Sweep Yuan

Chapter 222 People's Hearts Turn to Backfoot Voting

Huai'an Road, the seat of Sizhou Prefecture was Xuyi County.

In early winter, the wilderness was desolate. The north wind howled across the withered meadows and bare treetops, stirring up dust and fallen leaves, making a whistling sound, like a low lament.

In peaceful times, the wheat seedlings in the fields would have already tillered and withstood several frosts. Farmers could then take a break from the busy work in the fields. If there were no heavy corvée labor imposed by the government, they might even be able to steal a few moments of leisure and do some handicrafts to supplement their income.

However, since Hongxian and Wuhe were successively occupied by the Red Flag Camp, Xuyi, as the forward stronghold of the Yuan court to attack the Red Flag Camp and the Red Turban Army in Xuzhou, had long been ravaged by endless war and levies.

The government repeatedly conscripted laborers and plundered grain and fodder, causing serious damage to local agricultural production.

Looking around, large swathes of fields lay barren, overgrown with weeds. Only less than 30% of the cultivated land was barely planted with wheat. Due to a shortage of manpower and neglect of field management, the wheat seedlings were sparse and weak, shivering in the cold wind.

But even in this desolate and lifeless field, there are still a few scattered figures, as tenacious as wild grass, stumbling and moving through the cold winds of the fields, trying to carve out a little bit of hope for survival from this almost dried-up land.

Li Zhen's hempen jacket was patched upon patched, and even though it was stuffed with dried reeds, it couldn't keep out the biting cold wind.

He shivered violently, forced to stop digging, and stood up to stomp his almost frozen feet, trying to get his cold blood flowing again and bring a tiny bit of warmth.

Immediately, Li Zhen tightened the tattered hemp clothing around her neck, sighed, and resignedly squatted down again, continuing to carefully search through the cold clods of earth with a sharpened wooden stick.

War and displacement led to the flight of people and the abandonment of cultivated land, which in turn caused an overabundance of field mice, snakes, and insects.

If they were lucky enough to find a field mouse's burrow where it stores food for the winter, or a snake's den where it hibernates, or even a few frogs that are already frozen numb, that would be enough food for a family to survive for a few days.

Unfortunately, Li Zhen's luck seemed to be extremely bad today. After digging into seven or eight suspicious holes, getting his hands covered in mud and his fingernails filled with grime, he only managed to harvest about ten unidentified overwintering pupae.

This little bit of food wasn't even enough to make up for the calories he'd burned out in the cold wind all day.

"Ugh! This hell of a life is unbearable! When will it ever end..."

Amidst the chaos of war, and with my own wife passing away from illness last year, life is getting harder every day, seemingly without end.

Sorrow and despair overwhelmed him like a cold tide. At only thirty-six years old, Li Zhen's temples were already gray, and his forehead was etched with deep wrinkles, making him look like someone in his forties.

"Father! Father!"

Just as Li Zhen was filled with worry, a boy of about ten years old ran towards her, calling out urgently:
"Father! I was digging reeds by the Huai River when I saw a fleet of ships on the river! It was a huge fleet, heading west!"

The boy's feet, red from the cold, were encased in tattered straw sandals, and he wore a ragged hemp garment that barely covered his body. In his hand, he carried a crooked willow basket, which was half-filled with bitter wild vegetables covered in mud.

"west?"

Li Zhen was taken aback upon hearing this, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes. Wasn't Wuhe County, to the west, occupied by the Red Flag Battalion?
The Huai River is an important shipping route. After the Red Flag Battalion occupied Wuhe and Haozhou, they did not wantonly plunder cargo ships. In the past, as long as they did not fight fiercely with the government troops, many cargo ships would still risk going to Wuhe to make money from Xuyi.

However, since the government troops suffered a defeat a few months ago and retreated, they built a water fortress at Longwo Station, strictly inspected all passing ships, and extorted money from them. As a result, the number of ships heading west gradually decreased, let alone large-scale fleets.

"Bao'er, did you see it clearly? Is it really heading west? How many boats are there?" Li Zhen grabbed her son and asked anxiously.

Although Li Bao'er was only thirteen years old and had never attended school, he was naturally intelligent and could even do math and accounting. He nodded firmly and said:
"There were fourteen boats in total! Some were big, some were small, and I counted them clearly while hiding in the reeds. I can't be wrong! They were heading west towards the Five Rivers!"

"Air routes have opened? Could it be..."

Li Zhen's heart skipped a beat, and a thought popped into his head: Could it be that the government troops have secretly captured Wuhe? But recently, he had not seen a large number of government troops marching westward, nor had he seen the government frantically conscripting laborers as usual.

What exactly is going on?

Ever since the Red Flag Battalion marched south and captured Wuhe, this place has become a thorn in the side of the government troops. Although every time they attacked Wuhe, they suffered heavy losses and returned in disgrace.

However, the people of Sizhou, which was adjacent to the war zone, suffered greatly. They were burdened with countless taxes, grains, and corvée labor. As a result, some fled, some died, and those who remained, like Li Zhen and his son, endured the war until it ended, or died silently in the chaos of war.

Li Zhen didn't know what had happened in the west, but he knew he really couldn't endure this wretched place, Xuyi, any longer. If he didn't find a way to change things, he might freeze or starve to death in this hopeless winter.

"Let's go! Stop digging! Let's go home!"

Li Zhen glanced at the meager amount of wild vegetables in her son's basket, then at the barren fields and gloomy sky. She gritted her teeth, made up her mind, and said:

"Let's cook this up to fill our stomachs. Now that I have some energy, I'll go to the city and find out what happened!"

"Ok!"

Li Bao'er nodded heavily. War and famine are the best tests of a person (those who cannot withstand them have already been "selected" out by nature), and the thirteen-year-old boy already had a maturity far beyond his age and an extreme desire to survive in his eyes.

The reason he rushed to tell Li Zhen the news after seeing the westward-bound fleet was that, deep down, he wanted to persuade his father to leave Xuyi, this despairing place, as soon as possible and go west to find a glimmer of hope.

The continuous natural disasters and wars made life unbearable for the people of Jiangbei, with starving corpses littering the fields.

If there's any place within hundreds of miles around where one can catch their breath and see a glimmer of hope for survival, it's probably only under the rule of the legendary Red Flag Battalion. There are many rumors about that place, the most enticing being that "everyone has food to eat."

Rumors may be exaggerated, just as government battle reports are often fabricated, but the front lines do not lie.

The territory of the Red Flag Camp was constantly expanding, and the government troops were retreating one after another. Even the news brought back by some redeemed prisoners of war more or less confirmed the rumors—at least the prisoners of war could have food to eat in the Red Flag Camp, so the lives of ordinary people could not be worse than here, right?
As for whether you can get enough to eat?
These days, it's already a blessing from God that you don't starve to death!

Even the soldiers in the government army camps often go hungry when there is no battle.

Li Zhen ultimately did not enter the city, because right outside the city, he overheard something from the hushed yet excited conversations of the people:

The government troops and the Red Flag Battalion officially ceased hostilities, and many shopkeepers in the city were eager to mortgage their goods and head to Wuhe to make a fortune.

Small groups of emaciated people gathered at the base of a sheltered earthen wall, whispering among themselves about whether they should also take this opportunity to risk fleeing westward to Wuhe and seek a way to survive.

Li Zhen's heart pounded violently. He was different from the villagers who might still have some food left at home and could grit their teeth and endure a little longer.

He had no surplus food at home and no crops on the land; he truly couldn't survive another day!
Li Zhen immediately returned to her dilapidated thatched hut, which was drafty on all sides. She pulled her son up, rolled up the only two tattered cotton quilts they had, and took the blackened iron pot and a few chipped earthenware bowls with her. This was all their belongings.

Without much hesitation, the father and son set off before it got completely dark, walking along the cold dirt road and leaving the land that had given them countless painful memories.

Li Zhen originally thought that she had acted decisively enough and should be able to get ahead of the others.

Unexpectedly, after leaving Xuyi and walking on the desolate path leading west, they encountered groups of migrants, also with their families and simple belongings, heading west.

Everyone looked emaciated and had the same fearful eyes, yet they also carried a glimmer of hope for a new life.

In the midst of war, humans retreat while beasts advance. Countless dangers lurk in the wilderness. The cold and swamps can easily devour strangers unfamiliar with the terrain, and wild beasts such as hungry wolves and wild dogs may also take their lives.

However, Li Zhen and his son dared not get too close to these unfamiliar refugees, only following them from a distance—because they knew that sometimes a starving person was more terrifying than a wild beast. Moreover, although the government troops were suffering repeated defeats against the Red Flag Battalion, they were adopting an offensive strategy in the Wuhe direction, building many fortified villages and beacon towers along the way. Li Zhen was unsure whether the government officials in these areas would simply stand by and watch their people flee to enemy territory without doing anything about it.

Sure enough, when they passed Liutaibao, the number of refugees gathered there had reached nearly a hundred, and the commotion finally attracted the attention of the government troops in the fort.

A squad of soldiers in tattered uniforms rushed out, cursing and shouting, ordering the people to return to their homes. These poor refugees had already lost everything; having finally seen a glimmer of hope, they were unwilling to turn back so easily.
Some people became emotional and couldn't help but argue a few words, which immediately resulted in brutal suppression by the officers and soldiers.

Clubs, knives, and guns fell mercilessly. In the ensuing conflict, nearly twenty refugees were killed or wounded on the spot, their blood staining the withered grass red. The remaining refugees were terrified and fled in all directions, crying out like frightened birds and beasts.

Li Zhen and Li Bao'er had hidden themselves in a dense thicket of withered grass in the distance, barely daring to breathe. They watched the bloody scene in silence for a long time, their hearts pounding with fear and lingering dread.

Fortunately, after passing the Liutaibao checkpoint, the closer they got to the actual control area of ​​the Red Flag Battalion, the more "restrained" the government troops became.

The soldiers at the outposts and fortified villages along the way, even if they saw groups of refugees passing by outside their defense zone, mostly just glanced at them indifferently and rarely came out to forcibly stop or kill them.

Perhaps they themselves knew that this decadent land could not retain people's hearts, or perhaps they had received some unwritten order.

After six days of anxious and trekking, Li Zhen and his son, following a new group of refugees, finally stumbled into the territory of Wuhe County.

Here, they saw even more refugees gathering. Many of them, in order to avoid the key blockade areas imposed by the government troops, first detoured through the uncontrolled Hong County, and then struggled southwards, enduring countless dangers and hardships along the way.

But at least along this route, they no longer had to constantly worry about being killed and slaughtered at will by government troops like pigs and dogs.

The soldiers and civilians of the Red Flag Battalion in Wuhe County clearly had a wealth of experience in receiving and resettling refugees.

At the main entrance to the jurisdiction, a temporary refugee reception point was set up, with several large pots steaming hot, containing coarse but fragrant mixed grain porridge.

All the refugees had to line up and complete a simple registration before they could receive a bowl of thick, piping hot, life-saving porridge.

Soldiers from the Red Flag Battalion, armed with weapons, maintained order at the scene, their eyes sharp and their discipline strict.

If any ignorant refugees, relying on their strength or numbers, refuse to queue or even try to steal others' hard-earned food, these soldiers will not hesitate to take action and teach them to obey the rules of this place with swords, spears, and fists.

Screams and shouts occasionally rang out, quickly quelling the commotion.

After all, the resettlement of large-scale displaced people has always been an extremely difficult problem in any era.

Although the Red Flag Battalion attracted people from all directions to join them under the name of "benevolence and righteousness," they were by no means a group of indiscriminately kind-hearted people without any principles.

They are willing to give a way out to those who genuinely want to join them, but only on the condition that they abide by their rules. Those who are unwilling to accept discipline and only want to take advantage of the chaos or even plunder will not be treated kindly by the Red Flag Battalion.

"Where are you from? What's your name? Do you have any relatives under the jurisdiction of our Red Flag Battalion?"

The officer in charge of registration looked to be around thirty years old, and what was most striking was the empty trouser leg he was wearing—he was a one-legged veteran.

He wore a faded but impeccably clean Red Flag Battalion uniform. On his left cheek, a hideous scar stretched from the corner of his eye to his jaw, the skin and flesh turned outwards, revealing a dark red color. This made his speech, which involved muscle contractions, appear particularly horrifying.

After registering, the refugees would receive a small bamboo slip with a number written on it in ink, which they could use to collect the mixed grain porridge from the soup kitchen.

After they finished eating, someone would lead them to a designated refugee camp for quarantine observation, according to the number on the bamboo slip.

The reasons for doing so were twofold: firstly, to further verify identities and prevent spies from the government troops from infiltrating; and secondly, to prevent the possible spread of disease on a large scale within the Red Flag Camp's controlled area.

Li Zhen held her son Bao'er's slightly cold hand tightly, and moved forward step by step with the slowly moving crowd.

Hunger had long tormented them to the point that their stomachs were practically sticking to their backs. The aroma of the mixed grain porridge made their stomachs rumble like thunder, one after another, and all around them were the suppressed sounds of swallowing saliva.

When it was finally Li Zhen's turn, he nervously swallowed, stepped forward, and respectfully addressed the one-legged veteran with a fierce face but remarkably calm eyes:

"Sir...Sir, my name is Li Zhen, Li as in 'wooden character,' and Zhen as in 'chaste.' This is my son, Li Wenzhong (note). My family lives in the eastern part of Xuyi County...My in-laws are from Taiping Township, Zhongli County, Haozhou...They suffered a disaster a few years ago, and now there are probably not many relatives left."

I know that I have a brother-in-law named Zhu Chongba, who used to be a monk at Yuhuang Temple. But with all this war and chaos, I don't know how he is now, whether he's dead or alive..."

"Zhu Chongba?"

Upon hearing this, the one-legged veteran's thick, dark eyebrows twitched slightly, and a hint of doubt appeared on his face. He tapped the table with his rough fingers, as if trying to recall something.

"I think I heard someone mention this name in the military... tsk, I really can't remember right now."

After all, the Red Flag Battalion is now a formidable force, with its soldiers and auxiliary troops numbering over 100,000, stationed across a vast area of ​​over a thousand miles. Soldiers from different battalions and garrisons are unlikely to know each other unless they are from the same hometown or have a prior connection.

The veteran tried his best to make his tone sound as gentle as possible so as not to frighten these poor people who had just fled. As he wrote on a wooden board, he said:
"Your brother-in-law should have already joined the army, otherwise I wouldn't have heard of him. I really can't remember which garrison or battalion he's in right now. I'll register you first and settle you in Camp No. 2, Unit B."

Once your quarantine period is over, your destination will be reassigned based on the situation.

During my time in the camp, I wasn't just sitting around doing nothing. I could help with some handicrafts, like basket weaving and rope twisting, which I could earn in wages and food stamps. If I wanted to have enough to eat, I had to be diligent.

He paused, glanced at Li Zhen and his son, and added:
"If you encounter any difficulties in the camp, you can come find me. Remember, my name is Pan Mian, the 'Mian' in 'encouragement'!"

Pan Mian, as one of the first veterans to be discharged due to injury and resettled in the "civil affairs department", was known for his quick literacy and hard work. He and several other outstanding comrades were personally received and commended by Marshal Shi, who also bestowed upon him this auspicious new name.

He felt deeply honored by this, and whenever he had the chance, he would introduce himself to others with pride in his words.

Li Zhen wasn't too surprised to hear that his brother-in-law, Zhu Chongba, might have joined the army. His brother-in-law had never been one to stay put since childhood. The only reason he was able to endure being a monk at Yuhuang Temple for several years was because his status at least allowed him to have some thin porridge to keep him from starving.

He brought his family to Wuhe not specifically to seek refuge with his brother-in-law, who was previously struggling to survive, but simply to find a way to live in this legendary place.

Unexpectedly, upon arrival, he seemed to have a stroke of luck to receive the care of Pan Mian, a seemingly senior "benefactor." His fear and confusion about the future dissipated considerably, replaced by a faint glimmer of hope and confidence.

He quickly pulled his son along, bowing deeply in gratitude:

"Thank you... thank you, Master Pan! Thank you for your guidance, Master Pan! I'll remember it, I'll remember it!"

……

P.S.: Historically, Li Wenzhong likely changed his name after being adopted by Zhu Yuanzhang.

It is said that Old Zhu seems to really like the character "Wen" (文). Several of his capable adopted sons, such as Zhu Wenying (Mu Ying), Zhu Wenzhong (Li Wenzhong), Zhu Wengang (Chai She), Zhu Wenxun, and He Wenhui, all have "Wen" in their names.

Similarly, Zhu Yuanzhang's nephew, Zhu Wenzheng, should also have been given a name by Zhu Yuanzhang.

Since this book is an online novel, and considering the reader's immersion, we directly use the familiar names of these "celebrities." Those who are particular about historical accuracy, please don't get hung up on it.

(End of this chapter)