Chapter Seventy-One: Compromise

When Zhu Yuanzhang heard Shao Si’s reply, he was at first delighted and then startled, with the surprise ultimately outweighing his joy.

Liu Yi had sent Shao Si, a commander of ten thousand, as an emissary to persuade him to acknowledge his own inferiority to Zhu Yuanzhang and to admit that he was in no position to absorb all the troops left by Guo Tianxu and Zhang Tianyou. Thus, he had no choice but to come forward and seek compromise. After being battered by a series of setbacks, Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed: “For all his underhanded tricks, look at Liu—he still has to come and beg at my door in the end.”

Yet, the reason the surprise overshadowed the joy was that throughout, he had been led by the nose by Liu Yi and the Lake Chao naval forces. Even Shao Si, the most influential figure in the Right Camp, had been won over by Liu Yi.

But since Shao Si had already been swayed, Zhu Yuanzhang decided to throw caution to the wind and demand the sky: “Shao Si, I am not like Marshal Liu. As I’ve said before, any terms can be discussed. The entire Right Camp left by Zhang Tianyou can be handed over to you!”

Shao Si could not help but laugh. “My brother has already made it clear to me: if it weren’t for the struggle between you and Marshal Liu, I would likely have become Marshal Shao Si just by stepping forward. But now, with you exhausting yourself to deal with Marshal Liu, how could you possibly allow a second Marshal, Shao Si, to emerge?”

Zhu Yuanzhang had to admit that Shao Liu was right. In the current situation, a second Liu Yi could not be tolerated; even if Shao Si had a chance to take over the Right Camp, it would have to be on Zhu’s terms.

So, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately shifted the topic. “Shao Si, since you’re here as Marshal Liu’s envoy, tell me what sincerity he brings. Don’t try to fob me off with the empty title of Grand Marshal!”

Although the position of Grand Marshal was undoubtedly the real focus of the struggle, Zhu Yuanzhang had the strongest power. If he refused the title, Liu Yi himself likely wouldn’t accept it.

The true point of contention was the two or three thousand troops left by Guo Tianxu and Zhang Tianyou. Shao Si put forth Liu Yi’s terms: “Marshal Liu says you have the most merit in battle and the largest force, and besides, you’re the Guo family’s son-in-law. The Grand Marshal’s seat can be yours, and you may command the troops left by Guo Tianxu and Zhang Tianyou. But he cannot do all this for nothing…”

Zhu Yuanzhang could not believe his ears. Liu Yi’s terms amounted to an overly generous, almost unconditional surrender. Zhu was being offered everything he could wish for, and it left him convinced there must be some trap lying in wait.

Therefore, he composed himself and said, “Besides the beauties our Left Camp has prepared for him, what else does Marshal Liu want?”

“He also wants a share of the troops left by Guo Tianxu and Zhang Tianyou. The details can be negotiated, but it must be discussed at the table. We cannot drive the other side into the arms of the Yuan court. We all fly the Dragon-Phoenix banner; we are all ministers of Han and Song. Now is not the time for mutual slaughter!”

At once, Zhu Yuanzhang understood Liu Yi’s true intent.

Though Liu Yi had seized the initiative and gained the upper hand, he was afraid Zhu might act desperately, so he was willing to yield on certain interests to preserve the Red Turban Army’s unity.

Liu Yi’s calculations were ruthless. If he could digest some of the troops left by Guo Tianxu and Zhang Tianyou, he would be unstoppable. But his fears were justified—Zhu Yuanzhang was indeed preparing to turn against him!

Zhu knew that a showdown with the Lake Chao navy would come at a terrible price—a mutual destruction. Yet he felt he could not delay; any further hesitation would only leave him more passive, and Liu Yi’s willingness to compromise was proof enough.

Still, Liu Yi’s argument from another angle made sense: a clash with the Lake Chao navy would cost too much, and if Liu Yi, in desperation, defected to the Yuan court, what then?

Though he had just suffered major setbacks, Zhu Yuanzhang was determined to take Jiqing. He believed that with one or two more fierce assaults, he could reverse the situation and capture Jiqing Road, sweeping through Jiangdong. But if conflict broke out at Lake Chao, the tide would turn completely; not only would Jiqing be out of reach, even retreating north of the Yangtze might become a pipe dream.

Zhu Yuanzhang was a man of great forbearance. In another lifetime, he kept to the “Dragon-Phoenix” era name until its twelfth year, and even when the Young Prince Han Lin’er was entirely under his control, he still upheld the principle of “not proclaiming himself king.”

Since clashing with the Lake Chao navy was the worst option, and since Liu Yi had offered compromise and retreat, Zhu felt he had a way out and finally relented: “This can be discussed, but Liu Yi must come to my camp to negotiate. Also, the former troops of Guo Tianxu and Zhang Tianyou must be directed by the Grand Marshal’s Office. I can compensate him in other ways!”

In Zhu Yuanzhang’s mind, the so-called “Grand Marshal’s Office” meant himself alone, but Shao Si burst out laughing. “Before I came, Marshal Liu told me that if you mentioned the Grand Marshal’s Office, I could agree to your terms.”

Zhu Yuanzhang had not expected such a small trick from Liu Yi. He said indignantly, “There are only the two of us left in the Grand Marshal’s Office, and Liu Yi’s qualifications are shallow. Surely I am fit to preside over it!”

But Shao Si mercilessly shattered his illusion. “Even if Guo Tianjue is useless, shouldn’t he be included in the Grand Marshal’s Office?”

After all, the Red Turban Army of Chuzhou had been founded by Guo Zixing himself. Though Guo Tianxu had fallen, and both Liu Yi and Zhu Yuanzhang were scheming to carve out a larger share of Guo’s legacy, the Guo family’s influence remained. From top to bottom, there was a self-awareness of being “Guo’s Army.”

Originally, Zhu Yuanzhang intended to gloss over the matter and deal with it once he had captured Jiqing, but since Liu Yi had raised the issue, he realized its seriousness. “Shao Si, do you also want to join the Marshal’s Office?”

Shao Si shook his head. “My brother made it clear: with my status, I can neither take over the Right Camp nor enter the Marshal’s Office. But my brother might have a chance!”

Shao Rong had originally been only a minor officer with six or seven hundred men. Even though he was the first to support Liu Yi against Zhu Yuanzhang, he only held the nominal title of commander of ten thousand with a true force of barely over a thousand. No one would believe someone like him could enter the Marshal’s Office.

But Zhu Yuanzhang now understood the underlying logic, and he laughed heartily. “Marshal Liu is indeed a clever man. I agree. As long as we unite and take Jiqing Road, I am willing to negotiate with him and even recommend Shao Liu to the Marshal’s Office!”