Sweep Yuan

Chapter 214 Breaking the Six Directions, Zhenzhou is in Crisis

Yangzhou Road, Liuhe County, West City Wall.

It was early October in the lunar calendar, just before the start of winter. The wind north of the river already carried a chill, causing the banners on the city walls to flutter loudly. Withered yellow grass swirled in the wind, drifting over the battlements and landing on the cold robes of the guards.

The sky was overcast, with leaden clouds hanging low, as if they were about to press down and completely engulf the lonely city.

On the city wall, a horse-faced man on patrol wrapped his thin clothes tightly around himself, cautiously peeked out, and looked down at the city below with a worried expression, his gaze passing over the battlements.

Less than ten steps from the moat, several cavalrymen dressed in red robes and leather armor were also looking at the city wall—they were scouts from the Red Flag Battalion. The Liuhe garrison had suffered several crushing defeats in the outpost battles, and the scouts no longer dared to leave the city. The area outside the city had long become the domain of the Red Flag Battalion scouts.

The horse-faced man's throat went dry, and he subconsciously swallowed. He then turned to the short, stocky old soldier leaning against the city wall beside him, who appeared to be resting with his eyes closed.

"Brother Huang,"

His voice was a little hoarse from nervousness as he said:
“Those murderous bastards from the Red Flag Battalion have been getting increasingly aggressive lately. Look at them, their scouts are practically right under our noses! I'm so nervous... I'm really scared. Do you think they're really going to go all out and prepare to attack the city?”

Since the Red Flag Battalion decisively defeated the Yuan army of 100,000 men outside Xuzhou, the news spread like wildfire throughout the Jiangbei region.

Not only did the Yuan court change its strategy towards the Red Flag Battalion and attempt to recruit this powerful bandit force, but even the lower-ranking soldiers, when privately mentioning this army, gradually replaced the previously contemptuous term "bandit army" with the respectful term "Red Flag Battalion."

Strength is the most fundamental principle in chaotic times.

The short, stocky old soldier turned his head, glanced in the direction the horse-faced man was pointing, a bitter smile curving his lips, tinged with deep weariness, and said:
"Attack the city? What's there to guess? It hasn't even been three months since we lost that important fortress, Dragon King Mountain, in July. Our seven outer fortresses have been wiped out one by one like nails!"

"Now, Liuhe City is as plain as a bald man's head, obvious as day. They can come and go as they please, fight whenever they want, what's so strange about that?"

"But."

The man with the horse-like face also looked confused and said:
"We've lost so many battles, all the fortified villages west of the city have been lost, and the troops in the city have also suffered considerable losses. Tell me, do those gentlemen in Yangzhou even know what's going on in Liuhe? Why haven't they sent reinforcements yet?"

The short, stocky old soldier hunched his shoulders, lowering his voice even further, as if afraid the cold wind would carry it into the city and be overheard by any ears below:

"Ha, Brother Zhang, are you still dreaming? Where are the reinforcements? In the Battle of Xuzhou, 100,000 troops were decimated by the Red Flag Battalion. What large army is left north of the Yangtze River? Even if there were reinforcements, they would probably be focused on defending Yangzhou and Zhenzhou first. How could they possibly send them to this remote corner of Liuhe?"

He paused, as if to dissuade the horse-faced man from giving up, and then added:

"Even if several thousand reinforcements are sent, what will that be enough for? I don't think it will be enough to fill the Red Flag Battalion's teeth!"

The short, stocky veteran's words were like cold hammer blows, striking the horse-faced man's heart again and again. The latter opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found that something was blocking his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word.

Yes, what else can we hope for?

The horse-faced man looked around blankly. His comrades patrolling the city walls were all hunched over, afraid of being ambushed by the Red Flag Battalion scouts below. The defenders inside the city were all terrified, their eyes filled with fear and despair.

The defenses of Liuhe City were reinforced, the walls were raised, and the moat was dug, but the morale of the people defending the city continued to decline as the Red Flag Battalion suffered repeated defeats on various battlefields.

"That's over there?"

While they were in silence, the man with the horse-like face suddenly noticed a patch of black dots on the western horizon. The dots moved closer and closer, and gradually the outlines of a crimson flag and an army formation became clear.

"Red flag! It's the Red Flag Battalion's army! They're about to attack the city! Quick, beat the gong! Enemy attack! Enemy attack—!"

“Bang, bang, bang——!!!”

The rapid clanging of gongs shattered the deathly silence above Liuhe County. The military camp below the city descended into chaos, like a hornet's nest that had been stirred up. The shouts of officers, the hurried footsteps of soldiers, the clashing of armor, and suppressed cries of alarm mingled together.

Surrounded by his personal guards, the Darughachi of Liuhe County charged up the city wall with a grim face. Most of the officials were driven up, ostensibly to "supervise the battle," but in reality, they were tied to the overturning chariot along with the soldiers.

Only the county magistrate remained in the county government office, responsible for coordinating laborers and supplies.

After the Red Flag Battalion captured Chuzhou and Liuhe became the front line, the defending officials spent manpower and resources to raise the city walls, build new ramparts and arrow towers, and divert the Chu River to dig a moat. The city's defense capabilities were greatly enhanced, and it was no longer a dilapidated small city that could be captured by a single strong attack by a thousand or so soldiers.

However, the Red Flag Battalion has undergone repeated reorganizations and adjustments, and the number of guards and horses has greatly increased, making it far more powerful than it used to be.

This time, Fu Youde mobilized a full five thousand soldiers, supplemented by two thousand local militia who had undergone preliminary training, which was enough to overwhelm the defending army.

Since Zhenshuowei eliminated the Yuan army's strongholds west of Liuhe City, and its scouts repeatedly defeated the Yuan army in the preliminary battles, thus gaining complete control of the battlefield, the Yuan army's deployment outside Liuhe City has become transparent to Zhenshuowei.

Even so, before the battle, Fu Youde still sent his staff officer Wu Guoxing to lead elite scouts on a final on-site reconnaissance. Only after confirming that the Yuan army showed no signs of making any adjustments before the battle did he decide to advance according to the original plan.

As the army advanced to the city walls, Fu Youde glanced at the panicked defenders on the walls and ordered his troops:

"Chen Tong! Hua Yun!"

Both Chen Tong's and Hua Yun's units were recently reorganized and assigned to the new battalion commanders of Zhenshuo Guard.

The battle had barely begun when Commander Fu was already giving the two men a chance to prove themselves. Chen Tong and Hua Yun quickly stepped forward and agreed.
"The general is here!"

Fu Youde had been exiled from Shishan to Chuzhou for more than half a year, commanding several thousand soldiers. His power and influence grew naturally. Holding his riding whip, he pointed south and said:

"You two will each lead your own troops south along the Chu River, sweeping away all the stockades and strongholds along the river, and then harass the Guabu Fortress. You must pin the Guabu garrison down in the fortress, preventing them from daring to advance even a single step north, ensuring that our main force can attack the city without any worries about their rear! This mission is crucial to the overall situation and must not be neglected!"

"The last general takes command!"

Knowing the heavy responsibility on their shoulders, Chen Tong and Hua Yun solemnly agreed and quickly led their men away from the main force.

Fu Youde turned his gaze back and continued to give the order:
"Wang Bi! Guo Zixing!"

"The general is here!"

Fu Youde pointed his riding whip eastward and said:
"I order your two divisions to attack that small Yuan army camp in the northeastern suburbs of Liuhe. Before our main force formally attacks the city, you must eliminate this camp!"

"Order!"

Wang Bi and Guo Zixing exchanged a glance, both seeing the fighting spirit in each other's eyes. The two had previously joined forces to attack the Dragon King Mountain stronghold and already had a good understanding of each other. They were both confident in breaking through this small camp northeast of Liuhe City.

Fu Youde nodded slightly, looked at the other generals under his command, and said:

"Second and Fourth Battalions, cover the local militia and clear obstacles such as barricades, deer embankments, and trenches outside the city! The rest of the units, set up camp on the spot and immediately start building ladders, battering rams, shield wagons, and other equipment! I want to see all the equipment ready before dawn tomorrow!"

"As ordered!"

The generals responded with a thunderous roar, their voices echoing across the land.

Since its inception, the Red Flag Battalion has been constantly attacking cities and capturing strongholds, and has long since summarized a complete set of siege procedures.

As Fu Youde issued his orders, all departments acted in an orderly manner.

On the city wall, the defenders watched in fear as the Red Flag Battalion moved its troops and set up camps below. Craftsmen felled trees and clattered as they manufactured all sorts of terrifying siege weapons. A suffocating pressure permeated the air, pressing down on everyone's hearts.

Meanwhile, Chen Tong and Hua Yun's troops had already launched an attack on the fortified villages along the way.

Because the stockades along the Chu River were located in the "inner line" of the Yuan army's controlled area, most of them were earthen fortresses hastily built under the policy of merging villages. They had low walls and thin buildings, and the guards were local militias who lacked soldiers and armor and were poorly trained. They were not much of a problem in defending against ordinary mountain bandits and outlaws.

However, against the fierce and battle-hardened elite Red Flag Battalion, it could at most only delay their actions.

Hua Yun asked Chen Tong's troops to stay behind and guard against any reinforcements that might appear from the direction of Guabu. He then personally led his own troops in a strong attack on the first stockade.

Their troops were far better equipped with armor and crossbows than the local militia, and their crossbows had a longer range, making it easy for them to suppress the defenders' counterattack.

He was nearly seven feet tall, with a broad back and a powerful build. Standing at the front of the battle, he was like an iron tower, exuding an aura of immense power. He also possessed superhuman strength, capable of lifting heavy door panels by himself to serve as shields, covering his soldiers as they pushed makeshift battering rams toward the village gate.

The sparse arrows on the stockade wall clattered against the door panels, but did nothing to stop them.

With their commander so valiant, the soldiers under his command were filled with fervor, roaring as they rammed the gate of the stockade. Including the time for preparation before the battle, in less than an hour, the gate of the stockade was smashed open, and the defending army collapsed instantly.

After breaking through the stronghold, Hua Yun rested briefly and then organized the captured villagers into the vanguard. With this advantage, when attacking the next stronghold, he used the surrendered soldiers to break through obstacles, which greatly reduced the difficulty of capturing the stronghold.

The following day, the combined forces of Chen and Hua continued south, with Chen Tong's troops leading the attack. They mobilized nearly a thousand surrendered local militia to besiege Changlu Village. Hua Yun's forces controlled the key routes, providing cover for Chen Tong's advance. Suddenly, scouts reported:
"Report! Commander, a large force of the Guabu garrison has been mobilized! They number about two thousand, are flying banners with the character 'Tang' on them, and are less than ten miles away!"

Hua Yun frowned. Chen Tong's troops were engaged in fierce fighting, and if they were to be entangled with the Yuan army at this moment, the consequences would be unimaginable. He quickly gave the order:

"Sound the retreat! Withdraw the troops! Order Commander Chen to withdraw immediately!"

Guabu (later renamed Guabu) is located at the confluence of the Chu River and the Yangtze River, guarding the north-south and east-west shipping routes. Its geographical location is very important. The Yuan court originally set up a patrol office here, with fewer than 500 troops initially stationed there. After the Xu and Song forces invaded Jiangnan, the number was expanded to 1,000.

After the establishment of Huainan Province, facing the immense pressure of the Red Flag Battalion's eastward advance, the former Pingzhang Zhengshi of Huainan, Huang Huoerbuhua, worried that the loss of Guabu would threaten the safety of Jiangdu, the provincial capital. He then mobilized 2,500 armed men from the surrounding local landlord militias to assist in the defense of the area.

Although these militia groups were not exactly elite, they were dedicated to garrison duties and their training and equipment far surpassed those of the local militias in the various fortified villages, who were primarily engaged in farming. They were a tough nut to crack.

Before long, Chen Tong led his attacking troops to retreat. Learning that the Yuan army at Guabu was advancing in their direction, he became somewhat nervous and offered the following advice:
“Brother Hua, the two of us together only have a thousand soldiers, and Changlu Village behind us hasn’t been captured yet. We also have so many untrustworthy local militia with us. Yuan Gou, on the other hand, has two thousand men. If we get entangled with them, the consequences will be unimaginable!” “That’s exactly right!”

Hua Yun nodded emphatically and replied:
“Retreating directly to Liuhe is definitely not an option. It’s too far, and we’ll be relentlessly pursued by the enemy. It would also disrupt the Commander-in-Chief’s siege plan. What I’m suggesting is, could we find a suitable spot along the way to launch a surprise attack, inflict heavy damage, and ideally, wipe them out in one fell swoop?”

Both were experienced generals. They quickly reviewed the surrounding terrain along their southward journey and soon thought of a place, saying it almost in unison:
"General's Temple!"

It was a bend in the Chu River where the current was swift. The river made a sharp turn here, forming a mudflat and a dense reed bed. There was also a slightly higher patch of mixed woodland nearby, making it an excellent place to set up an ambush.

Changlu Village is less than 30 li away from Guabu Fortress. The strategic significance of Changlu Village to Guabu is like that of Walianglei to the whole world.

If this place is lost, Guabu Fortress will be directly exposed to the Red Flag Battalion's attack.

Therefore, when beacon fires rose along the way, signaling the presence of Red Flag Battalion troops north of Changlu Village, Tang Jizu, the commander of the "righteous army" stationed in Guabu, did not hesitate much and personally led his two thousand main force troops northward at high speed.

His intention was to coordinate with the garrison at Changlu Village to wipe out the isolated Red Flag Battalion detachment that had penetrated deep into enemy territory.

Upon seeing Tang Jizu personally leading reinforcements to arrive, the thousand-household commander of the righteous soldiers left behind at Changlu Village hurriedly came out to greet them, still shaken, and said:
"Commander! Those bandits from the Red Flag Battalion have already fled north, and they've been gone for less than half an hour!"

Tang Jizu, initially relieved to see that Changlu Fortress remained unconquered, lessened his resolve upon hearing that the enemy had fled. Just as he was about to withdraw his troops and fortify the strategic location, the commander added:

"Their force looked to be less than a thousand men, and they were also taking many of our captured villagers with them. They were running away in a panic and looked very disheveled. After running for a short while, some of the villagers took the opportunity to escape and came to our Changlu Village."

Since the rise of the Red Flag Battalion, it has never been defeated by the Yuan army in field battles.

Tang Jizu was initially wary, but upon hearing that the enemy's forces were less than half his own and that they had fled in such a panic, even showing signs of collapse, his desire for military merit suddenly ignited.

If we could truly defeat, or even annihilate, an entire Red Flag Battalion?

Wouldn't that make me, Tang, famous overnight?

Tang Jizu's heart was burning with excitement, and he quickly suppressed his excitement, asking:

"How many capable local militia can you still muster from your village right now?"

"Four--"

The commander initially wanted to say four hundred men, but seeing the eager look in Tang's eyes, and remembering that the northern strongholds had already fallen, if this force couldn't be wiped out, Changlu Stronghold would constantly face another attack from the Red Flag Battalion. So he steeled his resolve, gritted his teeth, and said:
"Six hundred! We can muster six hundred brothers who are willing to fight!"

"it is good!"

Two thousand against one thousand already gave them a great chance of winning, and with the addition of six hundred local militia, it would be difficult for them to lose! Tang Jizu was overjoyed and gave the order:
"Take them all with you and hurry up and catch up. Today is the day to make a name for yourself!"

Speed ​​is of the essence in war. After Tang Jizu finished speaking, he did not wait for the village militia to finish assembling before urging his troops to speed up the pursuit northward along the tracks left by the defeated soldiers.

Along the way, they indeed kept encountering groups of two or three, or even large groups of Liuhe Township militia who had escaped.

Tang Jizu initially suspected that the bandits had tricked him into going deep into the area, but after carefully questioning the local militia about their original strongholds, leaders' names, and other information, he found that they could answer fluently. Only then did his doubts disappear, and he believed that the Red Flag Camp had truly been defeated.

The thought of the Red Flag Battalion's detachment retreating in panic, even abandoning prisoners who slowed their march, made Tang Jizu imagine himself leading his elite troops to cut down the enemy general.

A great victory is within our grasp; we must not let the enemy escape!

Without further hesitation, Tang Jizu decisively urged the army to accelerate its advance.

However, he remained cautious and left a small force behind to gather the local militia who had escaped along the way. After preparing simple weapons for them, he immediately joined the main force to assist in the battle.

Along the way, the number of fleeing soldiers increased, with the largest group numbering five or six hundred. Each of them wore a terrified expression and recounted the same experience:
At first, the Red Flag Battalion sent nearly half of its troops to help them escape. Later, the Red Flag Battalion commander, annoyed by the villagers' slow pace and fearing they would be caught by pursuers, simply abandoned them.

"Hahaha! Heaven is on my side! The enemy army is intimidated, and it is my duty to perform this great feat!"

Tang Jizu, mounted on his horse, laughed loudly. By this moment, the "army" that had gathered behind him had exceeded three thousand five hundred men. Although the formation had stretched to nearly two miles due to the rapid march, it was clearly somewhat scattered.

But in his view, this was a harbinger of a snowballing victory. The rebel army was also fleeing in disarray, and their formation was likely even more scattered than his own.

"Commander Chen!"

Tang Jizu seemed to already see himself stepping over the corpses of the Red Flag Battalion, rising through the ranks and receiving high honors. Full of pride, he gave the order:

"You take two hundred men and stay behind. Quickly whittle some wooden sticks and bamboo spears for them to use as weapons, then immediately catch up with the main force! The rest of you, follow me and pursue at full speed. In this battle, the reward for killing one bandit leader is ten strings of cash! Charge!"

"Kill!"

Enticed by the generous reward, the Yuan soldiers charged forward with roars, their formation becoming increasingly scattered and disorganized.

After splitting his forces again, Tang Jizu had fewer than 1,600 soldiers left to follow him (about 200 others stopped to make makeshift weapons for the fleeing soldiers). However, he was blinded by the prospect of victory and kept urging his men to speed up the pursuit.

Fortunately, the two sides were not far apart to begin with, and the Red Flag Battalion's escape speed was slowed down by the fact that they had previously taken in local militia. When the pursuers reached a bend in the Chu River called "General's Temple," they indeed saw chaos on the mudflats ahead.
A group of soldiers bearing the banner of the Red Flag Battalion were frantically trying to wade across a shallow river. Most of them had taken off their heavy and cumbersome armor and thrown their weapons aside. They were rolling up their trousers and wading through the mud, looking extremely disheveled.

Clearly, this band of bandits had panicked and wandered into this place by mistake. It was too late to retreat, so they had no choice but to risk crossing the river.

Tang Jizu was overjoyed, drew his sword, pointed it forward, and roared:

"The enemy army is right in front of us! Charge in! Leave no one alive!"

"kill!"

Upon seeing this, the Yuan soldiers, their eyes fixed only on the heads and the reward money, rushed haphazardly toward the riverbank.

The Red Flag Battalion soldiers at Huiwan, having experienced countless battles, saw no way to escape and hastily picked up their weapons, forming ranks in an attempt to fight the pursuers head-on. This only fueled the Yuan army's ferocity, and they charged even faster.

But a short while later, the commander at the very front suddenly reined in his horse, his face changed drastically, and he shouted urgently:

"Wanhu! Something's not right! Although the rebel army has many banners, they only look like two or three hundred men, and their formation is abnormally scattered! Could this... could this be bait? An ambush?!"

"ambush?"

Tang Jizu's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously turned his head to look at the eerily quiet grove of mixed trees to the right of the army.

Just as he turned his head—

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The deep and powerful sound of war drums suddenly erupted from the forest.

"Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!"

The deafening shouts of battle were like thunderclaps from a clear sky. The next moment, like a flood bursting its banks, seven or eight hundred elite Red Flag Battalion soldiers, clad in bright armor and exuding a murderous aura, suddenly rushed out of the dense forest.

The leading general, with a face as dark as the bottom of a pot and a body as tall as an iron tower, wielded a terrifying eighteen-foot-long spear; it was Hua Yun. His strides seemed to carry the weight of a thousand pounds, like a tiger descending a mountain, with unstoppable momentum, he plunged straight into the weakest flank of the Yuan army's scattered marching ranks.

"We've fallen for their trap! Quick! Retreat! No, form ranks! Prepare to meet the enemy!"

Upon seeing Hua Yun's incredible bravery, Tang Jizu was terrified, his voice shrill and distorted, and he hurriedly turned his horse around.

But it was all too late. The Yuan army's formation had already broken up, and the soldiers, who had been busy vying for credit, had no time to make any effective response.

Hua Yun was tall and long-legged, and incredibly fast. Like a black whirlwind, she swept into the Yuan army's formation. Her spear transformed into a deadly black dragon, flying and stabbing. Wherever she passed, Yuan soldiers fell to the ground like harvested wheat, their screams echoing endlessly. She had no equal among them.

With the desperate protection of his personal guards, Tang Jizu finally managed to turn his horse around. Just as he was about to accelerate, he was spotted by Chen Tong, who had been hiding among the "desperate soldiers" and keeping a close eye on the Yuan army's banner.

Chen Tong quickly drew his bow and fired two arrows. Although neither hit Tang Jizu, it knocked two of his personal guards off their horses, causing a commotion.

After Tang Jizu finally managed to escape the chaotic crowd and was about to spur his horse to speed up, he saw a flash of cold light, felt a sudden chill in his chest, and was struck by an indescribable force that sent him flying off his horse.

Tang Jizu's vision spun, and the last thing he saw was Hua Yun's dark face and the blood-stained gun barrel that had pierced his chest.

"Wan Hu is dead!!"

"We've lost! Run!"

With their commander killed in action, the Yuan army completely collapsed, losing all will to fight and fleeing in all directions, crying and screaming.

Taking advantage of the situation, Hua Yun and Chen Tong led their troops in a counterattack, pursuing the enemy for over ten miles, beheading more than 1,200 and capturing nearly 2,000. There were almost no able-bodied men left in Changlu Village. Upon hearing that the main force of Guabu had been annihilated and that the commander Tang Jizu had been killed in battle, they offered only a brief resistance before surrendering.

Two days later, Hua Yun and Chen Tong's troops, leading a large number of prisoners of war, arrived at the foot of Guabu Fortress and launched a series of feint attacks.

The fortress garrison was terrified, and was in constant fear. Messengers pleading for help flooded into Zhenzhou, and Zhenzhou was in dire need of help!
Just as tensions were rising in Guabu, the final assault on Liuhe City reached its climax.

Fu Youde personally went to the city walls and displayed his archery skills, killing the Liuhe Darughachi who was shouting and urging the troops to fight from the city walls with a single arrow. The defending army's command instantly failed, and chaos ensued. Wang Bi took the lead, braving the rain of arrows and stones, and was the first to climb the broken city walls.

Liuhe County has been captured!
(End of this chapter)