Sweep Yuan

Chapter 279 Jinghu Has Grown Larger, Future Entrants

Suzhou Prefecture (formerly Pingjiang Road) was newly established, but the smoke of war had not yet dissipated.

Huzhou Road, Jiaxing Road, and Songjiang Prefecture, which border Suzhou Prefecture, are like three swords hanging overhead. Their territory is crisscrossed by rivers and dotted with lakes, serving as both natural transportation routes and potential routes for the Yuan army to raid Suzhou.

If these three places cannot be brought under the control of the Red Flag Battalion quickly, the newly occupied Suzhou Prefecture and even the Changzhou Prefecture further in the rear will face long-term harassment from the Yuan army, making it difficult to effectively govern and restore the area.

Among them, Jiaxing Road's geographical location is particularly crucial. It is like a wedge, embedded between Huzhou Road and Songjiang Prefecture, and the Grand Canal, which runs through the north and south, is like an artery, leading directly to the heart of Jiangsu and Zhejiang Province—Hangzhou Road.

Once the Red Flag Battalion captures Jiaxing, its forces can advance along the Grand Canal directly towards Hangzhou. This will force the surrounding Yuan armies to abandon their fortified cities and be compelled to relieve Hangzhou, thus creating an opportunity for the Red Flag Battalion to annihilate the enemy in mobile warfare.

Based on this assessment, the main force of the Red Flag Battalion, after a brief rest, split into three routes:

Xu Da led the Yangtze River Navy, leveraging its combined land and water strength to launch a major attack on Huzhou Road, which borders Taihu Lake to the west; Shao Rong commanded the Fujun Guard, responsible for capturing Songjiang Prefecture to the northeast; and Chang Yuchun led the main forces of the Qingri Left Guard and the Weiwu Guard to directly attack Jiaxing Road.

In addition, Songjiang Prefecture and Jiaxing Road were not large in area, with only five cities in total, but they supported a population of more than three million.

With such a high population density, it's impossible to rely solely on farming; rather, it's because both places have long coastlines.

The Yuan Dynasty established eight major salt fields here, including Xiasha, Qingcun, Yuanpu, Pudong, Hengpu, Luli, Meisha, and Baolang. The huge profits from sea salt production nourished this land and also brought about a more complex social structure.

Throughout the Mongol Yuan dynasty, there were as many as 137 government-run sea salt fields directly managed by the Salt Transport Bureau, but their management was generally chaotic.

Almost every salt field was home to salt smugglers who made huge profits by selling smuggled salt. Zhang Shicheng and Fang Guozhen were able to rise rapidly and wreak havoc along the coast thanks in no small part to the covert support of these underground salt industry networks in terms of funds, materials and information.

For Shishan, capturing Songjiang and Jiaxing would not be difficult given the current strength of the Red Flag Battalion. The real challenge lies in post-battle defense and governance.

In order to compete with Fang Guozhen for dominance over the southeastern sea frontier, it is necessary to firmly control the coastal prefectures and counties. And rectifying these salt fields, which are entrenched in vested interests and riddled with problems, is of paramount importance to the overall strategic situation.

As early as during the campaign in Jiangbei, the Red Flag Battalion had clashed with the Huaidong Salt Workers under Tian Feng's command on several occasions and captured a large number of salt producers and workers.

Shishan personally questioned these prisoners to gain a deep understanding of the operational details of the Yuan Dynasty's salt administration and the tragic plight of the salt producers. He had long been deeply considering how to manage the salt fields.

Under the Yuan dynasty system, salt fields, marshes (the source of fuel for salt production), and all production tools for boiling and drying salt were owned by the government. Salt producers were classified as lowly and were bound to the salt fields for generations.

They not only had to pay the heavy "salt quota" to the government without compensation, but they also had to sell their "surplus salt" to the government at a very low "cost price." Their lives were so difficult that they were like cattle and horses.

In stark contrast, salt tax revenue accounted for an alarming proportion of the Yuan Dynasty's fiscal system, consistently exceeding 60% of the country's monetary revenue, and even reaching 80% at one point (Note)!
Salt, which is neither a scarce commodity nor has a high barrier to entry in terms of mining technology, was transformed into a highly profitable industry by the Yuan Dynasty's distorted policies.

On one hand, there were the astonishingly high profits under the government's monopoly; on the other hand, the salt producers themselves were in abject poverty. Those who guarded this "white gold" yet starved to death naturally faced the temptation of fate. Some, unwilling to be controlled by their destiny, risked everything for survival and wealth, even death.

Salt tax was an important source of revenue for the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. When the national treasury was empty, the salt tax was increased. The higher the salt tax, the more expensive the salt, and the more profitable the smuggling of salt, the more people would take the risk. The more smuggled salt was sold, the less salt tax revenue was collected...

This vicious cycle ultimately led to the depletion of the dynasty's finances, making it impossible for ordinary people to afford salt, while enriching corrupt officials who manipulated the salt industry, unscrupulous merchants who colluded with them, and salt smugglers who lived on the edge (the former two were actually the main beneficiaries of this black profit chain).

To address such a persistent problem, we cannot simply shut down all the saltworks out of fear of choking; nor can we resort to a bloody purge just because some saltworkers have colluded with Fang Guozhen and others in secret, as that would only push the vast number of grassroots saltworkers who could have been won over to the opposite side.

The root of the problem lies in the fact that the Yuan court and its allies were extremely greedy and their distribution of benefits was extremely unfair. You cannot, while monopolizing the vast majority of the benefits, blame the chaotic and incompetent system that gave you such great benefits.

The Red Flag Battalion, with its ambitions for great undertakings, needed massive amounts of money and supplies to support its expansion and long-term campaigns. It could not afford to give up the lucrative salt industry; core industries vital to the national economy and people's livelihoods must also be controlled by the state.

The long-standing problems left over from the Yuan Dynasty, such as collusion between officials and merchants and rampant illegal salt trade, require even greater efforts to rectify.

However, the near-proletarian status of salt producers and the closed nature of their large-scale manual labor made each salt field like an independent kingdom. Any hasty reform of the salt administration could easily be exploited by vested interests within the salt fields, inciting the already dissatisfied salt producers to rebel.

Therefore, before setting out on another expedition, Shishan summoned his generals to give them a personal briefing.

"The root of the problem with salt fields lies in their profits. When our army takes control of the coastal prefectures and counties, the first priority is to establish our authority, and the second is to gain their trust."

To establish authority, we must use swift and decisive measures to cleanse the filth! After you conquer the prefectures, counties, and salt fields, you must, under the pretext of investigating and punishing those who collude with the founders and oppose our Red Flag Battalion, focus on cracking down on a group of salt officials who have aroused great public resentment, as well as those salt tyrants and salt smugglers who exploit salt producers and monopolize private profits.

"We must ensure that the evidence is conclusive, and that the execution is public, so that the poor farmers can see the difference between the Red Flag Camp and the Yuan Dynasty, and see hope for a change in their lives..."

To strengthen the eastern offensive, especially in response to potential coastal conflicts, Shishan also ordered Bian Yuanheng's East China Sea naval forces to advance eastward to assist in capturing Chang Yuchun and Shao Rong in capturing Jiaxing Road and Songjiang Prefecture.

The East China Sea Fleet has been under construction for two months, but its size is still less than a thousand people, and it cannot yet exist as an independent combat force. The main reason for the slow construction is the lack of suitable seagoing vessels and sailors who understand the coastal waters.

Shishan had no good solution to the problem of insufficient ships in the short term, so he could only build them himself while seizing them from the Yuan army. As for the sailors, they could be selected from the salt fields—those private salt producers who dealt with the wind and waves all day long were undoubtedly excellent sources of soldiers.

Whoever rules this coastline must provide a way for the impoverished people who depend on the sea to survive.

Only by first establishing basic mutual trust, helping them improve their living conditions, and then rebuilding effective grassroots management organizations, can we gradually promote deeper salt administration reforms, truly nationalize salt profits, and benefit both the military and civilians.

At this time, the main force of the Yuan army in Jiangzhe Province had just suffered a major defeat and was severely weakened. It was no longer able to organize a large-scale counterattack in the short term. As long as Chang Yuchun, Shao Rong, Xu Da and their troops fought steadily and cautiously, it was only a matter of time before they captured Jiaxing, Songjiang and Huzhou.

He could have remained calm in Suzhou, appeasing the locals while awaiting good news, but an urgent military report from Jiangbei shattered his composure.

An urgent report from the General Administration of Jiangbei Circuits: The main force of the Yuan army has breached several defensive lines of the Xu Song regime and penetrated deep into Qizhou Circuit. Xu Song general Zhao Pusheng, leading nearly a thousand remaining troops in forty-one warships, has broken through the encirclement and has now reached Wuwei Prefecture!

The Yuan army has been intensifying its encirclement and suppression of the Xu Song regime since the beginning of this year, and the fact that the Xu Song regime has been able to hold out until now has slightly exceeded Shi Shan's expectations.

He already had a plan for the subsequent development of the situation in Jinghu and how the Red Flag Battalion should respond. However, this matter concerned the overall strategic situation of the Red Flag Battalion, so it was still necessary to convene his civil and military officers to discuss it, both to gather wisdom from all sides and prevent oversights, and to unify internal thinking.

The atmosphere was solemn inside the Red Flag Battalion Marshal's headquarters in Suzhou.

"...That's roughly the situation in Jinghu."

Li Xixi, the commander of the Right Guard of Qingri, Chen Ji, a doctor in the Marshal's Office, and others were unaware of the Xu Song regime and the Jinghu war. Zhao Yong, the military advisor of the Military Command, followed Shi Shan's instructions and first introduced the military background of Zhao Pusheng's breakout to the map, and then expressed his judgment on the matter.

"Xu Song now only has Qishui as its isolated city, with no reinforcements from outside and a lack of food and supplies inside. It is only a matter of time before it falls."

Zhao Pusheng, leading a thousand or so remaining soldiers, came to Wuwei Prefecture at this time, likely out of desperation and seeking the marshal's protection; however, it cannot be ruled out that he was carrying out an imperial decree, hoping to persuade the marshal to lead the army westward to relieve the siege of Qishui.

"Ah."

Zhao Yong was the fourth younger brother of Zhao Bozhong, the garrison commander of the Fourth Garrison of the Qingri Left Guard. He entered the Military Command and took charge of the Operations Section through his own merit. This analysis was calm and insightful. Shi Shan nodded in agreement, then looked at everyone and said:

"Everyone is aware of the situation. Let's discuss how our army should respond to this matter."

"marshal!"

In past military discussions, the strategies offered by the generals, though perhaps crude, were all ambitious and daring. Gong Wu, the commander of the Moon Guard and the "personal guard captain" of the marshal, was basically a transparent person and rarely offered any suggestions.

However, today's military council only had three commanders, and Li Xixi was a newcomer who was unfamiliar with the situation. He was worried that civil officials and monks like Chen Ji and Daoyan, who were not familiar with military affairs, might offer unfounded suggestions that would disrupt the marshal's decision-making. That's why he spoke first to set the tone.

"In my humble opinion, Jinghu is a thousand miles away, and distant water cannot quench immediate thirst. Even if the Marshal were to lead the entire army westward at this moment, it is not certain that we could arrive in time to rescue Xu and Song. On our side, Suzhou has just been pacified, the eastern front is progressing smoothly, and Jiaxing, Huzhou, and Songjiang will be captured in no time."

We must not disrupt our golden opportunity to conquer northern Zhejiang just to rescue a Xu-Song dynasty that is already doomed!

Gong Wu was so concerned that he lost his composure and spoke too directly; his words were somewhat crude.

Hu Dahai, the commander of the Left Guard of Bashan, was over forty years old and of a calm and steady nature. He knew that the name of the leader was very important to Marshal Shi, and continued:
"General Gong's concerns are not without merit. But resisting the Yuan is ultimately a matter of righteousness, and we must maintain some decorum. The Marshal took Zhao Pusheng in last year, so there is some lingering affection between us."

Whether Zhao Pusheng's visit was purely for protection or carried out with a mission to seek aid remains to be seen. It is necessary to first contact him, ascertain his true intentions and the details of Jinghu, before making a decision. A hasty refusal might damage the Marshal's reputation.” “Tongfu (Hu Dahai's courtesy name) is right.”

Shi Shan acknowledged Hu Dahai's steady attitude, but did not immediately express his opinion. He turned his gaze to others, intending to elicit a speech.

Dao Yan, being the youngest, couldn't conceal his burning ambition for fame and fortune despite his monk's robes. Having been appointed "Military Advisor" by Marshal Shi, he bore the responsibility of advising on military affairs; how could he lag behind others? He immediately took the lead, saying:

"This humble monk is new to warfare and dares not comment on military and national strategies. However, I have some knowledge of the art of chess. The skillful one lies in controlling the overall situation and restraining the opponent. The worst thing is to follow the opponent's moves blindly, be lured into their trap, and lose one's initiative."

Although he did not explicitly oppose rescuing Xu and Song, his statement that he was "being led by the nose by his opponents" clearly revealed his stance.

Li Xixi recalled the tragic siege of Xuzhou last year. At that time, the generals were all self-serving. They knew that after the fall of Xuzhou, Suzhou would be in grave danger, but they were unwilling to send troops to save Xuzhou and watched as Li Xixi was defeated and killed.

At the critical moment, Shishan resolutely led his troops north, repelled the Yuan army of 100,000, and saved countless people, including himself.

On a personal level, he naturally hoped that Shishan could lend a helping hand again and save more righteous brothers who were as lost and helpless as he had been back then.

But now he has completely integrated into the Red Flag Battalion, and is a "direct descendant" of the Red Flag Battalion. His status and position have changed, and so has his perspective on issues. He took a deep breath and, as a firsthand witness, said in a deep voice:

"Marshal, I believe that the reason our army was able to successfully rescue Xuzhou in last year's battle was because the two armies are of the same lineage and have cooperated in many ways before."

Even so, during the decisive battle between our army and the Yuan army, 20,000 troops inside Xuzhou city stood by and watched, while our left flank suffered heavy casualties due to Zhao Junyong's desertion! This clearly demonstrates how difficult it is for troops from different systems to coordinate their operations.

Li Xixi paused for a moment, then continued her analysis, her words becoming increasingly sharp:
"The Song emperor Xu Song was so eager to establish a country and declare himself emperor after only raising an army two years ago. He must be an arrogant person. Marshal, you took in Zhao Pusheng before, which was a favor to Xu Song. However, the Song emperor did not send anyone to thank you afterward. Obviously, he has no intention of establishing diplomatic relations with my Red Flag Battalion."

Forgive my bluntness, but Xu Song captured Hangzhou last year. If they are lucky enough not to be wiped out by the Yuan army this time, once they recover, they will surely sail down the Yangtze River again. At that time, they will definitely compete with our army for the south of the Yangtze River!

Both for public and private reasons, our army should not send troops to rescue Xu Song, wasting our own strength, missing opportunities, and ultimately raising a tiger to cause future trouble!

It was truly commendable that Li Xixi was able to clearly recognize the potential competitive relationship between Xu Song and the Red Flag Battalion. However, under the banner of "resisting the Yuan," Shi Shan, as the leader of the forces, could not openly agree with such a pragmatic judgment. He then turned his attention to Chen Ji, the "Doctor" of the Marshal's Office.

Although Chen Ji was not well-versed in military affairs, he understood human nature and politics. He knew that a leader of a powerful force like Shi Shan, with such lofty ambitions, could never lightly abandon the pretext of "righteousness" in public. After gathering his thoughts, he said loudly:

"What you all say is based on military interests, and I deeply agree with it. However, in matters of the world, sometimes we need to transcend the gains and losses of a particular time and place. The Red Flag Battalion and Xu Song both raised the banner of 'resisting the Yuan,' and should have worked together to fight against the barbarians."

The main force of the Yuan army had already captured Jiangzhou at the beginning of the year. If the marshal had not decisively led his troops across the river and swept across Jiangnan with lightning speed, forcing the Yuan army in Jiangsu and Zhejiang to gather heavy troops to deal with the threat of our Red Flag Battalion, how could the Xu Song regime have survived to this day under the fierce attack of the main force of the Yuan army?
Our army's valiant fighting in Wu is itself the most powerful support for Xu and Song!

Chen Ji first defined the Red Flag Battalion's seizure of Jiangnan as a righteous act of resisting the Yuan and rescuing friendly forces, and then said:
"Now, our army's advance is directly aimed at Jiaxing, and the gates of Hangzhou are about to be opened. This is exactly the essence of the military strategy of besieging Wei to rescue Zhao! Every step our army takes here will be a heavy blow to the Yuan court's rule in Jiangdong, and will also greatly relieve the pressure on Xu and Song in Jinghu."

How could we abandon this golden opportunity to secure Jiangdong and sever the Mongol Yuan's vital southeastern financial center for a battlefield with an uncertain situation a thousand miles away!

"it is good!"

Shi Shan looked at Chen Ji with a look of satisfaction. This was exactly the kind of speech he needed that could both consider the overall situation and profoundly explain the justice and rationality of his side's actions.

The team grew and matured through these discussions, and Ishiyama was also satisfied with the performance of the others, summarizing:
"The rise of Xu and Song was due to the fact that the people of the world had suffered under the Yuan dynasty for a long time and were looking forward to heroes rising up to save them from their suffering; the fall of Xu and Song was due to their blind expansion, weak foundation, poor strategy, making enemies everywhere, and failure to truly unite the people and consolidate their foundation."

In contrast, our Red Flag Battalion, since crossing the river, has benefited from favorable timing and terrain, coupled with the valiant efforts of our soldiers and the loyalty of the people! Our conquest of Jiangnan is not for self-preservation or separatism, but to expel the barbarians, relieve the people from their suffering, unify the North and South, and rebuild China!
At this critical juncture, when we should press on with full force to pacify the southeast, how can we hesitate and waver due to potential unrest?

After the military meeting, Shi Shan quickly made a decision and immediately sent a fast horse to deliver a message, ordering the Yangtze River Navy to send a battalion of troops to "escort" Zhao Pusheng to Suzhou; internally, he quickly adjusted the overall strategic deployment, and the core policy can be summarized in four words: "attack in the east and defend in the west".

The eastern front was the main offensive direction. Chang Yuchun, Xu Da, and Shao Rong's three armies, according to the original plan, continued to capture Jiaxing Road, Songjiang Prefecture, and Huzhou Road. Then, riding the momentum of their victory, they marched straight towards Hangzhou Road, attacking what the enemy would have to defend, thus firmly grasping the strategic initiative in their own hands.

Meanwhile, the detachment of Zhenshuowei continued its advance towards Tongzhou, Haimen, and Chongmingzhou at the eastern end of Yangzhou Road, determined to completely wipe out the remaining Yuan troops north of the Yangtze River and capture Yangzhou Prefecture before the main Yuan army returned.

On the western front, the strategy shifted to strategic defense.

He ordered Li Wu (head of the General Administration of Jiangbei Circuits, commanding the Xiaoqi Guard, Zhongwu Guard, and Fenwu Guard), Mao Gui (head of the Bashan Right Guard), Zuo Junbi (head of the Zhongyi Guard), Hua Yun, and Han Cheng (military commanders, stationed in Chuzhou and Liuhe respectively) to adopt a defensive posture and guard against a Yuan army counterattack.

The remaining war zones are stepping up preparations for food supplies and military equipment, guarding their cities, and guarding against infiltration and sabotage by Yuan spies or local forces taking the opportunity to cause trouble.

Shishan's initial strategic plan was to expand eastward and seize the wealthy lands of northern Zhejiang. This adjustment is merely a minor tweak and optimization of the original blueprint, aimed at making the massive war machine of the Red Flag Battalion operate more efficiently.

Several days later, news of Chang Yuchun's victory in capturing Jiaxing City, the seat of Jiaxing Road, reached Suzhou. On the same day, Zhao Pusheng also arrived in Suzhou.

When he first broke through the encirclement, he did indeed have the idea of ​​borrowing troops from Shishan to fight back to Jinghu.

Ironically, despite being a high-ranking general of the Song Dynasty, he had never even seen the true face of the "Emperor of the Great Song," Xu Shouhui, due to his long-term battles abroad and being surrounded and divided by the Yuan army, let alone possessing the official edict sent by Xu Shouhui to the Red Flag Camp to seek help.

As they traveled along, the roads in the Red Flag Camp controlled area were peaceful, and the city was gradually returning to normal. Although the traces of war were still visible on the faces of the people, the fear of uncertainty was gone, replaced by a greater sense of hope for the future.

This stands in stark contrast to the chaos and desolation under Xu Song's rule and even in the areas under the Yuan Dynasty's control.

With a combination of factors, Zhao Pusheng's unrealistic fantasies gradually dissipated.

Therefore, when he saw Shishan in the main hall of the Marshal's headquarters, he performed a grand ceremony to formally pledge allegiance, as if overturning a mountain of gold and a jade pillar.

"The defeated general Zhao Pusheng begs the marshal to take him in!"

Shi Shan quickly stepped forward and helped Zhao Pusheng up, his attitude earnest:

"General Zhao is a hero of our time. I am extremely pleased that he has come to my aid. There is no need for such a grand gesture!"

He admired Zhao Pusheng's talent, but he was also wary of such generals from outside the religious faction. To avoid future misunderstandings, he thought it better to make the rules clear from the beginning.

Shi Shan looked directly at Zhao Pusheng with an honest gaze and spoke frankly:

"General, you have come to join us with sincerity, and I, Shi, will certainly treat you with sincerity in return. However, the Red Flag Battalion has its own regulations. All those who join my battalion, regardless of their original affiliation, must undergo unified reorganization and be incorporated into our army's organizational system. This is the first point."

Secondly, although my Red Flag Battalion originated from the Red Turban Rebellion, from the day we raised our banner, we have never burned incense to gather followers, nor have we worshipped any deities or Maitreya. We only believe in the swords and spears in our hands, only follow strict military discipline, and only seek to save the world and bring peace to the people. I wonder if the general can accept these two fundamental principles?”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Pusheng's face darkened, and a complex struggle flashed in his eyes.

Once upon a time, he firmly believed in the doctrine of Maitreya's descent to earth and was willing to go through fire and water for it. But what about now?
Xu Song was about to be destroyed, and the magnificent Maitreya Uprising was on the verge of failure. His master Peng Yingyu and senior brother Li Pusheng, whose faith was even stronger than his, had all died on the battlefield. The illusory dream of the "Buddhist Kingdom on Earth" had long been shattered in the face of cruel reality.

Since I have already chosen to live under someone else's roof and seek a place to settle down, what obsessions could I possibly have left behind?

Zhao Pusheng took a deep breath, suppressing the last trace of hesitation in his heart, clasped his hands in a fist salute again, and said in a sorrowful yet firm voice:

"Now that I have decided to serve the Red Flag Battalion, all past grievances are as good as dead. I am willing to abide by all the rules of the Red Flag Battalion and from now on follow the Marshal's lead without any disloyalty! I only ask that the Marshal give my men a dignified way to live and an opportunity to serve and kill the enemy!"

"it is good!"

Shi Shan patted Zhao Pusheng heavily on the shoulder, a genuine smile on his face, and said:

"With the general's words, I have no worries! Your old troops are all elites who have survived countless battles. How can they be buried? Rest assured, I have my own arrangements. I will ensure that heroes have a place to use their talents!"

……

PS: In the 29th year of the Zhiyuan era of Emperor Shizu of Yuan (1292 AD), salt tax revenue accounted for approximately 60% of the Yuan court's monetary revenue. In the 2nd year of the Tianli era of Emperor Wenzong of Yuan (1329 AD), salt tax revenue amounted to over 7,661,000 ingots, accounting for approximately 80% of the Yuan court's monetary revenue that year.

Some studies even show that this number is as high as 90%, and even if it is maintained at 60%, it is still very outrageous!
(End of this chapter)