Sweep Yuan

Chapter 12 Don't Try to Foole a Ghost

"Borrowing soldiers" and "recruiting soldiers" differ by only one word, but the methods and costs are completely different. The former is to take soldiers for free and forcibly conscript them, while the latter attracts civilians to voluntarily join the army by paying them money and food.

Recruiting soldiers is obviously more effective in building cohesion and producing combat power, but the question is, does Shishan have the money, food, and weapons needed to recruit soldiers?

Wen Sijiu knew he couldn't persuade Shishan, so he simply shut his mouth.

To his relief, Deputy Commander Shi led his men to the front of the village and immediately raised the Red Turban Army flag, announcing their purpose of "recruiting soldiers."

In this way, Chengezhuang avoided a fierce conflict with the Red Turban Army due to misjudging the situation.

However, the arrival of the Red Turban Army from afar still caused panic among the villagers.

The gate to the village was already tightly closed, and three hunting bows were mounted on the village wall. Behind the wall, young men held harpoons and farm tools, but they did not take any drastic action despite Shi Shan's shouts.

Of course, a major reason why the two sides kept to themselves was that the Red Turban Army was small and located a full thirty paces away from Chengezhuang.

The distance is delicate; if it's too far, it's difficult to exert pressure on the villagers, and if it's too close, it crosses Chengezhuang's "warning line," and there's no guarantee that others won't be so "polite."

In reality, Shi Shan's men lacked courage and only dared to go this far. Few were willing to risk their lives following Shi Qianhu, whom they had only just met.

Soon after, the gate to the manor opened halfway, and several servants came out.

Similar to yesterday, Ishiyama received the idle men who came to inquire about the news with a serious expression and answered their various questions very patiently.

"What kind of army is the Red Turban Army? We've never heard of you before."

"It is an army that opposes the Mongol Tartar dynasty and is trying to restore our Han people's land. Our army has just been formed, so it's normal that you haven't heard of it."

"Ah! Could it be the hero who captured Xuzhou City a while ago?"

"I am none other than Marshal Li of the Red Turban Army in Xuzhou—Deputy Commander Shi under his command."

"Nice to meet you! Since you're recruiting soldiers, there must be a procedure, right?"

"The court is corrupt, and the Mongol Tartars treat the Han people like pigs and sheep. If you join the army, you can help us turn the tide and kill the Tartars."

"I just want to know, if I join you, will you provide me with money, food, and a place to settle down?"

“It’s only right for soldiers to receive rations. We’re a righteous army, so of course we’ll get paid. It’s just that—I don’t have anything right now. Don’t worry! As long as you follow me and defeat the Tartars, you’ll have plenty of money and rations.”

These idlers, seeing Shi Shan turning over and over, spouting nothing but useless nonsense, suddenly felt bored.

"Hey! I'm starting to think that Deputy Commander Shi is here to make fun of us."

"Of course not! As Han Chinese, it is our duty to expel the Tartars and restore our China. Once the Tartars are driven out, the Han Chinese can rule the world and will no longer be enslaved by the Tartars. At that time, why should we be afraid of not having a good life?"

"Hahaha, are you trying to fool me?"

After the Southern Song Dynasty moved its capital south, Xuzhou fell into the hands of the Jin Dynasty established by the Jurchens. In the following hundred years, this land was briefly recovered by the Song Dynasty twice, but was quickly lost again.

It wasn't until the Mongols swallowed up the Jin Dynasty and threatened the Southern Song Dynasty that the people of Xuzhou were able to find some peace.

The lower classes struggled to survive, while the intellectual elite sought only to serve foreign emperors, becoming subservient subjects of foreign powers for over two hundred years. On this land, who still remembers their "duty" to "expel the Tartars and restore our Chinese civilization"?
Therefore, no matter how righteous and eloquently Ren Shishan spoke, no one had the slightest interest in the "recruitment" that involved no pay or food and required soldiers to risk their lives and even their heads by following the rebels.

However, these village men were only released for questioning to gather intelligence on the bandits' strength. Regardless of whether this bandit leader was mentally unstable, they had to return to the village to report. "Let's go, let's go. No wonder these guys dared to go out of the city to recruit soldiers, and they're all dressed so poorly, they're clearly idiots—"

"Shh—you mustn't speak carelessly in front of the young general!"

"Deputy Commander-in-Chief!"

Wen Sijiu followed Zhao Junyong in raising an army in Xiao County and participated in the Battle of Xuzhou, so he had witnessed bloodshed and killing.

On the night Xiao County fell, the head of the Darughachi rolled into the latrine, and the usually arrogant officials, both high and low, turned pale as paper and trembled like leaves. Some even defecated and urinated on the spot.

Having witnessed the ugly side of the powerful, Wen Sijiu came to the conclusion that "the blood of the powerful is no different from that of pigs and sheep." Looking at those who were once only able to look up to him, he became more arrogant.

Unexpectedly, after only ten miles outside the city, I was subjected to such filth by these lowly people in front of this small town of Chengezhuang.

No matter how much he respected the Chen family's status as scholars, he could not bear the humiliation from these ignorant farmhands, and he was also secretly annoyed that Shishan's self-degradation had damaged the prestige of the Xuzhou Red Turban Army.

Shishan, however, seemed oblivious to Wen Sijiu's change in mood, and feigned ignorance, asking:
"What's wrong?"

Wen Sijiu knew that Shishan was no ordinary man and guessed that this action was mostly for his benefit, but he accepted it in order to ensure the mission could be completed smoothly. He only hoped that Shishan would not tarnish the reputation of the Red Turban Army here.

"Our team is too small and lacks sufficient armor and weapons, making this mission quite difficult. I know Brother Shi is a capable man, so let's return to the city first, and I'll go and plead with General Zhao again?"

"Will General Zhao listen to you?"

"The general gave me a soldier's badge yesterday, as long as we—"

Wen Sijiu had only spoken halfway when he saw Shi Shan's expression gradually turn playful. He cursed himself for speaking too much in his anger and swallowed the rest of his words.

The stone mountain pressed down on Wen Sijiu, then looked at the soldiers.

"Brothers, rest assured, I'm not afraid of death, but I don't want to die either. We said we'd recruit soldiers in Chengezhuang to get some tea, and we'll definitely get tea and recruit soldiers."

"The deputy commander is righteous; I, Old Sun, trust him!"

The speaker, "Old Sun," was named Sun Xun. He was nearly six feet tall and originally came from Shouchun County, Anfeng Road. His ancestors had even produced a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

A century ago, the Mongol, Jin, and Song dynasties were in conflict, and the Huai River area was particularly prone to tug-of-war. The Sun family was affected by the war and could not survive, so they were scattered to various places.

When his ancestral branch migrated to Zhenyang County, Runing Prefecture, there were only a few people, and their lives were extremely difficult. It was not until Sun Xun's father obtained a position as a clerk in the county government that they were able to settle down.

Clerks are low-ranking officials with very low social status, yet they can manipulate local affairs and make a considerable amount of money off themselves.

If it weren't for the turmoil caused by the "forged imperial edict" instigated by Fan Meng, a minor official in the province twelve years earlier, Sun Xun would have already succeeded his father and was tyrannical in Zhenyang County.

Unfortunately, fate played a cruel trick on him. His father was implicated and hanged himself, and the family property was confiscated by the authorities.

Having lost his protection, Sun Xun had no choice but to flee to distant lands, wandering from place to place for many years. He finally managed to find a leisurely job as a bodyguard for a Mongol nobleman, only to encounter an attack on the city by Sesame Li and others.

The Red Turban Army purged the Tartars and fake Tartars in the city, including Sun Xun, who had once been a lackey of the Mongols.

(End of this chapter)