Sweep Yuan

Chapter 244 Storms Rise and Flames of War at Zhongshan

Zhongshan (later known as Zijinshan) stands majestically in the northeast of Jiangning City.

Its mountain range stretches far and wide, complementing the Xuanwu Lake to the west, and the Pipa Lake, Plum Blossom Lake, and Crescent Lake to the south, together forming a natural barrier protecting the east and north sides of Jiangning City. The scenery is magnificent and the terrain is treacherous.

Compared to Yuhuatai, which is adjacent to Jubaomen and has relatively flat terrain, making it easier for troops to deploy, Zhongshan is not an ideal forward siege position because its main peak is far from the city.

However, its main peak is over 130 zhang (about 448.9 meters) high. If an observation post could be set up on the side of the mountain (not necessarily the summit) near Jiangning City, then the main buildings inside and outside Jiangning City, as well as the basic movements of the attacking and defending sides, how the troops were deployed, and where the reinforcements were located, would be difficult to hide.

It should be noted that the Jiangning city wall has a circumference of over twenty-six li, with an extremely long defensive front. If any side of the city wall is subjected to a fierce attack, it will take a considerable amount of time to send reinforcements from other directions.

For the Yuan army, which was already short of manpower, it would be crucial to anticipate the main attack direction of the Red Flag Battalion and concentrate its forces on key defenses.

Therefore, before the great battle even began, the Yuan army took precautions by building a strong fortress on the strategic northern slope of Zhongshan Mountain, setting up beacon towers, and stationing nearly two thousand soldiers there.

Just like the Yuan army's previous voluntary abandonment of the Yuhuatai camp, if the attacking Red Flag Battalion is not strong enough, it is not impossible for the two thousand defenders to hold the fort and block the attack of more than ten thousand troops by relying on the strategic terrain.

Conversely, if the Red Flag Battalion is indeed as invincible as rumored, then this isolated fortress perched atop the mountain faces the great risk of being wiped out by the enemy in one fell swoop.

At this moment, Xu Jizong, the Yuan general stationed at Zhongshan Fortress, was deeply tormented by this dilemma.

His troops occupied the high ground, with an excellent view. Yesterday, they had already seen the Red Flag Battalion's army marching in a grand procession to the city and taking over the Yuhuatai camp without bloodshed.

The news that the defenders of Yuhuatai could retreat without a fight was like a bucket of ice water poured over his head. His soldiers whispered among themselves, and their morale wavered. Why could the defenders of Yuhuatai retreat, while we brothers had to hold out on Zhongshan Mountain and wait to die?
Under immense pressure and doubt, Xu Jizong hastily dispatched a messenger to Jiangning City early this morning to request instructions from Danidas, the Darughachi of Jiqing Road, regarding whether to adjust the troop deployment at Zhongshan, whether to withdraw or defend, as he urgently needed a clear order.

However, Danidas in the city was also in a dilemma.

Abandoning the Zhongshan stronghold would be tantamount to destroying our own eyes and ears, making the battlefield one-way transparent to the Red Flag Battalion; but if we were to hold it to the death, there was indeed a risk of our forces being dispersed and being defeated piecemeal by the Red Flag Battalion.

He had hoped that the rainy weather would delay the fighting and allow him to wait for a turning point, but unexpectedly, the Red Flag Battalion's navy was able to break through the blockade by taking advantage of the rain and immediately and decisively send troops to the east of the city, putting the defending army on the defensive.

Just as Danidas was secretly regretting his indecisiveness and failing to dispatch some of the Fangshan militia to assist in the defense of Zhongshan, Xu Jizong on the mountain unexpectedly discovered a glimmer of opportunity amidst the passive situation.

"Report! General, I have investigated and found out! The main force of the rebel army is still crossing the river, and several thousand people have already gathered in the east of the city. The five hundred or so men who went up the mountain should not be the vanguard. They went up the mountain as soon as they crossed the Qinhuai River."

The urgent report from his personal guards interrupted Xu Jizong's thoughts.

Zhongshan Mountain stretches approximately 14 li from east to west and 6 li from north to south. Its northeastern side (north slope) is quite steep and difficult to climb, while its southwestern side (south slope) is relatively gentle and easy to walk on.

The Yuan army's fortress was located on the north slope, which allowed them to easily overlook the activities below. However, from the bottom of the mountain, it was difficult to see the full view of the fortress on the mountaintop due to the angle.

Upon hearing this, Xu Jizong quickly walked to the edge of the watchtower and looked down through the sparse rain and mist. Sure enough, he saw a troop of soldiers carrying red flags moving up the winding mountain path. A thought immediately arose in his mind, and he murmured:
"These people braved the rain to come up the mountain, and their forces are so small, yet they moved quite quickly. They don't seem to be here to attack our fortress... Could it be that they've come up to scout the terrain?"

"I suppose so, General."

The centurion, who was on lookout duty, was quite quick-witted and chimed in:

"I have observed carefully, and the leader of the bandits does not seem to be wearing iron armor, probably for the convenience of climbing the mountain. The bandits are so few in number and so lightly equipped, they don't look like they are here to attack our fortress."

Xu Jizong was not as optimistic as his subordinates. Since the rebels had sent people up the mountain to survey the terrain, their intentions were obvious—they would never allow the Yuan army's observation post to continue to exist, and it was only a matter of time before they attacked the fortress.

But looking at it another way, these five hundred people are advancing lightly, unfamiliar with the complex mountain paths, and without heavy armor protection... Isn't this an opportunity to earn military merits delivered to their doorstep?

An adventurous idea quickly took root and swelled in his mind:

If we can use our familiarity with the terrain to set up an ambush and defeat this bandit army, we can not only dampen their morale, but also prove to the Darughachi in the city that the Zhongshan garrison is not cowardly and that his desire to retreat back into the city was a last resort.

"This is an opportunity not to be missed!" A decisive glint flashed in Xu Jizong's eyes. He abruptly turned and gave the order:

"Give the order! Beat the drums and gather the troops!"

Xu Jizong was cautious by nature. Although he was certain that the rebel army had few troops and poor vigilance, he was not blinded by the potential credit.

Even after deciding to launch an attack, he left two hundred soldiers in the fortress to hold the line, taking the remaining nearly eighteen hundred officers and soldiers with him.

His goal was not to confront the five hundred Red Flag soldiers head-on—the other fortified villages relied on their natural defenses and could not stop the Red Flag Battalion. Xu Jizong was not so arrogant as to think that he could defeat the enemy with just over a thousand men.

Instead, they intended to use the complex terrain of dense forests to set up an ambush and test the true strength of this renowned army. If they were lucky enough to succeed, it would be a pleasant surprise; even if they failed, they could use the terrain to quickly retreat to their stronghold.

……

In the mountains, the light drizzle had stopped. The air, washed clean by the rain, was exceptionally fresh, carrying the fragrance of earth and vegetation. But the soldiers marching among them had no time to enjoy this freshness; their armor was already soaked through with rain and sweat.

On the southern slope of Zhongshan Mountain, Chang Yuchun stopped, wiped the sweat from his face, and looked up at the faint outline of the Yuan army's arrow tower visible above the northern slope. His thick eyebrows furrowed slightly, and his tone carried a hint of annoyance as he said:

"I was careless! I thought I could just pick any direction and head straight to the top, but I didn't expect this winding mountain path to be so difficult! We started climbing too late today, it seems we won't be able to reach the summit. Let's go, let's go check out that hill ahead, if we can get a general idea of ​​what's going on in the city, then we'll retreat!"

The battalion commander guarding him was Zhao Bozhong, the same Shucheng native who had cleverly captured Shucheng and made great contributions.

Zhao Bozhong did not immediately respond upon hearing this. His sharp gaze swept over the forest Chang Yuchun had pointed to. The forest was exceptionally dense, appearing somewhat eerie and silent in the post-rain twilight. He stared at it for a moment, then cautiously spoke:
"Commander, wait a minute. Something seems off about that grove of trees ahead."

"Ok?"

Chang Yuchun stopped and followed Zhao Bozhong's gaze, but found nothing unusual. He asked in confusion:
"What did you figure out?"

Zhao Bozhong pointed to the top of the mountain forest and whispered:
"Commander, please take a closer look. Is there a very thin layer of mist floating above that forest? It seems different from other places."

Chang Yuchun squinted, concentrating intently on his observation. Sure enough, a very thin, almost imperceptible mist lingered above the dense forest, easily overlooked without careful attention. He asked, somewhat puzzled:

"It's common to have some mist in the mountains, especially after rain. How can you be so sure something's wrong over there?"

Zhao Bozhong did not answer directly; he wasn't entirely sure if there was an ambush there. He turned to the soldiers behind Chang Yuchun and said:

"Commander, look! Our brothers have been marching and climbing mountains in the rain until now, and their clothes, inside and out, are already soaked through. Although the rain has stopped, the yang energy within our bodies is rising and constantly drying our clothes, which will cause them to emit moisture."

When a large number of people gather together, a light mist naturally forms.

Chang Yuchun turned around and, sure enough, saw that the soldiers behind him were all sweating profusely, with steam rising from their heads, and a similar thin mist condensed above the entire column. He suddenly realized, patted Zhao Bozhong's shoulder with his large, fan-like hand, and let out an approving laugh:

"Hehe! Zhao Dalang, you're quite something! You have a keen eye and a meticulous mind! No wonder the Marshal often praises you for being studious and thoughtful; you're sure to have a great future! Seeing you today, I can confirm it's true!"

Before the laughter subsided, Chang Yuchun did not order his troops to be on guard or to detour. Instead, he strode forward, seemingly determined to continue into the suspicious forest. Clearly, he knew there were tigers in the mountains, yet he deliberately chose to venture into the tiger's den.

Zhao Bozhong immediately became anxious and rushed forward to stop him, saying:
"Commander! Knowing there might be an ambush, why did you still go to investigate?"

Chang Yuchun, however, was full of heroic spirit and laughed without caring at all:
"What are we doing up the mountain today? Isn't it to survey the terrain of Zhongshan and investigate the strength and weakness of Jiangning's defenses? How can we see the whole city without climbing that hill?"
A few petty thieves hiding their heads and tails can't scare me! It's a good opportunity to stretch my muscles!

Zhao Bozhong knew his superior's temperament well; he was brave and fearless, and loved to lead from the front. He had often been scolded by the marshal for this, and knowing he couldn't persuade him otherwise, he had to resort to a more earnest approach, saying:

"In that case, may I lead a squad of brothers ahead to clear the way for the Commander?"

"Nonsense!"

Chang Yuchun recalled Shi Shan's repeated admonitions that as the commander-in-chief, he should not take too many risks. Mimicking Marshal Shi's tone, he said, "Don't we have scouts in our army? Scouts are responsible for reconnaissance. You, as the commander of a battalion, are responsible for protecting me, the chief commander. How can you lower yourself to go to the front as a vanguard? Stay put!"

……

In the dense forest.

The Yuan general Xu Jizong held his breath and watched as the Red Flag Battalion troops below the mountain had advanced to a point not far from the edge of the forest. Suddenly, they stopped, reorganized their formation, and even sent out several agile scouts to cautiously sneak into the forest.

He knew perfectly well that the other party had discovered something amiss in the woods, and cursed inwardly:
"Damn it! We've been found out!"

The key to an ambush is to catch the enemy off guard. Now that the enemy is clearly on alert, the chances of success have been greatly reduced.

However, Xu Jizong wanted to lead nearly a thousand men to retreat quietly, but this was difficult to achieve—the key passage down the mountain had been occupied by the enemy, and if they retreated, they would be easily ambushed and killed, and might even suffer a rout.

The arrow is on the string and must be fired!
Xu Jizong steeled his resolve, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes. He leaped out from behind the tree where he was hiding, drew his sword, pointed it forward, and roared:

"Charge out! Kill them all! Leave no one alive!"

"Kill--!"

Upon hearing the order, nearly a thousand Yuan soldiers leaped out from behind the trees and boulders where they were hiding, letting out deafening shouts. Like a flood bursting its banks, they surged down the hillside, attempting to use their superior position to overwhelm the enemy below in one fell swoop.

If it were an ordinary mob, suddenly encountering such a large ambush, and seeing the enemy surging out of the forest with terrifying momentum, they would probably be terrified, thrown into chaos, and even turn and flee.

Unfortunately, they were facing the elite Red Flag Battalion, a battle-hardened force with strict discipline.

Moreover, Zhao Bozhong had already discovered the anomaly before the battle, and the soldiers were mentally prepared in advance. How could they be frightened by such a small force of the Yuan army?

At the commanding shouts of officers at all levels, the soldiers quickly huddled together around Chang Yuchun and Zhao Bozhong, with swordsmen and shieldmen in front and spearmen behind, forming a tight and solid defensive circle in an instant.

The menacing spear tips all pointed outwards, like a hedgehog suddenly tensing its quills, calmly welcoming the impact.

The Yuan army that charged out of the forest was already poorly organized, and the steep, dense forest made their advance even more chaotic. This contrasted sharply with the silent Red Flag Battalion below, whose ranks were broken only by the gleaming of their weapons.

These Yuan soldiers were, after all, regular troops who had received some training, and they were not entirely ignorant of their own strength. They could tell at a glance that the enemy army in front of them was no easy opponent, and that the calm killing intent was more frightening to them than the frenzied shouts.

The little courage I had mustered up vanished the moment I faced this cold, imposing army formation, like an air sac punctured by a needle.

Someone shouted first, and the Yuan soldiers rushing down the mountain instinctively bypassed the Red Flag Battalion's sharp formation, fleeing almost without hesitation towards their own stronghold!

A seemingly inevitable ambush turned into a farcical rout in the blink of an eye!
How could Chang Yuchun let such a golden opportunity slip by? Seeing this, he laughed heartily, pointed his spear forward, and roared:

"You little bastards, trying to run away? Kill them all! Don't let a single one escape!"

"kill--!"

The soldiers of the Red Flag Battalion roared in unison, their voices echoing through the mountains and forests. In an instant, the tide of battle turned, and the tight circular formation suddenly dispersed, transforming into countless sharp blades. Organized into squads and units, they pounced on the fleeing Yuan army with the speed and ferocity of cheetahs.

Chang Yuchun took the lead. To make climbing easier, he wore only leather armor instead of iron armor, which made him more agile.

Wielding a long spear like a dragon emerging from the sea, he relentlessly thrust and swept it across the backs of the Yuan soldiers. Wherever he passed, the Yuan soldiers cried out in agony and fell to the ground, a truly exhilarating sight. Behind him, his soldiers, like tigers descending from the mountain, fought bravely, ruthlessly reaping the lives of the fleeing enemy.

Xu Jizong was filled with shame and indignation, but seeing the unstoppable momentum of the Red Flag Battalion, he dared not stop to organize his troops and could only run for his life. Fortunately, he was cautious by nature and had set up a series of ambushes. If he could escape this wave of pursuit and enter the second ambush zone, he might be able to turn the tables and kill them.

Distracted, Xu Jizong suddenly stumbled, tripped hard by a protruding old tree root, and fell limply. Before he could even struggle to his feet, a tall shadow loomed over him.

Chang Yuchun's cold, blood-stained spear tip was already pressed against his vital point in the back of his heart.

"Do you want to die or live?"

Chang Yuchun's voice carried a hint of mockery, but the icy chill emanating from the tip of his spear made Xu Jizong dare not doubt the other party's killing intent.

He was worried about the enemy's defenses on Zhongshan Mountain and knew very little about the strength of the fortress. Seeing that the officer was dressed in bright armor and was definitely not an ordinary soldier, he thought he was a valuable person to be captured, so he spared his life.

Xu Jizong was in pain from the fall, and now the cold tip of the spear was pressed against him. The fear of death gripped him instantly, making his legs tremble violently. He dared not hesitate for a moment and pleaded repeatedly:
"I want to live! I want to live! General, spare my life! I'm willing to surrender! I'm willing to surrender!"

Although the scattered Yuan army was everywhere, and military merits were readily available, Zhao Bozhong always kept in mind that his primary responsibility was to protect the commander-in-chief.

He chased after them for a distance, cutting down several fleeing enemies. When he saw Chang Yuchun stop, he quickly gathered some soldiers and returned to the commander's side, guarding him vigilantly.

In that short period of time, Chang Yuchun had already quickly ascertained Xu Jizong's identity through interrogation.

"Oh? You're the garrison commander of the mountain stronghold?"

A glint flashed in Chang Yuchun's eyes; he thought to himself that all his hard work today had finally paid off. He stared at Xu Jizong, whose face was ashen, and asked in a deep voice:
"Could you persuade the garrison troops remaining in the stronghold to surrender?"

Xu Jizong, who only wanted to live at that moment, felt as if he had been granted a pardon upon hearing this, and hurriedly nodded and bowed:
"Yes! Yes! I can! The soldiers in the stronghold are all my old subordinates. I am willing to go and persuade them to surrender. I will certainly not fail the general's trust!"

Chang Yuchun then grabbed a few more Yuan soldiers who had knelt and surrendered, questioned them briefly, and, after confirming that Xu Jizong's words were true, made his decision. He immediately ordered Zhao Bozhong:

"Commander Zhao, I'll leave you three hundred soldiers. Take General Xu and head up the mountain immediately to persuade the garrison in the stronghold to surrender!"

"I will obey your orders!"

Zhao Bozhong clasped his hands in acceptance of the order, then said with concern:
"But wouldn't it be too weak to command all the troops around him..."

"It doesn't matter!"

Chang Yuchun waved his hand, interrupting Zhao Bozhong, and said:
"I know what I'm doing. It's getting late, and I need to get back to the central army camp as soon as possible. Tens of thousands of soldiers from the two guards are waiting for me to deploy them, so I can't afford to delay."

At that moment, Chang Yuchun divided his troops. He himself led only about two hundred soldiers, escorting most of the prisoners, and quickly descended the mountain along the original route. Zhao Bozhong, on the other hand, led nearly three hundred soldiers, escorting Xu Jizong and a small number of necessary prisoners, and turned north towards the Yuan army's fortress.

That night, warning beacon fires suddenly lit up in the direction of the Yuan army's fortress on the northern slope of Zhongshan Mountain. The raging flames were particularly conspicuous in the night sky, which was an emergency signal indicating that the fortress was "attacked".

When Danidas, who was on the city wall of Jiangning, saw the beacon towers of Zhongshan lit up in the distance, his heart sank, knowing that the stronghold of Zhongshan would eventually be difficult to defend.

He was filled with remorse, yet he knew that sending reinforcements at this time would be futile in the darkness, and might even lead to another ambush and further losses. He could only watch helplessly as the flames of war burned, hardening his heart and daring not to waste his already limited garrison troops on a rescue mission.

But the situation had already spiraled out of his control.

Before the war, to warn of an attack by the Red Flag Battalion, Danidas set up a total of twelve beacon towers at various strategic points outside Jiangning City. Since the start of the war, most of them have been quickly destroyed by the Red Flag Battalion, but three or four are still barely operational due to their relatively remote locations.

Not long after the beacon fire was lit at Zhongshan, the beacon tower on the southwest side of Qixia Mountain responded, relaying the alarm that Zhongshan was under attack downwards.

Beyond Qixia Mountain, and about ten miles to the southwest, lies Fangshan Mountain.

The Fangshan camp had over 20,000 local militia, who had remained inactive since the start of the battle (mainly because the Red Flag Battalion's advance was too rapid, far exceeding the reaction speed of this force). Now, it was finally their turn to make a difficult decision.

(End of this chapter)