Sweep Yuan

Chapter 267 Youde Wins Hearts and Minds and Takes Yangzhou

The siege tactics and firepower of Zhenshuowei were far superior to those of Zhang Shicheng's forces, which had only been in power for a short time and had expanded too rapidly.

Zhang Zhou's troops had previously managed to reach the walls of Jiangdu and damage some of the city's defenses. Some warriors even managed to climb onto the city walls. For the well-equipped and well-trained elite Zhenshuo Guard of the Red Flag Battalion, capturing the city would only be easier.

At least during the preparation phase for the siege, the soldiers of Zhenshuo Guard did not feel much pressure.

After enduring several rounds of bombardment, some of the more level-headed defenders on the city walls finally noticed the pattern of the terrifying "large bronze general's" long firing intervals, and their fear was slightly overshadowed by their desire to survive.

Some daring archers, taking advantage of the brief lull in the shelling, nervously peeked out from behind the parapet, attempting to draw their bows and arrows to counterattack the advancing Zhenshuowei clearing team below the city.

However, after the previous delay, the Zhenshuowei clearing team had already pushed the sturdy wooden donkey carts across the stone bridge in front of the city gate, approached the blind spot at the foot of the city wall, and began to quickly destroy the defensive facilities at the foot of the city wall.

If they wanted to attack them again, they could only stick their bodies out more out of the crenellations, risking being shot by the Zhenshuo Guard archers, push down logs and rolling stones to smash the sharp wooden donkey cart, or pour kerosene to try to set it on fire.

Meanwhile, the archers of Zhenshuo Guard had successfully advanced to the edge of the moat, and, using shield wagons for cover, launched a more precise and dense barrage of fire at the city walls. For a moment, the sound of arrows piercing the air was incessant, mingling with the sporadic rain of arrows falling from the city walls.

Logically, the defending troops, with the advantage of the city wall's height and the cover of the crenellations, should have had the upper hand in the crossbow duel.

However, Zhenshuowei possessed the intermittent deterrent power of artillery, as well as a larger number of better-trained archers and crossbowmen, and with the assistance of the southeast wind, it did not fall behind in the battles against the defending archers and crossbowmen.

The long-range engagement between the two sides at this moment has almost turned into a brutal war of attrition, a contest of courage, discipline, and willpower to withstand casualties among the soldiers on both sides.

Clearly, the morale of the defending side was far lower than that of the attacking side.

Their low morale made them hesitant in their counterattacks, and their arrows were sparse and ineffective in causing damage. Meanwhile, the Zhenshuo Guard's accurate and continuous rain of arrows took the lives of the defenders on the city walls.

The rising casualty figures, like heavy boulders, further crushed the already low morale of the defending troops, plunging them into a vicious cycle of lower morale, greater casualties, and greater casualties, lower morale...

Before long, even Tusimishi, the Pingzhang Zhengshi of Huainan Province who had personally climbed the city wall to try to boost morale, was forced to retreat hastily to the relatively safe area below the city wall under the desperate protection of his personal guards.

Seeing the morale of his troops crumbling and fearing that pushing too hard might lead to a mutiny or even defection, the frontline commander had no choice but to order all the defenders to huddle behind the thick parapet to avoid the artillery fire that could come again at any moment.

They planned to wait until the enemy actually set up ladders to scale the city walls before engaging in close combat.

During the long and agonizing wait, the clanging and banging sounds of breaching operations beneath the city walls quietly ceased at some point. The cannon fire, as fierce as the wrath of Thor, also never sounded again.

The battlefield suddenly fell into a suffocating silence, broken only by the sound of the wind and the faint neighing of warhorses in the distance. On the city wall, every defender's heart was in their throat, gripping their weapons nervously, expecting the enemy to surge onto the wall like a tidal wave at any moment.

But the observer on the city gate tower made a new discovery and cried out in surprise:
"My lord! The Red Flag bandits have retreated!"

"Return?"

The defending general, Li Zhongda, was incredulous. He cautiously got up and peeked out. Sure enough, he saw the Zhenshuo Guard troops below the city retreating in an orderly fashion, and the siege equipment being slowly dragged away from the front line.

After confirming that there was no immediate danger, more and more of the defenders stood up and silently watched the scene below the city. There was no sense of relief at repelling a powerful enemy on the city walls, and no one cheered; a heavy and powerless atmosphere permeated the air.

—Because they knew perfectly well that they had not been able to inflict any significant damage on the attackers, and were suppressed by the enemy's fierce firepower throughout the entire process.

Although the Zhenshuo Guard had temporarily retreated, their large formation in the distance remained intact, with banners waving, clearly indicating that they could make a comeback at any time.

As the guards watched in silent unease, a lone figure emerged from the heavily fortified ranks of the Zhenshuo Guard.

The man wore a slightly worn gray scholar's robe and a common headscarf, and walked slowly. As he approached, those with sharp eyes on the city wall could see that he was an elderly man over fifty years old, with a long, flowing beard and a refined appearance.

Given the Red Flag Battalion's strange behavior of suddenly stopping its fierce attack, some quick-thinking officers immediately began to speculate: Could it be... that the Red Flag Battalion is trying to persuade them to surrender?

General Li Zhongda's heart tightened, and he sternly ordered:
"Archers prepare!"

If a general is not resolute in the face of the enemy and allows enemy personnel to approach the city wall to persuade them to surrender, he is very likely to be accused by his superiors or the supervising officer of serious crimes such as "colluding with the enemy" and "undermining the morale of the army".

He dared not risk his life and fortune, and decided that once the old man got closer, he would order the archers to shoot him dead to prevent future trouble.

However, as the old man's face gradually came into focus, Li Zhongda's raised right hand froze in mid-air, his gaze suddenly hardening, and he blurted out:

"Wait...wait! That's—Zhao, Zhao the Councilor?!"

As a second-rank provincial councilor, Zhao Lian was mainly in charge of civil affairs such as land reclamation and taxation, and did not directly get involved in military affairs.

However, he had previously served as the Yuan court's chief envoy, leading delegations to Hefei to negotiate with Shishan on several occasions. Each trip required military commanders to send troops to escort him to ensure his safety, so many military commanders recognized him.

Zhao Lian looked much thinner than he had been a few months ago, his brows furrowed with an undisguised weariness and complex expression. Knowing he had already surrendered to Shishan, he felt ashamed to face his former colleagues as a "surrendered official," so he came in civilian clothes instead of his official robes.

Even so, walking alone towards the heavily guarded city walls, his back was already soaked with cold sweat, and only a strong will kept him from making any attempt to walk steadily. He only hoped that he could find a familiar general before the defenders fired their arrows and open the door to conversation.

When he saw the surprised yet somewhat familiar face behind the crenellations, his heart calmed down slightly. He immediately straightened his back, gathered his strength, and shouted loudly towards the city wall:

"Is that Commander Li on the city wall? Does he still recognize his old friend Zhao Lian?!"

In truth, what Zhao Lian was wearing or what he was about to say was no longer important. His mere presence before the Zhenshuo Guard's ranks and his march towards the Yangzhou city walls was a clear political signal in itself!
The garrison commander, Li Zhongda, dared not delve into the implications of this, nor did he dare to appear too familiar with Zhao Lian in public, lest he bring trouble upon himself. He quickly responded loudly, his tone deliberately distant:
"So it's Lord Zhao! Please wait a moment, Lord Zhao, I'll go and fetch the Grand Councilor right away!"

Fu Youde clearly focused his main attack on the south city wall, and the responsibility of defending the city could not be entrusted to a mere commander. Tu Simishi, the Pingzhang Zhengshi of Huainan Province, had previously led a group of civil and military officials to supervise the battle there.

At the start of the battle, Tusimishi still maintained some semblance of strength. However, once the cannons of the Zhenshuo Guard began to roar, chaos instantly descended upon the city walls, and Tusimishi's location received particular attention.

Seeing the solid iron ball smash bricks and wood chips flying everywhere, the Mongolian Pingzhang was terrified. Surrounded by his personal guards, he scrambled back into the relatively sturdy city gate tower, still trying to remain calm, but no longer daring to show his face.

The city gate tower was an important defensive structure, with multiple arrow slits on the upper floor for counterattacking the enemy. However, it was not a perfect cover. Not long after the battle began, one of the arrow slits was destroyed by a cannonball. The flying wooden spikes immediately pierced the faces of two archers near the window, causing them to scream in agony.

Startled, the crowd quickly protected the pale-faced Bald Simi and retreated to the foot of the city wall. This action almost caused the already demoralized defenders to collapse on the spot.

When Tusimishi calmed down and remembered that he needed to send someone to take his place and supervise the battle from the city, the artillery fire from Zhenshuowei stopped.

The man Li Zhongda sent to ask for instructions had just descended the city wall when he bumped into Qin Congde, the provincial left vice minister, who was climbing the wall with a furrowed brow.

Upon hearing that Zhao Lian not only did not die for his country but also surrendered to Shishan, and that he even had the audacity to come to the city to persuade him to surrender, Qin Congde's face immediately darkened, and a surge of anger rose to his head.

He strode to the wall, intending to sternly rebuke Zhao Lian for selling himself into treachery and wasting his time studying the classics.

But as his gaze swept over the imposing, menacing ranks of the Zhenshuo Guard below the city, and the row of dark, chilling cannon muzzles, the curses that were on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back, turning into a long, complex sigh. Qin Congde said with deep sorrow:

"Boqi (Zhao Lian's courtesy name)! You were previously sent on a mission to Hefei, but then the war suddenly broke out again at Shishan, and the mission disappeared without a trace. Everyone in Huainan thought that you had died a martyr! I, Qin, even strongly urged Tu Sipingzhang to petition the court to protect your descendants and comfort your loyal soul!"
"You, the Zhao family of Junzhou, from your ancestor, Duke Zhenxian, have produced four generations of officials, enjoying imperial favor and renowned among scholars! How could you... how could you... Alas! A loyal minister does not serve two masters, a virtuous woman does not marry two husbands—this is the fundamental principle of heaven and earth! How could you be so foolish?!"

Qin Congde's words were justified in terms of public and private matters, as well as reason and emotion. They were like invisible needles, making Zhao Lian's face burn with shame. He couldn't help but lower his head and remain silent.

Because Qin Congde's words were true. Zhao Lian's grandfather, Zhao Hongwei, served under four emperors: Yuan Shizu, Chengzong, Wuzong, and Renzong. He rose to the position of Deputy Inspector of Zhejiang East and was posthumously granted the title of Marquis of Tianshui with the posthumous name "Zhenxian". His influence extended to his descendants, and the Zhao family served as officials for three generations, truly "receiving imperial favor for generations".

Zhao Lian himself passed the imperial examination in the first year of the Zhizhi era (1321 AD) and served in government for more than 30 years, holding important positions in the central government and local governments. He also served as the Minister of Revenue and presided over the imperial examination of the Yuan Dynasty.

This immense imperial favor and the scholarly reputation weighed heavily on Zhao Lian's heart, causing him to repeatedly question whether his choice was right after waking up in the middle of the night.

Shouting orders on the front lines was extremely dangerous, leaving Zhao Lian no time to dwell on his personal emotions. He quickly forced himself to calm down, raised his head again, met Qin Congde's gaze, and regained his composure. His voice, though not loud, was devoid of any panic. "Lord Qin! Please forgive Zhao Lian's bluntness! The Mandate of Heaven is fickle, but virtue is its guide! The Mongol Yuan dynasty has ruled the Central Plains for nearly several decades. Initially, there may have been some promise, but now, corrupt officials hold sway, the bureaucracy is corrupt, and the oppressive government is like a tiger, treating our hundreds of millions of Han people like pigs and dogs. They have long since lost the hearts of the people!"
Amidst frequent droughts and floods, and widespread famine, the government still levies exorbitant taxes and engages in large-scale construction projects, leading to widespread rebellion. Is this not tantamount to cutting itself off from the world?

Marshal Shi is benevolent and loves the people. Wherever he goes, he abolishes taxes and levies, helps the weak and punishes the strong, and harbors the grand ambition of driving out the barbarians and rebuilding China. This is in accordance with the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people! It is not that Zhao Lian has betrayed the emperor's grace, but that the court has failed the country first!

Now that the mighty Red Flag Battalion has captured Zhenjiang, Yangzhou is isolated north of the river, cut off from all external support, and is now a dead end! Duke Qin is a wise man; has he not seen the lesson of Jiangning? To stubbornly resist will only lead to the destruction of the entire city's soldiers and civilians!

Why not follow the will of Heaven and the will of the people, open the city gates and surrender? This would not only save your own life and the lives of your family, but also spare the entire city from the ravages of war. This would be an act of immeasurable merit!

"What?! Zhenjiang... Zhenjiang Road has also fallen?!"

Qin Congde was struck dumb, his face turned deathly pale, and he felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, his limbs becoming cold and numb.

— Zhenzhou to the west of Yangzhou, Gaoyou to the north, and Taizhou to the east have long been out of control. Now, even the only hope in the south, Zhenjiang, which is closely related to Yangzhou, has fallen into the hands of Shishan!

Yangzhou is now an isolated and dead city with no outside help!

Just a month earlier, Zhang Shicheng's army besieged Yangzhou, and the situation was also precarious. However, Qin Congde still had a sliver of confidence at that time. He believed that Zhang Shicheng was just a bandit who had gained power temporarily, with shallow roots and little potential to amount to anything. He was certain that Yangzhou could be defended.

But at this moment, facing Zhao Lian, who represented the will of Shishan, his belief wavered, because he knew all too well what a terrifying opponent Zhao Lian had behind him.

At the end of last year, he also represented the court to go to Hefei to recruit Shishan. That failed mission allowed him to witness firsthand the orderly and vibrant state of the Red Flag Camp controlled area. The prosperity and stability under its governance far exceeded that of many prefectures under the court's rule.

At that time, Qin Congde had already discerned that Shishan had great ambitions and was by no means someone who would be content to remain subservient to others.

Upon returning to Yangzhou, he immediately wrote to the court, strongly advocating a change in strategy and an attempt to recruit Zhang Shicheng, Sesame Li, and other anti-Yuan forces, so as to concentrate all efforts on suppressing the major threat, Shishan.

Unfortunately, in the court at that time, many officials were divided and argued endlessly over whether to appoint Ayushiridara as crown prince.

The powerful minister Tuotuo was only focused on stabilizing Shishan, who outwardly expressed a willingness to "negotiate," and had no intention of paying attention to Zhang Shicheng and Zhima Li, who were still relatively weak at the time.

As a result, several months later, Shishan not only did not accept the imperial court's offer of amnesty, but instead launched attacks on both sides of the Yangtze River, making rapid progress and now blocking all avenues of survival for Yangzhou.

What made Qin Congde even more desperate than the Yuan army's repeated defeats on battlefields was Shi Shan's accurate insight that seemed to be able to see through the general trend of the world.

This traitor always seems to choose the moment when the Yuan court is at its weakest and most chaotic to strike, seizing the most crucial territories. Even if these defending officials are determined to hold their ground in the fortified cities, they have no chance of ever seeing reinforcements arrive.

Destiny? Could it really be that it lies not in the Yuan court but in Shishan?

"My lord! Lord Qin!" Li Zhongda's repeated calls brought Qin Congdler, who was lost in thought and feeling utterly hopeless, back to reality.

Qin Congde suddenly came to his senses, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the guards around him, their eyes darting around in fear and anxiety. He immediately realized that he had fallen for Shi Shan's psychological warfare tactic!

The mere presence of a surrendered official of Zhao Lian's rank at the city gates, and his open dialogue with the defending officials, regardless of the content of the conversation, dealt a devastating blow to the morale of the defending troops.

If even high-ranking officials like the provincial councilors can surrender to the rebels and openly show themselves, what reason do these low-ranking soldiers and officers have to fight to the death for the court? This Yangzhou city... I'm afraid it really can't be defended.

The fall of the city seemed inevitable, but Qin Congde could not convince himself to follow in Zhao Lian's footsteps.

This was not only to preserve his posthumous reputation as a loyal subject who does not serve two masters, but also because he was keenly aware that, given the current political structure and power structure of the Red Flag Battalion, accepting a demoted official of the second rank was already the limit, and it would be difficult to accommodate him, a provincial left vice minister of the second rank.

I am nearing sixty and have no past ties with Shishan. Even if I surrender, I will probably not have a good end. Why should I go and humiliate myself and become a laughingstock?

"Bo Qi!"

Qin Congde quickly composed himself, his gaze complex as he looked at Zhao Lian below the city walls. His tone returned to calm, yet carried an unwavering resolve as he said:
"Considering our years of service in the same court, you... should return. I, Qin, was born a subject of the Great Yuan, and I will die a ghost of the Great Yuan! Heaven and earth bear witness to this heart and will not yield even a thousand deaths!"

From Qin Congde's eyes and tone, Zhao Lian understood his determination to die for his principles. A complex mix of emotions welled up within him—regret, guilt, and a sense of shame. Knowing he had no face to persuade Qin Congde further, he could only bow deeply towards the city wall and say in a low voice:
"Lord Qin! I, Zhao... take my leave! I earnestly hope... you will take care!"

Driven by his years of experience as an official, Qin Congde immediately summoned a trusted subordinate after Zhao Lian left and whispered his instructions:
"Go to the provincial government immediately and report to the Grand Councilor in detail about Zhao Lian's visit to persuade you to surrender."

Yangzhou was ultimately not Qin Congde's Yangzhou alone. He could choose to refuse to surrender and die for his country, but he had no right to decide the final fate of this city and the tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians within it. Let Tusi, lost in his own thoughts, make his own choice!
Upon hearing this, the light that had just appeared on the face of the subordinate vanished instantly—Tussim was a Mongol nobleman, how could he possibly surrender? Moreover, there was an even more distinguished Prince Zhennan, Boluobuqa, in the city!

But at this moment he dared not disobey Qin Congde's orders, and could only bow and reply:

"Your humble servant...accepts the order."

Outside the city walls, Zhao Lian returned to the Zhenshuo Guard's ranks with heavy steps. When he saw Fu Youde, his face was full of shame and disappointment. He bowed and said:

"General Fu, I am incompetent and failed to persuade the garrison to surrender the city. Instead, I delayed your precious opportunity to breach the city. I have failed the trust placed in me by the Marshal and the General. I am guilty!"

"No! Mr. Zhao, you are mistaken!"

Having followed Shi Shan for a long time and been deeply influenced by him, Fu Youde had already discerned the deeper intentions behind Shi Shan's arrival at Zhao Lian's gates. His eyes gleaming as he looked intently towards the city walls of Yangzhou, he reassured Zhao Lian, saying:
"As the Marshal often says, conquering a city is inferior to conquering a heart. Your presence here today, speaking with the defending general, is itself the most powerful strategy to win hearts and minds! Please look—"

He pointed to the Yangzhou city wall and said in a resolute tone:

"I, Fu, will show you with my own eyes how a city whose morale has collapsed can be taken in one fell swoop! Beat the drums! All troops, attack!"

“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom—!”

The war drums thundered once more, more stirring and inspiring than before. Having rested and with high morale, the various units of the Zhenshuo Guard moved at the order, like a long-awaited torrent, surging once more towards Yangzhou City.

This time, there was no need for tedious clearing operations. With the intermittent roar of artillery, the archers pushed the shield carts and quickly approached the moat. The militiamen also shouted in unison as they pushed heavy siege equipment such as ladders, trench bridges, and siege towers toward the city wall.

"Hold on! Hold on, everyone! Don't be afraid!"

On the city wall, the shouts of Commander Li Zhongda still rang out, but the leather whip he used to spur his soldiers had long since disappeared. He had also lost the strength to berate the archers who huddled behind the battlements, trembling and afraid to rise.

This desperate shout seemed more like a performance for Qin Zuo Cheng, who was still standing on the city wall.

Even Qin Congde could clearly sense that the morale of the defending troops had collapsed, so how could Li Zhongda, the officer in charge of the troops, not know it?
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

A heavy, booming sound, unlike that of cannons, came from the moat below the city. Li Zhongda risked sticking his head out and saw that several sturdy moat bridges had been laid to the other side. Then, countless Red Flag Battalion soldiers, like a flood bursting its banks, pushed tall ladder carts across the moat bridges and rushed straight towards the city wall!
Inside the Huainan Provincial Government office, after hearing his subordinates' trembling report, Tu Simishi was terrified, realizing something was terribly wrong! No longer caring about the threat of cannons, he jumped up from his seat and screamed:

"Quickly! Guards! Follow me to the south of the city! I must personally oversee the battle and stabilize morale!"

However, when Tusi Mi, escorted by a large group of personal guards, hurriedly arrived at the south of the city, before he even stepped onto the ramparts leading up to the city, he heard a deafening roar from ahead. He then saw the defending troops on the city wall retreating in a panic, crying and screaming like headless flies!

"We've lost! The city has fallen! Run for your lives—!"

In the Battle of Yangzhou, Fu Youde skillfully employed psychological warfare tactics. He first established his authority with artillery fire, then sent surrendered officials to persuade the defenders to surrender, which greatly undermined their morale. When the defenders' morale collapsed, he decisively launched a general offensive.

The defending troops had a weak will to resist and almost collapsed at the first contact.

Zhang Mingjian, commander of the 6th Battalion of the 2nd Garrison of Zhenshuo Guard, seized the opportunity to be the first to scale the walls and open a breakthrough.

After the city fell, Qin Congde, the Left Vice Minister of Huainan Province, committed suicide by jumping into the city. High-ranking Mongol officials and nobles, such as Tusimishi, the Grand Councilor, and Boluobuhua, the Prince of Zhennan, as well as officials of all levels, surrendered amidst the chaos of the army and became prisoners of the Red Flag Battalion.

(End of this chapter)