Chapter 33

Zhang Hao's plan to immediately return to the Three Kingdoms world had to be put on hold. Right at his doorstep, he saw Su Linlang's Beetle car. It could only be said that the timing was too coincidental. Su Linlang and Shu Yun had visited Zhang Hao's home before, so they recognized the place.

Zhang Hao didn't expect them to come directly to his door. There was nothing he could say, so he could only put on a smile and welcome them. He explained that he had been out of town and had just returned today, and he was planning to contact them later. Fortunately, Su Linlang didn't ask the security guard at the villa complex and accepted Zhang Hao's explanation.

Su Linlang immediately pulled Zhang Hao to accompany her and Shu Yun shopping for a few hours. The girl still had a bit of conscience and even helped Zhang Hao pick out some clothes with Shu Yun. Of course, Zhang Hao paid for everything himself.

They had dinner together in the evening and then went to sing karaoke. Only after that did he manage to send the two beauties back home.

Returning to the Three Kingdoms world with a hint of alcohol on his breath, Zhang Hao immediately sensed something was wrong.

He had never stopped practicing the guiding technique. In this aspect, he might have a natural talent, so in the past two months, he had generated a powerful energy within his body, significantly enhancing his physical abilities and sharpness of senses.

As soon as he appeared, Zhang Hao heard the chaotic noise and the smell of smoke outside. His brows furrowed immediately. At this moment, Xiao Zhu and Xiao Cha, hearing the commotion, saw Zhang Hao and quickly quieted down, helping him put on his clothes.

"What happened?" Zhang Hao asked.

"A group of bandits attacked our manor. I heard the shipyard and industrial area are in a similar situation," Xiao Zhu quickly replied.

Zhang Hao's frown deepened. This was clearly an unexpected event, but it seemed unusual in many ways.

Wu Commandery was the base Zhang Hao had chosen, and he naturally had to ensure the peace and order of this area. Whether it was bandits or pirates, he had driven them all away during his military training. Even the few Shanyue tribes in the region had been pacified by his men through a combination of kindness and force.

Now, a large number of bandits were attacking the manor, which clearly indicated a problem. Zhang Hao already had some suspicions.

After Xiao Zhu and Xiao Cha helped Zhang Hao dress, he instructed them, "Stay in the room. Don't worry, those bandits are nothing."

He walked out of the room, and the surrounding bodyguards immediately came forward.

Even when Zhang Hao returned to the modern world, the bodyguards did not relax. They still guarded outside, waiting for his return. With the current situation, the number of bodyguards had increased significantly.

"Ding Xuan, what's the current situation?" Zhang Hao asked the tall bodyguard who approached. This was Zhang Hao's deputy commander of the bodyguards.

"The bandits have suffered heavy losses and their morale is low. It won't be long before the bandits attacking our manor retreat. The situation at the shipyard and industrial area is still unclear, but General Huang has already sent reinforcements," Ding Xuan quickly replied.

Zhang Hao didn't say much. He wasn't the least bit worried about the manor being breached. That would be a joke. The entire manor had thousands of guards, all of whom were experienced soldiers. Their armor and weapons were far superior to those of this era. Moreover, being inside a fortress, it would be a joke for it to be breached.

"Has Mr. Cai been affected?" Zhang Hao asked as he walked toward the fortress wall.

"No. Although the incident was sudden, the guards immediately protected Mr. Cai and the others. Despite some laxness at the outer sentry posts, the bandits were discovered by other guards as soon as they approached and were not allowed to enter the manor."

Zhang Hao didn't say more. Seeing smoke rising from several places in the manor, his face darkened. This was his manor, and with the fortress's defenses, it was clear that flaming arrows couldn't reach this distance. The only thing with such a range would be a catapult.

The bandits, who had appeared out of nowhere, actually had military equipment. This was a joke.

"We have already captured some prisoners, many of whom are familiar faces. We now know that they include guards from the Xi, Jiang, and Yao families in the commandery, but not from the commandery troops," Ding Xuan said, seeing what Zhang Hao was thinking.

"After seeing the catapults, General Huang sent cavalry to destroy them. The manor suffered minimal damage. Additionally, General Huang had a plan to repel the bandits, but he was angry at their provocation. Seeing the situation under control, he began to hold back, dispatching troops to capture as many as possible."

Zhang Hao's eyes twitched. He thought Huang Zhong's decision was good. But the people from the Xi, Jiang, and Yao families made Zhang Hao furious.

This was like a tree wanting to be still while the wind keeps blowing.

After deciding to make Wu Commandery his base, Zhang Hao tried to be kind to everyone to gain time and build strength. So, whether it was the governor's office, county magistrates, or the major families in the commandery, Zhang Hao sent people to visit and present generous gifts.

But there were always people who were never satisfied. As Zhang Hao's trade caravans grew larger and various goods were traded, it was clear that some people were envious.

For this reason, several major families in the commandery even contacted Zhang Hao, expressing their desire to participate. If it was just a small share, to gain time, Zhang Hao could have agreed.

Unfortunately, these people had too big an appetite. After being driven away by Zhang Hao's men, many spies were caught in the sugar factory, distillery, and other industrial areas, all trying to steal Zhang Hao's technology.

Unable to steal it, they now resorted to open robbery! Did they really think he was a pushover? At this point, Zhang Hao even suspected that his concealment of strength was too successful, leading these people to attack him.

What was even more unsettling was that the governor's office and county yamen could not have been unaware of such matters. But Zhang Hao received no warning or mediation. It seemed that not only the major families but also the officials saw him as a fat target.

Had the large sums of money he sent not satisfied them?

Even the name of Zhang Rang couldn't exert its due influence. What did they want, what were they planning?!

With these thoughts in mind, a cold smile appeared on Zhang Hao's face. Whatever they wanted, it was just a dream.

Although it wasn't the best time yet, with such an incident, Zhang Hao decided not to delay any longer. This matter couldn't just be let go.

Perhaps there was no best time for a rebellion. The world was full of disturbances and too many uncertainties. When the situation was favorable, there was no need for too many reservations.

Calculating his current resources, Zhang Hao made up his mind. Surrounded by his bodyguards, he headed toward the city wall.

Despite the bandit attack, the manor's order remained well-maintained. This was due to the capable management and the well-trained and united staff. Seeing this, Zhang Hao felt reassured.

At this moment, a cheer and the sound of thundering hooves came from a distance. In Wu Commandery, while the major families had some horses, only Zhang Hao, who traded with the northern border, could form a cavalry.

The noise of the battlefield quickly grew louder, and Zhang Hao's eyes moved. It seemed that Huang Zhong had taken action.

Sure enough, when Zhang Hao reached the city wall, the bright torches revealed a large number of cavalry chasing the bandits. Not only cavalry, but also many infantry were mopping up behind.

It was already deep into the night, and the environment greatly affected the battle. Although he felt that such a pursuit might cause unnecessary losses, Zhang Hao didn't say anything. After all, he only had a basic understanding of military matters, and it was best to leave it to professionals like Huang Zhong.

The bandits' defeat was like a landslide. They couldn't even think of counterattacking, and Zhang Hao even saw one of his guards chasing a dozen bandits.

Victory was certain, and Zhang Hao no longer cared. Instead, he found Zhang Fan to understand the situation regarding the wounded.

Less than half an hour later, Dian Wei returned to the manor with a large number of prisoners. Huang Zhong, on the other hand, led the cavalry to reinforce the industrial area. The battle would likely end soon, as the bandits had no idea of Zhang Hao's true strength.

The interrogation of the prisoners didn't concern Zhang Hao. He went to visit the wounded.

Zhang Hao had long brought modern medicines like antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. This had significantly reduced the casualties in his army during previous battles. Strict hygiene measures and specially trained medical personnel ensured that his wounded received the best care.

However, there were still cases of severe injuries that couldn't be treated. For such situations, Zhang Hao could only provide generous compensation.

Walking through the infirmary, Zhang Hao once again demonstrated his care for his soldiers.

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End of the chapter.