Prefect Zhao and his group were trussed up like pigs by the Japanese pirates, strung together and herded toward the prisoner holding area with no shred of dignity left.
“Old sod, move faster!”
One pirate noticed Prefect Zhao lagging and delivered a swift kick, sending him sprawling face-first into the dirt, unable to get up for ages.
“Old git, stop dawdling—get up!” The pirate raised his scabbard, cursing as he prepared to give Zhao a few more harsh whacks.
“Damn it, that’s our Prefect! Show some bloody respect!” Zhang Zhushi, also captured, couldn’t hold back his shout. If he didn’t reveal Zhao’s identity now, the Prefect was in for a world of pain.
Besides, Prefect Zhao wasn’t some unknown face. He loved playing the “man of the people,” making sure the soldiers knew him well.
Most of the wall’s defenders recognised him—hiding his identity after capture was a lost cause.
Since it’d come out sooner or later, Zhang figured it was better to own up now and spare Zhao some suffering.
“What? You say this old codger’s the Prefect? Hahaha! I knew there was a big fish in there! Hahaha, we’ve hit the jackpot this time! Niu Er, stop—didn’t you hear the boss? Live ones are worth more! Come on, let’s see what this Prefect looks like.”
The pirate sub-leader, overjoyed at Zhang’s outburst, quickly halted Niu Er mid-swing.
Then, laughing heartily, he went to inspect the bedraggled Prefect Zhao sprawled on the ground.
Zhao’s borrowed soldier uniform didn’t fit, and though his hair and beard were a mess, there was still a faint air of authority about him.
No mistake.
Definitely no mistake—this was the Prefect.
“Hahaha, Prefect, up you get! I’m taking you to meet our boss and claim my reward!” The sub-leader yanked Zhao to his feet, dragging him toward Xu Hai with a booming laugh.
“We’ve nabbed the Prefect! We’ve nabbed the Prefect!”
Niu Er and the other pirates hauled Zhang Zhushi and the rest of the captives along, strutting proudly and shouting as they went.
“Bloody hell, Niu Er, you lot have struck gold!”
“Damn it, how’d you snag the Prefect? Wonder what massive reward the boss’ll cough up for you!”
“Iron Head, Niu Er, when you get your haul, don’t forget to let us have a gander—and treat us to some booze!”
The other pirates drooled with envy.
“Hahaha, won’t forget, won’t forget! I’ll tell you, it’s not just dumb luck—our leader’s got sharp eyes. He saw them tying ropes to flee down the wall and knew there was a big fish. And sure enough, there was!”
Niu Er and his crew didn’t miss a chance to butter up their sub-leader. Nabbing the Prefect would surely boost his rank.
Soon, Prefect Zhao and the others were brought before Xu Hai.
Hearing they’d caught the Prefect, Xu Hai was ecstatic but cautious. He interrogated Zhao, cross-checked with several other captives, and only after confirming Zhao’s identity did he burst into laughter.
“Hahaha, Prefect Zhao, I’ve been longing to meet you! Quick, untie him!”
Xu Hai lounged arrogantly in his chair, eyeing Zhao like a prized catch, chuckling as he ordered his men to cut the ropes.
“Prefect Zhao, look—some of your lot up on the wall are still stubbornly resisting my army, too daft to know when they’re beaten. To cut down on the bloodshed, how about you have a word with them? Tell them to drop their weapons and come to their senses. Otherwise, I’m afraid I’ll have to harden my heart and spill more blood.”
After Zhao was freed, Xu Hai patted his shoulder with a smile—half threat, half persuasion.
Prefect Zhao sighed wearily and nodded.
“Hahaha, those who read the room are the clever ones! Prefect Zhao didn’t climb to his seat for nothing—he knows what’s what!” Xu Hai roared with laughter.
With Zhao’s cooperation, the defenders on the wall laid down their arms, becoming captives of the pirates.
Jiaxing City fell into Xu Hai’s hands.
After taking the city, Xu Hai’s first move was to swell his ranks.
He singled out the captured officials for close guard, then gathered the rest of the prisoners. Meanwhile, his men hauled out chests brimming with gold, silver, and jewels looted from the prefectural treasury, piling them before the captives.
“Listen up, lads! I used to be a monk at Hangzhou’s Hupao Temple—monk name ‘Pujing.’ For over a decade, I sat with a lone lamp and Buddha, vowing to save all the world’s poor. My heart was pure as a babe’s—I wore out countless prayer mats, smashed countless wooden fish—but the poor just kept multiplying, getting poorer, suffering more. Selling their kids, trading their daughters—even during the recent famine, swapping and eating their own young wasn’t rare.”
“The more I thought, the less it made sense. I scoured the scriptures, asked Buddha—no answers.”
“Then it hit me—Buddha’s bloody useless! So I smashed his statue, kicked over the incense burner, broke my vows, and came down to this filthy world to save people my way!”
“Why should officials and the rich lord it over us, eating well, drinking fine, bedding multiple wives, while we starve and scrape by?! Can’t even get a woman?! Is that fair?!”
“If the world’s unjust, then smash it to bits!”
“I became a pirate, leading my brothers on raids east and west—good food, strong drink, women aplenty. Life’s a riot!”
“Today’s fight wasn’t your worst showing, so I’ll give you a chance. Want to join us as pirates? Step forward. Not only will I spare you, I’ll take you as brothers, share the gold and jewels, and we’ll feast, drink, and bed women together! Stick with me, and you’ll have riches and glory beyond your dreams!”
Xu Hai kicked a chest overflowing with treasure, his words dripping with temptation.
These captives were from garrisons, mostly exploited by officers, practically slaves. Now prisoners, this pirate chief’s offer sounded sweet—join up, live, get silver, eat well, drink hard.
Better to live poorly than die nobly.
Plus, plenty of them had bullied civilians and lorded it over markets—becoming pirates carried no moral weight.
In moments, over half stepped forward to join. Many of the rest wavered.
“Good, very good—you lot know what’s good for you! The rest, I’ll give you three breaths to think it over. Too late after that, and you’ll regret it. One, two, three—still time to step up!”
Xu Hai offered the stragglers one last chance.
A load more shuffled forward, leaving less than a small fraction behind.
“Right, time’s up! You had your shot—too bad you’re too useless to grab it. Those who stepped up want to be my brothers, want to be pirates. I’ll give you that chance. Prove your loyalty—your ‘blood oath.’ Pair up, or go three to a group, and kill one of the ones who didn’t step forward!”
“Lads, watch them! Give each pair a weapon—let them earn their stripes!”
Xu Hai scanned the volunteers with a pleased nod, waving his hand to command his men.
“Boss, we’ll join! We’ll be pirates!” The remaining captives, hearing they’d be the blood oath, dropped to their knees, begging and shouting.
“Too late! You had your chance—your own fault for being gutless,” Xu Hai sneered darkly.
His fierce pirates handed weapons to the volunteers—half threat, half overseer—watching them complete their oaths.
Better a mate dies than me. The volunteers gritted their teeth and drove blades into their former comrades.
Under everyone’s eyes, after shedding that blood, there was no turning back—they were pirates for life.
In one fell swoop, Xu Hai gained a thousand men.
Then he and Ma Ye split up. One went to the jail, freeing prisoners and forcing them to swear blood oaths to join; the other hit the streets, recruiting thugs, ruffians, and ambitious drifters, leading them to rob and kill for their oaths.
In less than half a day, Xu Hai and Ma Ye amassed eight thousand pirates.
With Jiaxing’s arsenal stuffed with weapons and armour, they easily equipped their new recruits, bolstering their strength even further.
