Chapter Forty: North of the River

The claim of “guaranteed profit” was merely an excuse; the true reason was something she could never say aloud. In another timeline, the forces under Chen Yexian had been a blazing pit of disaster—Guo Tianshu, Zhang Tianyou, and Chen Yexian all perished together, leaving Zhu Yuanzhang the sole beneficiary to reap the spoils.

While the course of history here was sure to diverge from that of another world, Liu Yi dared not play with fire. Should she lose, the consequences would be far worse than a simple loss of capital. She fixed her gaze on Lady Jinhua. “Sister Jinhua, Marshal Zhao, Marshal Li—the safety of Taiping rests with you now. I will personally cross to Jiangbei to recruit and organize new forces. Only then will Zhu Yuanzhang, Guo Tianshu, and Zhang Tianyou truly put their minds at ease.”

The admirals of the Chaohu Fleet had anticipated something of this sort, but none imagined Liu Yi would withdraw to Jiangbei at such a critical juncture. Zhao Pusheng blurted out, “General, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! If we let it slip through our fingers, we’ll regret it for the rest of our days!”

But Liu Yi answered with unwavering confidence, “Trust me, all of you. If Jinling could be taken in a matter of days, then my going to Jiangbei would be an utter mistake. I wouldn’t need you to petition my removal; I would abdicate of my own accord. But I am certain the campaign for Jiqing will be protracted. Zhu Zong and Wu Hong in Jiangxi, as well as Zhang Shicheng in Gaoyou, have yet to dispatch their troops. There will be bitter battles still to come on the Jiqing front. For now, let Zhu Yuanzhang take the lead and enjoy his moment in the spotlight.”

Though she had voiced these thoughts before, they struck her listeners differently this time. Lady Jinhua seemed to grasp something: “So this is only a temporary concession? The Jiqing route will still be ours. So will Jiangdong!”

In that moment, Liu Yi had the air of a mystic. “Exactly. Taiping City is in your hands, Sister Jinhua.”

She radiated such conviction that, despite their doubts, everyone found her words strangely persuasive.

Yet though she could sway these commanders, Liu Yi’s decision threw all of Taiping City into turmoil.

“What on earth is Marshal Liu doing? Why is she running off to Jiangbei at such a critical moment?”

“This is the decisive hour! What if something goes wrong with the navy?”

“Even with Lady Jinhua, Double-Blade Zhao, and Li the Head-Taker present, a mishap with the fleet could spell catastrophe!”

“What an unreliable son-in-law for the Guo family!”

“I think this has something to do with Deputy Marshal Zhu. Lately, Marshal Liu has been stealing the spotlight—she took over the Chaohu Fleet and even won over Miss Yunyu. Deputy Marshal Zhu can’t possibly stomach that; she’s probably been edged out by Zhu Yuanzhang!”

“But now that Liu Yi is gone, we’re in trouble!”

“No, no, no! Her departure is a blessing. With her out of the way, we’ll take Jiqing City in a matter of days!”

Guo Tianshu nearly exploded when he heard the news. “The man is utterly useless as an ally! I married my sister to him to keep Zhu Yuanzhang in check, but Zhu Yuanzhang came to his camp, apologized, and he simply up and left, leaving us to deal with the mess.”

Zhang Tianyou, however, understood Liu Yi’s intentions. “I figure she thought she was attracting too much attention and wanted to keep a lower profile. Actually, it’s for the best: without her stirring the pot, dealing with Chen Yexian’s forces will be much simpler!”

Previously, with four marshals in Taiping City, any decision regarding Chen Yexian’s troops required a joint council. But now, with Liu Yi gone, the remaining three could act independently. “Exactly! Let’s find Yuanzhang at once. We can’t delay the Chen Yexian affair any longer!”

Even Zhu Yuanzhang was incredulous, checking several times before he could believe Liu Yi’s move. “How can this be? She’s clever and capable—why would she suddenly act so foolishly? Has she taken leave of her senses?”

To Zhu Yuanzhang, Liu Yi was the rival he respected most, more so than Guo Tianshu or Zhang Tianyou combined. Every time the marshal’s council convened, Zhu had the upper hand—until Liu Yi arrived and transformed Guo and Zhang, those two weaklings, into a decisive minority. No one expected such a formidable figure to abandon her command at this crucial hour.

Li Shanchang was equally surprised, though shrewd enough to see an opportunity: “I didn’t expect her to do this, either. Maybe the promises I offered tempted her, but now that she’s gone, we must act swiftly!”

Though the journey from Jiangbei to Jiangnan and back could be done in a day, the two regions were worlds apart. Not even Liu Yi, with all her resourcefulness, could command Taiping City from the far side of the Yangtze. Zhu Yuanzhang knew better than to let this chance slip away. “If Heaven offers and you do not take, you will bear the blame. I won’t be polite, then!”

Soon, all of Taiping City was mobilized. Hundreds and thousands of officers took up their whips; the rank and file polished their blades. Guo Tianshu, Zhang Tianyou, Zhu Yuanzhang, and the other marshals followed Haozhou army tradition, laying out a flowing banquet in the city, with several opera troupes performing grand dramas.

If there was to be a final reckoning, they would feast and revel, filling themselves with gusto before the coming battle.

Across the river in Jiangbei, peace reigned. Earlier that year, the Yuan army had counterattacked Hezhou immediately after the Chuzhou forces captured it, and the scene then mirrored the current tension in Taiping. But now, both the main Yuan and Chuzhou forces had crossed south, leaving Hezhou and Chuzhou—under Guo’s control—in a state of abnormal prosperity.

The bounty brought in was not just war spoils from Taiping; Liu Futong in Haozhou, Zhang Shicheng in Gaoyou, and Zuo Junbi in Luzhou all needed luxuries, military supplies, and every conceivable commodity. Even the Yuan authorities in Yangzhou were snapping up goods in Chuzhou. The market was so bustling, it gave the illusion that the golden days still lingered.

Guo Yunyu felt the same way. “Since you’ve returned to Jiangbei, my dear, stay a while longer. Leave the fighting to my brother and the others.”

She had heard many grisly tales of the Battle of Taiping and was convinced her husband’s safety was best ensured at her side.

Though newlyweds, they had hardly spent ten days together. Recalling their sweet moments, Guo Yunyu grew unusually bold. “My love, I’ve found quite a few paintings in the city these days.”

She did not specify what sort of paintings, but her gentle, alluring expression sent Liu Yi’s heart fluttering. “Since you say so, I’ll stay a while. Once Chen Yexian is dealt with, I’ll return to Taiping—there’s no rush.”

Liu Yi expected her to continue on to even more tender, private topics, but Guo Yunyu suddenly changed the subject. “That’s settled, then. With you here, we’ll manage Jiangbei as husband and wife. Surely that woman Ma will finally have to admit defeat.”