Sweep Yuan

Chapter 175 Zhan Liuan Chang Feng Join Forces

It is located about 20 miles southwest of Shucheng, on the banks of the Hangbu River.

The warm breeze of early summer, carrying the scent of ripening wheat, swept across a hilly plateau rising slightly from the vast plain.

On the terrace, the remaining rammed earth foundations lie sprawled among the lush weeds, while a few sections of bluestone foundations stubbornly tell the story of past glories.

This is the legendary place where Zhou Yu recruited, stationed, and trained his troops.

The newly appointed magistrate of Shucheng, Huang Junsheng, dressed in a brand-new blue official robe, gazed at the ancient terrace beneath his feet and murmured a poem, his clear voice carrying a hint of scholarly sentiment:

"...No one is seen carrying a three-foot sword, but there is only the sound of eight thousand soldiers gathered."

A few steps away from Huang Junsheng, Shi Shan stood with his hands behind his back, in front of the high platform that was said to be where Zhou Yu reviewed his troops. His gaze went beyond the decaying ruins at his feet and into the boundless golden sea of ​​wheat in the distance.

The prospect of a bountiful harvest filled him with pride, as if he could already see the Red Flag Battalion's army, well-fed and ready to roam the grasslands. He spoke loudly, his voice booming, carrying an air of commanding authority.

“Keming, Zhou Yu was able to gather 8,000 men in Lujiang County (Note) to help the Sun family of Wu County pacify Jiangdong, divide the world into three, and achieve a legendary feat. This fertile land deserves much of the credit.”

"Keming" is Huang Junsheng's courtesy name. The Huang family is known for its good looks. Huang Junsheng is not only handsome, but also skilled in music and dance. He is often compared to Zhou Yu by those who like to gossip.

He was quite self-aware, knowing that he was not very talented and was far inferior to the Grand Commander of Eastern Wu, who was skilled in both literature and military strategy.
However, Huang Junsheng and Shishan were related by marriage, as were Zhou Yu and Sun Ce, who laid the foundation for Eastern Wu. Standing on the old grounds of Lujiang County, he immediately understood the deeper meaning behind Shishan's words. Composing himself, he bowed deeply to Shishan's back, his tone respectful and sincere:
"Marshal, you are wise. I am but a humble official, lacking in talent and learning, how dare I compare myself to Zhou Yu? I have no talent for commanding troops in battle. However, I dare not slacken in the slightest in my efforts to secure the rear, to stockpile provisions, raise warhorses, and recruit soldiers for the Red Flag Army's campaigns!"

Huang Junsheng knew that the fate of the Zhongli Huang family was now firmly tied to Shishan. As a member of the Huang family, he could only do his best to serve the marshal so that he could enjoy wealth and honor in the new dynasty that would be established in the future.

Seeing how easily Huang Junsheng had been energized by his pep talk, Shi Shan turned around, patted him on the shoulder, and laughed:
"Good! Kemin, if you work hard, you'll have a bright future."

As the two were talking, two fine horses galloped toward the ruins of "Zhou Yu City" on the winding dirt road below the hill.

"Marshal, Commander Chang Du has dispatched Wu Guoxing, the cavalry squad leader, with an urgent report!"

The messenger went straight to Shucheng. Gong Wu, who was left in charge of the city, did not dare to act on his own and sent someone to take him to "Zhou Yu City" to meet the marshal.

Judging by the timeline, Chang Yuchun's victory report should arrive in the next few days, but judging from the expression of the messenger below the platform, he didn't seem to have won a battle. Although he guessed that there was probably nothing good happening at the Liuan front, Shi Shan didn't panic.

"Bring him here." Shi Shan's voice was calm and steady, revealing no change in emotion.

The messenger went straight to the platform, knelt heavily on one knee on the rubble, clasped his hands in greeting, and his voice was slightly hoarse from the long journey.

"Reporting to the Marshal! Our army suffered an initial defeat. The Commander-in-Chief was wounded in a fierce battle with the enemy general Zhu Liangzu, and all units also suffered casualties. We need to reorganize our soldiers, which has delayed the capture of the city. The Commander-in-Chief requests that the Marshal punish him!"

A defeat in the first battle? Even Chang Yuchun, the bravest warrior in the army, was injured?
Huang Junsheng, who was listening from the side, was terrified. He glanced at Shishan but saw that the marshal's face was calm and composed, showing no sign of anything amiss.

In reality, Shishan was still somewhat troubled.

Shi Shan's earlier prediction that the battle of Liuan was a sure thing was not based on blind trust in Chang Yuchun's bravery. As early as when he was planning to send troops to Luzhou Road, he had ordered people to collect intelligence on the main opponents along the way.

Zhu Liangzu, the garrison commander of Lu'an, was a local strongman. He only started organizing local militias at the beginning of this year, and his troops initially numbered less than 600.

Zuo Junbi surrendered Hefei to the Red Flag Battalion, announcing the change of allegiance. This tore a bloody hole in the already precarious defense lines of Anfeng and Luzhou, plunging the Yuan court into an unprecedented passive position and forcing it to hastily establish the Anfeng Circuit Marshal's Office.

However, at that time, the Yuan Dynasty was beset on all sides and could not spare a large army. It could only resort to desperate measures, such as issuing empty titles like "righteous soldiers" and "military commanders" to lure powerful local militias to fight for it and suppress the Red Flag Battalion.

It was in this turbulent current that Zhu Liangzu managed to obtain the official title of "Righteous Army" commander of a thousand men. He then took the opportunity to annex several small militia groups, expanding his force to nearly two thousand men.

Among the many self-reliant "righteous army" leaders in Luzhou and Anfeng, Zhu Liangzu's small force was inconspicuous and had no previous achievements. Unexpectedly, he made a name for himself and dealt Chang Yuchun a heavy blow in a direct confrontation.

However, victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. With the outcome of the battle already decided, Shishan didn't have many feelings about it.

He was more concerned about the actual combat strength of the Lu'an garrison. Only by accurately reassessing the strength of the Lu'an garrison could he make the right response.

"How badly is Bo Ren injured? What are the casualties on both sides?"

Although the messenger was only a squad leader, he had a good understanding of the battle situation and could accurately grasp the key points of Marshal Shi's questions, giving clear answers.

"The Commander-in-Chief has injured his left shoulder and cannot draw his bow for the time being. The wound has been treated and immobilized, and it will not affect his command. In this battle, our army suffered a minor setback, with 197 dead and 526 wounded. The enemy suffered 296 killed and 143 captured."

The casualties of several hundred men are still within acceptable limits for the Red Flag Battalion, which now boasts tens of thousands of troops and spans four routes. The vanguard also has over three thousand men, with its organization intact. Although the commander is injured, he can still lead, and the core combat force remains undamaged, so the problem is not significant.

With this in mind, Shi Shan felt reassured and said to the messenger in a friendly manner:

"Squad Leader Wu stood up and gave me a detailed account of the battle."

"Thank you Marshal!"

The messenger, Wu Xingguo, bowed and rose, gathering his thoughts slightly before speaking:

In this battle, the commander adopted a tactic of surrounding three sides and leaving one side open, with our army mainly attacking the east city wall while feigning attacks on the north and south sides.

Initially, things went smoothly. Most of the obstacles, such as antlers and barricades, under the three city walls were cleared. Jin's command post had already erected ladders, and his warriors were about to climb the city walls.

Suddenly, the north gate of Lu'an opened, and Zhu Liangzu personally led 600 infantry and cavalry out. Chen's Lujiang army, tasked with a feint attack to lure the enemy, was poorly prepared, and its already scattered formation was thrown into chaos by the enemy's charge.

Zhu Liangzu then drove the routed soldiers from Lujiang straight towards the east city wall, intending to attack the flank of Jin's command post. Commander Fei hurriedly led his troops to intercept them, but the enemy's momentum was too strong, and they were also caught up in the retreating soldiers from Lujiang, so they were unable to stop them.

Just as the siege was in full swing, a fresh force suddenly emerged from the flank, breaking through the enemy lines and disrupting the overall situation.

In the secret passage of Shishan, Zhu Liangzu was not only brave, but also extremely accurate in seizing opportunities!

"Seeing the critical situation, the Commander-in-Chief personally led the central army to press forward, killing several enemy generals in succession, and finally separating Zhu Liangzu and his main force, and surrounding them completely."

A flicker of admiration for Chang Yuchun's bravery flashed in Wu Guoxing's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by annoyance.

"The Commander-in-Chief, seeing Zhu Liangzu's bravery, became belligerent and personally challenged him to a duel. Unexpectedly, the fellow was cunning and fierce. After only a few exchanges, he suddenly pulled out a meteor hammer the size of a weight from his back waist and hurled it. The Commander-in-Chief had just parried a spear thrust from the side and was too late to turn around..."

Wu Guoxing subconsciously shrank his neck, as if he could hear that teeth-grinding impact sound again.

"Striking him squarely in the left shoulder! Fortunately, the armor bestowed by the marshal was of excellent quality, which absorbed most of the force. His shoulder blade was not broken, but the armor plate was dented, and he almost fell off his horse. Taking advantage of the chaos, Zhu Liangzu managed to break through the weak point of the encirclement and escaped into the city through the north gate."

As a battlefield concealed weapon, the meteor hammer is about the size of a weight, meant to be carried discreetly and used unexpectedly. Its power is sufficient to injure or even kill armored targets, but it is by no means the exaggerated weapon depicted in historical novels that can split mountains and shatter rocks.

Zhu Liangzu's ability to seize opportunities while surrounded, use concealed weapons to injure the enemy, create chaos, and successfully break through the encirclement demonstrates a ruthless composure and battlefield instinct that should not be underestimated.

However, to conclude that this man was exceptionally brave and invincible based solely on this one battle would be an exaggeration. Shi Shan was well aware that Chang Yuchun had indeed underestimated his opponent in this battle, and the reason he took the initiative to apologize was also clear to him.

Since the Red Flag Battalion rose up in Haozhou, its sieges and captures of cities had been unstoppable, with few cities failing to fall within three days. Only the cities of Lujiang and Liuan, which were the main targets of Chang Yuchun's offensive, suffered successive setbacks.

While Lujiang could be excused by the continuous rain, the battle of Liuan was a genuine counterattack by the enemy. Chang Yuchun was even wounded by the enemy general because of his overconfidence in his bravery. For him, it was nothing short of a resounding slap in the face!

Chang Yuchun sent an envoy to plead guilty on his behalf, driven less by fear of punishment than by an overwhelming sense of shame and self-reproach.

"Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. Our army is growing stronger every day, and the enemy is not standing still either. In the past, sieges were won with a single proclamation and a single, decisive attack. This is not the norm. In the future, when we conquer cities and seize territory, we will often encounter strong enemies and get caught up in a protracted battle."

Shi Shan's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

"Bo Ren made a decisive decision on the spot, personally leading elite troops to block the enemy and quickly taking control of the situation. He handled it very well. After trapping the enemy, the commander risked his life to challenge them, resulting in his own injury and the escape of the stubborn enemy! He should be punished... After the battle, he will return to the Pengyue Guard to serve as my personal guard for ten days and explain the mistakes of this battle to all the officers undergoing rotation training!"

This punishment might seem lenient to some, but it was definitely not a good thing for Chang Yuchun, who was very concerned about his reputation. Hopefully, he can learn from this experience and not impulsively challenge the enemy. This is not how a general's bravery is used!
As for the argument that siege warfare is becoming increasingly difficult, this is not an excuse for Chang Yuchun, but a conclusion drawn from a sober assessment of the overall situation.

The war in Jiangbei has lasted for nearly a year. In this great upheaval, only the most mediocre can stand out. In order to prolong its life, the Yuan court frantically issued laws such as the "Recommendation Order for Talents" and the "Order for Appointing Officials by Paying Grain," using high-ranking positions and legitimate separatist regimes as bait to lure local powerful figures to serve it.

In the past, the Yuan Dynasty levied exorbitant taxes and levies, forcing people to pay taxes, confiscating horses, and treating the people of the land as human beings. This repeated torment caused great harm to powerful families like Liu Futong and Zhima Li.

These people had no choice, so they were not particularly opposed to the Red Flag Battalion, which raised the banner of "tax exemption" to maintain basic social stability, but they also did not particularly support it, because Shishan's attitude towards them was not friendly.

Although Shishan cleverly employed the tactic of pulling one faction against another, discerning people could still see his wariness of vested interest groups.

Even without resorting to both coercion and violence, the Red Flag Camp's "tax exemption" policy was more inclined to protect the interests of the lower classes, but it did indeed shatter the "tax-farming" livelihood that many local bigwigs relied on to exploit ordinary people.

But now, the Yuan court is drinking poison to quench its thirst in order to prolong its corrupt rule. It has completely lifted all kinds of prohibitions and encouraged powerful gentry to train troops to quell rebellions. How many powerful gentry with some strength can resist the temptation of "being granted land and titles and having absolute power"?
The expansion of the Red Flag Battalion will only become more and more difficult, and the battles will only become more and more brutal and difficult. Zhu Liangzu of Liu'an is just the first conspicuous wave that jumps out in this surging tide.

Shi Shan's strange punishment, however, revealed to Wu Guoxing the Marshal's deep care for the Commander-in-Chief. He understood that the Marshal was more concerned with the overall battle situation, and added:
"Marshal, you are wise! In this battle, nearly 60% of our casualties were at Commander Chen's headquarters, which was attacked and failed to form a battle line. Most of the enemy's casualties occurred after they were surrounded by our army. As long as our army formed a battle line to resist, the enemy could hardly advance an inch and their momentum collapsed immediately."

Wu Guoxing's addition further corroborated Shi Shan's judgment.

Although Chen Tong's Lujiang army repelled two attacks by the "Peng Zu family," their victory was due to favorable terrain and popular support; their actual combat strength was not particularly strong. His troops were already poorly trained, and this was their first time attacking a city far from their homeland, resulting in low morale. It was therefore understandable that they suffered heavy casualties when attacked by the enemy.

The subsequent battle results proved that the Lu'an garrison was not strong in formation warfare. The main reason why its troops were able to break through the forces of Chen Tong and Fei Ju was that its commander was brave and unpredictable.

After his setback, Chang Yuchun did not retaliate with anger by launching a full-scale attack. Instead, he chose to regroup his troops, treat the wounded, and rebuild his strength. This composure placed him in an invincible position. The capture of Liuan was only a matter of time.

Shi Shan's gaze returned to the messenger before him, who spoke clearly and observed meticulously. This man's reports were well-organized, his grasp of battlefield details was precise, and he could analyze the causes of casualties in different units and the characteristics of enemy and friendly forces—a rare quality among officers at the platoon leader level.

"Judging from his accent, is Sergeant Wu from Zhongli? Has he ever been to school? When did he join the army?"

After the expansion of the camp and the establishment of the garrison, some powers were delegated by Shishan. For example, the squad leaders were selected and trained by each garrison themselves. Only officers of the rank of captain and above needed to be personally supervised by Shishan and had to go through the Pengyue Garrison Officer Training Camp.

Wu Guoxing was merely a platoon leader, and had previously failed to catch the marshal's eye. Today, he was putting on a show to attract Shi Shan's attention. Now, the marshal inquired, and Wu Guoxing knew his chance had come. He quickly straightened his back and respectfully replied:

"Reporting to the Marshal! This humble general is indeed from Zhongligangwei. My family owns a small amount of land. I studied under a local school teacher for several years and have some literacy skills. I joined the righteous army on the ninth day of the third month this year. After completing my training as a supplementary soldier, I served under Commander Chang."

Although the Red Flag Battalion had been recruiting soldiers since it occupied Haozhou, the initial recruitment scale was not large due to the pressure of money and food and actual needs. It was not until Wu Liujin led his troops to capture Huaiyuan that Shishan expanded the combat training camp and increased the recruitment and training of supplementary soldiers.

Wu Guoxing was tall and strong, with a calm demeanor that suggested he had some martial arts training. He was also "somewhat literate," clearly indicating he came from a powerful or wealthy local family. How similar this was to Xu Da's situation back then! Both were initially hesitant, unwilling to give up their family businesses, and dared not rashly bet on the Red Flag Battalion.

It wasn't until March, when Shishan defeated the Yuan general Chelibuhua and completed the expansion of the Eight Guards, demonstrating its formidable strength as a regional warlord, that Wu Guoxing finally decided to join the army. He missed the initial wave of promotions through the expansion of the "following the dragon" system, and it became much more difficult for him to distinguish himself from ordinary soldiers.

However, the fact that Chang Yuchun sent this person as a messenger shows that his abilities and insights were recognized, and Shishan could naturally see that Wu Guoxing had potential.

The army is the foundation for a man to establish himself in chaotic times. Shi Shan spares no effort in recruiting and cultivating promising officers, a practice that has become as instinctive as eating and drinking. Seeing Wu Guoxing rushing towards him, his lips cracked, his body covered in sweat and mud, looking quite disheveled, he called out loudly:

"Hua Yunlong!"

"Your subordinate is here!" A young officer of similar build to Wu Guoxing stepped forward, his eyes bright and alert.

"You will arrange food and lodging for Squad Leader Wu, and also send him a change of clothes. I will get you another set later."

Hua Yunlong is from Dingyuan and is exactly twenty years old this year. After the Battle of Luqian River, he was incorporated into Shao Rong's troops. He then accumulated merits and rose to the rank of squad leader. During his officer training, he was noticed by Shi Shan and kept in Pengyue Guard.

This kind of exchange was a practice established at the beginning of the Red Flag Battalion's establishment, and it was also one of the means by which Shishan suppressed the various mountain strongholds under his command. Battalion commanders who could not actively adapt to this system could never hope to advance any further.

In this process of rotational training and exchange, a large number of truly capable up-and-coming talents are able to get more opportunities for training and development because they have come into the marshal's sights, and thus make faster progress than ordinary people.

Hua Yunlong was a beneficiary of this system; after staying by the Marshal's side, he was full of energy every day.

Today was no different. A change of clothes—a seemingly insignificant little thing—made Wu Guoxing and Hua Yunlong feel the Marshal's high regard for them. Overwhelmed with emotion, they almost simultaneously knelt on one knee and thanked him.
"Thank you for your generous reward, Marshal!"

After Hua Yunlong led the visibly excited Wu Guoxing away, Shi Shan ordered his personal guards to return to the city and instructed Feng Guosheng to wait at the headquarters.

Although Shishan firmly believed that Chang Yuchun would be able to conquer Lu'an, the situation was urgent.

The fierce battle between Peng Zu's family and the Yuan army in Anqing Road is in full swing. The Xu Song regime in Jiangnan is locked in a stalemate with the Yuan army and the local landlord forces. The Sesame Li in Xuzhou is still being suppressed by the Yuan army. Recently, troops from the Huainan Province have also appeared in Chuzhou, Wuhe and other places. The external environment of the Red Flag Battalion is not good.

More importantly, as the army marches westward, Hefei, a vital strategic location connecting to Haozhou's old stronghold, is still under the direct control of the Red Flag Battalion under Shang Zuojunbi, a "miscellaneous" general. The longer the main force is bogged down in the city of Lu'an, the greater the risk will be.

Back at the headquarters, Feng Guosheng was already waiting.

"marshal!"

"Guosheng,"

Shi Shan briefly explained the situation of the Battle of Lu'an and then assigned combat tasks.

"Bo Ren suffered a minor setback, sustaining a wound to his left shoulder, but it does not impair his command. The overall fighting strength of the Lu'an army is not strong, except for Zhu Liangzu, who is cunning and ruthless. This battle should not be delayed for too long. Your unit should prepare tonight and set off first thing tomorrow morning. After arriving in Lu'an, you will be under Bo Ren's command!"

Feng Guosheng was overjoyed at the prospect of battle. Upon learning that there was a fierce general in Liuan who could injure Chang Yuchun, his eyes burned with fierce fighting spirit.

"Your subordinate obeys! I will work hand in hand with Commander Chang to pacify Liu'an, capture Zhu Liangzu alive, and present him to the Marshal!"

……

Note: During the Three Kingdoms period, Lujiang Commandery included present-day Lu'an, Shucheng, Huoshan, Lujiang and other cities and counties in Anhui Province, as well as parts of Shouxian County, which was far different from Lujiang County at the end of the Yuan Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)