Chapter 47: Zhou Hao's Transformation

Inside the prison of Tiao County.

"You—Bao Gaoyi—come out!"

"Pan Yanping, you come as well!"

A jailer, holding a bamboo slip, read out names as he stopped in front of each cell, calling one prisoner after another.

With each name, a wave of agitation swept through the prisoners, who could not comprehend what was happening. Especially as they watched other jailers haul people out, chaining them together one by one.

"Spare me, sir! I have elders above and children below—please, have mercy!"

At first, many believed they were being led out to be executed. Some prisoners fell to their knees, sobbing and begging for their lives.

"Set your minds at ease. Fortune has smiled on you. Not only may you be spared, you might even return home. For those whose families have been implicated, there’s a chance for amnesty and freedom from these cells!"

The jailer, impatient, gave this explanation before ignoring further pleas and continuing, per the registrar’s orders, to gather all qualifying prisoners to be taken outside the city.

"What? They’re really releasing people?"

"Is it true, sir? Why not us? Please, sir!"

The hope of survival—perhaps even freedom—instantly sent the prisoners scrambling to the wooden bars, pleading with the jailers.

Soon, on the streets of Tiao County, crowds of townspeople watched as throngs of prisoners, guarded by Sui Dynasty officials and chained together, were being marched out of the city.

The townsfolk, seeing this, were bewildered, unsure of what was happening. Yet the shrewder among them quickly thought of the situation in Qinghe County.

"Could it be they’re sending these men to Qinghe?"

"What? Using prisoners for Qinghe’s defense? Aren’t they worried these men will switch sides in battle?"

Faced with an endless stream of prisoners marching out, the townspeople of Tiao County were aghast.

However, there were exceptions—some women, children, and elders, upon spotting their loved ones among the prisoners, rushed forward in tears, speaking to them and following along.

It was the dead of winter—December in Tiao County, bitter cold and frozen through.

On the plain outside Tiao County, Zhou Hao stood beside Fu Zihou, watching as Fu Zihou selected men. This time, Zhou Hao said nothing.

To replenish the ranks with prisoners—such things belonged to the annals of history, decades past. Witnessing it now, Zhou Hao felt a nervous apprehension.

There were too many uncertainties with prisoners; should they break and flee, or worse, revolt and join Zhang Jinchen to attack Qinghe, the consequences would be disastrous. This, after all, was why the Sui Dynasty had never resorted to augmenting its forces with prisoners.

Yet, considering Qinghe’s current plight, with the city possibly unable to hold another day, Zhou Hao decided to risk everything.

Since the youth had proposed it—and bore the token of the Cui siblings—Zhou Hao chose to trust him.

There was, after all, no other way.

Strangely, watching the prisoners Fu Zihou selected, Zhou Hao felt a measure of calm.

Fu Zihou chose only those with ties—men whose families were also implicated or waiting at home. Such men, at worst, would perish in battle, but would not stir up true chaos.

"Benefactor! Benefactor!"

Suddenly, as he looked over the prisoners, a shout came from behind. Zhou Hao turned to see among the defeated soldiers four armor-clad men exchange glances before stepping forward toward Fu Zihou.

"Many thanks, benefactor, for your words the other day! Had it not been for your warning, I, Cao Yong, would not have returned alive!"

Cao Yong stood before Fu Zihou, his face full of gratitude as he bowed. He then turned to Xiong Ruixiang, Kong Yan, and Du Lang, explaining that this was the benefactor who had warned him.

The three, standing by Cao Yong, looked at Fu Zihou with curiosity. Cao Yong had mentioned his benefactor was young, but seeing him in person still took them aback.

The three were quite curious—how had Fu Zihou foreseen their defeat and cautioned Cao Yong to stay with them?

"Benefactor is too grand a title! You brave men have survived—do you have the courage to follow me to Qinghe and face the rebel army once more?"

Seeing Cao Yong alive, Fu Zihou was surprised, but then smiled, questioning the four men before him.

"I, Cao Yong, am willing to go wherever my benefactor leads!"

Cao Yong did not hesitate, raising his hand in assent. He needed money, and having already placed his life on the line, he would rather follow the man who had once saved him.

Behind him, Xiong Ruixiang, Kong Yan, and Du Lang, recalling their near-death defeat at Qinghe, were shaken. Yet, seeing Cao Yong and considering his words, they sensed that Fu Zihou was no ordinary youth.

After exchanging glances, the three also looked to Fu Zihou, saluting.

"We are willing as well!"

The three spoke in unison.

Zhou Hao, watching, was puzzled by what he saw. After a while, seeing Fu Zihou finish his instructions and continue selecting prisoners, Zhou Hao could not contain his curiosity and approached Cao Yong to ask what had happened before.

Soon, having heard the tale from Cao Yong, Zhou Hao was amazed.

"You’re saying… Zihou foresaw the defeat and told you to stay with the others?"

Zhou Hao was incredulous; at last, he sensed that something about this youth was truly unusual.

"Yes, Registrar. Had it not been for this benefactor’s warning, I would not have returned alive," Cao Yong replied, his voice full of gratitude.

Xiong Ruixiang, Kong Yan, and Du Lang nodded as well, recalling the perilous day when their survival had hung by a thread. In truth, it was not just Cao Yong whom the youth had saved, but the three of them as well. Without Cao Yong’s valor, none would have made it back.

Zhou Hao looked at these four, Cao Yong’s words echoing in his mind. His breath quickened as he gazed at Fu Zihou ahead.

Perhaps… there was truly hope to lift Qinghe’s siege.

Watching the youth’s back, Zhou Hao felt a faint spark of hope kindle in his heart.

Night slowly fell.

Due to years of famine and shortage, the number of prisoners in Tiao County far exceeded Fu Zihou’s expectations.

He did not choose every prisoner, but selected just over six hundred—men whose wives and children were implicated, stripped of freedom, or had family at home.

Originally, there were over eight hundred, but after Fu Zihou explained Qinghe’s predicament and his own pledge, he questioned each man, time and again, in front of all: were they willing to fight to the death for freedom and reward? At every answer, if a prisoner’s resolve wavered even briefly, Fu Zihou, with the officials and jailers, had them removed.

Many were not cowards, but in the repeated questioning, a moment’s hesitation or distraction meant dismissal.

Those who knelt and pleaded, slipping from hope to despair, left behind several hundred whose voices, in the repeated questioning, grew ever more determined and fierce—until conviction became instinct.

None wished to lose hope and return to the stinking cells.

Afterward, with Zhou Hao’s assistance, Fu Zihou selected another three hundred or so men from among the defeated who had fled back—nearly a thousand in all.

Originally, Zhou Hao, Xiong Ruixiang, Kong Yan, Du Lang, and the others had assumed Cao Yong would stay at Fu Zihou’s side. But upon hearing Fu Zihou’s plans, even Zhou Hao was taken aback.

Fu Zihou assigned Cao Yong to select those whose families were imprisoned and, upon reaching Qinghe, lead them as overseers—anyone who advanced too slowly or hesitated would be executed on the spot.

Ruthless!

This was the only thought in Zhou Hao’s mind.

As night threatened to fall completely, Fu Zihou saw that the officials had readied the necessary armor and weapons. He couldn’t help but marvel at the Sui Dynasty’s martial vigor—even Tiao County held such reserves. No wonder, in later years, Taiyuan could field four hundred thousand armored men at a moment’s notice.

At Zhou Hao’s direction, Fu Zihou took up the map and found the locations of Tiao County and Qinghe County.

"Registrar Zhou, once I set out with my men tonight, I’ll need you to find two trusted aides. One will take the rest by way of Zhangnan and Wucheng to Qinghe. The other will lead a smaller force, circling through Zaoqiang, around Gaojipo, and approach Qinghe from the north," Fu Zihou said, pointing to the map.

"Divide the forces? Why?" Zhou Hao frowned, puzzled by Fu Zihou’s plan.

From the moment the youth proposed using prisoners, and after meeting Cao Yong’s group, Zhou Hao had set aside any condescension. In their desperate straits, he placed all hope in Fu Zihou.

"To be frank, I don’t trust the men of Gaojipo, nor the officials of Wucheng," Fu Zihou replied, eyes on the map, tracing the two main routes: one west to Zaoqiang, then further west around Gaojipo before heading south to Qinghe; the other southwest through Zhangnan and Wucheng, directly toward Qinghe.

"Registrar Zhou, have you never wondered why every time Tiao County sends reinforcements to Qinghe, they either fail in battle or are ambushed by Zhang Jinchen?" Fu Zihou asked quietly.

Zhou Hao’s face grew grave.

Fu Zihou’s suspicion of Gaojipo was understandable—its rebels were all under Gao Shida, even Dou Gong’s men nursed hatred and fear of Yang Shanhui, Qinghe’s magistrate, wishing for his death.

But Wucheng’s officials were loyal to the Sui, contributing both money and effort to the relief of Qinghe.

"And you, Zihou?" Zhou Hao did not argue further. Night was falling, and Qinghe might not last until morning. If Fu Zihou did not leave soon, it might be too late.

Having entrusted the men to the youth, Zhou Hao left all tactical decisions in his hands.

"I will take this route," Fu Zihou said, placing his finger on a third path between Tiao County and Qinghe.

"The Yongji Canal!"

Zhou Hao’s face changed when he saw where Fu Zihou was pointing—by water!

But soon he remembered—the canal was already frozen.

An hour later.

On the city wall of Tiao County, Zhou Hao gazed south into the darkness, feeling a certain melancholy.

"Sir, the men and supplies are assembled," a trusted official reported.

Zhou Hao nodded.

"Let them move at once, splitting into two groups as planned," he said softly.

He did not know if Fu Zihou would succeed, but he had done all he could. Fortunately, as registrar, he was in charge of recruitment, and with the magistrate away at the Li residence for a meeting with the Cui clan, all authority had been left to him.

Otherwise, it might have been too late.

"May you return victorious," Zhou Hao whispered, standing atop Tiao County’s wall, gazing into the pitch-black south, his eyes filled with prayer.