Chapter Thirty-Nine: A Surefire Profit

The title of "Judicial Commissioner" referred to the "Commissioner of the Mobile Privy Council." Although this was only a high-ranking military officer, it was already a position of considerable authority, enough to govern a region independently. Chen Yexian was quite satisfied. "Then I’ll leave the matters in Yangzhou to you, Vice Censor-in-Chief and Lord Fushou!"

However, Bayan Haiya was less pleased. "The Yangzhou front is naturally our responsibility, but in reality, the Mobile Privy Council should be set up in Jiqing Circuit. Placing it in Yangzhou is simply too far removed to be effective or secure!"

At present, the Yuan Dynasty had established three strategic command centers in the southeast. The Mobile Privy Council in Yangzhou oversaw military affairs, but since Yangzhou was north of the river, the resources it could draw upon were limited. Now, it already showed signs of being overrun by the Red Turbans and Zhang Shicheng.

The Censorate of Jiangnan in Jiqing Circuit (Nanjing) had also been converted into a wartime command post, responsible in practice for the military situation in Jiangdong. The Jiangzhe Provincial Administration in Hangzhou, which had control over the most resources, also faced the most powerful and meddlesome rivals.

These provincial and administrative bodies were established to create mutual checks and balances. Even in peacetime, they argued incessantly. Now, with the addition of the Mobile Privy Council in Yangzhou, the three institutions were at constant odds.

Bayan Haiya had spent many recent days locked in verbal battles with the officials from Hangzhou and Yangzhou, but by the end, he was exhausted by the endless disputes. Chen Yexian laughed, "No need to worry, Vice Censor-in-Chief. The court has only set up the Mobile Privy Council, the Provincial Administration, and our Censorate in Jiangnan. But look at the Red Turban rebels in Taiping City—they have four Marshals… and that’s not even counting the three Marshals of the Lake Chaohu pirates."

Chen Yexian believed that since the Red Turbans in Taiping Road were divided among four Marshals, these must be four relatively independent groups. Moreover, the Chaohu naval forces alone had at least three factions. Unlike the united command in the north, this fragmentation would provide him, as the overall commander of Taiping Road, with opportunities to exploit.

Yet developments unfolded quite differently from what Chen Yexian expected. Although the Yuan forces near Taiping Road numbered sixty or seventy thousand—more than the Red Turbans who had just crossed the river—the Red Turbans, in a sense, were fighting with their backs to the water. If they couldn’t hold Taiping City, they would be driven back north of the river.

Thus, even though there were deep-seated conflicts among the various Red Turban factions, they shared a consensus on holding Taiping Road at all costs. When the Red Turbans attacked Taiping, the Yuan troops resisted to some extent, but the city was not taken at great cost. Now that the Yuan army was trying to retake it, however, the attempt proved extremely difficult.

For a commander of local militia origins like Chen Yexian, the situation was even more challenging. In the past, fights usually centered on forts and villages, but now he was expected to storm a major city that had been fortified multiple times. Chen Yexian nearly wanted to slap himself—what had possessed him to hand such a stronghold over to the Red Turbans? Now, after exhausting all efforts and achieving nothing but bloodied heads, all he had gained were a host of bitter lessons.

"It seems we must keep our lines of communication with the Red Turbans open. Since there are four Marshals among them, let’s see which one takes the bait."

Since Bayan Haiya had now promised him overall command of the Taiping Road forces, Chen Yexian knew that unless absolutely necessary, he would never defect to the Red Turbans.

Guo Tianxu was himself only a Marshal; at best, Chen would be another Marshal as well, perhaps even having to defer to the old guard. But if he could retake Taiping Road, he could become a major figure, like Chahan and Li Siqi.

Yet Chen Yexian had not anticipated that the bait he cast would have the opposite effect. In Zhu Yuanzhang’s camp, the issue had already sparked fierce debate. "How could Liu Yi and Lady Jinhua be so generous? Chen Yexian commands at least fifteen thousand troops!"

"Not just fifteen thousand—at least twenty thousand. If we can take them, Liu Yi will have to come to our Marshal’s side and beg for forgiveness!"

"Exactly! Whatever tricks Liu is playing, we must absorb these twenty thousand men!"

"The problem is that Marshal Liu and Marshal Jinhua are known for their schemes. They might have set a huge trap for us—we must be doubly cautious!"

"Right. If Liu Yi is deliberately making us the butt of a joke, we and Chen Yexian may end up badly bruised on both sides."

A group of veteran generals and adopted sons argued endlessly over this, and Zhu Yuanzhang tossed the matter to his most trusted strategist. "Shanzhang, what do you think?"

Li Shanzhang also suspected that Liu Yi had set a trap, but felt the opportunity could not be missed. "If Heaven offers and you do not take, you will regret it. If you pass up Chen Yexian’s twenty thousand armored troops, they will inevitably fall to another."

Zhu Yuanzhang had also received reliable intelligence: Chen Yexian was hedging his bets, keeping lines open to Liu Yi, Guo Tianxu, and Zhang Tianyou. If he let this chance slip, those men would be used by others. Li Shanzhang’s words brought clarity to him. "No matter what the cost, we must take those twenty thousand men! Shanzhang, go speak with Lady Jinhua and Marshal Liu. Any terms you can agree to on the spot, do so—don’t wait for my approval."

Within the Chaohu navy, Liu Yi’s decisions were also hotly debated. Though the victory across the river had greatly increased his prestige, everyone felt that Chen Yexian was a prize that should not be missed. Zhao Pusheng urged him earnestly, "General, since Chen Yexian has reached out to us, we should not let the chance pass. Take his twenty thousand men and Marshal Zhu will have to come here daily to beg forgiveness!"

But Liu Yi only smiled. "If things were so simple! Even if we did take Chen Yexian, it would be the start of infighting. Our Chaohu navy numbers only ten thousand or so, most of whom are skilled on water. Chen has twenty thousand men—if he handed them to me for nothing, I wouldn’t dare accept! Let me ask you: if Chen comes over wanting to be the chief seat in the Chaohu command, would you agree, Marshal Zhao?"

It was indeed a vexing issue. Chen Yexian’s force was simply too large. If the Chaohu navy tried to absorb them all, it would be impossible to digest, perhaps even fatal. Zhao Pusheng countered, "If we can’t take them alone, why not the four of us together? That’s better than letting Zhu Yuanzhang dominate!"

Lady Jinhua, however, had seen through the matter. "I think General Liu values the heroes of the north more. If they come over, they’ll be lucky to get a command of a thousand or ten thousand men."

Liu Yi laughed again. "The only reason I’m letting this go is because Chen Yexian’s twenty thousand aren’t so easy to take. We might end up losing everything ourselves. We have little capital; any deal we make must be sure to profit, never lose."