Chapter 129: Quite the Romantic Fortune

Zhang Shicheng’s decision to cross the Yangtze was entirely the result of Zhu Ding’s urging. Thus, when it came to dealing with the Red Scarves of Chuzhou, Zhu Ding was more eager than anyone else. In a very short time, he had gathered his former followers, accepted defectors, recruited surrendered enemies, and assembled a powerful army of both land and water forces.

Everyone knew that the Chaohu fleet was the strongest naval force on the Yangtze. Even so, they felt that Zhu Ding’s combined army and navy could not be all that weak. It might not be evenly matched with the Chaohu fleet, but it should at least be capable of both attacking and defending against it. Zhang Shide held much the same view as the others.

“Bring Zhu Ding up immediately. The rise or fall of the nation will be decided in this battle. So long as he can hold off the bandits at Zhenjiang, he may have whatever he wants!”

Within Zhu Yuanzhang’s faction, whenever Zhu Yuanzhang said, “You may have whatever you want,” everyone knew he was merely joking. Though Zhu Yuanzhang had always been exceptionally generous, no one could expect to do as they pleased simply by relying on a few promises from him. If they truly drove him to anger, he would turn comedy into tragedy.

But Zhang Shicheng’s faction was different. Although the Zhang brothers could not fulfill every promise they made, they really could satisfy all your wishes and let you do as you pleased. Thus, everyone immediately reached the same conclusion:

“So long as Zhu Ding takes the field, Zhenjiang should not prove much of a problem!”

Zhu Ding himself was equally confident. Though he knew that Liu Yi would be difficult to deal with, and that the Chaohu fleet at Zhenjiang would be even harder, he possessed absolute faith in himself.

“This time, when we move up, we are not merely going to drive the bandits of Zhenjiang back. We are going to seize Zhenjiang for ourselves. Once we control the city, the Chuzhou bandits will be unable to display any of their tricks. Tell the brothers that once Zhenjiang falls, they may enjoy themselves for several days!”

Though Zhu Ding spoke vaguely, everyone understood that he was hinting that they would be free to do as they pleased after the city fell.

“Boss, that is all we needed to hear. Not only will we take Zhenjiang, we will sweep onward and open the gates of Jiqing as well. That is one of the greatest cities under Heaven!”

Meanwhile, Liu Yi, within Zhenjiang, was facing one of the most important choices of his life. Zhu Yuanzhang held him in high regard. Not only had he sent his foremost civil official, Li Shanchang, to assist him, he had even specially dispatched Hua Yun to serve as Liu Yi’s deputy. Gold, silver, jewels, and every other treasure had been provided in abundance.

“Director Liu, I have only one question. When do you plan to take a concubine?”

Liu Yi immediately burst out laughing.

“Master Shanchang, that is not the proper way to put it. We are newlyweds; surely we should rest for a few days? It is only a single Dan Dashe. What tricks can he possibly play? Even if all seven thousand of Dan Juren’s men defected to him, Commissioner Zhu would still have a way to deal with it!”

Li Shanchang knew that Liu Yi was speaking the truth. The Chuzhou Red Scarves were, after all, the most powerful armed faction in the Jiangnan region. After capturing the Jiqing Circuit, they had launched a campaign of total expansion and now commanded a hundred thousand troops. The defection of two or three thousand men before the battle would have only a limited impact.

So he passed the matter to Hua Yun, who was standing nearby.

“Marshal Hua, you tell him.”

Hua Yun was an old friend of Liu Yi’s, and he spoke without the slightest hesitation.

“A mere Dan Dashe is nothing our Left Camp would concern itself with. The problem is that, during this period, the Left Camp has incorporated twenty or thirty thousand Green Troops and Long-Spear Troops from north of the river. These Green Troops and Long-Spear Troops are all old comrades of Zhang Shicheng. Dan Dashe and Chen Erbao are now doing everything they can to win them over. If Zhang Shicheng manages to lure them away, the consequences will be disastrous. More importantly, our immediate priority is to force Zhang Shicheng back!”

At this, Hua Yun began to grow anxious.

“Zhang Shicheng has already gathered a vast army and is preparing to advance east in force. If he takes Songjiang Prefecture, along with eastern and western Zhejiang, the war may not be settled in three or five months. So I would like to ask: when will Director Liu march out? Commissioner Zhu has already said that Director Liu may have whatever he wants!”

Before Liu Yi could answer, Madam Golden Flower pressed him.

“Whatever he wants?”

Hua Yun had not yet spoken when Li Shanchang added, “Naturally, whatever he wants. Any place the naval camp conquers may be handed over to the naval camp, whether it is Zhenjiang, Pingjiang, Kunshan, or Songjiang. When the time comes, the naval camp may select its own commissioner to govern each place.”

This was the condition that Zhu Yuanzhang and the senior commanders of the Left Camp had always refused to concede. The Chaohu fleet already controlled half of Zhenjiang, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to restrain. If it were allowed to sweep across the waterways and occupy most of the commanderies and counties along the river, it might eventually turn around and swallow the Left Camp whole.

But Dan Dashe’s defection had finally driven Zhu Yuanzhang and the Left Camp to desperation.

No one knew how many unstable elements existed within Zhu Yuanzhang’s faction, but Zhang Shicheng unquestionably possessed considerable influence among the ragtag forces north of the river. If the battle for Changzhou dragged on, there would certainly be a second Dan Dashe, then a third. There might even be mass defections. At last, on this most sensitive issue, they had yielded.

Liu Yi immediately broke into a smile.

“With Commissioner Zhu showing such sincerity, I have no choice but to agree. Come, let us go and meet the bride!”

Li Shanchang naturally breathed a sigh of relief. Hua Yun, meanwhile, was delighted.

“Director Liu, fortune has smiled upon you this time. Our Left Camp has brought you the most beautiful woman in Yingtian City!”