Chapter Forty-Five: Either Family or Foes

If this question had been asked a few days earlier, the admirals of the Chaohu navy present might each have given different answers. But now, there was only one voice: "Marshal Zhao has spoken. We must not act against the will of heaven. If General Liu refuses to cross the river, he must have his reasons!"

"Exactly, exactly. Let’s follow General Liu’s wishes. Jiqing City is one of the most renowned cities in the realm; this battle won’t be won in a skirmish or two!"

"Does everyone remember what the General said before crossing the river? He told us the war in Jiangdong would not end in ten days or half a month. He urged us to settle in for a steady, hard-fought campaign!"

"I recall the General’s words perfectly. This campaign in Jiangdong and Jiqing may well last months. Rather than hoping for a quick, decisive victory, we should hope the General can recruit more elite troops in the north!"

Liu Yi himself hadn’t expected the inertia of history to be so strong. “So you’ve only captured Chen Yexian? No other gains?”

Lady Golden Flower, who had crossed the river specifically to deliver this news, allowed herself a rare smile. “There were other gains, of course. It wasn’t a total loss. But the price was steep, and, most critically, the two or three thousand men under Chen Yexian’s command cannot be claimed as Chuzhou’s own. Xiao Yi, you truly foresaw it!”

For reasons he couldn’t name, Liu Yi felt a gnawing worry deep down, so he quickly changed the subject. “I know Guo Tianxu and Zhu Yuanzhang are both eager to seize this moment to launch a frontal assault on Jiqing Road. But I’m certain—the key to taking Jiqing is first to take Chen Yexian.”

Now that Chen Yexian was a prisoner of the Chuzhou army, both Lady Golden Flower and Guo Yunyü understood that “taking Chen Yexian” meant truly controlling the two or three thousand men under his banner. His contingent was pivotal in the fight for Jiqing. Lady Golden Flower, delighted, exclaimed, “When do you intend to cross the river and secure Chen Yexian, Xiao Yi?”

Liu Yi, for once, spoke with complete candor. “I have no confidence at all in how to secure Chen Yexian. But at least Zhu Yuanzhang can first test how sturdy Jiqing’s walls are!”

Although Guo Yunyü had married Liu Yi and usually favored her husband’s interests, this matter concerned her own family. “Is it our business to take Jiqing Road, husband? I must inform my brothers and make sure they keep some strength in reserve.”

Lady Golden Flower sighed at this. “Back then, Xiang Pulue was a hero beyond compare, and still he was defeated at Zhongshan and died in Huizhou.”

Liu Yi knew she was distantly related to Xiang Pulue, and that much of her standing in the White Lotus under Peng Yingyu was due to that connection. “Sister Golden Flower, don’t worry. As I’ve said before, Jiqing is ours, Jiangdong is ours. I’ll remain in the north a few more days, then cross the river.”

Though these days had been filled with the sweetest memories, and Guo Yunyü knew how rare it was for Liu Yi to stay by her side, they were newlyweds and parting was painful. She steeled herself to speak. “Husband, don’t be in such a hurry to cross the river. My brothers are in Jiangnan; nothing major will go wrong. Haven’t you been saying you most lack a capable secretary by your side?”

This, indeed, was Liu Yi’s greatest headache. Though he was bursting with knowledge, whenever he picked up a brush, he didn’t know where to begin. Worse still, the scholars among the Chaohu navy were barely literate, mere pedants with no real talent.

Their handwriting was barely passable, and Liu Yi could see it was far from refined. Their literary skills were limited to a line or two of doggerel, hardly meeting his expectations. Even worse, they were awkward to work with, failing to grasp his intentions and tending to overcomplicate simple matters. For now, Liu Yi could only treat desperate measures as if they were solutions.

Though Guo Yunyü could help with some minor matters, she had been busier than ever since marrying, always preferring to handle things personally, and was far from an ideal secretary. Liu Yi had even considered taking up calligraphy anew, but then Guo Yunyü surprised him. “My lady, do you have someone in mind?”

Guo Yunyü smiled gracefully. “Not exactly someone joining us. He intends to go to Zhu Yuanzhang’s side. But, with you holding firm in the north, some are short of troops but rich in sincerity and willing to offer five thousand elite soldiers.”

Liu Yi understood she meant borrowing another’s resources for their own use, and was immediately interested. “Truly five thousand elite men? That’s a most generous offer! Which hero is this?”

Though Liu Yi led the negotiations, Guo Yunyü handled many details herself. She gave a clear answer. “Do you remember Prefect Chang of Changshan, who arrived yesterday?”

Liu Yi had only exchanged a few words with Changshan before passing him to Guo Yunyü. “Yes. He arrived late, and though he carries the title of Prefect, he commands only a few hundred men. No doubt that’s why he’s offering his resources to curry favor.”

Changshan had been in Chuzhou for a while, but his information was outdated. Only two days before had he discovered Liu Yi was there. By the time he found a way to meet Liu Yi, at least five other groups had already struck formal agreements with the Chaohu navy and begun mustering. The long spear and green-uniformed regiments incorporated into the navy now numbered over one thousand three hundred each.

Arriving late, Changshan was at a disadvantage and had to offer something substantial. Guo Yunyü was clear. “That’s it. Prefect Chang says he’ll act as intermediary to bring us these five thousand elite troops, as long as we look out for him a little.”

Liu Yi knew such good news was not to be missed. “Of course we’ll look after Prefect Chang. Make sure he tells the other side plainly—others may turn a blind eye, but if there are five thousand elite troops, we must accept them. If he throws his lot in with Zhu Yuanzhang, he must abandon any hope of crossing the river.”

Guo Yunyü felt a touch aggrieved, but she still hoped Liu Yi would remain in the north a while longer. “That’s exactly what I told Changshan. Either we’re relatives for life or enemies for life; there’s no third path in this matter.”