Chapter Forty-Six: Ma Shixiong

The phrase "neither in-laws nor enemies" instantly clarified things for Liu Yi. In times of chaos, aside from the dearest kin and loved ones, great men would always seek to forge bonds of personal allegiance by any means possible. Whether it was Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhang Shicheng, Liu Futong, or any other figure, all were fond of adopting sworn sons or marrying into families, believing that such ties made the other party more trustworthy, while the other side, too, was willing to build relationships of dependence in this way.

Since these five thousand elite troops were waiting for the highest bidder, it was only natural that they would want to establish a special relationship with their future lord. "Having someone at court makes things easier," and so, they offered up their own daughter as a bargaining chip.

Looking at the hopeful Guo Yunyu, Liu Yi felt not only moved but also endlessly apologetic. "Yunyu, I truly owe you for this, but no matter the price, I must obtain these five thousand men. I entrust this entire matter to you—you have the final say in everything!"

Hearing Liu Yi's words, much of Guo Yunyu's grievance faded away. She had initially thought, after Miss Ma entered the household, to give her a sharp lesson and train her well before allowing her to serve at Liu Yi's side. But now, her thoughts shifted, and she replied, "This matter was always for me to decide; I am the rightful wife. No matter what pretense is made on the other side, she will still be but a concubine at most—perhaps with the title of secondary wife or chamber companion. Sister Jinhua, am I not right?"

Madam Jinhua had not expected to be drawn into this at all. "The affairs of the household have always been Yunyu’s to direct, and that rule must never be changed. But which marshal did the Chief of Changshan contact?"

In the Yuan dynasty, a marshal was indeed a major figure, often commanding several myriarchs. Though the relentless wars had devalued the title of marshal, anyone who truly commanded five thousand men would generally bear it. If this person didn’t, Liu Yi would see to it that he did.

Guo Yunyu, her mood much improved, replied, "It’s Ma Shixiong, Marshal of the Green Army in Yangzhou. He is known to be generous in his dealings, and it is said that his adopted daughter was originally a prefect’s child—skilled in music, chess, poetry, and painting, and gifted with the pen. Many of the army’s documents are handled by her!"

Liu Yi had no particular impression of Ma Shixiong, but on the lands south of the Yangtze, that name carried weight. Madam Jinhua’s eyes lit up. "Ma Shixiong? The Green Army’s Ma who married into the family? He’s a good man, reliable in all matters. Even if he doesn’t command five thousand, he must have at least three or four thousand. We cannot let those men fall into another’s hands. Yunyu, you have my full support. If we cannot become in-laws, we must become adversaries, but this house will always be yours to manage!"

With Madam Jinhua’s wholehearted support, Guo Yunyu could finally be at ease. "Sister, you said it—I will remember your words all my life!"

Meanwhile, in a small tavern in Chuzhou, Changshan, the Chief Myriarch, was pouring wine for Ma Shixiong. "Brother Ma, I failed in this matter. Let me drink three cups in apology, and then fill yours."

Ma Shixiong looked more like a shrewd old farmer than a marshal commanding the Green Army. His face was twisted with discomfort and inner conflict. "Old Chang, you’ve gotten me into trouble this time. Zhu Yuanzhang is an old friend of mine. Now you’ve put me in a position where I must betray both my friend and my daughter. I’ve always treated her as my own flesh and blood."

He downed a bitter cup. "You’ve ruined me for life! The Chang family does as it pleases, but I have thousands of mouths to feed!"

Changshan knew that, before chaos descended, Ma Shixiong was a diligent, honest landlord. With such men, one had to use both kindness and intimidation. "Brother Ma, the outcome is not so bad. Whatever terms Zhu Yuanzhang or Ma Xiuying offer, the Lake Chao navy can give even better. Besides, I’ve conveyed the words of Marshal Liu and Madame Guo—they said if you can’t be in-laws, you’ll be lifelong enemies. The Lake Chao navy is in their hands—if you make enemies of them, how will you cross the river? If you don’t mean to cross, why come to Chuzhou at all?"

Ma Shixiong was truly cowed by these words. Though he led several thousand Green Army volunteers and had thousands to feed, before the turmoil, he was simply a landlord with an eye for profit, always coveting what city folk had. He’d taken up arms only to protect his own life and clan, and his chief concern was always small gains. "Old Chang, if I marry off my daughter, we’ll have wealth and honor, and she won’t just be a concubine. Lady Ma herself promised me that."

Changshan couldn’t help but laugh. "Not a concubine? Will Lady Ma herself serve your daughter? Brother Ma, you must look to the long term. I recommended you to Madame Guo and Marshal Liu because I believe your prospects are brighter at Lake Chao. Don’t you see that?"

Ma Shixiong had considered as much. "Old Chang, I thought about it. Though I’d have more power at Lake Chao, Zhu Yuanzhang is an old friend and a loyal man. With him, I’ll never go hungry, and during festivals, I’ll even get an extra piece of meat!"

Changshan was exasperated by Ma Shixiong’s petty calculations and blurted out the truth. "Brother Ma, our Green Army brethren lack a leader. With Zhu Yuanzhang, you’ll never get your moment in the sun!"

Only now did Ma Shixiong realize why Changshan was so invested in this. The key was unity.

Both Liu Yi and Zhu Yuanzhang had promised to maintain the current command structures, but that didn’t mean they’d allow them to stay united. The greatest fear among the various myriarchs and chiliarchs was that Liu Yi or Zhu Yuanzhang would first offer them sweet words, then break up their organizations once they had them in hand.

Zhu Yuanzhang’s forces numbered over thirty thousand and were tightly organized. There was no room for factions. But joining Liu Yi was different: "Everyone at Lake Chao comes from Xu Shouhui’s Red Turbans, and they’re not the same as our Green Army or Spearmen. We must keep an eye out, not just for profit but also for our safety. If you weren’t such a decent man, Brother Ma, I wouldn’t make the effort!"

Changshan spoke sincerely. Though Ma Shixiong was a calculating man, he was also generous by nature. Entrusting him to negotiate with the Lake Chao navy meant they didn’t have to fear betrayal. "As long as you become family with Marshal Liu, we can all go south and live in comfort!"

"Comfort? We’ll be fighting and bleeding in the south for our wives and children, nothing more!"

Despite his words, Ma Shixiong found sense in Changshan’s argument. "But am I really fit to lead?"