Sweep Yuan

Chapter 226 Winter Thunderclap to Sacrifice the Wronged Souls

From Qian Baihu, who had fled back from the rout, Yu Que learned that the Red Flag Battalion had already joined the battle and had rescued Zhao Pusheng's troops. His heart sank, and he thought to himself, "This is bad."

The current battlefield situation is extremely unfavorable for the Yuan army.

The army had just entered Tongcheng after a bloody battle. The resistance of the remaining rebels in the city had not been completely extinguished. Scattered fighting and screams still echoed intermittently in the streets and alleys. The soldiers who had slaughtered and looted were scattered throughout the city and were difficult to gather up for the time being.

Tongcheng itself was severely lacking in food and had captured very little. If the entire army retreated into the city to hold it, and was surrounded by the Red Flag Battalion, they would have no food inside and no reinforcements outside, and their only outcome would be to sit and wait for death.

There were still some provisions and supplies in the Yuan army's siege camp in the east of the city, but the camp was several miles away from the city. Given the constant threat of enemy attacks, it was impossible to safely transport them into the city in a hurry.

The Red Flag Battalion's sudden intervention at this crucial moment, precisely targeting the Yuan army's most vulnerable point during its offensive and defensive transition, was bound to divide the Yuan army into several disjointed units, unable to coordinate their efforts.

Should we immediately abandon Tongcheng and withdraw the entire army to Huaining?
That's also not feasible!
Not to mention that Hu Boyan's troops, who were looting and slaughtering in the city, could not possibly withdraw in time, even if Yu Que could be ruthless enough to abandon this army and decisively order the exhausted troops who had been attacking the city all day to retreat, it was very likely that the chaos would turn into an uncontrollable rout as darkness fell.

But after only a brief moment of mental turmoil, he forcibly suppressed all negative emotions and quickly calmed down to analyze the enemy situation.

The Red Flag Battalion's swift response suggests that the number of troops coming to support Zhao Pusheng must be small, most likely the same bandit force stationed in Lujiang County. Yu Que knew that the Red Flag Battalion's military system differed from other bandit forces, and he estimated that even if they mobilized their entire force, it would only amount to two or three thousand men at most.

If the Yuan army responds properly and commands effectively, it may well be able to take advantage of its superior numbers to defeat or even annihilate them.

Having figured out these key points, Yu Que's eyes became sharp and firm again. He took a deep breath of the cold air and decisively issued a series of orders. His voice was calm and steady, without a trace of panic, which greatly stabilized the emotions of the officers around him.

"Order: Hu Boyan's troops shall immediately close all four gates! Sweep away the remaining enemy forces in the city with all their might, clear the streets and alleys, and take control of the entire city as soon as possible! Do not give the Red Flag rebels any opportunity to join forces from within and without and seize the city in the chaos!"

"Order Fu Tong to strictly guard the eastern camp and ensure the safety of our army's food and supplies!"

"Chen Bin, take your men and burn all the siege equipment outside the city. Don't leave a single piece for the enemy!"

"The troops of Huo Shibuhua, Ji Shouren, Jin Chengzong, and others, immediately move closer to me and form a defensive formation to cover Hu Boyan and Chen Bin's troops in completing their mission!"

"Huang Yinsun, lead your most elite scouts and set off immediately. You must ascertain the exact size and main force movements of the attacking Red Flag rebels!"

The order was quickly relayed, and the previously somewhat panicked Yuan army began to operate again under Yu Que's command.

When Bian Yuanheng and Zhao Pusheng assembled their troops and arrived outside Tongcheng City, this was the scene they witnessed:
The four gates of Tongcheng were tightly closed, and the Yuan army flags fluttered on the city walls, with crowds of people gathered. The Yuan army was ready to defend the city.

Beneath the city wall, the siege equipment that had been scattered and abandoned was being gathered up by a Yuan army squad, doused with oil, and set ablaze, billowing thick smoke that shot into the sky.

Clearly, the opportunity to seize the city amidst the chaos has been lost.

On an open area northeast of the city, a Yuan army of about three thousand men had assembled, forming several mutually supportive defensive formations, with swords and spears like a forest and flags waving.

They stood ready, clearly providing cover for the troops burning weapons and the Yuan army defending the city. In the center of the largest formation, a large banner bearing the inscription "General Yu of Anqing Road" fluttered in the cold wind, proclaiming the presence of their commander.

"Yu Que was able to single-handedly reorganize the routed troops and repel the 'Peng Zu family army,' proving that his great reputation is well-deserved!"

Bian Yuanheng saw through the Yuan army's deployment and immediately understood Yu Que's intention. He couldn't help but secretly admire him. At the same time, he also gained more understanding of Zhao Pu's defeat in the bitter battle. This man was indeed experienced and meticulous in his use of troops, and should not be underestimated.

However, Bian Yuanheng also keenly noticed that although Yu Que's army appeared to be in a well-organized formation from a distance, it was filled with a large number of newly recruited soldiers. When the Red Flag Battalion suddenly appeared, some commotion and tension inevitably arose in the ranks.

If he had over a thousand elite Red Flag Battalion soldiers at his disposal, he might very well have dared to attempt a charge against the enemy's formation.

However, he and Zhao Pusheng's two forces together numbered only eight hundred men, and after a long march or continuous bloody battles, their physical strength was greatly depleted. Although their morale was high, they were already at their limit. They could not rely on their courage to confront the well-prepared enemy army head-on.

After a moment's thought, Bian Yuanheng made up his mind and said:

"Commander Zhao, have your men and my troops form ranks here. Take this time to rest and recover your strength, and wait for Geng Zhenfu's army to join us. I'll go weigh these Yuan dogs first and test their strength!"

When Bian Yuanheng previously defeated the Yuan cavalry, he captured twelve warhorses, but due to the scarcity of skilled archers and horsemen under his command, he was unable to make effective use of them. Zhao Pusheng, fresh from his defeat, was eager to vindicate the "Peng Zu family" (a legendary figure associated with the legendary general Peng Zu). Seeing Bian Yuanheng's attempt to test the waters alone, he was unwilling to show weakness and immediately said:
"Brother Bian, you're so generous! I'll back you up!"

"it is good!"

Bian Yuanheng was certainly not so arrogant as to think he could defeat three thousand enemy soldiers with just over ten riders. He simply wanted to take advantage of the fact that the Yuan army had just formed ranks and their minds were not yet settled, to harass and probe them, to demoralize them, and at the same time to find out the true strength of the enemy for the main force that was about to arrive.

He and Zhao Pusheng led more than ten riders, rushing like a whirlwind towards a small formation on the flank of the Yuan army. Taking advantage of the enemy's confusion and the firing of arrows, they quickly turned their horses around and rushed towards another area that was also in chaos.

Yu Que stood beneath the central army banner, calmly observing the battlefield, and immediately discerned Bian Yuanheng's intentions. He gave a cold snort and issued the order:
"Commander Qian! Take your men and go up there to kill these bandits!"

Qian Baihu was already traumatized by Bian Yuanheng's superb spear and archery skills, but Commander Yu was very strict in disciplining his troops, often beheading them to maintain discipline. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and lead the remaining cavalry out to try to encircle Bian Yuanheng and his men.

However, Bian Yuanheng and his men did not engage the Yuan cavalry in battle. They fought and retreated, and in two brief skirmishes, they took the lives of nine Yuan soldiers. On Bian Yuanheng's side, only two men fell from their horses, and his men even took five ownerless warhorses from the Yuan army in the chaos.

Although the Yuan army outnumbered the Yuan troops, they were led by the nose by Bian Yuanheng and his men, and their formation began to falter slightly.

During this time, the shouts and chaos within the city gradually subsided, indicating that Hu Boyan had essentially taken control of the city. Chen Bin's troops also successfully burned all the large siege weapons and withdrew to their main camp.

On the Red Flag Battalion's side, Geng Zaicheng's main force of the 7th Battalion finally arrived at the battlefield. Upon seeing the situation, he ordered his soldiers to rest briefly, form ranks, and then sounded the gong to summon Bian Yuanheng and Zhao Pusheng back to their unit, preparing for a formal battle with the Yuan army.

"The Red Flag Bandits... truly live up to their reputation, they are difficult to deal with!"

Looking at the well-disciplined and high-spirited Red Flag Battalion troops opposite him, Yu Que thought to himself.

Although the Yuan army had a numerical advantage, the soldiers were exhausted after a day of fierce fighting. More importantly, the enemy had over a thousand elite vanguard troops alone, and who knew how many main forces they had to follow up?
If they were to engage this enemy force in a direct confrontation at this point, even if they were to win, it would inevitably be a Pyrrhic victory. If, during a stalemate, the Red Flag Battalion were to suddenly deploy fresh troops, it would be an absolute catastrophe for the Yuan army.

After weighing the pros and cons, Yu Que made a difficult decision:

"Order! All units maintain formation, provide alternating cover, and retreat to the eastern camp!"

Geng Zaicheng watched with a solemn expression as the Yuan army began to retreat in an orderly manner, maintaining a relatively intact formation. He couldn't help but admire Yu Que's strict military discipline and hesitated whether to order a pursuit to expand the victory.

"Geng Zhenfu!"

Zhao Pusheng noticed Geng Zaicheng's hesitation and quickly reminded him:
"Yu Que is most skilled at defense and counterattack, and he also likes to raid camps at night. With nightfall approaching, the garrison commander must be on guard!"

"Ok!"

Geng Zaicheng nodded. He also saw that although this Yuan army might be slightly inferior to the main force of the Red Flag Battalion in terms of equipment and training, it was by no means a rabble and still had fighting spirit. At this moment, the enemy's forces also had an absolute advantage.

If you pursue too aggressively and fail to defeat them in one strike, you'll be in trouble if they turn around and bite you when it gets dark.

He turned back and glanced at Tongcheng, where the noise was gradually subsiding but the firelight was growing brighter. He knew that the Yuan army was gradually gaining control of the situation. Fearing being caught in a pincer attack by two enemy forces, he decisively abandoned the plan to engage the main enemy force in the open and gave the order:
"The army shall retreat five li and choose a place to set up camp!"

Seeing that Geng Zaicheng had led his troops to retreat, Yu Que did not order his troops to relax. Instead, he immediately sent out scouts to follow and monitor the movements of the Red Flag Battalion. At the same time, he began to consider the possibility of a night attack.

Before the scouts returned, Huang Yinsun, who had been sent to scout out the enemy's main force, returned with accurate intelligence: the attacking Red Flag Battalion had a total strength of about 5,000 men, and the commander's banner read "Fenwu Weiwu".

Yu Que's heart sank completely. The enemy's strength was much greater than he had estimated. This time, he had really met his match.

Although the Red Flag Battalion was smaller than the Yuan army, it was better equipped and trained, and had a proven track record of defeating the imperial army of 100,000 in battle. A direct confrontation was far from a wise choice. Yu Que immediately conceived a bold plan: to launch a surprise attack at night while the enemy was still establishing themselves and their camps were in disarray, which might lead to a decisive victory.

When Wu Liujin led the main force of the Fenwu Guard to the camp selected by Geng Zaicheng, it was already dark. As expected, the construction of the camp encountered difficulties—there was a lack of sufficient timber, and the fortifications could not be completed in a short time.

When an army is on campaign, all sorts of situations will arise, and it's impossible to have perfect conditions every time they set up camp. Wu Liujin, a seasoned veteran, was already used to such situations, and calmly gave the order…

"Order all battalions to shrink their camp area! Link the supply wagons end to end to form a wagon formation! Tie the spears together and insert them into the ground to make makeshift chevaux-de-frise! Dig three layers of trenches around the camp! Tonight, the Second and Sixth Commanders will be on guard and patrol the camp, and double the number of campfires...!"

The soldiers of Fenwu Guard obeyed orders, and before long, a simple but well-organized and heavily guarded temporary camp took shape. The camp was brightly lit by campfires, almost like daytime, and patrolling soldiers moved back and forth in orderly fashion.

After the scouts brought back detailed information about the Red Flag Camp, Yu Que remained silent for a long time before finally giving up the idea of ​​a night raid.

The commander of the opposing Red Flag Battalion is equally cautious and experienced, and his defenses are impeccable. We must readjust our strategy for this battle.

The next morning, the world was bleak and desolate. Lead-gray clouds hung low, as if they might bring snow at any moment. The biting north wind howled across the gray earth and bare treetops.

The Fenwu Guard army was breaking camp, preparing to continue their advance on the Yuan army, when a scout suddenly rode up to report:
"Report! Commander, Yuan Gou has broken camp and is retreating south!"

When Wu Liujin led his large army to the walls of Tongcheng, Yu Que's army was escorting supplies and provisions, slowly retreating south. Although the column was long, it did not appear chaotic.

"Geng Zaicheng!"

"The general is here!"

Wu Liujin glanced at the orderly retreating Yuan army rearguard, not letting the Yuan army's victory without a fight cloud his judgment, and calmly gave the order:

"You will lead the vanguard in pursuit of the Yuan army. If you can intercept some of their supplies or rescue some of the abducted civilians, it will be a great achievement! Do not be greedy for merit and advance rashly, lest you fall into Yu Que's ambush and counterattack!"

The vanguard is equipped with supply wagons today to carry armor and baggage, making them more capable of attacking fortified positions. However, Geng Zaicheng had already witnessed Yu Que's military tactics yesterday and knew how formidable this Tangut Tartar was. He clasped his hands in a respectful greeting and replied solemnly:

"Understood, sir! I will be careful and cautious, and will never act rashly!"

Wu Liujin nodded, then turned to look at Tongcheng, where thick smoke billowed and flames soared into the sky. His face turned extremely grim, and he continued to give orders:
"The rest of the units, follow me into the city to put out the fire!"

Yu Que's retreat was a last resort.

Although he was appointed by the Yuan court as the governor of Anqing Road, nominally in charge of the entire Anqing Road, in reality he could only effectively control the cities of Huaining, Qianshan, and half of Taihu County.

Other places, such as Susong, Wangjiang, and Zongyang, have either been captured by the Xu Song regime or are under threat from Xu Song and the Red Flag Battalion. They need to invest a lot of manpower and resources to consolidate their defenses and it is difficult to spare forces to support the Huaining troops.

The war potential of the area actually controlled by Yu Que may not be as great as that of Lujiang, Shucheng, and Wuwei Prefecture, which are guarded by Wu Liujin's Fenwu Guard.

In this military operation to recapture Tongcheng, Yu Que was well aware of his disadvantages. His original plan was to concentrate superior forces, fight a quick battle, and take the city before the Red Flag Battalion could react, thus consolidating the defense line.

But just yesterday, Tongcheng fell, and the Red Flag Battalion's 5,000-strong army was already at the city gates. This opportunity made Yu Que extremely uncomfortable.

Compared to other bandit armies that often mobilize over ten thousand men, the Red Flag Battalion's five thousand soldiers were not many, but their combat strength was formidable and should not be underestimated. Yu Que's troops were certainly capable of fighting them, but they were not absolutely certain that they could wipe out so many Red Flag Battalion soldiers in one battle.

If the battle becomes stalemate and the Red Flag Battalion is firmly tied down at the foot of Tongcheng, the consequences will be unimaginable:
Either the remnants of the "Peng Zu family" in Chizhou would take the opportunity to cross the river and return north to besiege his weak stronghold of Huaining; or the main force of the Red Flag Battalion would be drawn south, at which point the Yuan army in Anqing would be in dire straits.

Yu Que was well aware of his weakness in lacking rear support. Taking advantage of the situation before it deteriorated completely, he decisively withdrew his troops in order to preserve his strength. As long as he held the two most important places, Huaining and Qianshan, he could hold out until the court launched a major counterattack.

Of course, given his character, he would never leave Tongcheng intact to the enemy.

Before dawn, he had already given strict orders to Hu Boyan's troops in the city to forcibly drive the remaining people out of the city and retreat south with the army.

These people are not only a valuable resource for land reclamation, but can also serve as cannon fodder to deplete the enemy's arrows and crossbow bolts when necessary.

The Yuan army had just breached the city yesterday and carried out a brutal massacre and looting of Tongcheng. Today, before dawn, they forcibly drove away the people, which naturally met with great resistance.

The people suspected that the Yuan army was going to carry out a large-scale massacre of the city. Terrified, they hid in all sorts of places. Cellars, water tanks, attics, and even latrines were crowded with the poor people who had fallen into the hands of the ruthless army.

The Yuan army did not have complete control over Tongcheng. The grassroots organization was extremely chaotic. Time was of the essence, and it was impossible to take everyone away, or even most of them.

But none of that matters. Yu Que didn't intend to take them all with him. Those who refused to submit to the Yuan Dynasty's rule were no different from bandits and deserved to die.

Since we can't take it with us, let's destroy it completely!

Yu Que had anticipated this situation and ordered Hu Boyan to forcibly abduct a portion of the able-bodied men before setting the city ablaze.

Wu Liujin's main force was supposed to enter the city to fight the fire, but faced with a fire of this scale, they were simply unable to put it out.

The Yuan army first set fires from the west and north. Once the fires started, fueled by the fierce northwest wind, they spread like a roaring beast, devouring everything that could burn, including houses, streets, and trees, and quickly engulfed the entire city.

Many people who had taken refuge did not realize that the end was nigh until they were surrounded by thick smoke and flames.

They cried out and struggled to escape from their hiding places, only to find their escape route blocked by flames. They could only be burned alive in extreme agony, their shrill screams echoing endlessly, as if they were in hell on earth.

The soldiers of the Red Flag Battalion were forced to stay away from the scorching heatwave and could only try their best to lift large logs and push down some houses that were not yet completely burned in an attempt to create a firebreak, but the effect was minimal.

The Yuan army's camp outside the city was also set on fire. Yu Que's determination was clear: even if he could not hold this place for the time being, he must not let the Red Flag Battalion easily obtain Tongcheng as a forward base to threaten Huaining.

For those civilians who were forcibly taken out of the city, Yu Que adopted a two-pronged approach: first, he had the accompanying civil officials preach to them the principles of loyalty to the emperor and serving the country; but for anyone who dared to delay, resist, or try to escape, he showed no mercy and executed them in public, using extremely cruel methods.

After killing a group of people, the remaining civilians, driven by fear, finally became numb and obedient, and were driven south by the Yuan army like lambs.

Inside Tongcheng, Wu Liujin had led his troops to a relatively safe area near the North Gate. Seeing the raging fire that was difficult to contain, he had given up on his futile efforts to put it out.

Hearing the desperate cries and screams coming from the sea of ​​fire, Wu Liujin's eyes turned bloodshot, and his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

This scene strongly stimulated Wu Liujin, reminding him of the fire that occurred around the same time last year when the Yuan army's Shenbao troops hastily withdrew from Hong County. The difference was that Shenbao's troops retreated too hastily, only setting fire to a few important buildings such as the official granary.

Yu Que, on the other hand, was determined to burn Tongcheng to the ground, even at the cost of burning to death all the civilians who refused to follow the Yuan army.

Snowflakes began to fall from the sky, their icy flakes attempting to cover the scorched earth. However, over Tongcheng, they were directly evaporated and swallowed by the towering flames and heat waves, not a single one managing to reach the city.

Thick black smoke billowed and rose into the low-hanging clouds, even triggering lightning, a rare occurrence in winter, with muffled thunder rumbling faintly from within the clouds.

"Crack! Smash! Rumble..."

A muffled and oppressive rumble of thunder seemed to explode directly overhead, as if even the heavens could not bear to witness this human tragedy and were roaring in fury.

Wu Liujin suddenly drew his sword and slammed it down hard on the charred city gate pillar. Looking in the direction Yu Que's army had retreated, he cursed:

"Yu Que, that dog of the Yuan Dynasty, is the most vicious. If he falls into my hands in the future, I will definitely cut him into a thousand pieces to appease the wronged souls in this city!"

(End of this chapter)