Sweep Yuan

Chapter 153: Rebuking Junbi first decides the situation

Liang County, Shishan Commandery.

As soon as Zuo Junbi entered the tent, he stepped forward and knelt down like a mountain collapsing and a jade pillar falling, performing a grand ceremony of worship and shouting:
"This humble general, Zuo Junbi, pays his respects to the Marshal!"

Shi Shan was always pragmatic. Since Zuo Junbi had already yielded and come in person, there was no need to humiliate him with these formalities. He raised his hands slightly, his tone calm and composed, and said:
"General Zuo, please rise."

Zuo Junbi did not detect the anger in Shi Shan's words, and felt a little relieved. He bowed again and stood up, quietly raising his eyes to look at this Marshal Shi, who was famous in Huaiyang. He saw that he was about six feet tall, with a face like jade, sword-like eyebrows that slanted into his temples, starry eyes that were full of power, a wide mouth and a high nose. He was truly a man of dragon and phoenix appearance!

As he was lost in thought, he suddenly heard Shishan say:
"General Zuo, have you ever seen a map of the Great Yuan Dynasty?"

The Yuan Dynasty exercised extremely strict control over maps that could be used for military operations. The Luzhou Circuit General Administration only had maps of the prefectures and counties under its jurisdiction, and each place was further divided into several parts. The complete map was very abstract, and it was difficult for people unfamiliar with geography to understand it.

Zuo Junbi was raised by his father, Zuo Wu, from the age of twelve and lived in the army for many years, so he naturally understood how to read maps.

He had only seen the map of Luzhou Prefecture and its counties, and knew nothing about Henan and Jiangbei Province, let alone the map of the Yuan Dynasty's territory.

"This humble general is of limited knowledge."

Zuo Junbi, unaware of Shishan's intentions, could only honestly reply:
"Having only seen the map of Luzhou, I truly have no idea how vast the world is."

Shishan had no intention of humiliating Zuo Junbi; he directly stated his purpose.

"I happen to have a map of the entire world in my tent. General Zuo, would you like to see the whole picture?"

Books and records are the secrets of a power, and maps are even more important military and national instruments. How can they be easily shown to outsiders?
Shishan's move was tantamount to formally accepting Zuo Junbi's surrender and no longer treating the Hefei army as outsiders.

Zuo Junbi, putting himself in Shi Shan's shoes, didn't believe Shi Shan would show him the "real map," but since Marshal Shi had treated a surrendered general with utmost courtesy, he knew what to do. He immediately knelt down again, his voice choked with emotion, and said:

"The Marshal did not punish me for my personal motives, but instead showed me the vital military and national weapons. The Marshal's magnanimity is as vast as the sea, a true wise ruler! I am overwhelmed with gratitude and words cannot express it. In the future, if you need my service, I will gladly die for you!"

His words were earnest, but deep in his eyes, there was still a hint of worry about being detained.

Shi Shan shook his head inwardly. Zuo Junbi was overacting, his performance was too obvious. He was clearly still afraid that he would be detained. He was still too easily swayed.

When Zuo Junbi stood up again, his personal guards stepped forward, drew back the curtain, and revealed a huge map of the Yuan Dynasty's territory hanging on the wall. He only glanced at it before he was dumbfounded, frozen on the spot, utterly shocked.

On the map, mountains and rivers are depicted like veins, streams like ribbons, roads crisscross, passes are scattered like stars, and cities are laid out like chess pieces. The annotations are dense and exceptionally detailed. Its drawing method is also quite different from the old maps of the imperial court, yet it subtly forms its own system and is far more detailed than the latter!
This, this is no "fake picture" at all! Even "real pictures" don't look this real!
I'm afraid even the most meticulously crafted maps of the world hidden deep within the palaces of the capital can't compare to the map before me.

Shishan was very satisfied with Zuo Junbi's shock when he saw the map of the Yuan Dynasty's territory. The base map was drawn by him based on his memories of later generations, and he added information on prefectures, counties, and strategic points that he had collected over the past six months. Therefore, the Huaihe River area was drawn in the most detail, while the areas further away from Huaihe River were drawn more simply.

"General Zuo, step forward and locate the position of Hefei."

Shi Shan's voice startled Zuo Junbi, who quickly went forward.

The lighting inside the tent wasn't very good. Zuo Junbi was standing a bit far away at first and couldn't see the annotations on the map clearly. But when he got closer and looked at it closely, his breathing suddenly became rapid—it was too detailed. What was even more terrifying was that the mountains and roads seemed to be scaled down on the cloth!
Zuo Junbi was now certain that the Yuan Dynasty absolutely did not possess such a map; it could only be a secret treasure of Marshal Shi.

"Here, right here!"

Hefei's location was easy to find, since the Huaihe River basin had the densest map. Zuo Junbi found it quickly, pointing to the location of Hefei, but his eyes were glued to the map and he couldn't look away.

Although Zuo Junbi had some knowledge of information about various parts of the country in the past, he had never had such a direct understanding of it. Standing in front of this giant map today, he realized how huge it was!

To the east lies the vast ocean, to the west the majestic Pamir Mountains, to the south the pestilential Hainan Island, and to the north the bitterly cold snowfields. The territory of the Great Yuan Dynasty was indeed so vast and expansive!
Compared to the entire territory of the Great Yuan Dynasty, the Luzhou Road, for which my father fought his entire life, seemed insignificant.

No wonder the imperial court was not afraid of peasant uprisings in various places. It was because the country was so powerful that even if the whole of Henan was engulfed in war, the imperial court could still calmly mobilize the manpower and resources of the other nine provinces to suppress the rebels.

What terrified him even more was that Marshal Shi was able to openly display such national treasures to him, which meant that there were only more and more powerful trump cards hidden behind him, and they must be something beyond his comprehension.

To be honest, this map is only a rough sketch. It lacks a lot of key information and has many flaws. It can barely be used as a strategic command reference for a million-strong army. It was shown to Zuo Junbi and that was that.

Tactical maps that include contour lines and detailed information such as the changes in water levels during the wet and dry seasons will not be made public.

Seeing that Zuo Junbi's mind was already captivated by the map, Shishan said in a deep voice:
"General Zuo is surely aware of the current situation. Defending Hefei, an isolated city, is not a long-term solution. General, what do you think is the way out for Hefei?"

Zuo Junbi looked back at the stone mountain with alarm, his words earnest, almost pleading:
"Marshal, although Junbi has some knowledge of military affairs, he has no great ambitions. His only wish in this life is to safeguard the family's legacy and protect his hometown. He has no other thoughts!"

In the original historical timeline, Zuo Junbi first joined Peng Zu's family to rebel against the Yuan Dynasty. After Peng Yingyu, the spiritual leader of Peng Zu's family, died in battle, he occupied Hefei alone and drove Li Pusheng, Zhao Pusheng and others who occupied Wuwei and Hanshan into the water. He then suppressed the Chaohu navy and could be considered a small warlord.

However, amidst the turbulent political landscape of various factions vying for supremacy, Zuo Junbi remained in Hefei for over a decade without moving, neither surrendering nor leaving, nor making any progress. Among the many rebel kings in the chaotic late Yuan Dynasty, he was quite unique.

Shishan was unaware of this history, nor did he understand Zuo Junbi's personality. He continued, as if guiding his officers in map-based tactical simulations, patiently explaining:

"General Zuo, you are overthinking this. We are just discussing military strategy on paper, using it as a sand table exercise, and have no other intention. Since you are well-versed in military strategy and familiar with the geography of Luzhou, please do not hesitate to give us your guidance."

Zuo Junbi wasn't sure what Marshal Shi was really thinking, but since things had come to this point, he couldn't avoid the topic. So, he gritted his teeth and said with a bitter tone:
"Marshal, please forgive me. It is not that I am trying to shirk my responsibility, but Hefei is located between Peng Zu's residence and the Red Flag Camp. There is no room for advancement on the east, north, and south sides. Only the two places in Liuan Prefecture and Shucheng County on the west side are worth exploring."

However, Hefei, being the seat of Luzhou Circuit, was a fortified city with deep moats, a large population, and ample funds and provisions, far superior to the remote cities of Lu'an and Shucheng. Further west of these two places lay the strongholds of Liu Futong and Xu Shouhui's Red Turban Army.

In my humble opinion, abandoning the real strength of Hefei in favor of the less desirable but more strategic locations of Lu'an and Shucheng, and ultimately falling into a dangerous situation of being attacked from multiple sides, is truly a path to disaster.

His words were partly an analysis of the current situation and partly an opportunity to express his true feelings to Shishan.

Shishan understood his meaning. This was just right. Presenting Zuo Junbi with the map of the world today was exactly the entry point he wanted.

"General Zuo is mistaken!"

Shi Shan sighed deeply, pointed to the map, and said in a booming voice: "In this chaotic world, it is like rowing against the current. If you don't advance, you will perish! Look at the vast territory of the Great Yuan Dynasty. Huaixi is but a corner of the whole world, and Hefei is as small as a bullet!"

If we both stand still and fail to make progress, and wait for the Yuan court to calmly subdue the various rebel armies, then unleash its overwhelming power to crush us—”

His gaze was piercing as he looked directly at Zuo Junbi, and then he said:
"Even with my Red Flag Battalion controlling four routes and eight cities, we still cannot withstand the onslaught of the Yuan army! Your isolated city of Hefei, even if it were an impregnable fortress, how could it withstand the repeated crushing force of this mighty army?!"

When Zuo Junbi found the location of Luzhou Road on the map, he was already somewhat wavering.

His father had said before his death, "In chaotic times, one either advances or dies." At the time, he did not understand the profound meaning of these words. Now, combined with the map of the world, he finally understood the endless killing intent contained in those words.

He was raised by Zuo Wudang as the family heir from a young age, and was instilled with the most the way of "preserving and passing on the family business" and the scheming strategies for dealing with peaceful times.

But such tricks are as fragile as thin ice in the face of a chaotic world where the heavens and earth are collapsing!

What should we do?
The harsh reality clashed constantly with his ingrained beliefs. Zuo Junbi felt a splitting headache, his clothes were soaked with sweat, and he bowed deeply to seek advice:

"This humble general is foolish and ignorant of the perilous nature of the collapsing sky! I humbly request the Marshal to... enlighten me!"

Shi Shan nodded, then stepped forward, took Zuo Junbi's cold hand, and led him to the painting, saying:

"Junbi, look at this vast and beautiful land! With only Shishan's strength, when can we drive out the barbarians and rebuild the Han dynasty's land? I am willing to join hands with you and all the anti-Yuan patriots in the world to accomplish this great feat!"

Join hands?

Zuo Junbi's mind was filled with alarm bells. The Red Flag Battalion was a ferocious tiger that could devour people, while the Hefei Army was at most a thief who could steal chickens and eat foxes. How could a tiger join forces with a fox or a rabbit? The two were not even on the same level of power, and the risk of "joining forces" with the Red Flag Battalion was too great.

Seeing Zuo Junbi's shifty eyes, Shi Shan knew that the man was suspicious again, so he simply broke the ice and said:
"Your surrender of the city and change of allegiance this time was truly due to the circumstances. If I were to force you, it would only appear as taking advantage of your misfortune and arouse suspicion from above and below. I will temporarily refrain from pursuing the troops in Hefei! But—"

Shi Shan abruptly changed the subject, his gaze sharp as a knife as he stared at Zuo Junbi, and said:
"Our two departments must share resources and help each other. Only in the future, when we encounter a powerful enemy, can we stand together and fight against foreign aggression."

Shi Shan did not lie to Zuo Junbi. After all, the territory of the Great Yuan Dynasty was too vast, and it was simply unrealistic to rely on the Red Flag Battalion to conquer the entire country.

There are countless heroes who oppose the Yuan dynasty, and there are always those who are unwilling to relinquish their military power and be controlled by others. Before the tyrannical Yuan dynasty is overthrown, both sides can explore new cooperation models beyond mergers and alliances.

Zuo Junbi, however, keenly grasped the meaning of the phrase "not seeking anything for the time being," thinking to himself that Marshal Shi was indeed frank, but his father's dying instruction to "hold tight military power" was branded in his heart like a hot iron. How could he dare to relinquish military power and allow himself to be slaughtered? A question slipped out:

"And what about the future?"

"In the future?"

Shi Shan released Zuo Junbi's hand, staring at him with eyes as deep as a still pool, and asked in return:

"Tell me, knowing that defeat would mean death and the extermination of one's clan, why are there still so many heroes in the world who rush to rebel against the Tartars?"

If it were someone else, they might have made grand pronouncements like "the Tartars are tyrannical, causing public resentment and uproar," but Zuo Junbi came from a family of Yuan court lackeys. The Zuo family of Hefei had become wealthy by relying on the Yuan Dynasty, and his rebellion against the Yuan was merely to perpetuate his family's wealth.

He couldn't utter a single word of such profound wisdom.

Zuo Junbi struggled for a long time before finally saying, somewhat hesitantly:

"How could others rebel? This humble general is too ignorant to draw any conclusions. This humble general is simply deeply moved by the Marshal's benevolence and righteousness, and cannot bear to see the soldiers and civilians of the city being driven and slaughtered by the Tartars again. I am willing to follow the Marshal's lead, to kill the Tartars together, and to restore China. I have no other thoughts."

"wrong!"

Shi Shan shouted! His finger suddenly pointed towards Zuo Junbi's heart, then towards his own chest, and he declared loudly:
"Heroes rebel against the Yuan Dynasty simply because they possess the power to do so. As the saying goes, 'He who possesses a sharp weapon will naturally have the will to kill.'"

Whether the Tartars are tyrannical or virtuous, as long as their rule is lenient, allowing local powerful families to seize taxes, amass private armies, and gather popular support, they can rebel at will. Then this world will never have peace!

Marshal Shi's words were so blunt, like a sharp blade, that they revealed the bloodiest truth amidst the flames of the anti-Yuan rebellion.

Zuo Junbi could not refute it, and felt as if he were being pricked by thorns, and cold sweat poured down his back—wasn't it because the Zuo family of Hefei had power that they rebelled!

Seeing that he was somewhat moved, Shi Shan pressed on, his words sharp and forceful:

"Once a new dynasty is established, it will surely change course and completely eradicate the accumulated evils of the previous dynasty! In the future, whether it is Xu Song, my Red Flag Battalion, or someone else who takes control of the divine weapon and establishes the world, will the Yuan Dynasty still allow this situation of 'powerful families everywhere, and rebellion at will' to continue to exist?"

Marshal Shi's gaze was intense, seemingly able to penetrate one's heart, making Zuo Junbi feel a chill in his heart.

"Junbi! Times have changed, and old experiences cannot solve new problems. War is raging across the north and south of the Yangtze River, and a dramatic change is imminent. The trend of dynastic change is unstoppable. If you still stubbornly cling to outdated ideas and refuse to see the truth because of your own selfish desires..."

Shi Shan's voice suddenly turned cold, and he shouted:

"They will surely be crushed into dust by this towering wave!"

boom!
Zuo Junbi was struck dumb. His father's dying roar and Marshal Shi's cold prophecy twisted and tore at his mind. His face turned ashen, his lips trembled, and he stammered, unable to utter a word.

"This humble general...this humble general..."

The Red Flag Battalion actually doesn't have the strength to take Hefei right now. Moreover, Zuo Junbi is Zuo Junbi, and the Hefei Army is the Hefei Army. Even if Zuo Junbi is truly willing to surrender, how could these vested interest groups so easily give up their interests?
Ishiyama never expected his actions today to succeed in one fell swoop. It was just a casual move, sowing seeds and waiting for them to take root, sprout, and ripen before reaping the harvest.

Seeing that Zuo Junbi's thinking was stubborn and could not be changed overnight, Shishan said no more, and with a wave of his sleeve, said:
"I have said all I have to say. You should go back and think it over."

(End of this chapter)