Sweep Yuan

Chapter 210 Civil and Military Officials United for a Great Cause
The autumn sun shone through the high, open windows, casting its light on the smooth, blue-brick floor of the Marshal's Mansion's main hall.

It was late September, and the summer heat in the Jianghuai region was gradually fading, leaving only a slight coolness in the air, carrying the fresh scent of ripening vegetation. In the courtyard outside the window, the edges of the leaves of several tall locust trees had turned pale yellow, rustling softly in the breeze, with a few early-fallen leaves occasionally swirling and drifting down.

The chief secretary of the Marshal's Office, the military advisor of the Military Command Office, the heads of various departments of the General Administration Office, and the commanders of the five directly subordinate guards stationed in Hefei City were arranged on both sides. All the highest-ranking civil and military officials of the Red Flag Battalion in Hefei City were summoned here.

The air was heavy, with only the faint sound of the wind outside the window and the soft rustling of falling leaves in the courtyard reminding us of the passage of time.

Guo Ying reported that everyone had arrived, and Shi Shan, dressed in a slightly worn indigo-blue robe with arrow-sleeved sleeves, entered through the back door, walked straight to the main desk, sat down, and gazed at everyone with a calm, deep gaze, getting straight to the point:
"Urgent report from Wuhe: The Yuan court has dispatched envoys to the ferry crossing, complete with ceremonial regalia, claiming to be acting on imperial orders. Tell me, what is the Yuan court up to by sending someone at this critical juncture? And how should we respond?"

Shishan knew, of course, why the Yuan court had suddenly sent an envoy, and he also knew how to respond.

Jiangnan was thrown into chaos by Xu Shouhui and Fang Guozhen, while in Jiangbei, the Yuan court failed to crush Sesame Li as planned and was instead defeated by the Red Flag Battalion's elite troops at the gates of Xuzhou. The "Iron Pot" Emperor and Prime Minister Tuotuo in Dadu must be feeling extremely uneasy.

The envoys sent this time are most likely seeking amnesty.

Shishan summoned everyone to take the opportunity to assess the stance and quality of his hastily assembled civil and military staff, and to unify the thoughts of most of them.

Although they usually work in the same compound, this was the first time since the establishment of the Marshal's Mansion that such a large-scale joint meeting of civil and military officials had been held, as Marshal Shi was often away on campaigns. Everyone was unsure of Marshal Shi's thoughts and worried about saying the wrong thing, so no one wanted to be the first to speak.

Seeing the awkward silence, Shi Nai'an finally couldn't suppress his upright spirit any longer. He stepped forward from the ranks, bowed towards Shishan, and said loudly:

"Marshal! Since none of my colleagues are willing to speak, I will offer my humble opinion as a starting point. Marshal, you have raised the banner of resistance against the Yuan and recovered sixteen cities. Recently, you launched a surprise attack on Xuzhou and defeated another 100,000-strong Tartar army. You bear the hopes of the people who are in dire straits."

The Marshal's ambition is to wipe out the tyrannical Yuan and restore China. Such a great undertaking cannot be undertaken halfway. Since we are irreconcilably opposed to the Mongol Yuan, we must clearly state our position and fight to the death. Only in this way can we unite the soldiers and civilians under our rule, and vow not to give up until the Tartars are defeated.

In my humble opinion, no matter what insidious schemes the Yuan envoys may harbor, we should not see them. Sending them back is the most resounding reply! To pay them any attention would only demoralize the army and the people.”

As soon as Shi Nai'an finished speaking, Guo Zongli, the magistrate of the Ministry of Rites, stepped forward to the left, first bowing respectfully to Shi Shan, then turning to Shi Nai'an with a perfectly timed smile, and cupped his hands in greeting:
“Prefect Shi’s loyalty and righteousness are commendable, and I admire him greatly. However, the Marshal’s establishment of his headquarters and the setting up of various departments and offices are intended to clarify military and political affairs and establish clear laws and regulations. Our Red Flag Battalion has long since shed its humble origins and is beginning to show the spirit of a founding nation. As a ‘nation,’ it should have the dignity and demeanor of a ‘nation.’”

Guo Zongli's gaze swept over the crowd, and his voice rose a few decibels:
"We are determined to resist the Yuan Dynasty and must be prepared to fight the Yuan court to the bitter end. However, there are also rules to follow in diplomatic dealings. How can we act like bandits, acting on impulse and doing whatever we please?"
The Yuan court sent envoys, yet we avoided meeting them. Firstly, this makes our Red Flag Battalion appear cowardly and timid, needlessly emboldening the Tartars; secondly, it makes us appear utterly disorganized, like a makeshift troupe, inviting ridicule from heroes across the land. Prefect Shi, have my words been inappropriate?

Shi Nai'an naturally understood that Guo Zongli was dissatisfied with his usurpation of the Ministry of Rites' authority and his arbitrary setting of foreign affairs, and he cursed Guo Zongli inwardly as a cunning little fox. In such a serious setting, he couldn't afford to lose his temper, so he immediately suppressed his anger, bowed to Shi Shan again, and said:

"The Marshal is determined to destroy the tyrannical Yuan and restore the world. There must be no wavering. If we hesitate even slightly between war and peace, the hearts of the soldiers and civilians under our rule will inevitably waver. Once the morale of the army is shaken, the vigorous and upward spirit of our Red Flag Battalion will probably be lost."

This is the very foundation of the Red Flag Battalion's survival; I earnestly urge the Marshal to exercise utmost caution!

Shi Nai'an reiterated the key to the anti-Yuan stance, but avoided discussing whether the Ministry of Rites should intervene or how to respond to the Yuan envoy, cleverly passing the buck back to Shishan.

Shi Shan chuckled inwardly. This old man Shi was stubborn and headstrong, always ready to clash with enemies and colleagues, and now he even wanted to drag him into the fray to show his stance. He'd convened this meeting of civil and military officials today precisely to see their true colors; he couldn't let them get out of the game so soon.
His face remained focused on attentive listening; he nodded slightly and spoke gently:
“What you both say comes from the heart, is commendable for your loyalty and righteousness, and each has its own reason. Please continue the discussion and share your thoughts.”

With a single, casual remark, Shi Shan returned the debate to the crowd.

Seeing that the marshal was trying to smooth things over and unwilling to make a clear statement, everyone knew that they couldn't avoid this hurdle today and had to make their stance clear.

"Reporting to the Marshal, fellow colleagues."

Li Shanchang, the magistrate of the Household Department, stepped forward steadily, his voice calm and clear, and said:
"Although our army won a complete victory in the Battle of Xuzhou, the consumption of money and food was enormous. Fortunately, thanks to the marshal's brilliant military strategy and the swift victory, coupled with the substantial spoils of war, our army was able to preserve its strength and still have the power to fight again."

He paused briefly, as if taking in the overall picture, and then continued:
"This autumn's grain and fodder are being stored in the granaries one after another. The prefectures and counties have done their best, which has eased the tight situation of money and grain. However, the number of casualties after the war is enormous; the expansion of the guards is imminent, and the need for grain, fodder, pay, and weapons is like a bottomless abyss."

The current reserves in the treasury are barely enough to support a swift and decisive battle of the scale of the one in Xuzhou. However, if the war drags on or far exceeds expectations… then a more thorough plan is needed.”

Today is a large meeting with many people and opinions, so Li Shanchang did not list specific figures for money and grain.

Although he didn't mention how to deal with the Yuan envoys, he clearly revealed the bottom line of the Ministry of Revenue and his anxiety about the situation—a small-scale conflict was acceptable. However, if the scale of the major battle couldn't be controlled, the Ministry of Revenue couldn't conjure up money and supplies out of thin air. The subtext was clearly that he hoped to buy some breathing room to accumulate strength.

Compared to Shi Nai'an's uprightness, Li Shanchang was clearly more pragmatic.

Shi Shan remained composed, not in a hurry to express his opinion, and calmly shifted his gaze to the next person.

Fang Zhongwen, the former magistrate of the Ministry of Works, was good at currying favor and had been sent by Shishan to Huaiyuan to guard the mine. His duties were taken over by Feng Guoyong, the former magistrate of Huaiyuan.

Having only been in office for a few days and not yet fully understanding the situation in the Ministry of Works, Governor Feng spoke with even greater caution. Considering the current global situation, he slowly stated:
Why did the Yuan court choose this time to send envoys? In my humble opinion, there are only two possibilities:
Firstly, the disastrous defeat at Xuzhou, in which the Yuan court lost tens of thousands of troops, made it clear that it was no longer militarily capable of quickly annihilating our army. Therefore, they attempted a strategy of division and disintegration, trying to lure our troops with empty promises and false benefits, thereby sowing discord within the Red Flag Battalion and causing internal strife.

Seeing that Feng Guoyong's words subtly indicated his support for him, Shi Nai'an cast an approving glance at him.

Feng Guoyong wasn't familiar with Shi Nai'an, so he simply nodded slightly and continued:

"Secondly, war was raging everywhere. Liu Futong, Wang Quan, Meng Haima and others in Jiangbei could not be eliminated despite repeated attempts, while Xu Shouhui and Fang Guozhen in Jiangnan frequently stirred up trouble. The Yuan court's military strength was stretched thin and exhausted."

Therefore, they intend to delay the attack, hoping to stabilize my Red Flag Battalion first, and then concentrate all their efforts to quell the remaining rebellions, before launching a full-scale attack on me with overwhelming force.

In my humble opinion, knowing oneself and one's enemy is the key to victory in every battle. Since the Yuan court has already sent envoys, it means they have temporarily lost ground and their courage has waned. Meeting their envoys will not bring any real loss to our Red Flag Battalion. On the contrary, we can use this opportunity to probe the Yuan court's true strength.”

Jiang Juren, the magistrate of the Commerce Department, stepped forward next. He was the magistrate of Lai'an County appointed by the Yuan court. After surrendering to the Red Flag Battalion, he took over the new Commerce Department, which was already quite challenging. At this moment, he had a deep worry on his face.

"What Governor Feng said is very true. Although the Yuan army has just suffered a defeat at Xuzhou, small groups that have infiltrated our territory continue to harass us. Border settlers have been repeatedly ravaged, and trade routes have been greatly affected. Sulfur, copper, alum and other materials are already scarce. Delaying this is not conducive to war preparations and people's livelihoods."

He looked at the rocky mountain and said earnestly:

"If we can feign compliance with the Yuan court's envoys and temporarily halt the fighting, even if it only buys us a few months, it will allow us to settle the refugees, consolidate the borders, restore production, and facilitate trade. Then the people's strength will recover, the treasury will gradually fill up, and our foundation will be more solid. We will then be able to reorganize our army more easily."

As a wise official who cared about people's livelihood, Jiang Juren focused on the restoration of people's livelihood and the consolidation of the foundation, and his concerns and suggestions all stemmed from this.

Seeing the marshal's gaze fall upon him, the sergeant Wen Sijiu stepped forward.

Since being relieved of his military command by Shi Shan, Wen Sijiu had been removed from the front lines, spared the hardships of wind and rain, and was no longer the thin and sallow-skinned man he once was; he had even become somewhat plump and fair-skinned. Knowing he had no foothold in the Red Flag Battalion, he could only uphold Shi Shan's will and, in accordance with his duties, say:

"Reporting to the Marshal. The duties of the Military Affairs Officer are mainly in the preparation of armor and supplies. The two recent expansions have been quite large, and there is still a shortage of nearly 20% of armor and supplies in the newly formed battalions and companies. Although Chuzhou has increased the number of craftsmen and expanded the furnaces, it is working hard to make up for the shortfall, but it will take until the middle of next month at the earliest to complete the task."

Wen Sijiu's report was concise and to the point, stating only the objective fact of the progress in the distribution of weapons and armor. He did not say a word about how to deal with the Yuan envoy, clearly demonstrating his commitment to his duty and obedience to the emperor's wishes. After reporting, he returned to his original position, keeping his eyes downcast and his mind at ease.

Zhou Chang, the clerk of the Ministry of Personnel, had only recently taken office. He had been reprimanded by Shi Shan in Lujiang before. Seeing that all the other officials had spoken, he stepped forward.

"In accordance with the Marshal's order, the rotational training of officials in various prefectures and counties is being carried out according to the three-phase plan. The first phase is nearing its end, and the second and third phases will proceed in sequence. It will not be completed until before the twelfth lunar month at the earliest."

If another large-scale war breaks out in the near future, officials in various prefectures and counties will inevitably be unable to extricate themselves, and this rotational training plan will likely have to be postponed. If new prefectures and counties are captured, their officials will have to be temporarily retained from those appointed by the Yuan court.

Unlike other rebel kings, Shi Shan placed great emphasis on consolidating his power base, integrating each territory he occupied into his own territory. The rotation and reassignment of officials in various prefectures and counties was a crucial part of his control over the region and could not be overlooked.

Although Zhou Chang only discussed the matter in the context of his official duties and did not express any opinion, he merely pointed out the potential impact of large-scale military operations on local administration. However, his attitude was actually consistent with that of Li Shanchang, Feng Guoyong, Jiang Juren, and others.

By this point, all seven chief officials of the General Administration had stated their views. Some were generous in advocating war (Shi), some emphasized making contact first (Guo), some were worried about money and supplies (Li and Jiang), some advocated probing the enemy's strength (Feng), and some stated the difficulties (Wen and Zhou).

All eyes naturally turned to Liu Xingge, the chief secretary of the Bureau of Experience, and Pu Daoren, the military advisor of the Bureau of Military Orders.

As the Director of the Bureau of Experiences, Shi Ben should have been the "General Manager" of the Marshal's Office. However, Shi Shan gradually established seven departments in the General Manager's Office outside the Marshal's Office, which made Liu Xingge's position awkward, and he was not very enthusiastic about speaking.

Seeing everyone's attention focused on him, Liu Xingge coughed lightly and stepped forward to speak. He summarized everyone's opinions, striving for fairness in his tone, and said: "What my colleagues have said is all insightful. In my opinion, after the great victory at Xuzhou, our army does need time to thoroughly digest the results of this battle, retrain new recruits, equip them with weapons and armor, compensate the wounded and the injured, and stabilize the local area."

Although the Yuan army suffered a new defeat, its recent small-scale raids have caused considerable damage to our border settlements and trade routes.

If we can take advantage of the Yuan court's initiative in sending envoys to slow our military advance and gain a month or so to regroup, strengthen our army, and replenish our treasury, it would be a prudent strategy. Once we have fully recovered, we can then proceed with greater ease.

His conciliatory summary served as a footnote to the views of the various officials who advocated "delaying the war to prepare for another battle."

Finally, there was Park Do-in, the military advisor of the Commandery. He had been in the most frequent contact with Seok-san during this period, assisting with military affairs, and thus had a relatively deeper understanding of the Marshal's strategic intentions. After stepping forward, he succinctly stated:

"Reporting to the Marshal, the Military Command has coordinated with all departments, and all personnel of the newly formed battalions will be in place within half a month. Each guard will only need to train and refine together for another half month or so to form a reliable combat force."

At that time, regardless of whether we fight or make peace with the Yuan court, our army will have no fear and can respond to the Marshal's orders at any time to reignite the great war!

Park Do-in's words were forceful and full of confidence in the Red Flag Battalion's military strength. Although he advocated for war, he also preferred to buy time for preparation.

Shi Shan took in everyone's expressions and words, and had already made up his mind. He nodded slightly, and turned his gaze to the five commanders who stood like statues on his right, his tone carrying a hint of casualness towards his old brothers.

"What's your opinion?"

At today's meeting, Shishan specially ordered Gong Wu, the commander of the Moon-Holding Guard, Chang Yuchun, the commander of the Sun-Raising Guard, Li Wu, the commander of the Valiant Cavalry Guard, Hu Dahai, the commander of the Mountain-Pulling Guard, and Zuo Junbi, the commander of the Loyal and Righteous Guard, to attend.

To prevent these soldiers from talking nonsense and disrupting the meeting, Shishan made a request before the meeting: "Listen attentively, and don't open your mouth unless you're called to speak." The five men remained as still as clay sculptures.

The five men exchanged glances, then tacitly turned their gazes to Li Wu. This was partly because Li Wu had repeatedly distinguished himself in battle, and partly because he was Marshal Shi's childhood friend and fellow townsman, with whom he had an extraordinary relationship, so they weren't afraid of saying the wrong thing.

Li Wu grinned, strode forward, and with a wide, forceful fist salute, said in a loud voice:
"Hey! Third Brother! We're just a bunch of roughnecks, we don't understand all those complicated rules. We've got one thing in mind: whoever Third Brother tells us to beat up, we'll beat the hell up! Whenever you tell us to beat up, we'll beat up!"

"Through mountains of knives and seas of fire, I will not flinch! Whether I see that damned Yuan envoy or not is up to you, Third Brother! If you ask me, I don't care if he's here to offer official titles or issue a challenge; if he angers you, Third Brother, I'll lead my troops to Wuhe right now and chop that bastard's head off to kick around like a football!"

Shi Shan glared at Li Wu with feigned anger, waved his hand, and scolded:
"You were told to speak, but who told you to spout this nonsense? Get out of here!"

Although it was a reprimand, the tone wasn't harsh. Li Wu chuckled dryly and obediently retreated into the ranks.

Shishan has repeatedly defeated powerful enemies externally and has attached great importance to the construction of military and political organizations internally, with relatively obvious results.

Faced with the possibility of being offered amnesty by the Yuan court, although some civil officials had dissenting opinions, they did not waver in their fundamental stance of resisting the Yuan and had no intention of surrendering. Overall, they actively supported his line of resisting the Yuan to the end, and that was enough.

Having understood the attitudes of the civil and military officials, Shi Shan felt somewhat relieved. His expression turned solemn, and he said in a steady voice:
"According to reliable intelligence from Jiangnan, Xu Song has suffered a series of crushing defeats in various routes in Jiangsu and Zhejiang recently, with tens of thousands of his elite troops lost."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone in the hall changed. If Xu Song were defeated, the main force of the Yuan court could then focus all its efforts on the north, with the Red Flag Battalion bearing the brunt. An invisible pressure suddenly descended.

"Yes."

Shi Shan's gaze swept across the entire area with lightning speed, his voice becoming even more solemn.

"Whether the Yuan court's dispatch of envoys this time is a sincere attempt to win us peace or just a delaying tactic, we won't have much time left to reorganize our army and prepare for war!"

Governor Shi's words are absolutely correct. While the struggle against the Yuan Dynasty certainly requires strategy—whether to fight or make peace, whether to act hastily or slowly—it can all be adapted to the times. However, the fundamental goal of expelling the Manchus and restoring China must never be shaken in the slightest. This is the foundation upon which our Red Flag Battalion stands and unites the hearts of all.

I urge all my key officials to unite sincerely, each fulfilling their duties and working together to complete the crucial tasks of expanding and training the forces, replenishing the treasury, and stabilizing the region as quickly as possible. With thorough preparation, we will be ready to meet the inevitable and powerful counterattack of the Yuan court!

"I will obey Marshal's orders!"

"This humble official will certainly live up to the Marshal's trust!"

"We swear to follow the Marshal to the death!"

The interests of the civil and military officials in the hall were deeply intertwined with those of Shishan. Seeing that the marshal was not misled by the empty fame that the Yuan envoy might bring and that his determination to overthrow the Yuan Dynasty remained unwavering, they felt even more confident. They all bowed and clasped their hands, making their promises.

The meeting had reached this point, and the agenda seemed to be complete. Everyone assumed the meeting was about to adjourn and prepared to leave. But Shi Shan raised his hand again and said:

"There is one more matter that needs to be discussed and decided by you all."

All the civil and military officials felt a chill run down their spines and stood still again.

“When I first took command in Haozhou, I made do with what I had and set up two departments in the Marshal’s Office (the Department of Records and the Department of Military Orders) and two offices in the General Administration Office (the Office of Military Affairs and the Office of Works) to assist in military and political affairs. It was a temporary measure. At that time, the organization was incomplete and there were no clear boundaries between the powers and responsibilities of the various departments and offices. There were many temporary assignments.”

Shishan recounted the hardships of starting out in the early days of the enterprise:

"After that, the Red Flag Battalion continued to grow, and its military and political affairs became increasingly complicated. The General Administration Office was expanded several times, and five departments were added: Personnel, Works, Commerce, Rites, and Propaganda."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Liu Xingge's slightly embarrassed face and Pu Daoren's calm expression, and said:

"The Marshal's Office and the General's Office operate in parallel, and although their powers and responsibilities are divided, they are ultimately separate. Daily coordination is quite troublesome; whenever I am away on campaign, I need to temporarily appoint Chief Secretary Liu to take charge of the rear. The lack of clarity in their powers and responsibilities easily leads to obstacles."

Even though I am stationed in Hefei, and everything requires my approval, I find the paperwork overwhelming and difficult to process in a timely manner, which could potentially delay important military matters.

Everyone knew that the marshal was going to reorganize the organization again, so they quickly held their breath and focused, afraid of missing a single word.

"My intention is that, from this day forward, the two offices shall be merged. All seven departments of the General Administration shall be placed under the jurisdiction of the two offices of the Marshal's Office, and the duties and ranks of each department shall remain unchanged for the time being."

Upon hearing this, a subtle commotion and gasps arose in the hall. It was time to consolidate power and streamline the system!

"Specifically."

Shi Shan spoke calmly and clearly:
"For matters concerning the Military Affairs Department, first submit them to the Military Command for review and approval; for matters concerning the Departments of Ceremonial, Rites, and Commerce, first submit them to the Department of Records for review and approval. After the two departments have approved them, submit them to me in a summary. For matters concerning the Departments of Revenue, Personnel, and Works, the situation will remain unchanged for the time being, and they will be submitted directly to me for approval."

This order is rather peculiar. Was the reform only half completed? The Military Affairs Department was placed under the Military Command, the Departments of Ceremonies, Rites, and Commerce under the Department of Records, while the three most crucial departments—the Departments of Revenue, Personnel, and Works—remained directly under the Marshal's control?
The seemingly strange adjustment was immediately understood by insightful individuals such as Li Shanchang, Liu Xingge, and Pu Daoren—the marshal wanted to delegate authority to improve efficiency and streamline relationships, while firmly grasping the most crucial lifeline.

At the same time, this was also a major test of Liu Xingge and Pu Daoren's abilities and loyalty. Compared with the previous chaotic situation of two offices operating in parallel with unclear responsibilities, this was undoubtedly a huge improvement, at least clarifying the hierarchy of daily affairs.

Liu Xingge's mood at this moment was like that of someone on a roller coaster. He knew that from this day forward, he was truly worthy of the title of "Chief Secretary" and had real power to oversee the daily affairs of the Xuan, Li, and Shang departments.

A long-lost surge of emotion welled up within him, and his beard trembled slightly with excitement. He quickly stepped forward, bowed deeply to the stone mountain, his voice trembling noticeably with emotion, yet unusually loud:
"The Marshal trusts me greatly! I will certainly work tirelessly day and night, do my utmost to share the Marshal's burdens, and manage the affairs of the Xuan, Li, and Shang departments. I will never dare to slack off in the slightest and fail to live up to the Marshal's high expectations!"

Although he was Shishan's father-in-law, he dared not show the slightest "father-in-law" attitude in official matters, and used more formal and loyal and responsible wording.

Master Pu also stepped forward solemnly, cupped his hands, and accepted the order:
"The Military Command obeys! We will certainly not fail the Marshal's trust!"

Shi Shan looked at the two of them, nodded slightly, and said:
"Very well. I hope the two of you will work together and live up to your expectations."

After the meeting ended, the civil and military officials of the Red Flag Battalion filed out, discussing the day's topics and the reform of the marshal's system in small groups.

Guo Zongli, the magistrate of the Ministry of Rites, stayed behind and, after obtaining the warrant from Shishan, quickly dispatched personnel to Haozhou (Wuhe was under the temporary jurisdiction of Sun Xun, the commander of the Zhongwu Guard stationed in Haozhou), ordering Sun Xun to send troops to "escort" the Yuan court delegation to Hefei.

(End of this chapter)