Chapter Seventeen: The Blank Imperial Edict

Although Liu Futong spoke of “putting the greater good first” on the surface, Liu Yi immediately caught the hidden undertones in his words. Liu Futong frequently invoked “the court” and “the nation,” suggesting he possessed confidence in his command over the Dragon-Phoenix regime.

In a sense, Du Zundao currently represented the Dragon-Phoenix court, for he was the top-ranked Right Chancellor, while Liu Futong was merely an Administrative Commissioner. The Privy Council, which controlled military affairs, was indeed in Liu Futong’s hands, but this did not change the fact that Liu Futong had lost the current round of political struggle. Liu Yi suspected that Liu Futong’s inexplicable defeat stemmed entirely from the sudden shift of Empress Dowager Yang and the Han-Song royal family toward Du Zundao.

Han Lin’er, only a child, was widely regarded by contemporaries and later historians as nothing more than a puppet manipulated by Du Zundao and Liu Futong. Yet, as Emperor of the Song, he held the legitimate title, and the unexpected outcome of Du rising and Liu falling likely resulted from the abrupt allegiance of Empress Dowager Yang and the Han-Song royal house. This turn was an attempt by Empress Dowager Yang and the Han-Song royals to assert their presence; now, Liu Futong had surely managed to win them back, and in the next round of court struggle, he would have a chance to reverse his fortunes.

Had Liu Yi not studied every book he could find on the Yuan-Ming transition, knowing the ultimate fates of Liu Futong and Du Zundao, he would not have been able to analyze the situation so precisely. Yet what is gleaned from paper always proves shallow—too many matters escape the pages of history. The more Liu Yi interacted with the Dragon-Phoenix court in Haozhou, the more he felt it was little more than a makeshift troupe, and all he wanted was to move south to Chao Lake as soon as possible.

Though the Song had been founded, with an emperor, a reign title, and the establishment of the Central Secretariat, Privy Council, and Censorate, these institutions were mere formalities. The Red Turban Army relied on power and territory; Liu Futong’s enduring dominance and chance for resurgence stemmed from commanding the largest and strongest forces.

Unfortunately, even though Liu Yi and Lady Golden Flower wished to head south swiftly, Liu Futong’s approval alone would not suffice—they also had to pass Du Zundao’s hurdle.

Du Zundao continued to receive them in his elegant manor, reminiscent of Jiangnan gardens. Liu Yi and Lady Golden Flower presented their case once more: “Congratulations, Chancellor Du, for presiding over the affairs of state—you now stand above all others! But as you take up the reins of power, many voices of dissent arise. If you wish to secure your position, you must act decisively and achieve remarkable feats!”

Du Zundao, ever shrewd and insightful, immediately saw through Lady Golden Flower’s ploy: “Lady Golden Flower, General Liu—you're eager to move south? But I cannot simply refuse you; the current situation demands bold action!”

Buoyed by newfound power, Du Zundao was in high spirits, always exuding confidence. As the Right Chancellor of the Song, he felt that all matters of the Dragon-Phoenix regime should be decided by him alone, with young Han Lin’er merely affixing his seal, and as for Sheng Wenyu and Liu Futong, they barely mattered.

These days, he wielded absolute authority and welcomed new and old allies daily, yet he had not even mastered the city of Haozhou. Edicts from the Central Secretariat met inexplicable resistance, particularly from Liu Futong’s faction, whose followers spread rumors everywhere.

Though Du Zundao wished to cut through the chaos swiftly, the situation in Haozhou was more complex than he had imagined; losing control could mean disaster.

Thus, he could only hope for a brilliant victory to resolve all problems: “Once we seize the Chao Lake navy, we must cross the river quickly to take Jiqing Route and Jiangdong Circuit. I have already instructed you repeatedly on military strategy!”

Lady Golden Flower breathed a sigh of relief—dealing with Du Zundao proved easier than facing Liu Futong. Yet Liu Yi suddenly spoke: “Chancellor Du, I have another question. After taking Chao Lake, what if someone in Chuzhou refuses to advance into Jiangnan?”

Du Zundao shook his head: “Impossible. The Chuzhou Commandery is made up of our own people; no one would refuse to cross the river. It simply cannot happen!”

Despite the river separating them, compared to the war-torn north of the Yangtze, the prosperous south seemed a paradise. Du Zundao believed that Guo Tianshu, Zhang Tianyou, and Zhu Yuanzhang recognized this—they had not crossed simply for lack of a usable navy. Once Lady Golden Flower controlled the Chao Lake fleet, the Chuzhou Commandery would cross at once.

But upon closer reflection, Du Zundao realized things might not be so simple. The forty thousand armored troops under the Chuzhou Commandery were nominally aligned with him, but historically, the two sides had no connection—they were the private army of Guo Zixing, the Haozhou commander.

Guo Zixing, a devotee of the Maitreya faith and disciple of Han Shantong, was only one of the four Haozhou marshals, and within both the Red Turban Army and the Maitreya sect, the four marshals belonged to Zhao Junyong’s faction.

Guo Zixing’s rapid expansion caused rifts with the other Haozhou marshals and left his relationship with Zhao Junyong in tatters. Upon Guo Zixing’s death, Zhao Junyong and Sun Deya planned to jointly absorb the Guo family’s forces, prompting Guo Tianshu, Zhang Tianyou, and Zhu Yuanzhang to seek protection under Du Zundao.

Thus, strictly speaking, the Guo army was not part of Du Zundao’s faction, but merely a powerful ally. As such, the Chuzhou Commandery could selectively follow Du Zundao’s orders. Yet Du Zundao’s greatest need now was an unquestioned victory, so his commands had to be executed: “General Liu, what do you wish to secure for Lady Golden Flower?”

Liu Yi answered clearly: “Just an edict.”

Du Zundao was puzzled: “The edict I drafted for Lady Golden Flower already grants her discretionary authority. Is that not enough?”

Adding “discretionary authority” to an edict was a wartime practice of the Yuan dynasty, imitated by all anti-Yuan forces, and in both the Yuan court and these armies, it signified nearly unlimited power.

Du Zundao felt an edict granting Lady Golden Flower discretionary command was sufficient, especially since he also gave her the title of Chuzhou Marshal. But Liu Yi sought more than nominal authority: “She needs a blank edict, one she can fill in with whatever is required at any time.”

Such a request would be unacceptable in any other dynasty, but the Dragon-Phoenix regime was only a makeshift government, so Du Zundao was not angered but delighted: “General Liu, you are truly a rare talent. If you can help me take Jiangdong, not just one blank edict—even ten would be no problem!”

With that, Du Zundao had a new idea: “Since you are so confident, join Marshal Zhang Tianyou in heading south.”