Chapter 22: One Against Three

The consecutive defeat of two top commanders sent a shockwave through the entire crowd.

The officials were particularly stunned. They had assumed the elite troops brought by Fang Han were battle-hardened veterans, yet they proved unable to defeat even a single bandit from Xiyun County—and not even one of their strongest, at that. It was well known that the commanders sent from Xiyun were not necessarily their most formidable warriors; after all, no one would risk sending their most capable lieutenants away.

Seeing Fang Yuan cough up blood, many soldiers who had been considering defecting began to harbor thoughts of retreat. Some even started whispering among themselves.

"Did I see that right? He’s coughing up blood?"
"Commander Zhao is truly formidable. It seems no one in the capital can stand against him."
"Thank goodness I insisted on my loyalty from the start. Some people are about to find themselves in deep trouble."

The laborers watching the spectacle, many of whom had grown weary of the grueling land reclamation work, had initially hoped to use this opportunity to enlist in the army. They never expected the Xiyun County bandits to be so powerful. They began to step back from the arena, terrified that Fang Han, in his fury, might forcibly conscript them.

Conversely, the laborers who had come from Xiyun County felt their resolve to join the military harden. They were from Xiyun themselves; if they were to join any army, it should be under Commander Zhao Hu. If the two sides were to clash in the future, Xiyun County’s chances of victory seemed high. It was not impossible that, given time, Zhao Hu’s influence could eventually eclipse that of the capital’s commanders. By enlisting now, they might earn seniority and perhaps even secure a position as a squad leader when the time came. The Xiyun laborers were lost in these thoughts, waiting for Zhao Hu to step down so they could sign up.

Atop the city gate, Fang Han’s face was ashen with rage. Su Zihuan sighed, seeing Fang Han losing his composure. It had been his idea to collude with the bandits, intending to buy time for Fang Han to develop his strength before eventually wiping them out to earn merit. He had not expected Fang Han to be so short-tempered; such a man was truly incapable of achieving great things. If they were defeated in the future, the Imperial Court would never tolerate a governor like him. At that point, they would have no choice but to become outlaws or defect to the King of the Southern Barbarians.

Zhao Hu tilted his head back, looking triumphant. Though he stood on the ground, he gazed up at Fang Han as if he were looking down on him. "Lord Fang, I haven't had my fill yet. I wonder if there is anyone else?"

Fang Han’s face turned livid. He barked, "Fang Shou, get down there. You must take him down for me!"

The officials were horrified and immediately protested. "My Lord, you cannot! This must not happen."
"I implore you to reconsider, My Lord."

Fang Shou was Fang Han’s personal guard; under normal circumstances, he was never to leave the Governor's side. Especially in this situation, with a crowd of bandit soldiers below, if Fang Shou were to leave, Fang Han would become a sitting duck. No one could bear the responsibility if something were to go wrong.

"Take him down! Bring him to me!" Fang Han could no longer care about such things; he had to play this charade to the end. It didn't matter if Fang Shou was away; the ramparts were filled with his soldiers. He doubted Zhao Hu would dare to storm the gates.

Fang Shou received the order and leaped from the city wall onto the arena in a few swift strides. Seeing his footwork, Zhao Hu grew instantly alert. Finally, a real opponent had arrived.

"Fang Shou, here to capture you!"

Zhao Hu dared not be careless. He announced his name and immediately assumed a defensive stance. The crowd fell silent, all eyes fixed on this true clash of strength. If Fang Shou could not defeat Zhao Hu, the blow to their morale would be unprecedented.

Fang Shou moved first, swinging his broadsword toward Zhao Hu. Zhao Hu’s eyes were sharp, his hands quick, as he raised his weapon to parry. After a flurry of clashing steel, both men were left panting.

Fang Shou, of course, was merely putting on a show; he had received strict orders from Fang Han to lose, not to win. Zhao Hu, however, had fought three consecutive battles and his stamina was beginning to wane.

"I must end this quickly," Zhao Hu thought, desperate for a conclusion. If he won this fight, then by any logic or reason, Fang Han could no longer send others to challenge him. Even if he did, whether they won or lost, it would only invite further ridicule.

"Watch the blade!"

Zhao Hu gritted his teeth, poured his remaining strength into his body, and charged at Fang Shou. Fang Shou raised his sword to resist, but as the blades collided, Zhao Hu’s force drove him to the very edge of the arena.

"Get down!" Zhao Hu roared. Fang Shou, unable to hold his ground, stumbled and fell off the platform.

One man against three. Zhao Hu had actually done it. It was simply incredible.

"Well done! Well done!"
"Commander Zhao! Commander Zhao!"
"Xiyun County will prevail!"

The morale of the Xiyun soldiers reached a fever pitch. Zhao Hu laughed, taunting Fang Han. Just then, Fang Shou shouted, "I haven't lost yet!"

The crowd turned their eyes to the edge of the arena. They saw that three of Fang Shou's fingers were still hooked onto the rim of the platform. He had not technically fallen off. Fang Shou roared and vaulted back onto the stage. "Again!"

Zhao Hu had no energy left. Besides, he had already won; there was no need to continue. "You have already lost," Zhao Hu said with disdain.

Fang Shou refused to concede. "I did not fall off the arena."

Zhao Hu sneered, "If this were the battlefield, you would already be a corpse."

Fang Shou’s expression was grim. He clenched his fists, staring daggers at Zhao Hu.

"Lord Fang, I shall take my leave. I leave this arena to others."

"Wait," Fang Han called out.

Zhao Hu frowned. Did Fang Han actually want to keep fighting? That would be truly shameless. Three men had already been sent, and all three had been defeated; to send another would be utterly disgraceful.

"Who else dares to step up? Anyone who captures Zhao Hu will be rewarded with five hundred taels of silver and a hundred acres of land!" Fang Han’s eyes were bloodshot. The surrounding officials looked embarrassed. He had completely abandoned all pretense of dignity.

"My Lord, three men have already been defeated. As the saying goes, the first strike is full of spirit, the second wanes, and the third exhausts. Even if you defeat Commander Zhao now, it will only increase the mockery."

Fang Han raged, "Are you telling me to just let him leave like this? My commanders are inferior to bandits—what face do I have left to govern the Southern Frontier?"

Su Zihuan urged, "My Lord, be careful with your words. The official appointments have already been issued; these Xiyun County bandits are now the Prefectural Inspectors."

"That’s right, My Lord. You must not mention the word 'bandit' in public," another official added.

"Am I just supposed to watch him run wild on my own turf?"

Zhao Hu, hearing this, was displeased and shouted, "Lord Fang, you held a martial arts competition—are you afraid of challengers? If you're so afraid, you should crawl back to the capital and live the rest of your life in Fang Li's shadow!"

"How preposterous! Simply preposterous! Guards! Shoot him! Shoot him down!"

In an instant, the soldiers inside the city walls surged out, each holding bows and arrows, aiming directly at Zhao Hu. They waited only for Fang Han’s command to turn him into a hedgehog.

The Xiyun County soldiers rushed onto the arena in a flash, shielding Zhao Hu in the center. Some soldiers who had intended to defect to Fang Han gritted their teeth; in the end, they didn't step forward, but instead snuck away, bolting toward the city garrison to request surrender.

"Hahahaha! Zhao Hu, what else do you have to say? So what if you're strong? Can you dodge my volley of ten thousand arrows?" Fang Han laughed maniacally.