Chapter 46: County Clerk Zhou of Tiao County

“Grandfather, Mother, I’m going to the Li household to look after Brother Cui! I won’t be coming home for the next few days!”

“Alright! Remember to get along with everyone, Hou’er! And… whose sword is that in your hand? Don’t take other people’s things without asking!”

With three small bamboo tubes and a little gourd hanging from his waist, Fu Zihou used the excuse of staying at the Li residence and took Cui Wenjin’s sword as he left home.

He didn’t look back, afraid that even a moment’s hesitation might betray his unease to his family.

Inside the administrative office of Tiao County—

“What are we to do? What can we possibly do now?”

Zhou Hao, the county clerk of Tiao, paced back and forth, his brow furrowed in worry.

Though the county had done all it could, sending aid to Qinghe again and again, as long as the siege remained unbroken and the fate of those inside hung by a thread, words were meaningless.

The county magistrate was well aware of this too; he was currently at the Li residence, discussing the crisis with the Cui family and others.

“My lord! My lord!”

His trusted bailiff hurried over, and Zhou Hao rushed to meet him.

“What’s the situation?” Zhou Hao inquired.

The bailiff shook his head, panting for breath, and looked at Zhou Hao with a pained expression.

“My lord, all our forces have been defeated…”

His voice was bitter as he delivered the report: the last detachment sent to relieve Qinghe had been annihilated by Zhang Jinchen’s men—every soldier killed, their general beheaded.

“What!” Zhou Hao was stunned, staring blankly in the direction of Qinghe, despair clouding his face.

Every force dispatched in recent days to reinforce Qinghe had been crushed by Zhang Jinchen; not a single unit survived.

Now, even the faintest hope was gone.

“My lord, Zhang Jinchen is no ordinary bandit! Years ago, General Duan Da of the Left Guard was defeated by him. Later, Commander Wang Bian led a mighty army with Yang Shanhui, the Prefect of Qinghe, and Yang Yuanhong, the Administrator of Pingyuan, to hunt him down. If Yang Shanhui hadn’t rushed to Wang Bian’s aid with five hundred elite troops, Wang Bian would have been slain by Zhang Jinchen! This time, Zhang Jinchen is clearly out for revenge—he will stop at nothing to kill Yang Shanhui!”

The bailiff spoke with conviction. In his eyes, Tiao County had done all it could; Zhang Jinchen was simply too formidable. Not only Tiao, but even the entire Xindu and Qinghe commanderies, only Yang Shanhui could face him.

Yet just last month, Wang Xuba had conquered Gaoyang, and with Wei Dao’er, both men were seizing territory in the north. The armies of Qinghe, Xindu, Pingyuan, and Bohai had all been moved northward.

Zhang Jinchen must have seen this as his chance to eliminate his greatest obstacle: Yang Shanhui.

“Is there any word from Lord Dou?” Zhou Hao ignored his trusted aide’s analysis, suddenly recalling something and asking in haste.

The bailiff bit his lip, hesitating, then sighed as he looked at Zhou Hao’s weary face and spoke his mind.

“My lord, Yang Shanhui, the Prefect of Qinghe, is famed for his integrity and uprightness. For years, he has led campaigns against rebels, and the number of rebel leaders slain by him is countless. His very name strikes terror into their hearts. Moreover, Yang Shanhui despises all rebels and will never compromise. I fear that, except for Lord Dou himself, even the fiercest warriors under Lord Dou’s command wish for Yang Shanhui’s death.”

He advised Zhou Hao not to harbor false hopes. Qinghe’s fate was already sealed.

“What are we to do? The Cui family once helped me rise—if I cannot break the siege of Qinghe…”

Zhou Hao’s words trailed off in confusion. As long as Qinghe was besieged, he could not face the Cui clan.

“Find a way to recruit more able-bodied men! If all else fails, I will personally lead the troops!”

Zhou Hao’s tone was helpless, yet he refused to give up.

His bailiff blanched; he knew better than anyone that Zhou Hao was just a scholar, who in over forty years of life had barely touched a sword, let alone led men into battle. In recent days, every officer and warrior chosen from the county office or local garrison had either died or been wounded in battle with Zhang Jinchen. If Zhou Hao went, it would be certain death.

But before the bailiff could voice his protest, footsteps sounded from behind.

“My lord, this young man says he has come to take command of the troops and break the siege of Qinghe!”

A bailiff appeared before Zhou Hao to make his report.

Zhou Hao and his confidant turned their gaze to the youth approaching.

“Nonsense! Do you think the battlefield is a playground? You can’t just lead troops on a whim! Remove him!”

Zhou Hao snapped, furious at the sight of such a young face. The boy must have been goaded into this, or perhaps was acting out of youthful impulse.

In Zhou Hao’s eyes, the youth’s courage was admirable, but he had likely never set foot on a battlefield, never seen a man hacked to death. Even if he had guts and didn’t flee, command was about the lives of thousands—how could he entrust it to someone he’d never met?

Perhaps he could serve as a foot soldier!

“My lord, he… he carries the Cui family’s token!”

The bailiff hesitated. Had he not seen the token, he would never have brought the youth to Zhou Hao.

“The Cui family’s token?”

Zhou Hao frowned, puzzled, and looked the youth over.

It was then that Zhou Hao noticed something familiar about the sword in the boy’s hand—it seemed to be Cui Wenjin’s favorite blade, the one with the carved pattern on the scabbard.

He’d seen it before.

“What is your relationship with the Cui family?”

He gestured for the reporting bailiff to withdraw and regarded the youth with a more measured tone.

The Cui family of Qinghe wielded influence in any yamen across Hebei.

“Fu Zihou, at your service, Clerk Zhou! I am both a partner of the Cui family…”

Fu Zihou stepped forward, saluted, and handed over a wooden token bearing Cui Yuzhe’s name.

“…and a friend!”

He realized now how valuable the Cui family’s reputation was—no wonder so many spoke of them with such excitement and longing.

Just by observing Zhou Hao’s shifting demeanor, it was clear how much power that name held.

“Cui Yuzhe…”

Zhou Hao took the token, and upon reading the name, paused.

Just days earlier, Cui Yuzhe had come to him, mustered what troops he could, and marched to Qinghe’s aid.

But word was that Cui Yuzhe had been defeated in battle, gravely wounded, and was now recuperating at the Li residence.

Now, facing this young man, Zhou Hao was torn. The token was proof enough to trust him, yet he was so young—Zhou Hao feared he would merely lead Tiao’s men to needless deaths.

“I have come today to request men,” Fu Zihou said quietly.

Silence fell.

Zhou Hao hesitated for a long while, but at last, looking at the token, he sighed.

“How many do you require?”

By rights, Zhou Hao shouldn’t even ask this—anyone willing to lead troops should be given as many as could be mustered, especially with Qinghe under siege.

But seeing the youth before him, so young and untested, Zhou Hao’s heart was uneasy.

In recent days, fewer and fewer men could be recruited. Had the boy not borne the Cui family’s token, Zhou Hao would not have given him a single man.

“Recently, our forces sent to reinforce Qinghe have suffered devastating losses. Fewer than a thousand able-bodied soldiers remain, and the number of recruits dwindles by the day. I cannot give you many—at least, not right now!”

Zhou Hao returned the wooden token, explaining the dire situation and signaling Fu Zihou to consider his request carefully. This was command, not a game, and the remaining men were mostly survivors of prior defeats.

There was no time to gather more.

“Less than a thousand? So few?”

Fu Zihou frowned. No wonder, back at the Li residence, all the gentry had lamented that the situation was utterly hopeless.

“I don’t need all who remain. I only ask that you allow me to make my own selection.”

He tucked the token into his breast, saluted Zhou Hao, and made his request.

“Select?”

Zhou Hao and his bailiff were stunned—this youth wanted to personally choose his men?

How many people had he met in his short life? Yet he wanted to pick his own troops!

“But I have already told you how few are left,” Zhou Hao reminded him, sighing.

He knew that famous generals often handpicked their elite, but with so few men left—and most of those returned from defeat—what was the point?

Back when there were more men, not even they could stand against Zhang Jinchen. Now, these were the routed survivors, and the boy still wanted to choose?

If not for the Cui family’s token, Zhou Hao would have driven him away.

He knew well that famous generals spent years learning their men and making their selections. Even Yang Shanhui of Qinghe had spent much time and effort picking his five hundred elite before battle.

Zhou Hao had never heard of anyone making their selections on the day of departure.

Now, with the crisis at Qinghe and only broken, defeated men left, this youth insisted on picking his own. Zhou Hao began to wonder if the boy was mad.

“Clerk Zhou, you did mention how few soldiers remain—but you haven’t told me how many prisoners are held in Tiao County’s cells,” Fu Zihou said quietly, glancing at Zhou Hao and the bailiff.

“Prisoners?”

Zhou Hao and his aide exchanged glances, and realization dawned.

The boy intended to lead the county’s prisoners to relieve Qinghe!

Upon understanding his plan, both Zhou Hao and the bailiff felt a chill run down their spines, staring at the youth in astonishment.

“This youth actually wants to use prisoners!”

Zhou Hao looked at him, dazed.

In all his life, no one had ever spoken such a wild idea to his face.

Yet in that moment, a sliver of hope emerged.

Yes!

Prisoners could be used as soldiers! Decades ago, during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, this was not uncommon.

Though the flourishing Sui era had seen no need for such measures, with strong armies and horses, the current siege of Qinghe might just call for such a desperate solution.