Sweep Yuan

Chapter 247 Dingjiangning Takes Multiple Measures

While Chang Yuchun joined forces with Zuo Junbi and Wang Bi to encircle and annihilate Chen Yexian's local militia, Shishan was not idle either.

Outside the west and south gates of Jiangning City, war clouds gathered and the sounds of battle shook the heavens. He was stationed in the central army, commanding the remaining troops of the Red Flag Battalion to launch feint attacks outside the Shicheng Gate in the west and the Jubao Gate in the south, in order to contain the defending troops in the city and create an opportunity for Chang Yuchun to annihilate Chen Yexian's troops.

Thousands of soldiers carried ladders and pushed shield carts, repeatedly assaulting the city walls. Although not the main attack, their offensive was fierce, and arrows flew towards the city walls like locusts, firmly attracting the attention of the defenders.

At the same time, on Yuhuatai, the newly installed cannons of the Shenji Battalion roared, and solid iron balls pierced the sky, crashing into the Jubaomen city tower and its surrounding area, startling the defending soldiers into panic and screaming.

Although the destructive power of solid shot to walls is greatly reduced due to the long distance, a five-pound iron ball, when it hits a person, will either kill or maim them, even if they are wearing heavy armor. When this ultra-long-range weapon is first deployed on the battlefield, its effect on the morale of the enemy is far greater than its actual killing power.

Once the battle on the east bank of the Qinhuai River ended, the feint attack outside Jiangning City finally ceased.

After all the units withdrew to their camps, Deng Dagang, the commander of the Shenji Battalion, finished compiling the day's artillery data. He then strode through the busy camp to the marshal's tent, took a deep breath, and straightened his armor, which was covered in soot from handling the cannons. Only then did he solemnly report that he wanted to see the marshal.

After receiving permission, he stepped into the tent and saw Shishan standing in front of a map of Jiangning's defenses, deep in thought.

"marshal!"

Deng Dagang clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, his voice booming, yet tinged with a barely perceptible nervousness, and said:

"This humble general, Deng Dagang, reports on the results of today's bombardment of Jubaomen."

Shi Shan turned around, his gaze calm and profound, and said:
"speak."

"Today's bombardment lasted from Chenshi (7-9 AM) to Shenshi (3-5 PM), with a total of 120 cannon shots fired."

Due to the angle of fire and terrain, the fort selected by Deng Dagang was not located at the northernmost end of Donggang in Yuhuatai.

If the ten cannons were fired continuously, they could fire two or three hundred shells in an hour. But today was a feint attack. Deng Dagang took turns calibrating the firing parameters of each cannon to ensure the hit rate as much as possible, so as to fire the fewest shells possible to intimidate the enemy.

"Because Yuhuatai is more than two miles away from Jubaomen Tower, which is close to the maximum range of our army's active artillery, in order to ensure that the projectiles can be delivered, I ordered that the amount of propellant per cannon be increased slightly. Today, a total of 162 catties of gunpowder were used."

Deng Dagang paused slightly, his Adam's apple bobbing almost imperceptibly, before continuing:

"After comprehensive confirmation from three observation points, it was found that thirty-six shells landed in the city wall and gate tower area, of which only fourteen hit the main body of the Jubao Gate gate tower. Of these fourteen hit shells, based on the damage marks, only three caused effective damage to the wooden and stone structure of the gate tower."

The rest either hit the defending soldiers or failed to cause substantial damage due to exhaustion of force.

The near 10% hit rate and even lower effective damage rate made Commander Deng, known for his precise artillery handling, feel a little embarrassed.

Today, the Marshal was directing the various troops to launch a feint attack from Yuhuatai. Deng Dagang knew that the Shenji Battalion's achievements could not be hidden, and he dared not conceal them. When reporting, he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.

But he had indeed done his best today, and to illustrate the difficulty of long-range artillery fire, he added, albeit reluctantly:
"My rough calculations suggest that to completely destroy the Jubao Gate tower, we would need to bombard it day and night to prevent the defenders from repairing and reinforcing it in time. It would require at least 5,000 bullets and at least 6,500 catties of gunpowder."

He reported this extremely exaggerated figure in order to subtly remind the marshal that relying on existing small-caliber artillery for long-range bombardment to completely destroy the city walls would be far too cost-effective and almost impossible.

Shishan can be clearly seen from Yuhuatai during the day. Although the Jubaomen gate tower has three more damaged sections, the main structure still stands.

Compared to the thick city walls, the walls of the city gate tower are much thinner, but even so, they are still carefully constructed defensive works. The core beams and pillars are mostly made of huge timbers, and key parts are covered with iron sheets. The sturdiness of the wall bricks is also far superior to that of materials used in civilian buildings.

At such a "long" distance, the kinetic energy of the shell decreases sharply in the terminal phase of its flight. Even if it manages to hit, it will be at the end of its flight and unlikely to cause effective damage.

Deng Dagang said that 5,000 shells could destroy the city gate, which Shishan considered an optimistic estimate.

Regardless of whether the Red Flag Battalion has that many in stock, if they really fired all 5,000 rounds, with 500 or 600 hitting the target and over 100 effectively damaging it, what five-pound bullet could destroy a city tower?
However, Shishan did not criticize Deng Dagang.

He knew full well that the Shenji Battalion's achievements over such a long distance must have required extremely arduous efforts and rigorous training. The key issue was not that the soldiers weren't working hard enough, but rather the limitations of the equipment itself.

"You played very well today."

Shi Shan spoke up, affirming the performance of the Divine Machine Battalion and praising them:
"Although the accuracy was low, it greatly deterred the Yuan dogs, preventing them from making any leisurely maneuvers and effectively supporting the feint attack at the south gate. You have put in a lot of effort, and this combat data is especially valuable, as it will help our army gradually improve its equipment and tactics in the future. I hope you will continue to maintain this level of dedication!"

Deng Dagang's tense nerves immediately relaxed, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart. He was originally just a surrendered soldier who knew how to operate a musket, but he was promoted to commander of the Shenji Battalion entirely because Marshal Shi was unconventional in his use of talent.

He knew all too well that operating this kind of artillery, which emphasized "effective hits," was several times more difficult than operating a breech-loading cannon, which was primarily designed for scattering.

To live up to the Marshal's trust, Deng Dagang not only humbly consulted Tao Chengdao, the director of the Crafts Institute, on issues such as the relationship between shooting angle, ray, and range, but also led his subordinates to calculate and practice repeatedly, thus developing a set of effective training methods.

That's how we got this "barely satisfactory" result today. The marshal's affirmation is more important to him than any reward.

The main problem at present is that the artillery caliber is too small and the targets are too far away. The few shells that hit are almost exhausted and their power is greatly reduced.

To solve this problem, one could either risk building a mountain of earth and firing cannons while withstanding the ranged attacks of the defenders, or forge larger caliber siege cannons with longer ranges.

Until this problem is effectively resolved, it is not advisable to waste any more precious gunpowder and bullets.

Shi Shan looked at Deng Dagang and encouraged him:
"The caliber of these cannons is still too small, and their power is limited. We will temporarily cease bombarding the city walls. Once Master Craftsman Ma (Ma Hua) forges heavy cannons with larger calibers and longer ranges, then the Divine Machine Battalion will have to show its prowess!"

Deng Dagang quickly stated:

"During this time, I have been studying tactics and organizing the young men to train hard. Once the new cannons are completed, I will certainly live up to the Marshal's expectations!"

Jiangning Town's Tongjing had existing smelting workshops and skilled craftsmen. After Chang Yuchun captured the area, Shishan ordered the navy to escort the cannon-casting master Ma Hua and others across the river to oversee the construction of a new type of cannon-casting workshop.

This is undoubtedly another time-consuming and massive project, and we may not even be able to use these new cannons before we capture Jiangning City. But we need to take a long-term view. Both the future defense of Jiangning City and the defense of the Yangtze River will need heavy artillery. Once they are built, they will not be wasted.

Not long after Deng Dagang withdrew, a series of hurried and powerful footsteps sounded outside the tent. Yin Shi, a trusted general sent by Chang Yuchun, strode in, his armor still covered in dust from the journey, but his face was beaming with excitement. He clasped his hands and said loudly:

"Report! Marshal! The combined forces of Commander Zuo and Commander Wang have decisively defeated the main force of the Fangshan militia in the Hetougou area! In this battle, our army has killed 1,525 enemy soldiers and captured more than 21,200. We are still taking inventory of the remaining supplies, including grain, armor, flags, and other equipment!"

Upon hearing this, everyone inside the tent perked up.

This battle was commanded by Chang Yuchun. He felt that he had already made enough contributions to the Qingri Guard, and thought that if he were to become a commander in the future, he might be able to command other commanders. So he took the initiative to undertake the task of feigning an attack on Zhongshan Fortress to lure the enemy troops from Fangshan out, and gave the opportunity to defeat the enemy and make merit to Zuo Junbi.

Shishan received and approved Chang Yuchun's battle plan last night. He knew that the key to this battle was to lure the enemy. Given the weak and ineffective fighting strength of the local militia, there should not be any fierce fighting. He immediately became doubtful about the number of enemy kills.

The number of enemy soldiers killed in battle is not the number of casualties, but the actual number of enemy soldiers killed in action. The claim of killing over 1,500 means that the actual number of enemy casualties could be two or three times that figure, or even higher.

Shi Shan had no doubt that Zuo Junbi and Wang Bi would dare to kill prisoners and claim credit right under his nose. He frowned slightly and asked:

"Please briefly describe the battle, especially the final stage."

Yin Shi, who had accompanied the Loyal Guard, witnessed the development of the battle firsthand and immediately replied:
"Reporting to the Marshal, this battle proceeded according to plan... Chen Ye first led most of the Fangshan militia out of the camp... After Commander Wang broke through the Fangshan camp, he immediately led his troops to cut off the enemy's rear... The enemy's main force was already preparing to surrender."

However, their vanguard collapsed, and Chen Yexian, witnessing the death of his son Chen Zhaoxian in battle, was overcome with grief and rage. He personally led over two thousand members of the Chen family and their servants in a counter-charge against our lines.

At this point, Yin Shi's tone also carried a hint of resentment as he said:
"Most of our army's kills came from this time. These Chen family guards were quite brave and fought to the death... It's hateful that old thief Chen Yexian killed so many of his clansmen and brothers, but he himself surrendered at the last moment."

Upon hearing this, Shi Shan nodded slowly, all his doubts dispelled. It was not uncommon for powerful clans and their core confidants to unleash astonishing fighting power when driven to despair.

The local militia were weak in combat, but they were excellent laborers. Capturing prisoners was a greater achievement than beheading them, which was one of the reasons why Shishan didn't suspect Zuo and Wang of killing prisoners and claiming credit for it. Having roughly understood the matter, Shishan said:

"This battle was fought brilliantly! All units should seize the time to conduct post-battle debriefings and properly identify and handle these tens of thousands of prisoners! This matter concerns the foundation of our army and must not be taken lightly!"

Since the Red Flag Battalion stormed Jiqing Road, they have captured over 34,000 prisoners of war. This large able-bodied population is not only a valuable source of manpower but also a vital force for Shishan to control the grassroots of Jiangning and restore production in the future.

At the pre-battle mobilization meeting, Shi Shan emphasized the importance of properly resettling prisoners to officers of the rank of garrison commander and above. Chang Yuchun, knowing the marshal was watching him closely, had already relayed the order down to the platoon leader level. Yin Shi, naturally aware of this, immediately and solemnly replied:

"This subordinate understands! I will deliver the Marshal's order to Commander Chang without missing a single word!"

After Yin Shi withdrew, Wang Zongdao, the military advisor who had been standing quietly beside Shi Shan, stepped forward, pondered for a moment, and cautiously offered his advice:
"Marshal, what are your plans for dealing with Chen Yexian and his clan?"

Despite the defeat of his vanguard, the collapse of his rear, and the inevitable loss of his forces, Chen Yexian was still able to organize more than two thousand loyal followers to launch a counterattack. Although he failed to change the course of the battle, this demonstrated the deep-rooted influence and extraordinary appeal of the Chen family in Jiangning.

These powerful local magnates, with their deep roots and influence, could easily become the source of unrest if not handled properly, so we must be extremely cautious.

Wang Zongdao asked this question precisely because of his concern about this matter.

In the past few days, Shishan has also specially arranged for people to collect information about the Chen family of Jiangning.

Chen Yexian was able to easily raise an army of over 20,000 (with many smaller military leaders under him, not all the local militia were supported by the Chen family), so his family's power was considerable, and they inevitably colluded with officials and gentry to oppress the local people.

However, it wouldn't be accurate to say that the Chen family had reached the point of incurring the wrath of both heaven and man in Jiangning, to the point that they absolutely had to be eliminated.

Such a powerful and influential family cannot simply be killed – it is not that Shi Shan is soft-hearted. Whether it is killing to establish authority or appeasement, these are just means, and they must all conform to the current strategic needs of the Red Flag Battalion.

Shi Shan already had a preliminary idea in mind, and when Wang Zongdao asked about it, knowing that he must have something to say, he said:
"Feel free to share your thoughts."

Seeing that Mao Gui, who had joined the military command later than him, had already been transferred to a post outside the capital and become a commander in charge (the commander of the army and the commander of Taiping Road are not the same thing, but they are both called "commander"), Wang Zongdao couldn't help but feel a little anxious.

His initiative to speak was also a way of showcasing his talents and hoping to gain an opportunity for advancement. He briefly gathered his thoughts and said:

"In my opinion, if the Marshal wants to quickly stabilize the situation in Jiangnan, he must employ some local scholars and gentry. Ordinary powerful figures, if their evil deeds are notorious, can be killed, and the hearts of the people can be won over."

However, the Chen family of Jiangning was known for its scholarly tradition. Although no one in the family held high-ranking official positions in the imperial court, they were still one of the most prominent families in Jiangning, with relatives and friends all over Jiqing Road.

Wang Zongdao paused briefly, stealing a glance at Shi Shan. Seeing that the marshal showed no displeasure and was simply listening quietly, he mustered his courage and continued:
"Although Chen Yexian was defeated and captured, most of his clansmen are still alive. Since these people did not perish on the battlefield, in my humble opinion, why doesn't the Marshal adopt a benevolent policy, pardon their crime of resisting the Red Flag Battalion, and select one or two talented or relatively docile individuals from their branch families to appoint to positions according to their abilities?"

In this way, we can both divide the Chen clan and weaken their clan cohesion, and demonstrate the Marshal's magnanimity to the scholars of Jiangnan, showing that our Red Flag Battalion is not simply indiscriminately killing. Once our army has completely captured Jiqing Road, the local scholars will surely flock to join us, saving us a great deal of effort in pacification and reconciliation.”

Shi Shan looked at Wang Zongdao, who was speaking eloquently, and shook his head inwardly.

This man is not lacking in intelligence, nor does he lack the ambition to achieve great things. Unfortunately, being born into the gentry class, he always tends to approach problems from the perspective of the powerful and wealthy. Even after following me for so long, he still fails to fully understand my ambition to eradicate deep-seated problems and restore order.

However, Ishiyama has never lacked the patience to earnestly teach subordinates who are willing to use their brains and get things done. He nodded and said:
“To take Jiangnan, we must indeed employ scholars who are familiar with the local conditions and problems. Wang Canjun’s words are wise and reasonable in his approach to governing the country! If there are any talented and willing to serve the Chen family’s offshoots, I will certainly appoint them according to their abilities and will not be stingy with official positions.”

Wang Zongdao felt a surge of joy upon receiving Shi Shan's affirmation and seeing that the Marshal had adopted his suggestion. His heart was filled with sweetness, as if he had drunk honey water, and a look of delight appeared on his face.

But Shi Shan's tone immediately changed, becoming serious:

"However, the main branch of the Chen family has been entrenched in Jiangning for generations, with deep roots and numerous followers. Their influence is far beyond that of the offspring of the smaller branches. Since they have openly raised a large army to oppose our Red Flag Battalion, they cannot be truly subdued by simple forgiveness. If their main branch is spared, they will surely become a major threat in the future!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Zongdao assumed that Shi Shan was plotting murder again and was about to offer a few more words of advice, hoping that appeasing the main branch of the Chen family would have a greater demonstrative effect, when he saw Shi Shan had already spoken and continued:
"Indiscriminate slaughter is not the best policy; it could easily provoke unforeseen events and goes against our army's tradition of not killing indiscriminately. Since the main branch of the Chen family cannot be killed, nor can they be spared..."

Shi Shan's gaze swept across the map, then turned towards Xuzhou Road in Jiangbei, and he said:
“Jiangbei has long suffered from war and famine, and its vast land is sparsely populated with a large amount of farmland abandoned. It is in dire need of people to populate and cultivate the land in order to restore its vitality and consolidate its foundation. Therefore, the main branch of the Chen family and its core followers were all relocated to Jiangbei for resettlement!”

"Give them land so they can support themselves, and depending on their performance, their children may be allowed to serve in our Red Flag Battalion in the future. But under no circumstances should the Chen family be allowed to gather in Jiangning again and interfere in local affairs!"

Although Shishan is a time traveler with a vision and knowledge beyond his time, he knows that he is deeply rooted in this era and cannot act recklessly out of touch with reality.

Relocating powerful clans is an ancient practice. This move was both a punishment and a way to weaken the Chen family, and also a test of the reaction and bottom line of the generals and officials under their command who came from the gentry class, to see how much they could accept.

Upon hearing this, Wang Zongdao paused for a moment, then lowered his head and pondered carefully.

He instinctively felt that relocating the entire main branch of the Chen family seemed a bit too harsh, but upon further reflection, he realized that this would not only avoid the infamy and potential resistance brought about by large-scale killings, but also fundamentally eliminate the Chen family's influence in the local area and enrich Jiangbei.

It seems... to be a brilliant strategy that achieves multiple benefits?

Wang Zongdao ultimately yielded to Shishan's will and his far-reaching plan, and bowed, saying:

"Marshal's thoughts are thorough and far-sighted, far beyond what I can achieve! Zongdao has learned a great deal!"

Although Shishan had decided to "exile" the main branch of the Chen family, he did not immediately put it into action.

Identifying and assimilating those 20,000-plus prisoners is no easy task, as many of the lower- and middle-ranking leaders are either members of the Chen family or their confidants. Before that, it is necessary to stabilize them to prevent them from becoming desperate and acting rashly.

He also wanted to take this opportunity to see how the gentry and powerful outside Jiangning City would react, and whether there were any "smart people" who could see the situation clearly.

Over the next three days, Hu Dahai sent a messenger to deliver news that Bashanwei had captured Lishui Prefecture; Wang Bi, after completing the initial screening of the prisoners under Chen Yexian's command, was ordered to lead Weiwuwei to advance on Jurong County.

Although Chen Yexian's troops numbered 20,000, they were defeated head-on by Shishan and were completely wiped out. The Red Flag Battalion's army gathered, and its total number of troops far exceeded that of Chen Yexian's troops, and its power was at its peak.

The process of screening and reorganization can be carried out directly by overwhelming the enemy; there is no need or reason to engage in any more risky tactics such as "riding alone into the camp" or "spending the night in the prisoner's camp." Overall, the process went smoothly.

During this period, there were naturally some who were out of touch with reality and tried to stir up trouble. Chang Yuchun showed no mercy to these stubborn people and swiftly suppressed them with thunderous means. He took this opportunity to kill them to establish his authority and intimidate the vast majority of prisoners.

After the initial screening was completed, all the identified members of the Chen clan and their core servants, totaling more than 300 people, were escorted to the Yuhuatai camp to await Shishan's decision.

This commotion was not deliberately concealed and quickly spread through various channels.

As expected, this attracted the person Shishan wanted to see. On the morning of the day after Chen Yexian's clansmen were taken to the Yuhuatai camp, a scholar dressed in a blue Confucian robe and wearing a square scarf arrived outside the heavily guarded gate of the Yuhuatai Red Flag Camp.

He straightened his clothes, bowed respectfully to the Red Flag Battalion soldiers guarding the gate, and said in a clear voice:
"Please inform Marshal Shi that Xia Yu, a scholar from Jiangning, has important matters to report!"

……

P.S.: According to the Record of Suppressing the Rebellion, in 1631, Kong Youde used six Hongyi cannons to bombard the northeast corner tower of Laizhou for three whole days before it collapsed. The exact number of shells used is not recorded, but it is estimated to be no less than 1000.

The Hongyi Cannon far surpasses the protagonist's current artillery in all aspects, with higher firing accuracy (the cannon barrel is much longer) and better hit damage (the damage caused by a hit of 10-jin shells is definitely not achieved by two consecutive hits of 5-jin shells).

The 720-pound bronze cannon was already quite ineffective at 1000 meters, and could not be compared with the Hongyi cannon. Even if the hit rate was the same (which was impossible), it would use far more ammunition.

(End of this chapter)