Chapter Forty-Three: Where Is Marshal Liu?

After taking Taiping Road, Zhu Yuanzhang’s forces now exceeded thirty thousand men. An extra three or four thousand cavalry would be merely the icing on the cake. The Chaohu navy, however, was a different matter. Though they too were accepting surrenders and defections, their total strength barely reached twelve to thirteen thousand, with the navy making up the bulk of their numbers. If they could recruit these three or four thousand men from Yangzhou, it would be like adding wings to a tiger.

Yet as Ma Xiuying spoke, she felt a growing bitterness. It was one thing to be heavily pregnant and still helping her husband arrange a concubine, but now that this woman was joining the family and would “handle some affairs,” Ma Xiuying knew her own power would be greatly diminished. The more she reflected on her hardships, the more aggrieved she felt.

Still, Ma Xiuying bit her lip and gave her orders: “Wenzheng, I’m leaving this matter in your hands. It must be handled cleanly, without the slightest hint of a leak.”

After all, this was her own choice.

Her husband might be difficult to manage, but he was, in the end, a true man—only a hero like him could restore peace to a world plunged into chaos.

As for Liu Yi, the sly opportunist who always found an excuse to return north of the river at the first sign of trouble, he was destined for nothing. In terms of ambition, Ma Xiuying far surpassed this cowardly rat: “Even if Liu Yi comes back, Jiangbei will remain our Zhu family’s domain.”

But few men in the world shared Ma Xiuying’s vision. Upon hearing that Liu Yi had returned to Jiangbei, many leaders came forward to negotiate the terms of joining the Chaohu navy.

In troubled times, men wielded power above all. Though Guo Yunyü and Ma Xiuying tried every means to win over the commanders of the Spear Army and Green Army, Liu Yi’s mere appearance resolved the trust issue they had long struggled to surmount. In just two days, six or seven factions came to discuss joining.

These groups claimed a combined force of twenty thousand—enough to transform the Chaohu navy entirely. Liu Yi understood well that the sooner the negotiations succeeded, the better his own terms would be. If others struck a deal before him, he might be left with nothing but scraps.

Negotiation is a process of building mutual trust. Both Liu Yi and Zhu Yuanzhang promised not to break up their existing structures, maintaining the current ranks and titles—whether self-bestowed or granted elsewhere. Even if a commander claimed ten thousand men but led only a few hundred, the title would remain.

But that was the bare foundation for trust. The real discussion lay in the details. Both sides knew they couldn’t preserve the old structure forever—supplies, uniforms, and treatment would gradually be standardized. Thus, money, rations, and territory became the focal points.

Some made exorbitant demands, wanting to stand equal to or even supplant Liu Yi. Some saw the Chaohu navy as a fat piece of meat and aimed to take a bite. Others, sincere enough, nonetheless brought nearly laughable conditions—some even tried to bargain with their religious beliefs.

Liu Yi’s own stance was clear: “I’ve come to Jiangbei to meet true heroes. How things turn out, and with whom we come to terms, depends on your sincerity. I only hope the talks don’t fall through—even if you’re the last group to reach an agreement.”

This was a warning. Everyone knew that the Chaohu navy was negotiating with several factions. Liu Yi would remember who made a deal first, who was last, and who failed completely. The terms were fixed, but Liu Yi would remember these things.

After several rounds of talks, two factions reached a joyful agreement and began initial mustering.

Though the verified troops numbered only about three hundred—far from the “great armies” they claimed—each group promised more battle-hardened soldiers would soon arrive in Chuzhou. The men already verified were all survivors of many battles, which went a long way toward addressing the Chaohu navy’s lack of effective infantry on land.

Liu Yi estimated that this trip north of the river would net at least one or two thousand capable soldiers—a significant gain for the Chaohu navy. Yet there was one major regret: while many from the Green Army, Spear Army, and Red Turbans were willing to join, not a single scholar had yet chosen Liu Yi.

Here, Zhu Yuanzhang held a decisive advantage. In Jiangbei, he had strategists like Li Shanchang and Mao Ji; after taking Taiping, many renowned scholars such as Tao An and Wang Guangyang threw in their lot with him. His prospects were rising swiftly.

Liu Yi’s side, by contrast, had only a few half-literate old men who could barely keep accounts, write an IOU, or handle simple paperwork. All strategic and administrative issues fell to Liu Yi himself. Even with Guo Yunyü’s help, he often had to do things personally. He could only sigh: “At the very least, I need someone who can read a document and prioritize issues. On this matter, I must learn from Zhu Yuanzhang!”

The setting sun was like blood—blood as crimson as the dying sun.

Outside Taiping City, the ground was a scene of slaughtered corpses and rivers of blood. The casualties on both sides far outstripped those in the Red Turban Army’s previous assault on Taiping. Many centurions and commanders, though not annihilated, were grievously weakened.

Corpses and the discarded weapons and banners of the defeated littered the ground. Black blood stained everything; the groans of the wounded rose and fell in waves. Zhu Yuanzhang was both exhilarated and furious, shouting, “Chen Yexian, can you not even command your own son? Tell him to surrender at once, or don’t blame me for executing you on the spot!”

Guo Tianshu, usually frivolous, was beside himself with urgency: “Chen Yexian, since you’ve fallen into our hands, you’ll do as we say. Tell your son to bring his troops over, or I’ll kill you right now!”

Zhang Tiannyou said nothing but had already drawn his blade. Xu Da, Tang He, and the others all eyed Chen Yexian like tigers, ready to strike at any moment. Yet Chen Yexian, though in their hands, remained calm and unafraid: “I heard there are four marshals in Chuzhou. Why do I see only three? Where is Marshal Liu now?”