Sweep Yuan

Chapter 178 Asking the People's Will: The Fierce Tiger Will Die

Lu'an was the capital of a prefecture, with walls 26 feet high and nearly 7 li in circumference, making it significantly taller and wider than county towns like Chaoxian and Lujiang. However, it was destroyed by the "Demolition Order," leaving no bricks and only bare rammed earth walls, severely weakening its defensive function.

After the Yuan court issued the "City Repair Order," officials in various parts of the Yuan Dynasty who were under pressure from civil unrest rushed to repair the cities as long as they had the spare capacity.

Zhu Liangzu, however, was arrogant and valiant in martial prowess. He was focused on expanding his private army to seize territory and scorned the cowardly task of fortifying city defenses, being reluctant to invest in it.

Only now, facing the forest of siege weapons and the menacing army outside the city, did he realize the situation was dire.

Shi Shan was well-versed in the art of psychological warfare and overwhelming force. With an absolute advantage in troop strength and knowing that the morale of the defending army was low, he abandoned his usual strategy of "surrounding three sides and leaving one open" and deployed his army under the four walls of Lu'an.

Banners fluttered, drums and horns resounded, and disciplined military formations and siege weapons appeared outside every city wall. Each side could be used as a feint attack or instantly transform into the main assault; this all-encompassing pressure completely shattered any thoughts of trickery or wishful thinking on the part of the defenders.

The city's garrison originally numbered nearly two thousand, but after two crushing defeats and days of attrition, its strength has dwindled to only one thousand two hundred.

Anyone else would have mobilized the city's able-bodied men to assist in the defense by now, but Zhu Liangzu knew that there were undercurrents in the city. Not only did he not dare to mobilize the able-bodied men to assist in the defense, he also had to select three hundred elite soldiers from among them to form a supervisory team and a reserve team.

As a result, spread across the nearly seven-mile-long city wall, there were less than two hundred men per mile. The sparsely scattered garrison stood on the tall city wall, appearing incredibly weak and desperate.

At 3:45 AM, all soldiers and equipment were in place.

The central command platform outside the east city.

Shi Shan stood with his hand on his sword, clad in light black armor over a crimson battle robe. The morning light pierced through the thick clouds and shone on the city wall, clearly revealing the figures of the defending soldiers running around in a panic, busy carrying equipment, and the faint sound of officers shouting in exasperation.

The time had come, and Shi Shan calmly issued his first order:
“Send Zhu Jizhong over there.”

Zhu Jizhong was Zhu Liangzu's cousin. In the battle when Zhu Liangzu led his troops out of the city to counterattack, he was surrounded and captured by Chang Yuchun's forces. In order to save his life, Zhu Jizhong revealed all of Zhu Liangzu's secrets.

At this moment, he was escorted by two burly Red Flag Battalion soldiers, trembling as he walked to the front of the battle line. Facing the city wall, he shouted with all his might:
"Brother! It's me, Jizhong! Brothers on the city wall, listen up! Marshal Shi is benevolent and doesn't kill surrendered soldiers! Stop working for Zhu Liangzu! Open the city gates and surrender now! It'll be too late if you wait!"

On the city wall, Zhu Liangzu's figure suddenly appeared behind the crenellations. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure below the wall, a surge of anger at being betrayed by his closest relatives rising to his head.

"Traitor! How dare you disrupt the morale of our army!"

Zhu Liangzu roared, snatched the powerful bow from the hand of his personal guard, nocked an arrow, drew the bowstring to its fullest extent, and the sharp arrowhead gleamed with a deathly light in the morning light, pointing straight at Zhu Jizhong's heart.

Zhu Jizhong was so frightened that he screamed and turned to flee to the rear of the formation.

Zhu Liangzu's fingers gripped the bowstring, trembling violently with force, his knuckles turning white. He watched his cousin's terrified retreating figure, a flicker of painful struggle crossing his eyes. This arrow, easy to release, had severed the last vestige of their blood ties…

Finally, he dejectedly lowered his bow and arrows, his pent-up rage transforming into a beast-like roar as he turned and howled at the trembling defenders:
"Listen up, sir! Anyone who dares to speak of surrendering again, regardless of kinship, will be executed on the spot!"

Zhu Jizhong fled back in a sorry state, but Shi Shan's eyes remained unmoved. His psychological attack was subtle and deliberate. He slowly raised his right hand, as if wielding an invisible sword, and then swung it down with a sudden, powerful blow.

"Beat the drums! March!"

“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom—!”

Sixteen enormous cowhide war drums were simultaneously struck by bare-chested strongmen. The powerful, heavy drumbeats, seemingly capable of shaking the earth, struck the hearts of the defenders with each beat, causing them to feel their livers and gallbladders shatter.

Accompanied by the death knell of drums, the silent red forest below the city suddenly came to life!

"kill--!"

The earth-shattering shouts of battle rose from the ground like a tsunami.

On the two main attack directions, to the east and south, the Red Flag Battalion's main force, under the cover of huge shield wagons, approached the city wall and unleashed a hail of arrows.

Shishan intentionally controlled the organization, and the Red Flag Battalion's equipment rate of armor, bows and crossbows far exceeded that of ordinary militias. This was especially true for the three directly subordinate guards. When the bows and crossbows were fired in unison, the arrows seemed to blot out the sky, like a rain of death swept up by a hurricane, with sharp whistling sounds, and they poured down hard on the city walls!

"Raise your shields! Raise your shields now!"

"what--!"

"Help!"

Under the dense rain of arrows, wooden shields were pierced and flesh was torn apart! Screams, wails, the sound of weapons falling to the ground, and the thud of arrows piercing wood and stone mingled together.

The defending troops were suppressed by this terrifying firepower. The survivors huddled in the blind spots under the parapet, trembling with fear, and their morale was severely damaged.

Zhu Liangzu, clad in heavy armor and holding a large shield covered with raw cowhide, was on the east city wall. He was also overwhelmed by the barrage of arrows, unable to lift his head. The arrows struck the shield with a dull thud, making his arm go numb.

A strong sense of unease gripped him. The density and duration of the arrow rain far exceeded his expectations. The Red Flag Battalion had no intention of giving the defenders any chance to catch their breath or retaliate. They wanted to use long-range firepower to completely wipe out the defensive forces on the city walls.
How could this be? Not to mention the numerous blind spots on the city wall, even the Red Flag Battalion wouldn't have gotten so many arrows!

"wrong!!"

Zhu Liangzu suddenly realized something, a chill running from the soles of his feet to the top of his head! No longer caring about the danger, he abruptly pushed open the shield a crack and risked peering out—

The situation on the east city wall is still relatively normal for now. Although the defending troops have suffered heavy losses, they are still holding on despite their low morale, thanks to him and the reserves.

The shouts of battle were deafening from the south and north walls, but the west side was too far away to hear clearly, though something seemed amiss.

Before Zhu Liangzu could figure out what was going on, he heard someone scream inside the city.

"The city has fallen! The Red Flag Battalion has entered the city!!"

"Ximen! Ximen has fallen!!"

"The north gate is falling too! Run!!"

The Red Flag Battalion's arrow barrage weakened rapidly, but this did not mean they had given up the siege. Instead, they let the fleeing soldiers run, thus amplifying the panic.

Terrified screams erupted like a plague from the direction of the north city wall and swept across the entire city wall at an alarming speed!
Zhu Liangzu only saw the defending army retreat in a frenzy like the receding tide, abandoning their armor and weapons, crying and surging down the city wall along the horse path! A crimson battle flag had already been planted on the gate tower of the west city, fluttering in the morning breeze.

The thunderous sound of horses' hooves echoed from the west of the city—enemy cavalry had entered the city.

With the hearts of the people lost, the meticulously arranged defenses failed to withstand even a single wave of enemy attacks!

Zhu Liangzu felt as if all his strength had been drained away in an instant, and the large shield in his hand slammed heavily onto the city bricks with a loud clang. He looked around, and the trusted servants who had once followed him into battle were now all ashen-faced, their eyes filled with fear and bewilderment.

It’s over! All is lost!

A blood-soaked officer scrambled to Zhu Liangzu's feet, crying out in a hoarse voice:

"Commander! We can't hold them off any longer! If we don't surrender, all our brothers will die!"

This cry was like the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Zhu Liangzu's eyes were filled with nothing but despair and resignation. He let out a roar mixed with unwillingness and despair: "Surrender! We surrender!"

Although Zhu Liangzu and his more than one hundred men surrendered at the last moment, Feng Guosheng, who arrived with his cavalry, ignored them and, after confiscating all the prisoners' weapons and armor, ordered his men to tie Zhu Liangzu up.

Zhu Liangzu instantly realized something was wrong, and a ferocious beast-like rage erupted within him. He roared and rammed into the soldiers beside him, trying to escape. However, Feng Guosheng was prepared. He nocked an arrow, drew the bow, and a wolf-tooth arrow tore through the air and pierced Zhu Liangzu's left shoulder blade.

"Ugh!"

"This arrow is to avenge my brother Chang!"

The fierce and ruthless cavalrymen swarmed forward, pinning the wounded Zhu Liangzu to the ground. Ropes dug roughly into his flesh, binding him like a dumpling. In his struggle, Zhu Liangzu was struck countless angry punches on his face and body, leaving him bruised, swollen, and utterly wretched.

In this battle, Shishan openly set the main attack direction on the east and south city walls, deploying the most troops there to attract Zhu Liangzu's attention and force him to commit more troops to these two city walls. However, he secretly deployed his elite daredevils under the north city wall.

Unexpectedly, just as the suicide squad under the north city wall was poised to launch a fierce assault on the city with their bare hands, a sudden and loud creaking sound came from the direction of the west city gate—the heavy iron gate was slowly opened from the inside.

It turned out that the gentry and wealthy families in the city were frightened by Shishan's warning and spared no expense to bribe the West Gate guard who was already dissatisfied with Zhu Liangzu. When the battle broke out and Zhu Liangzu had no time to spare, this man decisively betrayed him and let the Red Flag Battalion army into the city.

Although there were some surprises, the final outcome was pretty much the same.

Ambitious individuals, for their own selfish gain, amass military power and attempt to carve out their own territory and establish a powerful regime. However, in the face of overwhelming momentum, they are ultimately like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Once the large-scale resistance in the city was quickly quelled and the shouts of battle gradually subsided, the East Gate, which Zhu Liangzu personally guarded, was opened. Shi Shan, escorted by five hundred personal guards, rode slowly through the East Gate, which was still filled with the smell of gunpowder and blood, and stepped into the city of Lu'an.

Zhu Liangzu had been forced to kneel by Feng Guoyong. His armor had been stripped off, leaving him only in a thin, blood-stained inner shirt. His hair was disheveled, and dark red blood was still seeping from the arrow wound on his shoulder, staining half of his shirt. His face was a mixture of blue and purple, and his mouth was cracked.

Even in such a predicament, his tall and imposing body remained ramrod straight, and his arrogant eyes, like those of a wounded tiger, burned with anger, resentment, and a hint of barely concealed fear, as he stared intently at the approaching Shishan on horseback.

"The entire city of Lu'an, both soldiers and civilians, kneel to welcome the royal army into the city! May the Marshal be well!"

Because the city fell so quickly, the officials of Lu'an did not have time to "raise an oath on the battlefield" and were all taken prisoner. At this moment, the scholar in blue robes who led the way to welcome Shishan into the city was Wang Zongdao, who had represented Zhu Liangzu in the city yesterday to surrender. He had become a "representative of the people's will".

Shi Shan's gaze swept past Zhu Liangzu and landed on Wang Zongdao, a meaningful smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

He dismounted and walked steadily to Wang Zongdao. He bent down and helped him up with both hands. His face was instantly filled with a warm, spring-like smile, and his voice was loud enough for everyone around to hear clearly.

"Master Wang is a man of great wisdom and righteousness. He was fearless in the face of danger and used his ingenuity to persuade the defending army to surrender the city, thus saving the people of Lu'an from the suffering of war. His contribution is invaluable. On behalf of my soldiers and the people of Lu'an, I thank Master Wang."

Wang Zongdao was helped up by Shi Shan, but his mind went blank, completely disoriented. It was clearly the other wealthy families in the city who had persuaded the garrison at the west gate to surrender; what did it have to do with him, Wang Zongdao?
Marshal Shi's words clearly pinned the blame for the city's fall squarely on his head. This wasn't a merit; it was putting him on the spot, binding him completely to the Red Flag Battalion's war machine, leaving him with no way out!
His lips trembled as he tried to explain, but could he refuse the face that Marshal Shi had "given" him? Could he dare to expose the truth? He had already surrendered today, and his life and fortune were all in the Marshal's hands. How could he dare to waver again?
Following Shi Shan's words, Wang Zongdao tried his best to appear impassioned:
"Marshal, you flatter me! The Mongol Yuan dynasty was tyrannical and oppressive for nearly a century. Taxes were as heavy as mountains and corvée labor was as fierce as a raging fire. It had long since lost the hearts of the people!"
The Red Flag Battalion, raising high the banner of righteousness, rescued the people from dire straits and saved them from fire and water. Wherever they went, the people welcomed them with food and drink. This was the mandate of Heaven and the inevitable trend of the times! We, who are but humble students, have studied the books of sages and understood the principles of obedience and rebellion. To respond to the royal army is our duty; how dare we presume to claim even the smallest merit!

His words not only cleared him of suspicion of "actively planning" the surrender of the city, but also elevated Shishan and the Red Flag Battalion to the status of being ordained by Heaven, while incidentally expressing his loyalty. It was undeniably a smooth maneuver.

"well said!"

Shi Shan clapped his hands and laughed, expressing his satisfaction with Wang Zongdao's "getting the hang of it." Before his laughter subsided, his tone abruptly changed, his gaze sharpening like a knife as he swept over Zhu Liangzu, who knelt beside him like a wounded beast. His voice suddenly turned cold:
"How can someone follow the example of the rebellious, treating the lives of the people of Lu'an as worthless for their own power and selfish interests, and attempting to plunge the entire city into war and suffering! How should such people who defy heaven and reason and bring disaster to the country and its people be dealt with?"

"Marshal Shi!"

Zhu Liangzu's heart sank to the bottom when he saw Shi Shan merely glance at him before chatting and laughing with Wang Zongdao. Now, hearing these scathing pronouncements—"abandoning the obedience to the right path," "bringing disaster to the country and its people," "plunging the masses into misery"—his intense will to survive caused him to erupt in a hoarse roar:
"Marshal Shi has the world in his heart and is determined to sweep away the Mongol Yuan dynasty and rebuild the world! To achieve this unparalleled feat, how can he do without elite soldiers and brave generals who are armed and ready to charge into battle?!"
I, Liangzu, am unworthy, yet I presumptuously believed myself to possess the strength of ten thousand men! I previously failed to recognize the might of the Marshal, like a frog in a well trying to see the sky, foolishly attempting to resist with the strength of a mantis! Now that I have been defeated and captured, I, Liangzu, am completely convinced of my defeat and accept my fate!

"If the Marshal can disregard past grievances and take in this guilty man, I, Liangzu, will surely serve him with utmost loyalty and dedication, risking my life to wipe out the villains and charge into battle for him!"

Shi Shan slowly turned around, the smile on his face gone, and calmly looked at Zhu Liangzu kneeling on the ground. He remained silent for a moment before speaking:
“You are right. Those who conquer the world must have the magnanimity to embrace all things. Although I am not talented, I know that to achieve great things, one must gather the best talents and brave men in the world to serve one’s own purposes.”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Liangzu's eyes instantly lit up with wild joy, as if he had grasped a lifeline. Just as he was about to express his gratitude, Shi Shan changed the subject.

"However, the world belongs to all people! How can I, Shi, act arbitrarily based on my own selfish desires?"

Shi Shan turned to Wang Zongdao, whose face was deathly pale, and asked, word by word:

"Commander Zhu said, 'I am willing to accept defeat,' and earnestly request to serve. Master Wang, you are a renowned scholar of Lu'an and deeply understand the people's sentiments. In your opinion, is this man capable? And how should he be employed?"

Wang Zongdao's heart trembled violently. Yesterday, in the command tent, Marshal Shi's words, "How much blood my Red Flag Battalion's men shed in this battle, the Zhu family will have to repay that blood debt," still echoed in his ears. This was not an inquiry; it was clearly a death sentence pronounced on Zhu Liangzu through his words!
He wanted to use Wang Zongdao's "public opinion" to silence the dissent! If he said it was usable, he would immediately offend Marshal Shi. But if he said it was unusable, the Zhu family had many people and their interests were deeply intertwined. If things changed in the future, wouldn't he become the Zhu family's number one target for revenge?

Large beads of sweat rolled down Wang Zongdao's temples. His throat felt parched, his legs were weak, and his mind raced. The instinct for survival and his fear of Shi Shan's methods overwhelmed everything else. He took a deep breath, trying to maintain a steady tone, and said:

"Marshal is humble and open-minded, and his willingness to accept talented people is the mark of a wise ruler! However, the fate of Commander Zhu is of great importance and cannot be decided by one person alone. Could you please convene the elders and common people of the city in three days to jointly review the old case and discuss Commander Zhu's fate together?"

"what--!"

Zhu Liangzu was all too aware of his reputation in Lu'an. He had been accused of forcibly collecting grain and taxes, suppressing dissidents, and harassing the people with his troops. Every single one of these crimes was beyond redemption. The so-called "joint trial" was nothing more than a formality, an excuse to sentence him to death!

At that time, even members of the Zhu clan will step forward to sever ties with him.

Zhu Liangzu, who had harbored a sliver of hope for Wang Zongdao yesterday, now felt nothing but overwhelming hatred! His ferocity erupted completely; like a wounded tiger, ignoring the excruciating pain from the arrow wound in his shoulder and the ropes binding him, he struggled desperately to his feet and lunge at Wang Zongdao, letting out a beast-like roar:

"Wang Zongdao! You hypocrite who spouts righteousness and morality! You heartless and despicable villain! I should have slaughtered your whole family yesterday to prevent future troubles!"

Feng Guosheng snorted coldly and kicked Zhu Liangzu hard in the back of the knee. Several fierce soldiers immediately pounced on him, smashing him down with their sword sheaths and gun barrels, pinning him to the ground and gagging him, leaving only his angry whimpers.

Shi Shan watched this farce with a cold eye, already knowing full well what Zhu Liangzu's fate would be.

He did want to kill this man, but not because of his resistance to the Red Flag Battalion—there were many who resisted, and he was willing to subdue anyone he could. Rather, it was because Zhu Liangzu was violent and arrogant, had a long history of misdeeds, and acted without any moral compass, making him completely incompatible with the Red Flag Battalion's foundation of tax exemption and the rectification of officialdom.

Leaving this person alive would not only make him difficult to control, but could also turn him into a malignant tumor that could tarnish the reputation of the Red Flag Battalion's discipline at any moment. Rather than causing trouble later, it's better to seize this opportunity and use "public opinion" to eliminate any future problems.

Seeing that Feng Guosheng had completely taken control of the situation, Shi Shan casually waved his hand.

"Take him away and keep him under strict guard, awaiting trial and sentencing."

After dealing with Zhu Liangzu, Shi Shan's icy expression melted away instantly, replaced by a warm smile, as if his previous coldness had never occurred. He patted the still-shaken Wang Zongdao on the shoulder affectionately, his tone as relaxed as inviting a friend on a trip:
"Master Wang, show me what kind of 'foundation' this Liuan Prefecture has that could nurture a 'hero' like Zhu Liangzu?"

He deliberately emphasized the words "foundation" and "heroes," his gaze sweeping across the dilapidated houses and terrified people on both sides of the street with a half-smile. His eyes seemed to want to penetrate this city that had just submitted and see the filth hidden within it.

Wang Zongdao was jolted awake by the stone hand, feeling its weight as heavy as a mountain, imbued with undeniable power. He quickly bowed, his voice carrying the exhaustion of someone who had just survived a close call, along with a barely perceptible hint of obsequiousness:

"Yes...yes! I...I am willing to lead the way for the Marshal!"

He knew that "examining the true foundation" was the beginning of the real purge. He was now firmly bound to Marshal Shi's chariot, with no turning back. The sweltering air was thick with the stench of blood, the smoke of gunpowder, and the cold, metallic scent of the new order following the power shift.

……

P.S.: Two big chapters today, over 10,000 words. My mind feels completely empty after writing them.

(End of this chapter)