Chapter 1455 - 351: Setting Sail (Part 2)

Chapter 1455: Chapter 351: Setting Sail (Part 2)

If you lose, then lose openly and honestly. Even if your family foundation is ruined, it’s still because you commanded poorly; the estate you built yourself, you ruin yourself, but at least you enjoyed the process;

If you die for no reason, that’s really suffocating.

After receiving them and exchanging a few brief courtesies, Lord Zheng led them into the temporary residence in Jade Plate City.

At the gate stood a crowd of unfamiliar generals.

When Lord Zheng, riding his Pixiu, came over, this group of generals immediately knelt:

"We pay our respects to Lord Pingye, may my lord enjoy fortune and health!"

"We pay our respects to Lord Pingye, may my lord enjoy fortune and health!"

Gou Moli, standing to the side, introduced:

"My lord, these are the commanders of the navy."

Lord Zheng nodded and said:

"Please, generals, come inside so we can talk."

The residence was very simple, and even a bit damaged.

Fortunately, the main hall was still reasonably clean.

Lord Zheng took the chief seat, and all the naval commanders sat below.

Among this group of commanders, the one in the lead was named Qin Xin, a general of Yan’s Wang River navy, and still just a miscellaneous-title general.

By comparison, Lord Zheng’s former post as General of Shengle was actually one rank higher than his.

The lower levels of Yan’s military system had always been messy, but the higher you went, the clearer it became.

Still, as the head of Yan’s first proper navy, he didn’t even hold a Zongbing rank; that indeed showed how little Yan valued the navy.

Even though, in the first Battle of Wang River, the Yan Army had suffered losses at the hands of Chu State’s navy;

Even though, in the coming campaigns against Qian and Chu, naval power would be indispensable;

That pride in iron cavalry, ingrained since the founding of the state, was something very hard to change overnight.

"I won’t waste words. This entry into Chu is tied to victory or defeat in the forward campaign against Chu. The burden on my shoulders is heavy, and the burden on yours is absolutely no lighter.

Let’s speak plainly: you were selected to form this navy; don’t think of it as being exiled or pushed aside. In the future, the navy will inevitably become an indispensable arm of our Yan Army.

I guarantee this:

once we win this Chu campaign,

three Zongbing ranks will be there, for you to divide among yourselves."

All the generals rose together and saluted:

"Many thanks for your patronage, my lord!"

"Many thanks for your patronage, my lord!"

"What’s the earliest we can move out?" Lord Zheng asked.

His troops and horses were already assembled, and the Wang River embankment had already broken. Next, the navy had to head south as soon as possible, otherwise they’d miss the window of opportunity and might even be detected by the Chu people.

"In reply to my lord: I have already sent men downstream to survey the river course. They should be back by tomorrow. If everything is in order, we can depart at once."

"Sooner is better than later. Speed is the soul of war. Ying Capital City will immediately send dedicated supplies and everything we need.

I’ll set the tempo:

the night after tomorrow, all armored soldiers under my command will embark and enter Chu!"

"Your subordinate obeys!"

...

After meeting the naval commanders in the morning, from afternoon until deep into the night, Lord Zheng had no chance to rest, seeing one group of people after another.

First were Gongsun Zhi and Gong Wang.

With entry into Chu imminent, as the main generals of the two forces under Lord Zheng, in both sentiment and reason they ought to come and touch base once more.

The battlefield is the battlefield; now is now.

Once matters and attitudes are clarified now, on the battlefield there’s no room for bickering.

Lord Zheng had no choice but to take these two seriously.

The march into Chu is long and bound to be extremely dangerous; a slight misstep means total disaster.

If you want others to risk their lives for you, you must first let them see the rewards for staking those lives.

Lord Zheng unceremoniously opened with "Prince Jingnan said" as his prelude;

Snow Sea Pass, Town South Pass, Fengxin City;

In the broad sense, "eastern Jin" referred to the original Three Jin territory split in two—originally the Situ Family’s domain;

Now, what the Yan people called eastern Jin was that middle half belonging to the Situ Family, roughly divided by the Wang River: the region east of the Wang River.

In Lord Zheng’s depiction, the land of eastern Jin would be his in the future.

After the war,

merits would be rewarded,

and there would be men if you wanted men, money if you wanted money, grain if you wanted grain—and, on top of that, solid, tangible territory!

Though the eastern Jin region had long been ravaged by war and become almost uninhabited—only around Snow Sea Pass was it lively—that wasn’t a problem, because in Lord Zheng’s portrayal, once Town South Pass was taken, it would amount to grasping the gateway for heading south into Chu State;

Thereafter, the court would continually pour blood and resources into this strategic stronghold; and beyond that, if they lacked anything, they could simply go into Chu to rob it. Life, in short, would be lived quite carefree.

Gong Wang was of Jin origin. Although he held the rank of Zongbing and commanded an army alone, he was, after all, guarded against by the Yan people. He longed to use this battle to firmly establish himself within the Yan-dominated military system—essentially to assimilate himself.

After Gongsun Zhi split from Li Bao’s son, he had effectively taken his own men and left Quhe City, lacking any permanent territory. For the past year, wherever in Jin land there was rebellion or needed reinforcement, he was sent to plug the gaps. He had tasted to the full the hardship of having no domain.

"In short, one sentence!"

Lord Zheng had been talking himself up for half a day; seeing the timing was just about right, he began his closing summary:

"Since I entered the army, I have never been defeated. The Chu princess—I snatched her. Right now she’s still at home, waiting for me to finish beating the Chu people so she can go warm my bed!

Two Zhuguai of Chu—I’ve killed them!"

Qu TianNan had committed suicide, but phrased this way, it was barely acceptable; after all, it was he who gave the order that day;

Qu Peiluo himself acknowledged Lord Zheng as his father’s killer,

so that,

isn’t really up for debate, is it?

Lord Zheng stepped down, placing both hands on the shoulders of Gong Wang and Gongsun Zhi,

and said, word by word:

"After this battle, I’ll be made marquis, and you two—will be made lords!"