Treading Through Iron Shoes, Finding Nothing

Han Shao returned to Wangyuan City to reorganize the troops, planning to ride at full speed to Ji City and seek an audience with Ma Zun.

Around noon, another troop suddenly appeared outside Wangyuan's West Gate. They too claimed to be Jiang Wei from Ji City and requested entry to see the defending general, Zhao Yu.

Zhang Fei had impersonated Jiang Wei of Ji City that morning and brazenly abducted Consort Xiahou. Now another Jiang Wei had appeared in the same place. The gate commander could not help growing suspicious and promptly rode to the county office to report to Zhao Yu.

Zhao Yu was stunned upon hearing this. Jiang Wei, you damned jinx. Han Shao is preparing to hand you over to Zhang Fei, and I can't even find an excuse to help you evade it—yet you've run yourself straight into a dead end.

What should he do? Zhao Yu was deeply conflicted. He could tell that Xiahou Mao detested him, so rescuing him would instead work against his own interests. Jiang Wei, however, had a good reputation in Tianshui. If he could save the man, he could earn a favor from the Jiang family as well.

After weighing the pros and cons again and again, Zhao Yu finally made up his mind. He intended to leave the city before Han Shao knew. As long as he could find a way to delay Jiang Wei for two days, then by the time Zhang Fei escorted Xiahou Mao onto Qishan Road, Han Shao would naturally be left with no options.

Zhao Yu hurried out of the county office, only to unexpectedly run into Han Shao, clad head to toe in armor.

"Where are you going, General Zhao?" Han Shao asked curiously.

"Er, this subordinate is familiar with Tianshui's terrain. Why