Sweep Yuan

Chapter 159 Sweeping the Yuan Epic Mission

Zhou Wendao returned to Haozhou and went to see Shishan with Hua Yun. As soon as he stepped into the Marshal's office, he knelt down to beg for forgiveness.

"Due to delays on the way, we had just arrived at Liujiagang when Fang Guozhen led his troops in a surprise attack on the port. All the cargo ships in the port were burned down, and we were unable to set off, thus delaying the important matter of welcoming the Marshal's relatives. Please punish us, Marshal!"

Fang Guozhen's burning of Liujiagang was a completely unexpected incident. How could Shishan let Zhou Wendao take the blame? He immediately stepped forward, helped Zhou Wendao up, and gently comforted him:
"The departure of the sea transport fleet is scheduled. When you arrived at the port, the fleet had not yet set sail. How can you say there was a delay? To be honest, it is fortunate that Fang Guozhen did not wait for the fleet to leave the port before taking action. If my talented and beloved general had been lost because of this, Shishan would have regretted it for the rest of his life!"

Zhou Wendao came from a merchant family, and in the social hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, he was always considered a "lower class" who had money but no power.

Marshal Shi never discriminated against people's backgrounds when employing them, valuing only their abilities and contributions. At this moment, he truly regarded Zhou Wendao as a "talented individual" of equal importance to his civil and military officials. Zhou Wendao felt a warm current rush to his chest, his eyes slightly moistened, and he bowed deeply once more.
"The Marshal's trust is as solid as a mountain; even if I were to give my life, I could not repay even a fraction of his kindness!"

"Alright, we're all family, no need for formalities."

Shi Nai'an, Yang Polang, and others were still temporarily residing in the guesthouse, awaiting notification. Shi Shan, unaware that another talented individual had fallen into his trap, was focused entirely on the Battle of Liujiagang. He patted Zhou Wendao on the shoulder and said:

"Let me first explain in detail the circumstances of Fang Guozhen's surprise attack on Liujiagang."

"On that day, my subordinate and Commander Hua had just finalized the ship rental agreement with the ship owner, Yang Polang, and had not yet boarded the ship for inspection when..."

Zhou Wendao was very eloquent, and through his description, Shishan seemed to see the tragic scene of Liujiagang on that day, with thousands of sails covering the sea and flames scorching the sky.

While secretly applauding Fang Guozhen's courage, Shi Shan also felt a growing sense of unease.

Fang Guozhen's massive fleet of over a thousand ships could not possibly consist entirely of warships.

The vast majority of these were small sailboats that could only carry a dozen or so people. The participants were not all Fang's subordinates; there were also many pirates and coastal fishermen who responded to his call to go to Liujiagang to "make a fortune."

However, the sheer number of people who responded to the call and the organizational power to mobilize thousands of ships were already astonishing.

At the very beginning of the chaotic end of the Yuan Dynasty, Fang Guozhen was able to assemble such a large fleet to launch a cross-sea raid.

Shi Shan could hardly imagine how terrifying the Jiangzhe shipping (pirate) interest group, led by Fang Guozhen, would have become after more than a decade of chaotic warfare in the original historical trajectory.

No wonder... Given Zhu Yuanzhang's ruthlessness, even though Fang Guozhen surrendered twice and then rebelled again, he could only grit his teeth and bear it—unlike killing other meritorious officials, which could (on the surface) stabilize the court, killing Fang Guozhen could really trigger a massive wave of rebellions along the southeast coast!
Even if Zhu Yuanzhang had not killed Fang Guozhen, after the Ming Dynasty unified the country, pirates still roamed the southeastern coast, and even small Japanese pirates were able to wreak havoc. Behind them was the "legacy" of Fang Guozhen's more than ten years of maritime prowess.

In fact, throughout the Ming Dynasty, the maritime threat in the southeast was never eradicated. As a result, the Ming court once strictly enforced a maritime ban, which only allowed smuggling merchant groups along the southeast coast to grow even larger and then influence the direction of Ming policies through various means.

Thinking of this, Shi Shan's gaze sharpened as he looked at Hua Yun and said:
"What is the actual combat strength of Fang Guozhen's troops?"

Because of her outstanding performance in escorting the artisans, Hua Yun was promoted to commander by Marshal Shi. She became even more composed and reserved. After bowing respectfully upon entering the hall, she stood upright beside Zhou Wendao like a pine tree, remaining silent. This calmness and composure made Shi Shan nod in approval.

The Yuan Dynasty's Liujiagang navy collapsed at the first contact, and Hua Yun did not actually see the real naval battle and land fighting scenes of the Taizhou pirates.

But he was a calm and collected person. He had been observing many details of the Taizhou pirates, and along the way, he had discussed things with Yang Polang, who was a seasoned seafarer, and had learned a lot about navigation and naval warfare. At this moment, he calmly replied:

"Fang Guozhen must have completed the formation at sea beforehand. After seizing the upwind position, more than a thousand boats of various sizes moved forward in unison, which was chaotic but orderly. After entering the port, the small boats scattered like a pack of wolves to surround the enemy, while the large ships were like tigers crouching on the mountain, ready to pounce but not yet attack."

The pirates who landed were all unarmored and mainly fought in small groups. At first glance, they seemed to lack any strategy, and in terms of individual combat strength, they were probably inferior to the elite Red Flag Battalion. However, their advantage lay in their swift movement, coming and going like the wind.

If one encounters their forces in complex terrain such as mudflats or river forks, victory would make it difficult to track them down; defeat would... make escape nearly impossible.

Shi Shan nodded solemnly, acknowledging Hua Yun's judgment.

Whether it was the Yuan Dynasty, the Xu Song regime, or the Yingzhou Red Turban Army, enemies or rivals on the shore always found a way to eliminate them.

The vast ocean and countless islands present a formidable threat, as these Taizhou pirates are both civilians on land and outlaws at sea, making them a deep-seated problem that is extremely difficult to eradicate.

Fortunately, Shishan had arranged for Zhang Desheng to return to Chaohu and begin to build the Red Flag Battalion's own navy. However, the difference between an inland lake navy and a navy that truly traverses the oceans is like heaven and earth.

The road to building a navy is long and arduous.

Seeing that Shi Shan's expression suddenly turned serious, Zhou Wendao suspected that the marshal was unhappy. Remembering that there was still good news he hadn't had time to report, he quickly said:
"Marshal, although I encountered some setbacks on this trip, I also brought back several talented individuals."

Upon hearing the word "talent," Shi Shan's spirits lifted, his eyes gleaming, and he exclaimed:

"Tell me quickly, what kind of talent is he?"

Zhou Wendao had previously recruited craftsmen for Shishan and knew that the Marshal was eager for talent. Whether civil or military, anyone with a skill was eligible for recruitment, regardless of social status. Therefore, he said:
"The ship owner I just mentioned, Yang Polang, is familiar with the routes to Dadu, Goryeo, Japan and other places. His boat handling skills are far superior to ordinary people, and he is also good at ship repair. Through his connections, we have also recruited two shipbuilders."

"Excellent! This was handled exceptionally well!"

Shishan clapped his hands in praise, saying it was like a perfect pillow for someone who was sleepy.

Just as he was preparing to build the Chaohu Navy, Zhou Wendao sent shipbuilding craftsmen. Chaohu certainly wouldn't have the conditions to build large ships in the short term. Keeping these craftsmen in the Red Flag Camp was a bit of a waste of their talents for the time being, but who would complain about having too many specialized talents under their command?

"Furthermore, Commander Hua also rescued a reclusive master during the chaos. After Fang Guozhen burned down Hong Kong, his subordinates..."

Zhou Wendao recounted Shi Nai'an's brilliant arguments from that day, especially praising the ingenious strategy of "driving the starving army" south to quell the rebellion.

Upon hearing this, Shishan burst into laughter.

As expected of a novelist, Mr. Shi has a vivid imagination and has come up with a seemingly "neutralizing" solution to quell the rebellion.

Unfortunately, while this strategy sounds incredibly ingenious at first glance, it is full of flaws upon closer examination.

This is nothing more than empty talk.

If mobilizing large armies were truly that easy, then why did the Ming Dynasty, as it was originally shaped by history, collapse under the repeated torment of refugees and border troubles?

However, this person is indeed a rare talent, and Shishan has a place where he can be of use. "Where is Master Shi now?"

Zhou Wendao was unaware of Shi Shan's thoughts. When the marshal pressed him for details, he simply said that Shi Shan was captivated by Shi Nai'an's ingenious scheme. Overjoyed at discovering yet another talent for the marshal, he quickly replied:
"We settled down in a hotel in the city."

Shishan happened to have some free time at the moment, and since he had decided to use Shi Nai'an, he should find him as soon as possible to have a talk with him.

"Please come immediately!"

The Marshal's Mansion has its own personal guards and clerks to handle the summons, so Zhou Wendao doesn't need to go himself.

Zhou Wendao still had something to report, so he didn't rush to take his leave and said:

"Marshal, I learned on my way back that the Yuan court has issued an edict to investigate Chelibuhua and ordered the princes Tujian to lead a hundred officials and a thousand cavalrymen to Yangzhou day and night."

"Ah."

Shishan nodded, indicating that he was aware of the matter.

Chelibuhua was cowardly and incompetent, and collapsed before the battle even started, needlessly losing thousands of soldiers. Furthermore, the Red Flag Battalion took advantage of the situation to capture Chuzhou, which greatly worsened the situation in Yangzhou. If the Yuan court did not punish such a heinous crime, wouldn't it chill the hearts of loyal ministers and righteous men throughout the land?
However, the Yuan court disregarded the uneasy journey and forced Tu Jian to ride quickly to Yangzhou to assume his post. In order to ensure that he could grasp the situation as soon as possible, the Yuan court even granted him special permission to lead a hundred officials and a thousand cavalrymen to his post, which was already a great departure from the "custom".

It seems that the Battle of Chuzhou has truly shown the Yuan court the sharpness of the Red Flag Battalion, and the fear of the fall of Yangzhou Road has forced them to break with convention and handle the matter on a special basis.

In fact, the Yuan court not only strengthened the military forces in Yangzhou Road, but also quickly issued an edict to establish the Anfeng Branch Marshal's Office after Chelibuhua's defeat, with the intention of building an outer control circle against the Red Flag Battalion.

Shi Shan quickly processed the intelligence, and his gaze fell once again on Zhou Wendao and Hua Yun with satisfaction, thinking to himself that doing great things really does temper a person.

"With Liujiagang destroyed and Fang Guozhen's pirates growing stronger, it will be difficult for the Yuan court to restore maritime transport in the short term. Let's put aside the matter of rescuing my relatives for now. You all have important responsibilities and cannot waste time on this matter."

Zhou Wendao had prepared for this for a long time, but he was unwilling to give up so easily, saying:

"Marshal, I overheard Master Shi mentioning on the way that he had traveled to Huaidong in recent years and seemed to have connections to obtain ships for going to sea. I was afraid of revealing military secrets, so I didn't dare to ask him further on the way. Since you've summoned him here, why don't you ask him yourself?"

Shi Shan was almost prepared to send a few people to Yidu Road to risk traveling by land, just to bring his second brother and sixth brother over. Unexpectedly, after seemingly having no way out, he found a new path and his hope was rekindled.

"it is good!"

Before long, Shi Nai'an was led to the Marshal's Mansion.

Marshal Shi personally greeted the man from the official hall. The newcomer was slender and thin, with a gaunt face. Although he was fifty-seven years old (by Chinese reckoning), his eyes shone with a sharp, piercing light. Shi Shan immediately stepped forward and bowed in greeting.

"Master Shi, I have long admired your name!"

Shi Nai'an paused, his steps faltering. He had lived in Suzhou for years, only occasionally venturing to Huaidong, and had virtually no connection with Marshal Shi. It was normal for him to know of Marshal Shi's deeds, given Shi Shan's widespread fame; he hadn't expected the Marshal to even know his name.

"Marshal... you actually know a country bumpkin like me?" Shi Nai'an could not hide his surprise and doubt.

Shi Shan stepped forward with a smile, grabbed Shi Nai'an's hand, and led him into the hall, saying:
"When you were an official in Qiantang in your early years, your reputation for being upright and good at governing spread far and wide, and I, Shi, have also heard of you."

"You flatter me, Marshal!" Shi Nai'an said modestly, but his heart was in turmoil.

He did indeed serve as an official in Qiantang County, the seat of Hangzhou Road, but as the saying goes, "It is unfortunate to be a county magistrate attached to the capital." As a county magistrate attached to the capital, he was constantly constrained by mediocre superiors, and his ambitions could not be realized. In the end, he resigned in anger and went into seclusion.

Therefore, the title of "upright and just" may be barely fitting, but "good governance" is really out of the question.

More importantly, that was twenty years ago. Shishan was clearly only in his early twenties and not from Jiangsu or Zhejiang. How could he know about such an old, trivial matter?
Shi Nai'an thought it was because the other side had excellent intelligence capabilities—but upon realizing this, he was even more alarmed. Shishan had only been in rebellion for a few months, yet he had already extended his reach to Suzhou and Hangzhou!
Shi Shan had no idea that Shi Nai'an was so good at making up stories. Besides, if he really had such an efficient intelligence network, why would he waste it on a "decrepit old man"?
The two entered the hall and took their seats as host and guest. Shi Shan then changed the subject and asked:

"I've heard that you've been writing books lately?"

Shi Nai'an felt a sudden chill, almost thinking that Shi Shan had already planted spies around him.

He immediately recalled that day in Liujiagang, when he was knocked down by the panicked crowd fleeing the disaster, his manuscript had scattered on the ground. He figured Zhou Wendao must have reported this to Shishan. Suppressing his doubts, he readily admitted:

"That is indeed true, but it was just a pastime."

Shi Nai'an originally intended not to discuss the writing process in detail, but Shishan persisted on the topic, continuing:
"I wonder if I will have the honor of being among the first to see it?"

The manuscript was in the library; it wouldn't be difficult to retrieve it and have Marshal Shi review it. Although this book represented the culmination of his life's work, he was not stingy in asking others to appreciate and critique it.

However, Shi Nai'an traveled thousands of miles to Haozhou to assist a wise ruler, reform the old and establish the new, and accomplish a great undertaking that would change the world, not to "meet fellow book lovers" and listen to empty praise.

Thinking of this, Shi Nai'an felt displeased and had no choice but to belittle his hard work against his will, and gently advise him:

"These are merely playful words, hardly worthy of serious consideration. Marshal, with the world at your fingertips and countless affairs to attend to, your energy should be devoted to the affairs of the nation and its military and national matters. Why are you so fixated on such trivial novels meant for amusement?"

Upon meeting Shi Shan, he immediately steered the conversation toward Shi Nai'an's books, not out of admiration for Shi's great fame in later generations or a desire to collect his manuscripts.

Rather, it was the great literary figure Shi Nai'an who was truly of great use to his great cause!
Shi Shan's gaze suddenly sharpened, fixed intently on Shi Nai'an like a torch, and he said:

"Master, in your opinion, is it easier to conquer the world or to unite the people's hearts?"

Upon hearing this question, Shi Nai'an was greatly shaken, immediately realizing that he had truly underestimated Marshal Shi! He quickly composed himself and answered in a deep voice:
"Naturally... conquering the world is easier."

Shi Shan nodded slightly and said:

"It is easy to govern the territory, but difficult to unite the people's hearts! For hundreds of years, China has been divided between North and South. Within the country, Han and Southern people regarded each other as different ethnic groups, and regarded the various Hu peoples as enemies. Unifying the world is only a matter of a hundred years. Bridging the North and South and building consensus among Chinese people is a long-term plan that concerns the inheritance of culture!"

(End of this chapter)