Chapter 102: Raising the Roof

With a cry of pain from Zhu Yuanzhang, the Left Battalion erupted into chaos. “How could this be? Kang Maocai promised that he would definitely come over to our side!”

“This can’t be just brushed aside. If the Commissioner’s Water Camp teams up with Chaohu, how will we ever compete with the Water Battalion on the river?”

“Marshal, are you sure about this? Manzi Haiya is a Yuan imperial censor. How could he possibly collude with Chaohu?”

“That’s right, absolutely impossible. Kang Maocai might cooperate with the Water Battalion, but Manzi Haiya? He’s an imperial censor!”

An imperial censor was truly a figure of great authority. The heaviest Yuan general the Chuzhou Red Turbans had dealt with before was Jia Ru, Deputy Prime Minister of the Central Secretariat—far beneath Manzi Haiya, the imperial censor. Moreover, Jia Ru hadn’t even been slain on the battlefield by the Chuzhou Red Turbans. He had led his “Eight Guards Han Army” against Haozhou for seven days, vowing not to withdraw his troops until Haozhou fell. But not only did he fail to take Haozhou, he succumbed to heatstroke under the blazing summer sun and died on the spot.

So everyone still clung to a last shred of hope: a figure as grand as Imperial Censor Manzi Haiya could never work with Chaohu. Even if something happened in the Commissioner’s Water Camp, it was only Kang Maocai acting without authorization, perhaps bringing just two or three thousand men over.

The thought that the Commissioner’s Water Camp’s entire ten thousand-strong Yuan navy might be lured away by Chaohu made everyone’s breathing quicken—they could hardly imagine what to do if such a thing truly happened, let alone the fact that Chen Zhaoxian’s twenty thousand troops had raised the red flag as well.

But the more you fear something, the more it comes to pass. “Report to the Marshal: the Commissioner’s Water Camp has taken down the white flag and hoisted the red. The Water Battalion has already taken over the camp! Marshal, Shao Six is waiting outside—shall we see him?”

The Commissioner’s Water Camp had changed hands?

Zhu Yuanzhang nearly toppled from his horse. He had never imagined that Liu Yi and Chaohu could be so ruthless, snatching the prize at the critical moment yet again—and this wasn’t the first time, but time and again. “That Liu fellow is pushing us too far! We fought tooth and nail, lost thousands cleaning up Chen Zhaoxian, and now he comes in to pick up the spoils. Does he really think Zhu Yuanzhang is easy to bully?”

Zhu Yuanzhang felt worse than ever before, though since meeting Liu Yi, this “worse than ever” feeling had happened more than once. This time, he truly wanted to cast caution aside and clash head-on with the Chaohu navy. “Do they really think the Left Battalion and Zhu Yuanzhang are easy targets? This can’t be allowed to stand!”

Just as everyone prepared to draw their blades, expecting a fierce brawl to break out at any moment, Tang He suddenly spoke up. “Old Zhu, since Shao Six is waiting outside, let’s see him first.”

Whether it was Xu Da, Li Shanchang, or Chang Yuchun, those who best understood Zhu Yuanzhang were sure Tang He would misjudge this time. Zhu Yuanzhang was fired up; meeting Shao Six would surely be trouble, perhaps even an immediate order for execution. Shao Six’s brother, Shao Si, a commander of ten thousand, had already spoken up. “Marshal, my younger brother has always been reckless. I beg you to show mercy.”

Yet Tang He proved once again that he understood Zhu Yuanzhang best. Though Zhu’s anger hadn’t fully subsided, he still heeded Tang He’s advice. “Shao Si, for your sake, I’ll let Shao Six come in!”

Since Zhu Yuanzhang was in a towering rage, Shao Rong entered with a radiant smile. As soon as he stepped into the camp, he greeted, “Salutations, Marshal Zhu. Our general has already taken the Commissioner’s Water Camp as agreed, and General Chen Zhaoxian is willing to join forces as well!”

This was precisely the news Zhu Yuanzhang and the Left Battalion least wanted to hear. Seeing Shao Rong so pleased, Zhu Yuanzhang wanted nothing more than to settle things with Liu Yi once and for all. But he kept his anger in check. “I did agree with your Liu general that he would take the Commissioner’s Water Camp, but the Yuan army on land was for me to handle. When did your Water Battalion get involved in land affairs?”

Tang He was first to echo Zhu Yuanzhang. “That’s right—the Commissioner’s Water Camp was yours to take, but the Yuan camps on land were all conquered by us!”

“Yes, we had an agreement—water matters were yours, land matters ours. When did your Water Battalion start meddling in our land affairs?”

“Are you trying to pick a fight?”

The harder the Left Battalion pushed, the more confident Shao Rong became.

Previously, the Chaohu navy and Zhu Yuanzhang’s side had fought bitterly over Kang Maocai’s three thousand sailors, with Zhu even declaring, “Kang Maocai can join anyone but Chaohu.” He certainly didn’t want Liu Yi to fully consolidate the Commissioner’s navy. Now, the Left Battalion had completely backed down on this issue; the dispute had shifted to Chen Zhaoxian’s forces and the next few Yuan armies on land.

This showed that you had to tear the roof off before anyone would agree to let you open a window. Shao Rong knew Zhu Yuanzhang’s fury was at its peak, but with Jiqing about to change hands, the Left Battalion wouldn’t let go of such a golden opportunity. Thus, Shao Rong hardened his stance. “You’re right—the land affairs are yours. I merely lent a helping hand, and General Chen Zhaoxian is willing to accept the position of Deputy Right Marshal. Are you going to drive him back to the Yuan army?”

The Left Battalion erupted once again in uproar—they hadn’t expected Liu Yi to have even arranged the title of “Deputy Right Marshal” for Chen Zhaoxian, as if Zhu Yuanzhang, the true leader of the Chuzhou Red Turbans, didn’t matter at all. Zhu, however, became intrigued. “Chen Zhaoxian wants a Deputy Right Marshal title? That's no problem. Let him establish a new Right Battalion. But will Liu general focus solely on water battles from now on? And will the Right Battalion obey my command?”

Everyone was interested in his question, and Shao Rong gave a reply that greatly pleased Zhu Yuanzhang. “Before I came, our general told me—whatever the Marshal requires, we can agree to, as long as he accepts Chen Zhaoxian’s cooperation!”

Zhu Yuanzhang was delighted. “Chen Zhaoxian can be Deputy Right Marshal, but forty percent of his troops must be handed over. Of course, I’ll help replenish those numbers!”

For Zhu Yuanzhang, as long as Chen Zhaoxian was in his grasp, he could play things as he wished. Shao Rong, hearing this, replied immediately, “Our general instructed one more thing before I came.”

“What is it?”