Sweep Yuan

Chapter 237 Chongba's Jiangning Strategy

In Dangtu County, the central command tent of the Red Flag Battalion was brightly lit with candles, and generals and commanders were gathered.

A huge sand table depicting the terrain surrounding Jiangning occupied the center of the tent. Although it was still somewhat rough, the mountains, rivers, cities, fortresses and other terrain features were all presented in miniature scale, which still provided a very intuitive view of the actual terrain of Jiangning City and its surroundings.

Beside the sand table, Military Advisor Mao Gui, holding a bamboo whip, stood solemnly, preparing to analyze the upcoming battle situation for the generals inside the tent. The atmosphere inside the tent was heavy and focused; all the generals' eyes were fixed on the sand table, with only the occasional crackling of the burning candlelight breaking the silence.

"Everyone."

Mao Gui pointed his bamboo whip at Jiangning City, which was located slightly to the left of the center of the sand table, and said:
"According to extensive pre-battle reconnaissance, there were approximately 8,000 Yuan troops in Jiangning City. In addition, there were about 3,000 remnants of the Yuan navy who had retreated from Longwo Lake to this location."

Mao Gui moved the bamboo whip toward the Jiajiang River west of Jiangning City—the narrow waterway between Jiangxin Island and Jiangning on the south bank—and continued:

"The conclusion reached by the Military Command is that the Yuan navy is very likely to be deployed on this section of the river, especially at the end of the island in the middle of the river and near the mouth of the Qinhuai River, intending to rely on the waterway to prevent our navy from approaching and to interfere with our army's crossing of the Qinhuai River to attack Jiangning City."

He paused briefly, allowing his generals to process this information, before sweeping the bamboo whip across the vast area outside Jiangning City and continuing:
"After our navy established a stronghold on Black Heart Island, demonstrating its intention to cross the river, the Yuan army in Jiqing Road panicked and urgently trained a large number of local militia, estimated to be no less than 30,000. Most of these militia were deployed to various strategic strongholds outside the city, forming a defensive alliance with Jiangning City."

As soon as Mao Gui finished speaking, Qiu Cheng, the garrison commander of the Third Garrison of the Mighty Guard, stepped forward, his sharp gaze sweeping over the insignia representing the local militia on the sand table, and said:

"Although these local militias are numerous, they were hastily trained for only two months, and with the spring plowing season approaching, they must have lacked drills, and their armor and weapons are not in good condition. I'm afraid they will be difficult to form a real fighting force. If our army can find an opportunity to annihilate most of them first, then the only force we will actually need to confront head-on is the eight thousand garrison troops in the city."

In the Battle of Dangtu, the main force of the Yuan army was also local militia, which had been trained for a longer period than the local militia of Jiqing Road. However, whether it was the defense of Caishiji or the defense of Dangtu County, these local militia performed poorly.

Under the resolute and fierce attack of the Red Flag Battalion, both places were captured in one fell swoop.

Therefore, the Red Flag Battalion generals still looked down on the fighting strength of these "southern" local militia.

Although Qiu Cheng's tone was cautious, many generals smiled knowingly upon hearing his words. In their eyes, these "southern" militiamen were hardly combat soldiers; at most, they could only slow down the Red Flag Battalion's advance slightly, and no matter how many there were, they couldn't play any crucial role.

“What Commander Qiu said is very true.”

Influenced by Shi Shan, Mao Gui did not underestimate the enemy's local militia and nodded in affirmation of Qiu Cheng's judgment. Then, the bamboo whip struck the winding blue ribbon on the sand table—the Qinhuai River.

"Our army will advance from Dangtu to attack Jiangning, and we will have to pass through the Qinhuai River. This river is wide enough for large warships to sail. If we cannot deal with the Yuan navy patrolling on it first, our flanks will always be exposed to the threat of the Yuan navy when our army crosses the river, which will be very risky."

In order to transport tens of thousands of main troops across the river for combat, the Red Flag Battalion Navy had previously requisitioned almost all available ships within the Red Flag Battalion territory. The soldiers were somewhat exhausted from the constant back-and-forth of boat trips.

Today, the crossing operation has come to a temporary end, and only then was Xu Da, the naval commander, able to leave and participate in this crucial military meeting. He had been overseeing the battle on the river for days, and although his face showed signs of wear and tear, his eyes remained clear and calm.

Seeing that all the generals' gazes were fixed on him because of Mao Gui's words, Xu Da took a steady step forward, his voice slightly hoarse but his tone exceptionally firm, and said:

"Our naval brothers have been working on the boats for days and are in dire need of rest. We will prepare for a day tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow morning, our navy will set sail and head towards Jiajiang to actively seek out the Longwo navy for a decisive battle!"

He surveyed the generals in the tent and assured them:
"Fellow soldiers, rest assured, the navy will do its utmost and will not let the land guards' important task of attacking the city be delayed!"

Although the navy had been established for more than a year, there were very few large-scale naval battles. Even when there were battles, they were fought and watched by the navy itself. As a result, the land guard generals were inevitably somewhat unfamiliar with the navy's specific tactics and actual combat strength.

At this moment, the generals felt somewhat relieved upon seeing Commander Xu's statement, and their attention shifted accordingly—after all, in their view, conquering a fortified city like Jiangning would ultimately depend on the land forces fighting hand in hand, with the navy merely playing a supporting role.

In order to defeat the Yuan army in Jiangning with overwhelming force and quickly establish a foothold in Jiangnan, Shishan mobilized almost all its forces this time, advancing by both land and water.

The five guards—the Moon-Holding Guard, the Sun-Supporting Guard, the Mountain-Pulling Guard, the Loyal and Righteous Guard, and the Mighty Guard—along with the navy, one garrison of the Valiant Cavalry Guard, and two garrisons of the Pacification Guard, totaled over 40,000 battle-hardened troops. They were like lions hunting rabbits, using their full strength.

Even including the tens of thousands of poorly trained and equipped local militia, the Yuan army's total strength was barely equal to that of the Red Flag Battalion. Once they successfully cleared away these auxiliary forces and the navy outside the city, the Red Flag Battalion would be able to completely overwhelm the eight thousand defenders in Jiangning City.

Since its formation, the Red Flag Battalion has repeatedly achieved miracles of winning with fewer troops and overcoming stronger opponents, and has never fought such a "rich" battle before.

Therefore, during today's military meeting, although most of the generals in the tent looked serious, they did not appear nervous; on the contrary, they exuded a confident eagerness to try.

Fei Ju, the Fifth Garrison Commander of Bashan Guard, stepped forward. His gaze was fixed intently on the blue line on the sand table—the moat—that connected to the Qinhuai River and encircled Jiangning City. With a mixture of curiosity and anticipation, he asked:

"Commander Xu, I have an idea. Our navy's gunboats are very powerful. Could we sail them directly into the moat of Jiangning City? If not, after we wipe out the Yuan army, could we unload the cannons from the ships and blast down the city walls?"

Fei Ju's troops were the third batch of soldiers to cross the river. They arrived in Dangtu County this morning. Fei Ju did not witness the shocking scene of multiple cannons firing at the Battle of Caishiji. He only heard about it from his comrades who landed earlier.

It is said that a few thunderous explosions destroyed the Yuan army's painstakingly constructed defense line on the cliff, which enabled Bian Yuanheng, Chang Yuchun and other troops to capture the strategic pass in one fell swoop.

Therefore, Fei Ju was filled with curiosity and anticipation for this rumored "weapon of mass destruction". He thought that if he could use cannons to attack the city, wouldn't the Red Flag Battalion be able to sweep across the world with wings and make things much easier?

Upon hearing this question, Xu Da's face showed a barely perceptible hint of unease. He instinctively glanced up at the seated figure of Shi Shan, and seeing the marshal nod slightly in agreement, indicating "speak freely," he carefully organized his thoughts and replied:

“Commander Fei, this matter may be somewhat difficult. Firstly, although the moat of Jiangning is connected to the Qinhuai River, and some sections of the wall are even directly connected to the Qinhuai River as the moat, there are bridges over the river and there may be hidden stakes underwater. Small boats can pass through without any problem, but our large gunboats cannot enter.”

He paused, and seeing that none of the generals had any objections, he continued to explain:
"Secondly, the navy's active-duty artillery, which fires five-pound iron balls, is indeed very effective in bombarding wooden field fortifications, enemy warships, or killing personnel. However, it may not be able to effectively bombard the thick city walls of a large city like Jiangning."

Concentrating several cannons to bombard the iron-clad city gate at very close range might be effective if the shots were accurate. However, if the defenders had previously blocked the gate opening with bricks, stones, and sand, the cannons would be ineffective.

Xu Da consulted Shi Shan before speaking because it involved military secrets and future equipment planning.

Several months ago, after testing the cannons at Chaohu, Shi Shan had ambitiously promised Xu Da that he would cast larger caliber cannons to be loaded onto the ship.

After Shi Shan transferred to a fast boat and left, the meticulous Xu Da personally inspected the test-fire warship again. He discovered that after firing only two cannonballs, the cedar planks supporting the cannons had already shown slight deformation. The deformation was so small that it might not have been noticed if Xu Da had not carefully inspected it.

This was originally a trivial matter, but Xu Da took it very seriously—if more powerful cannons were used and multiple cannons fired at the same time, would it cause the warships to break apart and the sailors to fall into the water and die?

He dared not conceal it and immediately reported the matter truthfully.

Ishiyama realized he had made a mistake on a whim—and thus realized that the warships currently built primarily of pine and cedar, and whose design was not originally intended for artillery fire, could not withstand the enormous recoil of continuous fire from large cannons.

Since the mistake was his own, Shi Shan naturally wouldn't blame Xu Da for refusing to save face. He readily accepted the good advice and even formally wrote a document praising Xu Da's prudence and rigor.

The problem that existing warships could not withstand the reaction force of cannons was indeed a concern, but the fact that the existing cannons were not powerful enough was also true, and improvements were still needed.

Fortunately, Ma Hua, the master craftsman in charge of casting the cannon, reported that the experimental cannon had its bore wall deliberately made thicker to ensure safety, but there was room for optimization. The bore wall could be appropriately reduced while maintaining strength.

Ultimately, the improved cannon weighed about 720 pounds, but could fire projectiles weighing five pounds, significantly increasing its power.

At the same time, based on the requirements put forward by Ishiyama, the Crafts Institute also designed a "recoil-type gun mount" with a buffer mechanism, which can reduce the impact of recoil on the hull to a certain extent.

In addition, the navy's surprise attack on the Yuan army fleet in the Jiangzhe Province after the New Year, which captured a large number of large warships, also provided a better operating platform for cannons to be mounted on ships.

Even so, Xu Da was extremely cautious, selecting the most sturdy warships and ordering craftsmen to reinforce their key parts, so that the ship could barely withstand the salvo of six cannons.

In the Battle of Caishiji, gunboats demonstrated their formidable power, but the sustained bombardment also revealed that the damage to the ship's structure was exceeding expectations.

After the battle, Xu Da personally boarded the ship and carefully inspected its structure and performance. He then ordered Zhang Desheng to remove four cannons from the ship and install them on another large warship.

A warship with only two cannons on one side can only serve as a supporting firepower. However, if all these cannons were mounted on a single warship, it would probably be rendered unusable after only a few battles.

Xu Da has reported this matter to Shishan and requested that the number of cannons on the second gunboat, which will be delivered in a few months, be reduced from the original design of twelve to ten (one each at the bow and stern).

As a result, Ishiyama had to abandon his dream of giant cannons on ships. If he wanted to carry more or heavier cannons in the future, he would have to use specially made hardwood and design and build gunboats that were truly designed for artillery warfare.

The existing civilian ships converted into gunboats can only temporarily solve the immediate problem and cannot be used for major purposes.

Apart from a few individuals like Mao Gui, most of the generals in the tent were unaware of the complex technical challenges and equipment limitations behind the gunboats, and held unrealistic expectations for them. Xu Da could neither dampen the generals' confidence nor make any rash promises, so he answered rather cautiously.

But his meaning was clear: to capture Jiangning City, they should not rely on the existing ship-borne artillery's ability to breach the city walls. Zhu Chongba, the Third Garrison Commander of the Fujun Guard, and Xu Da were from the same hometown. This was their first meeting, and it was at such a high-level military meeting. Zhu Chongba felt a great sense of kinship. Seeing that the focus of the discussion seemed overly optimistic and had deviated from the core of the tactics, he secretly felt that his opportunity had arrived.

He was about to step forward to interact with Xu Da when another person standing in front of him beat him to it.

The one who spoke first was Bian Yuanheng. He stepped forward, nodded politely to Mao Gui, and took the bamboo whip from Mao Gui's hand.

This garrison commander, who was handpicked by Shishan as the vanguard for the beach assault due to his outstanding performance in the river crossing acclimatization training, and was subsequently promoted to garrison commander for his first high-level military meeting, appeared very calm and composed.

Bian Yuanheng, holding a bamboo whip, pointed to the intricate terrain surrounding Jiangning on the sand table and said:

"As you can see, Jiangning is strategically located. To the west, it is protected by the mighty Yangtze River; to the south, it is shielded by Niushou Mountain and Fangshan Mountain; to the east, it is protected by Qixia Mountain; and to the north, it is connected to Zhongshan Mountain and Xuanwu Lake. Furthermore, the city is surrounded by a moat and the Qinhuai River."

If the Yuan army had one or two skilled generals who could establish layered defenses based on this terrain, the war could easily have dragged on for a long time.

His voice was clear and steady as he continued:
"Moreover, Jiangning is a high-altitude city with deep moats, far superior to Dangtu. Even if the Red Flag Battalion soldiers are brave, I fear they will find it difficult to take it in one fell swoop."

If my tens of thousands of troops remain entrenched beneath the walls of Jiangning for an extended period, the daily consumption of provisions will be staggering. Transporting supplies across the Jianghuai region is a long and costly undertaking, and there is also the risk that enemy cavalry or naval forces will spy on and cut off our supply lines.

Seeing everyone deep in thought and silent, Bian Yuanheng turned to face the stone mountain, cupped his hands, and said loudly:

"Marshal! Our army is now well-equipped and capable of fighting on multiple fronts. In my humble opinion, could we allocate a few elite units to first capture Lishui Prefecture in the south and then Jurong County in the east?"
In this way, we can cut off the enemy's retreat route and any potential reinforcements to Jiangning, while also procuring provisions nearby, shortening the army's supply lines, and ensuring our rear is secure. This allows us to calmly plan our strategy, whether it's a long-term siege or a fierce attack on Jiangning, without any worries about our rear!

Shishan has always attached great importance to cultivating generals' overall vision and independent thinking ability, and one of his important means is to hone tactics through military discussions.

Bian Yuanheng's analysis hit the nail on the head, pointing out the two key issues of the difficulty of achieving a quick victory and the logistical pressure. His proposed solution also demonstrated considerable strategic vision. At this moment, seeing that this newly promoted general could quickly grasp the key to the battle, he showed approval in his eyes.

“What Yuanheng said is exactly what I was thinking.”

Shi Shan smiled and affirmed Bian Yuanheng's suggestion, then gave the order:
"Open the map!"

Deng Youde was only sixteen years old. If he hadn't served as a personal guard and been trusted by the marshal, he wouldn't have had the opportunity to enter the tent and witness so many high-ranking generals discussing military secrets. He stood straight beforehand, but his ears were already perked up, afraid of missing a single word.

Upon hearing Shi Shan's order, Deng Youde immediately responded loudly:
"As ordered!"

He turned around quickly and deftly pulled back the curtain on the back wall of the tent.

Zhu Chongba was annoyed that he had been a step too late and had his speech stolen by Bian Yuanheng when he saw a huge map of Jiqing Road prominently displayed on the back wall of the tent.

On the map, enemy strongholds were marked in blue, but what was even more striking was that several thick red arrows had been pre-marked on them, with the arrows pointing sharply towards Jiangning Town, the Yuan army's water fortress, the main city of Jiangning, as well as Jurong to the east and Lishui Prefecture to the south.

The generals in the tent immediately understood—clearly, prior to today's military meeting, Marshal Shi and the military advisors had already given it considerable thought and formulated a meticulous battle plan. This discussion was not only to gather collective wisdom but also to ensure that all the generals deeply understood the battle intentions.

The final outcome for the generals coincided with the marshal's plan.

Some people were secretly relieved that they hadn't spoken out any immature opinions before, but then they became a little nervous—what if the marshal called their names if there was more time at the next military meeting?
Shi Shan stood up, walked to the map of Jiqing Road, and said in a deep voice:

"This battle is not about capturing a city or a piece of land; it is a crucial battle for whether our Red Flag Battalion can truly establish itself in Jiangnan! We must not only capture Jiqing Road, but also fight it brilliantly, to demonstrate the formidable prestige of our Red Flag Battalion, and to crush the complacency and arrogance of the people and soldiers of Jiangning in one fell swoop!"

Shi Shan's eyes were sharp as he scanned the generals in the tent and said:
"The specific operational deployment is as follows!"

The most intense part of today's military meeting has arrived, and all the generals immediately perked up their ears and focused their attention to listen to the marshal's deployment of tasks.

"Hu Dahai!"

"The general is here!"

Hu Dahai, with a voice as loud as a bell, stepped forward in response, clasped his hands, and accepted the order. He was known for his bravery and composure in battle. Last year, when the Luzhou Road was captured, Shishan entrusted him with the important task of defending Haozhou, the base of the city. He was a general who was highly trusted by the marshal.

"I hereby order you to lead the entire Bashan Guard southwards first to capture Lishui Prefecture! After you succeed, immediately march eastwards to take Liyang Prefecture!"

Shi Shan placed high hopes on Hu Dahai, and after issuing the order, he added:
"Your mission is not only to conquer cities and seize territories, but also to protect the people and defend the land, quickly stabilize the region, and build a defensive system to deal with a possible counterattack by the Yuan army from the southeast!"

Liyang Prefecture is located at the southeastern gateway of Jiqing Road. By capturing this place, the Red Flag Battalion will open the passage to Changzhou Road, and then threaten Pingjiang Road, which can tie down a large number of Yuan troops (Guangde Road and Huzhou Road to the south of Liyang Prefecture are connected by mountains such as Wuya Mountain and Yaoshi Mountain, making it difficult for large armies to pass).

Conversely, if the Yuan army in the Jiangzhe Province were to attempt a direct counterattack on Jiqing Road from the direction of Changzhou, Liyang Prefecture would be the first to bear the brunt, and the pressure on its defense would be immense.

Hu Dahai's expression was solemn, fully aware of the heavy responsibility on his shoulders, and he readily agreed without hesitation:
"Rest assured, Marshal! This humble general will do everything in his power to guard the southeastern gateway of Jiqing Road and never allow the Yuan dogs to set foot in the ground!"

Shishan nodded, then turned his gaze to another brave general and said:
"Wang Bi!"

"The general is here!"

Wang Bi, the commander of the Weiwu Guard, stepped forward. Although the Weiwu Guard was a newly established army, its commander, Wang Bi, was brave and decisive in battle, especially adept at seizing opportunities. Under his leadership, his troops were highly motivated and their fighting strength should not be underestimated.

"You are hereby ordered to lead the elite troops of the four garrisons of the Mighty Guard to capture Jurong County! After taking the city, you shall garrison it and there shall be no mistakes!"

Jurong County is located east of Jiangning City. Further east is Danyang County of Zhenjiang Road. This city is surrounded by the administrative centers of Zhenjiang Road, Changzhou Road, and Jintan County, and is connected by a canal. Troops from Changzhou, Pingjiang Road, and other places can quickly gather here. Even if a single garrison were to capture Danyang County, it would be easy for the Yuan army to launch a counterattack and fail.

Therefore, Shishan only gave Wang Bi four garrisons of troops, ordering him to capture and hold Jurong County, thus securing the eastern flank of the main army.

Although Wang Bi knew that accepting this mission might mean missing out on the great achievement of besieging the main city of Jiangning, he was already a commander in charge of his own affairs and knew that the overall situation was of paramount importance. He immediately clasped his hands in acceptance of the order and said:
"Your subordinate obeys! You are hereby tasked with firmly securing the eastern gateway to Jiangning!"

After deploying the cover and containment tasks on the east and west flanks, Shishan's gaze finally fell on Xu Da, the naval commander.

"Xu Da!"

Xu Da stepped forward again and replied:
"The general is here!"

"The navy should first send out scout ships to ascertain the exact anchorage of the remnants of the Longwo navy in Jiajiang as soon as possible! After I personally lead the main land force to the south bank of the Qinhuai River and lure the Longwo navy there, I will send a portion of troops to advance with you by land and water, first take the enemy's naval camp, and then annihilate their forces!"

The overall strength and morale of the Red Flag Battalion's navy were now superior to those of the Yuan army's Longwo navy. The key difficulty of this battle was not how to defeat the enemy, but how to lure them into the pre-planned battlefield, completely block their retreat, and annihilate them.

If this goal cannot be achieved, the navy will not be able to control the river defenses. Even if the Red Flag Battalion captures Jiangning City, the army's subsequent advance and logistical transport on the river will still be threatened by the potential power of this Yuan army's naval forces.

Xu Da, fully aware of the importance of this battle to the navy and the overall situation, responded loudly:

"This subordinate will obey the commander's orders! All officers and soldiers of the navy will fight bravely and surely capture the Yuan navy in one fell swoop, and will not let a single ship or plank escape!"

Finally, Shi Shan's gaze swept over the remaining generals in the tent, and he said in a deep voice:
"The rest of the generals shall each lead their own troops and follow the main force of my central army to strike at the heart of the enemy—to capture Jiangning City!"

"The last general takes command!"

The generals inside the tent responded with a thunderous roar, their voices so powerful they almost lifted the tent roof off, their intense fighting spirit and unwavering confidence filling the entire area.

The military meeting adjourned, and orders were rapidly disseminated.

The following day, Shi Shan personally led the main force of the central army eastward. Just as the army crossed the Cihu River and entered the territory of Jiqing Road, Chang Yuchun, who had previously been sent to attack Jiangning Town, dispatched a fast horse to report the victory:
"On March 25th, the vanguard has captured Jiangning Town! They have broken through two Yuan army camps, killed 127 enemy soldiers, and captured 2,361! Commander Chang is now leading his troops rapidly towards Banqiao!"

……

P.S.: I was so moved by the military parade today that it delayed my writing. I can only post this one chapter today, I'm so sorry. I'll make up for it with more words later when I feel better.

(End of this chapter)