Sweep Yuan

Chapter 264 Stealthily Traveling a Thousand Miles to Kill One Person

"Fang Guozhen is a man whose fickle nature has become ingrained. He only believes in strength and immediate interests. To talk to him about long-term plans and great ideals is like talking to a brick wall. But since our Red Flag Battalion has raised the banner of 'Expelling the Barbarians and Restoring the Han,' we must act with a clear vision and a methodical approach."

Fang Guozhen was, after all, a hero of the uprising and a pioneer in the resistance against the Yuan dynasty. There were certain things concerning the greater good and the future that needed to be stated clearly. As for how to choose, that was up to him to weigh.

Before I was sent to Huangyan, Marshal Shi's earnest instructions still echoed in my ears.

At this moment, Xia Yu sat upright in Fang Guozhen's council hall. Seeing that although this maritime tycoon appeared generous on the surface, there was an expectation for practical benefits flashing in the depths of his eyes, Xia Yu couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "The Marshal really saw through this man's character."

Faced with Zhang Zishan's sharp questioning and Fang Guozhen's eager plea, Xia Yu stopped lying and calmly uttered two words:
"no!"

"No?!"

Zhang Zishan almost thought he had misheard. He stared at Xia Yu in disbelief, his voice tinged with realization, and said:

"You two braved hardships and traveled thousands of miles to Huangyan City, only to spout empty words and make baseless boasts?"

The other members of the Fang family, both civil and military, also looked puzzled and whispered among themselves, clearly unable to understand Xia Yu's actions.

Xia Yu sighed inwardly, "You can't talk about ice with a summer insect."

Even Fang Guozhen himself could hardly understand the marshal's grand vision that transcended immediate interests. How could his strategists and generals, who were focused on local gains and losses, possibly comprehend the beautiful future that "cooperation brings mutual benefit" requires both sides to build together?

He immediately spread his hands, looking relaxed, and, recalling Shi Shan's original words, replied:

"Our two ministries are currently separated by numerous prefectures and circuits controlled by the Yuan court. We have had no prior dealings with each other and lack even the most basic understanding and trust. Under these circumstances, talking about so-called 'practical conditions' is like building a tower on sand—premature and meaningless."

Surely General Fang wouldn't take such a promise with no guarantee seriously?

"Hahaha!"

Zhang Zishan was still stunned by this seemingly "rogue" answer, but Fang Guozhen, sitting at the head of the table, had already burst into loud laughter. He truly understood the meaning of Xia Yu's words, and even more so, he understood the message that Shi Shan hoped to convey to him through Xia Yu:
The two sides belong to different interest groups, and are destined to compete for interests in the same region—the prosperous coastal area of ​​Jiangdong.

Faced with such a fundamental conflict of interests, without a real battle, without one side recognizing reality and being forced to accept a new power structure, it is impossible for the two sides to truly sit down and discuss "conditions".

Before that, any promise is meaningless. It's better to make each other's needs clear from the beginning and then rely on each other's abilities!

"Shi Jingxing is truly a hero of our time! He acts with integrity and doesn't play games, which suits Fang's taste perfectly!"

Fang Guozhen clapped his hands in praise, realizing that there was a good deal of sincerity in those words. He had a feeling that Shi Shan and he were kindred spirits at heart, both believing in the supremacy of strength and despising hypocritical formalities.

Shi Shan's direct revelation of his "inevitable future war" actually gave Fang Guozhen, who was used to surviving amidst betrayal and scheming, a strange sense of "reassurance."

At least, he knew that Ishiyama was unlikely to seek a major battle with him before their interests clashed directly.

These open and transparent rules of the game are indeed more in line with Fang Guozhen's way of thinking.

"it is good!"

Fang Guozhen abruptly stood up, his tall figure exuding a strong sense of pressure. He looked intently at Xia Yu and said in a hearty manner:
"Xia Cao Yuan, please convey to Marshal Shi that I have accepted his challenge! I look forward to experiencing the Red Flag Battalion's prowess on the battlefield one day!"

This statement was both a formal response to Ishiyama's intentions in sending envoys and tantamount to issuing an order to leave.

The interests of both sides are self-evident; the outcome will be decided on the battlefield.

Xia Yu was, after all, a scholar. Although he represented Shishan, Fang Guozhen's reaction was largely expected. However, deep down, he still felt somewhat uncomfortable and found it difficult to fully understand the naked logic of reducing complex diplomatic games to "seeing each other on the battlefield."

But at this moment, he could only suppress the turmoil in his heart, rise, and bow with his hands clasped in greeting:
"General Fang is a man of few words. I will convey General Fang's message. Farewell!"

Fang Guozhen knew that most of his men were of rough and undisciplined origin and worried that Xia Yu and his companion's lingering in the city would cause trouble. So he gave his eldest son, Fang Li, who was standing to the side, a wink and instructed him:
"Eldest brother, escort Xia Caoyuan and the others out of the city!"

"Yes, Father!" Fang Li bowed and accepted the order.

Watching Xia Yu and Gu Cheng leave the hall accompanied by Fang Li, Fang Guozhen slowly sat back in her chair, her fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest.

Qiu Nan, who was standing beside him, could no longer contain himself and spoke up impatiently:
"My lord, are we really preparing to go to war with that Stone Mountain? The Red Flag Battalion is currently at its peak, even the imperial court can't hold it off, what about us?"

Fang Guozhen glanced at Qiu Nan, knowing what the cautious strategist was worried about. He didn't answer directly, but instead asked:
"Old Qiu, when and where do you think Shi Shan will choose to fight us?"

This question, though seemingly simple, hit the nail on the head. Qiu Nan pondered for a moment and understood Fang Guozhen's subtext:

The Red Flag Battalion is indeed very powerful, but its sphere of influence is currently mainly in Jiqing Road, and it does not border Fang Guozhen's main area of ​​activity (non-controlled area) in Taizhou, Qingyuan, Wenzhou and other roads. There is still a large area in between that is still controlled by the Yuan court.

More importantly, Shishan's navy was only recently established and is incapable of launching a cross-sea attack in the short term. As long as Fang Guozhen does not proactively venture westward to infringe upon Shishan's core interests, neither side currently has an urgent need to start a war.

Qiu Nan's biggest worry was that Fang Guozhen would be tempted by the conditions offered by the Yuan court, or be provoked by Shishan's "challenge letter" and rashly send troops, thus taking a risk for the Yuan court and wasting his own strength.

Seeing that Fang Guozhen was clear-headed and realized that the Red Flag Battalion was not a direct threat at present, and was inclined to his suggestion to "avoid confrontation and watch the tigers fight," he breathed a sigh of relief and quickly flattered her:
"Our lord is insightful and discerning, not swayed by empty fame or petty gains. He is truly wise and capable of assessing the situation! Once the Yuan court and Shishan have fought to the point of mutual destruction, our army will seize the opportunity to strike and secure victory in one fell swoop!"

Hearing Qiu Nan's argument, Zhang Zishan's lips twitched slightly.

In his eyes, Qiu Nan's so-called "assessing the situation" was nothing more than a euphemism for fearing the enemy and avoiding war.

In chaotic times of vying for supremacy, it's like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you fall behind. If you try to temporarily avoid the limelight and accumulate strength, your opponents will only grow stronger with each expansion. Zhang Zishan couldn't help but speak again, saying:

"My lord, you must not underestimate Shishan! The Red Flag Battalion is far superior to the corrupt Yuan Dynasty. Shishan has been operating in Jiangbei for a long time and has a deep foundation."

Now that he has crossed the Yangtze River and is heading south, he has great ambitions. If we cannot take advantage of his unstable foothold and join forces with the Yuan army, which still has some strength left, to drive him back to the north of the Yangtze River in one fell swoop, and wait for him to take over northern Zhejiang and completely digest and absorb this place, his strength will surely increase dramatically.

By then, our army will be confined to a corner of the country. What will we use to contend with him for control of Jiangdong, or even the entire country?

Fang Guozhen understood this principle perfectly well. But after Xia Yu's "frank" communication, he had finally figured it out.

The world is in turmoil, and fortunes can change in any direction. Once you miss the opportunity to lead the world, you lose the right to aspire to the top.

For him now, the most realistic and urgent consideration is no longer how to compete with Shishan for that unattainable "world", but to preserve his existing maritime base in this upheaval and expand his interests as much as possible.

But as the ruler, he couldn't say these words directly to Zhang Zishan; he could only ask him a meaningful question in return:

"Zishan, in your opinion, what kind of person is Shishan?"

"A contemporary hero!"

Zhang Zishan gave his judgment without hesitation, and then elaborated on it in detail:
"This man acts without regard for conventional rules and regulations, and his methods are flexible and adaptable. He is extremely good at seizing and creating opportunities. Every step he has taken since raising an army has been precise and ruthless. If he is not a genius, he must have a master guiding him."

If allowed to grow unchecked, in time this person will surely sweep away all rivals and reign supreme!

After saying this, Zhang Zishan suddenly realized that his words seemed to have exaggerated Shishan's threat too much, and sounded more like he was praising him, which might discourage Fang Guozhen's already wavering determination to resist.

He was about to add that Shishan also had weaknesses, but he heard Fang Guozhen burst into laughter again.

"Hahaha! Well said! Ignoring conventions and being flexible! Zishan, those eight words of yours really hit the nail on the head!"

Fang Guozhen's laughter carried a hint of self-satisfaction, as if he saw his own reflection in Shi Shan.

Over the years, hasn't he also been unconventional like Shishan, relying on his flexible skills and extraordinary courage to carve out a bloody path between the Yuan court and local powerful families?
A surge of heroic spirit welled up within him, and Fang Guozhen waved his hand resolutely, saying:
"Only such a ruthless and ambitious figure is worthy to be my opponent, Fang Guozhen! My mind is made up; a battle between us and the Red Flag Battalion is inevitable!"
However, Shishan is currently powerful and at the height of its strength, while our army is still weak. This opportunity may only come once, and we must not rashly attack, wasting our strength. Before that, our army should take advantage of the opportunity presented by Shishan's role in containing the Yuan court to expand our strength and consolidate our foundation!

Zhang Zishan understood perfectly well that Fang Guozhen's slogans were indeed loud, saying that "there will definitely be a battle," but in reality, he was still taking a defensive stance, determined to wait for the Yuan army and Shishan to fight to the death first, and would never easily intervene before that.

Not only did he lack the awareness that "if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold," but he also wanted to stab the Yuan court in the back—"to take advantage of this opportunity to expand his power," how absurd!

Thinking of this, Zhang Zishan couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness, thinking, "This fellow is not worth discussing anything with." But since Fang Guozhen's mind was "made up," he knew that saying more would be useless and would only offend the emperor. So he had no choice but to ask about the immediate problem: "Then... how should we reply to the imperial envoy who is still waiting at the inn?"

"This is easy!"

Fang Guozhen had never trusted the Yuan court in the slightest, and his strategy remained unchanged. Once the basic strategy regarding Shishan was established, dealing with the Yuan court became clear. He quickly organized his thoughts and explained in detail:
"First, the matter of provisions. Our army has just captured Huangyan, and everything is in need of rebuilding. We also need to prepare for war to deal with Shishan. We cannot spare a large number of ships and manpower to transport provisions northward for the time being."

On the surface, cooperation with the Yuan court is still necessary; things shouldn't be pushed too far. Fang Guozhen changed the subject and added:
"However, I can promise to guarantee the safety of the waters off eastern Zhejiang. The imperial court may recruit maritime merchants to transport grain and fodder, and my department will ensure that their fleets can move freely within the waters controlled by Fang."

There are many maritime merchants in the world. Previously, they were mainly harassed by pirate forces such as Fang Guozhen. In particular, the incident last year in which Fang Guozhen led his army to burn down Liujiagang caused maritime merchants to dare not take on the government's canal transport business.

Now that Fang Guozhen has promised to guarantee his safety, the Yuan court may indeed be able to recruit some boatmen who are willing to risk their lives for money, and send a batch of grain ships before the typhoon season arrives to relieve the urgent needs of Dadu.

As for how much grain could ultimately be transported north, that was no longer Fang Guozhen's concern. He only needed to use this opportunity to demonstrate his "willingness to cooperate," leaving the remaining pressure and difficulties for the Yuan court to solve itself.

"Secondly, military supplies. You should be frank. Shi Shan's troops are numerous and well-equipped, making them my lifelong rival. Although my troops have repeatedly defeated the government forces, supplies have always been difficult, and military supplies are especially scarce."

If the imperial court truly wishes to rely on our army to fight against Shishan, it must provide enough equipment, armor, and provisions to arm 20,000 troops!

Fang Guozhen had already calculated that with the Yuan court's current tight finances and chaotic logistics, it was simply impossible to meet this exorbitant demand, or at least not in full.

At that time, he could take advantage of the situation and use the excuse that "the Yuan court has no sincerity and only wants to use one enemy to devour another" to launch another attack on the surrounding prefectures and counties where the Yuan army's defenses were weak.

If the Yuan court really manages to squeeze out this batch of supplies, the strength of the Fang army will increase dramatically. At that time, it will be much easier for him to conquer cities and territories, and the Yuan court will be even less able to do anything to him.

Zhang Zishan roughly guessed Fang Guozhen's plan.

In the past, he would have been delighted by his master's flexible and resourceful methods.

But after witnessing Shi Shan's clear, firm, and strategic style focused on the big picture, he suddenly felt that Fang Guozhen's opportunistic and petty-minded tactics seemed rather small-minded and ultimately unlikely to lead to great achievements.

But seeing Fang Guozhen's triumphant rise as he navigated between the two major powers, and noticing the expressions of approval on Qiu Nan and the others' faces, Zhang Zishan knew that if he were to step forward now to pour cold water on the situation and point out the potential dangers, it would not only be ineffective but would also be seen as being out of touch with reality.

He sighed inwardly, but ultimately wisely chose to keep his "jinxed mouth" shut.

Seeing that no one had any objections, Fang Guozhen was smug and announced the adjournment of the meeting. He then got up and prepared to personally take Zhang Zishan to the guesthouse to meet the Yuan envoy and put on a good show of bargaining.

……

Meanwhile, Xia Yu and Gu Cheng, under Fang Li's "escort," had safely left Huangyan City.

The two rode slowly along the official road. Xia Yu frowned slightly, his mind still replaying the entire meeting with Fang Guozhen, and the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. He couldn't help but turn to Gu Cheng, who remained vigilant beside him, and said:
“Jingshao, I have a feeling… that our mission might backfire? Fang Guozhen’s attitude is a bit strange. If he’s really determined to collude with the Yuan court, wouldn’t we be making him an enemy of the Red Flag Battalion?”

Upon hearing this, Gu Cheng answered frankly:
"Please forgive me, Xia Cao Yuan. I am but a mere military man, and I cannot truly comprehend such intricate and complex situations."

He truly couldn't understand what kind of tacit understanding had been reached between Shi Shan and Fang Guozhen, despite their seemingly frank but actually witty conversation.

However, Gu Cheng also had his own unique perspective on this mission. He suddenly changed the subject and proposed a new idea:

"Although I don't understand what Fang Guozhen is thinking, there may be a clumsy way to limit his thoughts, at least to make it less easy for him to collude with the Yuan court."

Xia Yu immediately became interested and hurriedly asked:

"What brilliant idea does Jing Shao have? Speak quickly!"

Gu Cheng reined in his horse, glanced back warily at the road they had come from, and only after confirming that no one was following them from the direction of Huangyan City did he lower his voice and say, word by word:
"Intercept and kill the Yuan envoy!"

"No-"

Upon hearing this, Xia Yu's body stiffened abruptly, and he instinctively wanted to reject this bold, even insane, suggestion.

But as soon as the words left his mouth, several thoughts flashed through his mind, and he felt that this matter... might not be entirely impossible? Xia Yu took a deep breath, forcibly calming his suddenly rapid heartbeat, and looked into Gu Cheng's exceptionally firm and sharp eyes, saying in a deep voice:
"Tell me your thoughts in detail?"

As the bodyguard on this mission, Gu Cheng was unaware of the deeper intentions behind Xia Yu's mission from the Shishan Sect, and dared not speculate. He could only analyze the matter from a more direct battlefield perspective:
"The current situation in Jiangdong is roughly a three-way power struggle between our Red Flag Camp, the Yuan court, and Fang Guozhen. The Yuan court was previously annoyed by Fang Guozhen, and if it weren't for the fact that it couldn't deal with our Red Flag Camp alone, it would never have tried to win over Fang Guozhen."

The two companies harbor deep-seated suspicions and old grudges; even if they were to form an alliance, it would be extremely fragile.

"Ok!"

Xia Yu nodded; he had roughly understood Gu Cheng's line of thinking.

By using extreme measures such as intercepting Yuan envoys, they artificially created trouble, exacerbating the contradictions and distrust between the Yuan court and Fang Guozhen, thereby undermining their already fragile foundation of cooperation and making it difficult for them to form a united front against the Red Flag Battalion.

"Where do you plan to make your move?" he pressed for details.

Seeing that Xia Yu didn't reprimand him but instead inquired earnestly, Gu Cheng knew that Cao Yuan had taken his advice to heart. Feeling more confident, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes as he said:
"If we're going to take action, we should do it cleanly and thoroughly! In my humble opinion, it would be better to do it right here outside Huangyan City! Ideally... to kill the envoy in front of Fang Guozhen's men! Let the Yuan court know that the envoy died on Fang Guozhen's territory, cutting off his escape route of easily turning to the Yuan court again!"

This plan was full of adventure and determination, imbued with the spirit of chivalry and adventure. Even though Xia Yu was over forty, he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement upon hearing it, as if he could see the figure of a chivalrous knight in a storybook who could "kill one person in ten steps and leave no trace for a thousand miles".

But he quickly forced himself to calm down, shook his head, and said:

“That’s not a good idea! Fang Guozhen dared to kill Tai Buhua, a renowned scholar and councilor, and was still granted amnesty by the Yuan court afterward. Killing a few more envoys won’t worsen his reputation; on the contrary, it will make him more vigilant, and he might even use it as an excuse to turn the tables on us.”

Moreover, Fang Guozhen has just taken Huangyan Prefecture, and the area is in chaos. The Yuan envoys must have brought many guards, and they will be at their most vigilant before they leave Huangyan. We may not have the opportunity to strike, and we might even alert them or put ourselves in danger.”

After Xia Yu's calm analysis, Gu Cheng realized that his thoughts were indeed too simplistic and impulsive.

His original plan was to first safely send Xia Yu away, and then return alone to find an opportunity. Now that his plan was rejected, he didn't correct Xia Yu's use of "we," but instead humbly asked for advice:
"Then... in Clerk Cao's opinion, what should we do?"

Xia Yu pondered for a moment, his gaze fixed on the winding mountains ahead of the official road. His mind raced, and an idea gradually became clear. A resolute glint flashed in his eyes, and he said in a low voice:
“The location needs to be changed! It can't be within Fang Guozhen's controlled area, and we don't need to frame Fang Guozhen. Since we were able to leave Huangyan safely and track the Yuan envoy's movements, he can't escape responsibility. Let's just…”

Two days later, in Jiangshanpu, Linhai County, Taizhou.

This is a relatively remote section of the official road, with rolling hills and lush forests on both sides.

Although Fang Guozhen was fickle, he always did a good job of putting on a good show for the imperial envoys who came to recruit him. Before they left, not only did the envoys themselves gain a lot, but even the accompanying guards also received some valuables.

The delegation returned with a full load of goods and in a relaxed mood. Moreover, they had entered the territory of Linhai County, the seat of Taizhou Road, which was considered a relatively "safe" area. Their vigilance inevitably decreased, and some members of the group began to chat about their experiences during the trip to Huangyan.

At this seemingly peaceful moment, a sudden change occurred!
“Crack—boom!”

A tree as thick as a bowl suddenly snapped off without warning, crashing heavily into the middle of the road with a whooshing sound, instantly blocking the way. Startled, the horses of the delegation reared up in panic, causing chaos in the procession.

"Assassins! Protect the master!"

The guard leader reacted swiftly, shouting loudly. These guards were clearly well-trained; though startled, they remained calm, quickly taming the frightened horses, tightening their formation, and attempting to protect the envoy at the core.

But they were still a step too slow!
Almost at the same moment the tree fell, a lithe figure, as agile as a cheetah, darted out from the woods on the other side, his target clear: the envoy surrounded in the middle!
The man wielded a long spear like a venomous snake emerging from its hole. With a flash of cold light, he accurately and ruthlessly felled two guards who tried to stop him. Taking advantage of the moment before the guards could regroup, the tip of his spear was already at the chest of the Yuan envoy!

"Pfft!"

With a muffled thud, followed by a short scream, the envoy was slashed off his horse by a spear, his blood instantly staining the dust of the official road.

The assassin, having struck successfully, didn't linger. Without even checking if his target was dead, he leaped backward, disappearing like a ghost into the dense forest beside the road, leaving only a silhouette and a clear, chilling sentence echoing through the silent mountain path:

"The murderer is Gu Cheng of the Red Flag Battalion!"

(End of this chapter)