Chapter 139: The Demeanor of a Hegemon

Guo Ninglian never expected that her husband would entrust her with such immense power.

Although Liu Yi had only spoken a few brief words, it was clear that in the future, any official dispatched by Zhu Yuanzhang to Jiangyin would find that after seeking an audience with Liu Yi, their second most important task would be to secure her approval. Without her nod, these officials favored by Zhu Yuanzhang would likely not dare to assume their posts.

Though Guo Ninglian knew this was a delicate and easily polarizing matter, she had never feared making enemies. "Husband, Sister Yunyu, since you have entrusted such a significant responsibility to me, I will certainly act as a strict gatekeeper and never allow those corrupt officials to bring ruin upon our Jiangyin!"

Her stance was firm, but Liu Yi held a different view. "As long as they can get things done and are willing to carry out our will, a little bit of graft or greed in their private dealings is of no consequence. Water that is too clear has no fish; what truly matters is that they are reliable!"

Liu Yi did not realize that these words would eventually split the Zuo Ying system into two factions—one leaning closer to Zhu Yuanzhang, the other to Liu Yi. While there were no fundamental conflicts between them, the lingering discrepancies in their details would lead to a state where most major issues became impossible to resolve.

Neither Liu Yi nor Guo Yunyu perceived this. Guo Ninglian, however, recognized that the Zuo Ying would henceforth be fraught with trouble. Yet, having married into the Liu family, she naturally prioritized its interests. With great enthusiasm, she said, "Husband, as the saying goes, 'spend a thousand gold to buy the bones of a fine horse.' As long as we show enough sincerity, we can transform the hearts of the Zuo Ying. I think we can use my own family as a model for this."

By "my family," she meant her maiden home. Although Guo Xing and Guo Ying were already high-ranking officers within the Zuo Ying, and their status had risen significantly after Guo Ninglian married into the Zhenjiang household, the Guo family still possessed many talented kin and friends who remained buried in obscurity. Given Zhu Yuanzhang’s strict management, the room for Guo Xing and Guo Ying to maneuver was limited.

Guo Ninglian was not one to avoid appointing her own kin. Liu Yi was slightly surprised, but he did not consider it a poor idea. In the process of conquering the world, one must often rely on one's own men. Furthermore, to poach from the Zuo Ying without offering sufficient benefits would be impossible. He glanced at Guo Yunyu. "Yunyu, what do you think of Ninglian’s idea?"

"I think it is quite good. Who told us our own family tree is so thin!"

The problem for Guo Zixing was not that his family tree was thin, but that while he himself was exceptional, his children and nephews were incompetent. Now, Guo Yunyu could only rely on distant branches of the clan to protect her family’s interests. Although Guo Ninglian’s distant relatives were not blood-related to Guo Zixing—their connection being the result of a later alliance of clans—Guo Yunyu needed both a powerful ally and someone to safeguard her interests. "I think Xiaolian’s idea is excellent. Spend the gold to buy the bones. As long as the Zuo Ying is of one heart with us, even giving up Jiangyin City would be a small price to pay!"

The notion of "giving up Jiangyin City" was a bold one. Although the process by which the Zhenjiang army captured Jiangyin had been smooth and overwhelming, it was the Chaohu Naval Fleet that had truly become a warlord faction after taking the city.

In the past, the Chaohu Naval Fleet had possessed only a few river outposts and the single city of Zhenjiang; their foundations were too shallow. Only after taking Jiangyin Prefecture could they truly claim to have a base from which to advance or retreat. Liu Yi was in high spirits. "Sister Ping, what do you think of Sister Ninglian’s plan?"

The young woman Liu Yi addressed as "Sister Ping" was another beauty sent by Zhu Yuanzhang. Unlike Guo Ninglian, who had the backing of the Guo brothers, Hu Qiuping—though also a beauty from Haozhou—lacked a formidable background. She was merely a pitiful soul adrift in a chaotic world.

Guo Ninglian knew how to please the primary wife, Guo Yunyu, and Guo Yunyu valued her in return, yet she had never looked kindly upon Hu Qiuping. Hearing Liu Yi ask for Hu Qiuping’s opinion on such a major matter, she felt a pang of jealousy. "Husband, this is a matter of state!"

Liu Yi, however, held a different view. "This is both a matter of state and a family affair. Sister Ping, if you were in the position of Vice Administrator Zhu, what would you do?"

Hu Qiuping was a woman of natural allure, every word and gesture imbued with a languid, seductive grace. Hearing Liu Yi single her out, her eyes lit up with endless charm. "I think Ninglian’s idea of buying the horse bones is excellent, but simply offering up Jiangyin Prefecture is not enough. Since you intend to vie for supremacy with Vice Administrator Zhu, you must naturally possess the bearing of a hegemon!"

Liu Yi became instantly curious. "Sister Ping, tell me, what is the bearing of a hegemon?"

Whether it was Guo Yunyu, Guo Ninglian, Lady Jinhua, or Sun Yuerong, none valued Hu Qiuping, who lacked a background. They found her too seductive and charming, believing such a woman would surely be a disaster if kept by Liu Yi’s side. Liu Yi, however, valued her highly.

Zhu Yuanzhang had sent her with immense sincerity. Though she was merely a pretty widow with no status, she was, in a true sense, Zhu Yuanzhang’s first love. In Haozhou, he had once proposed to her, but at the time, Hu Qiuping had been a widow and Zhu Yuanzhang a man of no consequence; the Hu family had rejected him without hesitation. Only after capturing Jiqing did Zhu Yuanzhang immediately inquire about her whereabouts from Zhao Junyong and Sun De'ya in the north.

In chaotic times, it was easy for a powerful man like Zhu Yuanzhang to claim a pretty widow. Zhao Junyong and Sun De'ya, despite their conflicts with him, cooperated fully. However, the situation changed drastically before Hu Qiuping could cross the river, and Zhu Yuanzhang did not hesitate to send her to the naval camp. "If I send Hu Qiuping to Judge Liu, that shows enough sincerity, does it not? Judge Liu must now take the field himself; he has no excuse to refuse."

Yet, Zhu Yuanzhang never imagined that Hu Qiuping, whom he had so casually gifted, would have her own agenda. "Husband, the so-called bearing of a hegemon is, naturally, to be prepared to give up Zhenjiang, Jiangyin, and indeed, the entire world."