Chapter One Hundred: Utter Sincerity

During this period, all the generals in Chen Zhaoxian’s camp had been wracked with anxiety, at a loss as to what to do or where to turn. Ma Shixiong’s arrival at last gave them a direction.

Even Ma Shixiong had not expected to be so warmly received in Chen Zhaoxian’s camp, perhaps even more warmly than in the Chao Lake Navy. After all, he was Marshal Liu Yi’s father-in-law, yet even then the enthusiasm shown him had not been a tenth of this. It was almost as if, without Ma Shixiong, the heavens themselves would not brighten.

Fortunately, Ma Shixiong was an honest man at heart, and he knew full well that this welcome was not due to his own reputation for generosity, but because he had married well. “Rest assured, everyone,” he said. “I’m here to help Marshal Chen and all of you make a decision. I guarantee no one will be treated unfairly.”

Even after such assurances, the crowd remained uneasy. If the Jiangzhe Provincial Army was to withdraw from Jiqing Circuit, then the choice they made now would determine the fate of each man for the rest of his life, perhaps for generations to come. So someone immediately said with eager courtesy, “Marshal Ma, you’re an upright man. We know you won’t shortchange us. We all want a way out now, but can Marshal Liu’s road really be taken? Please, tell us plainly.”

That was what everyone cared about most. Before this, they had considered defecting to the Chao Lake Navy, but only as a last resort among last resorts.

Although Liu Yi and Ma Shixiong both had fine reputations, the Chao Lake Navy had always ruled only the waters. Even with men like Ma Shixiong and Changshan, officers who had come from the Rebel Army’s Blue Army and Spear Army, it could not change the fact that the Chao Lake force was, in essence, a naval force.

Ma Shixiong laughed at once. “Before I came, my son-in-law told me to speak honestly to all of you. So I’ll make it clear: whichever road you choose, the situation will be much the same. A squad leader will still be a squad leader, a hundred-household commander will still be a hundred-household commander, and a thousand-household commander will usually still be a thousand-household commander. The key is whether you marshals, pacification commissioners, and ten-thousand-house commanders can keep your positions and your troops!”

His words struck straight to the heart of the matter. No matter which path Chen Zhaoxian’s men ultimately chose, the lower ranks would remain much the same. Whoever became the supreme commander would still need a great deal of cannon fodder; the ones whose fate could truly change were the marshals, ten-thousand-house commanders, pacification commissioners, and thousand-house commanders present.

Chen Zhaoxian had once hated Zhu Yuanzhang to the bone, but after Ma Shixiong’s arrival he clutched at this lifeline at once. “Marshal Liu’s words are absolutely right,” he said hurriedly. “I wonder what kind of terms he is willing to offer? If I go over there, how will my men and I be placed?”

The other generals in Chen’s camp also voiced their questions. “We’re under fierce attack from Zhu Yuanzhang all along the line right now. Does Marshal Liu have a way to get us out?”

“Yes, if Marshal Liu can’t escort us out, then any terms are just empty talk!”

“Marshal Liu must not only escort us out, but also guarantee our safety afterward!”

As soon as Zhu Yuanzhang and the Left Camp were mentioned, everyone became nervous again.

Although the Chao Lake Navy was nearly invincible on the water, its forces on land were far too thin, only a few thousand men in all, and the main strength of that force was Marshal Ma Shixiong standing right before them. If they truly came into conflict with Zhu Yuanzhang, the side that would suffer losses was likely to be the Chao Lake Navy.

Moreover, Zhu Yuanzhang of the Left Camp was no ordinary opponent. Chen Zhaoxian’s army was practically already in his mouth; how could he possibly spit it back out? Ma Shixiong answered with unusual frankness. “I know all your concerns. In truth, this plan is most advantageous for Marshal Chen. As for the rest of you generals, there will be both gains and losses. I wonder whether you can accept it?”

Chen Zhaoxian had long since regarded Ma Shixiong as his lifeline. Now that he heard Liu Yi’s plan was most favorable to himself, he was naturally overjoyed. “Marshal Ma, tell me, what exactly is Marshal Liu’s proposal? If this can be done, I will never forget Marshal Liu’s and Marshal Ma’s kindness for the rest of my life!”

Ma Shixiong stated Liu Yi’s proposal directly. “Marshal Chen, in Chuzhou we now have a Water Camp and a Left Camp, but we are still missing a Right Camp. And the Chief Marshal’s Office just happens to be short of a Right Deputy Marshal. I wonder whether you would be willing to take up that post.”

The previous Right Deputy Marshal of the Chief Marshal’s Office of the Entire Army had been Zhang Tianyou. After Zhang Tianyou died in battle, the division agreement reached between Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Yi did not include restoring the post of Right Deputy Marshal. Instead, they joined hands to divide up most of the Right Camp’s inheritance, and the office of Right Deputy Marshal was no longer maintained.

Chen Zhaoxian felt that Liu Yi’s proposal lacked all sincerity. “I can certainly accept the position of Right Deputy Marshal, but this proposal is far too insincere. Surely I am not being offered only an empty post as Right Deputy Marshal?”

He felt that if he accepted the post of Right Deputy Marshal in the Chuzhou Chief Marshal’s Office, he would be stripped of real power at once, and Liu Yi had offered no sufficient guarantee of safety. That was practically sending him to his death.

But as soon as he said this, someone below immediately interjected, “Marshal, Marshal Liu means for you to go there and take sole command of the Right Camp!”

Everyone was even more anxious than Chen Zhaoxian himself. “Yes, the Right Deputy Marshal would take sole command of the Right Camp. We’d still be one united body!”

“Marshal, Marshal Liu is showing tremendous sincerity. Zhu Yuanzhang is the Chief Marshal of Chuzhou, and Liu Yi is the Chief Marshal of Chao Lake. You would be the Chuzhou Right Deputy Marshal in sole command of the Right Camp. There can be no proposal more sincere than this!”

Only after the shouting below did Chen Zhaoxian finally understand. Even so, there was still something he did not quite grasp. “Why does Marshal Liu want me to serve as this Right Deputy Marshal?”

Ma Shixiong answered at once, “Naturally to check Zhu Yuanzhang’s power. If matters continue to develop like this, Zhu Yuanzhang will become utterly lawless. Someone has to keep him in check.”

Ma Shixiong then raised the issue he most wanted resolved. “But the problem is that Zhu Yuanzhang is pressing us on every front. How exactly can Marshal Liu escort us over, and afterward still allow me to take sole command of the Right Camp?”

Liu Yi’s terms were certainly sincere, but they were purely a private arrangement. Zhu Yuanzhang would never agree, and would likely lead his troops to smash Chen Zhaoxian’s camp to pieces. At that moment, someone spoke up. “Marshal Liu dares to make such a proposal for two reasons: first, because the Jiangzhe Provincial Army is withdrawing; second, because I intend to defect over there myself!”

Chen Zhaoxian recognized the speaker at once and exclaimed in shock, “General Kang Maocai, you too are going to defect to the Chao Lake Navy?”

Only then did he understand why Ma Shixiong had been able to enter the military council chamber. Kang Maocai had been leading the way. Still, there was one thing he could not quite understand. “But Zhu Yuanzhang said that you, General Kang, may defect to anyone you like, except the Chao Lake Navy.”

Kang Maocai laughed heartily. “Yes, Marshal Zhu did say that. But today the ones defecting to Chao Lake are not only me, Kang Maocai. More than ten thousand sailors of the Central Pacification Naval Force, including the Central Pacification Lord himself, will go with me. Marshal Chen, are you willing to join in this grand endeavor?”

At last, Chen Zhaoxian understood what was going on.