The inner hall of the tower ship was as vast as a palace chamber.
The hall had upper and lower sections, divided by steps. A long table stood in the center of the upper section, spread with a great map. Mountains, rivers, fortified cities, crossings, and river islets were all marked in red and black ink.
The Prince of Badong sat alone in casual clothes, while Li Jingxuan and the other advisers stood around the long table, all wearing light armor.
Wang Yang stood in the middle, in white robes and a brocade gown, issuing orders over the map. Six small desks stood to either side, where six capable clerks wrote furiously, copying out military orders, checking them for errors, and affixing the official seals.
Below the steps, the generals stood in ordered ranks, heads bowed as they awaited their commands. Everyone kept his breathing exceptionally quiet. In that enormous hall, only Wang Yang's voice could be heard:
"...Zhang Guo's force will advance first, taking eighty light boats into Shayang Islet.
Li Tao will lead three thousand troops forward along both banks in concert with the fleet, clearing the riverbanks. Within two days, they must reach the eastern side of Dragon-Hole Islet.
Withdraw the garrison from Yongkou. The Western Guard Battalion will dispatch twenty-one large ships to transport them. They will rendezvous with Zhang Guo's force at Shayang and jointly hold the river crossings.
He Nanqing, Yang Fu, and Zhou Meng will proceed to Yangkou, with He Nanqing's force in the lead. Upon entering Yangkou, form rows of ten boats, spaced thirty feet apart, to prevent congestion in the shallow water.
Yang Fu will provide support on the right and also guard against attacks from the north.
Zhou Meng's main force will fly its banners in the rear to display