Chapter 115: Who Is the Internal Threat

Tang He knew that even if he botched the mission, Zhu Yuanzhang would likely dismiss it as a minor matter, yet he still wished to handle it with grace. The problem was that while Tang He excelled as a commander of a hundred or a thousand, he felt overwhelmed in the role of a ten-thousand-man commander. Now, tasked with leading multiple such units in battle, he was completely flustered and could only pin his hopes on the various subordinates around him.

Though it was not quite a case of "heavy rewards creating brave soldiers," this was the best opportunity for them to distinguish themselves before Marshal Tang He. A Commander Shen immediately stepped forward: "Marshal Tang, we have already captured Changzhou City, and the Zhenjiang naval forces have sent troops to assist. We can say the victory is already in our grasp; the true enemy now is not without, but within!"

Since Commander Shen had laid it out plainly, Tang He, as the commanding marshal, could not ignore it: "Commander Shen makes a valid point. Although Zhang Shide has over ten thousand troops, our strong enemy is internal, not external. We must give more thought to the Chaohu side!"

Tang He understood Zhu Yuanzhang best, so his line of thinking mirrored Zhu’s, but Commander Shen’s expression turned sour. "Marshal, since Zhenjiang has already sent troops, the only question is how much effort they will exert. The internal traitors are the true threat. If we do not eliminate them, I fear we will not sleep soundly in Changzhou."

Though Commander Shen spoke with some restraint, everyone understood that the "internal traitors" he referred to were the local gentry of the Changzhou circuit. These powerful families had risen through the circumstances and had become too large to control. The strongest among them commanded nearly ten thousand men. While they wavered between Zhang Shicheng and Zhu Yuanzhang, their sentiments leaned toward the relatively lenient Zhang Shicheng rather than Zhu Yuanzhang’s more disciplined army.

Tang He flushed deep red. He had not expected Commander Shen’s line of reasoning to differ so sharply from his own. He could only steel himself and say, "Commander Shen, whether or not Zhenjiang puts in effort—and how much—is the real problem. If they refuse to contribute, what is the point of us fighting to the death?"

Commander Shen had not expected that he, a newly promoted commander, would end up locking horns with Marshal Tang He. He had initially wanted to use this opportunity to raise his profile, but he found himself in a difficult position. Yet, the more intense the situation, the more stubborn his temperament became: "Marshal, we and Zhenjiang are one family; we cannot do without each other. If we treat Zhenjiang with constant suspicion, we have already lost half the battle for Changzhou!"

Another veteran commander, Hua Yun, stepped forward to support Shen: "Marshal, Commander Shen is absolutely right. The key to victory in the Changzhou campaign lies in the internal threat, but that threat is certainly not Zhenjiang!"

Tang He knew that although Hua Yun was an old follower of Zhu Yuanzhang, he was sentimentally closer to Liu Yi and the Chaohu naval forces, maintaining constant contact with them. Although Zhu Yuanzhang had warned Hua Yun several times, the man refused to change his ways. However, both Zhu and Tang needed a channel to communicate with the Chaohu fleet, so they had no choice but to let Hua Yun continue his antics.

Tang He had not expected Hua Yun to show such a lack of respect, especially when the other commanders began to agree: "Indeed, while we have our petty disputes with Zhenjiang, we are still family. Since they have sent troops, we must focus our attention on Zhang Shide and the internal threats!"

"Zhenjiang at most wants a few more beauties or a few more counties of territory. Gāo Yóu, on the other hand, wants to swallow us whole!"

"Zhenjiang cannot survive without us, and we cannot survive without them. Instead of guarding against Zhenjiang, we should be thinking about how to deal with the internal threats..."

"Yes, these Yellow Armies, Green Armies, and volunteer militias are wavering; they are our true enemies. The Marshal is being too soft-hearted!"

Tang He was surprised that the commanders had reached a consensus, viewing his tolerance of the local gentry as "too soft-hearted." He felt wronged; he knew that if he did not utilize these local powers to maintain order, he would only push them into the arms of Zhang Shicheng. "I don't think it's that serious. We are outsiders, and Zhang Shicheng and Zhang Shide are also outsiders! These militias are, at most, sitting on the mountain watching the tigers fight. They wouldn't dare—"

Just as the commanders were trying to persuade their leader, an urgent report arrived from outside: "Zhang Shide is now fully engaged in winning over the local gentry outside the city, promising that if they help take back Changzhou, he will share the glory and wealth with them. He is offering titles—General-in-Chief, Administrator, Vice-Commissioner—and even promising them territory..."

Upon hearing this, Tang He’s complexion changed. Although he had utilized the local gentry to maintain the status quo, he had always kept them under pressure, demanding taxes while withholding official recognition, intending to settle accounts once stability was achieved. He had not expected Zhang Shicheng to offer such generous terms. A thought suddenly struck him: "Quickly, send someone to Zhenjiang to ask Commissioner Liu to send a large force to our aid. We are, after all, one family with Zhenjiang!"

Meanwhile, Zhang Shide was full of confidence: "No matter how generous Zhu Yuanzhang and Tang He’s terms are, they cannot match ours. We are genuinely prepared to cede half of Changzhou; there is no way Zhu Yuanzhang or Tang He could ever do that!"

Although both were groups of outsiders, Zhu Yuanzhang’s faction was rooted in the Red Turbans, valuing strict adherence to orders and operating as a tight-knit organization. While they temporarily provided space for local gentry, they intended to purge these local powers once order was restored to ensure total control. Zhang Shicheng’s faction, however, originated from illegal salt smuggling; their organization was loose, and they lived only for the moment, making them naturally willing to hand over half of Changzhou.

His subordinates were still worried: "Is it really that simple? I heard Tang He hasn't moved against the local militias in Changzhou at all."

Zhang Shide sneered, "Zhu Yuanzhang cannot even tolerate Liu Yi of Zhenjiang; how could he possibly tolerate these fence-sitters? Tell Chen Erbao that I have already ceded half of the Changzhou circuit to him. Let’s see if he can seize the opportunity!"