Sweep Yuan

Chapter 201 Incompetence Leads to Great Trouble

"Report! Marshal, they've retreated! Marshal Yuan has really retreated!"

After anxiously waiting for most of the day, Sesame Li finally received the news he wanted.

But even after climbing the city wall again and seeing the Yuan army's camp in the distance with its fences knocked down, tents askew, and countless Yuan soldiers retreating in panic to the northwest like ants whose nests had been destroyed, Sesame Li still couldn't believe his eyes.

"We won?! We...we're saved?!"

Sesame Li muttered to himself, overwhelmed by a surge of immense joy and the exhaustion of surviving a calamity, causing him to sway and almost lose his balance. Who was it? Who had defeated the ferocious Yuan army and lifted the siege of Xuzhou?
But he didn't dwell on the issue for too long—regardless of who saved him and Xuzhou, he needed to confirm the Yuan dogs' retreat first.

After a siege of more than a month, the city's soldiers and civilians were dead and wounded, and morale had plummeted to rock bottom. Sesame Li desperately needed this news to boost morale.

"Quick! Follow me to the city! Let all the soldiers and civilians see! The Yuan dogs have escaped! We've won!" Sesame Li roared hoarsely, his voice trembling with excitement.

The remaining defenders on the city wall and the soldiers and civilians who rushed over upon hearing the news crowded behind the crenellations, staring blankly at the scene of chaos and panic below. After a moment of silence, they erupted into earth-shattering cheers and cries.

Despite their elation, a sliver of doubt and fear remained in the hearts of the generals.

Could Yuan Gou's cunning be a trap to lure the enemy?
Sesame Li was not sure either, so he could only wait until the Yuan army had withdrawn before sending out a team of 500 men to investigate.

Passing through the overturned palisades and over the scattered barricades, they sneaked into the Yuan army camp, where the sight before them left the soldiers dumbfounded:

Piles of grain and straw, bundles of arrows and crossbows, pots and pans scattered all over the ground, and even many intact tents and armor and weapons that had not been taken away...

Everything indicated that the Yuan army's retreat was hasty and not a deception.

The leading general also found a pile of scattered documents in the main tent. Although he was illiterate, he knew that these documents were important and took them back to the city to report.

"Marshal! Yuan Gou really escaped! There's still a lot of supplies in the camp, which we didn't dare burn. And these documents are scattered in the main tent!" The general dismounted, panting, but his face was filled with the ecstatic joy of surviving a disaster. He untied the heavy package and presented it with both hands.

Sesame Li's heart pounded. He eagerly took the pile of scattered papers and stood under the city gate, frantically flipping through them.

Most of them were lists of provisions, troop deployment orders, or trivial correspondence, until his fingers brushed against a slightly altered draft paper, and his gaze suddenly froze. On that paper were written:

"...The Red Flag Bandit has mobilized a large force in Shishan and is marching north in full force...!"

"Hahaha! I knew it! I knew it!"

Sesame Li suddenly raised the paper high, as if holding a victory flag, and looked around at his bewildered subordinates and the soldiers and civilians who had gathered upon hearing the news. His voice was loud and clear, full of excitement and certainty:

"It was Brother Shishan who personally led the army and defeated the Yuan dogs who were besieging our Xuzhou. He saved Xuzhou and the lives of all the soldiers and civilians in the city! In my life, I, Li Er, only admire Brother Shishan. Only a true hero and great man like Brother Shishan is worthy of ruling Xuzhou and conquering the world!"

Seeing that Sesame Li was so excited that he actually said "sitting in Xuzhou will get him the world", the civil and military officials around him changed their expressions instantly. They knew their marshal too well. These words... were clearly a public declaration that he was going to hand over the Xuzhou base to others!
Sesame Li was indeed not a qualified leader, but he was kind to people and turned a blind eye to his subordinates taking advantage of others. Although everyone was worried about Yuan Gou's counterattack, they lived a very comfortable life under his leadership.

If Marshal Li had truly defected to Shishan, given the harsh methods employed by Marshal Shi, would these "old people" of Xuzhou still be able to live so peacefully?
The crowd was in turmoil, exchanging glances, but no one dared to voice their doubts at this moment.

The Red Flag Battalion has already routed the main Yuan army and is about to enter the city. Who knows how many of my colleagues are secretly plotting to switch sides and pledge their allegiance to a new master?

At this moment, all the unease and scheming in my heart could only turn into a suppressed silence.

The general who had gone out to scout noticed the strange atmosphere and, steeling himself, broke the silence, asking:
"Marshal, what should we do with the supplies and provisions in the Yuan dog camp?"

In the past, Sesame Li would have been overjoyed and immediately ordered the camp to be emptied, the army rewarded, the people given relief, and the people's hearts won over.

But having gone through this life-or-death ordeal, his spirit has changed.

Sesame Li glanced at his silent generals, then recalled the isolation and helplessness during the siege, the despair of piling up firewood in preparation for "self-immolation," and compared it with the righteous act of rushing to the aid of Shishan from hundreds of miles away. A complex emotion welled up in his heart.

"Seal them all up!"

Sesame Li, unusually assertive, said:
"Keep everything intact, from grain and fodder to soldiers and weapons, and I will personally inspect and receive them when Brother Shi leads his army into the city."

Furthermore, immediately inform the entire city of the good news that the Yuan dogs have fled and Marshal Shi's army is about to arrive. Organize people to clear the streets and vacate barracks to prepare for the arrival of my brother Shi's army!

Chulan Station, the temporary camp of the Allied forces.

Shi Shan was extremely busy, pursuing the fleeing enemy, gathering surrendered soldiers, counting spoils, treating the wounded, and dealing with prisoners—everything required his decision. However, he still sent a messenger to Xuzhou to inform Sesame Li that the Yuan army had been defeated and to arrange a time for the allied forces to enter the city.

In this battle, the allied forces achieved a great victory.

The Yuan army's left flank of salt workers in Huaidong suffered heavy losses, with corpses strewn across the battlefield. However, thanks to Chang Yuchun's leniency at the last moment, Tian Feng's core officers and elite cavalry suffered relatively few losses, and it is estimated that he can gather nearly 6,000 defeated soldiers. There are also more than 2,000 wounded salt workers who can be redeemed after the battle.

Around 40% of the troops survived, making them the Yuan army unit with the most "complete" organizational structure in this battle.

Once these salt workers return to Huaidong, given the Yuan court's weak control over the region after the war, they will be hesitant to deal with Tian Feng.

The Yuan army's elite central force suffered the most heavy losses. Twenty-two thousand well-equipped soldiers, who were originally capable of fighting, collapsed at the last moment when Wuluo led three thousand cavalrymen to suddenly flee, causing panic across the entire front.

Post-battle inventory revealed that approximately 3,700 men were killed in action, and 2,600 were scattered and disappeared (not including the 3,000 cavalrymen taken away by Wuluo), with a total of over 11,000 officers and soldiers taken prisoner.

The Yuan army's right-wing river workers fought the fiercest and penetrated the deepest into the allied lines in this battle, suffering the greatest counterattacks. More than 9,000 were killed in battle, and more than 13,000 were captured.

Fortunately, the main force of the Red Flag Battalion was focused on encircling and annihilating the Yuan army's central army, leaving them no time to attend to other matters, which allowed Wang Xuan and his son to gather their remaining troops of nearly 7,000 and escape.

However, only slightly more than 20% of his troops survived; they had already been decimated.

Zeng Bocheng's surrendered troops, who defected in the face of battle, were relatively well-organized. By the end of the battle, more than 2,600 of them remained in formation and held their ground.

At that time, the battlefield was extremely chaotic, there were many prisoners of war to be dealt with, and the soldiers of all units were exhausted. Ishiyama did not want to cause any more unnecessary casualties, so he personally rode to the front of the battlefield to persuade them to surrender.

Knowing he would face retribution after surrendering, Zeng Bocheng showed some courage and begged Marshal Shi to spare his men before committing suicide to atone for his sins.

Except for a few officers who, fearing retribution, committed suicide along with Zeng Bocheng, the remaining troops lost all fighting spirit and eventually surrendered.

The spoils of this battle were the most abundant since the uprising at Shishan.

Mountains of swords, spears, shields, armor, bows, crossbows, and arrows, along with countless provisions, supplies, tents, and mules... enough to arm tens of thousands of troops.

But the price of victory was equally high.

Zhao Junyong deserted during the battle, and his remaining troops were almost completely wiped out.

Peng Erlang's troops originally numbered 6,400, and during the battle they absorbed nearly 1,000 of Zhao Junyong's routed soldiers. However, after a series of bloody battles, by the end of the war, less than 4,000 men were left who could barely stand.

Xue Xian's troops were fierce and brave, and they took on the heavy responsibility of counterattacking on the left flank. They suffered about 1,400 casualties (killed or seriously wounded and unable to fight).

Li Xixi's troops had too many newly recruited personnel and insufficient training, resulting in nearly 900 casualties.

The Red Flag Battalion, which was the main force, suffered a total of more than 4,300 casualties, the highest number in any major battle, and urgently needed rest and replenishment.

However, after this battle, the Yuan court's mobile field forces in the Xuhuai area suffered a devastating blow, and it was no longer possible to mobilize a large force capable of threatening the Red Flag Battalion in the short term. There was plenty of time to digest the fruits of victory after the war.

After tallying all the battle losses and spoils, the setting sun was already blood-red.

On the battlefield, the corpses had not yet been collected, and the stench of blood and burnt flesh mingled with the chill of the early autumn night, permeating the air. Guarding and settling tens of thousands of prisoners was a huge burden, and it was not advisable to march overnight, so Shishan ordered his troops to set up camp at Chulan Station for a night's rest.

The following day at dawn, the brutal aftereffects of the battle became apparent once more, with over 1,400 more prisoners of war dying from their injuries or falling into deep comas with little hope of survival. On the Allied side, nearly 700 seriously wounded soldiers were in critical condition and could not withstand the arduous journey.

Shi Shan left behind the Bashan Guard and the Zhongyi Guard to guard most of the prisoners, collect the corpses, treat the seriously wounded (the lightly wounded on both sides had already received basic first aid the day before), and clean up the battlefield. He personally led the main force, escorting six thousand prisoners of war, and set off for Xuzhou City.

On both sides of the road, the fields that were once crisscrossed with paths and rolling rice paddies are now only large areas scorched black by the flames of war, mud trampled and crushed by countless hooves and wheels, and desolation forcibly cut down to feed horses or looted by defeated soldiers.

A few surviving rice stalks, their shriveled grains hanging from them, swayed helplessly in the autumn wind. The irrigation ditches were clogged with corpses, emitting a foul stench. The air was no longer filled with the fresh scent of rice, but with the stench of death—a mixture of scorched earth, blood, and decay.

Shishan recruited soldiers in this area last year and sent them south, but now he can't see a single familiar face.

Nine out of ten villages along the way were empty.

Many houses were reduced to ruins, with charred beams leaning precariously among the rubble, silently testifying to the looting and burning. Courtyard walls collapsed, doors wide open, and weeds overgrown the courtyards.

Occasionally, one could see one or two gaunt, vacant-eyed old people or children huddled in a corner of the ruins. When they saw the army passing by, their eyes were filled with fear, and they would quickly hide like startled rabbits.

The sounds of chickens and dogs had long since vanished, leaving only the mournful cawing of crows as they pecked at the unburied livestock or the remains of victims lying by the roadside. On some ancient trees at the village entrances, the corpses of villagers executed by the Yuan army or marauding soldiers still hung, swaying gently in the wind—a truly gruesome sight.

Shi Shan sat astride his horse, his face somber. Victory in war has always come at the cost of the blood and tears of the people and the destruction of their homes.

Reconstruction and solace will be a more difficult burden than war.

Not long after the army had marched, the vanguard cavalry sent a fast horse to report:

"Reporting to the Marshal! Marshal Li has led the civil and military officials of Xuzhou City several miles outside the city, saying that he wanted to welcome the Marshal's arrival. However, he has been stopped by Commander Li. Please give your instructions, Marshal!"

What's wrong with this Sesame Li?!

Shi Shan frowned slightly. When he sent a messenger yesterday to inform him of the great victory and the lifting of the siege, Sesame Li had indeed expressed his gratitude in his reply, offering to personally come out of the city to welcome him. Shi Shan had assumed it was just a polite gesture, and that the civil and military officials of Xuzhou would at most come out of the city gates to greet him.

Xuzhou was besieged by the Yuan army for more than a month. The defending troops suffered heavy casualties, the city was short of supplies, and the people were in a state of panic.

At this moment, Sesame Li should be in the city, calming the still-shaken soldiers and civilians, restoring order, and deterring the villains, instead of disregarding the safety of the city's defenses and rashly leading civil and military officials to such a far place outside the city to hold a welcoming ceremony in order to express personal "loyalty" and gratitude!
This lack of regard for the seriousness of the matter truly infuriated Shishan.

Because of these concerns, Shishan specially arranged for the elite cavalry to lead the way today. This was not only to scout the route, but also to prevent chaos in Xuzhou and, if necessary, to enter the city first to stabilize the situation.

Unexpectedly, this Sesame Li is still so "willful and reckless"!
Shi Shan urged his mount to increase its speed. Upon reaching the southern outskirts of Xuzhou, the abandoned siege camps of the Yuan army were clearly visible.

On the open ground south of the camp, a large group of people stood in the dark, led by Sesame Li, the civil and military officials of Xuzhou.

Upon seeing the approaching banners of the Moon Guard and Stone Mountain, Sesame Li disregarded his status and jogged to greet them.

Only when Shishan reined in his horse and approached could he truly see what Sesame Plum looked like.

Marshal Li, who was once known for his plump and amiable appearance, was now emaciated, with sunken cheeks and dark circles under his eyes. His once well-fitting brocade robe now hung loosely on his body, as if a gust of wind could blow it over.

The long-term anxiety and despair had left deep marks on Sesame Li, and Shi Shan would hardly have recognized him if he hadn't been surrounded by people.

Although he disliked Sesame Li's reckless behavior, considering that they were both marshals of the Red Turban Army, Shi Shan did not want to humiliate Sesame Li in front of everyone. He immediately dismounted, quickly went to meet him, and reached out his hands to help the staggering Sesame Li.

"Brother Shi! Brother Shi!"

Sesame Li grabbed Shi Shan's arm, her voice choked with emotion, and tears welled up in her eyes instantly.

"You led your elite troops to defeat the Yuan invaders, lifted the siege of Xuzhou, and saved Li Er and the entire city's soldiers and civilians from dire straits. This kindness and virtue is like being given a second chance! Please accept Li Er's bow!"

Having said that, Sesame Li actually broke free from Shi Shan's hand and was about to kneel down in worship.

Shi Shan, quick-witted and agile, used both arms to firmly support Sesame Li, and said solemnly:

"Marshal Li! Absolutely not! Resisting the tyrannical Yuan is the duty of all righteous armies! Shi Shan has come not only to protect the overall situation of resisting the Yuan, but also to uphold the friendship between us who fought side by side in the past to resist the powerful enemy! We are of equal rank, how dare Shi Shan accept such a great gift?"

Seeing that Shi Shan had hardened his face, Sesame Li dared not insist any further. He simply wiped his face haphazardly with his sleeve and said repeatedly:

"Yes, yes, yes, Brother Shi is so righteous and generous! I... I'm just so happy! Brother Shi is deeply loved by the people and a brilliant strategist. The day he overthrows the tyrannical Yuan Dynasty and brings peace to the world, it will surely be Brother Shi who will rule the world!"

These words of praise were clearly flattering, but Shishan simply smiled and remained noncommittal.

His gaze shifted to the Yuan army camp behind Sesame Li, and he changed the subject:
"Yuan Gou fled yesterday, why haven't these unsightly camps been demolished yet?"

A hint of smugness appeared on Sesame Li's face, and he quickly said:
"Demolish! Demolish it now! Yuan Gou ran away in such a hurry that the camp's grain, fodder, and weapons were piled up like mountains, and we didn't even have time to set them on fire! I didn't dare touch a single pound of grain or a single weapon; I left them intact for Brother Shi! We're just waiting for Brother Shi to come and inspect and take them over!"

The Red Flag Battalion was the main force in this battle and made huge sacrifices; these spoils of war were rightfully theirs.

Shi Shan wasn't pretentious, nor was he a fool; he wouldn't refuse what was rightfully his. He nodded and said calmly:
"Marshal Li is very kind. The things abandoned by the Yuan dogs should be used as military supplies to support the great cause of resisting the Yuan. We should not stay here any longer and enter the city."

Everyone mounted their horses, but Sesame Li abandoned his subordinates, both civil and military, and insisted on riding alongside Shi Shan, introducing the people and affairs of Xuzhou along the way.

Approaching the city wall of Xuzhou, the brutal traces of war become even more shocking.

The once tall and sturdy city walls have long since lost their bricks, riddled with craters from the relentless bombardment by the massive Xiangyang cannons. Many sections of the parapets have been shattered, revealing jagged, broken edges. Numerous areas have been hastily filled with timber and sandbags, leaving them looking utterly dilapidated.

The city gate tower suffered the most damage and has completely collapsed.

The moat has also been filled in in many places, and the water is turbid and black, with debris and suspicious floating objects floating on it.

Passing through the dilapidated city gate, we entered the city. Although the streets had been hastily cleaned, their decay was still evident. Three or four out of ten houses on both sides had collapsed, and most of the houses that were still intact had broken doors and windows. The air was filled with the lingering stench of corpses.

The number of people organized to "line the streets to welcome" the Allied forces into the city was less than two thousand. They were all emaciated, with numb and dull expressions, and their eyes still held fear. Their weak cheers were more like an instinctive conditioned reflex.

The Red Turban Army soldiers maintaining order were also ragged, their eyes tired yet vigilant, like frightened birds.

As Ishiyama rode on horseback, watching all this, his discontent intensified. Sesame Lee had focused all his attention on how to please him and express gratitude, neglecting the most fundamental aspects of post-war appeasement and the reconstruction of order.

He went to great lengths to defeat the Yuan army, not for these empty titles, but for a new Xuzhou that could relieve the pressure on the Red Flag Battalion.

The group silently walked through the dilapidated streets and went straight to the Marshal's Mansion in the center of the city. The main hall had been swept clean and the piled firewood had been moved away, but there was still a faint smell of kerosene in the air.

—It is the mark left by Sesame Lee when he was preparing to "self-immolate" that silently tells the story of that dark time when he was on the verge of despair.

There was only one main seat in the hall, symbolizing the highest power in Xuzhou. Without the slightest hesitation, Sesame Li led Shi Shan to the main seat.

"Brother Shi, please take a seat!"

Shishan needed this position to rebuild Xuzhou, so he sat down without hesitation. He thought that Zhima Li would take the second seat, but he saw Shishan take three steps back, take a deep breath, and the smile on his face disappeared, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity and relief.

Sesame Li straightened his ill-fitting old robe, and then, under the astonished, fearful, and even angry gazes of the Xuzhou civil and military officials, he bowed down and performed a solemn salute to Shishan.

"Brother Stone!"

Sesame Li's voice trembled slightly, yet it was exceptionally clear and full of genuine emotion.

“You are a true hero among men! I, Li Er, am just a short-sighted country bumpkin with meager abilities and unworthy virtue, which is why I suffered the previous disaster. I also caused the entire city's soldiers and civilians to suffer with me, resulting in countless deaths and injuries. I am ashamed before my fellow villagers and my brothers.”

This city of Xuzhou, this banner of resistance against the Yuan, only Marshal Shi is worthy to hold it, only he can sit firmly in its place! I, Li Er, have no other desire in this life than to follow Marshal Shi, serving him faithfully, holding his horse and saddle, at his beck and call! I would never dare to have the slightest disloyalty!

(End of this chapter)