Chapter 135: First, Defend the City; Second, Hold the Line

Although Zhu Ding was full of sincerity and even willing to change his allegiance, Liu Yi was determined to take Jiangyin. He smiled and said, "Since Marshal Zhu is willing to abandon the dark and turn toward the light, I am naturally happy to go with the flow. My demands are not high; as long as Marshal Zhu is willing to come aboard my ship, I will withdraw my troops immediately!"

As soon as Liu Yi said this, the suddenly appearing relatives and friends were silenced. The very reason Zhu Ding had sent them to act as intermediaries was to preserve his hold on Jiangyin. However, Liu Yi’s condition required Zhu Ding to surrender unconditionally and board his flagship—a demand Zhu Ding could never accept.

Naturally, some still harbored illusions. "Commissioner Liu, the greatest threat to Zhenjiang is not Jiangyin. If Jiangyin changes hands, I fear you will face a great disaster. Please reconsider, Commissioner. As long as Jiangyin remains in the hands of Gaoyou, you will remain unshakeable!"

This was a reminder for Liu Yi to watch out for a stab in the back from Zhu Yuanzhang. However, having sparred with Zhu Yuanzhang for so long, Liu Yi knew his patterns by heart; he was certain that as long as Zhu Yuanzhang had not yet captured Changzhou, neither side would dare to break their alliance.

Therefore, he smiled and said, "If your Marshal Zhu is unwilling to come aboard, that is fine. I only need someone to come to my ship and tell me about the scenery and romance of Jiangyin. If the Marshal is unwilling, anyone else will do. After all, it is only half of Jiangyin City!"

Though Liu Yi spoke with ease, the envoys from Jiangyin paled. The implication of his words was clear: if Zhu Ding refused to surrender unconditionally, he was prepared to change his negotiating partner. Regardless of who delivered Jiangyin, the price remained "half of Jiangyin City."

Some were terrified, others were furious, but several envoys were suddenly filled with wild ambitions. Zhu Ding could not possibly surrender unconditionally and would surely struggle, which provided an opportunity for the factions they represented.

A few months ago, Zhu Ding was nothing but a country bumpkin who sold salt, pushed to the brink of ruin. Were it not for the southward expansion of Zhang Shicheng’s Gaoyou army, he would have been at best the leader of a group of ruthless bandits.

Since Zhu Ding could seize the opportunity to become the master of Jiangyin Prefecture, they too could wield power in these chaotic times; seizing this chance meant boundless wealth.

Excitement aside, everyone maintained a composed expression. Liu Yi urged them on, "I know Marshal Zhu is a man of status and hard to invite, so I will have my brothers extend a warmer invitation. Sister Jinhua, Marshal Zhao, have the men show them some real hospitality!"

Since Liu Yi called for "warmth," the rockets and artillery on the river naturally responded with enthusiasm. As the cannons roared, the river turned a fiery red. Having been tempered by the Battle of Changzhou, the Jiangyin army was already like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring. Though the Zhenjiang army had not yet exerted its full strength, the river defense line collapsed at the first touch. Many battalion and regiment commanders led their troops directly back to the countryside, and the remnants retreating into Jiangyin City were equally demoralized.

Zhu Ding had not expected the situation to collapse so thoroughly. The Zhenjiang army’s spears were practically at his throat. What frustrated him most was that until now, his Jiangyin army had not even had a formal face-to-face confrontation with the Chaohu Navy; they had been blown to pieces by the endless, thunderous fireworks and explosives, an utterly inexplicable defeat.

Yet, he had no time to complain to his defeated troops; he had to consider how to salvage the situation. "The camps and hills outside the city have already fallen to the Zhenjiang thieves. Let us not engage in a battle of pride with them. The current priority is twofold: first, to defend the city; second, to hold fast!"

"Defend the city, and hold fast"—it sounded like nonsense, but his subordinates were old foxes. They immediately understood Zhu Ding’s true intent. "Defending the city" meant staying in Jiangyin for now, while "holding fast" meant that if the situation became unfavorable, they would abandon the city and retreat to the countryside to continue playing cat-and-mouse with the Zhenjiang forces.

This was Zhu Ding’s old tactic for dealing with government armies. As long as he dragged things out long enough, he would eventually find a chance to turn the tide. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and began considering how to take their gold and valuables with them when they retreated.

The Jiangyin army had made a fortune upon entering the city, and now they intended to take that wealth back to their hometowns. If they couldn't take the heavy goods, they would at least take the gold, silver, and their families. They couldn't leave empty-handed.

Thus, although Zhu Ding had spoken of "defending the city," his subordinates mentally crossed it out and focused entirely on the retreat. Meanwhile, the artillery and explosions outside grew louder and more earth-shaking.

Though the Jiangyin army viewed itself highly, believing the Zhenjiang thieves only advanced due to their superior gunpowder weapons, they had been crushed in every engagement. Even without direct close-quarters combat, the mere appearance of the Zhenjiang army caused them to collapse. With Zhao Pusheng personally organizing the offensive, the entire Jiangyin line was in full retreat.

The Jiangyin army was now obsessed only with "holding fast," hoping to survive the defense and retreat to the countryside to bide their time. But with the Zhenjiang army advancing on all fronts, such dreams were fast becoming illusions.

Three groups of envoys arrived on Liu Yi’s flagship. Unlike Zhu Ding, these groups were all willing to hand over the entirety of Jiangyin Prefecture to Liu Yi. "Commissioner Liu, does your promise of half of Jiangyin City still hold?"

"If our ten-thousand-man commander hands over the city, can we really get half of Jiangyin?"

"Commissioner Liu, our master doesn't want half the city; he only asks for your guarantee of his lifelong wealth and status!"

Liu Yi replied quite readily, "I have always kept my word. As long as you help me take Jiangyin City, my conditions stand!"

That was enough. While Zhu Ding was still contemplating how to "defend" and "hold fast," a commotion erupted outside, louder than the constant artillery on the river. Then, someone cried out in horror: "Commander Shen has rebelled! Commander Shen has turned against us!"