Sweep Yuan

Chapter 259 More Good News Arrives, State Breaks

Zhu Chongba, judging others by his own standards, assumed that because he had violated military law and suffered such a serious setback, being demoted three ranks, Marshal Shi would surely sideline him for some time. He had even mentally prepared himself for close surveillance and a re-evaluation.

Isn't this how those in power treat criminals like him with a "criminal record"? They leave him aside and observe whether he harbors resentment. If he behaves himself, he might be reused at their discretion; but if he shows the slightest resentment, the next step is probably to fabricate new charges and eliminate him completely.

He truly did not expect that the military law department's verdict had just been issued, and the military command department's transfer order would follow so soon.

Although Marshal Shi stripped him of his qualification to continue leading troops on the front line, he put him into the Military Command—the true core of the military command, which was in charge of all orders and strategies!

This move completely exceeded Zhu Chongba's expectations, leaving him utterly bewildered by Shi Shan's true intentions. This marshal's mind was truly unfathomable.

Of course, Zhu Chongba also understood that although he had been transferred to the Military Command, he would never be able to immediately take over power.

The Military Command today is no longer the small team that was established with only a few people like Park Do-in to advise on military affairs.

As the territory and army of the Red Flag Camp rapidly expanded, the Military Command also continued to expand its organization, gradually growing into a behemoth.

For newcomers to this place, without genuine talent and the appreciation of higher-ups, getting ahead is as difficult as climbing to the sky.

As for the position of Military Advisor in the Military Command, which is second only to the emperor and above all others, it requires Marshal Shi's personal approval to hold, and is certainly not something that a convicted criminal like himself could covet.

Zhu Chongba followed Zhao Yong towards the Military Command Office, located in the side courtyard of the Marshal's Mansion. Even a dozen steps from the gate with its blue bricks and gray tiles, an atmosphere different from the drills and battles of a military camp, yet equally tense and solemn, swept over them.

At the gate, four guards stood with their hands on their swords, their eyes sharp as eagles, carefully checking everyone who came in and out. They not only checked the waist tags, but also whether anyone was carrying any documents or notes that should not be circulated.

Inside the courtyard, under the eaves, staff officers dressed in identical uniforms could be seen, some carrying files, others holding maps, hurrying along. Upon seeing Zhao Yong lead his men in, they merely nodded in greeting before immediately returning to their respective tasks, with no one pausing for pleasantries or idle chatter.

Zhu Chongba was new to the area and a convict, so he was extra cautious.

Zhao Yong was quite responsible, leading Zhu Chongba while quietly explaining the general layout of the Military Command and some of its rules and regulations:
"...All official documents within the department are classified into security levels, and these levels are clearly marked on the covers. There are specific rules governing which level can access which documents, and these rules must not be violated, nor should they be circulated or discussed privately. Each department has different responsibilities and different areas of access to classified information, and without the permission of a superior, one must not arbitrarily visit other departments to inquire about such matters..."

If it were the Zhu Chongba of the past, he might have dismissed these tedious rules.

But having experienced imprisonment and the brink of execution, he listened intently, etching every word into his heart, fearing that a single misstep might lead him into an unwitting trap that would condemn him to eternal damnation.

Zhao Yong led Zhu Chongba through the bustling courtyard and corridors, arriving directly at a secluded yet heavily guarded signing room. Zhao Yong straightened his clothes and announced loudly:

"Reporting to the strategist, Zhu Chongba has been brought here."

"Come in." A calm yet authoritative voice came from inside the room.

Zhu Chongba followed Zhao Yong into the room. There sat a man behind the table, wearing the same red military robe as everyone else. It was washed a little faded but was quite clean. He had three long wisps of beard on his chin and his eyes were calm. It was Pu Daoren, the chief officer of the Military Command.

When Zhu Chongba first joined the army, he met this mysterious figure who had accompanied Marshal Shi every day.

At that time, he was a novice monk who had just escaped from the Imperial Temple, still wearing his tattered Anto Hui robes; while Master Pu had only been in the Red Flag Camp for a short time and was still wearing his Taoist robes. Although the two did not speak, they had some vague impressions of each other because they were both "outsiders" who had thrown themselves into this mortal battlefield.

Nearly two years later, the two met again, but they had long since shed their monk robes and Taoist hats and put on matching red military uniforms. The traces of the past had been almost completely washed away by time and war.

"Zhongba has arrived just in time!"

Master Park put down his pen, rose to greet him, and smiled warmly, saying:

"A major battle is about to break out, and this is a time when we need capable people. The Marshal personally selected you, saying that you have experience in leading troops independently and have a vision that is different from that of ordinary military academy students. The Military Command needs talents like you, and I believe you will be able to make great strides here!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Chongba felt a chill run down his spine.

He was merely a garrison commander leading a thousand men, which hardly qualifies him as having "commanded a large army" on the battlefield where tens of thousands of troops clashed.

Today, the Red Flag Battalion is gaining momentum and the army is constantly expanding. The positions of middle and high-ranking officers have always been "waiting for the right person to take the job." Commanding talents are extremely valuable, and it is not easy to put generals with experience in leading troops into staff agencies such as the Military Command.

In fact, apart from the initial Park Do-in, Wang Jong-do, and others, most of the later staff officers of the Military Command were indeed selected from the army, and at least had experience leading troops at the platoon leader level or above to be eligible.

But he is truly the first person to have served as a powerful military governor, commanded troops in tough battles, and then become a staff officer in the Military Command.

At this moment, Zhu Chongba finally vaguely grasped the deeper meaning behind Shi Shan's transfer of him to this place—Marshal Shi did not intend to completely idle him, but really wanted to "use" him in a different way!

At least, he wasn't treated as a useless pawn.

Upon understanding this, Zhu Chongba was filled with mixed emotions: the relief of escaping a desperate situation, the uncertainty about the future, and a sense of awe for Marshal Shi's unfathomable magnanimity.

Meeting the expectant gaze of Master Pu, Zhu Chongba suppressed the surging emotions in his heart, quickly clasped his hands in a respectful bow, and lowered his posture considerably.
"I dare not accept such praise from the strategist! I am a criminal, yet the Marshal and strategist have not abandoned me and have given me the opportunity to redeem myself. This is already a great favor. I will do my utmost to study my duties and become familiar with my new responsibilities as soon as possible. I will never dare to fail the great kindness of the Marshal and the high expectations of the strategist!"

"it is good!"

Having served closely under Shishan for a long time and been in charge of the Military Command, Master Pu had long since developed a decisive and efficient work style. Seeing that Zhu Chongba's attitude was respectful and his expression seemed genuine, he said no more and turned to Zhao Yong to instruct:
"Zhongba will be assigned to your operations section. Zhao, the military advisor, you must take good care of him and help him become familiar with the section's affairs as soon as possible."

"Understood!" Zhao Yong solemnly replied.

Although he was also puzzled as to why the marshal would place an officer who had just been severely punished by military law into such a core department as the Military Command, based on his understanding of the marshal's style, Shi Shan always saw things through to the end; since he had placed the man here, there must be follow-up attention. Therefore, he dared not be negligent and solemnly stated:

"Please rest assured, strategist, I will do my best to teach and guide Chongba so that he can get started as soon as possible and live up to the expectations of the marshal and strategist!"

Leaving the somewhat oppressive atmosphere of Park Daoren's signing room, Zhao Yong led Zhu Chongba through a corridor toward the operations department's office. Before even entering, they could hear the clattering of abacus beads and low murmurs of discussion coming from inside.

The two pushed open the door and entered, and a bright and spacious view suddenly appeared before them.

This is an extremely spacious public housing unit. The most eye-catching feature is a huge sand table in the center of the room, depicting mountains, rivers, cities, and passes with exquisite detail.

The surrounding walls were covered with maps of various sizes and scales, some depicting the overall situation, others showing the detailed topography of a county or township. At first glance, this place did not resemble a government office or public residence, but rather the command center of a large army.

There were also four staff officers in the room, each performing their own duties.

A man is rapidly manipulating an abacus with his left hand, his brow furrowed, while his right hand is writing down dense numbers with a charcoal pencil.
One person was referring to the map on the wall, tracing the mountains and rivers with his finger, muttering to himself, and considering the feasibility of a certain plan;
Two other people were standing next to the sand table, moving small flags representing the army while having a heated but organized debate.

Upon seeing Zhao Yong enter with an unfamiliar face, the four men temporarily stopped what they were doing and nodded to the two men.

Their gazes lingered briefly on Zhu Chongba, tinged with scrutiny and curiosity, but they quickly returned to their busy work. An atmosphere of focused tension and urgency filled the air.

Zhao Yong, considering Zhu Chongba's background and the duties of the Operations Department, asked:
"Chongba, are you proficient in abacus calculation?"

Zhu Chongba came from a poor family and worked as a cowherd and grass cutter from a very young age, often going hungry. He had no opportunity to learn to read and do arithmetic.

Later, he became a monk and wandered around begging for food. Although he learned some characters thanks to his intelligence and perseverance, and learned even more characters after joining the army and being taught by a teacher, he never had the opportunity to learn skills such as abacus calculation, which required special study and took a lot of time.

Zhu Chongba blushed slightly, but his answer was remarkably straightforward:
"I don't know how to join the army, but I can learn! I'll definitely learn it quickly!"

"Ah."

Zhao Yong's face betrayed no emotion. His official position was "Operations Advisor," responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the operations section, a role different from the "Staff Officer" position Zhu Chongba had appointed him to, and carrying greater responsibility. He was fairly satisfied with Zhu Chongba's attitude, so he offered a few more explanations:

"My job in the Operations Section is mainly to formulate and coordinate the implementation of specific operational plans based on the Marshal's strategic intentions."

A large army movement involves countless factors. What is the daily consumption of provisions and supplies? What is the daily marching capability of our various units in different terrains? What are the possible reinforcement routes and arrival times of the enemy? These questions cannot be answered by intuition or mere speculation; they must be supported by detailed data.

This theory, which emphasizes "data support," and even the term "data support" itself, originated from Marshal Shi.

Park Dao-ren, Zhao Yong, and others, under the guidance of the Marshal, had only initially established the framework of the Military Command, and were still far from the "efficient, precise, and professional" staff team required by the Marshal.

Take the simplest example of the marching capabilities of various units; the variables involved are extremely complex: terrain, road conditions, weather, water distribution, length and security of logistical supply lines, enemy interference, and so on.

Moreover, these variables do not exist in isolation; they also change drastically depending on the size of the army and the distance of the march.

It's a very simple principle: a spring can satisfy the drinking needs of two hundred people, but it can never satisfy the needs of three thousand people.
A wide river can be crossed unnoticed by a hundred or so people finding a private crossing point anywhere. But for an army of 100,000 with a large amount of supplies and wagons, it is a natural barrier that requires several days to build a pontoon bridge. If the enemy deploys heavy troops at key points, they may be unable to cross the river at all.

In previous major battles, the Military Command had attempted to formulate detailed battle plans, which was a huge improvement compared to the past when decisions were made entirely based on the commander's personal experience and intuition. Ishiyama also encouraged this.

However, many unexpected problems still arose during the actual implementation of the plan.

Fortunately, the Marshal did not criticize the combat team. After the war, Shishan would personally review the battle with staff officers such as Park Do-in and Jo Yong to study ways to improve.

After all, the army is not a cold machine. The combat effectiveness, execution ability, and marching speed of each battalion, town, and garrison vary greatly due to variables such as the personality of the commanding officer, the composition of the troops, and the level of training.

Even within the same battalion, different commanders can lead to vastly different performances.

When the Command initially attempted to quantify these data, it had to leave a large margin of redundancy, which often resulted in conservative solutions.

As a result, to date, the operational plans provided by the Military Command have mostly served only as "important references," far from being able to provide precise and comprehensive guidance for large-scale military operations. From this perspective, Shi Shan's decision to transfer officers like Zhu Chongba, who had practical experience in leading troops and demonstrated considerable military talent, to the Military Command and place them under Park Daoren's command for training was indeed intended to strengthen the Military Command, especially the Operations Section's professional capabilities.

After witnessing firsthand the busy and professional scene of the Operations Department, Zhu Chongba realized that this was by no means a leisurely retirement place, but rather the central nervous system that truly concerned the outcome of the army's battles.

To gain a foothold here, and even to stand out, one must calm down and diligently study a whole new set of knowledge, including abacus calculation, logistics calculation, terrain analysis, and other professional knowledge.

Zhao Yong quickly assigned Zhu Chongba his first task. He walked to a desk against the wall, pointed to a stack of documents piled on it, and said:
"This case will be yours to use from now on. Tomorrow I will arrange for a clerk to teach you the basics of abacus. Today, you should familiarize yourself with the recent military developments."

Zhu Chongba walked to the table as instructed, still feeling somewhat dazed.

This morning, he was still in the cold, dark prison of the Military Law Department, awaiting Zeng Xing's final verdict, imagining whether it would be a rope or a dagger that would end his life.

Unexpectedly, just a few hours later, he not only regained his freedom, but also transformed himself into the core secret military command, and was able to access higher-level military intelligence information that he had never had the opportunity to see when he was serving as the garrison commander.

This dramatic turn of fate made him feel as if he were in a dream.

Fortunately, Zhu Chongba's willpower was far stronger than that of ordinary people. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and solemnly said:

"Thank you for your guidance, Military Advisor Zhao! I will obey!"

Zhao Yong himself still had a large number of documents piled up on his desk, and he had already spent a lot of time today trying to meet Zhu Chongba. Seeing that he was already in the zone, he nodded and turned to attend to his own business.

Zhu Chongba sat down behind his desk and then carefully examined the documents on the table.

Each document had the word "Confidential" and a number clearly marked in red ink at the top left corner. A label on the cover stated the reason for borrowing was "newly recruited staff officer Zhu Chongba is familiar with military intelligence," and the approver was none other than "Military Advisor Pu," with the date being today.

He guessed that these documents were probably only temporarily lent to him for reading, and that he would have to return them promptly afterward. Not daring to delay in the slightest, he immediately picked up the top document and began to read it with bated breath.

Upon seeing the source of the first intelligence report, Zhu Chongba's heart skipped a beat—the intelligence actually came from the distant Jinghu region, an area controlled by the Xu Song regime!

He had previously risen to the rank of Garrison Commander, a rank that was not low, but he was still just a "war general" who obeyed orders. On weekdays, he was mostly exposed to "campaign-level" intelligence, such as how many enemy troops were in a certain area.

This is the conclusion drawn from intelligence analysis and processing by the Military Command.

In Zhu Chongba's original, simple understanding, Marshal Shi could certainly grasp a wider range of enemy information, but it would probably not be able to escape the category of "campaign-level" intelligence that "serves the current war."

However, the relatively crude raw intelligence before him completely overturned his imagination. He suddenly remembered a word that Ishiyama had mentioned many times in his lectures and military discussions to officers being promoted—"strategy".

In an instant, many previously incomprehensible mysteries were illuminated as if by a flash of lightning!

Last year, Marshal Shi decisively defeated the Yuan army of 100,000 outside Xuzhou, making his name known throughout the land.

At that time, the Red Flag Battalion was in high spirits, and many people thought that the Marshal would take advantage of the situation to sweep across Jiangbei, further expand his territory, and even launch a northern expedition to Dadu.

However, Shi Shan unexpectedly chose to "quit while he was ahead" and even took the initiative to contact the Yuan court, spreading rumors of "peace talks." At the time, many of his old comrades, including Zhu Chongba himself, were quite puzzled, and some even felt that the marshal was being somewhat conservative.

Furthermore, after the Red Flag Army crossed the river, the Yuan court's response was extremely slow and chaotic, failing to organize an effective counterattack in the first instance. The Red Flag Army captured five cities in succession, and the Yuan army in the Jiangzhe Province seemed to have vanished into thin air.

At that time, although Zhu Chongba felt fortunate, he attributed it only to Shishan's "luck" and the Yuan court's "incompetence".

Only now, upon seeing this intelligence from thousands of miles away, which had no direct connection to the current war in Jiangdong, did Zhu Chongba suddenly understand!
This is "strategy"!
Marshal Shi's vision had long since transcended a single city or region, and even extended beyond a corner of Jiangnan.

Through this vast intelligence system, he firmly grasped the pulse of the world situation and accurately seized the strategic window of opportunity when the main force of the Yuan army was deeply involved in Jinghu, thus achieving the greatest results in Jiangnan at the lowest cost!

This was not luck, but a strategic plan supported by "strategic" intelligence!

Having figured this out, Zhu Chongba was both amazed and involuntarily broke out in a cold sweat.

If Marshal Shi can use this intelligence system to gain insight into the world, why can't he use it to monitor his own people? I thought I was being discreet in planting my own people within my ranks, but could it be that they've already...?

He shivered violently, not daring to think any further. He quickly composed himself and refocused his attention on the intelligence in his hand, as if only through these cold words could he temporarily dispel the pervasive fear.

These intelligence reports are very recent, but they are mostly raw, unprocessed material.

There were nearly twenty intelligence reports concerning the Yuan army's encirclement and suppression of the Xu Song regime, and the sources were quite varied:
There were oral accounts from passing merchants, rumors from the streets, accounts from people fleeing from war-torn regions, and even information obtained by intelligence agents planted by the military intelligence department from low-ranking Yuan army officers...

With such a complex source, the content inevitably contradicts itself, making it difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood.

There are several versions of the actual battle lines between the Yuan army and the Xu Song army, depending on the intelligence.

The most pessimistic version shows that apart from Mianyang Prefecture and Zhongxing Road (capital Jiangling) where three isolated cities were still struggling to hold on, the Xu Song regime had already fallen to the rest of its occupied territories. The main force of the Yuan army had already surrounded Qishui County, the capital of Xu Song, and Xu Shouhui's defeat and death were likely within a month.

Another intelligence report indicated that the Yuan army transferred from the Jiangzhe Province suffered another defeat at the walls of Qichun. The army had been besieging the city for a long time without success, and the soldiers were exhausted and their morale was extremely low, with some deserters already appearing.

Intelligence also provides detailed accounts of the fierce tug-of-war between the Southern Yuan army (the troops of Huguang Province) and the Xu Song army in Jiangxia City, the seat of Wuchang Prefecture. It claims that the two sides fought repeatedly for months, with the city walls changing hands several times and rivers of blood flowing outside the city.

Zhu Chongba guessed that the reason why Pu Daoren showed him these raw intelligence reports was probably to test his intelligence analysis skills.

He studied it very carefully, getting up from time to time to compare it with the huge map of the Jinghu region on the wall, marking out each piece of information on the map and cross-referencing them, trying to peel away the true outline of the battle line behind the fog from these contradictory, fragmented and chaotic pieces of information.

Zhu Chongba was so engrossed that he lost track of time. Only after he had reached a preliminary, albeit somewhat vague, but logically consistent, conclusion did he continue to peruse the documents below.

Below the intelligence report on the Xu Song regime was the latest news regarding the movements of Zhang Shicheng's troops in Jiangbei.

Zhu Chongba then learned that this man had already captured five cities, including Taizhou, Rugao, Gaoyou, Baoying, and Yancheng, greatly increasing his power. He had even established a kingdom and declared himself king, and was now leading a large army to fiercely attack Shanyang County, the seat of Huai'an Road, with his military might at its peak.

Further down, there is scattered information about Liu Futong's troops.

Intelligence indicates that this long-dormant remnant of the Red Turban Army has recently become active again and is besieging Ruyang County, the seat of Runing Prefecture.

Lacking prior intelligence, Zhu Chongba was unaware of the current strength of Liu Futong's forces.

But the fact that this person was able to launch a sudden offensive in the heart of the Yuan Dynasty's territory and was able to besiege the prefectural city at least indicates one thing—that the Yuan army's troop deployment in the Jiangbei region was severely weakened!

Zhu Chongba replayed, pieced together, and compared all this information in his mind. For the first time, a grand picture of the situation of resistance against the Yuan Dynasty slowly unfolded before him.

He tried to step outside his past perspective as a garrison commander and strive to analyze, from the height of Shishan, the possible coping strategies that the Yuan court might adopt in the face of the situation of war raging on all sides, as well as the strategic opportunities that the Red Flag Battalion could utilize.

Zhu Chongba was completely absorbed in his work and had forgotten the passage of time until a voice startled him awake.

"Zhongba, how's it going?"

Zhao Yong had finished his work sometime earlier and came to his desk.

Zhu Chongba snapped back to his senses and quickly stood up:

"Reporting to the military advisor, I have already finished reading it."

Zhao Yong had actually been secretly observing Zhu Chongba all along. Seeing that he was completely focused from beginning to end, sometimes frowning in thought, sometimes referring to the map, his concentration genuine and not feigned, Zhao Yong couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation and asked:

"Oh? Did you gain any insights or takeaways?"

Zhu Chongba indeed gained a great deal, developing a macro-level understanding of the world situation that he had never had before, although it was still quite vague.

However, when it came to the specifics of intelligence analysis, whether it was the direction of Xu Shouhui, Zhang Shicheng, or Liu Futong, he could only piece together the general outline; the details remained vague. He didn't want to simply give a superficial answer and leave Zhao Yong feeling that he was all talk and no action.

Zhu Chongba's mind raced. He knew he must have received instructions from Marshal Shi to access this highly classified intelligence. Marshal Shi must have known about this situation much earlier and more comprehensively.

Therefore, with the Marshal's keen insight into the overall situation, he would surely take corresponding military action to take advantage of this rare strategic opportunity. Jiangning City had only recently been captured, and the army had just completed its rest and was about to set off again.

The previous actions clearly could not have taken place in Jiangnan.

His gaze swept sharply across the huge map of Yingtian Prefecture and its surrounding areas on the wall, then quickly shifted northward, across the mighty Yangtze River, landing on the land north of the river. A thought flashed through his mind like lightning!

He suddenly looked up at Zhao Yong, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible excitement and probing:
"Military Advisor Zhao! Has our army made any moves in Jiangbei recently?"

A hint of undisguised admiration flashed in Zhao Yong's eyes, and he clapped his hands and laughed:
"Excellent! As expected, the Marshal and strategist were right! They have a keen sense of smell and can see the big picture from small details!"

He stopped beating around the bush, took out a document with fresh ink from his robes, and handed it to Zhu Chongba:
"Take a look at this, the battle report was just delivered last night!"

Zhu Chongba took the report with both hands and eagerly unfolded it. The battle report clearly stated at the top:

"On May 22nd, Hua Yun was the first to breach the city walls, and Zhenshuo Guard had captured Yangzi County (later Yizheng County), the seat of Zhenzhou!"

(End of this chapter)