Sweep Yuan

Chapter 191 Busy on the Eve of the Great Battle

Xue Xian's arrival was like a boulder thrown into a deep pool, completely shattering the lifelessness of Suzhou.

The fact that Zhao Junyong and Peng Erlang could think of Li and Xue's joint operation means that Shishan has already extended its reach into Suzhou, and the generals under their command can also think of it.

Even if someone is rather dull-witted, seeing their comrades who were originally laughing at Li Xixi suddenly turn their eyes to light and rush towards Li Xixi's camp to get closer to him, even the most numb nerves would be activated by this abnormal situation.

With Xuzhou under siege and Marshal Li's support about to crumble, the generals in Suzhou were already plotting their escape routes: surrender? Escape? Or seek a new master?

People's hearts are restless, and undercurrents are surging; all that's needed is a trigger to erupt.

Now, the opportunity has arrived, and it's with a towering tree even thicker and more lush than the Sesame Plum—Marshal Stone! So, tell me: do you want to climb to the top?
Do you want to board this "fast ship" that seems to be able to sail away from the abyss of destruction?
Are you still hesitating? Still want to wait and see?

Row!
Some people can't wait!

Don't regret missing this "clippery boat" later!

The news spread like wildfire, instantly reaching every corner of Suzhou City, making those generals with ulterior motives restless.

The general's mansion suddenly became deserted, while the somewhat dilapidated camp in the east of the city, which had originally housed miscellaneous and collateral troops, became the liveliest place in all of Suzhou. Generals of all ranks, each with their own agenda, flocked to Li Xixi's tent.

"Brother Li is loyal and righteous! I am willing to lead my troops to follow you and go to Xuzhou together, even at the cost of my life!"

This is someone who considers themselves upright and still needs "loyalty and righteousness" as a fig leaf.

"Bah! What are those two bastards, Peng and Zhao! They take all the benefits, while we're the ones who get to die, and they don't even care about Marshal Li's life or death. Only a righteous man like Brother Li is worthy of leading us old brothers. Whoever Brother Li tells me to kill, I'll kill, without hesitation!"

—This is someone who had suffered oppression from Peng and Zhao in the past, and had no old friendship with Li Xixi, so he had no choice but to "sell himself" and seek refuge.

“Brother Li, please go out of the city and fight the enemy with peace of mind. Although I do not have your heroic spirit and martial prowess, I have some connections in Suzhou City and can guard the city gate for you and protect your retreat.”

—This is someone who lacks the courage to leave the city, yet has the audacity to betray Zhao Junyong and Peng Erlang, all for the sake of having a name on Marshal Shi's list.

Even worse, relying on his past relationship with Xue Xian, he went straight to the east city wall and shouted at Xue Xian from afar, secretly revealing the true situation in the city.

To be honest, Li Xixi and Xue Xian were originally recognized as the most capable and valiant generals under Peng Erlang and Zhao Junyong. These generals hadn't really defected to outsiders, so you can't just find fault with them.

Previously, Peng Erlang and Zhao Junyong retreated to Suzhou, focusing on preserving their strength and ignoring the fate of Zhima Li, watching as Xuzhou fell.

Now, their subordinates followed suit, flocking to Li Xixi and Xue Xian. Peng Erlang and Zhao Junyong, however, dared not make any rash moves—because they also wanted to leave themselves a way out, at least not to drive themselves into a dead end.

At this point, Peng and Zhao didn't even dare to raise their tents and summon the generals to force them to take sides and express their opinions. They knew perfectly well that if they did that, the situation could easily get out of control, forcing those who were originally undecided to directly side with Li Xixi and Xue Xian.

Of course, Peng Erlang and Zhao Junyong were originally local powerful figures, and after operating in Suzhou for nearly a year, they still had quite a few loyal confidants.

These people are deeply intertwined with their interests, and they routinely consider themselves "direct descendants" and "founding members," often bullying collateral and non-direct descendants. Fearing that they would also be purged if Peng and Zhao fell from power, they have no choice but to stick closely together with them.

Within half a day, the city of Suzhou had been divided into several distinct factions.

To prevent Peng and Zhao from resorting to desperate measures, Li Xixi decisively led his more than 3,000 men, who had clearly pledged allegiance to him, to occupy the entire eastern camp and forcibly take over the defense of the east gate. He then allowed Xue Xian's 3,000 troops to enter the city and join forces with them.

Peng and Zhao's elite troops also quickly mobilized and deployed in the west and north of the city, swords drawn and arrows nocked.

The city was instantly tense, with swords drawn and the atmosphere becoming extremely tense!
The remaining miscellaneous troops retreated to the south of the city, while the civilians remained huddled in their homes, barely daring to breathe. The streets were deserted, with only the neighing of warhorses and the metallic clanging of armor plates echoing in the deathly silence.

Just as everyone held their breath, thinking that Xue Xian and Li Xixi would go all out and take advantage of their military strength and the newly won hearts of the people to directly fight Peng and Zhao and seize control of Suzhou in one fell swoop.

Unexpectedly, the long-absent sounds of troop deployment and formation rang out from the eastern camp.

"Raise shields! Raise spears! Force them back! Fly through!"

"Move swiftly! Advance steadily! Stand at attention!"

Under the scorching sun, dust flew everywhere.

Thousands of newly assembled soldiers, under the command of Li Xixi, Xue Xian, and their officers, are sweating profusely as they conduct the most basic drills and combat coordination training!

The shouts of battle were deafening. Although the ranks were still somewhat disorganized and their movements were rather clumsy, their determination to hone their skills and make a name for themselves was undeniable.

This move greatly surprised Peng Erlang, Zhao Junyong, and even all the onlookers.

Therefore, Li Xixi even sent his trusted confidant Bai Buxin to the general's mansion to pay a visit to Peng Erlang and Zhao Junyong.

The atmosphere inside the general's mansion was so oppressive it was almost palpable.

Peng Erlang sat in the main seat, his face ashen, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the armrest. Zhao Junyong sat beside him, his eyes narrowed, like a venomous snake poised to strike.

Bai Buxin, dressed in military uniform, strode into the hall with his head held high. He clasped his hands in a salute to the two men and said in a loud, clear voice, neither humble nor arrogant:
"Reporting to General Peng and General Zhao, Commander Li has gathered enough troops to reinforce Xuzhou. However, the various armies have formed their own factions and are difficult to coordinate. They need to be rigorously trained before they can go out of the city to fight. Commander Li sent me here to request that the two generals allocate armor, weapons, and military rations."

Bai Buxin's words were logical and his reasons were plausible. Upon hearing them, Peng Erlang's tense nerves subconsciously relaxed slightly, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. As long as they didn't immediately turn on each other and engage in a bloody battle, there was still room for maneuver!

He immediately turned to Zhao Junyong beside him, his eyes asking: Should we give it to him or not? How much? Old Zhao, what do you think we should do?
Zhao Junyong sneered inwardly. He simply did not believe that Li Xixi and Xue Xian had made such a big fuss just to rescue Sesame Li! He suspected that these two "traitors" had some kind of conspiracy behind them.

But what Zhao is least afraid of is scheming. Isn't it just about power struggles, division, and winning over others? As long as he has time, he is confident that he can use his position and resources to win back those wavering generals one by one.

Thinking of this, Zhao Jun nodded slightly to Peng Erlang, then turned to Bai Buxin, his voice deliberately steady:

"Oh? Reorganization? That makes sense. So, Commander Bai, how many days of training do you need?"

As he spoke, Zhao Jun stared intently at Bai Buxin's face, trying to detect a hint of guilt or a lie.

"Ten days!" Bai Buxin's answer was resolute.

This number instantly made Peng Erlang and Zhao Junyong's expressions turn extremely ugly!

Ten days?!
How many changes can happen in these ten days? What exactly are Li Xixi and Xue Xian planning?
Bai Buxin seemed oblivious to the unpleasant expressions on their faces, and added:

"If Xuzhou is in dire need, we will send troops ahead of time. But this battle is to relieve the siege of Xuzhou and fight against the Yuan army. We are already outnumbered. If our training is not up to par, we will be sending them to their deaths. It would be best if we could train for ten days."

Ten days it is!
Zhao Jun focused his mind; although ten days was a long time, it gave him room to maneuver. He exchanged another glance with Peng Erlang, both seeing the helplessness and temporary compromise in each other's eyes.

"That's fine!"

Zhao Junyong seemed to have made a great decision, and let out a heavy sigh.

"Since it's for rescuing Marshal Li, and for the sake of the bigger picture, the provisions for these ten days of training..."

He paused deliberately, appearing to be struggling with something.

“We’ll grit our teeth and tighten our belts to scrape together the money for you no matter what! But, as you know, Commander Bai, there’s not much food in the city. When you’re training, the people and horses are eating and consuming a lot of resources.”

If we provide too much rations for training, we'll have a hard time ensuring adequate supplies when you actually lead your troops into battle. Even a skilled cook can't make a meal without ingredients! As for weaponry…”

He hesitated for a moment, seemingly taking stock of his inventory, before making a decision as if he were making a huge concession.

"There's still some stock in the warehouse, but it's not much. Here's what we'll do: we'll allocate enough armor for six hundred men. That's the limit; we can't give you any more!"

Those who defected to Li Xixi were mostly miscellaneous collateral relatives who were usually disliked. Their armor was tattered and incomplete, and their training was severely inadequate. The armor and equipment for 600 men were simply not enough to fill the gaps.

But Bai Buxin knew all too well how sharp and wary Zhao Junyong was of the miscellaneous collateral branches. Being able to get equipment for 600 people at once was already the biggest "concession" that this old fox had no choice but to make at the moment.

If pushed too far, even if that old fox gives it to us, he'll definitely tamper with the quality of the equipment.

Moreover, Bai Buxin's trip to ask for equipment and provisions was originally a delaying tactic devised by Li Xixi. When Marshal Shi met with him, he clearly promised to provide the necessary equipment and financial support.

Today, I came to Zhao Junyong to ask for it, but only to temporarily appease Peng and Zhao and ease the tense atmosphere in the city that was about to explode, so as not to affect Commander Li's training and preparation for war.

"Well... on behalf of Commander Li, I thank you both for your consideration!" Having basically achieved his goal, Bai Buxin clasped his hands in a fist salute and prepared to take his leave.

"Bai Baihu, wait!" Zhao Junyong suddenly called out to him.

Bai Buxin paused, turned around, and saw Zhao Junyong instantly put on a warm, spring-like smile, a change of expression that was astonishing.

Zhao Junyong stood up, walked up to Bai Buxin, and said with a smile:
"Hey, look at us, we've been so busy talking about trivial things like provisions and weapons that we almost forgot about the important matter!"

After saying that, Zhao Jun turned to look at Peng Erlang and said in a heartfelt tone: “Li Qianhu has made many military achievements in the past, and now he is going to represent the troops of Suzhou to rescue Marshal Li. How can we let a meritorious person be confined to the position of Qianhu and command the army in an illegitimate manner?”
"Old Peng, I intend to promote Commander Li to General, and Bai Buxin should also be promoted to Commander. What do you think?"

Who doesn't know that Li Xixi always fought first, but because he wasn't one of Peng Erlang's direct subordinates, he could only settle for the position of a thousand-household commander despite his many military achievements? This is clearly Peng Erlang's nepotism, which forced a fierce general like Li Xixi to defect to Shishan!
Zhao Jun used this old fox to create a system of two generals in one army, and also promoted Bai Buxin. On the surface, it was a favor, but in the heart, it was a treacherous scheme to sow discord between Li Xixi and Xue Xian and Bai Buxin.

Why don't you just handle this matter directly? Why bring up old issues again and expose Peng Erlang's disgraceful mistreatment of meritorious officials, just to show off your competence?

Peng Erlang felt as if he had been forced to swallow a huge, smelly, hard pile of dog excrement, which disgusted him to death. However, because he and Zhao Junyong were working together to deal with Li Xixi and Xue Xian, he could not turn against Bai Buxin in front of him.

He could only force out an extremely awkward smile, squeezing out a few words through gritted teeth:

“Excellent! We’ll do as General Zhao says!”

"On behalf of Chief Steward Li, this humble general thanks General Peng and General Zhao for their kindness in promoting me! This humble general takes his leave!"

Bai Buxin clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice booming, emphasizing the words "Chief Steward Li." As for Zhao Junyong and Peng Erlang's simultaneous promises to promote him to the rank of commander of a thousand men? Bai Buxin seemed not to have heard them at all, not even giving them a glance, and turned to stride away.

Li Xixi's previous official position was a commander of a thousand men. Now that he was in charge of more than three thousand soldiers, he really needed the position of general manager to be legitimate. Bai Buxin accepted Zhao Junyong's poisoned candy without hesitation on Li Xixi's behalf.

As for giving himself a thousand households?
What a joke! I, Lao Bai, have already pledged allegiance to Marshal Shi. The Red Flag Battalion's military system is completely different from that of the Red Turban Army in Xuzhou. How far we can go in the end depends on our own abilities. Who cares about your ill-intentioned title of "Thousand-Household Commander"?
Watching Bai Buxin's figure disappear through the door, Zhao Jun's smile froze instantly, his eyes turned sinister, and his face darkened, like the sky before a storm.

What an ungrateful bastard!

Seeing that Bai Buxin had already left, Peng Erlang, fearing that Zhao Junyong might lose control of his anger and cause further trouble, quickly nudged Zhao Junyong with his elbow, while simultaneously forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace, and loudly called out to Bai Buxin's retreating figure:

"Hehehe, good! I, Lao Peng... I, Lao Peng, like Brother Bai, a straightforward and righteous man who doesn't crave fame! Go, go, if there's any shortage or need in the camp, come find me and Lao Zhao anytime... anytime!" He himself felt that these words were extremely hypocritical.

Back at the East Camp, Bai Buxin vividly recounted Peng and Zhao's reactions and words in front of Li Xixi and Xue Xian, pointing out the conspiracy behind appointing Li Xixi as the chief steward and his own considerations in accepting the position on behalf of Li Qianhu.

"...That old fox deliberately elevated the commander to the rank of general, trying to play his old trick of sowing discord! But I think, the commander now commands these thousands of men...no matter how insidious his 'general' title is, we'll wear it for now!"

"As for him bestowing that damn 'commander of a thousand' title on me?" Bai Buxin scoffed. "Utterly useless! I'll just treat it as him talking nonsense!"

Li Xixi and Xue Xian were not familiar with each other due to their different positions (Xue Xian was promoted to general and led the Shishan expedition to Lingbi, while Li Xixi had just been promoted to centurion), and they were under the command of Peng Erlang and Zhao Junyong respectively. Fearing that the latter might misunderstand, Li Xixi deliberately put on a stern face and pretended to reprimand Bai Buxin, saying:

"You scoundrel! What nonsense are you spouting! We are all under Marshal Shi's command, and we are wholeheartedly devoted to serving Marshal Shi! The Marshal ordered us to train our troops and prepare for battle to save Xuzhou, so we will train our troops well and prepare for battle!"

"What a load of rubbish! You don't even care about the commander-in-chief position Zhao Junyong bestowed upon you, yet you've gone to all the trouble of getting me a commander-in-chief position? I think you're brainless—"

As he spoke, he made a gesture as if to slap Bai Buxin on the head. These words were ostensibly an insult to Bai Buxin, but in reality, they were meant for Xue Xian, to show that he would follow Shi Shan's lead in everything and had no desire to seize power or profit.

"Alas! Brother Li, please calm down!"

Seeing this, Xue Xian quickly reached out to stop Li Xixi's raised arm, a hearty smile on his face. He patted Li Xixi's shoulder, then looked at Bai Buxin and laughed:

"Brother Bai did the right thing! Brother Li, you deserve that chief steward title, you should take it! As for Old Zhao, I've followed him for so many years, I can tell what he's up to the moment he makes a move!"

I was blind before, actually recognizing such a narrow-minded, calculating person as my 'older brother'! It wasn't until I witnessed Marshal Shi's magnanimity and character that I realized what a true hero is!

In front of Xue Xian, Li Xixi declared that he was "devoted solely to Marshal Shi" to dispel any potential misunderstandings. Xue Xian, too, needed to use this opportunity to clearly sever ties with his past and to demonstrate his stance to Li Xixi, his new ally.

Both understood each other's intentions. Their eyes met, revealing their sincerity and determination. The slight gloom caused by Zhao Jun's poisonous scheme instantly dissipated.

"Hahaha!"

The two of them burst into laughter at the same time, their laughter hearty and full of relief and confidence in the future.

On the other hand, Zhao Junyong was not only cunning but also very capable. After sending Bai Buxin away and confirming that Li Xixi and Xue Xianzhen were temporarily staying in the East City Camp to train troops and showed no signs of launching an immediate attack, he and Peng Erlang split up and began a frantic campaign to win over and divide the enemy.

In the side hall of the general's mansion, the doors and windows were tightly shut. Zhao Jun summoned a commander, a man who had previously been on good terms with Xue Xian but was somewhat timid, for a private audience. Expensive sandalwood incense burned in the hall, but it couldn't dispel the tense and calculating atmosphere.

"Brother Wang."

Zhao Jun personally poured the other party a cup of tea, his tone gentler than ever before.

“You’re an old man from Xiao County. How have I, Old Zhao, treated you in the past? In this situation, Li Xixi and Xue Xian are so ignorant and arrogant that they insist on dragging everyone into that fire pit in Xuzhou… Even Sesame Li can’t hold on anymore. If they go, what is it but suicide?”

He observed the other person's shifty eyes, lowered his voice, and spoke with a seductive tone:

“I know you have elderly parents and young children to support, unlike those bachelors who can risk everything. Take my advice: preserve your strength and avoid direct confrontation. That’s the best strategy! ... As long as you keep your men in check, once this storm passes, that lucrative farmland in the west of the city will be yours!”

After promising them official positions and exploiting their fear of death, he repeatedly emphasized that the Yuan army was too powerful to be defeated and that a direct confrontation would surely result in certain death. He argued that the only "wise" and "lifeline" was to preserve their strength and avoid direct confrontation.

A similar scene was playing out on Peng Erlang's side.

Peng and Zhao, using their power over the distribution of funds and grain and their status as generals, employed both soft and hard tactics, successfully persuading some wavering and opportunistic generals to quietly side with them.

At least verbally, these people made various promises to Peng and Zhao, saying they would restrain their subordinates and observe the situation. As for how much of these promises would be fulfilled when things actually happened, that would depend on whether the two generals were willing to offer them real money and tangible benefits.

Zhao Junyong looked at the names on the list that had been "reclaimed" and a sinister smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

Time, all he needs is time!

Just as the situation in Suzhou was brewing undercurrents beneath the surface of this temporary calm, and a dramatic change was brewing once again, Zhao Jun's junior officer, who had been sent to monitor the area outside the eastern camp, suddenly reported:

“Report——!!!”

"What's the panic! What kind of behavior is this!" Zhao Jun scolded with displeasure, but his heart inexplicably tightened.

"Report! General Zhao! Something terrible has happened! A... a Red Flag Battalion cavalry unit! It has... it has entered the city and gone straight into the eastern camp!" The junior officer was out of breath, his voice trembling.

"what?!"

Zhao Jun felt a "buzz" in his head, as if a thunderbolt had exploded above his head. He suddenly stood up from his chair, knocking over the pen holder on the table and splashing ink all over himself without even noticing.

He hadn't been unaware that the Red Flag Battalion from Shishan would come, but he never expected them to arrive so quickly!

In his calculations, it would take time for Li Xixi and his group to send out intelligence, and for Shishan to receive the news and mobilize troops. Traveling hundreds of miles in the sweltering heat would take even longer, so it would take at least twenty days.

The Red Flag Battalion arrived so quickly, so what about Shishan himself? Will he arrive soon too?

Shi Shan arrived with overwhelming power, so what were Zhao Jun's elaborate schemes of offering official positions, sowing discord, and buying time? Was it all just a laughable monkey show?
"How many people?! Who is leading the troops?!" Zhao Jun's voice became sharp and shrill with shock and fear, completely losing his composure.

The junior officer had never seen his general so out of control, and he trembled with fear, quickly spilling out all the information he knew:
"There were about eight hundred men, all dressed in red robes and black armor, riding tall horses. The leading cavalry general carried a banner that read 'Second General Feng of the Valiant Cavalry Guard'."

"The Valiant Cavalry Guard Feng... 'Mad Tiger' Feng Guosheng?!"

Zhao Jun cried out in shock, feeling his hands and feet instantly turn ice-cold.

Feng Guosheng, a famous and fierce general under Shishan, known as the "Mad Tiger" for his bravery, fearlessness, and madness in battle, actually brought his troops in person. The troops he brought were the elite of Shishan's most trusted subordinates—the Xiaoqiwei!
Li Xixi and Xue Xian were originally among the top generals under Peng and Zhao, and now another fierce general from the Red Flag Battalion has joined them.

Could it be that Shishan really wants to confront the main force of the Yuan army head-on in order to relieve the siege of Xuzhou?
But now that things have come to this, even if Zhao Jun were to go all out and fight Li Xixi and the others, he wouldn't have much of a chance of winning—Shishan could send one Feng Guosheng, so who knows if they wouldn't send someone else?

Zhao Junyong quickly found Peng Erlang, and the two discussed it for a long time before finally coming up with a solution: instead of the promised ten days of supplies to Bai Buxin, they would deliver the supplies to the camp every day, thus controlling the money and food to prevent the fellow from causing trouble.

Having spent the entire night in fear and trepidation, Peng Erlang and Zhao Junyong barely slept a wink.

The candles in the general's study burned out and were replaced, and the sky outside the window gradually turned from pitch black to pale white. The two sat listlessly in their chairs, listening to the ticking of the water clock, feeling that every moment was incredibly long.

After daybreak, the trusted junior officer sent to monitor the area near the eastern camp reported back every half hour, with each report containing largely the same information:
The camp was filled with shouts of men and neighing of horses, and the sounds of drills were constant. There were no signs of large-scale mobilization, nor were there frequent personnel coming and going.

"Still practicing... They're still fucking practicing..."

Peng Erlang scratched his greasy hair in frustration, his bloodshot eyes filled with confusion and a hint of relief at surviving a disaster.

"That mad tiger Feng Guosheng is in jail, what exactly are they planning to do? Are they really going to train for ten days straight to take down the Yuan dogs' main force?!"

Amidst their confusion, time quietly passed to late afternoon, when another junior officer came to report. This man had finally learned his lesson and finished speaking in one breath.

"Report! General Peng, General Zhao, a thousand Red Flag Battalion cavalry have entered the city. The leading cavalry general is carrying the banner of 'Guo, the Third General of the Valiant Cavalry Guard.' Accompanying the army are three thousand laborers and a large number of supply wagons, carrying countless supplies."

"what!"

(End of this chapter)