Sweep Yuan

Chapter 266 Shi Cheng's Ambitions: Yangzhou Falls

Under the strict protection of a team of elite soldiers of the Moon-Holding Guard, Zhao Lian finally arrived at the Red Flag Camp outside Jiangdu City, the seat of Yangzhou Road. He then explained his purpose to Fu Youde, the commander of the Zhenshuo Guard who was in charge of the siege. Fu Youde decisively rejected his request to take immediate action.

"Now is not the time!"

Zhao Lian was, after all, an important figure personally sent by Marshal Shi to assist him in breaching the city, so Fu Youde still showed him sufficient respect, softening his tone slightly as he explained in detail:
"Mr. Zhao, in the art of war, winning hearts and minds is the best strategy, while attacking cities is the second best. However, the premise for winning hearts and minds to be effective is that the defending troops clearly realize that we have the ability to breach their city! Recently, there has been continuous rain, and since our army surrounded Jiangdu, we have not yet launched a single decent siege."

The garrison inside the city has never personally witnessed the fighting prowess of my Red Flag Battalion, and they inevitably harbor some wishful thinking, believing they can hold the city with its fortified walls. At this time, if you, sir, enter the city alone, not only will you fail to persuade those stubborn Tartar officials, but you may even be harmed by them to boost the morale of the garrison!
Mr. Fu must be responsible for Mr. Fu's safety. Entering the city at this time is too risky and the timing is wrong.

Since Zhao Lian has already decided to serve Shishan, it would be somewhat inappropriate to continue addressing him using the official title bestowed upon him by the Yuan court. Fu Youde's words were all reasonable and indeed stemmed from consideration for his safety. Moreover, before his departure, Shishan had not set a specific time for the city's capture, giving him ample autonomy.

Zhao Lian was not a pedantic scholar ignorant of military affairs. After a moment's thought, he accepted Fu Youde's arrangement and bowed, saying:
"General Fu is thoughtful and prudent in his military tactics, which I admire. In that case, I will leave everything to your arrangements for this trip."

Fu Youde nodded slightly, expressing his satisfaction with Zhao Lian's cooperation. The pressure on his shoulders was indeed heavy. Although the Yuan army in Yangzhou was already trapped, the troops under Zhang Shicheng in Taizhou and Gaoyou, which were right next to Yangzhou, were like a hungry wolf lurking in the side, and could not be ignored.

With only his Zhenshuo Guard troops, he was stretched thin trying to both attack the city and defend against Zhang Shicheng. Therefore, Shishan specially transferred two thousand elite cavalrymen from the Xiaoji Guard to be temporarily assigned to his command to enhance his troops' mobility and combat capabilities.

Yangzhou, facing Zhenjiang across the river, together formed an important barrier to the east of Yingtian Prefecture. For the Red Flag Army, which was then developing the Jiangnan region, its strategic importance was self-evident. However, for Zhang Shicheng, who had just established his kingdom in Gaoyou and was full of pride, the strategic value of this city was even more important.

Yangzhou is adjacent to Gaoyou, like a sharp blade pressed against the throat of the Zhang-Zhou regime. Whoever controls Yangzhou will hold the initiative in the future struggle for the Jianghuai region.

Zhang Shicheng was an ambitious man, far from being content to remain subservient. He had long realized that a conflict between himself and the rapidly expanding power of Shishan was inevitable. And the core of the struggle would likely be Yangzhou.

In fact, after capturing Gaoyou, Zhang Shicheng couldn't wait to march south and try to take Jiangdu in one fell swoop.

At that time, Shishan was engaged in "deep peace talks" with the Yuan court and had not clashed with the Yuan army in Huainan for a long time. With no fighting on the western front, Tusimishi, the Pingzhang Zhengshi of Huainan Province, was able to transfer some troops from Zhenzhou to strengthen the defense of Jiangdu.

Zhang Shicheng, however, misjudged the situation (unaware that the Yuan army could still draw troops from Zhenzhou), and after a prolonged siege of the city, he suffered heavy losses and had no choice but to retreat in frustration. He then turned north to attack Baoying and Shanyang, two places that were easier to capture, intending to rebuild his strength before attempting to conquer Yangzhou again.

In that battle, although Tusimishi managed to hold Jiangdu, the Yuan army in Yangzhou also suffered considerable losses, leaving the western front, such as Zhenzhou, with a depleted troop strength.

This is why Fu Youde's eastward advance was so swift and unstoppable, encountering almost no significant resistance and catching the Yangzhou garrison completely off guard.

By the time Zhang Shicheng received the news, the Red Flag Battalion's forces had already reached the outskirts of Jiangdu.

Before the battle, Shishan had given Fu Youde clear instructions: the strategic focus of the Red Flag Battalion for the present and for a considerable period of time to come should be in Jiangnan, and the main enemy should be the Yuan army. It is not advisable to invest too many troops in Jiangbei, especially in the direction of Yangzhou, so as to avoid getting bogged down in a long and pointless war.

Fu Youde's decision to prevent Zhao Lian from immediately entering the city to persuade him to surrender stemmed not only from genuine concern for Zhao's safety and the fact that the defenders' will to resist had not yet been broken, but also from a deeper intention: to fully demonstrate the Red Flag Battalion's formidable strength through a decisive and efficient siege.

This was intended to intimidate Zhang Shicheng and warn him against attempting to challenge the Red Flag Battalion's military might.

In fact, Zhang Shicheng, who was in Gaoyou City at this moment, was facing a more complex and tense situation than Fu Youde's troops.

The Red Flag Battalion now dominates over thirty cities, its influence spanning the north and south of the Yangtze River. With well-trained troops and ample supplies, its strength far surpasses that of Zhang Zhou's regime, which controls only five cities. To contend with the inevitable and furious counterattack from the Yuan court while simultaneously provoking the rising power of Shishan is hardly the act of a wise man.

What frustrated Zhang Shicheng even more was that Shi Shan chose the perfect time to send troops!

He had just declared himself king, and his main force was attacking Shanyang County in the north when Shishan immediately sent troops to Yangzhou, catching him off guard.

At present, the Yuan court hates Zhang Shicheng, who has brazenly declared himself king, to the core and has no intention of easing relations with him, let alone joining forces to attack Shishan.

However, this does not mean that Zhang Shicheng would sit idly by and watch Yangzhou fall into the hands of Shishan—the location of this city is far too important to him! Even if he is temporarily unable to conquer it, he is absolutely unwilling to let Shishan obtain it easily, thereby putting himself in a more passive and unfavorable strategic disadvantage.

Therefore, upon learning that the Red Flag Battalion had reached the outskirts of Jiangdu, Zhang Shicheng decisively ordered the cessation of the offensive in Shanyang County, which had been effectively stalled due to the rain, and transferred the main force back to the Gaoyou Prefecture area to regroup.

He had a plan: when the Red Flag Battalion was exhausted from attacking the city for a long time, he would seize the opportunity to make his move.

Therefore, Zhang Shicheng had sent out a large number of scouts towards Yangzhou early on to closely monitor the movements of Zhenshuowei.

Fu Youde knew Zhang Shicheng's intentions regarding these Zhang Zhou scouts patrolling the periphery of the battlefield, but he did not order the cavalry to carry out a full-scale annihilation. He simply drove them to a safe distance, preventing them from spying on the core of the camp and the details of the military formation.

He intended to use this battle to establish his authority and let Zhang Shicheng's men see firsthand how the Red Flag Battalion attacked the city!

The continuous rain lasted for almost half a month. During this time, Zhenshuo Guard mainly used the time to manufacture various siege weapons. Taking advantage of the rain, which greatly reduced the power of the defenders' crossbows, they organized people to clear some obstacles that were a little far from the city, but did not launch a substantial siege.

Thus, the three parties surrounding Yangzhou City—the Yuan army besieging the isolated city, the Zhenshuo Guard standing ready for battle, and Zhang Zhou's troops spying from the outside—were caught in a strange and fragile standoff.

On the third day after Zhao Lian arrived in Yangzhou, the gloom that had lasted for many days finally dissipated and the sky cleared, but the land, soaked by rain, was still muddy.

Fu Youde remained inactive, only summoning his officers of the rank of commander and above to discuss and clarify the siege tactics for the next day.

The next day, the weather cleared up completely, the sun shone brightly, and much of the moisture on the ground evaporated.

Fu Youde ordered the entire army to have a hearty meal and inspect their weapons and armor early in the morning. Once the scouts at the front lines reported back that the main roads outside the camp were passable for heavy siege equipment, he immediately convened his generals in the tent.

The atmosphere inside the tent was tense. The generals, clad in armor and armed with weapons, stared intently at Fu Youde, who sat in the main seat.

"Guo Xing!" Fu Youde's voice boomed as he began to select his generals.

Guo Xing, now the garrison commander of the Third Garrison of the Valiant Cavalry Guard, temporarily leading two thousand cavalry to strengthen the Zhenshuo Guard, strode forward upon hearing the call, clasped his hands in greeting, and replied:

"Your subordinate is here!" Fu Youde solemnly commanded in a loud voice:
"You shall dispatch two hundred elite cavalry to shield the area around the main battlefield and drive all Zhang Zhou scouts five miles away! If they resist, kill them without mercy! You shall personally lead the main cavalry force thirty miles north. Once you discover any unusual movements by Zhang Zhou's army, immediately send someone to report and do your utmost to delay their advance!"

The siege is about to begin. As the commander of the army, Fu Youde does not want to cause any trouble and start a full-scale war with Zhang Shicheng. However, if the other party is not aware of the times and dares to interfere at this critical moment, he will not be afraid to turn around and fight back, and teach this potential threat a lesson!
Guo Xing knew the weight of his responsibility, which concerned the flanks and rear of the attacking army, and replied in a deep voice:
"This humble general will certainly not fail the general's trust!"

"The rest of the departments!"

Fu Youde's gaze swept over the generals in the tent, and he said:
"In accordance with the plan agreed upon at yesterday's military meeting, proceed out of the camp in order, form ranks, and await orders to attack the city!"

"We obey!" the generals responded in unison, their voices echoing throughout the camp.

Yangzhou (Jiangdu) was, after all, the premier city in Huaidong, and not a bone that could be easily gnawed down.

During the Southern Song Dynasty, this place served as a key frontline town in the fight against the Jin and Yuan dynasties. It was once equipped with a large rectangular city, Baoyou City (mountain city) to strengthen the defense of Shugang, and a connecting city between the two.

The three cities combined to form a three-dimensional defense system with a circumference of about forty li, mutually supporting each other.

The city walls alone reached a height of three zhang (approximately 10 meters), and were complemented by a wide moat, a majestic watchtower, prominent ramparts, and outer sheep and horse walls, making it an impregnable fortress.

As long as the garrison has sufficient supplies of food and weapons, even if tens of thousands of troops were to besiege Yangzhou, it would be extremely difficult to break through its defenses.

However, in the early years of the Yuan Dynasty, in order to weaken the resistance capabilities of the Han people in various places, the "Demolition Order" was implemented on a large scale. The magnificent Baoyou City and its inner city in Yangzhou were destroyed, leaving only the main city with a circumference of about 20 li. Its outer brick walls and many auxiliary defensive facilities were also completely demolished.

Last year, the Yuan court hastily issued a "city repair order," allowing various regions to repair city defenses. The Yangzhou garrison also repaired a small number of facilities and even attempted to rebuild the mountain city on Shugang Hill to construct a three-dimensional defense system.

However, due to frequent battles, the Yuan army in Huainan was constantly being worn down by the forces of Shishan and Zhang Shicheng, and its manpower was stretched thin. It was no longer enough to defend the city, and in the end, it was forced to abandon the mountain city, which was only 20% complete, and completely shrink its defenses.

Although Zhang Shicheng failed to capture Jiangdu, he still managed to deplete the defending army by nearly 3,000 men and damage many of the newly repaired city defense facilities.

Today, Yangzhou is in a predicament quite similar to that of Jiangning in the past—it has a relatively complete city wall framework, but it severely lacks supporting defensive facilities and sufficient garrison troops.

The army led by Fu Youde (including the two thousand cavalry attached to him) totaled about thirteen thousand men.

Facing the still wide city walls of Yangzhou, this number of troops was not abundant, but compared to the smaller and demoralized garrison inside the city, they already had an absolute advantage.

Based on the terrain of Yangzhou and the wind direction at that time, Fu Youde deployed the main attacking forces outside the east, west, and south city walls.

The south wall was designated as the main attack direction, with 4,000 elite troops concentrated there; the east and west sides were designated as feint attack directions, with 2,000 troops deployed on each side to tie down the defending forces. The remaining nearly 4,000 troops served as the general reserve, ready to be deployed to key areas or to deal with any emergencies.

At three quarters past Chen hour, the war drums sounded, and the siege officially began!
The archers were the first to unleash their power.

Under the cover of heavy armored wagons and large shields, they steadily advanced to within effective firing range, then unleashed a dense rain of arrows at the city walls, suppressing any defenders who dared to show their faces and creating a relatively safe environment for the advancing clearing team.

But unlike previous siege battles, Zhenshuo Guard has deployed a new trump card this time – artillery!
"Boom boom boom——!"

A series of deafening explosions erupted outside the south city wall as twelve cannons, now even larger and more heavily modified, unleashed a torrent of flame and thick smoke. Solid iron balls, accompanied by a deathly whistle, slammed into the crenellations, towers, and the area behind them.

Despite the limitations of the technology of the time, the accuracy of the artillery was still impressive. In the first salvo, only one shell happened to land in an area where the defenders were relatively densely packed, causing limited casualties.

However, the deafening roar, the acrid smoke, and the horrific scenes of limbs exploding and flesh flying when shells hit people caused an unprecedented psychological shock and mental deterrence for the vast majority of the defenders who had never experienced such an attack before!

Chaos erupted on the city wall! Many of the defenders were terrified by the sudden thunder, instinctively covering their heads and cowering in fear, or running around in panic.

Some officers, having seen more of the world, knew that the Red Flag Battalion had "large bronze generals" (commanders who were skilled in martial arts). They shouted and whipped the soldiers with all their might, finally managing to get these terrified soldiers back to their fighting positions. Their hands trembled as they prepared to draw their bows and arrows, attempting to retaliate...

"Boom boom boom——!"

The artillery of Zhenshuowei roared again. This round of shelling was slightly luckier, with three shells hitting the defenders and causing more significant casualties.

The defensive order that the defenders had barely managed to organize crumbled once again, and cries, screams, and curses filled the air from the city walls.

Artillery is incredibly powerful and makes a huge commotion; once deployed on the battlefield, it is very difficult to keep secret.

In fact, since the Battle of Caishiji, there had been rumors in the Yuan army that the Red Flag Battalion possessed a powerful "Great Bronze General".

According to intelligence gathered by the Military Command's Intelligence Section, the Jiangzhe Province had organized some skilled craftsmen to try to imitate the Red Flag Battalion's cannons, but due to the lag in key technologies such as iron smelting, gunpowder ratio, and cannon casting process, they have not yet been able to produce a usable finished product.

This situation of "the enemy has it and we don't" could easily deepen the Yuan army's fear of artillery.

As a result, they lack in-depth research and experience on how to effectively protect themselves from the inherent defects of this new type of weapon, such as slow rate of fire and poor accuracy. When faced with artillery bombardment, they are often afraid before the battle even begins and are prone to panic.

Zhang Zhou, the scouts who were driven to the edge of the battlefield, were able to hear the thunderous roar and see the blurry smoke and fire. They vaguely guessed that the Red Flag Battalion had used a new weapon with terrifying power. These scouts, who were mostly salt workers and farmhands just a few months ago, were immediately terrified and turned pale.

……

P.S.: I was busy until too late to finish writing today, so the story that should have been complete had to come to an abrupt end. Please forgive me!

(End of this chapter)