Chapter Twenty: Winning Hearts and Minds

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Marching out of the General’s Mansion, Zhou Hao immediately took his sedan chair back to his own residence. When it came to organizing assassins, he still had to rely on the General; there was little he could do himself. It was better to seize this opportunity to rest well and prepare for tomorrow’s court assembly, where he would engage in a strategic contest with Emperor Zhou. At that time, he intended to show the Emperor whether he could still protect the Third Prince.

The sedan chair moved swiftly, and as Zhou Hao pondered, he soon arrived at his residence. Upon pushing open the door and stepping inside, a sudden “thud” caught his attention. Li Tie had collapsed to his knees, only his palms supporting his body, his head striking heavily against the brick floor. His body trembled, tears falling onto the bricks, leaving two streaks of moisture.

“Your Highness, it is my failure. Last night, I accomplished nothing!” Li Tie’s head struck the ground again with such force it seemed it might break open. Zhou Hao hurriedly helped him up, a cold pang striking his heart. This was bad—he had just taken Li Tie in, yet had already forgotten him. Last night, he hadn’t even had time to attend to Li Tie and his family; likely, the servants had locked them in with the other household help, only releasing them at the court assembly.

“Your Highness was attacked yesterday, yet I did nothing, absolutely nothing!” Li Tie staggered, attempting to stand but his body was weak, and having been confined to the servants’ quarters without a drop of water, he could barely stay upright. “Even if I could stand as a shield for Your Highness, I would be willing!”

“Ah, you are already suffering from illness. I called you here to train the troops, not to serve as a human shield. Go rest immediately,” Zhou Hao said, supporting Li Tie and glancing toward Madam Li standing nearby. “Alright, take your husband back and have him rest well. You’ve worked hard these past few days looking after him.”

Madam Li hurriedly accepted, gratitude shining in her eyes. It was truly a blessing for their family to have a prince like Zhou Hao who cared so deeply for his servants. Before Madam Li could leave, Zhou Hao called out:

“After you send Li Tie back, please withdraw some silver from the treasury to buy some meat for him to eat properly.” Pausing briefly, he added, “Don’t hold back—let him eat heartily. A weak body can’t help me train soldiers; there’s no need to pinch pennies. Madam Li, you must eat well too, your whole family must be well taken care of.”

By giving these orders, Zhou Hao wanted to relieve Li Tie of worry. While he could not contribute much in his current state, once his health returned, he would surely become a standard-bearer in Zhou Hao’s service.

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Trying to save money by prolonging Li Tie’s convalescence? That was simply not feasible! His health was Zhou Hao’s greatest asset, far more valuable than any amount of silver.

Li Tie could no longer hold back his tears; fresh streams fell from the corners of his eyes as he prepared to kneel again.

“Enough. Get well first. When you’re better, bring me all the disabled soldiers from your unit. I need many men,” Zhou Hao said, then turned and left.

Only Madam Li remained, helping Li Tie slowly toward their room.

“You must serve His Highness faithfully now. He’s the first person who’s truly kind to us,” Madam Li said earnestly.

In his heart, Li Tie resolved to serve Zhou Hao even unto death. He knew that even if he sacrificed himself by Zhou Hao’s side, his wife and child would be well protected and live better lives.

“Your Highness, your strategy is truly brilliant,” came a voice before Zhou Hao could leave. He saw Luo Xu approaching with a respectful smile. Zhou Hao’s skill in managing subordinates genuinely impressed Luo Xu.

Faced with such praise, Zhou Hao could only smile awkwardly. How could he explain? Would he really say that he had forgotten Li Tie entirely yesterday?

“Trivial skills, nothing worth mentioning. But what brings you here today?” Zhou Hao asked. “If I recall correctly, there aren’t many crises at the moment.”

He was clear-headed—the day was for relaxation, and tomorrow’s court assembly would surely be a battle of wits. Perhaps the Emperor would even be driven to a heart attack by Zhou Hao’s persistent provocations. If that happened, it would be marvelous.

“Your Highness, while you have no urgent matters, I must come over to manage affairs here. All the matters in this residence fall under my care now,” Luo Xu said with a smile, showing no sense of being burdened by Zhou Hao’s delegation, but rather seeing it as a mark of trust. Without trust, how could Zhou Hao have given him the authority to recruit servants? Impossible!

“Yes, I do have a matter for you,” Zhou Hao said.

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“Can you find some willing carpenters, blacksmiths, and other craftsmen to join us?” This was a significant concern for Zhou Hao. His fief must have such people, but waiting until arrival to select them was too late. The imperial city was home to many skilled artisans, and some would naturally wish to leave. Gathering such people was crucial for researching new steel and manufacturing new equipment to ensure the development of his fief.

Luo Xu furrowed his brow, contemplating. This was a difficult task. Craftsmen were numerous, but those willing to leave the capital? Very few! The best craftsmen under the Crown Prince’s patronage all had considerable skill, yet did they not enjoy a life of luxury in the capital? Why would they follow a neglected prince to some desolate, futureless wasteland? Impossible!

“Your Highness, forgive my frankness, but this will be difficult,” Luo Xu admitted.

If it were easy, he wouldn’t have needed to come to him.

“Don’t worry, this is a test for you. Act boldly—any recruits you bring in, some silver from the treasury will be allocated to you,” Zhou Hao encouraged, patting Luo Xu’s shoulder.

The treasury’s funds, once mostly allocated, would suffice to recruit some workers. Even the craftsmen would likely be tempted by the money. With funds, one had confidence. Luo Xu’s eyes suddenly gleamed with sharp resolve.

“Your Highness, how much silver can I expect this time? To persuade craftsmen, insufficient funds are absolutely unacceptable.”

Zhou Hao had not anticipated Luo Xu’s enthusiasm, so he merely patted his shoulder again and replied casually, “Don’t worry, you’ll have no shortage of silver. I’ll allocate you a thousand taels as a foundation—let’s see what you can do.”

Though he said “see what you can do,” in truth, he was sending Luo Xu off to test his sincerity. If Luo Xu brought a group of genuinely dedicated workers, that would be excellent. But if he failed, Zhou Hao would have a reason to take the matter to the Chancellor. Even if the Chancellor argued, he would be left with no choice but to swallow his words.