Sweep Yuan

Chapter 270 Debate with the Ministers: Hu Weiyong

Gaoyou City, the seat of Gaoyou Prefecture, was the "capital" of the Zhang-Zhou regime.

The atmosphere at the recent "court meetings" has become increasingly somber. Zhang Shicheng, the "Prince Cheng," who sits on his simple throne, rarely lets out the hearty laughter that used to be so infectious.

His face, which usually carried a江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) air, had recently been marked by a deep frown and a melancholy gaze.

The civil and military officials standing on either side of His Highness, whether they were old brothers who started out together selling smuggled salt in their early years or heroes from various salt fields who later joined him, all had solemn expressions, both for the current grim situation and for their own bleak future.

The root of this gloomy atmosphere lies in the definite news from the south—Yangzhou has been lost.

Ironically, Yangzhou, this important city, was never truly under the control of the Zhang-Zhou regime, so there was no question of it being "lost".

But human nature is strange: when Yangzhou was still firmly in the hands of the Yuan court, even though Zhang Shicheng had personally led a large army to launch a fierce attack but was defeated and forced to turn north, the people of Zhang and Zhou still generally regarded Yangzhou as something that would fall into their hands sooner or later.

This was not merely due to the rising political power's overconfidence in viewing all cities under heaven as their own, but also stemmed from Yangzhou's almost fatal strategic importance to Gaoyou.

Yangzhou is to Gaoyou what Jiangning is to Dangtu.

You established your capital in Dangtu, but the strategically important city of Jiangning, which is just a stone's throw away, is in the hands of the enemy, posing a serious threat to your capital. Who could feel at ease?
Yangzhou Road was not only an important barrier for Gaoyou Prefecture, but also a behemoth whose economy, population, and mineral resources surpassed those of Gaoyou Prefecture.

If this city is not captured, the Zhang-Zhou regime will never have peace. Yangzhou will not be allowed to be touched by anyone.

However, this strategic location, which Zhang Zhou regarded as his own, fell into the hands of the Red Flag Battalion so quickly that Zhang Shicheng did not have time to make an effective response before Yangzhou changed hands.

This news was like a bucket of ice water poured over their heads, sending a chill down the spine and an indescribable sense of despondency through the entire Gaoyou court.

Not afraid of not knowing the goods, but afraid of comparing goods.

Both Zhang and Zhou regimes attacked Yangzhou with almost all their might, but ended up with heavy losses and a dismal retreat.

The Red Flag Battalion only sent a detachment eastward, but it swept through the enemy like a whirlwind, first attacking Zhenzhou and then Yangzhou, almost all in one fell swoop.

Even if some people comfort themselves by saying that Zhang Zhou's troops had "taken the lead" earlier, depleting some of Yangzhou's garrison and damaging part of its city defenses, the difference in strength between the two sides was as obvious as lice on a bald man's head.

The harsh reality was staring him in the face: even if Zhang Shicheng gritted his teeth and desperately mobilized the entire nation's army to counterattack Yangzhou, the odds of victory were pitifully slim.

Moreover, Fu Youde's troops were merely a detachment under Shi Shan's command.

Behind the vast Luzhou Road, Xuzhou Road, and the already opened-up situation in Jiangnan, no one knows how many troops Marshal Shi still holds at his disposal, but what is certain is that he can send more forces to Yangzhou at any time.

The Yuan court is too far away, the Red Flag Camp is too close.

The Red Flag Battalion is currently at its peak, its momentum unstoppable, and it is a terrifying force that the Zhang-Zhou regime, whose foundations are not yet secure, absolutely cannot afford to provoke.

After Fu Youde fully demonstrated the formidable fighting power of his troops by capturing Yangzhou, his attitude towards Zhang Zhou immediately became tougher.

He changed his previous tolerance of Zhang and Zhou scouts roaming within a certain area, and sternly warned them to immediately withdraw from Yangzhou. The next day, he sent the elite cavalry to launch a fierce attack and decisively wipe out those Zhang and Zhou scouts who were still lingering in Yangzhou.

This move greatly alarmed Zhang Zhou and his associates.

Because eliminating enemy scouts to shield the battlefield is usually done to cover one's own large-scale military operations, it can basically be considered a prelude to a major battle between the two armies.

Although the Red Flag Battalion's cavalry had not yet crossed the border into Gaoyou Prefecture, the two cities of Yangzhou and Gaoyou were too close to each other, and the Grand Canal, which ran from north to south, provided a convenient route for transporting grain and supplies.

If the Zhang-Zhou regime could seize Gaoyou and covet Yangzhou, why couldn't the Red Flag Battalion, riding the momentum of its great victory over Yangzhou, sail up the Grand Canal and head straight for Gaoyou? The thought of this possibility made the civil and military officials of Zhang-Zhou, who knew the inside story, restless and unable to eat or sleep.

For a time, various suggestions and countermeasures filled Zhang Zhou's simple little "court".

There were some military generals who were out of touch with reality and only knew how to shout. They ignored the obvious difference in combat strength between the two sides and advocated to strike first and take advantage of the fact that the Red Flag Battalion had not yet established a firm foothold in Yangzhou to take the initiative to attack into its territory and "keep the enemy out of the country's gates."
Some more clear-headed generals, well aware of the disparity in combat strength between the two armies, advocated immediately consolidating their forces and focusing their defenses on Gaoyou City, attempting to wait for the enemy to tire themselves out and hoping to repel the enemy's attack with the city's strong defenses before making further plans.

Even worse, some were terrified by the rumors of the Red Flag Battalion's new weapons, which were said to be as loud as thunder and capable of collapsing city walls. They believed that Gaoyou City would surely fall and suggested retreating to Xinghua County, which had a dense network of rivers and more complex terrain, in order to take advantage of the water town to offset the enemy's advantage.

Among these people were also those with a rudimentary sense of "political power," who advocated resolving the issue through diplomatic channels and suggested that Zhang Shicheng send envoys to Jiangning to directly inquire about the Red Flag Battalion's intentions while solemnly declaring their own interests and demands.

This move, though seemingly tough, actually implies an attempt to appease Shishan in order to stabilize the current situation.

A very small number of Li Huafu's followers revived the old idea of ​​surrendering to the Yuan court, claiming that as long as the northern front was stabilized first, they could concentrate on dealing with the enemy in Yangzhou, and even try to "borrow" troops from the Yuan court to take back Yangzhou.

In several consecutive court assemblies, the civil and military officials argued and quarreled, their faces flushed, but they still couldn't come up with any constructive suggestions that could truly resolve the current crisis.

The noisy arguments made Zhang Shicheng's head throb, and a strange sense of irritation welled up in his heart. He suddenly realized that behind the seemingly glorious establishment of his country and his kingship, he was actually overwhelmed with troubles, far less carefree than when he was a salt smuggler, enjoying the pleasures of life.

In fact, he had long had a rather vague idea in his heart, and he also understood why his civil and military subordinates were incompetent.

When the difference in strength between opposing sides becomes too great, even if one has a thousand brilliant plans and ten thousand strategies, they all seem pale and powerless in the face of the enemy's absolute power, and the other side can easily overpower them with sheer force.

Surrender was absolutely out of the question. The Zhang-Zhou regime was a disorganized group pieced together from many different factions. They had even fought to the death over the issue of whether or not to accept the offer of amnesty, resulting in the death of Li Huafu, the then "second-in-command".

If he were to surrender so soon after establishing his own kingdom and becoming king, wouldn't Zhang Shicheng become a laughingstock among the heroes of the world?

Moreover, surrendering to the Yuan court now would undoubtedly be a way of reviving the spirit of the deceased Li Huafu, which would shake his position as the "leader".

Surrendering to Shishan, which had not yet declared itself a king, would be even more shameful.

However, engaging in a direct confrontation with the Red Flag Battalion would also be a path to certain death. Even if they captured all the troops in the country, drove away Fu Youde's detachment, and obtained the ruined city of Yangzhou, the Red Flag Battalion, with its strong foundation, could easily make a comeback.

In reality, this was simply impossible—the Red Flag Battalion could mobilize a large army from Jiangning, just across the river, at any time to relieve Yangzhou. Even the Zhenshuo Guard stationed in Yangzhou could easily defeat Zhang Zhou's army on its own.

The Zhang-Zhou regime, however, was different. Regardless of whether they won or lost this battle, they would inevitably be embroiled in an endless war of attrition with the Red Flag Battalion, making it difficult for them to expand outwards.

The ultimate result could only be the slow exhaustion of the people under its rule through this bottomless pit of consumption, and then its complete defeat under the combined strangulation of the Red Flag Battalion and the Yuan court.

After much deliberation, it seemed that only one way out remained—negotiation.

Zhang Shicheng was able to be a major salt smuggler for so many years, dealing with government officials, powerful figures, and all sorts of江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) characters. What kind of situation hadn't he seen?

He was not the kind of reckless man who could only stand firm and not yield. Deep down, he was actually able to accept the situation of sitting down and talking with Shishan, but he dared not rashly send an envoy to Jiangning City.

Because Zhang Shicheng had no idea what Shishan's intentions or schemes were in taking Yangzhou at this time.
Logically speaking, since the Red Flag Battalion has already captured Yangzhou, continuing north to attack Gaoyou Prefecture and then sweeping across the entire Huai'an Road, connecting the Huai'an East and Huai'an West base areas into one, would be in line with the strategic needs of contending for supremacy.

At the very least, if Zhang Shicheng were in Shishan's position, with such a huge advantage, he would never allow another power's so-called "capital" to exist right under his nose.

Given the enemy's strength and our weakness, and the unclear intentions of the other side, if the Zhang-Zhou regime were to send envoys to beg for mercy in a humble manner without even fighting a single battle, it would undoubtedly fall into an extremely passive strategic position, and in the future, it would probably only be able to be slaughtered by others.

Just when they were in a dilemma and extremely anxious, the arrival of Hu Weiyong, the envoy of the Red Flag Battalion, was like a timely rain, temporarily relieving Zhang Shicheng's predicament and allowing the Zhang and Zhou civil and military officials, who were in a state of great distress, to secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

—Hu Weiyong’s visit finally represents a clear stance from the Red Flag Battalion.

Whether it's representing Shishan to investigate Zhang Zhou's troops for unauthorized entry into Yangzhou and formally declare war, or initiating negotiations, it's like a light shining in the darkness, allowing people to see the outline ahead. It's much better than the previous state of blind speculation and self-inflicted panic.

Zhang Shicheng's core team consisted mostly of saltworks owners and local strongmen who had joined him in the early days of the uprising, and at this time they still carried a strong sense of rough and unruly behavior.

However, he had already established a kingdom and become king, and his subordinates were divided into civil and military ranks. He still had to follow the rules of conduct, so he could not act as impulsively as Fang Guozhen.

Therefore, he did not allow Hu Weiyong to have a direct audience at the beginning, but instead had Jiang Hui, the Vice Minister of State Affairs of Zhang Zhou, take charge of the initial contact.

Without Jiang Hui needing to probe further, Hu Weiyong frankly stated his purpose—he was sent by Marshal Shishan to discuss with the Zhang-Zhou regime the matter of "joining forces to resist the Yuan."

As for more specific details, he said that he needed to meet with "Prince Cheng" in person to discuss them in detail.

In order to deal with the sudden change in Yangzhou, Zhang Shicheng had to hastily withdraw his troops from Shanyang County, which he had besieged for a period of time. The long and arduous expedition had yielded no results (after looting), which was very demoralizing to the troops.

Now that the news of Yangzhou's change of hands has spread far and wide, the hearts of those within Zhang Zhou's regime, especially those soldiers who joined later and whose stance was not so firm, have begun to waver.

Otherwise, there wouldn't have been voices in the imperial court surrendering to the Yuan Dynasty.

For a newly emerging force like Zhang Shicheng's, confidence is often more important than actual strength. The longer the situation drags on, the more unsettled the morale within the ranks will become, and the more unfavorable the situation will become.

Knowing he couldn't afford to delay, Zhang Shicheng decided to formally receive the Red Flag Battalion envoy at a "court assembly" the day after Hu Weiyong arrived in Gaoyou.

The "royal palace" of the Zhang Zhou regime was not the original Gaoyou Prefecture government office, but a large mansion that was converted. The main hall was originally the owner's hall, but now that the internal partitions have been removed, it appears quite spacious.

Zhang Shicheng, dressed in an ochre-yellow royal robe, sat on a makeshift throne in the center of the north hall. Although he tried his best to maintain his dignity, a trace of fatigue and anxiety could not be hidden between his brows.

The civil and military officials on both sides were arranged according to their rank, with civil officials on the left and military officials on the right. Although their clothing was different and their ceremonial guards were somewhat simple and rough, they were trying to create a sense of "royal family" grandeur in order to intimidate the Red Flag Battalion envoy.

"Hu Weiyong, the clerk of the Red Flag Battalion Marshal's Office, has come to pay a visit to Prince Cheng on the orders of Marshal Shi!"

Hu Weiyong entered the hall, stood still, and bowed to Zhang Shicheng on the throne. His voice was clear and resonant, neither humble nor arrogant.

He deliberately used the word "pay a visit" to characterize this diplomatic activity, rather than "pay homage" or "meet with the emperor," which, strictly speaking, does not conform to the nominal hierarchy between the "king" and the "marshal" at this time.

However, the dozen or so civil and military officials of Zhang and Zhou who were lined up in the hall were all well aware of the huge gap in strength between the Red Flag Battalion and the Zhang and Zhou regime. Not one of them dared to stand up at this moment and rebuke Hu Weiyong for being "unruly" and "arrogant and rude".

Strength is the best diplomatic language, and this has never been the case throughout history!

However, in such a diplomatic setting where face is at stake, the other side cannot be allowed to maintain the upper hand indefinitely. A middle-aged man with a dark complexion and large hands stepped forward first; it was Xu Yi, the Left Chancellor of Zhang Zhou. He took the lead and asked directly:

"I heard that Hu Jingli came here to discuss the matter of our two tribes joining forces to resist the Yuan. Now that we have met with Prince Cheng, could you please explain the details of the agreement?"

Hu Weiyong did not directly answer Xu Yi's question. His gaze swept past Xu Yi, then looked at Zhang Zhou, the civil and military officials standing on either side of the hall, and finally settled on Zhang Shicheng on the throne. He spoke calmly:
"This humble official was given a seat when he paid homage before my Marshal Shi. I never expected that the customs of Huaidong would be so different from those of Huaixi?"

His words, though seemingly gentle, were actually a veiled criticism of Zhang Shicheng's hospitality, while subtly elevating Shishan's status.

Xu Yi, born into a family of salt-producing households, was one of the earliest brothers to follow Zhang Shicheng in his uprising. He was known for his straightforward and fiery temper, and had even commanded Zhang Shicheng's personal guard. Seeing Hu Weiyong, with such a minor "experience," dare to so readily question his status, Xu Yi's anger flared, and he couldn't help but retort sarcastically:
"Hmph! Your lord is only a marshal now, how can he be compared to our Prince Cheng—"

"All right!"

Seeing Hu Weiyong's composure, Zhang Shicheng knew that the man was quick-witted and sharp-tongued. He worried that the straightforward Xu Yi would suffer in the verbal exchange, thus diminishing his own side's morale. Therefore, he interrupted Xu Yi.

He was, after all, more pragmatic, and knew that the core purpose of meeting the envoy today was to resolve Zhang Zhou's imminent survival crisis, not to engage in a verbal dispute with the envoy from Shishan. He immediately waved his hand and said:
"It was my negligence. Someone, bring a seat for Hu Jingli!"

A guard brought in a chair and placed it in the hall. Hu Weiyong sat down calmly, immediately becoming the focus of attention for the officials on both sides.

This atmosphere was undoubtedly filled with immense pressure, but Hu Weiyong remained composed, seemingly oblivious. Once seated, Hu Weiyong took the initiative, looking directly at Zhang Shicheng again, and posed a rather pointed question:

"May I ask, Prince Cheng, is your resolve to rebel against the Yuan dynasty still firm?"

This is an extremely tricky question. Zhang Shicheng's current situation is no longer a matter of whether his anti-Yuan resolve is firm or not. Now that he has declared himself king and established his own regime, he has already severed ties with the Yuan court and has no way out.

However, Hu Weiyong's question was clearly loaded with meaning. If Zhang Shicheng, as the "Prince Cheng," were to rush into a statement, it would be a poor choice.

Unable to answer directly, he gave a wink to Jiang Hui, the Vice Minister of State Affairs.

Jiang Hui was one of the few under Zhang Shicheng who had some education and was quite shrewd. He immediately understood and took over the conversation, turning the tables on Hu Weiyong, saying:
"Our lord has raised the banner of righteousness, established a kingdom and proclaimed himself king. He is now irreconcilably opposed to the Mongol Yuan dynasty, and it will be a fight to the death! I have heard that your Marshal Shi had dealings with Mongol Yuan envoys last year and seemed to be willing to accept amnesty. I wonder what Marshal Shi's current resolve is in resisting the Yuan?"

Jiang Hui brought up the old issue again, directly pointing to the case of the several rounds of "peace talks" between Shishan and the Yuan Dynasty last year, in an attempt to regain some ground.

After Shishan's great victory over the Yuan army last year, he suddenly ceased his activities for several months, which was known throughout the land. During this period, the Yuan court even spread rumors that it was about to "recruit the Red Flag bandits" in order to stabilize the people's hearts in Jiangbei.

As a result of this incident, Yangzhou, which was originally sparsely armed, suddenly gained a lot of troops, which enabled it to continuously besiege Zhang Shicheng, who had just started his rebellion. This almost caused Zhang Shicheng to fail in his campaign and led to the failure of Zhang and Zhou's army in their first attack on Yangzhou, putting them in a strategically passive position.

Jiang Hui's mention of this matter at this moment implies that he is criticizing Shi Shan for his wavering stance against the Yuan Dynasty, and even for stabbing the anti-Yuan rebels in the back.

Hu Weiyong joined Shishan relatively late, by which time the Red Flag Battalion was already preparing to cross the river. He knew about the Red Flag Battalion's peace talks with the Yuan court, but he wasn't entirely clear on the details. He was also full of confidence in the Red Flag Battalion's current situation and future, so he had no qualms about the question and calmly replied:
"Counselor Jiang is mistaken. My Marshal uses the red flag as his symbol to unite all the heroes in the world who are willing to shed blood for the great cause of expelling the enemy and restoring the Han."

His voice rose slightly as he surveyed the crowd in the hall and said:

"Since Prince Cheng has made up his mind to resist the Yuan Dynasty and is irreconcilably opposed to the Mongol Yuan, then our two sides have a foundation for cooperation to jointly resist this powerful enemy. Today, I have come to discuss this matter of joining hands to resist the Yuan!"

Hu Weiyong's words cleverly gloss over the old story of Shishan's "peace talks" with the Yuan court, and instead emphasize the theme of "joining hands to resist the Yuan". He also subtly placed Shishan in a higher position as "leading the masses to resist the Yuan", once again overshadowing Zhang Shicheng in terms of momentum.

Upon hearing this, most of the civil and military officials in the hall showed resentment, feeling that Hu Weiyong's words were too aggressive. Shi Wenbing, the Associate Privy Councilor of the Zhang-Zhou regime, could not contain himself and stepped forward, speaking with a questioning tone:
"Since Marshal Shi claims to be uniting heroes from all over the world to resist the Yuan, why did he seize this city while our army was marching north, knowing that our army had fought hard to attack Yangzhou? Is this the way to join forces to resist the Yuan?"

Jiang Hui questioned Shi Shan's determination to resist the Yuan Dynasty, while Shi Wenbing directly accused the Red Flag Battalion of being unjust in seizing territory. Both of them aimed to morally belittle the other party and seize the initiative in the negotiations.

"That's wrong!"

After a brief exchange with Xu Yi, Jiang Hui, and Shi Wenbing, Hu Weiyong had a general understanding of the inner workings of Zhang Zhou's high-ranking officials, both civil and military, which bolstered his confidence. He had only previously met Jiang Hui and was unaware of Shi Wenbing's name and official rank, nor did he wish to inquire further. He immediately retorted:

"My marshal raised an army in Huaixi long before Prince Cheng! In just a few years, he repeatedly defeated hundreds of thousands of Yuan troops, greatly weakening the Mongol Yuan forces in Huainan, Henan, and the Jiangzhe province, keeping them busy and unable to attend to everything!"

His gaze swept over Shi Wenbing and the others, and he said loudly:
"Tell me, if my marshal had not tied down the main force of the Yuan army in Huaixi, leaving the defenses of various places in Huaidong vulnerable, how could Prince Cheng have taken advantage of the situation, launched his rebellion at Baijuchang, and then secretly marched hundreds of miles to successfully capture Taizhou, which is right next to Yangzhou? And then he was able to capture such an important place as Gaoyou?"

One of the most important external factors that led Zhang Shicheng to choose that time to launch his rebellion was that Shi Shan had won the Battle of Xuzhou. To prevent Shi Shan from taking advantage of the situation to expand, the Huainan Province transferred a large number of troops stationed in Huaidong and salt workers to the western front, resulting in a sharp reduction in local defense forces.

This was an undeniable fact. Shi Wenbing opened his mouth, but was speechless for a moment.

Hu Weiyong pressed his advantage, his voice growing louder and his tone more composed, saying:
"As for Yangzhou, last spring, our Red Flag Battalion had already stormed into Yangzhou Road and captured three counties in Chuzhou. Shortly afterward, our vanguard captured Liuhe County, and our advance was aimed directly at Yangzhou! And then—"

In early October of last year, Shi Shan, in an attempt to coerce the Yuan court into making significant concessions, ordered Fu Youde to lead the Zhenshuo Guard eastward to Liuhe. The Huainan Province again dispatched troops from Huaidong to reinforce the western front. In mid-October, Zhang Shicheng seized the opportunity to launch his rebellion.

This can hardly be described as anything but "coincidental." Hu Weiyong deliberately emphasized the word "soon" to highlight the logical relationship between the Red Flag Battalion's advance into Liuhe, which forced the Yuan army in Huainan to redeploy troops, and Zhang Shicheng's uprising.

"Upon learning that Prince Cheng had already raised an army and captured Taizhou, and to avoid a conflict between the two forces over Yangzhou, the Red Flag Battalion voluntarily halted its eastward advance. This was a move made in consideration of the overall situation of resisting the Yuan!"

Hu Weiyong paused, looked at Shi Wenbing whose expression was changing, and continued:

"Unexpectedly, several months have passed, and our main force has already crossed the river and captured Taiping Prefecture and Yingtian Prefecture, and taken Zhenjiang. However, Prince Cheng has been besieging Yangzhou for a long time without success, and can only turn to the north to seek a breakthrough."

In addition, the Yuan army in Yangzhou has been making frequent unusual movements recently, seemingly indicating a counterattack.

Marshal Shi, with his foresight, worried about unrest in Huainan that could endanger Prince Cheng's rear. To stabilize the situation and deter the Yuan army, he had no choice but to order General Fu Youde to lead a detachment eastward, easily capturing Zhenzhou and Yangzhou. This not only eliminated the potential threat of the Yuan army to Gaoyou but also strengthened the anti-Yuan defense line in eastern Huainan!

Hu Weiyong's words transformed the Red Flag Battalion's capture of Yangzhou into a righteous act of necessity for the "overall situation of resisting the Yuan" and "stabilizing the rear of friendly forces," which greatly helped Zhang Shicheng.

The tough nut that Zhang and Zhou's main forces couldn't crack even with their best efforts became the target of the Red Flag Battalion's "easy capture" in Hu Weiyong's words. The comparison of strength and the subtext behind this are self-evident.

This was also the source of his confidence to take the initiative. Hu Weiyong's gaze swept over Zhang, Zhou, and their ministers, finally returning to Zhang Shicheng's face, and he said firmly:
"The Mongol Yuan dynasty is tyrannical, and heroes from all over the world unite to attack it! Yangzhou is located at the border between our two tribes, and it should belong to the virtuous and capable. The Red Flag Battalion ceded Yangzhou first, and your tribe could not take it. Afterwards, our army advanced eastward with a detachment, and your tribe never sent an envoy to negotiate the ownership of Yangzhou with our army."

If that's the case, why wait until our army, for the sake of the overall situation and our allies, has captured the city before questioning why our army 'seized the city'? What kind of logic is that?"

Hu Weiyong's words were well-reasoned and powerful, completely refuting Shi Wenbing's accusations.

Shi Wenbing's face was flushed, his chest heaving violently, but he was speechless and couldn't utter a word for a long time.

Zhang Shicheng sat on the throne, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest. How could he not see through Hu Weiyong's clever rhetoric? The other party was clearly feigning innocence after gaining an advantage. But Hu Weiyong's words were difficult to refute directly in terms of time and logic.

In particular, the fact that the other party pointed out that Zhang Zhou had never had any formal negotiations with the Red Flag Battalion regarding the ownership of Yangzhou hit the nail on the head.

He had considered communicating with Shishan before, but Fu Youde's advance was too fast. He hadn't even received news of the Red Flag Battalion's advance into Zhenzhou while he was in Gaoyou, and the Zhenshuo Guard's advance had already reached the gates of Yangzhou.

The enemy has already besieged the city, and you're trying to persuade them to retreat?
At this moment, listening to Hu Weiyong's eloquent speech, Zhang Shicheng's feeling that "Shishan is secretly manipulating the situation in Huainan" grew stronger. From the timing of his uprising to the space for development, and now the change of Yangzhou, he seemed to always be one step behind his opponent and controlled at every turn.

But this was just his intuition; he couldn't provide any solid evidence, and he dared not analyze or discuss it with anyone.

On the contrary, according to Hu Weiyong's account, his development since raising an army seems to have been benefiting from Shishan's influence. Even now that Yangzhou has been captured, he has to "thank" the other party for "stabilizing his rear" and "removing the threat".

Circumstances dictate actions. Zhang Shicheng felt a pang of sadness, realizing that Yangzhou, swallowed up by the Red Flag Battalion, could never be reclaimed.

He was quite decisive; knowing the situation was hopeless, he stopped dwelling on it. The most urgent task was to find out the true intentions of the Shishan envoy and whether he truly intended to "join hands against the Yuan" as he claimed.

Zhang Shicheng coughed lightly, stopping Situ Li Bosheng from arguing further, and then made the decision:
"Alright! There's no need to discuss Yangzhou any further! Since this city was captured by the Red Flag Battalion soldiers through bloodshed, it naturally belongs to Marshal Shi. From now on, no one in Zhangzhou shall linger on this matter!"

This sentence brought the dispute to an end. The final ownership of Yangzhou ultimately depended on the balance of power between the two sides.

If we don't have the strength to fight now, we can only accept it. If Shishan is ever surrounded by the Yuan army and can hardly protect itself, Zhang Shicheng will also be eager to take Yangzhou to help him "stabilize his rear" and "eliminate the threat".

The hall fell silent. Zhang Shicheng turned his gaze to Hu Weiyong, his tone softening, and asked with a hint of inquiry:
"Our two ministries have different structures and ideologies. I wonder how Marshal Shi plans to 'join hands' with me to resist the tyrannical Yuan?"

Seeing that Zhang Shicheng had steered the conversation back on track, Hu Weiyong knew the time was right and, following Shishan's prior instructions, answered clearly:
"Reporting to Prince Cheng, Marshal Shi's intention is to join hands in resisting the Yuan, and sincerity is paramount. We should rely on each other, fight side by side, and share resources to strengthen our combined efforts against the Yuan!"

"Supporting each other from behind, fighting side by side"?
Zhang Shicheng shook his head inwardly. Leaving aside the conflict between their ideologies and long-term goals, how could they possibly achieve genuine military cooperation given their current state of mutual distrust and distrust?
The first part of his statement sounded more like unrealistic empty talk and a gesture. He exchanged glances with several core civil and military officials in the hall, and they all saw the same view in each other's eyes.

Zhang Zhou and his entourage of civil and military officials naturally focused their attention on the second half of the sentence, "exchanging what they have and what they lack."

Taizhou, Gaoyou Prefecture and other places have a considerable population, so expanding the army is easy. However, the biggest shortcoming is the severe lack of food and supplies to sustain long-term warfare, as well as iron and fine weapons needed to equip the army.

This directly resulted in Zhang Zhou's army having a large number of troops, but its ability to attack fortified positions and sustain combat was quite limited.

As the Prime Minister, Li Xingsu had been worrying about this matter every day, and at this moment, he almost blurted out:

"Exchange of goods? But I didn't know... that essential supplies such as food and weapons could also be included?"

All eyes in the hall instantly focused on Hu Weiyong again, holding their breath and awaiting his answer. Most people expected that even if he agreed, he would impose many harsh conditions, or only provide a small amount of supplies as a token.

However, to everyone's surprise, Hu Weiyong answered with unusual ease, almost without the slightest hesitation:

"Indeed! Food, military equipment, and even salt and iron can all be negotiated and exchanged!"

Upon hearing this, a subtle commotion and gasps rippled through the hall. Most of Zhang Zhou's civil and military officials wore expressions of surprise and disbelief. A stable supply of provisions and weaponry would undoubtedly be a powerful boost to Zhang Zhou's struggling regime!

Li Xingsu suppressed his excitement and pressed for an answer:
"But we don't know... what specific rules Marshal Shi has for this 'exchange of goods'? How will they be exchanged, and what will the proportions be?"

Li Xingsu was seated at the head of the left column; his position alone revealed his status. Hu Weiyong, knowing the fish had taken the bait, smiled and rose, bowing once more to Zhang Shicheng on the throne, and calmly said:
"What Prime Minister Li asked about were all specific details concerning the cooperation between the two ministries, which are of great importance. I am of low rank and my words are insignificant. Such matters of military and national importance are certainly not something I can decide on my own."

He then changed the subject, conveying Marshal Shi's invitation, and said:
"It is impolite not to reciprocate. Now that our two ministries have formally made contact, it is the perfect time for us to communicate more at the beginning of our diplomatic relations. If Your Highness is truly sincere in deepening cooperation and exchanging resources, why not send a senior official to accompany me back to Jiangning to discuss this in person?"

(End of this chapter)