Sweep Yuan

Chapter 212 Ultimately, there are sacrifices and gains for family and country.

Shi Shan chose this time to order the Zhenshuo Guard to attack Liuhe County, certainly not out of anger at hearing that the Yuan court's terms of amnesty were too absurd.

Although he claimed to have no intention of negotiating peace with the Yuan court, he commanded tens of thousands of elite troops who had repeatedly defeated the Yuan army. If he did not react at all to such an almost insulting offer of amnesty, it would seem too fake and illogical.

If you're doing a play, you have to do it fully.

Only by revealing his "temperament" and adopting an attitude of never giving up until his "appetite" is satisfied will the Yuan court believe that Shi Shan truly has the potential to "accept amnesty" and is only continuing to cause trouble because he is dissatisfied with the low price offered.

Only then will the other party truly consider offering a more "sincere" price for serious negotiations, and only then will the Red Flag Battalion be able to gain a real respite.

Conquering the six kingdoms was a brilliant move to "show one's fangs" and force the Yuan court to continue betting on the outcome.

Moreover, this move was not made on a whim by Ishiyama.

Since Wang Bi took over from Guo Zixing and stationed at Walanglei, with the strong support of Fu Youde, he has frequently launched proactive attacks and has eliminated all six large and small strongholds that the Yuan army had painstakingly built west of Liuhe City, clearing away most of the surrounding obstacles. The Red Flag Battalion's advance can now reach the city of Liuhe.

The Zhenshuo Guard had long been preparing for the attack and was fully prepared to take on the city.

Six days ago, Fu Youde submitted a detailed battle plan to the Military Command for capturing Liuhe County.

The reason why Shishan hesitated to approve the plan immediately was precisely because he needed to maintain a superficial relationship with the Yuan court.

Now that the Yuan court has shown its "sincerity," Shishan should also show the other side its "response," and the time is ripe to conquer Liuhe.

After dealing with the two urgent matters of Deng Youlong leading his troops to surrender and the Yuan court's offer of amnesty, Shishan returned to the living room of his second brother's new residence.

To his dismay, Shishan didn't sit at the table, and sure enough, no one in his family dared to touch their chopsticks. Although the dishes had cooled down, they were still neatly arranged on the table, and everyone sat upright, eagerly waiting for him to return.

"Didn't I tell you to eat first? The food's getting cold, eat up."

Shi Shan tried to keep his tone casual as he walked over to the head of the table, sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and immediately put a large piece of meat into the bowls of his nephew and two nephews who were practically drooling.

The three children were flattered and their faces turned bright red. They stammered a thank you and immediately buried their heads in their bowls, shoveling rice into their mouths as if it were the most important thing in the world.

Everyone ate in silence, and the living room was so quiet that only the soft sounds of chewing could be heard.

Shi Shan's gaze swept over the crowd. His eldest sister, Peng Shishi, and her husband, Peng Youtian, as well as his second brother, Shi Erhe, and his sister-in-law, Shi Liushi, all looked at him with restraint and even a hint of barely perceptible awe.

That deep-seated closeness was diluted considerably by the enormous gap in their social status and the unintentional display of power emanating from Shi Shan.

Fortunately, Liu Ruoyun's due date was approaching, and she had been unable to go out much lately, so Shishan did not bring her along today.

Otherwise, with the elegant and dignified matriarch present, the meal would likely have been even more somber and oppressive.

Shishan actually understood the crux of the problem—he was ultimately not the poor military household Shi San who grew up in Dongzhangying, Yidu Road.

The differences in their souls, the gap in their experiences, the authority of those in high positions, and the changes in their behavior, speech, and even their demeanor, all make it difficult for these relatives, who have lived their entire lives at the bottom of society and have limited experience, not to feel unfamiliar and fearful.

These relatives wanted to get close to Shishan, but instinctively shrank back in front of him.

Shishan certainly longs for family affection, but he has no intention of deliberately playing the role of "Shisan" in order to repair the already blurred and faint memories of family affection.

The imperial family has no private affairs. Although the Shi family is not yet the imperial family, once they embark on this path, they are destined to gradually drift away from the mundane matters of ordinary families.

As a time traveler determined to change the world, Shi Shan's path is destined to be one of solitude.

His family members enjoyed the privileges and honors that came with being a member of the Shishan clan, so they must also be prepared to bear the corresponding constraints and responsibilities.

This meal is a small microcosm of this transformation process.

"Three, Saburo..."

Seeing that Shi Shan's complexion was acceptable and he seemed to be in a good mood, Shi Erhe mustered his courage and spoke with a hint of trepidation. His rough fingers unconsciously rubbed the hem of his clothes, and his voice carried the cautiousness typical of people from the lower classes.

"You know, I'm just a rough man, I don't know many words, all I know is how to cut grass and raise horses, and handle clods of earth... This, this delicate work of being a manager, I really can't do it, I'm afraid I'll embarrass you... So let's not go to that veterans' sanatorium?"

Shi Shan didn't answer directly. Instead, he picked up the warm wine pot on the table, first filled the rough porcelain wine cup in front of his second brother Shi Erhe, then poured some for his brother-in-law Peng Youtian, and finally filled the white porcelain wine cup in front of him.

He picked up his wine cup and first offered a toast to his two relatives:
"Second brother, brother-in-law, let's drink first."

Shi Erhe has a very low alcohol tolerance and rarely drinks alcohol.

Seeing Shishan personally pour the wine, he dared not refuse and quickly picked up the wine cup, tilted his head back, and gulped it down. The spiciness of the strong liquor went straight to his throat, choking him and causing him to cough twice. His weathered face instantly turned bright red, even staining the base of his neck.

Shi Shan put down his wine cup, his gaze slowly sweeping across the faces of his reserved eldest sister, brother-in-law, and awkward second brother and sister-in-law, his tone becoming earnest and earnest:

"Eldest sister, brother-in-law, second brother, once our Red Flag Battalion's great cause is accomplished..."

He carefully considered his words and decided that he should make his bottom line and stance clear to his family as soon as possible, saying:
"You will all be members of the royal family then. At that time, you must protect this family business for me and help stabilize this country. How can you not be literate? If you don't know how, then learn!"

The words "royal relatives" struck Shi Erhe's heart like a heavy hammer.

When they set off from Yidu Road, Zhou Wendao had already told his third brother that he had done a “great undertaking”, but just how great was this “great undertaking”? Even if one exhausted the imagination of Shi Erhe, a low-ranking military household, it was nothing more than becoming a majestic “general” or a “king” who occupied a few cities.

The generals who commanded large armies along the way (such as Zhu Chongba and Shao Rong) treated him with great courtesy, even to the point of being obsequious, which made him feel flattered and incredulous.

Stepping into the "giant" city of Hefei, seeing the magnificent Marshal's Mansion, and then meeting his fairy-like sister-in-law Liu Ruoyun... Shi Erhe was completely dumbfounded. He clearly felt that he and the "third brother" in his memory were living in two completely different worlds.

When the Red Flag Battalion returned in triumph, he saw Shi Shan, dressed in military uniform and surrounded by countless elite soldiers, exuding an awe-inspiring and inviolable aura. The last vague impression he had of his "Third Brother" completely vanished.

The person in front of me vaguely resembled Sanlang in voice and appearance, but his eyes, demeanor, and the domineering presence he exuded were completely different.

Li Wu, the simple-minded boy from Li Chu Ba's family, has also changed a lot. He even told Shi Er He that Shi San had a breakthrough in Xuzhou last year and has been different ever since.

Shi Erhe couldn't find any other reason to convince himself, so he could only believe Li Wu's words. Perhaps... perhaps Sanlang really was a star descended from heaven, and he was just too oblivious to recognize his true form when he was in Qian Zhang Camp. This thought had swirled in his mind countless times.

Upon hearing the words "royal relatives" and the weighty responsibility of "protecting the family business and stabilizing the country," Shi Erhe felt a surge of fear and dizziness, and his body trembled slightly uncontrollably.

He dared not let his mind wander any further and hurriedly replied:
"I...I'm learning! I'm learning to read!"

As if eager to prove himself and afraid that Shishan would not believe him, he immediately stretched out his rough index finger, dipped it in the remaining wine in the wine cup, and began to write carefully, stroke by stroke, on the smooth elm wood table.

First came a crooked but clearly defined character for "stone," followed by the more complex "two rivers," and finally "stone dog." Although the handwriting was naive, like a child learning for the first time, it was clear that each stroke was written with great effort, revealing the earnestness of a soldier's son.

"Look, look, I can write my own name and my dog's name now!"

Shishan looked at the two names on the table, which were gradually becoming blurred by wine stains, and nodded slightly.

Seeing this, Shi Erhe breathed a sigh of relief, but his face still wore a pleading, simple smile.
“Sanlang, I know you mean well. But my brain really isn’t working properly. I can’t understand all the intricacies of accounting. I’m afraid that if I go to the Veterans’ Society, I’ll be clumsy and not only won’t be of any help, but I’ll also cause you trouble and ruin your important plans…”

Looking at his second brother's weathered face, filled with sincerity and unease, Shi Shan realized that his heart was not made of stone.

He picked up a piece of stewed meat and vegetables, which had become tender, and placed it in Shi Erhe's bowl, his tone softening somewhat:

"Alright. Since Second Brother really doesn't want to go to the Veterans' Association, then we won't force him. You can continue doing what you're good at: farming and raising horses."

Upon hearing this, Shi Erhe's face instantly lit up with a relieved smile, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He repeatedly said:
"Hey! Hey! Okay! I'm good at this, I'm good at this!"

“However,” Shi Shan changed the subject, his tone calm yet undeniably firm, and said:

"You must continue learning to read; you can't stop. Once you've learned enough, recognize commonly used characters, and can read regulations and notices, I'll allocate a good plot of land specifically for you. You'll then be in charge of breeding for me."

"Breeding?"

Shi Erhe's smile froze for a moment, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes. Military households farming—who doesn't know to select the plumpest ears of grain for seed? Don't horse breeders also choose strong stallions for mating?
He's good at this job, but... is it really worth it for Sanlang to allocate a whole plot of land for him, a "royal relative," to manage? Is it some kind of business like raising sows to breed piglets and selling them? Selling seeds and horse breeds?

He muttered to himself, but looking into Ishiyama's calm yet profound eyes, the words "What's so difficult about this?" stuck in his throat. Sanlang always has a deeper meaning in his actions. I don't understand now, but he'll tell me when I've learned to read.

Thinking it over, Shi Erhe stopped hesitating and obediently nodded in agreement, saying:

"Yes, I'll listen to Sanlang. I'll study hard to learn to read."

Just as Shi Erhe was settled, Peng Shishi, the eldest sister who had been subtly nudging her husband with her elbow, immediately seized the opportunity to speak. A smile plastered on her face, carrying a shrewdness and ingratiation characteristic of a common woman, she looked at Shi Shan and said:
“Sanlang, look, your second brother doesn’t want to go to the Veterans’ Society. That’s because he’s not lucky enough, and he’s not very bright. But what about your brother-in-law? Could he go? You Tian used to be a peddler, buying and selling things and dealing with people. He’s quite eloquent and quick-witted…”

My brother-in-law, Peng Youtian, is eight years older than Shishan and has indeed worked as a peddler for many years. He travels all over the country and mingles in the streets and alleys, which has honed his ability to speak to people in a way that suits them, and has also honed his shrewdness and ability to read people's expressions that are unique to small-time merchants.

The essence of Shishan Wei's rule lies in its rigorous and efficient institutional design and the balance of power between its civil and military officials, rather than relying on relatives to control core positions.

His previous hesitation in placing Peng Youtian in the Veterans' Association stemmed from his concern that the man was "too shrewd" and too quick-witted, fearing that he might take advantage of his kinship to develop inappropriate thoughts and break the rules.

Seeing his elder sister's expectant eyes and Peng Youtian's forced composure yet barely concealed longing, Shi Shan pondered for a moment, then nodded:
"can."

"Oh! Thank you so much, Sanlang! Thank you so much, Sanlang!"

Overjoyed, the eldest sister quickly pulled the still somewhat dazed Peng Youtian to his feet and was about to bow to Shishan to express her gratitude.

"and many more!"

Shi Shan raised his hand to stop them. The gentleness on his face vanished instantly, his eyes turned icy and steely, and an invisible pressure spread out, making the temperature in the living room seem to drop several degrees.

Shi Shan's sharp gaze pierced Peng Youtian; his voice was not loud, but every word was like an ice pick, striking the other's heart:
"Elder sister, brother-in-law. Let me make this clear from the start. The Veterans' Club is not my personal property! It is the Red Flag Battalion's purse, and more importantly, the lifeblood of the army! We cannot tolerate even the slightest injustice!"

Peng Youtian felt a chill run down his spine under Shi Shan's gaze. A cold sweat instantly broke out on his back, and his legs went weak, almost causing him to kneel down on the spot. He hadn't had much contact with Shi Shan before, and in his memory, Shi Shan was still a somewhat naive teenager. When had he ever seen Shi Shan with such a cold and intimidating side?
"Once my brother-in-law has learned the common characters and gone to the Veterans' Society, he must obey the arrangements of Zhou Wendao, the Chief Clerk. If he dares to abuse his position to commit crimes, enrich himself at public expense, or pretend to comply while secretly disobeying, or cause trouble for Chief Clerk Zhou."

Shi Shan's expression quickly returned to calm, as if he were joking with everyone, and he said:
"I wouldn't mind getting myself another brother-in-law! Big sister, you don't mind, right?"

This blatant warning, like a bucket of ice water in the dead of winter, completely extinguished Peng Youtian's little bit of smugness and scheming that might have come from his status as a "royal relative." His face turned ashen, his lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a single word.

The eldest sister reacted quickly, grabbing her husband's arm and forcing a smile as she said repeatedly:

"No! No! Saburo, don't worry! Arita would never dare! We're just here to do the work, we would never dare to ruin your plans. Arita, quick! Quickly toast Saburo! Make your stance clear!"

Peng Youtian then seemed to wake from a dream, hurriedly picked up the wine cup, his voice trembling slightly, and said:
"Yes...yes! Marshal...oh, no, no, Sanlang, don't worry, I...I will behave myself properly and obey Zhou Dushi's arrangements when I go to the Veterans' Society. I will never dare to have any crooked thoughts. If I disobey, may I be struck by lightning!"

After saying that, he tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp, as if he were drinking a guarantee.

Shishan nodded, drank the wine in his cup, his expression softened slightly, but his eyes remained sharp.

These words were not empty threats; he needed his relatives as a kind of symbolic "ballast," but he would never allow any of them to become parasites or stumbling blocks in his career.

Rules must be established in advance, even if they are unpleasant to hear, it is still much better than tearing off the mask of civility and killing someone to establish authority afterward, which would result in both loss of face and loss of life.

Family ties can sometimes be incredibly fragile in the face of power and ambition.

After the adults finished discussing their "serious business," the atmosphere at the table became even more somber. Shi Shan turned his gaze to his sixth brother, Shi Shun, who had been trying to keep a low profile since his return, practically burying his face in his rice bowl.

"Mukuro."

Shishan softened his tone as much as possible and asked in a gentle manner:

"How did you feel about Master Ye's lecture today?"

The sixth brother was originally named Shi Liu according to his birth order, just like Shi San. Shi Shan changed his name to Shi Shun. He was only thirteen years old and was assigned to the Imperial Guard by Shi Shan. Today, he was granted special leave to go home and reunite with his family.

Shi Shun is seven years younger than Shi Shan. He originally had a deep affection for his third brother, who had always doted on him since childhood, and had high expectations before coming to Hefei.

But when he actually met Shi Shan, he felt extremely unfamiliar with this third brother who held the power of life and death over millions of soldiers and civilians, and was filled with an instinctive fear. At this moment, being called by name by Shi Shan, he was so frightened that he almost dropped his chopsticks on the table. He hurriedly raised his head, his face pale with nervousness, and said:
"Master Ye's class is very, very good."

Fearing that Shi Shan would press for details about what he had learned and that he would appear clumsy if he couldn't answer, Shi Shun hurriedly added:

"The brothers and sisters in the camp all love to hear this, saying that Master Ye knows so much! It seems like there's nothing he doesn't know, from heaven to earth, from ancient times to the present. But, but I've only just started learning to read and write, and I don't understand a lot of what he says. I just think Master Ye is amazing!"
But what exactly makes it so amazing? I... I can't really say..."

Judging from his speech, Shi Shun was actually quite talented, but he had missed the best age to begin his studies and became increasingly reserved in front of Shi Shan.

The Master Ye he mentioned was Ye Dui.

After returning to Hefei in triumph and handling urgent official business, Shi Shan separately met with Zhou Wendao, Hua Yun, and Bian Yuanheng, who had contributed to welcoming his relatives.

Before the meeting, Shi Nai'an praised Bian Yuanheng highly, saying that he "fought a giant tiger with his bare hands," was "both wise and brave," and that "his poetic and literary skills far surpassed Shi's." Shao Rong also truthfully reported Bian Yuanheng's heroic act of "leaping to seize an enemy ship and shaking the bandits in white" in Sizhou.

As it turns out, Byun Won-hyung truly lived up to his reputation.

After a long conversation, Shi Shan found Bian Yuanheng's knowledge, eloquence, and ambition to be extremely admirable, and he originally intended to keep Bian Yuanheng in the Pengyue Guard. However, Bian Yuanheng believed that there would likely be no major battles in the Pengyue Guard in the near future and hoped to go to the front lines where battles were frequent to gain experience.

Shishan followed his wishes and assigned Bian Yuanheng to the Zhongwu Guard, which needed fierce generals even more.

Before leaving, Bian Yuanheng solemnly recommended Ye Dui to Shishan.

Shi Shan was eager to find talented people, so he immediately went to visit Ye Dui at the inn where he was staying.

Ye Dui had been staying in Hefei for several days and had gained a deeper understanding of the Red Flag Battalion's military and political measures, as well as Shi Shan's own style of doing things.

He witnessed firsthand the orderly rule of the Red Flag Battalion, where, despite the strict laws, there were few wrongful convictions. He also saw that although Shishan was criticized by some for being "bloodthirsty," upon closer examination, those who died under his blade were almost all scoundrels such as powerful figures, corrupt officials, clerks, and ruffians whose crimes were proven to threaten the foundation of his rule.

Their actions had a crystal-clear core objective—to consolidate the Red Flag Battalion's rule. This stood in stark contrast to the actions of the Xu-Song-Peng-Xiang allied forces.

Ye Dui is a steady person. Although he already has a rough idea of ​​a strategic plan in mind, he will not easily give it to Shishan before it is perfected.

But he was already certain in his heart that Shishan was the true dragon most likely to end the strife and unify the world in this chaotic world.

Just then, Ye Dui was away for some time and his travel expenses were about to run out. Although he frankly told Shi Shan that he was not suited to be an official and clearly refused the invitation to join the Red Flag Camp, he eventually accepted another invitation from Shi Shan—to serve as the Chancellor of Hefei College.

The academy was still under construction and Ye Dui, unable to stay idle, first went to the Imperial Guard Camp to teach those war orphans who had no parents.

It's perfectly normal that Shi Shun, as a "transfer student," had such a low starting point that he couldn't keep up with Ye Dui's extensive and easy-to-understand lectures.

Looking at his sixth brother's fearful and self-conscious expression, Shishan sighed inwardly, picked up a piece of glistening braised pork and placed it in his bowl, saying gently:
"Master Ye is a man of great talent, a truly learned scholar with profound knowledge. You should cherish this opportunity and learn diligently from him. It's okay if you don't understand everything; ask more questions, take more notes, and take it slowly. Literacy is the foundation; once you have a solid foundation, you will be able to understand more in the future."

Shi Shun looked at the tempting braised pork in the bowl, then looked up at Shi Shan's encouraging eyes. His tension eased slightly, and he nodded vigorously, his voice becoming louder.

"Yes! I understand! I will study hard and not let Third Brother down!"

(End of this chapter)