Chapter Thirty: Open Conspiracy

Guo Yunyu had never suffered as much in her entire life as she had in these past few days. Although she knew these rumors were meant to sow discord, the malicious gossip was infuriating. Some said she had a secret lover outside; others claimed she and Zhu Yuanzhang had been deeply in love and were already discussing marriage, only for Guo Tianshu to forcibly break them apart to oppose Zhu Yuanzhang. More outrageous rumors even alleged she had secretly given birth to a son, and the child's name was whispered about as if he were alive and well.

There were even worse rumors that relatives and friends dared not repeat to Guo Yunyu, but whenever she caught wind of them, tears would stream down her cheeks. “Master Liu, if I had known Zhu Yuanzhang was so heartless, I should have stabbed him to death with a single sword back then.”

Usually energetic and bold, Guo Yunyu was especially vulnerable at this moment. Liu Yi’s heart ached more and more for her as he watched. “Yunyu, don’t let such things anger you. Our Marshal Zhu only knows a few tricks, and the letters I’ve picked up these days increase by the day!”

Whether Zhu Yuanzhang’s method of using others to do his dirty work would succeed depended on whether Liu Yi was willing to take up the knife he handed him. Yet Zhu Yuanzhang truly underestimated Liu Yi.

In this timeline, information was scarce and communication methods were extremely limited. The only tools Zhu Yuanzhang could use were spreading rumors or crafting flawless letters and secret reports. “The names mentioned in these letters are always those closest to us—the very people whom Marshal Zhu fears most.”

Hearing the words “closest to us,” Guo Yunyu felt her spirits lift. She spoke softly, “Master Liu, do you believe in me?”

Her eyes still shimmered with tears, but her mood seemed to brighten, though a lingering sorrow remained in her heart. These rumors could resurface at any moment, and she knew almost nothing about the man before her who was soon to be her husband. Though he was handsome, she didn’t know if he could be relied upon, or if he harbored hidden motives.

Liu Yi, having weathered the storms of the internet age, knew well how to kill with a pen. “You and I are bound by love and kinship, destined to walk life together. If I can’t trust Yunyu, who can I trust? Not only do I believe in you, Yunyu, but I will also avenge you for this injustice.”

Guo Yunyu finally smiled. “As long as Master Liu believes in me, that’s enough. We must live well together, not endlessly fight and quarrel with others!”

Even counting the Chaohu naval forces, Zhu Yuanzhang still controlled more than half the military power in the entire Chuzhou Marshal’s Office. Even her brother Guo Tianshu had to try every means to placate Zhu Yuanzhang. If Liu Yi and Lady Jinhua, who had just taken command of the Chaohu navy, were to challenge him, it would undoubtedly be their small household that suffered in the end.

But Liu Yi only laughed. “If Zhu Yuanzhang plots against me, so be it. But since he dares bully Yunyu, I’ll make sure he regrets it! I’ll show him what it means to turn his own methods against him.”

Liu Yi wasn’t merely speaking—soon, Zhu Yuanzhang would learn what an open scheme truly was.

Though Liu Yi’s counterattack was also a matter of using others, his methods, though blunt, left Zhu Yuanzhang without a way to respond.

Zhu Yuanzhang claimed that taking a concubine would match the grandeur of Liu Yi marrying Guo Yunyu. Now, rumors abounded that Zhu Yuanzhang was not merely taking a concubine, but planning to cast Lady Ma aside and welcome the Guo girl as his principal wife—what other reason could there be for such an extravagant wedding?

The so-called “taking a concubine” was merely Zhu Yuanzhang’s trick to placate Lady Ma. Her wedding had once been hasty and modest, but now, with such lavish arrangements, even if Lady Ma wasn’t driven out, she was destined only to be a nameless secondary wife!

Zhu Yuanzhang was completely unable to cope with these rumors. After all, what they said was almost entirely true—only the conclusion was utterly wrong. And he had indeed wronged Lady Ma.

Lady Ma, though famed as the world’s greatest helpmate, was ultimately a woman. Faced with such matters, emotion outweighed reason, and Zhu Yuanzhang’s burning troubles at home could not be extinguished. Meanwhile, Guo Tianshu sent people daily to inquire about the details of the wedding.

Busy putting out fires, Zhu Yuanzhang only wanted to quietly finish the matter of taking a concubine, but the Guo family now posed another problem.

Though the bride was only a distant, illegitimate relative, no woman wished to be slighted. Upon hearing she might marry as the principal wife, she grew bold, and even her relatives and friends began dreaming of becoming the Marshal’s lady, repeatedly insisting the wedding match that of Liu Yi and Guo Yunyu. Now, Zhu Yuanzhang could not keep a low profile even if he wanted to, and could only watch as another fire was lit in his household.

Liu Yi’s open schemes were always forthright. Zhu Yuanzhang tried to sow discord between him and the Chaohu naval officers, but Liu Yi openly declared everywhere, “Marshal Zhu’s foundation was won by Xu Da and Tang He, but in future, it must be handed to the Zhu family. Only then will Marshal Zhu truly be at ease. I am different from Marshal Zhu—without adoptive sons or relatives, I rely entirely on your help to build my foundation.”

This statement was even more destructive. Zhu Yuanzhang had no children yet, but had adopted numerous sons and made them all change their surnames to Zhu. Moreover, his nephew Li Wenzhong and his cousin Zhu Wenzheng had also come to join him.

These adoptive sons and relatives, though still young and inexperienced, were treated by Zhu Yuanzhang as his closest kin. If sent out, they were at least made commanders of a thousand. The most favored among them even had a chance to rise instantly and lead the veteran generals into battle.

In times of chaos, such situations were commonplace. The old generals who had fought alongside him and achieved great feats were, after all, outsiders. In another timeline, Zhu Yuanzhang first shifted power gradually to his adoptive sons and relatives. When his own sons matured, he transferred it again to the princes.

But such matters could only be done subtly, never openly discussed. Yet Liu Yi’s few words laid bare the truth. Now, Zhu Yuanzhang’s camp was in utter turmoil; several hot-tempered commanders not only quarreled with him, but nearly came to blows.

These kinds of open schemes came one after another. Zhu Yuanzhang now finally understood what it meant to fan the flames, and nearly everything Liu Yi said was true—only the conclusions were wrong.