Sweep Yuan

Chapter 150 Jianba Guards Enter Luzhou

In the two major battles at Chishui and Qingliu, the total number of Yuan soldiers captured and surrendered, as well as those who defected in the face of battle, was nearly two thousand. This was the largest number of surrendered soldiers (regular Yuan troops) captured since Shishan took independent command.

In order to quickly assimilate these surrendered soldiers and consolidate the Red Flag Battalion's foundation in Chuzhou, on the day the city fell, Shi Shan ordered Zeng Xing and others to first identify the stubborn officers and long-time scoundrels in the Yuan army.

After this move won the support of most Yuan soldiers, their tearful accusations were then compiled, and the corrupt officials and local bullies in Chuzhou were put on trial.

The Yuan court only knew how to extort taxes and was powerless to maintain peace in even one region. In the first month, it stood by and watched the Dingyuan army ravage Chuzhou without offering any assistance. In the second month, Cheli Buhua and his ilk abandoned the young men of Chuzhou on the battlefield, and even ordered them to be shot in order to escape!

The people of Chuzhou had long harbored resentment, and their suppressed anger was already like dry tinder, just waiting for a spark.

Shishan then deliberately dropped that spark.

The previously numb people of Chuzhou were gradually stirred up and fell into a frenzy of "just trial".

Curses, accusations, and tears intertwined—the common people, having gained a voice, were no longer silent and roared with deafening fury:

"Chen Cai, Chen the Jackal! You still have the nerve to cry foul? Everyone knows you got your position as a centurion by offering your wife to sleep with other men! Brother Zhao Liu was beaten to death for simply exposing your secrets! You jackal, what injustice have you suffered!"

"Tan, you corrupt official! How much ill-gotten money have you taken over the years, and how many cases of distorting the truth have you adjudicated? Today, let the Red Flag Battalion commander settle things, but where is your former arrogance? You're already scared to death? Hahaha!"

“Peng Ba! You scoundrel! To seize my family’s irrigated land in Huiwanwei, you colluded with corrupt officials and framed my father for stealing cattle! My father refused to confess, and you broke his leg bones... Waaah! Today I will eat your flesh raw, you beast!”

"Kong the Skinflint! Give me back Man Niang's life!"...

When the pent-up resentment at the bottom erupts like a volcano, those who once held high above and wielded power will face their true doom.

In just five days, more than fifty corrupt officials and local tyrants were publicly tried and sentenced by the Red Flag Camp. In addition, the land, houses and property of the wealthy families who fled with Cheli Buhua were confiscated. The old privileged class of Chuzhou suffered a devastating blow.

As these decaying and stubborn rocks were crushed, a large amount of social resources that had been seized and left idle were released, and the once lifeless grassroots of Chuzhou finally radiated unprecedented vitality.

Join the army! Build cities! Settle farms! Mine! Smelt iron! ...

Marshal Shi announced the abolition of all unreasonable and exorbitant taxes levied by the old government, only collecting regular taxes, and also spending a lot of money to develop various military equipment and production. As long as the people put in the work, they could get a generous reward, and even if they were not well off, they could still make a living.

Compared to the days of toiling away under the rule of the Yuan Dynasty, only to have most of the harvest seized by powerful and wealthy officials, the difference was like heaven and earth.

However, these benevolent policies and good deeds, which are like rain after a long drought for the common people, are seen as a bloody plunder and massacre by the wealthy surviving families!

The hateful scoundrels like Cheli Buhua have long lost the hearts of the people, and the poor people of Chuzhou have all turned to the Red Flag Camp.

Even if the remaining wealthy families harbored rebellious intentions, they could no longer incite or drive the lower classes. They could only shut their high gates, trembling in fear within their deep mansions, praying day and night that the catastrophic disaster would not befall them.

Faced with the terrifying intimidation of the Red Flag Battalion, the surviving wealthy families held their breath, but a seemingly unrelated person stepped forward.

That day, Shishan had just finished surveying the locations for the construction of the south and north gates of Chuzhou and had just ridden his horse into the city when he heard a man shouting from the roadside:
"Marshal Shi! The Confucian scholar Fan Chang requests an audience, wishing to offer his strategy for securing the realm!"

Fan Changnian was about fifty years old. He wore a faded blue scholar's robe, had a slender figure, a straight back like a pine tree, and a resolute expression. Despite facing the enemy, he showed no sign of panic.

Even among the brilliant and talented officers and soldiers of the Red Flag Battalion, such as Li Shanchang and Feng Guoyong, no one dared to speak lightly of "conquering the world." Yet, the unknown Fan Chang uttered such arrogant words.

Shi Shan, certain that the man was feigning surprise to attract attention, reined in his horse, ordered his guards to stop, and scanned the man with lightning speed, saying:

"What brilliant plan do you have? Tell us right here!"

Seeing that Shi Shan sat upright on his horse, showing no intention of dismounting to inquire, Fan knew that Marshal Shi had seen through his little scheme. If he couldn't get to the point today, he feared there would be no chance to present his thoughts to him in person.

He quickly composed himself and, through the imposing ranks of the marshal's personal guards, spoke in a clear voice:
"The Red Flag Battalion is disciplined and does not loot after breaching the city, showing the spirit of a royal army! Since the Marshal has the ambition to rule the world, why did he arbitrarily instigate a large-scale prison, causing panic among the people of the city? Acting on momentary anger and letting the people's resentment run rampant is not the way to achieve great things!"

In the past few days of public trials, there have indeed been some cases of minor offenses being punished severely, as well as a few oppressed individuals seeking revenge after gaining power. The people affected by the public trials are not only the wealthy and powerful, but also many ordinary people from the lower classes who have been labeled as "lackeys of the Manchus".

Overcorrection is inevitable.

No one can accurately control the boundaries of a raging fire of public resentment after it has been ignited.

Shi Shan had anticipated these problems and tried his best to restrain the fervor of the common people for revenge by reviewing the case and approving the list of those to be publicly tried.

Otherwise, the number of wealthy families who would have been executed and their property confiscated in recent days would not be so small.

He was not a staunch proletarian fighter. The purpose of organizing this public trial, ostensibly to seek justice for the lower classes, was actually to redistribute social resources to solidify the foundation of the Red Flag Battalion, rather than to truly ignite a life-or-death class war.

The money, grain, land, and houses obtained from the confiscation are now sufficient to support the Red Flag Battalion's expansion, war preparations, and the stabilization of public sentiment. Shi Shan originally intended to conclude the public trial.

Fan Chang's suggestion came at the right time, and Shi Shan didn't mind giving him a chance to advance.

But before that, he needed to assess the man's capabilities:
Is it short-sightedness, seeing only the chaotic surface of the public trial and failing to discover the new forces gestating behind the chaos; or is it true insight, deliberately confusing the distinction between "the common people of the city" and "gentry and wealthy households" in order to offer advice?

If you dare to play tricks on me, let's see if you have the guts!
Shi Shan's face darkened, and his voice turned cold as he said:

"Everyone is in danger? What a boastful tone! Can you, an old Confucian scholar, represent 'everyone'? Or do you only see one person die and not 'ten thousand people rejoice'? Or would you rather hear weeping all the way than bear to see a single family cry?"

The emperor was angry and laid down millions of corpses.

Although Shi Shan was not the emperor, he was a warlord in a chaotic world who controlled the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians. His words were laced with murderous intent, and anyone with a little less courage would have been terrified and knelt down on the spot.

Fan Chang's expression changed drastically upon hearing this.

However, he was not intimidated by Marshal Shi's power, but rather shocked by the profound meaning contained in his words.

This passage contains the military principle of "killing one person and ten thousand people rejoice, kill him" from the book "Wei Liao Zi", and also adapts the famous saying of the Confucian official Fan Zhongyan, "How can weeping in one family compare to weeping along the road?" It was indeed far beyond Fan Chang's expectations.

He praised the Red Flag Battalion as having the "grandeur of a royal army," flattered Shishan with the phrase "ambition to conquer the world," and then delivered a stern rebuke with "this is not the way to achieve great things." All of this was to gain the upper hand and pave the way for him to offer his "strategy to establish his rule."

Only after being reprimanded by Shi Shan did Fan Chang realize that he had underestimated the invincible Marshal Shi.

Such a true leader, who possesses both the ambition to conquer the world and extensive knowledge, cannot be swayed by mere empty words.
Fan Chang took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his mind, and stared intently at the stone mountain, saying:
"Since the Marshal is well-versed in history, he should know that throughout the ages, has anyone ever gained the world without winning the hearts of the gentry?"

A glint flashed in Shi Shan's eyes, and he nodded secretly. This man understood the essence of things; he was truly a clever person. The frost on his face instantly melted away, and he smiled broadly:
"Master Fan, can you ride a horse?"

Fan Changxin knew he had finally passed the first hurdle and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He cupped his hands and said, "I have a basic understanding of horsemanship."

Shi Shan waved his hand, and Hu Deji, who was on duty today, immediately understood and found a gentle old horse.

Fan Chang didn't need anyone's help; he simply mounted his horse, his back still ramrod straight.

The rest was not to be discussed in detail here in the noisy city gate area. Shi Shan pointed his riding whip forward and said:

"Let's set off back to the headquarters!"

Shi Shan's presence in Chuzhou wasn't solely for the purpose of challenging the local powerful families, who were now practically dead. During this period, besides personally surveying the surrounding mountains and rivers of Chuzhou and approving strategies for strengthening the defenses of Qingliu City, his top priority was—expanding the army! Preparing for war!

Within a few days, Fu Youde and Hu Dahai reported successive victories: Quanjiao County, Lai'an County, and Shuikou Station (now Shuikou Town, Chuzhou) had been captured! Guo Xing and Guo Zixing also took advantage of their return journey to capture the fortress of Walanglei, located on the right bank of the Chu River and adjacent to Liuhe County.

At this point, the outer defenses of Chuzhou were completely under their control.

However, the dangers of Chuzhou cannot be underestimated: to the east, it faces the advance of the Yangzhou Huaidong Circuit Pacification Commissioner's army; to the south, it must guard against a surprise attack by the Yuan court using the Yangtze River waterway to send a large army; and to the north, it must block the Yuan army from Huai'an Road from advancing south through Lai'an. Surrounded by enemies on three sides, the defense is of paramount importance.

Furthermore, given the copper and iron ore resources within its borders, this place will undoubtedly be the most crucial military industrial base for the Red Flag Battalion for a considerable period of time to come, and there is absolutely no room for any mishap.

Given the existing territory and internal and external situation of the Red Flag Battalion, Chuzhou is destined to be unable to become a military and political center. After the Battle of Shishan, it will still need to return to Haozhou to take charge. If a general is to be stationed to guard this strategic location, Chuzhou must not rely solely on the fragile city defenses left by the Yuan Dynasty.

After several days of surveying the scenic landscape of Chuzhou, Shishan finally finalized the expansion plan:
The city walls of Qingliu were expanded, and six city gates were added.

Add barbicans to the open north and south sides;

A moon city was built in the southwest of the city.

A fortified pass was built at each of the major north-south transportation routes.

In addition to the people of Chuzhou, a large number of captured Yangzhou soldiers were also available to be used to provide manpower.

Once successful, Chuzhou will become a formidable fortress with "two passes (North and South Passes) as its key, two rivers (Qingliu River and Chu River) as its embracing link, two cities (Qingliu City and Yuecheng) as its cornerstones, two protective enclosures, and six gates as its control."

Even if the Yuan court launches a full-scale attack and captures Haozhou, Shishan can retreat to Chuzhou and defend it with this fortified city.

Based on this, whether heading east to Yangzhou Road or heading south to plan for Jiqing Road, it would be much more convenient than staying in Haozhou.

Therefore, from any perspective, taking the opportunity to seek justice and revenge for the common people at the bottom of society to eliminate the stubborn forces in Chuzhou and eradicate potential sources of trouble is an inevitable move.

Fan Chang's wisdom lies precisely in this.

He knew perfectly well that Marshal Shi was targeting wealthy and powerful families, yet he only referred to "the entire city's people."

After returning to the headquarters with Shishan, he only talked about "whoever wins the hearts of the people wins the world", but he didn't mention a word about the few wealthy families in Chuzhou who might have been wrongfully killed.

Compared to Chen Cheng, the magistrate of the Commerce Bureau, who spoke broadly about "people-oriented" principles in Chulan, Fan Chang's theory of "winning the hearts of the people" was much more specific. He also put forward practical measures such as "establishing titles and ranks, securing industries, and recruiting talents," making him a truly invaluable talent.

Overjoyed, Shi Shan appointed Fan Chang as the prefect of Chuzhou to assist him in handling local affairs and stabilizing the hearts of the people of Chuzhou.

In the morning he was Tian Shelang, and in the evening he ascended to the Hall of the Son of Heaven.

Fan Chang, who had risen from humble beginnings to a high position in the Red Flag Battalion, immediately displayed astonishing enthusiasm.

He traveled among the remaining wealthy households, explaining the advantages and disadvantages, and persuaded them to contribute money and grain to help the Red Flag Battalion expand its army and prepare for war. In Chuzhou City, a strange scene of "the army and the people helping each other" appeared.

Shishan then shifted his focus to expanding his military and preparing for war.

The Red Flag Battalion was originally designed to facilitate Shi Shan's formation of his own private army. Although it was expanded several times, Shi Shan firmly controlled the army's finances, personnel appointments, and the allocation of military equipment and supplies.

The advantages of doing so are obvious, but it also limits the rapid expansion of the team and can no longer meet the needs of the rapidly developing situation.

Now that the Red Flag Battalion's foundation is gradually solidified, even if some petty people form cliques for personal gain, Shishan has swift and decisive measures to nip them in the bud.

Therefore, it is the right time to break the old organizational constraints.

In this reorganization, Shishan was the first to establish a military system above the battalion level – the Guard.

The Red Flag Battalion was temporarily organized into eight guards, the details of which are as follows:

The Pengyue Guard, commanded by Commander Gong Wu, is in charge of the personal guards of Shishan Mountain, responsible for the marshal's ceremonial guard and officer training, with a strength of three thousand men.

Qingri Guard, commanded by Commander Chang Yuchun, with a staff of two thousand;
The Xiaojiwei, commanded by Li Wu, was under the command of Guo Xing, Feng Guosheng and other troops, with a strength of two thousand men.

Bashan Guard, Commander-in-Chief Hu Dahai, with a staff of two thousand;
Zhongwu Guard, commanded by Sun Xun, had a strength of 2,500 men, and was responsible for guarding Wuhe County and expanding towards Huai'an Road.
The Fenwu Guard, commanded by Commander Wu Liujin, had a strength of 2,500 men and was responsible for guarding Huaiyuan County and expanding towards Xiacai and Shouchun.
The Fujun Guard, commanded by Commander Shao Rong, had a strength of 2,500 men. It was responsible for guarding Dingyuan County and expanding towards Luzhou Road.

The Zhenshuo Guard, commanded by Commander Fu Youde, had a strength of 3,500 men and was stationed in Chuzhou. Zeng Xing's troops were also dispatched to assist in the defense of Chuzhou, but they were not under Fu Youde's command and were mainly responsible for the safety of the workshops and smelting areas.

A separate Shenji Battalion was established, commanded by Deng Dagang, and placed under the direct jurisdiction of the Marshal's Office.

Tao Chengdao, the director of the Crafts Institute, was extremely curious and eager to learn. Although he was a scholar, he preferred mechanical ingenuity to classical texts. Ever since he witnessed the power of a cannon firing in volleys, he became fascinated with gunpowder and firearms. In recent days, he had often sought out Shishan, who was "born with knowledge," to discuss the art of firearms.

This person was exceptionally gifted and proposed the concept of miniaturizing firearms.

Since Shishan did not have enough steel production capacity and craftsmen to make firearms, it established a crafts institute and gave Tao Chengdao research topics such as the efficiency of water power application and the calculation of projectile flight trajectory, letting him figure them out on his own.

Although the commanders of each region did not have the authority to establish their own offices or headquarters, they could, based on actual combat needs, report to the Marshal's Office for approval to adjust the organization of battalions and companies, and to form cavalry (battalions) and supply battalions to meet the needs of independent operations.

This expansion is unprecedented in scale, with the number of combat troops more than doubling. There are also personnel exchanges between the guards. For example, Guo Zixing from the Fujun Guard was transferred to the Zhenshuo Guard. It is relatively easy to replenish the troops of each guard. However, the equipment can only be replenished for the four directly subordinate guards at the moment. If the guards want to become a strong force, they will need a lot of time to train and integrate.

During this period, there will inevitably be a relatively chaotic phase.

Shi Shan understood this principle well. Taking advantage of the strong fighting power of the existing forces, he left Fu Youde, Guo Zixing and others to continue to supervise the construction of the Chuzhou defense system, and personally led a large army westward to launch an attack on Luzhou Road.

(End of this chapter)