Sweep Yuan

Chapter 278 The arrival of renowned scholars settles people's hearts.

On the night Pingjiang fell, the stars and moon were obscured, and only the towering flames and bloodstains within the city served as the cruelest testament to the fall of this once prosperous land.

When a fortified city is breached, and the shackles of order temporarily collapse, the tyranny and greed lurking deep within human nature roar and rage like wild beasts breaking free of their cages in the darkness and chaos.

Looting, arson, killing, rape... Amidst the cheers of victory and the wails of defeat, the ancient city echoed with the heart-wrenching cries of countless innocent people.

The perpetrators were a diverse group, including not only the existing ruffians, scoundrels, and revenge-seeking individuals in the city, but also a large number of poorly trained and undisciplined newly surrendered powerful armed forces and surrendered soldiers.

Furthermore, a small number of new soldiers who had not yet been fully assimilated were mixed in during the rapid expansion of the Red Flag Battalion.

But under the Red Flag Battalion's rule, no matter what kind of person the perpetrator was, anyone who violated military discipline would meet the same fate.

As the main forces of each garrison poured into the city like an iron torrent, while rapidly dividing and clearing out the fleeing Yuan soldiers, law enforcement teams, like the most ruthless hunting dogs, moved through the streets and alleys ablaze with fire.

Military orders are absolute, and the blade is merciless.

That night, eighty-three bloody heads were severed and sent to the entire army before being hung on the city gates that had just experienced a bloody battle.

Those distorted, terrified faces silently testified to the Red Flag Battalion's unyielding military discipline, and in this most direct and bloody way, they made their final "contribution" to Shishan's subsequent takeover and governance of this giant city.

At approximately 11:45 PM, the large-scale resistance in Pingjiang City was finally completely quelled.

The deafening sounds of battle, the piercing screams of the dying, and the helpless weeping of women and children were gradually replaced by a more oppressive silence.

Only the crackling of embers from a few buildings, the orderly and heavy footsteps of the Red Flag Battalion soldiers on patrol, and the loud voices of those striking gongs and loudly proclaiming proclamations to reassure the people echoed in the empty streets and alleys.

All of this seems to herald the end of an old era and the beginning of a new era filled with uncertainty.

Preliminary statistics on the battle results were presented to Ishiyama the following morning:

Yuan army "righteous army" marshal Wu Bida and Pingjiang Road judge Li Ji died in the chaos of battle; the vice minister of Jiangzhe Province, Manzi Haiya, the highest commander of the Yuan army in this battle, was captured while trying to break out.

More than 20 civil and military officials, including the Darughachi Angjir of Pingjiang Road and the chief administrator Gao Lu, chose to surrender when they saw that the situation was hopeless; in addition, nearly 23,000 Yuan soldiers and officers were taken prisoner.

The vast quantities of grain, weapons, money, and other supplies stored in the official granaries and treasuries throughout the city were piled up like mountains, and the sheer amount was too great to be counted in a short time.

It is worth noting that although the siege and defense of the city were exceptionally fierce, the direct casualty rate was not actually high relative to the total number of nearly 40,000 defenders. The pursuit and mopping-up operations after the city fell were also incomplete due to the large size of the city and the complexity of its streets and alleys.

Clearly, a large number of defeated soldiers, like drops of water seeping into the sand, fled and hid in various corners such as houses, temples, and abandoned courtyards.

To prevent nighttime searches from causing greater panic and conflict, Shishan has strictly ordered all guards to temporarily refrain from conducting sweeping searches.

In the proclamation he issued immediately to reassure the people, he clearly announced that "weapons must be surrendered within a specified period, and those who violate this rule will be severely punished." These scattered soldiers had already been terrified and disorganized during the siege, and were no longer a threat.

After realizing that the Red Flag Battalion had firmly controlled the city, most people would voluntarily leave their hiding places, surrender their weapons, and seek a way to survive.

Even if a very small number of those hiding dare not show themselves, once the initial screening of prisoners is completed and their accurate information is obtained, and combined with the grassroots organizations in the city's alleys and lanes, a precise cleanup will be carried out, and these escapees will have nowhere to hide.

Taking over a megacity like Pingjiang presents a far greater challenge than ever before.

Inventorying the vast amount of stockpiled supplies, identifying and retaining capable and cooperative surrendered officials, reorganizing and converting a large number of prisoners of war, comforting the still-shaken gentry and common people, and restoring basic social order and economic vitality—the list is endless, and each task is extremely difficult.

Even though the Red Flag Battalion had accumulated a wealth of experience in taking over, they still had to be extremely cautious when facing Pingjiang City.

Shishan was well aware of the importance of this place and planned to personally oversee it after the war to vigorously promote the digestion and integration of Pingjiang Road.

After this battle, the Yuan army in northern Zhejiang suffered heavy losses and was unable to assemble an army of 100,000 men in the short term, thus shifting to a completely defensive strategic posture. At least until the Red Flag Battalion's advance into Hangzhou Road, it was unlikely that the two sides would engage in another large-scale battle.

Since crossing the river, the Red Flag Battalion, which had been in a state of high-intensity combat and emergency training, finally got a chance to catch its breath.

But Shishan knew that the great cause of destroying the Yuan dynasty was like rowing against the current; if you didn't advance, you would fall behind. Before completely destroying the Yuan army's ability to counterattack in the Jiangzhe province and transforming this rich land into a stable strategic rear, the gears of war could not be stopped turning.

The day after Pingjiang fell, Shishan ordered a reward for the army, with wine and meat distributed to each camp. While enjoying the fruits of victory, the soldiers were also required to immediately conduct a post-battle debriefing and quickly report the names of meritorious soldiers so that rewards could be given in a timely manner and morale could be further boosted.

The monk Daoyan, who contributed his wisdom and merits in this battle, once again made it clear that he was unwilling to give up his monastic status and insisted on "cultivating the way of helping the world and saving people with a secluded body".

Shishan respected the man's choice and did not force him. Instead, he granted him the nominal position of "Marching Advisor," nominally bringing him into the Red Flag Battalion system, but in reality keeping him by his side for strict discipline and training.

Dao Yan is a deep and thoughtful man, a rough gem, but also a double-edged sword. He needs to be carefully shaped and guided, and not allowed to go astray.

This battle also exposed some hidden dangers of the Red Flag Battalion's rapid expansion. Due to insufficient training time, discipline education and conduct development in some battalions and garrisons failed to keep up, and the chaos after the city fell was a concentrated outbreak of these problems.

There are priorities. The primary strategic task at present is to strike while the iron is hot and capture the remaining prefectures and counties in northern Zhejiang, such as Huzhou, Jiaxing, Songjiang, and Hangzhou. It is not advisable to immediately halt the full-scale offensive and carry out large-scale internal reorganization.

However, military discipline is a matter of public support and the very foundation of the army, and must not be tolerated.

Shi Shan acted swiftly and decisively, severely punishing those responsible, including battalion commanders and officers, who committed serious disciplinary violations after the city's fall, with punishments ranging from dismissal to caning, depending on the severity of the offense. He also ordered their units to conduct a concentrated rectification and deep reflection during the rest period as a warning to others.

Afterwards, captured Yuan soldiers and surrendered powerful militias had to undergo more rigorous screening and training. The entry of soldiers was strictly controlled, and it was better to have fewer but better soldiers. Unqualified soldiers could not be allowed to be mixed in in pursuit of quantity, which would further corrupt military discipline and erode the foundation of the Red Flag Battalion's combat effectiveness.

After the various units had rested briefly, received their rewards and bonuses, and their morale had been boosted, Shishan issued a new order to advance:

Chang Yuchun led the main forces of Qingri Left Guard, Weiwu Guard and Fujun Guard, along with some newly recruited soldiers, to continue south to join forces with Xu Da's troops who were attacking Wujiang Prefecture. After capturing Wujiang Prefecture, they divided their forces into three routes to advance on Huzhou Road, Jiaxing Road and Songjiang Prefecture.

The main force of the Yuan army in Jiangnan has been besieging the Xu Song regime for a year, and since the beginning of this year, the encirclement has been tightened continuously. The Battle of Jinghu may end in defeat for Xu Song at any time.

Shishan must seize as much territory as possible and initially stabilize the order in these newly occupied areas before the main force of the Yuan army returns to Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

Therefore, he left only half of his troops, the Bashan Left Guard, to be temporarily stationed in Pingjiang, and transferred the Qingri Right Guard, which had completed its initial training, to Pingjiang Road. Together with the Pengyue Guard, they formed the core military force to deter and stabilize the Suzhou area, thus providing support for his subsequent sweeping reforms.

Assimilation of newly occupied territories may sound mysterious, but in essence, it boils down to two points:
First, use violence to break the corrupt old distribution of interests in a certain place; then, by redistributing power and interests, establish the dominant position of the new ruler.

No matter how drastic or even "brutal" the means of breaking the old order may seem, as long as they can effectively redistribute power and interests in the end, they can win the support of the new vested interest groups.
Conversely, if the latter does not perform well, then no matter how perfectly the former performs, it will only result in the old forces' hatred and backlash, and the new forces' disappointment and abandonment of support, leaving the former pleasing neither side.

Some of the demoted officials who were familiar with the old system's operation should naturally be retained to maintain the continuity of local administration, but this can only be a temporary measure, and their number must be strictly controlled.

Foreign commanders and high-ranking officials like the barbarian Haya and Angier, as well as corrupt officials with notorious crimes, must be resolutely executed, and the forces that depend on them must be purged—the latter being of paramount importance.

The more prosperous and affluent a place is, the more astonishing its upper class's monopoly over core survival resources such as land, wealth, and business channels becomes.

Without uprooting these deeply entrenched, bloated, and corrupt old forces, slaughtering them, seizing their properties, and distributing a portion of them to potential supporters, the Red Flag Battalion could not truly take root in this land.

However, there is an extremely dangerous gap between overthrowing the old, corrupt system and establishing a stable and effective new system, which is most likely to breed chaos and trigger strong backlash.

However, Shishan is no longer the same as before. He now has a somewhat rough administrative team and staff, so he doesn't need to do everything himself. He also doesn't need to cede too much benefit to local powerful gentry in order to gain a foothold, thus leaving hidden dangers for future stability.

To put it bluntly, times have changed.

The Red Flag Battalion had gained momentum, and Marshal Shi's power was renowned throughout the southeast. Pingjiang Road was merely one of the many prefectures and counties under Shi's control.

Now, it should be the talented people of Pingjiang and even the entire Jiangnan region who are vying to be granted an opportunity by Marshal Shi to realize their lifelong ambitions and "benefit their wives and children"; rather than the other way around, having Shi Shan beg for their acceptance and recognition.

The first to perceive this change in the situation was a scholar named Chen Ji. He was nearly forty years old and was originally from Linhai County, the seat of Taizhou Circuit, but had only recently settled in Pingjiang Circuit.

Chen Jimin was intelligent and studious. In his early years, he studied under Huang Jin, one of the "Four Outstanding Confucian Scholars" of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, and traveled with his teacher to Dadu (Beijing) to study. His outstanding talent was appreciated by the Yuan court authorities, and he was granted the position of "Jingyan Jiantao" (a type of lecturer in the imperial academy).

This official was a subordinate official of the Hanlin Academy. Although he was only a seventh-rank official, he was able to get close to the emperor frequently and use the opportunity of explaining classics and history to satirize and remonstrate with the government. His actual status was far higher than that of other officials of the same rank who were close to the people, and his future was relatively bright.

However, Chen Ji was still very young at the time, arrogant and conceited, and underestimated the treacherous nature of the imperial court and the risks behind this honor. He believed that he had lectured the emperor several times and had a good understanding of his temperament. Entrusted by a friend, he drafted a memorial to the emperor, thus becoming involved in the vortex of political struggle.

As a result, his friend lost the political struggle and implicated him. Chen Ji was almost convicted and imprisoned. He not only lost his promising official position, but also offended the powerful officials of the court. He could only flee back to Jiangnan to avoid the chaos.

After that, he made a living by teaching students in Pingjiang.

If this person had never entered officialdom like Gu Ying, perhaps he could have been content with a life of teaching and imparting knowledge, gradually improving his own learning, and eventually becoming a master of Confucianism.

But after all, he had been involved in the officialdom of the capital, witnessed the glory of the top echelons of the Mongol Empire, and tasted the wonderful flavor of power. How could he be willing to die in the countryside?

Otherwise, Chen Ji would not have chosen to live on Pingjiang Road for so many years instead of returning to his hometown of Taizhou Road, which is only a few hundred miles away.

Taizhou was remote and isolated, so only on Pingjiang Road, a well-connected street frequented by celebrities, could he maintain a certain level of prestige, keep abreast of the current situation, and wait for an opportunity to make a comeback.

This wait lasted for many years.

Chen Ji's talent and reputation were becoming increasingly prominent in the Wu region, but the chances of returning to officialdom remained slim, and the connections he had painstakingly cultivated in Dadu had long since become distant and indifferent.

What made him even more desperate was that the once powerful Mongol Empire was also exuding an aura of decay and impending doom.

Therefore, when Shi Shan's handwritten letter of recruitment was delivered to him, Chen Ji hesitated for only half a day before quickly packing his bags and rushing to Pingjiang City, determined to seize what might be the last opportunity of his life.

To be fair, what Shishan urgently needs at this time are pragmatic officials who are proficient in finance and criminal law and can handle complicated administrative affairs, as well as "trailblazers" who dare to break with convention and are determined to reform.

Deep down, I didn't really value "famous scholars" like Chen Ji, who were known for their Confucian classics and essays but could even mess up a prestigious official position like "Jingyan Reviewer".

The recruitment of him, similar to the previous placement of Li Xi, a renowned scholar from Dangtu, was largely a strategic move to establish a reputation for "treating scholars with respect" and to attract more talented individuals from the Wu region to serve under him.

However, Chen Ji cherished this opportunity immensely and made ample preparations for it. When he was first received by Shishan, he took the initiative to offer his well-thought-out strategy for advancement—a policy proposal on "rectification of names".

"marshal."

After bowing respectfully, Chen Ji got straight to the point, first posing a seemingly unrelated question.

Do you know the history of the place name 'Pingjiang'?

In the memories of Shishan's descendants, Pingjiang should be called Suzhou. I was curious about why it was renamed and paid attention to the historical information of this place, but not systematically and in-depth enough.

Seeing Chen Ji's confident and eager-to-show-off attitude, he didn't want to dampen his enthusiasm, so he pretended not to know and humbly asked for guidance:
"I am not familiar with this matter, and I would be grateful if Mr. Chen could enlighten me."

Seeing the renowned Marshal Shi's humble attitude, Chen Ji's initial apprehension vanished, replaced by renewed confidence. He cleared his throat and calmly began to speak:
"The history of Pingjiang can be traced back to the 'Kingdom of Gouwu' in the pre-Qin period. When Qin unified the six kingdoms, it established Kuaiji Commandery in this area. When Wang Mang reformed the system, he felt that Kuaiji Commandery was too vast and difficult to govern effectively, so he separated it to establish Wu Commandery."

During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, this place was renamed Wuzhou. After the Sui Dynasty unified the north and south, it abolished the prefecture system and retained the state system, thus renaming Wuzhou Suzhou.

Suzhou later reverted to its "ancient name," presumably due to the inclusion of the characters "Pingjiang." Shishan had roughly guessed what Chen Ji was trying to say, but his face still showed a humble expression of seeking advice.

Chen Ji was quite pleased, as if he had returned to the wonderful days when he lectured the emperor in Dadu. He felt radiant and continued to delve deeper into the subject:

"Afterwards, during the chaos of the Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties, the name of this place was slightly adjusted, but the name 'Suzhou' was generally used. It was not until the third year of Taiping Xingguo in the Northern Song Dynasty that the Wuyue Qian family surrendered and Suzhou was renamed 'Pingjiang Army', and later promoted to Pingjiang Prefecture."

The name 'Pingjiang' is actually derived from the phrase 'pacifying the south of the Yangtze River'.

At this point, Chen Ji stopped abruptly, leaving a lingering impression. He looked intently at Shishan, hoping that Shishan could grasp the deeper meaning on his own. This was precisely the "enlightening" style of speaking that he often used in his lectures.

Shi Shan, being a man of great stature, instantly understood Chen Ji's true intention behind his elaborate scheme. He timely revealed a look of realization and approval on his face, bowed respectfully to Chen Ji, and said solemnly:

"Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Chen! The name 'Pingjiang' is filled with the arrogance of conquerors and the denigration of Jiangnan, which is very inappropriate!"
Although I am a northerner, my southward march is not intended to conquer Jiangnan, but rather to unite all righteous men against the Yuan dynasty, expel the barbarians, restore the Han people's land, unify North and South, and rebuild China. North and South are one family; how can there be talk of 'pacification'? The name Pingjiang must be changed!

Chen Ji was overjoyed to see that Shi Shan not only immediately understood his meaning but also had such a clear and resolute attitude. He quickly stepped aside to avoid Shi Shan's greeting.

Having experienced the setbacks of his time in Dadu, he had smoothed out many of his rough edges and knew all too well how precious the opportunity to serve again was. He dared not display the slightest arrogance. Chen Ji returned the greeting deeply, speaking earnestly:
"The Marshal has the world in his heart and aspires to unify the land. He is willing to vindicate us 'Southerners'. This is the demeanor of a king! When the scholars of Jiangnan hear this, they will surely be filled with admiration and follow his example, vying to assist the Marshal in achieving the unparalleled feat of reshaping the world!"

"Hahaha! Well said, sir!"

Shi Shan laughed heartily. He knew that such people, skilled at quoting classical texts and using their eloquence to persuade others, were also very useful.

Whether it's advocating for the legitimacy of the Red Flag Battalion, praising the great achievements and benevolent deeds of the "royal army," or winning hearts and minds in the public sphere, they are indispensable in their rhetoric.

With renowned figures like Chen Ji actively serving and advocating for it, it will undoubtedly attract more pragmatic talents.

Moreover, Chen Ji's suggestion this time was indeed to the point.

Since the late Tang Dynasty, the land of China had been divided for hundreds of years, with a deep divide between the North and the South. Although the Mongol Yuan Dynasty achieved formal unification, it failed to truly bridge the cultural differences and psychological distance between the Han people of the North and South.

This divide has even affected the implementation of policies and social integration, as evidenced by the fact that Shishan's attempt to appease Gu Ying backfired and triggered her panic.

If he wants to achieve the unification of the North and South and reshape China, he cannot just stop at slogans. He must embody the concept of "all under heaven are one family" in every aspect, from major policies such as the selection of officials and the design of systems to details such as the change of place names.

Shishan was very satisfied with Chen Ji's attitude and his advice, and immediately decided to reward him, saying:

"Sir, your insight is exceptional. Would you be willing to accept the position of 'Doctor' in my Red Flag Battalion? This position is important and requires me to be by your side at all times, so that I can consult with you and receive your guidance whenever needed."

Chen Ji was indeed not very familiar with the official system of the Red Flag Battalion and did not know the specific powers and responsibilities of the "Doctor". However, being able to stay by Shi Shan's side meant that he had the opportunity to continuously offer advice, which was much better than he had expected.

He immediately bowed, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement:
"Ji is willing to serve the Marshal with utmost loyalty and dedication, even unto death!"

The news of Chen Ji's defection to Shishan was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, quickly creating ripples among the scholars of Wu. Within days, a group of scholars with considerable local talent, including Zhang Jing and Jiang Tang, took the initiative to travel to Pingjiang City to seek an audience with Marshal Shi.

Shi Shan also showed great patience, personally meeting with each of them and examining their talents, aspirations, and character through conversation. Based on their individual characteristics, he immediately appointed them to appropriate official positions. This alleviated the Red Flag Battalion's shortage of administrative talent to some extent.

With the continuous addition of these "newcomers," Shishan has become more confident in clearing out and transforming the old forces on Pingjiang Road, and its efforts have increased accordingly, with the speed of digestion and absorption significantly accelerating.

While Shishan was working to stabilize the internal situation of Suzhou Prefecture, military operations at the front were also progressing rapidly.

Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, and other troops joined forces, forming a massive army of tens of thousands, with banners waving and an imposing presence, completely surrounding the small town of Wujiang.

The defending troops had never seen such a sight before. Their morale was already low due to the fall of Pingjiang, and the arrival of officials who had surrendered further dampened their spirits.

Chang Yuchun seized the opportunity and launched a fierce attack, capturing Wujiang Prefecture on the day of the general offensive with almost no trouble.

At this point, the entire Pingjiang Road had fallen under the control of the Red Flag Battalion.

Upon receiving the good news, Shishan immediately began to implement the decision he had discussed with Chen Ji:
Similar to the previously conquered Taiping and Jiqing Roads, the existing administrative structure was changed, Pingjiang Road was changed to a prefecture, and the old name of this place during the Sui and Tang Dynasties—Suzhou Prefecture—was restored.

Considering the large size and heavy administrative burden of Suzhou Prefecture (formerly Pingjiang City), which made it difficult for a single county to effectively manage, Shishan retained the original administrative structure of Wu County and Changzhou County, which were located near the city walls.

The other three cities, Changshu Prefecture and Wujiang Prefecture, were downgraded to counties. Only Kunshan Prefecture, due to its strategic location at Liujiagang, which was crucial for the future development of maritime transport and the navy, retained its status as a "dispersed prefecture" to show its importance.

……

P.S.: In real history, in July of the twelfth year of the Zhizheng era, the Yuan army of Jiangzhe Province drove Xiang Pulue's troops out of Hangzhou, and it was not until December of the thirteenth year of the Zhizheng era that they captured Qishui County, the capital of the Xu Song state. The final defense of Qizhou Road lasted for several months, with both sides repeatedly locked in a stalemate and suffering heavy casualties.

In this book, the Yuan court felt an even greater crisis due to Shishan's intrusion, which actually accelerated this historical process.

(End of this chapter)