Chapter 125: The Young Lady of the Pingzhang Family

Hundreds of miles away, Dashitimur, the Left Chancellor of the Jiangzhe Branch Secretariat, was pondering the same dilemma: "The regional branch is truly causing us trouble. To think that Manzi Ha Ya falling into the rebels' hands would stir up such a massive mess!"

Seated beside him was Zodanasiri, the Administrator of the Branch Secretariat, who had only recently returned from the battlefields of Jiangdong. Still haunted by the Red Turban rebels of Chuzhou and the Chaohu naval forces, he knew that while Dashitimur’s words were filled with frantic rage, his heart inclined toward pacification: "The province has no troops at its disposal now. The spearmen’s forces have been severely crippled and will take months to recover. If Zhang Shicheng weren't being held back by the Red Turbans, he would have already launched an all-out offensive. As for Yang Wanzhe, it would be better to rely on Zhang Shicheng; in this situation, we have no choice but to treat a dead horse as if it were alive."

Although the Jiangzhe Province held the wealthiest lands in the realm—the circuits of East and West Zhejiang—it lacked the capacity and time to convert its vast resources into an army capable of charging into battle. Their only remaining lifeline was to exhaust every effort in recruitment and pacification; as long as the terms of surrender could be met, everything was negotiable.

Not to mention Liu Yi, who had no major history of misconduct, even Zhang Shicheng, who had rebelled and surrendered repeatedly and was utterly untrustworthy, had not been completely abandoned by the Great Yuan authorities. Envoys for pacification were sent one after another, especially since the outbreak of hostilities between Zhang Shicheng and Zhu Yuanzhang in Changzhou, which had spurred the provincial authorities to dispatch three waves of envoys with renewed fervor.

Furthermore, Liu Yi had taken the initiative to send fifteen hundred armored troops to support Songjiang Prefecture. In Zodanasiri's eyes, this was a timely gift of coal in the snow; what he lacked most were soldiers fit for combat.

Upon hearing the "dead horse" remark, Dashitimur could only sigh: "Nowadays, we cannot rely on anyone; we can only rely on the rebels."

Although the province still had Yang Wanzhe’s Miao army at its disposal, the memory of a year ago, when the Miao army briefly garrisoned Hangzhou, remained fresh. Both the authorities and the common folk described that period as a "fall of the city," and referred to the province’s efforts to expel the Miao troops as a "liberation." In truth, the damage the Miao army inflicted upon Hangzhou exceeded that caused by Xiang Pulue’s Red Turban forces when they had captured the city.

With such a precedent, Dashitimur dared not fully utilize the Miao troops. Although the fifteen hundred armored soldiers sent from Zhenjiang were a mixed bag, including many old rogues from Chaohu, at least a thousand were loyalists willing to serve the Imperial Court. Thus, the province had no choice but to turn a blind eye.

Having realized this, Dashitimur reached a decision: "Tell the Zhenjiang Prefectural Judge that if he is willing to serve the Imperial Court, he will not only retain his position but be promoted further. The Court might even entrust the entire East Zhejiang circuit to him, provided he accomplishes one thing."

Dashitimur currently held the dual roles of Left Chancellor of the Jiangzhe Branch Secretariat and Chief of the Branch Bureau of Military Affairs. With authority over both civil and military matters and the power to act at his own discretion, granting Liu Yi the title of Prefectural Judge or Assistant Commissioner was not a significant issue. However, handing over the entire East Zhejiang circuit to Liu Yi and the Chaohu naval forces clearly signaled a deeper objective.

Zodanasiri understood immediately: "Does the Chancellor want him to deal with Zhang Shicheng?"

Zhang Shicheng was the primary culprit, having first crushed forty thousand elite Yuan troops at Gaoyou and then, following his amnesty, suddenly crossing the river to the south, throwing the Jiangzhe theater into chaos. It was only natural that Dashitimur harbored deep hatred for him.

However, Dashitimur provided an unexpected answer: "My pacification of Zhenjiang is not solely intended to deal with Zhang Shicheng. Although Zhang is guilty of heinous crimes, he is, after all, a man of the Central Plains. The Miao barbarians are not of our people; they are the true, fatal threat."

Zodanasiri nearly blurted out: "The Chancellor is wise!"

Although neither he nor Dashitimur were native to the Central Plains, their families had lived there for generations. They read the classics, wrote the characters, and adopted the customs of the Middle Kingdom, viewing themselves as people of the realm at heart. Naturally, they looked down upon the Miao army, which knew only how to burn, kill, and plunder.

Deep down, they viewed Yang Wanzhe as the true, existential threat.

Meanwhile, Yang Wanzhe was completely oblivious to this. He even believed that he was the only power the regional branch could rely on: "Brothers, what do you think of my idea? Once we become family with the Administrator, no one in the Southeast will dare to oppose us."

Though Yang Wanzhe held himself in high regard, he knew the provincial government did not truly respect him, so he had been seeking an opening within the administration. Now, he finally found his chance.

The beloved daughter of the provincial Administrator, Qingtong, was both beautiful and dignified, praised by everyone in and around Hangzhou. Yang Wanzhe was more than satisfied.

By marrying Qingtong’s daughter, he would not only gain wealth and status, but also secure an ally within the provincial government. A father-in-law would surely look after his son-in-law, and from then on, he would have whatever he desired.

The marshals and commanders below him were naturally thrilled. If their leader could marry the daughter of an Administrator, they themselves would have no trouble finding wives among the daughters of prefects or magistrates. Before long, the Jiangzhe Province would be their own domain.

"The leader is wise! We should do exactly that. Whether it’s Huguang, Huainan, or Jiangzhe, we’ve fought for every inch of this territory with our lives, but after all these casualties, what have we actually gained?"

"I think the leader’s idea is brilliant. We need to be smarter; we need people on the inside. Having an Administrator as a father-in-law is worth more than anything."

"I’m sure this will succeed. Why not cut through the knot quickly and present them with a fait accompli? It’s not like the province can say no!"

Although the Miao army’s discipline was abysmal, and they burned and looted everywhere they went, it was only because the Imperial Court failed to provide rations. Since the Court could not solve the grain issue, Yang Wanzhe had to solve it himself.

Moreover, the Miao army had indeed rendered immense service. They had defeated countless rebel bands and driven countless refugees into becoming rebels themselves. Consequently, while the Court used the Miao troops to combat the Red Turbans, they also sought ways to suppress Yang Wanzhe, never honoring any of the promises they made.

Now, it was Yang Wanzhe’s turn to use his ingenuity to come up with a brilliant scheme: "I agree—once I marry Administrator Qingtong’s daughter, we will be the ones calling the shots in the province!"