Shi Le should have arrived long ago. If he hasn’t, he must have been held up by Zhao Ju. She needed to send troops to support him.

Zhao Ming, acting on behalf of Xun Xiu, received the order and immediately divided the troops into two. Taking into account the current morale and loyalty of the Xun Family Army, he ordered Qiu Wu to lead twenty thousand troops to support Zhao Ju, while Xun Ming was sent to pursue Zhi Xiong and join forces with Zhao Hanzhang.

Heh, he didn’t believe Xun Ming would dare to play tricks in front of Zhao Hanzhang.

Indeed, Xun Ming did not dare. After receiving the order, he immediately gathered his troops to pursue Zhi Xiong.

Because of his stubbornness to set fire, Zhi Xiong missed a golden opportunity, being closely chased by Zhao Hanzhang.

Furious, Zhao Hanzhang closed in on the Shi Army, urging her horse faster while leaning forward over its back. She threw her spear forward, gripping it firmly before launching it with great force. The spear flew through the air, piercing the chest of a squad leader in the rear of the Shi Army...

Zhao Hanzhang galloped past the panicked Shi Army, seizing her spear back as she got close. With a swift motion, she extracted the spear, not sparing a glance at the fallen leader. With a graceful arc and thrust, she sliced through another’s neck and pierced another’s chest.

The Shi Army trembled in fear. Zhao Hanzhang raised her spear, shouting loudly, "Kill them for me!"

"Kill——"

The Zhao Family Army caught up to the Shi Army, their morale surging. The Shi Army, already demoralized by their retreat, faced with Zhao Army’s formidable pressure, instantly lost all will to fight, only wanting to flee as quickly as possible.

Zhi Xiong initially intended to turn back and strike, but witnessing the rapid defeat, he immediately turned his horse around and fled with his trusted followers.

Once Zhao Hanzhang burst through, Zhi Xiong had already gone far, but she was no longer in such a hurry. After capturing most of the remaining Shi Army, Xun Ming also caught up. She left part of her force to escort the prisoners, dividing the rest to pursue Zhi Xiong in two directions.

One group chased in the direction he fled, while the other took a detour.

At this time, the Central Plains were largely wild and mountainous, with more people only in the vicinity of cities, and elsewhere it could take miles to find a village. So, as long as Zhi Xiong avoided attacking cities and steered clear of crowded places, he could shake off his pursuers and remain hard to find.

Originally, Zhao Hanzhang had Xun Xiu open the South City Gate to provide him an escape route, but who would have thought he wouldn’t cherish it, insisting on burning the city.

Standing at a crossroads, Zhao Hanzhang pondered briefly before deciding to take a gamble. She bet that Zhi Xiong would head southeast to Xiaxi County to find Shi Le, instead of eastwards out of Yu State.

Zhao Hanzhang spurred her horse, leading a team down a narrow path, directly approaching the southeast, where the borders of Meng County, Xiaxi County, and Sui County converged.

After running for more than an hour, without encountering any habitation, they arrived at a crossroad. Zhao Hanzhang signaled for everyone to stop. She pulled out a map from her cloak, carefully comparing it, gauging her speed, and after a moment of consideration, said, "Let’s take this path, have everyone make the most of the time for rest and eating. We must intercept Zhi Xiong before nightfall."

Zhao Hanzhang gritted her teeth, "He dared to burn my city, slaughter my people. I will make him pay with blood for blood!"

The soldiers responded affirmatively.

Running for another half-hour in the direction Zhao Hanzhang had chosen, they emerged from a trail onto the main road.

Zhao Hanzhang and Rong Yi examined the ground for traces, confirming that no large army had passed. She said, "Rest, eat, ambush."

Rong Yi agreed, and once everyone had set up tripwires and hidden in the woods beside the road, Rong Yi expressed some concern, "Sir, are you sure Zhi Xiong and his men will take this path?"