Sweep Yuan

Chapter 256 The Sun and Moon Reopen: The Great Song Dynasty

Past personal feelings are personal matters. Hu Deji is here today to handle official business. Since Zhu Chongba has already confessed, there will be no more fuss.

"Take it!"

Armored soldiers on both sides immediately stepped forward to bind Zhu Chongba. But then Hu Deji added:
"Commander Zhu has not yet been convicted by the Military Law Division and should not be humiliated. Chongba, put on your military uniform."

After Zhu Chongba silently put on his military robe and was "escorted" by several armored soldiers into the ranks of the Moon-Pengding Guard, Hu Deji's cold gaze swept over Ye Guorui, the commander of the Fifth Battalion, and he ordered:
"Ye Guorui, Commander of the Fifth Battalion, Third Division of Fujun Guard!"

Ye Guorui's heart skipped a beat, his face instantly turning ashen. He realized he couldn't escape this calamity after all, but dared not entertain the slightest thought of resistance. He quickly dropped his weapon, jogged out of formation, came before Hu Deji, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, his voice hoarse as he said:

"Your humble servant is here!"

Hu Deji remained expressionless, his voice devoid of any emotion:
"An investigation revealed that seven soldiers, including Zhou Dexing and Zhu Wenzheng, of the Fifth Battalion of the Fujun Guard, were recruited through informal channels, violating procedures and suspected of private placement. As the commanding officer, were you aware of this? Do you have any defense?"

Zhu Chongba had two battalions under his command. The commander of the sixth battalion was parachuted in by the Moon-Piercing Guard, so Zhu Chongba dared not place his own people in the enemy's battalion. Although Ye Guorui was promoted by Chongba himself, he should have refused this obviously irregular operation, but he did it willingly.

Now that the incident had occurred and the main culprit, Zhu Chongba, had already confessed, how could Ye Guorui dare to offer even the slightest defense? With a thud, he knelt heavily on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, only confessing his guilt:
"This humble general was confused! This humble general is guilty, this humble general is willing to accept military punishment!"

Hu Deji was not a military judge; he was only responsible for arresting people, not for judging cases. He immediately waved his hand and said:
"Remove his armor and take him with you!"

As soon as he finished speaking, soldiers stepped forward and removed Ye Guorui's armor.

Zhou Dexing, Zhu Wenzheng and the others had been tied up by Ye Guorui, so no one was there to untie them. Seeing that Zhu Chongba and Ye Guorui had been captured, they all realized the seriousness of the situation and turned pale with fright.

Hu Deji had noticed these people long ago, especially Zhu Wenzheng, whose face bore a resemblance to Zhu Chongba. He beckoned to someone behind him, summoned a man, pointed to the already bound Zhu Wenzheng and the others, and said:

"Go up and take a closer look. Are they Zhou Dexing, Zhu Wenzheng, and others involved in the case?"

This man was none other than the former military judge of the Fifth Battalion of the Third Division of the Fujun Guard, who had been dragged into this mess by Qin Shuang because he couldn't refuse a personal favor. He hated these guys who had ruined his future. He stepped forward and carefully examined each of them, afraid of missing a single one. Finally, he turned around, nodded solemnly to Hu Deji, and said:
"It's definitely those seven!"

"Okay! Take them all!"

After obtaining the main suspects and witnesses, Hu Deji immediately ordered his soldiers to turn around and prepare to leave.

On the drill ground, the remaining soldiers of the Third Garrison of Fujun Guard were stunned. The garrison commander and the commander of the Fifth Battalion had been arrested for violating military law. What should the rest of them do?
Zhu Chongba, Ye Guorui, Qin Shuang, and others were arrested because they brought it upon themselves. Some of the officers among them did know the inside story and even participated in the matter, and they took good care of Zhu Chongba's fellow villagers and nephews.

However, according to military discipline, they had no channel and no courage to report to higher authorities.

Seeing the current situation, Hu Deji was only concerned with arresting people and not with cleaning up the mess. Something seemed wrong, and a sense of confusion and panic began to spread.

However, these people will soon no longer have to worry about their future.

As soon as Hu Deji stepped out of the camp gate, he clasped his hands in salute to Chang Yuchun, who was standing not far away with a gun, and said:

"Commander Chang, by order of the Marshal: All officers and soldiers of the Fifth Battalion of the Third Division of the Fujun Guard shall be dispersed and await joint screening by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Military Command before being reassigned. The Sixth Battalion shall be temporarily placed under the command of the Qingri Guard for reorganization and training!"

"hey-hey!"

Chang Yuchun glanced at the anxious crowd in the camp, grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, and excitedly said, as if he was about to handle a very interesting task:
"Brother Hu, rest assured and go back to report! With me here, these bastards won't be able to cause any trouble! I guarantee I'll teach them a lesson they won't forget!"

The case of Zhu Chongba abusing his power for personal gain by placing his cronies in the army is actually not complicated in itself.

However, due to the large number of people involved, including officers at the town and battalion levels as well as several military judges, collecting conclusive evidence, cross-checking testimonies, and clarifying responsibilities requires a rigorous and meticulous process, which cannot be accomplished overnight.

Shi Shan estimates that it will take at least several more days to finalize the case.

The Red Flag Battalion is now a massive military and political group spanning seven routes and three provinces, and controlling more than thirty cities.

Those who dare to blatantly challenge the seriousness of military discipline and break the law, knowing that Marshal Shi attaches great importance to the law and emphasizes military discipline and regulations, should be a very small minority.

However, within their own authority, some officials will more or less take care of their fellow villagers, former subordinates, relatives and friends, and do some favors for their "own people." Such favoritism, whether minor or major, certainly exists at all levels and is not uncommon, regardless of whether one is a civil or military official.

When the water is clear, there will be no fish, and when the water is clear, there will be no evil.

How could Shishan not know this principle?
Living in a feudal society where clan and local values ​​were deeply ingrained, and aspiring to change the dynasty, he naturally dared not expect his civil and military officials to be selfless saints detached from worldly concerns.

To some extent, using shared interests and personal connections to bind people together is a helpless means of maintaining group cohesion.

Zhu Chongba's status was extraordinary. As a garrison commander, he was already a high-ranking general, and his behavior had a strong demonstrative effect.

The final verdict in this case will undoubtedly determine the new regime's value orientation and future atmosphere.

Countless eyes are secretly watching the final outcome of this case. If it is hastily concluded and dealt with perfunctorily, it will not only fail to convince the public, but will also seriously damage the seriousness of the Red Flag Camp's legal system and the prestige of Shishan, with endless consequences.

However, in the end, the Zhu Chongba case was just a minor episode in Shishan's pacification of Jiangnan.

Although this matter is important, it will not affect the overall situation.

The case was to be handled by Zeng Xing, the military judge of the military court. Shi Shan was busy with many affairs and controlled the direction of the entire force. It was impossible for him to stop his pace of conquest and expansion for the sake of this one case.

Although Jiangning has fallen, there are still many matters to be dealt with before the army sets out again.

First, the rewards, promotions, and medals for the soldiers who have distinguished themselves in the previous series of battles must be approved and promulgated as soon as possible.

Even if a very small number of people are involved in the Zhu Chongba case or other issues and their rewards need to be reassessed, that is a minor detail at the operational level, and the overall process of recognizing and rewarding merits must not be halted because of this.

Only by completing the promotion and appointment of officers as soon as possible and adjusting the organizational structure at all levels can we quickly launch a new round of expansion and reorganization on this basis, and incorporate the new recruits from Jiangnan who have completed supplementary training into the Red Flag Battalion system.

As more and more soldiers from Jiangnan joined the army, the Red Flag Battalion was able to gradually shed its identity as a "guest army from other provinces" or even "invaders from Jiangbei" and truly take root in Jiangnan.

In the future, it will be easier to gain the recognition and support of the local gentry and people, and reduce unnecessary resistance.

At the governance level, the officials from various places in Jiqing Road who have just completed the initial screening and have been allowed to continue in their positions cannot remain in place. They must be appropriately transferred across regions to avoid the formation of new local entrenched forces.

The exchange and integration between officials in Jiangbei and Jiangnan, the adjustment of the Marshal's Office itself to adapt to a larger ruling area, and other major matters all had to be personally presided over by Shishan.

This adjustment is by no means a simple one-to-one personnel transfer such as "a certain Cao official is transferred to a certain prefecture to serve as a clerk" or "a former official from Jiangnan is transferred to the Marshal's Office to serve as a clerk in a certain Cao".

This was an inevitable process of a regional political organization, originally established to sustain a large army's long-term campaigns and imbued with a strong military character, gradually transitioning into a mature political group aiming to seize the world and establish a new dynasty.

This process will inevitably involve the revision and promulgation of numerous regulations and systems, and will require the gradual adjustment and improvement of the power and responsibility system between the central marshal's office and local general administration offices, prefectures, and counties.

For example, when the Red Flag Battalion originally occupied only a dozen or so cities north of the Yangtze River, its territory was small and its affairs were relatively simple. The Marshal's Office was able to directly and effectively control the financial revenue and expenditure of various places. Although the pre-accounting system was not perfect, it was less resistant to implementation and could get feedback quickly.

After crossing the river, the Marshal's Office's control over Jiangbei would inevitably weaken. With the rapid expansion of its territory, it would no longer be able to control everything. Not only was the "General Administration of Jiangbei Routes" established, but there was also the Xuzhou Red Turban Army-controlled area, which had a looser relationship and greater autonomy.

The expenditures of money and grain in these places cannot be left unattended, but it is obviously unrealistic to require the Marshal's Office in Jiangning to coordinate and approve all expenditures. This would seriously affect work efficiency.

How should financial power be divided between the central and local governments? And after that division, how should effective auditing and supervision be carried out? These questions need to be explored and adjusted repeatedly in practice.

Fortunately, the Marshal's Office has gradually improved its structure and has been operating relatively stably for three years (actually less than two years). It is no longer the makeshift organization with incomplete staff and functions it once was.

Most routine administrative affairs can be handled properly by the various departments and bureaus in accordance with the regulations; for matters that require cross-departmental coordination and the integration of various forces, Chief Secretary Liu Xingge can generally coordinate and handle them well after being authorized by Shishan.

Shishan's main responsibility is to grasp the overall direction and make strategic decisions; he no longer needs to worry about minor matters.

But he didn't have any free time either. During this period, he also needed to devote a considerable amount of energy to dealing with the calls for him to take the throne from his civil and military officials.

The day after Zhu Chongba was detained, after the routine morning meeting of the Marshal's Office, Shi Nai'an, the Director of the Bureau of Ceremonies, did not leave with the other officials, but requested to "stay behind for a private audience," meaning that he had important matters to discuss with the Marshal alone.

After everyone had left, Shi Nai'an followed Shi Shan to the marshal's office, straightened his clothes, and solemnly began to speak:
"Since the marshal raised his army in Jiangbei, he has already laid a glorious foundation. Now he has recovered the imperial capital, and now he controls more than 30 cities in Jianghuai, with more than 100,000 armored soldiers. His prestige far surpasses that of Xu Shouhui, Zhang Shicheng and others. He is now the universally recognized leader of the anti-Yuan righteous people."

Now...should we go a step further, establish a proper nation, in accordance with the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people, so as to command all directions and unite the hearts of heroes across the land?" Shi Shan stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Shi Nai'an with great interest.

This old man, in charge of propaganda and education, was acutely aware of his own ambitions and his step-by-step strategy for conquest. Even if he wanted to opportunistically persuade someone to ascend the throne, there was no need to choose such an ill-timed topic, one that he was certain he wouldn't accept, to test the waters.

Moreover, such requests for advancement are usually handled more prudently through joint petitions or written submissions. There is no need to risk being suspected by colleagues by applying for "retention" after the morning meeting.

"Prefect Shi".

Shi Shan knew that Shi Nai'an was well aware that he would never declare himself king at this time, but his time was precious, and he didn't want to beat around the bush, so he asked directly:
"Why have you stayed behind today? Please speak frankly."

Shi Nai'an, however, seemed oblivious to Shi Shan's impatience, remaining serious and even somewhat stubborn as he pressed on with his questions:
"Does the Marshal truly have no intention of advancing further? This is the will of the army and the people!"

Shi Shan, with ambitions spanning the world, had nothing to hide from his core civil and military officials, and answered frankly:

"My ambition in raising this army is to destroy the Mongol Yuan dynasty and rebuild China. I will not rely on others to lead the righteous men of the world in resisting the Yuan. Sooner or later, I will establish a state and establish my own regime, but certainly not now!"

He reiterated his ambitions, and Shishan, with a mocking expression, said:
"The likes of Xu Shouhui and Zhang Shicheng, having only occupied a few cities, are already eager to declare themselves kings and emperors. Perhaps this can temporarily boost morale within their ranks and attract some opportunists, but in reality, it is nothing more than a means to win over those who are eager to advance. They only make themselves a laughing stock and invite the Yuan court to focus its efforts on suppressing them. This is extremely unwise!"

Shi Shan had already made his point, clearly stating that declaring oneself king at this time would be a foolish act that would "only invite ridicule from the world and invite the Yuan court to launch a major crackdown." If Shi Nai'an still insisted on urging him to ascend the throne, he would be tantamount to classifying himself as one of those who "hope to advance."

A man who cherished his reputation so much naturally didn't want to be associated with the bad name of "opportunistic scoundrels," so he immediately changed his strategy and said:

"I have followed the Marshal closely and have often had the privilege of listening to his teachings. I know that the Marshal has a heart that embraces the world and a grand ambition that is beyond the reach of ordinary heroes. I will not be blinded by momentary fame and petty gains, nor will I advise the Marshal to do such an unwise thing."

He first presented the stone mountain to ease the awkward atmosphere slightly, then began to get to the point, his face showing concern, and his words were earnest:
"But in this world, there are ultimately more mediocre and vulgar people. They are unlikely to see the marshal's profound plans and foresight, and they know that their abilities are shallow and their future is limited. Therefore, they are more likely to be eager for quick success and instant benefits, and they will do stupid things or even take risks because of their own selfish desires."

This situation, like an undercurrent, is fraught with danger and difficult to guard against. If it continues, it may damage the very foundation of the Red Flag Battalion.

Shi Shan sensed the hidden meaning in Shi Nai'an's words and thought to himself that this old man might be using the pretext of urging Zhu Chongba to ascend the throne as a pretext to admonish him, in order to plead for him.
But he rejected the idea as soon as it arose.

Not to mention that Zhu Chongba's case is currently under trial, no one knows what other things it will uncover, and the final verdict is still unknown.

As a native of Huaidong who relied on no one in the Marshal's Mansion, Shi Nai'an had no connection with Zhu Chongba and had no right to stand up for Zhu Chongba at this time.

Putting these distracting thoughts aside, Shi Shan returned to the practical problem raised by Shi Nai'an, quickly sorted out some ideas, and nodded, saying:
"That's very true! People's hearts are complicated, and selfish desires are hard to eradicate. This is one of the inevitable difficulties in starting a business. Since Governor Shi has raised this question, I suppose you already have a brilliant plan in mind?"

"I dare not presume to call this a brilliant plan! It is merely some rudimentary thought I have had in my daily life, and I have gained some insights which I wish to offer for the Marshal's consideration."

Shi Nai'an spoke humbly, but his face couldn't help but reveal a hint of smugness, as he continued:
"Marshal's advance into Jiangnan, conquering cities and seizing territories, still requires different stages and the formulation of strategies for each step in advance. Establishing a nation and establishing a system, laying the foundation for the country, is such a momentous matter, with countless details and concerns the very foundation of the nation. How can it be accomplished overnight?"

In my humble opinion, even if the Marshal is unwilling to declare himself emperor for the time being, he should gradually reveal his ambition to conquer the world and establish a new dynasty through concrete actions when the time is right.

In this way, the morale of those who had served under him would be boosted, and ambitious people throughout the land would know where their wise ruler was and come to join him.

"Ok!"

Shi Shan nodded slightly in agreement.

Xu Shouhui, who was the first to declare himself emperor, was surrounded by the Yuan army in Qishui, and his situation was extremely precarious.

Zhang Shicheng was eager to establish his own kingdom and proclaim himself King Cheng, but most of Huainan had already been seized by the Red Flag Army. Zhang Shicheng's future development space was now limited to the small area of ​​Huaidong. Even if the Yuan court could not launch a full-scale southward campaign for the time being, his situation was not much better.

Among the anti-Yuan forces in the world today, Shishan is undoubtedly the number one anti-Yuan king, whether in terms of actual territory, population, army, or future development potential.

Under these circumstances, he was not afraid to reveal his ambition to become king to the outside world to a certain extent—because he could no longer hide it.

Encouraged by Shi Shan's agreement with his viewpoint, Shi Nai'an continued to offer his advice:
"Jiangning is a place where tigers crouch and dragons coil, a place where imperial aura gathers. Marshal's ambition is to destroy the Yuan and restore the Han. Why not start by rectifying the name, for example, restoring the old name of the ancient capital of Jiangning—Jiankang? In this way, we can show the world the Marshal's determination to continue the legitimate lineage of the Chinese nation?"

The history of Jiangning as a city can be traced back to Jinlingyi during the Warring States period. It has since undergone several name changes, including Moling, Jianye, Jianye, Jiankang, Jiangzhou, Guihua, Jinling, Baixia, and Jiangning.

However, the main names for these states as capitals were Jianye (Eastern Wu), Jiankang (Eastern Jin and the Southern Dynasties of Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen), and Jiangning (Southern Tang). Despite the changes, the one constant was that all these states were short-lived, fragmented regimes.

Shi Nai'an clearly did not recognize the legitimacy of the Eastern Wu and Southern Tang dynasties, so he only mentioned the name "Jiankang" as the ancient capital of the Six Dynasties.

"inappropriate."

Shishan decisively shook his head, rejecting Shi Nai'an's suggestion.

He didn't believe in the mystical theories about the fortune carried by place names, but he was well aware of the geographical limitations of Jiangning, a place that was indeed unsuitable as the sole capital of a unified dynasty.

Even if Jiangning will inevitably be the political and military center of the Red Flag Battalion for a considerable period of time, Shishan cannot give the world the wrong signal that he is only concerned with maintaining a partial rule in Jiangnan and only wants to carve out a territory.

“The name Jiangning has been used for more than 600 years since the Southern Tang Dynasty, and it is known to everyone in the world. Changing it easily will only create unnecessary trouble.”

The suggestion to restore the old name Jiankang was decisively rejected by the marshal. Shi Nai'an was about to find another reason to persuade him when Shi Shan changed the subject and proposed a deeper administrative plan:

"Under the Yuan Dynasty, the division between the North and the South was evident. The administrative structures and jurisdictions of the circuit-level institutions in Jiangnan and Jiangbei differed greatly, resulting in chaos. For example, Jiqing Circuit only governed four cities; even worse, Guangde Circuit only governed two cities and was still called a circuit!"
Such a setup is redundant, creates unclear responsibilities, is extremely unreasonable, and only increases administrative waste and reduces efficiency.

The Yuan dynasty's administration was crude and inefficient; it wasn't just the unreasonable setup of the circuit-level institutions that was problematic. The division of provinces above the circuit level was truly absurd.

Take the Jiangzhe Province as an example. Its jurisdiction actually included the southern part of Jiangsu Province, the southern part of Anhui Province, the northeastern part of Jiangxi Province, the entire Shanghai Municipality, the entire Zhejiang Province, and most of Fujian Province. One province actually encompassed six provinces in later generations!
Such a massive administrative body is almost a state within a state.

The reason why the Yuan Dynasty's crude management system did not lead to large-scale local separatism was not because its system was superior, but because of its poor governance, weak control, and excessive leniency.

Despite having vast territories and a large population, the provinces could not collect money and grain (from powerful families and local magnates), and could not even quell rebellions within their jurisdictions, let alone provide more money and grain to support troops and prevent further unrest.

The new regime that Shishan intends to establish certainly cannot continue this crude and chaotic old system. Nor can it wait until the world is unified before reforming the administrative system. It must gradually experiment with and implement new, more rational and efficient systems during the process of conquering the world.

"I intend to redefine the administrative system of the world."

Shi Shan's gaze was deep, and he said in a firm tone:
"And so it began from Jiqing Road—the road was renamed a prefecture, and Jiqing Road was renamed Yingtian Prefecture from that time on!"

"Yingtian Prefecture?"

Upon hearing this, Shi Nai'an was slightly puzzled, and then fell into thought.

The administrative name Yingtianfu first appeared in the Northern Song Dynasty. Its seat was located in Songcheng County (later Shangqiu, Henan). It was later upgraded to Nanjing Yingtianfu and was one of the four capitals of the Northern Song Dynasty.

After the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty following the Jingkang Incident, Zhao Gou ascended the throne in Yingtian Prefecture, continuing the Song Dynasty's reign.

Changing Jiqing Road to Yingtian Prefecture cleverly echoed the political slogan of "The sun and moon will be restored to the Great Song Dynasty" in the early days of the Red Turban Rebellion. Although the Red Flag Battalion's current governing philosophy has long surpassed this point, it does not prevent it from continuing to "accommodate" the old version of the slogan.

As an important branch of the Red Turban Army, the Red Flag Battalion continued to use the name Yingtianfu, which has both historical origins and can maintain the old appeal.

Although the Northern Song Dynasty is viewed with mixed opinions in later generations, it was still considered the legitimate successor of Chinese civilization by many Han scholars and common people at that time. As a cultural symbol, "Song" could indeed play a role in uniting people's hearts and marking the "reconstruction of Chinese civilization".

This move not only demonstrates Shishan's determination to "reopen the Song Dynasty" (in reality, to establish a new dynasty) and its stance of continuing the orthodox tradition, but also implies its positioning of Jiangning as the future "Nanjing".

This perfectly aligns with Shishan's current strategic need to demonstrate its ambition to dominate the world and establish a foundation, while also maintaining a certain low profile in the short term.

The more Shi Nai'an thought about it, the more he felt that changing Jiqing Road to Yingtian Prefecture was far more brilliant than simply restoring the historical name "Jiankang," as it had a richer connotation and was more flexible and prudent in terms of strategy.

His face couldn't help but show genuine admiration, and he bowed in praise:
"The Marshal is a man of profound wisdom and careful consideration. Such an arrangement is both justifiable and carries deep meaning! This humble official is foolish and incapable of even a fraction of his wisdom!"

……

P.S.: After staying up late for several nights in a row, I feel a bit dazed and my shoulders are also uncomfortable.

(End of this chapter)