Sweep Yuan

Chapter 268 Two Major Villains Make Their Appearance

The smoke from the battle on the walls of Yangzhou had not yet completely dissipated, and the air was filled with a strange smell of blood and burnt flesh.

The Zhenshuowei soldiers were reorganizing their ranks under the command of their officers and marching into the city, their eyes mostly filled with the excitement of a great victory.

Following "custom," the gentry and elders in the city also sent representatives, along with money, grain, and other supplies, to reward the army and welcome the royal army to recover lost territory.

But amidst this scene of gradually returning to order, the atmosphere in an area east of Yangzhou city remained somewhat stagnant.

Zhang Mingjian, leaning on his blood-stained spear, stood before several of his men, whose hands were bound behind their backs and who were kneeling on the ground. His face, blackened by gunpowder and sweat, showed no elation at the prospect of being the first to breach the city walls; instead, it was ashen.

The deep knife marks and splattered blood on his armor testified to the fierce battle he had just fought on the city wall, and also highlighted Zhang Mingjian's outstanding contribution in breaching the city. But all of this was ruined by the four old brothers who had fought alongside him from the common people.

"Boss...we...we were just confused for a moment!"

The tall, thin man kneeling at the front raised his head, his face covered in snot and tears, his voice distorted with fear.

"Seeing that house was so brightly lit, I thought... I thought I could make some money... so I couldn't resist..."

Zhang Mingjian clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palms.

In early spring last year, Chelibuhua, the Tongzhi of the Huaidong Circuit of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, led his troops to attack Dingyuan. However, fearing the might of the Red Flag Battalion, the troops collapsed before even engaging in battle. Large numbers of fleeing soldiers poured into the three counties of Quanjiao, Qingliu, and Lai'an, which were under the jurisdiction of Chuzhou, like headless flies.

One of them committed arson, murder, looting, and pillage within Quanjiao County, abducting young men and men. By the time they fled to Hanshan County, their numbers had swelled to over a thousand, severely disrupting local production and attracting the attention of Zhao Pusheng's troops, known as "Peng Zu Jia," stationed in Hanshan.

Zhao Pusheng led his troops in an attack, annihilating most of them, with only a few managing to escape. Zhang Mingjian from Quanjiao County was one of the few who escaped, but after escaping danger, he did not return to his hometown to live a quiet life.

This experience of being coerced into murder and arson was like opening a door to a dark world in his heart, making it impossible for him to return to the peaceful life of working the land.

So he decided to go all the way and gathered dozens of equally ambitious outlaws. They used blue cloth wrapped around their heads as a signal and began to rob and plunder in the deep forests bordering Quanjiao and Hanshan counties.

However, this period of prosperity was short-lived. After Shishan took control of Luzhou Road, in order to restore production as soon as possible and stabilize social order, he began to strengthen the management of registered households within the territory and mobilized troops to suppress unstable factors such as bandits and outlaws within the territory.

Zhang Mingjian's troops' living space was repeatedly squeezed, and their loot became less and less. Knowing that they were no match for the Red Flag Battalion, they had no choice but to lead their men down the mountain to surrender when they had nowhere else to go.

The chaos of a chaotic world begins with the decay of people's hearts.

Long before the chaos truly descended upon the land, many people had already become outlaws for various reasons. Those who first led their troops to join Shishan, such as Chang Tietou, and Liu Ju, who has now risen to the rank of Commander of the Qingri Guard, had similar experiences.

Shi Shan's ambition was to quell the chaos in the world and create a new golden age for China, not to use violence to suppress violence and kill all those who had participated in the rebellion. As long as their evil deeds were not too serious and they showed genuine remorse, he would not hesitate to give them a chance to reform.

After Zhang Mingjian's troops came down the mountain, they were reorganized into the Red Flag Battalion. He himself passed a rigorous screening and was appointed as a squad leader because of his bravery.

This man was extremely skilled with a long spear and exceptionally brave in battle. He was a promising talent and rose through the ranks to become a commander.

Unfortunately, his unit had always been poorly disciplined, with soldiers frequently violating military discipline at critical moments, which hampered his promotion speed. Otherwise, with Zhang Mingjian's abilities, he might have been able to rise even higher.

The same was true of the siege of Yangzhou. Zhang Mingjian took the lead and was the first to scale the city walls, so the credit for capturing the city should have gone to him.

However, after the battle, an investigation revealed that four of his soldiers had taken advantage of the situation to loot and kill civilians after entering the city. They were captured on the spot by the supervisory team sent by Fu Youde.

"The merit I risked my life for... is it all gone like this?"

A surge of anger coursed through his chest, fueled by both resentment towards these men for their lack of discipline and his own frustration at not having used harsher methods to control them. He knew that the Red Flag Battalion's discipline was no joke; it was the very foundation upon which Marshal Shi stood.

But... but these brothers who have risked their lives with me!
Just then, a series of neat and heavy footsteps sounded. The soldiers who had been watching parted to the sides like a tide, making way for him. Commander Fu Youde, surrounded by his personal guards, walked slowly over.

General Fu's gaze first swept over the four soldiers whose faces were ashen, and then fell on Zhang Mingjian. His eyes were calm and expressionless, but they carried a tremendous weight, making it almost impossible for Zhang Mingjian to breathe.

"Commander Zhang, your soldiers looted civilians after entering the city. According to the Red Flag Battalion's 'Seventeen Articles of Wartime,' what crime should they be charged with?"

Zhang Mingjian's throat was dry, his lips moved a few times, and finally he spoke in a hoarse voice:
"According to the law... he should be executed."

"Ah."

Fu Youde nodded slightly, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

"Your unit has produced such a scoundrel. As the commander, you bear responsibility for failing to properly manage your subordinates. Do you know your crime?"

"This humble general... admits his guilt!"

Zhang Mingjian knelt on one knee, his head bowed deeply. His last shred of hope vanished, leaving only endless regret and a chilling sense of loss.

Fu Youde stopped looking at him and turned his gaze to the military judge beside him, saying decisively:

"Drag all four of them away and execute them publicly! Their heads should be displayed in each camp and hung on the city gates for three days as a warning to others!"

The order was given like a mountain; the four prisoners didn't even have time to beg for mercy before they were dragged away by the ravenous axemen.

A moment later, four muffled shouts and the sharp sound of blades cutting through the air came from afar.

Throughout the entire process, Zhang Mingjian kept his head down, clenched his teeth, and forced himself not to look or listen. But he could clearly feel that the gazes cast by the surrounding soldiers had become complex—there was sympathy, there was regret, but more than anything, there was a dignified awe.

After dealing with all of this, Fu Youde looked at Zhang Mingjian kneeling on the ground again.

"Zhang Mingjian".

"The end will be here."

"You were the first to breach the city walls, which is a great achievement; however, your lax management of your subordinates is a major fault. But merits and faults cannot offset each other. Your military achievements will be converted into a monetary reward, and the proposal for promotion will be temporarily shelved. I will report this matter truthfully to the Marshal. Are you satisfied with this?"

"This humble general...is completely convinced!"

Zhang Mingjian squeezed out these words through gritted teeth. This handling was better than he had expected.

At least, he was given a chance to redeem himself through good deeds.

"Remember this lesson!"

Fu Youde's voice softened slightly, but remained heavy as he said:

"In the past, when I followed the Marshal, the most profound lesson I learned was not to overestimate myself. In my Red Flag Battalion, bravery is certainly valuable, but discipline is the backbone. Boldness without backbone is ultimately the behavior of a bandit, and one can hardly achieve great things. You should take heed of this."

After saying that, Fu Youde turned and left.

Zhang Mingjian remained kneeling until his comrades helped him up. He raised his head and looked at the Red Flag Battalion's battle flag atop the city wall; the sunlight stung his eyes. At that moment, he truly understood that to follow Marshal Shi and gain wealth and honor, besides being willing to risk one's life, one must also understand the rules.

As a commander of a detachment who could stand alone, Fu Youde was highly trusted by Shi Shan and would be stationed in Yangzhou for a long time after the war.

He faced immense pressure, needing to defend against a potential attack from Zhang Shicheng while simultaneously governing this crucial town in dire need of reconstruction—a true test of his comprehensive military and political abilities. The handling of the merits and demerits of Zhang Mingjian's troops was merely one of Fu Youde's many complex tasks.

As the capital of Huainan Province, Yangzhou held an even more important position in the administrative structure and economic landscape of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty than Jiangning.

Taking this city is easy, but thoroughly digesting and governing it will require a lot of hard work.

The city not only housed numerous former Yuan dynasty officials and Mongol and Semu nobles, but also a large number of wealthy merchants and powerful families who were dependent on them. It was imperative to quickly identify and deal with these individuals in order to rapidly establish an effective ruling order.

In this battle, Zhenshuo Guard captured more than 6,000 surrendered soldiers.

Identifying and reorganizing them was relatively simple. The Red Flag Battalion had developed a mature system for converting prisoners of war after many battles. Fu Youde had independently captured many cities and was very familiar with this.

The real challenge lies in identifying and dealing with those former officials and Mongol and Semu nobles.

Fortunately, Fu Youde was not fighting alone. Zhao Lian, a former official of Huainan Province, was familiar with the details of the Yangzhou officialdom. With his full assistance, the time required for the screening process would be greatly shortened.

After the war, Zhao Lian submitted a detailed proposal on how to deal with former officials and nobles of various clans.

Because it involved many high-ranking officials of the Mongol-Yuan Huainan Province, including the first-rank Pingzhang Zhengshi Tusimishi, and the more sensitive Zhennan Wang Boluobuhua, Fu Youde dared not make a decision on his own. He immediately dispatched a fast ship to send the document to Jiangning and asked Marshal Shi to make a decision.

……

Jiangning City, Marshal's Mansion of the Red Flag Battalion.

After carefully reading Fu Youde's report, Shi Shan looked up and instructed the guards standing outside the hall:

"Summon Hu Weiyong here."

As the commander of the army, Fu Youde's report naturally couldn't just report Zhao Lian's suggestions; he mainly stated three important matters:

First, he gave a detailed report on the entire course of the Battle of Yangzhou, explained the reasons why he failed to capture the city quickly, and proposed to deal with the violation of military discipline by Zhang Mingjian's troops, and attached a list of those who requested commendation.

Secondly, a report was submitted outlining the plan for the reorganization of prisoners of war and preliminary opinions on the treatment of former officials and nobles, along with Zhao Lian's detailed suggestions.
Thirdly, he reported on the unusual troop movements of Zhang Shicheng's forces during the Battle of Yangzhou and requested the Marshal to clarify the relationship between the Red Flag Battalion and the Zhang-Zhou regime as soon as possible.

The instructions for the first matter were relatively simple.

Fu Youde's ability to command troops was once again proven. His command of the entire battle was commendable. Shi Shan was also quite satisfied with the handling of Zhang Mingjian's merits and demerits. He immediately praised Fu Youde's command and handling in red ink and approved the list of merits and rewards that he submitted.

The second matter, the prisoner reorganization plan, has well-established regulations to follow. It is specifically organized by the War Protection Battalion and overseen by the Military Command. The prisoners who are reorganized will be dispersed and distributed to various guards. There will be no major trouble. It can be done by following the rules.

However, Shi Shan frowned slightly after reading Zhao Lian's suggestions on how to deal with the former officials of Huainan, indicating that he was not entirely satisfied.

Zhao Lian's suggestion basically followed the traditional concept of "the law does not apply to high-ranking officials." He suggested that high-ranking officials of the third rank and above should be treated leniently or exempted from punishment, and that the scope of knowledge should be controlled as much as possible. Those who were unwilling to serve the Red Flag Battalion could be allowed to return to their hometowns. Officials of the fourth rank and below who had committed minor offenses and were unwilling to serve the Red Flag Battalion could also be allowed to return home.

As the saying goes, those who walk different paths cannot make plans together. When dealing with captured enemy officials, there are more than just two options: to persuade them to surrender or to execute them.

Political forces with a modicum of foresight will usually release those with a decent reputation who are unwilling to switch sides after a brief period of detention, in order to demonstrate the magnanimity and benevolence of their leaders and to win over the hearts and minds of the people.

The benefits of Zhao Lian's suggestion are obvious—it can quickly stabilize most of the former officials and gentry, making it easier for the Red Flag Battalion to stabilize the situation in Yangzhou and reduce the resistance to governing the area.

However, its drawbacks are also extremely obvious—this kind of stability, achieved through compromise, is like a paper wall that cannot withstand the test of great storms.

Especially in Yangzhou, a "bridgehead" region located on the front line and directly facing the attacks of Zhang Shicheng and the Yuan court, if the internal purge is not thorough and too many opportunistic and two-faced individuals are absorbed, there will be endless hidden dangers in the future when competing with Zhang Shicheng for Huaidong.

After pondering for a long time, Shi Shan picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote four comments on the report:
Firstly, as requested by Zhao Lian, Qin Congde's remains were to be properly buried according to the standards for a third-rank official, and Zhao Lian himself was to write an inscription for him and erect a stele, recording his contributions to governing the country and bringing peace to the people during his official career, while downplaying his loyalty to the Yuan court and his stubbornness.

Qin Congde served as an official for over thirty years, and his reputation was acceptable. Moreover, he did not directly participate in the suppression of the Red Flag Battalion, and there was no deep-seated hatred between the two sides.

The man has passed away. Making some articles based on his posthumous name can not only appease the emotions of most former officials and stabilize the hearts of the people under his rule, but also establish the correct value orientation of "emphasizing people's livelihood and de-emphasizing blind loyalty", achieving multiple benefits at once.

Secondly, the entire family of Boluobuqa, the Prince of Zhennan of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, was moved to Jiangning City and placed under strict surveillance. All the land, houses, shops, and treasuries under his name were investigated and confiscated.

The title of Prince of Zhennan originated with Toghon, the ninth son of Kublai Khan, the Yuan Dynasty emperor. Although it was only the second rank among the princes of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, the fact that the fiefdom of Prince of Zhennan was set in the prosperous and wealthy Yangzhou shows that this title was extremely prestigious.

Indeed, this is the case. The current Yuan Emperor, Toghon Temür, has issued edicts on several occasions to reward Bolok Buqa, showing him great favor.

The reason why Shishan spared Boluobuhua's life was not because he was of noble blood and should enjoy the privilege of being exempt from death, but because it was a plan to prepare for the Red Flag Battalion's future conquest and division of the northern grasslands.

Since Boluobuhua became a mascot and enjoyed the "preferential treatment" of Shishan, the other Mongol nobles in Yangzhou City would have to pay the price for this "preferential treatment." Fu Youde was instructed to carefully screen them, and if they had no special value, they should not be escorted to Jiangning, but executed on the spot as a warning to others.

Thirdly, all officials of Mongol and Semu descent from Tusishish, the Pingzhang Zhengshi (Chief Administrator) of Huainan Province, must be rigorously vetted one by one. Those who are truly talented and willing to sincerely submit to the Red Flag Battalion may be retained after their misdeeds have been verified to be minor, to observe their future performance.

The rest, the stubborn, mediocre, or wicked, should not be pitied; they should all be executed and their property confiscated.

As the saying goes, when one person attains enlightenment, chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.

In any era, behind high-ranking officials and dignitaries, besides their relatives who "legally allow" them to enjoy benefits, there are also huge interest groups such as wealthy merchants and big households. They rely on their power to exploit the people and suck their blood and sweat.

The focus of this political purge is these people; whatever they swallowed in the past, they now have to return with interest!
Among these people, there may inevitably be innocents, but "driving out the barbarians and restoring the Han" is by no means a loud slogan, but a firm political action.

—For a new dynasty to be established, it must first challenge or even overturn the existing power structure of the upper echelons. Only by ruthlessly killing a group of influential figures can the escape routes of those who waver within the existing power be cut off. Then, by redistributing some of the confiscated wealth and land, the genuine support of the new forces can be won.

Fourth, Han Chinese officials should be treated differently and not treated the same way.

Those who are greedy, cruel, and harmful to the people, and whose evil deeds are blatant, should be punished according to the law to please the people; those who are diligent and capable in their duties and have a good reputation should be recruited and retained according to their abilities; those who have only minor flaws and are unwilling to serve may be ordered to hand over the property they illegally obtained in office and then be allowed to return to their hometowns at the discretion of the authorities.

Just as Qin Congde had predicted, the Red Flag Battalion's power expanded rapidly, requiring a large number of experienced bureaucrats skilled in government affairs to assist in governing the local area. However, this nascent regime was like a seedling with shallow roots, and it was not advisable to retain too many old bureaucrats to avoid polluting the still relatively pure ranks.

Ishiyama doesn't mind killing, but killing is merely a means to solve problems, not an end in itself.

Objectively speaking, Han officials were not necessarily purer or more honest than Mongol or Semu officials simply because they were Han Chinese. In fact, a considerable number of Han officials, in order to curry favor with their foreign masters, oppressed their own people and were even more ruthless and cruel than those of other ethnic groups.

These people should be punished according to the law; only by killing them can we truly satisfy the people's hearts.

However, the remaining Han officials could not all be killed at once. They had intricate connections with many scholars and officials through complex ties such as clan, marriage, teacher-student relationship, and being classmates.

The latter was also one of the foundations of the Red Flag Battalion's rule. Unnecessarily involving too many people would be tantamount to destroying the Great Wall and shaking the foundation.

After finishing his instructions, Shi Shan picked up the petition from Wang Zongdao of Dantu County regarding how to deal with the Shi family of Zhenjiang. He had only read half of it when Hu Weiyong was taken to the government office by his personal guards.

"Marshal! Hu Weiyong, the Chief of Staff, has come by order!" Hu Weiyong bowed and spoke in a steady voice.

“Zizhong, sit down.”

Shi Shan looked up and casually greeted someone before continuing to read Wang Zongdao's report.

Hu Weiyong was not yet fully familiar with the Marshal's way of doing things, so he dared not really relax. He only sat on the edge of the guest seat with a slightly restrained air, then sat upright with his eyes lowered, not daring to look around.

His thoughts drifted back to more than a year ago.

When Shishan, emboldened by the great victory at Luqianhe, subdued Guo Zixing and others and captured Dingyuan, Hu Weiyong was still traveling and studying in various parts of Jiangnan.

Hearing from others that the news had changed hands several times and was already distorted, he only knew that his hometown of Dingyuan had been ravaged by bandits, but he did not know Shishan's character and abilities. He dared not return rashly and could only avoid the turmoil caused by Xu Song's army while waiting for news from Jiangbei.

This wait lasted for nearly a year.

When the news of Shi Shan's great victory over the Yuan army of 100,000 outside Xuzhou spread throughout the land, Hu Weiyong suddenly realized that Shi Shan, who occupied his hometown, was a truly remarkable hero, and concluded that this man had the ambition and ability to contend for the world.

He hurriedly packed his bags and rushed back to Jiangbei to serve Shishan, but by then Shishan's foundation was already solid, and he was preparing to cross the Yangtze River to the south.

Even though Shi Shan was completely unfamiliar with the history of the late Yuan Dynasty, he had at least heard of Hu Weiyong, who was "famous" in the original historical timeline. After personally examining the man's knowledge and talent, he arranged for him to work in the Records Department of the Marshal's Office, intending to observe his character and abilities closely.

Over the course of several months, Hu Weiyong not only demonstrated his excellent qualities of being enterprising and courageous in taking on responsibilities, but also showed a clear approach to governance and flexible handling of affairs, making him a promising talent worthy of cultivation.

Ishiyama summoned him here to give him another chance to hone his skills and see if he could take on more important responsibilities.

Having finally finished reviewing the official documents, Shi Shan put down his pen, rubbed his slightly tired brow, looked up at the upright-sitting Hu Weiyong, and smiled gently, saying:

"Zizhong, have you ever been to Gaoyou?"

Hu Weiyong's heart skipped a beat. He had only passed through Gaoyou during his early years of study and had not stayed there for long. But he keenly realized that Marshal Shi's question was no casual conversation, but rather an acknowledgment of his efforts during this period and an intention to entrust him with an important task.

A surge of joy welled up inside him, but he quickly suppressed his excitement, forcing himself to remain calm, and replied in a deep voice:
"Reporting to the Marshal, I have passed through that area before and am somewhat familiar with the route. Does the Marshal intend to send me as an envoy to Zhang Zhou?"

The news of Zhang Shicheng establishing a kingdom and declaring himself king in Gaoyou had already spread far and wide. Now, the Zhenshuo Guard has marched into Yangzhou, which is very close by, making it highly likely that the two sides will clash.

Based on this public and semi-public information, it is not difficult to conclude that Shishan intended to send someone to Zhang Shicheng.

Even if someone else guessed this meaning, they would most likely pretend not to know, to avoid being accused of "guessing the superior's intentions." However, Hu Weiyong joined Shishan late and had little seniority. Only by demonstrating a proactive and willing attitude could he leave a deep impression on the marshal.

Shishan, naturally unconcerned with such trivial details, asked directly:

"Weixue (Fu Youde's courtesy name) has already captured Yangzhou. During this battle, there were unusual troop movements by Zhang and Zhou. What is your opinion on this matter?"

Hu Weiyong was quite talented in civil administration, but limited in military strategy. However, he knew that Shi Shan's question was not really about whether or not to go to war with Zhang Shicheng—such a major national matter was not for someone with his limited experience to comment on.

He pondered for a moment, organized his thoughts, and replied:
"Zhang Shicheng dared to usurp the title of king after occupying five cities, which shows that he was ambitious and was by no means a person who would be content to be subordinate to others. Yangzhou is only a hundred miles away from his pseudo-capital Gaoyou, and it guards the key passage for his southward advance, making it a vital place."

If Zhang Shicheng remained completely indifferent after our army captured Yangzhou, it would seem illogical. His troop movements were inevitable; inaction might indicate hidden malice or a larger scheme.

"Not bad!"

Shi Shan expressed his approval of Hu Weiyong's insight, nodded slightly, and continued to ask questions.

"In your opinion, how should the relationship between my Red Flag Battalion and Zhang Zhou be defined at this moment?"

Encouraged by the marshal, Hu Weiyong was even more enthusiastic and immediately began to speak eloquently:

"In my opinion, now that our army has captured Yangzhou, Zhang Shicheng will have no room to expand westward or southward in the Huainan region. If his forces wish to grow stronger, they can only continue northward and capture the cities along the Huai'an Road."

Our army can then continue eastward, advancing on Taizhou, Tongzhou, and other places, bringing the entire Yangzhou Circuit under our complete control. Only in this way can we connect with the northern Zhejiang region across the river, thus solidifying our foundation.

Upon hearing this, Shi Shan shook his head inwardly—this was still a typical scholar's view, too idealistic.

If Zhang Shicheng had been so sensible as to voluntarily relinquish Taizhou, he wouldn't be the Zhang Shicheng who dared to declare himself king and establish a regime with only five cities.

However, for young people who dare to speak and act, encouragement should be the main approach. Shi Shan did not interrupt, but continued to nod silently, signaling Hu Weiyong to continue.

Hu Weiyong was unaware that he had left a bad impression of being a "scholar" in Shi Shan's mind. He advocated that the Red Flag Battalion continue its eastward advance, believing that he had sufficient reasons, and continued to elaborate:
"Marshal, you are wise. Although Zhang Shicheng's current territory has the advantage of boiling seawater and producing salt, and he may not lack money, the Huaihe River region has limited grain production and lacks iron ore. Even if he can gather tens of thousands of troops for a time by relying on the salt profits, it will be difficult for him to maintain this position for long."

If we were to antagonize my powerful Red Flag Battalion at this juncture, their defeat would be imminent. In contrast, our army possesses the granaries of the Jianghuai region and controls numerous mines and metallurgical sites, ensuring a plentiful supply of both grain and iron.

The current situation is that Zhang Shicheng needs something from the Marshal, not the other way around. This is a perfect opportunity for me to explain the advantages and disadvantages to him, clarify the hierarchy between superiors and subordinates, and establish a set of rules for their interactions!

Hu Weiyong's final statement, "clarifying the hierarchy and social order," was certainly arrogant, but also somewhat presumptuous. Zhang Shicheng had already declared himself king; without a decisive battle to crush his arrogance, expecting him to submit was virtually impossible.

However, Hu Weiyong's analysis of Zhang Shicheng's predicament was quite insightful and reasonable.

"it is good!"

Hu Weiyong is talented and energetic, and worth cultivating. Shi Shan had already made up his mind and said:
"You will be in charge of this mission to Gaoyou to negotiate with Zhang Shicheng on matters such as the border between the two regions and joint resistance against the Yuan dynasty. You must adhere to the following principles..."

……

PS: Zhang Mingjian, the cannibalistic leader of the "Green Army," is a typical example of the many rebel leaders who resisted the tyranny of the Yuan Dynasty at the end of the Yuan Dynasty but ultimately fell into depravity. In the book's world, this person was recruited by Shishan early on, and Yangzhou and other places were also taken over by Shishan, so it is impossible for him to follow the original historical trajectory.

This chapter devotes a small portion to describing Zhang Mingjian, showcasing how the vastly different fates of various historical figures unfolded after Shi Shan's deep involvement in the grand scheme of things. This naturally includes Hu Weiyong, a highly controversial historical figure.

(End of this chapter)