Chapter 132: Striking While the Iron Is Hot

"Dodge! Get out of the way!"

"The Chaohu rebels are using sorcery!"

"This is definitely dark magic!"

"Run! Everyone, run for your lives!"

When Zhao Pusheng first deployed his fire ships, many in Zhu Ding’s camp had merely laughed, convinced that the Chaohu navy was merely sticking to their tired, old tricks—the same three-move repertoire that Li Pusheng and Lady Jinhua had used countless times before. They wondered if Liu Yi and Zhao Pusheng were capable of anything new.

But as they watched Zhao Pusheng unleash such a vast number of fire ships, their confidence began to crumble. And that was before the giant rockets began raining down from the sky. If they couldn't handle the old tricks, they stood no chance against these new ones. These rockets were not fired from the decks of enemy ships, but spewed from massive tubes. Their range was terrifying, and their destructive power seemed supernatural; wherever they landed, a sea of fire erupted.

How could they possibly counter this? And the Chaohu navy had even more in store. After a series of thunderous roars, the falling stone projectiles caused Zhu Ding’s forces to collapse completely.

"Run! Everyone run!"

"The Chaohu rebels are using sorcery!"

"We are no match for them!"

Zhu Ding finally understood why Zhang Shide and Zhang Shisi had always feared Liu Yi and the Chaohu navy like tigers. During the previous battles on the river, the Zhenjiang rebels had clearly not fought with their full strength. Zhang Shide and Zhang Shisi had claimed they had used at most fifty percent of their power. Zhu Ding had dismissed this as nonsense, thinking that in such intense river warfare, they must have used at least seventy percent.

But now, he believed them entirely. Fifty percent? The Zhenjiang rebels probably hadn't even used thirty percent. These sky-piercing rockets alone had shattered all three naval stockades, and now, terrified deserters were fleeing in every direction.

The stockades had possessed comprehensive contingency plans for fire-fighting and an abundance of equipment, but the real problem was that the morale of Zhu Ding’s army had completely evaporated. More than half the defenders had already fled, and even Zhu Ding didn't hesitate to join them. "Notify Zhang Shide! Send word to Zhang Shide immediately! The Zhenjiang rebels are too brutal; our army cannot hold them back. Tell His Majesty to send reinforcements to Changzhou at once! Zhenjiang is too powerful!"

As he spoke, Zhu Ding wept. He never expected to be unable to withstand even a single round of fighting. Given the current situation, the Jiangyin navy would lose at least half its fleet, and the remaining stockades would certainly fall. His top priority now was preserving what strength remained. "Tell the men to retreat! As far as they can! We cannot handle the Zhenjiang rebels, but we can surely deal with the Chuzhou rebels!"

Zhu Ding finally regained some composure. Besides the Zhenjiang rebels, there were also the Chuzhou rebels. If they couldn't beat Liu Yi’s Chaohu navy, they could at least fight Zhu Yuanzhang. He needed to let Zhang Shicheng face Zhu Yuanzhang directly. "Tell Zhang Shide and His Majesty that since Court Academician Liu of Zhenjiang has personally led the campaign to Changzhou, His Majesty cannot stay holed up in the Prince of Zhou’s mansion. It is time for him to act!"

Like most rebels in Chinese history, Zhang Shicheng had spent his time enjoying the luxuries of Pingjiang City (Suzhou) since capturing it. But with Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Yi now personally leading the charge on the front lines, Zhang Shicheng had no choice but to defend his own empire. Yet, even as he said this, Zhu Ding began to weep again.

Meanwhile, Zhu Yuanzhang could no longer force a laugh. "Court Academician Liu broke seven naval stockades in a single round, and the Gaoyou navy has been almost entirely wiped out? Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?"

Although the Chuzhou navy had never been particularly prominent, it still possessed several cargo ships and fishing boats. He knew that almost all of Zhang Shicheng’s naval power was in Zhu Ding’s hands, and that Zhu Ding had built seven stockades along the river—projects that had consumed tens of thousands of laborers and countless resources. For the Chaohu navy to take them was equivalent to storming seven fortified cities in a row.

Though legends of Liu Yi had long circulated through the Left Camp, and Zhu Yuanzhang believed that Liu Yi’s personal involvement would change the tide of battle, he had expected the Gaoyou navy—with its seven stockades and nearly a thousand vessels—to at least put up a fight or cause some trouble for a day or two. No one had expected the Chaohu navy to sweep through and shatter all seven stockades in half a day. Now, not even a single small boat of the Gaoyou navy could be found on the Changzhou section of the river.

The Zhenjiang navy had suffered negligible losses, while Zhang Shicheng’s navy had been devastated. Even though Zhu Ding had fled, the forces he had painstakingly built were crippled. This unexpected outcome sent Zhu Yuanzhang into a state of internal turmoil; he almost wanted to turn his own forces against the Chaohu navy right then and there. If Zhenjiang continued to grow at this rate, the next question would be when Liu Yi would decide to turn on him.

However, the soldiers of the Left Camp saw it differently. "Vice Magistrate, the opportunity is here! We must take Changzhou!"

"Indeed! If we don't take Changzhou, our Left Camp will be nothing but a lackey to the Water Camp from now on!"

"If we strike now while the momentum is with us, we can take Changzhou, and the Water Camp will remain our subordinates!"

"Since the Water Camp has taken Jiangyin, we cannot afford to lose Changzhou!"

Even as Zhu Yuanzhang contemplated the risks of turning on the Chaohu navy, his subordinates had completely ruled out that option, reaching a consensus on the need to capture Changzhou immediately. The news of the Water Camp’s victory had been a shock to Zhu Yuanzhang, but it had been a cataclysmic one for the veteran commanders of the Left Camp. If the Chaohu navy could wipe out Zhang Shicheng’s year-long naval efforts in half a day, the probability of them successfully turning on the Chaohu navy was far too low.

Fearing the consequences of such a move, they all became "wise" men, reaching a consensus in an instant. "Vice Magistrate, we must strike while the iron is hot and take Changzhou!"

"Yes, the Water Camp has created such a perfect opportunity for us; we cannot let it slip away!"

"If we miss this chance, we will be sinners for all eternity!"

"Only by taking Changzhou can you, Vice Magistrate, firmly overshadow Court Academician Liu!"

"Vice Magistrate, let me serve as the vanguard!"

Unable to go against the will of his men, Zhu Yuanzhang let out a long sigh. "Since everyone feels we must strike while the iron is hot, let us advance with all our might!"