Sweep Yuan

Chapter 277 Pingjiang Changes Hands: The Demeanor of the Gentry

In late July, the night in Jiangnan was as still as water, carrying a hint of early autumn coolness, yet it could not quell the chilling atmosphere permeating the battlefield. Outside the Lou Gate of Pingjiang City, the Lou River murmured, its sound mingling with the faint bugle calls echoing from the distant city walls, further emphasizing the stillness of the night.

Wearing a tight-fitting dark-colored water jacket, Dao Yan personally led more than ten Red Flag Battalion warriors with excellent swimming skills, taking advantage of the hazy moonlight and the reeds on the shore, and stealthily approached Loumen Water Gate like ghosts.

The underwater world was murky, dark, and cold. The group could only rely on their sense of touch and the faint light from the fires within the city to grope their way through the slippery stone foundations covered with moss and algae.

Fortunately, it didn't take long for Dao Yan to find the crucial loose foundation stone, relying on his childhood memories and keen senses. However, the actual situation was more complicated than he had anticipated.

The main body of the stone slab was exceptionally heavy, like a sleeping underwater behemoth, pressing firmly onto the riverbed. They could only start with the broken edges of the slab, using short-handled shovels and crowbars to slowly dig out the silt and broken pebbles washed in by the water.

This was a clandestine operation right under the enemy's nose, requiring extreme caution in every movement to avoid creating excessive ripples or noise on the water's surface. The lack of specialized underwater tools made progress exceptionally slow.

The icy river water constantly took away their body heat, and in the darkness they could only rely on their companions to pull ropes to transmit simple signals.

They worked for almost the entire second half of the night, until the eastern sky began to lighten. Everyone was exhausted and their teeth were chattering, but the results were minimal. They had only cleared a small area, and the main body of the remaining stone slabs remained untouched.

Dao Yan dragged his mud-covered body back to the camp, exhausted. Without taking a break, he immediately used the dim light of the oil lamp to sketch and calculate the required amount of work on paper with trembling hands.

The workload far exceeded expectations; at the current speed and method, three days would definitely not be enough. A sense of frustration welled up in his heart, but Dao Yan forcibly suppressed it. He knew that he absolutely could not back down now.

As dawn broke, Daoyan steeled himself and requested an audience with Shishan once more.

He reported the difficulties of the nighttime work and the recalculated workload without any concealment, and pleaded:

"Marshal, it is not that I am afraid of difficulties, but the underwater conditions are far more complex than anticipated. I humbly request that you send more strong men who are skilled in swimming to take turns, so as to reduce the time spent in the water each time and conserve their strength and focus."

I request that skilled craftsmen accompanying the army be dispatched immediately to forge, based on the drawings I have provided, unusual tools specifically designed for underwater rock prying and silt removal. In this way, success may be within reach.”

Upon hearing this, Shi Shan showed no anger on his face, but rather a hint of understanding.

He had never placed all his hopes for breaching the city on this surprise attack; the three-day agreement was something Dao Yan himself had proposed. Now, seeing that Dao Yan, despite his setback, remained clear-headed, dared to confront difficulties, and offered practical solutions, he felt even more admiration for him.

"allow!"

Shi Shan waved his hand and said:
"We will provide you with all the manpower, craftsmen, and materials you need. Go ahead and do it. Don't be too demanding about deadlines. Safety first, and prudence is paramount."

After appeasing Dao Yan, Shi Shan's main focus remained on stabilizing the overall situation.

He knew that conquering cities was inferior to winning hearts and minds. Only by consolidating his foundation and winning people's hearts could he truly take root in the prosperous land of northern Zhejiang.

In the past few days, Shi Shan has been visiting various garrison camps to reward the soldiers, boost morale, and personally coordinate and supervise the construction of siege equipment to support Chang Yuchun. At the same time, he has devoted more attention to meeting with prominent figures from all over Pingjiang Road, paving the way for a smooth takeover of the area in the future.

During this period, he first summoned Shi Wenbin, the former prefect of Kunshan Prefecture during the Mongol Yuan Dynasty.

It must be said that every large clan with a well-established lineage has its own distinct wisdom for survival. The "clan tradition" of the Shi clan in Zhenjiang is "to be pragmatic and know when to advance and retreat."

When Shi Wenbin met his cousin Shi Xiang, who had come all the way from Zhenjiang, while under house arrest, he realized that the future of the Shi family was now firmly tied to Marshal Shi. Any so-called integrity of "a loyal minister does not serve two masters" seemed pale and powerless in the face of the survival of the clan.

Without Shi Xiang needing to speak, he sighed and accepted his fate. That same day, he composed himself and, together with Gu Ying, another influential local gentry, headed to the Red Flag Battalion Marshal's headquarters outside Pingjiang City.

During his tenure in Kunshan Prefecture, Shi Wenbin achieved remarkable political success: he encouraged agriculture and sericulture, equitized corvée labor, and was able to quickly organize the restoration of production after Fang Guozhen's pirate raids; he promoted education and increased the number of students, earning him high praise from both scholars and ordinary people.

Shishan plans to temporarily station the East China Sea Fleet at the strategically advantageous Liujiagang, with Kunshan Prefecture serving as its rear support; therefore, the city's defenses must be rebuilt. Having a respected and familiar local official like Shi Wenbin oversee the project will undoubtedly reduce resistance and expedite its progress.

Therefore, after Shi Wenbin adopted a humble attitude and clearly expressed his willingness to serve the new regime, Shi Shan went along with it, offered some gentle encouragement, and ordered him to return to his original position and take charge of the overall situation in Kunshan.

Although Gu Ying, who came with Shi Wenbin, did not have an official position appointed by the Yuan court, his reputation among scholars was more prominent than Shi Wenbin's because of the "Yushan Thatched Cottage" he built in his hometown of Jiexi, Kunshan, and the "Yushan Gathering" he held continuously. His influence has been remembered by later generations.

The Gu family of Kunshan rose to prominence through Gu Ying's grandfather, Gu Wenchuan, who served as the third-rank official in Huaimeng Road (lower route). He was also skilled in "property management" and was already extremely wealthy before retiring from officialdom. Later, he moved his entire family to Jiexi to settle down.

Gu Ying was born in the third year of the Yuan Dynasty's Zhida era (1310 AD). With the vast network of connections and substantial capital accumulated by his ancestors, he began to dominate the business world at the age of sixteen and became one of the most prominent business tycoons in Pingjiang Road in less than ten years.

But after achieving both fame and fortune, he chose to return to Kunshan, where he was generous with his money and hospitable. He began to study diligently at the age of thirty and became famous for his poetry and prose.

When he reached middle age, he built the "Yushan Thatched Cottage," which included more than thirty gardens, ponds, pavilions, and halls. He collected antiques and bronzes, and based on this, he exchanged poetry and literature and held elegant gatherings for a long time.

He not only invited scholars but also accommodated monks and Taoists, becoming a prominent figure in the cultural salons of the southeast region, and his reputation spread far and wide.

Such a high-profile figure, possessing immense prestige and wealth, naturally attracted the attention of the Yuan government, which was desperately short of funds. As early as four years ago, the Jiangzhe Province, under the pretext of defending against Fang Guozhen's local unrest, recruited Gu Ying as the judge of Kunshan Prefecture.

Unable to refuse, Gu Ying had no choice but to let his nephew Gu Liangzuo take the position in his place, while he himself funded the reconstruction of the Kunshan City God Temple to show his "contribution".

This year, in response to the threat posed by the Red Flag Battalion, Qing Tong again forced Gu Ying to participate in military coordination under the guise of a commoner. After Xu Da captured Liujiagang, Manzi Haiya urgently ordered Gu Ying to lead the local militia to garrison the western gate of Kunshan.

But before Gu Ying could reorganize her troops, Xu Da swiftly captured Kunshan. Gu Ying and the others dared not confront the Red Flag Battalion, nor did they dare disband their local militia without authorization, giving Xu Da a handle to use against them. They had no choice but to take the initiative to negotiate with Xu Da, expressing their willingness to "assist the righteous army in protecting the territory and ensuring the safety of the people."

Xu Da was eager to attack Jiading and did not want to cause any trouble, so he incorporated this local militia and let Gu Ying and other prominent figures go home.

Shi Shan's initial intention in "inviting" Gu Ying to come was to appease him and stabilize the hearts of the gentry in Kunshan and even Pingjiang Road.

Although he was willing to guide China toward a brighter future, he was well aware of the diversity and complexity of thought and culture, and never thought of using brutal means to ban folk gatherings and unify the world's discourse. He had no inherent malice toward gentry like Gu Ying who supported cultural activities with their own financial resources.

But from Gu Ying's perspective, the feeling was completely different—the Red Flag Battalion was fighting a fierce battle with the main force of the Yuan army under the city of Pingjiang, and the outcome was still uncertain. Shi Shan, as the commander-in-chief, was in such a hurry to summon a famous scholar like himself at this time. How could his intentions be simple?

They were simply after his reputation and wealth, and wanted to forcibly conscript him, even confiscating his property to fund the army.

In those chaotic times, he had heard far too many stories like this.

If this is the case with government troops, what about the rebellious "righteous army"?
Therefore, when Gu Ying was led into the commander's tent and met Shi Shan, he deliberately appeared in a brand-new monk's robe and with a shaved head that was clearly newly shaved and still showing stubble. He bowed and introduced himself as:
"Jin Su Daoist greets Marshal Shi!"

"Jin Su" originates from the name of Vimalakirti (the predecessor of Jin Su Tathagata) in Buddhist legend, reflecting Gu Ying's stance of practicing Buddhism as a lay Buddhist; while the title "Dao Ren" reveals his admiration for Daoist thought.

Gu Ying's attire and self-proclaimed identity undoubtedly conveyed a clear message: I have seen through the illusions of the world, entered the Buddhist order, and no longer concern myself with worldly affairs. I only seek a peaceful life of cultivation. I beg the Marshal to be merciful and let me go!

Shishan's knowledge of Buddhism and Taoism was superficial, and he didn't know the origin of this strange name. But his eyes were sharp, and he immediately saw the panic and probing hidden behind Gu Ying's incongruous monk's robe and brand-new bald head.

The difference in the scholarly atmosphere between Jiangbei and Jiangnan is truly enormous.

In Jiangbei, when faced with recruitment by rebel leaders, gentry would either readily agree or decisively flee. If they couldn't escape, they would clearly refuse. Few would engage in this kind of "performance art" of temporarily shaving their heads and becoming monks in order to avoid disaster.

After all, with a bunch of genuine monks and Taoist priests under his command rebelling, how could Gu Ying, a fake monk who had only temporarily sought refuge in Buddhism, possibly escape unscathed?
Shi Shan had raised an army in Jiangbei and fought his way here. This was the first time he had encountered such a situation, so he had overlooked this detail. Now, seeing Gu Ying's bald head, he suddenly realized what had happened and couldn't help but find it a little funny. This Gu Zhongying was far too cautious, and also far too... naive.

He remained calm and didn't expose Gu Ying's intentions. Instead, he gave her face and asked in a peaceful tone:

"Lord Zhongying (Gu Ying's courtesy name), were you disturbed by the previous battle at Kunshan?"

Seeing Shi Shan's gentle attitude, Gu Ying felt somewhat relieved, but her vigilance remained undiminished, and she continued to handle the situation with caution.
"Marshal, I am deeply grateful for your kindness. Your troops are disciplined and do not harm the gentry or the common people. I am deeply grateful for General Xu's virtue in protecting the territory and the people. I have donated a thousand bushels of rice to express my gratitude to the troops and to do my part."

During major wars, local powerful clans, seeking peace, would typically "voluntarily" offer supplies to the troops when faced with a strong army.

Gu Ying's actions were not too outrageous. He specifically mentioned "a thousand shi" (a unit of grain) to reward the troops, which was both to show his cooperative attitude and to imply that he had already "spent money" and hoped that the other party would be satisfied and let it go.

In fact, this grain was originally intended to support the local militia in Kunshan. Even if the Yuan court investigated it later, Gu Ying would have room to maneuver.

The Red Flag Battalion was known for its strict discipline. All units had unified financial and logistical support, and income and expenditure were governed by regulations. Large sums of supplies for the troops were all registered and recorded. Xu Da dared not conceal this and had already reported it in the battle report. Shi Shan naturally knew this; he nodded and said:
"Tiande (Xu Da's courtesy name) has already reported this matter. Lord Zhongying is very understanding and righteous. I, Shi, thank you!"

Seeing Gu Ying's caution, he knew that her prejudice was deep-seated and could not be resolved by a few empty words of comfort. So he simply made his point clear to prevent her from making an unwise move due to misjudging the situation.

"Shi Wenbin has been retained as the prefect of Kunshan, stabilizing the region. Your nephew, Gu Liangzuo, has performed admirably and diligently in his duties. I intend to transfer him to the position of judge in Tongzhou, and I hope that Lord Zhongying will continue to give his full support!"

Gu Liangzuo's previous achievements during his tenure were inseparable from the strong support of the Gu clan in terms of manpower and financial resources.

Of course, as a powerful local family, the Gu family had relatives who could provide support in official circles, so their local businesses naturally benefited greatly.

The subtext of Shi Shan's words was crystal clear: everything would remain the same! The Red Flag Battalion would not deliberately target the Gu family of Kunshan. Just as you cooperated with the Yuan court to maintain local stability before, you should cooperate with the Red Flag Battalion in the same way in the future.

As long as the new dynasty's laws are followed and the new policies are supported, the Gu family's interests and status can still be preserved.

When Gu Liangzuo was transferred to Tongzhou, it was certainly not as convenient for him to take care of his clan as it was in Kunshan.

Gu Ying, who had studied literature since the age of thirty, was already renowned throughout Wu County. His intelligence was undeniable, and he immediately understood Shi Shan's promises and conditions. Sacrificing some direct interests in Kunshan in exchange for the safety of his clan and even opportunities for advancement in the new dynasty. More importantly, Shi Shan didn't seem to be forcing him to personally serve in the government, thus avoiding the stigma of being labeled a "military official" or a "rebel." A great weight was lifted from his heart, and he quickly bowed, his tone becoming much more sincere:

"We are deeply grateful for the Marshal's kindness! We will certainly restrain our clan from overstepping our bounds, fully support the new policies of the righteous army, and live up to the Marshal's trust!"

Shi Shan knew that during the conquest of the world, the strategy for dealing with the gentry and powerful families who controlled a large amount of social resources had to be flexible. Some were won over, some were suppressed, but the main thing was to maintain a middle ground like Gu Ying's, where there was "cooperation but not complete integration".

As long as they do not actively resist, are willing to pay taxes, and do not hinder the social reforms of the Red Flag Camp, he can grant them some space to survive. As for the position of judge in Tongzhou that he promised to Gu Liangzuo, although it cannot be fulfilled at present because Tongzhou has not yet been captured, it will not take too long.

After signing an alliance with Zhang Shicheng's regime, Fu Youde led the main force of Zhenshuo Guard eastward, advancing towards Taixing County, which was located south of Hailing County (Zhang Shicheng's controlled area).

This place was originally heavily fortified by the Huainan Province to prevent Zhang Shicheng from crossing the Yangtze River and advancing south, but after several wars of attrition, the defending forces are nearly exhausted.

Furthermore, with the provincial capital Yangzhou already under different control, the Taixing garrison was caught between the Red Flag Battalion and the Zhang-Zhou regime, seeing no hope whatsoever, and their morale had long since collapsed.

As soon as Fu Youde's army arrived at the city, after a little persuasion, Zhai Shan, the magistrate of Taixing County, and Zhang Cheng, the commander of a thousand households, wisely opened the city gates and surrendered.

After a brief rest in Taixing, Zhenshuowei continued its eastward advance and had already surrounded Jinghai County, the seat of Tongzhou, three days ago. The capture of the city is imminent.

On Pingjiang Road, after witnessing Gu Ying's excessive caution, Shi Shan refrained from receiving large-scale meetings with local scholars again, lest it arouse unnecessary suspicion and panic.

He focused more on the front lines: boosting the morale of his troops, personally inspecting the progress of siege weapon manufacturing, and properly appeasing the surrendered Yuan generals and local strongmen, gradually bringing them under his control.

After receiving the latest orders from Shishan, Xu Da led his troops south, his forces aimed directly at Wujiang Prefecture. This place is located between Pingjiang, Jiaxing, Huzhou, and Songjiang, with a complex water system. It is the last passage for the Pingjiang garrison to obtain external reinforcements and must be cut off as soon as possible.

Chang Yuchun was stationed at the main battlefield west of Pingjiang City, where he supervised the construction of siege equipment and continuously organized troops to launch probing attacks on various sections of the Pingjiang city wall.

This move was intended to clear out the auxiliary defensive facilities outside the city, such as the sheep and horse walls and horse traps, as well as to exhaust the defending troops and demoralize them. At the same time, it served as training to allow the newly recruited local strongmen and surrendered soldiers to quickly become familiar with the Red Flag Battalion's tactics and integrate into the system.

After two more days of intense preparations, good news arrived from the north:

After days of bloody fighting, Hu Dahai's Bashan Left Guard finally captured Changshu City!

Although Changshu City is far smaller than Pingjiang City, its defense system is quite unique, with a total of eleven city gates, both land and water, making it complex, easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Chang Yuchun initially sent Hu Dahai with 6,000 troops, mainly to contain the Changshu garrison and prevent them from moving south to support Pingjiang, without expecting them to quickly break through the city.

However, Hu Dahai was a flexible strategist. After several probing attacks, he keenly discovered the weaknesses in the Yuan army's defenses and believed that there was an opportunity to exploit. Therefore, he decisively adjusted his deployment, personally went to the front line to supervise the battle, and launched a fierce attack.

Ultimately, Zhou Xianyong, one of his commanders, was unstoppable. He was the first to scale the city walls, creating a breach, and his army swarmed in, capturing Changshu in one fell swoop.

Almost on the same evening that the good news came from Changshu, Daoyan also finally made a breakthrough.

After adding manpower and using specially made long-handled crowbars, iron hooks and other tools, and after three nights of continuous secret work, they finally managed to dig out a "submersible channel" that could be passed by a single person diving, next to the heavy foundation stone slabs underwater in Loumen, by using the water flow and the existing gaps!
Upon hearing the news, Shi Shan's spirits soared. The time was ripe to breach the city.

The following day, at dawn, the four main guards of the Red Flag Battalion—the Moon-Holding Guard, the Sun-Supporting Left Guard, the Army-Supporting Guard, and the Mighty Guard—along with the newly recruited strongmen's armed forces and surrendered soldiers who had already completed preliminary training, totaling more than 60,000 men, formed a solemn formation on the vast plains outside Pingjiang City.

Banners filled the sky, and swords and spears gleamed like a forest in the rising sun, their cold light sending chills down one's spine.

Hundreds of siege weapons of all kinds, which had been hastily built over the past few days—the towering Lu Gong chariots, the sturdy shield chariots, the wide trench bridges, the dense array of cloud ladders, and dozens of dark cannons—were slowly pushed to the front of the battle line, radiating an invisible but enormous pressure.

When the Yuan army commander, Manzi Haiya, ascended the city wall and saw the overwhelming and murderous aura outside the city, his expression instantly became extremely solemn.

He knew that the moment of truth had arrived, and that the fate of Pingjiang City and even himself had been decided. With a hoarse voice, he gave orders to his generals and promised unprecedented rewards, attempting to motivate the defenders to withstand this most dangerous first wave of the general offensive.

Shishan set his main attack on the south city wall, still using the classic tactic of "surrounding three sides and leaving one open," using the east and west sides as feints to attract and disperse the defending forces.

In the north, especially towards Loumen, only a small number of elite troops were deployed, remaining inactive and seemingly monitoring the Yuan army's movements to prevent a sudden counterattack from leaving the city, but in reality, they were preparing for an impending surprise attack.

The siege and defense of such a super-large city is significantly different from that of a small city, and there will be no chaotic, swarming human wave tactics.

At the start of the battle, the Red Flag Battalion opened with the roar of artillery, heavy shells whistling as they pounded the battlements and watchtowers, suppressing the defenders' long-range counterattacks.

Immediately afterwards, a large number of archers approached the city wall under the cover of shield wagons and fired a rain of arrows upwards to further clear the city wall.

Under their cover, various siege weapons, amidst the deafening sounds of war drums and horns, slowly approached the city walls like moving fortresses.

The troops preparing to attack the city were divided into several waves, like a surging tide, taking turns to assault the city walls, continuously putting enormous pressure on the defenders, and searching for and creating a breakthrough.

The battle that morning was fierce. Arrows flew from the city walls, and the Yuan army suffered heavy casualties. Meanwhile, logs and stones rained down, and boiling oil and molten metal poured down. The screams, the clash of weapons, and the deafening sounds of war drums and horns filled the air.

Since both sides still have relatively sufficient troops and are able to withdraw their heavily wounded units in time and replace them with fresh troops, the morale level at this moment cannot completely determine the outcome of the battle.

But as time went on and the fierce battle continued into the afternoon, the advantages of the Red Flag Battalion's strong forces and ample reserves began to show.

They could launch relentless and fierce attacks, one wave retreating only to be followed by another, their offensive almost never ceasing. Meanwhile, the defending troops, after repeated rotations and attrition, began to suffer a rapid decline in physical strength and energy.

The defenders on the city walls were finding it increasingly difficult to cope, and gaps in their defenses began to appear frequently. The barbarian Hague had to repeatedly send his precious reserves to various critical locations, leaving him exhausted.

Shi Shan had already given a death order: the army would not withdraw until the city was breached.

Each guard and supply battalion will deliver prepared rations and drinking water, as well as hot meat soup at noon, directly to the soldiers rotating off the front lines, so that they can quickly replenish their strength and prepare for the next round of fighting.

Around 3 PM, several fierce soldiers of the Qingri Left Guard finally managed to scale the southern city wall using ladders during a brief moment of chaos among the defenders. However, they were quickly overtaken by the swarming Yuan army reserves.

But this was undoubtedly a strong signal—the defenders' physical and mental strength were nearing their limits, and major mistakes were beginning to occur.

Dao Yan had been leading his men in underwater operations for days, leaving him physically and mentally exhausted. He only managed to get two hours of sleep in the camp before being awakened by the deafening shouts of battle and the continuous roar of cannons outside.

Unable to sleep any longer, he got up and went straight to the vicinity of the central army to watch the battle.

From afar, one could see Shishan standing atop the highest watchtower, holding a monocular telescope, his gaze calmly sweeping across the entire battlefield, yet he rarely uttered any specific commands.

—In a large-scale battle of this scale, the responsibility of the commander-in-chief of the entire army lies more in grasping the overall situation and making decisions at critical moments, while specific tactical command has been completely handed over to Chang Yuchun and others at the front.

On a slightly lower command post in front of the rocky hill, Chang Yuchun, like a tireless war god, continuously issued concise and clear orders based on the battle situation reported back from various locations.

The flag bearers beside him quickly translated these commands into flag signals of different colors and shapes, mobilizing tens of thousands of troops as if they were his own arms, launching wave after wave of attacks.

Looking at the grand scene of war, Dao Yan was both shocked and worried.

He worried that the Red Flag Battalion's fighting strength was too fierce, and if they managed to breach the city wall from the front before nightfall, wouldn't all his hard work and great risks in digging the "underwater canal" at Loumen be in vain?
Even if the marshal remembers his merits after the war, they will probably be greatly diminished.

Meanwhile, in Pingjiang City, the barbarian Haiya prayed desperately for night to fall.

He hoped that the Red Flag Battalion, which had been attacking fiercely all day, would cease fire at night, giving the already exhausted and heavily wounded defenders a precious respite to recover some strength and morale in preparation for tomorrow's battle.

However, Ishiyama's determination far exceeded his expectations.

As darkness fell, Shi Shan not only did not order a retreat, but instead sent out orders to light countless bonfires at a safe distance outside the city walls on the southeast, west and north sides, illuminating the base of the city walls as bright as day!
—The Red Flag Battalion must attack the city overnight, giving the defenders no chance to catch their breath!
Only then did the defenders on the city walls fully realize that the enemy was determined to end the battle that day.

Fueled by the generous rewards promised by the barbarian Hague and the hastily distributed wine and meat, the remaining defenders exhausted their last bit of strength and fighting spirit, putting up a near-frenzied resistance.

However, the huge gap in troop strength and combat power between the two sides cannot be bridged by willpower alone.

After dark, the Yuan army made a sudden increase in mistakes due to extreme fatigue.

After climbing the city wall for the fifth time, the Red Flag Battalion soldiers finally managed to open a breach in the eastern section of the city wall. Wu Fu led his troops to hold the city wall firmly like a wedge, and worked hard to expand the gains to both sides.

Upon receiving the report, the barbarian Hague was terrified. He personally led his last reserve force, which was also his most trusted personal guard, to the east of the city to launch a counterattack, attempting to plug this fatal gap and drive the Red Flag Battalion out of the city.

Just as the fighting in the east city was at its most brutal and everyone's attention was drawn to it, a sudden commotion broke out in the west city, near Loumen. Flames erupted and shouts of battle shook the heavens!
—The elite Red Flag Battalion assault team, which had been lying in wait, finally seized the perfect opportunity when the Yuan army's command system was in a brief period of chaos, and quietly infiltrated the city through the "secret canal" dug by Daoyan and others.

Immediately, with lightning speed, they launched a surprise attack and annihilated the weak garrison at Loumen, and with great effort, turned the winch to slowly raise the heavy iron gate!
The elite Red Flag Battalion, which had been waiting outside the city for a long time, surged in through the wide-open Loumen Gate like a flood bursting its banks, and quickly penetrated deep into the city!

Besieged on both sides and with the core strategic point lost, the Yuan army's already crumbling defenses collapsed completely in an instant.

Thus, the mighty city of Pingjiang, which dominated the Wu region and was highly regarded by the Yuan court, changed hands!

(End of this chapter)