After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 893 - 879: Intimidation

The group of refugees was steadfastly migrating south, but Zhao Hanzhang and her companions were different—they were heading north against the flow of people.

With more than thirty thousand refugees in the group, some squeezed together while others were spread out, forming an endless stream. Zhao Hanzhang and her group, carrying a person against this flow, drew a lot of attention, causing many to turn and look at them.

Someone glanced back at the bundles on their backs and immediately rallied about ten people to quietly follow them.

They were all young men in their twenties, thin but with fierce expressions. In contrast, Zhao Hanzhang’s group of seven included one being carried who looked as if he was on the brink of death, a woman, and someone who appeared like a frail scholar. The others were either bruised or limping. Only A Wei looked somewhat capable of fighting.

So they thought twelve people would be more than enough to deal with them.

Zhao Hanzhang noticed when they started to follow, and so did Shi Hongtu, who, feeling tense, reminded Zhao Hanzhang in a low voice, "Young lady."

Zhao Hanzhang dismissed it, saying, "Let them follow."

She was looking for materials to make a stretcher bed, as they couldn’t keep using cloth to carry Shi Le. Not mentioning whether the cloth was strong enough to hold him, it wasn’t very supportive and could easily injure his wounds.

After a while, the people behind finally caught up, overtook them, and blocked their way. The ones behind joined in, instantly surrounding them.

The leader stepped forward first, as per usual, spouting a bunch of threats, telling Zhao Hanzhang and her companions to hand over their belongings obediently.

They were not yet very short on food, so they would only steal belongings but not kill anyone.

Zhao Hanzhang waited patiently for him to finish speaking and kindly asked, "Are you done?"

The leader frowned, nodded, and demanded again, "Hand over your belongings!"

Passing refugees didn’t dare to raise their heads. They quickly pulled their families past, avoiding them.

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t mind their indifference and smiled at the leader before leaning back against Fu Tinghan, letting go of his support. She moved quickly forward, and with a swift motion of her knife, a head rolled to the ground.

He had tried to dodge. When the knife was raised, he had leaned back, with his fighting experience, expecting to dodge it, but how the knife came down, he had no memory.

He only widened his eyes, seeing his body fall to the ground with a "thud." Then, he saw a leg walking towards him, getting closer and closer, after which he knew nothing more...

Zhao Hanzhang picked up the head, holding it by the hair. She lazily glanced at his stunned companions and asked, "Who else wants to come?"

The young men holding wooden sticks, stones, and other weapons shuddered at Zhao Hanzhang’s cold gaze, immediately dropping their weapons and turning to flee.

A Wei had wanted to rush forward when the man yelled but was pulled back by Fu An. Before he could speak, Zhao Hanzhang had already chopped off the man’s head. At this moment, excitement outweighed fear, and looking at Zhao Hanzhang, his eyes almost shone like the sun. As she looked over, he clapped his hands like a seal, loudly proclaiming, "The young lady is amazing!"

Zhao Hanzhang’s expression froze for a moment, almost unable to maintain her cool demeanor.

Fu Tinghan’s heavy expression lightened considerably. He helplessly smiled at Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang walked towards something she had been eyeing earlier, carrying the head. The refugees seeing her approach, immediately ran away.

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t mind. They didn’t dare bump into her. Even when they ran, they automatically avoided her.

The person she had her eye on—no, the cart—was about to flee, but Zhao Hanzhang stopped it with a raised foot.

The middle-aged man pushing the cart trembled before dropping to his knees, dragging his wife and children down with him, kowtowing towards Zhao Hanzhang, pleading repeatedly, "Spare us, heroine, spare us. We...we have nothing left."

Zhao Hanzhang, of course, knew they had nothing. That’s precisely why she wanted his cart.

The large cart only carried some pots and pans, not even filling a big basket.

Zhao Hanzhang stepped on the cart, declaring coldly, "I’ll take this cart."

The man was momentarily stunned before quickly agreeing to give her the cart, relieved it wasn’t their bundles being taken.

Zhao Hanzhang gestured to A Wei with her chin.

A Wei eagerly ran forward to take the cart, eyes still flicking towards the bundles behind them. He squinted his eyes, suddenly demanding fiercely, "Hand over the bundles behind you too!"

It was just like when he first robbed Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t hold back; she raised a foot to kick him. If not for holding a knife and a head in each hand, she might have used her hands too.

The kneeling family, upon hearing the demand for their bundles, burst into tears and snot, repeatedly kowtowing in supplication.

It was their rations, and giving them away would mean starvation...

Thinking this, courage rose within them. They considered risking it rather than starving. What if...

Just as the idea arose, Zhao Hanzhang, having kicked A Wei, coldly said, "What use are those burdens? Take the stuff off the cart too."

A Wei: "But..." There could be valuable things in the packages, possibly food.

When he left, his family only gave him three days’ rations, which he would finish soon.

Zhao Hanzhang’s cold gaze silenced A Wei before he could finish speaking.

The scene was silent for a moment before the kneeling family head, realizing the situation, frantically removed the basket from the cart, causing the pots and pans to clang together loudly.

Zhao Hanzhang nodded to Shi Hongtu and the others.

They immediately lifted Shi Le forward, placing him on the cart.

Fu Tinghan rolled up the cloth, discreetly slipping three pancakes beneath it, placing it into the basket among the pots for the family.

Zhao Hanzhang arrogantly declared, "This isn’t robbery; it’s a purchase. A piece of cloth for your cart. You’ve got a good deal."

The middle-aged man nodded repeatedly, expressing compliance, "A good deal, a good deal..."

Only then did Zhao Hanzhang walk away.

This time, she didn’t discard the head, carrying it along. As she continued, the refugees saw her carrying a sword in one hand and a head in the other, both body and face covered in blood, and all gave her a wide berth, allowing them safe passage.

Even groups of a hundred refugees did not want to provoke such a ruthless figure.

A Wei, walking for a long stretch, finally realized after being kicked. He was confused and shot a fierce glare at Fu Tinghan, then caught up to Zhao Hanzhang to report, "Young lady, I saw him hiding a few pancakes under the cloth and giving them to that person."

Food was currently the most precious. One ration could be considered a life-saving favor. Fu Tinghan’s behavior was entirely self-damaging and other-benefitting, something they needed to resolutely discourage.