Sweep Yuan

Chapter 265 Granting a Flag and Gaining Another Powerful Army

After the onset of the plum rain season, the Jiangnan region seems to be shrouded in a persistent dampness.

The continuous, fine rain silently soaked the mountains, fields, and cities, slightly cooling down the Red Flag Battalion's vigorous expansion campaign, and allowing the warriors from Huaibei who had come from afar to experience the unique "misty rain of Jiangnan".

Yangtze River waterway, Jiangning section.

Countless sails pierced through the misty rain, coming from the west. On the bow of one of the larger warships, two tall generals stood side by side, letting the cool raindrops brush their faces, gazing with complex expressions at the unfamiliar yet prosperous Jiangnan land in the drizzle.

The deck beneath our feet was slippery, and the air was thick with the pungent smell of the river mixed with the chill of the rain. For tourists of later generations, this scene might be quite charming, but for a military expedition in this weather, it was anything but pleasant.

"General, the men have been on the boat for days, and they are already dizzy and disoriented. Nearly 70% of them are seasick and vomiting. Now they're caught in this endless, annoying drizzle. The raincoats we brought are not enough to go around. If the brothers get off the boat in the rain and rush into the city, they'll probably catch a cold."

The one who started complaining was Ao Sanlang, a fierce general of the Red Turban Army in Xuzhou, nicknamed "Big Knife Ao" because of his skill with a thick-backed broadsword. He wiped the rain off his face and continued in a muffled voice.

"And the ground is muddy. We've walked through all this mud and water. If we go to see Marshal Shi looking like this, those people from Jiangnan will probably laugh at us, thinking we're some defeated and stranded soldiers who have fled from somewhere."

The one referred to as "General" by Da Dao Ao was none other than Li Xixi, the commander of the Xuzhou Red Turban Army who led his troops south this time.

He was tall and imposing, with a resolute face, but his brows were slightly furrowed, clearly worried about the upcoming march. He said in a deep voice:

"After landing, try to find a dry place so that the brothers can rest and recover. In any case, we can't go into the city to see Marshal Shi looking disheveled."

That being said, Li Xixi herself knew that in this drizzly weather, finding a dry place that could accommodate several thousand people to take shelter and rest temporarily was no easy task.

This is not Xuzhou, where the army can just take over civilian houses at will. Not to mention that Jiangning doesn't have enough empty houses vacated by refugees, even if there were, under Marshal Shi's nose, the soldiers must be extremely cautious and must not violate military discipline!
Upon hearing this, Da Dao Ao pursed his lips, clearly not holding out much hope of finding a suitable place to stay. Seeing Li Xixi's solemn expression, as if she were preoccupied with something, he ultimately swallowed his complaints and anxiously rubbed his rough hands together.

Li Xixi didn't really care whether his men looked disheveled or not—the Xuzhou Red Turban Army started from humble beginnings and their clothing was always messy. No matter how neatly they dressed, they couldn't compare to the Red Flag Battalion's regular army, which was uniformly dressed and had bright armor.

We weren't too worried about the soldiers getting sick from the rain. The men of Huaibei are tough and hardy; what's a little rain?
His heart was pounding with emotion, and he was anxious about how Marshal Shi would view the Xuzhou troops who had "gone south for food."

This southward march was actually the result of his repeated requests to Marshal Shi for permission to fight.

Years of war had already left the Huaibei region ravaged and its people impoverished. Xuzhou and Xiaoxian, which were once relatively prosperous, now had less than three-tenths of their population remaining. Yongcheng County, located at the forefront of the resistance against the Yuan Dynasty, was in an even more dire state, with less than one-tenth of its pre-war population still alive.

The ongoing war not only caused a sharp decline in population, but also severely disrupted the production and living order in Huaibei.

Among the surviving people, most of the able-bodied men had joined the army, and the elderly, weak, women and children were already too weak to farm, let alone invest too much energy and precious seeds in the land that might be attacked and destroyed by the Yuan army at any time.

Last year, after Shishan defeated the Yuan army and lifted the siege of Xuzhou, considering that the strategic focus of the Red Flag Battalion was about to shift south and it would be difficult to continue to effectively take care of the defense of Xuzhou, a large number of Xuzhou people were relocated in batches to relatively stable places such as Luzhou Road.

While this measure was intended to protect the people, it exacerbated the already fragile agricultural production in Xuzhou, leading to an even greater shortage of labor.

Xuzhou today has no shortage of skilled soldiers, but it is extremely short of food.

In particular, recently, Zhang Shicheng occupied Gaoyou, Baoying and other places, completely cutting off the main artery of the north-south grain transport. This move not only blocked the lifeline of grain supplies to the Yuan Dynasty's capital, Dadu, but also caused Xuzhou to lose an important channel for grain import.

Now, apart from Peng Erlang's troops who occupy Sizhou, who are still able to hold on, the other troops, including Li Xixi's, are simply unable to support the army to launch another offensive and continue to conquer cities and territories, relying only on the meager output of military farms and the limited grain and fodder transported from Luzhou Road.

After Li Xixi led his army to capture Suining County, he was forced to stop his expansion due to insufficient food supplies and could only retreat to Xuzhou City to hold on, watching as precious opportunities for war slipped away.

The Red Turban Army of Xuzhou was ultimately not Shishan's "direct line" force, and high-ranking generals, including Li Xixi, were unable to keep abreast of the Red Flag Battalion's overall expansion strategy.

Previously, the army could rely on the rumor that Marshal Shi would stabilize Luzhou and then launch a northern expedition, at which point he would make good use of the troops from Xuzhou to stabilize morale.

But when news came that Shi Shan resolutely led the main force of the Red Flag Battalion across the Yangtze River to the south, this last illusion was shattered.

As the Red Flag Battalion conquered cities and territories in Jiangnan and reported victories one after another, the "direct subordinates" of Marshal Shi were promoted in merit, while he could only passively wait in Xuzhou for the Yuan army to attack at any time. The morale of the army was inevitably unstable, and anxiety and disappointment spread day by day.

Li Xixi was an ambitious general, and naturally he was unwilling to waste his time in Xuzhou.

After the Red Flag Battalion crossed the river, he wrote to Shishan many times, detailing the difficult situation in Xuzhou and repeatedly requesting to lead a portion of elite troops south to fight for Marshal Shi in Jiangnan, while also seeking a way to alleviate the food crisis in Xuzhou.

Ultimately, Shishan agreed to his request to fight and asked Li Xixi to lead his troops to Hezhou to assemble and await orders after properly handing over the defense of Xuzhou.

After the Red Flag Battalion captured Jiangning City and established a solid stronghold in Jiangnan, he dispatched the navy to support Li Xixi's troops as they marched south.

At this moment, Jiangning City was already in sight. Li Xixi should have been excited about her wish being fulfilled and her ability to make a name for herself, but deep down she felt an indescribable unease.

After all, these days are different.

Marshal Shi's empire has already taken shape. He not only has a solid foundation in Jiangbei, but has also made inroads in the fertile Jiangnan region. He has no shortage of money, food, or manpower, and expanding his army and preparing for war is a piece of cake. He is no longer the weak and helpless army that desperately needed support from all sides when he broke away from the Red Turban Army.

The Red Turban Army of Xuzhou was not indispensable to the well-equipped and powerful Shishan Army. His eagerness to join them seemed somewhat...undignified, and might even invite contempt.

But circumstances were beyond his control, and time waits for no one. For the sake of his own future and the wealth of the thousands of brothers who had followed him through thick and thin, Li Xixi dared not have any more so-called "restraint".

If they wait until Marshal Shi has conquered all of Jiangnan and his foundation is extremely solid before launching a northern expedition, then the troops from Xuzhou will probably become truly insignificant.

Just as his mind was in turmoil, the fleet gradually slowed down and slowly approached the south bank dock. Suddenly, Da Dao Ao beside him widened his eyes, pointed towards the dock, and said in a slightly surprised tone:
"General, look, that's... Marshal Shi's banner!"

Li Xixi suddenly looked up and gazed in the direction that Da Dao Ao was pointing.

On the misty, rain-soaked dock, a familiar red banner stood tall, fluttering in the wind and rain! Marshal Shi had actually come out of the city twenty miles to this riverside dock to welcome his guest army who had come to "beg for food"!

An indescribable surge of heat instantly welled up in Li Xixi's heart, quickly dispelling all his unease and anxiety. Overwhelmed with excitement, he almost roared the order to Da Dao Ao:
"Quickly! Get down to the cabin and tell the men to get ready! Get them in order before we go ashore! Don't embarrass the Marshal!"

On the dock, Shi Shan, wearing a straw hat and a raincoat, stood guard by his personal guards, calmly watching the naval fleet gradually approaching the shore. Cool rain dripped from the edge of his hat, splashing tiny droplets on the bluestone slabs at his feet.

What Li Xixi didn't know was that Shi Shan already had a plan to transfer some of the Xuzhou Red Turban Army south after establishing a foothold in Jiangnan.

Shi Shan crossed the Yangtze River to conquer Jiangnan with the aim of acquiring its abundant resources of money, grain, and manpower. He intended to use the south as a base to launch a northern expedition to conquer the Central Plains and unify the country, rather than being content with ruling from the river and engaging in separatist rule.

Therefore, the Red Flag Battalion had to maintain a considerable proportion of soldiers from Jiangbei as its backbone, so that the army would not forget its roots and always maintain a strong desire to launch a northern expedition, and would not be distracted by the wealth and prosperity of Jiangnan.

On the other hand, the Red Turban Army in Xuzhou had elite troops, but due to Sesame Li's poor management and years of fighting, resources were depleted and it was difficult to sustain a long-term war. It was an inevitable choice to send some troops south to "seek food" in order to alleviate the supply pressure on Xuzhou.

More importantly, although the Xuzhou Red Turban Army accepted the initial reorganization of Shishan last year due to the circumstances, this reorganization was very incomplete, and it still retained a strong sense of independence and factionalism.

This is clearly detrimental to the Red Flag Battalion's future large-scale campaigns and regime building, and must be resolved as soon as possible and in a prudent manner.

Li Xixi's initiative to volunteer for the battle was timely, perfectly resolving the issue of legitimacy for the complete assimilation and integration of the Xuzhou Red Turban Army into Shishan.

Of course, he would never admit that he had previously intentionally exerted pressure on Xuzhou by strictly controlling its food and military supplies, thus prompting them to make this choice.

After all, in everyone's eyes, although the Red Flag Battalion had relatively ample funds and provisions, it still needed huge expenditures for expanding its army, preparing for war, restoring production, and pacifying refugees. It was already more than enough for its own needs, and it was already extremely generous and righteous to be able to continue to squeeze out some funds to support the Red Turban Army in Xuzhou.

As the fleet slowly approached the dock, Li Xixi jumped off the ship before the gangplank of the warship he was on had even been lowered.

He steadied himself, took a deep breath, suppressed his excitement, and strode quickly toward the figure beneath the large red banner. Rain soaked his battle robe, but it only made his steps more resolute. Reaching the foot of the rocky hill, Li Xixi knelt on one knee as if a mountain had toppled, clasped his hands in a salute, his voice slightly hoarse with emotion:
"This humble general, Li Xixi, has arrived late with his troops. I have troubled the marshal to personally welcome us in the rain. This humble general... is guilty!"

Shi Shan stepped forward, stretched out his hands to steadily help Li Xixi up, and said in a gentle but firm tone:
"Brother Xixi, you've had a tough journey. What wrong have you done?"

As he spoke, he turned around and took a brand-new bamboo hat from his personal guard behind him, then personally put it on Li Xixi to shield her from the falling rain, and continued:
"Since we are all family, there is no need to speak like strangers. The climate in Jiangnan is damp and cold, which is very different from that in Huaibei. The soldiers have been traveling by boat for days, suffering from the turbulence, and now they are caught in this rain. They must be exhausted and in dire need of rest."

Shi Shan paused for a moment, then quickly got to the point, explaining his plans:
"I have already ordered people to prepare straw hats and raincoats, and the barracks in the city have been cleared out. I have also prepared ginger soup and hot dishes to keep warm, just waiting for the army to arrive. You should immediately direct the soldiers to disembark in an orderly manner, collect the rain gear, and then there is no need to stay here in the rain. Immediately form ranks and follow me into the city!"

In this era, long-distance marches were a complex and severe test. Acclimatization problems and epidemics were no small matter (in fact, the main problem was insufficient logistical support). Neglecting any link could lead to serious troop losses.

Although the Xuzhou Red Turban Army had many problems, its fierce and courageous fighting spirit far surpassed that of the troops in northern Zhejiang. Moreover, it survived many rounds of bloody battles and brutal selection, and each of them was a promising talent worthy of careful cultivation.

With proper training and equipment upgrades, they will surely become a formidable force that strikes fear into the hearts of their enemies in time.

Shishan did not want these precious seeds to be needlessly damaged after arriving in Jiangnan due to insufficient protection after landing.

From Li Xixi's perspective, he felt the marshal's high regard and meticulous care. This attention and consideration filled him with warmth and gave him a stronger sense of belonging and identification with the Red Flag Battalion.

"Your subordinate obeys!" Li Xixi clasped his hands in a fist and accepted the order, his voice loud and clear.

Considering that the defense of Xuzhou still needed to be maintained, and that the troops heading south would need to be reorganized and uniformly equipped after arriving in Jiangning, Shi Shan had previously ordered Li Xixi to leave most of the equipment in Xuzhou and allow the army to march south lightly equipped.

Without the burden of equipment and supplies, the landing process was relatively quick, despite many soldiers suffering from seasickness.

At the dock, the Zhanbao Battalion had already arranged for someone to wait for them. Any soldiers from Xuzhou who did not bring rain gear were given raincoats and straw hats as they disembarked. After dressing, they quickly lined up in the designated area, which did not take much time.

Although Jiangning City is a key town for river defense, it is actually more than 20 miles from the dock to the military camp in the city.

Marching on such muddy and slippery roads would inevitably be slow, and the army had to set off as early as possible in order to return to the city before dark.

On rainy days, there's no need for any grand welcoming ceremony.

After the advance force of about a thousand men landed, Shi Shan ordered Li Xixi to lead the team to set off first. This was partly to free up space at the dock so that the subsequent troops could land quickly, and partly to prevent the soldiers who had already landed from staying on the riverbank for too long and getting wet and cold.

The group began to move slowly along the muddy official road towards Jiangning City.

Shi Shan spurred his horse and ordered Li Xixi to ride alongside him. The horse's hooves pounded in the mud and water, making a squelching sound.

After Li Xixi reported on the recent military and political situation in Xuzhou, Shi Shan nodded in satisfaction and took the initiative to bring up the arrangements for the troops in Xuzhou, saying slowly:
"Xixi, you know the rules of the Red Flag Battalion. All troops incorporated into the system must be reorganized, their original structures broken up, and unified in command and orders. The soldiers won't have any objections to this, will they?"

Li Xixi wasn't new to the Red Flag Battalion; he was already well aware of these rules. His volunteering to go south this time stemmed from a deep-seated desire to be fully reorganized and truly integrated into the "core clique."

He knew that while the marshal was ostensibly asking for the soldiers' opinions, he was actually probing his own attitude and resolve. He immediately and without hesitation stated:
"Marshal, please rest assured! Our men only wish they could wear red robes as soon as possible and follow you to conquer the world! Wherever your whip points, that is where we will strive with all our might. We dare not hesitate in the slightest, nor dare we harbor any disloyalty!"

"it is good!"

Shishan was very satisfied with Li Xixi's clear attitude and immediately reassured the other party, saying:

"The soldiers of Xuzhou are on the front line, fighting bravely against the Mongol army. Their contributions are invaluable and they should not be mistreated. Therefore, I will give you a 'Guard' level unit."

During his journey south, Li Xixi had countless speculations about how Marshal Shi would treat him.

The Xuzhou troops who marched south this time numbered nearly five thousand. His ideal scenario was to reorganize them into several "towns," but since they were "collateral" troops, they certainly could not enjoy the treatment of "direct descendants."

If he could be granted the position of Garrison Commander and some of his confidants retained as commanders, Li Xixi would be more than satisfied; to be directly granted the position of Grand Commander, leading an entire "Guard"? He truly dared not even dream of it!

It should be noted that all of the current commanders of the Red Flag Battalion were either trusted confidants of Shi Shan who had followed him for a long time, or were unparalleled generals like Chang Yuchun, renowned for their military exploits and unmatched bravery. The only exception was Zuo Junbi, who brought his entire Hefei base with him when he came to surrender.

Li Xixi originally thought that being able to obtain half a "guard" of troops and start as a deputy commander was already a great favor from the marshal.

Unexpectedly, upon arriving at the new location and without having accomplished anything, he directly obtained the entire "Guard" organization and the position of Commander-in-Chief!

Li Xixi was so excited that he could hardly contain himself. He felt a surge of heat rush to his head. If they weren't on a march, he would have loved to immediately dismount and perform a grand ceremony in the mud to express his gratitude and loyalty.

"Marshal... Marshal, you have shown me such great kindness and trust. Even if I were to be shattered to pieces, I could not repay even a fraction of this kindness!" Li Xixi's voice trembled slightly with excitement.

Shishan's decision to give Li Xixi a second chance was largely based on political and strategic considerations.

This was due to his personal ability to command troops and his willingness to serve, as well as to the need to more quickly and reliably assimilate the Xuzhou Red Turban Army as a whole.

He himself came from the Xuzhou Red Turban Army system, and if he wanted to fully digest this force, he could not be too stingy or suspicious; he had to show enough sincerity and courage.

Judging from Li Xixi's reaction, it was clear that this was the right choice. Shi Shan nodded and smiled.
"As for the organizational name, let's call it 'Right Guard of the Sun Guard'!"

"The Sun Guard!" Upon hearing this, Li Xixi was overjoyed.

During the Battle of Xuzhou, his troops fought alongside the Qingri Guard. Li Xixi had personally witnessed the unparalleled prowess of Chang Yuchun, the commander of the Qingri Guard, as he charged into battle and was invincible. He was deeply impressed by the "Qingri" battle flag.

For his own troops to be able to use "Supporting the Sun" as their name, sharing the same honor as renowned generals like Chang Yuchun, was undoubtedly a great honor!

But after the initial elation, Li Xixi quickly calmed down, feeling a pang of guilt and fear, and hurriedly said:

"Marshal, I am new here and have not yet made any contributions, yet I am to share the 'Sun-Supporting' banner with Commander Chang. Is this... is this too much of an honor? I fear I am unworthy of this banner's prestige!"

Shishan, knowing Li Xixi's concerns, reassured her half-jokingly and half-seriously:
"Don't worry! I've already spoken with Bo Ren (Chang Yuchun's courtesy name) about this matter, and he won't cause you any trouble!"

Chang Yuchun certainly wouldn't cause trouble for Li Xixi because of this. Because, including the newly established Qingri Right Guard and the East China Sea Fleet currently under construction, the Red Flag Battalion already had as many as thirteen "Guard"-level combat units.

In future large-scale military operations, multi-guard coordination will be the norm. The Shishan plan to gradually divide each main guard into left and right guards is actually a forward-looking organizational foundation for the future formation of higher-level "front armies" or "corps".

Although these "same-number guards" do not have a clear subordinate relationship, they will be used in combination in future battles. The generals and troops will be familiar with each other, which will make it easier to form a stronger synergy.

Although Shi Shan did not reveal his long-term plans to Chang Yuchun, given Chang Yuchun's personality, he would naturally have hoped that the Marshal would name all the newly formed elite troops "Qingri" (meaning "Sun-Supporting Force")—of course, this was impossible.

Taking into account the traditional distinction between left and right, and their perceived hierarchy, Ishiyama specifically explained:

"The Mongol Yuan dynasty is in power, and they regard the right as superior. Our Red Banner Battalion is determined to drive out the barbarians and restore the Han dynasty. We should abolish this outdated custom and restore the Chinese tradition of respecting the left. From now on, Bo Ren's troops will be called the 'Sun-Supporting Left Guard' and will be ranked before your troops."

The battle of Jiangnan offers ample opportunity for military prowess. I urge you to rigorously train your troops, so that they may fight bravely and achieve great merit. Do not fail the banner of 'Holding Up the Sun'!

Li Xixi felt extremely honored and inspired to be able to share the banner of "Supporting the Sun" with Chang Yuchun, so how could he dare to be even slightly lax?
He knew that from this moment on, his life, fortune, and future were completely tied to Marshal Shi. Even if it was just to live up to the weighty title of "Sun-Supporting Marshal," he would do everything in his power.

"I will remember the Marshal's kindness! I will defend the 'Sun-Supporting' name with my life, even if it means sacrificing my life!"

(End of this chapter)