Sweep Yuan

Chapter 231 The Liao Brothers Receive First Merit

Taiping Road, Wuhu County, Longwo Lake.

The spring sunshine shone on the vast river, creating shimmering golden light. Liao Yong'an, the garrison commander of the Third Division of the Red Flag Navy (and concurrently the commander of the Fifth Battalion), stood on the tall stern deck of his flagship, one hand on his waist sword, his gaze sweeping across the approaching lake mouth like that of a hawk.

The expected heavy security did not materialize. Instead, all that came into view was an abandoned water fortress still billowing thick smoke, with the smell of burning wood carried on the wind.

Liao Yong'an spat, his thick eyebrows furrowed, his face filled with disappointment and contempt:
"Bah! I thought I could snatch the credit for capturing the camp and the flag, just to warm up! But these Tartars are really like rats, cowards smaller than eggs! Before our ships even arrived, they set fire to the camp and ran away!"

His voice was rough and carried far across the empty lake, eliciting chuckles from the soldiers around him, who dared not be too unrestrained.

A scout ship quickly approached, and the captain, standing at the bow, looked up and reported loudly:
"Commander! We have investigated carefully. The Yuan dogs retreated in a hurry. They burned a lot of the grain in the camp that they couldn't transport in time, and some broken military equipment was scattered everywhere."

We searched all the major tributaries in the lake, but didn't find a trace of the Yuan dog fleet. They really escaped completely!

"Hmph! A stray dog, it may escape Dragon's Nest Lake, but can it escape the Yangtze River? It may dodge the first day of the month, but can it dodge the fifteenth?"

Liao Yong'an didn't dwell too much on the missed opportunity. He looked westward across the river and saw a massive fleet of sails propelled downstream by the wind and current. He turned to a capable young officer beside him and gave the order:
"Hua Gao, take the fast scout back and report the situation here to the marshal. Longwo Lake is empty; the main force of the Yuan navy has probably fled downstream. After you finish reporting, hurry up and catch up!"

"Order!"

Team leader Hua Gao clasped his hands in acceptance of the order and nimbly leaped from the ship's side into a swift sentry boat waiting nearby. The small boat immediately hoisted a small sail, and the oarsmen rowed with all their might, shooting upstream like an arrow, speeding towards the main fleet.

"Order! All ships, weigh anchor, raise sails, maintain formation, and continue forward!"

Liao Yong'an didn't delay any longer. With a wave of his hand, he quickly relayed the order through flag signals.

Ever since Shishan decisively defeated the Yuan army of 100,000 in the Battle of Xuzhou, demonstrating his formidable strength in the struggle for supremacy, the Jiangzhe Province, separated by a river, has been restless and uneasy.

From the highest-ranking official, Bu Yan Temur, to local officials, everyone worried that the Red Flag Battalion, this fierce and powerful army, would cross the Yangtze River at any time and ravage the wealthy and prosperous lands of the Great Yuan Dynasty.

At that time, Peng Yingyu and Xiang Pulue's Red Turban Army was causing a great disturbance in Hangzhou, and the coastal prefectures and counties were being plundered by Fang Guozhen. Most of the troops in the Jiangzhe Province were tied up on the eastern front, and there was really no way to deploy a comprehensive defense along the Yangtze River.

Left with no other choice, they hastily assembled a naval force, whose core objective was not to annihilate the enemy north of the river, but to control the river defenses.

Their strategic concept was that even if the Shishan army managed to cross the river and capture a few shore cities, as long as the Jiangzhe navy was strong enough to find an opportunity to destroy the Red Flag Battalion's warships, cut off their logistics and retreat, they could turn their crossing troops into an isolated force, and then mobilize the land forces to calmly encircle and annihilate them.

The person in charge of this matter was Nahachu, the commander of the Taiping Road. He chose the location of the naval camp in Longwo Lake in Wuhu County, which was close to the two main estuaries of Chaohu Lake (Yuxikou and Zhajiangkou) and was relatively hidden.

When the Longwo Navy was first established, it had only about forty warships of various sizes and about two thousand soldiers (including the garrison of Wuhu County).

Nahachu judged at the time that the Red Flag Battalion originated in Huaixi, and even if it had some naval forces, they were at most small fishing boats operating on inland rivers and lakes, which could not be compared with the large warships equipped by the Yuan army.

He believed that having such a naval force guarding Longwo Lake was sufficient to deal with potential threats from the north of the Yangtze River.

Later, the Jiangzhe army gradually defeated the Red Turban Army in eastern Zhejiang. With ample resources, the Jiangzhe governor, Bu Yan Temur, considering the increasing threat from Shishan, sent two thousand soldiers and several warships to Longwo Water Village.

Subsequently, Zuo Danashili, the Left Chancellor who had previously led the siege of Fang Guozhen, was transferred here to strengthen the defenses of the area and was given full authority over the Longwo naval forces.

Zuo Danashiri had fought against Fang Guozhen's forces many times and knew the decisive role of warship performance, quantity, and sailor quality in naval warfare. He repeatedly requested Buyan Temur to allocate another batch of large warships to further strengthen the Longwo navy.

Buyan Temur managed to squeeze out a batch of warships from the Jiangxi front and hand them over to the Longwo navy, but they were ambushed by the Red Flag Battalion navy en route, and all the warships became the spoils of war of the Red Flag Battalion.

After this battle, Shishan openly built a water fortress on the Heixinzhou River and trained his troops in the Yangtze River. His ambition to cross the river was obvious, which made Zuo Danashili even more uneasy.

Despite the strict control of the Red Flag Battalion's navy, the spies and sentries dispatched by the Longwo Navy were never able to accurately ascertain the exact size and true combat strength of the enemy navy. However, based on the number and quality of the hijacked warships, Zuo Danashili deduced that the strength of the Red Flag Battalion's navy should not be underestimated.

Given time, once they have absorbed this batch of newly acquired warships, their strength will only become more terrifying.

What worries him even more is that Longwo Water Village itself is not an excellent defensive location. Its land support point, Wuhu County, is small and has low walls, lacking a three-dimensional and in-depth defense system.

Once the Red Flag Battalion crosses the river, the main force will not need to attack the water fortress. As long as they take Wuhu County first, Longwo Water Fortress will completely lose its land support and supplies, becoming a dead end isolated in the lake.

Therefore, Zodanashiri repeatedly suggested that the main force of the navy should be withdrawn to the anchorage on the river outside Jiangning City, with its back to the fortified city, and to cooperate with the troops in the city for defense, which would be more prudent.

At this time, Buyan Temur was personally leading the main force of the Jiangzhe Province in a fierce battle against the Xu Song Red Turban Army in Jiangzhou Road. The great battle to quell the pseudo-Song regime had entered its most critical stage, and the rear could not be lost.

Whether it was to prevent Shishan from attacking the Jiangzhe Province and destroying their own base, or to prevent his navy from advancing down the Yangtze River and joining forces with Xu Song's army to attack the Jiangzhe army fighting in the Jiangxi Province, it was necessary to maintain a naval force near Heixinzhou on the river to play a role in monitoring, delaying, and providing early warning.

Buyan Temur rejected Zuodanashili's request to withdraw his troops, but he was well aware of the dangers of Longwo Lake. He allowed the Longwo navy to act flexibly when Shishan launched a large-scale crossing operation, so as to avoid the main force of the navy being blocked in the lake and annihilated.

Thus, the scene unfolded where Liao Yong'an's vanguard failed to capture the Longwohu Water Village.

After receiving a series of beacon alarms and confirming that the Red Flag Battalion's navy had come out in full force, Zodanashiri did not hesitate to carry out Buyan Temur's order for "flexible action," burning supplies that were inconvenient to carry and leading the main warships and transport fleet to evacuate this "dead zone."

However, for the Red Flag Battalion, whose ambitions lay in the south of the Yangtze River, Wuhu County itself was not the primary strategic objective of this crossing-the-river campaign. Since Zuo Danashiri wisely withdrew without a fight, there was indeed no need for the army to waste time in the Wuhu area.

"Target Dangtu County, keep going!"

On the flagship, after hearing the intelligence brought by Hua Gao, Shi Shan decisively adjusted the battle plan and then issued new orders:
"Order Shao Rong's troops to execute Operation Plan No. 2! Lead the second batch of troops to cross the river and assemble at the Yaotangba waters. Once our main force lands in Dangtu and controls key points along the river, then send a signal to facilitate their crossing!"

In naval warfare, brief tactical instructions are transmitted using flag signals, drums, and light signals, while complex orders involving changes to the overall plan and not executed immediately need to be transmitted using nimble sentry boats.

The order was quickly transcribed into a waterproof tarpaulin bag and sent by a special messenger on a high-speed patrol boat to the north bank.

According to the multiple contingency plans formulated before the battle, the second batch of troops crossing the Yangtze River, commanded by Shao Rong, had already assembled at the assembly point on the north bank of the Yangtze River in Wuhu, without needing to send out patrol boats to return to the Baimaozhou camp upstream.

On the Yuan side, although Zuo Danashiri abandoned Longwo Lake without a fight, he was not simply cowardly and fleeing.

To cover the relatively slow-moving supply and grain ships' safe retreat eastward, he personally commanded his main warships, adjusting their formation on the river near Caogu Island to meet the pursuing Red Flag Battalion's vanguard fleet led by Liao Yong'an. He couldn't simply flee back to Jiangning without a fight; doing so would not only be unacceptable to his superiors but would also severely damage the morale of his troops.

Moreover, he needed to assess the true combat strength of the Red Flag Battalion's navy through a substantive confrontation, understanding its ship performance, sailors' boat handling skills, and soldiers' combat capabilities. This firsthand intelligence was crucial for formulating a more reasonable response strategy.

"Good heavens! The Tartars are setting up their forces, ready to fight us! Brother, judging by their posture, they have more ships than us, and they're not small either. Should we hold back and wait for the main force to arrive before we attack?"

Beside Liao Yong'an, his younger brother Liao Yongzhong licked his lips. Though his tone was questioning, the excitement and eagerness he felt for a tough battle were palpable. Liao Yong'an knew his younger brother was young, impetuous, and extremely warlike, so he said:
"Wait and see!"

Liao Yong'an also longed for a battle to wash away the frustration of failing to reach Longwo Lake, but as the commander-in-chief, he could not let his desire for battle cloud his judgment.

He squinted, carefully observing the formation of the Yuan army's fleet. The Yuan army had about eighty warships, more than twenty more than his own, and the proportion of large warships among them was significantly higher. Their total cargo volume (a unit of measurement for ship volume) far exceeded that of his vanguard fleet.

At this time, a southeast wind was blowing across the river, and the Yangtze River was flowing from south to north around Caoguzhou. Liao Yong'an's troops were going downstream, while Zuo Danashili's troops were able to take advantage of the wind. Both sides had their own advantages in utilizing the natural conditions.

Because of the southeast wind, raising the mainsail to its full extent makes it difficult to effectively control the speed and direction of the boats, and collisions are likely to occur. Therefore, at this moment, both sides only have their auxiliary sails or half sails raised, and they are carefully maintaining a relative distance on the flowing river.

"Raise the mainsail! Advance the vanguard, archers, prepare!"

Zuo Danashiri finally decided to wait no longer. Although the vanguard of the Red Flag Fleet had slowed down, the massive main fleet behind it had not. Once the enemy's main force joined the battle, his own forces would not be enough to withstand the strain.

He must take advantage of the fact that the enemy's main force has not yet fully deployed to severely damage their vanguard, which will not only dampen their morale but also better cover the retreat of the supply ships, while simultaneously probing the enemy's strength.

Seeing the Yuan fleet suddenly raise its sails to full, accelerate its approach with the help of the wind, and unfold its formation, revealing its intention to attack, Liao Yong'an's eyes flashed with a sharp light. Without hesitation, he gave a stern order.

"Lower the sails to halfway, seize the windward position, and prepare to engage the enemy! Archers, advance!"

Liao Yong'an's orders were quickly relayed through the flag bearers. The soldiers on each ship worked hard to maneuver the sails and rudders, skillfully using the river currents and wind to adjust their course and attitude, charging towards the Yuan army fleet.

The two fleets quickly became entangled. In an instant, arrows flew through the air like locusts, whistling as they struck the enemy's decks, sails, and sailors. The masts on the Yuan flagship kept crashing down, attempting to destroy the approaching Red Flag Battalion's small boats.

With the advantage of larger ships, more ships, and more soldiers, Zodanashiri, positioned on higher ground, used a dense rain of arrows to suppress the Red Flag Battalion's smaller warships, causing considerable casualties.

Liao Yong'an's forces also had four large warships that had been modified, and their size was even larger and more robust than most of the Yuan army's warships.

These large ships displayed exceptional bravery in the melee. Ignoring the arrows flying from all sides, they charged fiercely into the Yuan army's ship formation, firing accurately with crossbows and retaliating fiercely with batons, achieving considerable results.

One of the Yuan army's medium-sized warships was even hit repeatedly on the side by the battering pole of Liao Yong'an's flagship. The hull broke, and the river water rushed in, causing the ship to slowly list. The Yuan soldiers on board panicked and jumped overboard to escape.

Overall, the Yuan army gained the upper hand due to its superior numbers and size.

The small warships of the Red Flag Battalion were lost quickly in the melee. Ships were constantly being set on fire by rockets, or their hulls were broken and lost power, or they were even rammed and capsized by the large Yuan ships. The situation was gradually developing in a direction unfavorable to Liao Yong'an's troops.

"We can't keep fighting like this! If we exhaust the small boats, our big ships will get stuck here too!"

Liao Yong'an quickly grasped the situation and realized that he had to change his tactics. He swiftly ordered his flag bearers to signal to the other three of his own large ships, instructing them to cover him while he attacked the enemy flagship.

"Turn! Target: the Tartar commander's flagship! Charge!"

Liao Yong'an pointed to the tallest Yuan warship in the distance and roared. The soldiers on the ship shouted and struggled to steer and turn the sails. The ship cut a white trail of waves and rushed straight towards Zuo Danashili's flagship like an arrow.

"retreat!"

From the tall stern deck of his flagship, Zodanashiri could clearly see the mast tops of the Red Flag Fleet's main fleet visible on the distant river. He began to consider retreating and dared not linger in battle.

But how easy is it to break off contact at this point?
Large ships are inherently slow to turn in the middle of a river, let alone against the wind and current!

Their flagship had barely managed to clumsily begin to turn its bow when it saw Liao Yong'an's warship approaching, the distance between the two ships' sides rapidly shrinking to less than three zhang! Zuo Danashili instantly guessed the other party's intention—to board and seize the ship!
He was terrified, his voice trembled, and he screamed at the top of his lungs:

"Fire arrows! Fire arrows now! Stop them! Don't let them get any closer!"

In fact, even without his orders, the soldiers on both sides' decks were already firing wildly at each other.

Arrows rained down, and men fell to the ground, their screams echoing through the air. Amidst the chaos, Liao Yong'an seized an opportunity, exchanged a glance with Liao Yongzhong, their eyes filled with fierce courage and determination.

"Swing across!"

With a loud shout, Liao Yong'an, along with Liao Yongzhong and six other carefully selected elite soldiers, grabbed the thick rope hanging from the mainmast and swung up into the air like agile monkeys, landing steadily on the main deck of the Zodanashiri flagship!
"kill!"

The moment his feet touched the deck, Liao Yong'an let out a thunderous roar, wielding his short sword and felling a startled Yuan archer to the ground. Liao Yongzhong and the others also attacked simultaneously, their blades flashing and blood splattering.

Most of the Yuan soldiers on deck were focused on firing arrows at the enemy and had no idea that the enemy would dare to be so reckless as to jump onto the ship and charge into the hail of arrows! Caught off guard, they were thrown into chaos.

Although the Yuan soldiers outnumbered the Yuan soldiers, they reacted quickly, howling as they surrounded the Yuan forces and fought desperately, cutting down four Red Flag Battalion warriors who had followed them in the melee.

But the Liao brothers, Yong'an and Yongzhong, were incredibly brave. With each flash of their blades, they cut down more than a dozen Yuan soldiers, carving out a small foothold on the crowded deck.

During this brief period of chaos, more valiant Red Flag soldiers swung across using ropes and joined the battle, quickly escalating the fighting on the flagship's deck.

Seeing his own soldiers falling one after another while the enemy's reinforcements continued to increase, Zodanashiri knew that he was probably doomed today. If his flagship were captured, it would be a great disgrace.

In his grief and despair, he suddenly drew the sword from his waist, intending to slash his neck, but suddenly his vision blurred, his wrist jerked violently, and the sword was accurately knocked away by a short sword flying towards him!
Before Zodanashiri could react, a burly figure pounced on him like a tiger, and a large, iron-like hand grabbed his front, the immense force making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

Liao Yong'an grabbed Zuo Danashili, a savage grin on his face after a bloody battle, and spat out curses:

"Hehe! Now that you're a fat fish in Grandpa's hands, how could I let you try to kill yourself so easily? Behave yourself!"

(End of this chapter)