Chapter Sixty: Kill Chen Yexian

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Although the Left Battalion was at a disadvantage in an earth-shattering battle, Hua Yun remained exceptionally composed. He even deliberately removed his helmet. “Whether it’s our marshal or any of the soldiers in the Left Battalion, we all believed that dealing with Xie Guoxi, if not a walk in the park, would at least give us a seventy to eighty percent chance of victory. But no matter how we calculated, we didn’t foresee that Xie Guoxi would join forces with the Mongols and launch a pincer attack!”

The main force of Zhu Yuanzhang’s Left Battalion had no trouble handling Xie Guoxi, but the situation changed drastically once the Mongol army’s main force entered the fray. Liu Yi was taken aback. “How many Mongol troops have arrived?”

“Several tens of thousands!” Hua Yun’s bitter smile held a unique, desolate beauty. “The main force of the Jiangsu-Zhejiang Province has been committed. The Deputy Minister of Administration, Mai Shuteng, and the Vice Chancellor, Zuo Danashili, are both here! Although Marshal Zhu once offended Marshal Liu, the thirty thousand soldiers of the Left Battalion have always admired Marshal Liu. Marshal Liu, please lend us your strength and pull the Left Battalion out of danger.”

Mai Shuteng and Zuo Danashili might not be renowned elsewhere, but in this era, they were famous figures, each commanding a powerful army. In the past, Xiang Pulue’s attack on Jiqing Road was defeated by Zuo Danashili. The simultaneous appearance of Mai Shuteng and Zuo Danashili meant the Mongol army had invested at least twenty or thirty thousand troops. Combined with Xie Guoxi’s spear regiment, Zhu Yuanzhang’s defeat was only natural.

Liu Yi could only smile wryly. “Marshal Du and Marshal Zhang Tianyou also fell for Chen Yexian and Chen Zhaoxian’s scheme. I thought nothing serious would happen on Marshal Zhu’s side, so I sent Zhao Pusheng to help them and only brought a thousand men with me!”

Hua Yun noticed that Liu Yi had only brought a thousand or two men, but he had assumed reinforcements would continuously arrive behind Liu Yi. Upon hearing Liu Yi’s words, he felt his limbs go cold, yet his chest surged with boundless determination. “A thousand men are enough. At a critical moment, even five hundred would be enough to turn the tide. Marshal Liu, the Left Battalion will never forget your kindness!”

Liu Yi laughed. “Don’t mention the Left Battalion, don’t talk about a lifetime. Hua Commandant, would you be willing to be my good friend?”

Hua Yun laughed heartily. “Since Marshal Liu is willing to aid the Left Battalion, he is already my good friend. Once we win a great victory, I’ll introduce some good friends to Marshal Liu!”

He understood Liu Yi’s attempt to win him over, and he knew the rules set by Zhu Yuanzhang, but Hua Yun was a man of integrity, always making the most appropriate choice!

The tens of thousands of soldiers and families in the Left Battalion were now waiting for Liu Yi to send troops to their aid. If Liu Yi delayed even a moment, countless widows and orphans would be created. At such a time, what harm could there be in gaining another good friend? Moreover, he must remember Liu Yi’s timely assistance—if Liu Yi was willing to send troops, Hua Yun would be his good friend for life!

This good friend—Hua Yun was determined to make him!

Hua Yun was just such an upright and resolute man!

Meanwhile, Guo Tianshu was nearly beside himself with panic. He shouted loudly, “Help me! Someone help me!”

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He could not fathom how a grand banquet, hosted on his own turf, had suddenly turned into a banquet of death.

He had thought that dealing with Chen Yexian’s personal guard of a thousand would be no trouble, and both Guo Tianshu and Zhang Tianyou had prepared both diplomatic and military options. But no one expected that Chen Zhaoxian cared nothing for Chen Yexian’s safety. From the outset, he launched an all-out assault, and not only did Chen Zhaoxian’s militia arrive, but the Mongol troops from the Jiangnan Provincial Administration joined the battle as well.

Although Guo Tianshu and Zhang Tianyou each brought their strongest squadron besides their personal guards, in times of peace, a Mongol squadron only needed three thousand men, and a top squadron only required seven thousand. In chaotic times, even the strongest squadron had less than three thousand men.

Faced with the joint assault of the Mongols and Chen Zhaoxian, Guo Tianshu could do nothing but run around in panic, casting aside his helmet and armor, shouting for help.

The entire village of Hu had become a sea of flames. Both sides fought fiercely amid the fire, and though Guo Tianshu abandoned command at once, Zhang Tianyou and the two other Mongol commanders were old hands at war. They hastily organized a defensive line.

That line shifted constantly, as Mongol troops waving blue and white flags surged forward like a tide, merging with the fire into a deadly threat!

Fire! Fire! Fire!

Arrows! Arrows! Arrows!

Cavalry! Cavalry! Cavalry!

Long spears! Long spears! Long spears!

Shao Si had never faced such a dire situation, but he knew better than Guo Tianshu how to respond. “Hurry, fetch my brother, call Marshal Liu for support. Marshal Liu has crossed the river. As soon as he arrives, we can turn the tide!”

Guo Tianshu, forced back by the blaze as he tried to flee deeper into Hu village, shouted loudly, “Yes, fetch my brother-in-law! If my brother-in-law arrives, we can turn defeat into victory. Hurry, fetch my brother-in-law!”

Zhang Tianyou finally came to his senses. “Fetch Marshal Liu! And kill Chen Yexian!”

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Guo Tianshu thought keeping Chen Yexian alive would at least serve as a threat, but Shao Si was even quicker. “Kill Chen Yexian! Once he’s dead, there’s no retreat. We must fight with our backs to the river!”

The Red Turban Army had hoped that their hostage, Chen Yexian, would make Chen Zhaoxian hesitate, but in reality, he was useless. Chen Zhaoxian turned on them in a flash, caring nothing for his father still in the hands of the Red Turbans.

Yet once Chen Yexian was killed, even if Chen Zhaoxian cared nothing for filial piety, he would have to avenge his father. The Red Turban Army would have no way out and would have to fight to the bitter end. “Kill!”

Zhang, the commander from the Wanhu Mansion of Yingchuan in Hangzhou, watched as the Red Turban Army ruthlessly hacked Chen Yexian with over ten cuts and stabbed him repeatedly. Even if Chen Yexian had supernatural abilities, he could not have survived.

With Chen Yexian’s death, the battle changed visibly. The Red Turban Army had still harbored some hope, but once he died, even the timid Guo Tianshu grabbed a blade and prepared to fight. The various Red Turban units, braving the flames and arrow storms, charged out of Hu village to engage the Mongols, shouting loudly:

“Marshal Liu will arrive any moment!”

“Shao Liu’s troops are almost here!”

“Marshal Liu is coming, and Zhao Pusheng as well!”

“Li Pusheng is on his way too!”

Though these were mere boasts, the Mongol offensive encountered serious trouble. Not only did casualties mount on both sides, but several Mongol units were forced to withdraw. Chen Zhaoxian became furious. “Commander Zhang, where are the provincial troops? Where is Mai Shuteng? Where is Zuo Danashili? If this goes on, my militia will be wiped out!”