Sweep Yuan

Chapter 284 The North-South Conflict Is Inevitable

"The Mongol Yuan dynasty was tyrannical... leading to the devastation of China and the suffering of its people... Now, I, Commander Shishan, lead an army to punish the wicked and bring peace to the people, sweeping away the dust of the barbarians and restoring the Han homeland! I will punish the Mongol Yuan chieftains, treacherous officials, and those who stubbornly resist, but I will never harm the innocent people in the slightest..."

"...From this day forward, all the exorbitant taxes and levies imposed by the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, such as 'silver levies' and 'silk levies,' shall be abolished! Farmers in the countryside who lack grain or seeds may apply to the government for loans; merchants in the city who wish to resume their businesses may be lent interest-free by the government."

Anyone displaced by war can register with the government, which will provide them with housing, rations, and assistance in clearing wasteland and settling down…

"...This commander highly values ​​the talents of the world. Scholars with the ambition to save the world and capable people who are knowledgeable in finance and law, regardless of their background, may submit their applications to the government office and be appointed according to their abilities! Even virtuous and wise people who live in seclusion in the mountains..."

Any policy that benefits the people and ensures the peace of the country, or any proposal that aims to revitalize and strengthen the nation, may be presented directly to this commander. No one will be punished for speaking out…

Sun Yan, the military advisor of the Red Flag Battalion, was quite quick-witted. As soon as the army took control of the key points in the city, he wrote a short proclamation to reassure the people in the temporarily requisitioned government office, focusing on the three core themes of "pacifying the people," "restoring industries," and "recruiting talents."

Since Shi Shan independently led his troops to capture Hong County, the Red Flag Battalion has always made it a routine to pacify the people after conquering a city. There are even templates for this, which only need to be slightly adjusted according to the actual situation.

This time, however, it was different from the past. Hangzhou was no ordinary prefecture. It was not only the former capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, bearing the glory of the Han people after their southward migration, but also the seat of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty's Jiangzhe Province, controlling the financial hub of the southeast.

The pacification and control of this area require extra care, as its symbolic significance and substantial impact far exceed those of Changzhou, Songjiang, and other prefectures.

Sun Yan wrote the first draft of the proclamation and, not daring to delay, immediately came to ask Marshal Shi to review and approve it.

At this moment, Shi Shan, accompanied by Dr. Chen Ji, was in the official residence receiving and examining key documents and records related to household registration, land ownership, and finances of the Jiangzhe Province. Upon hearing the sound, he took the manuscript presented by Sun Yan and quickly scanned it.

For him, the key to a public proclamation was not how ornate and elegant the language was, but whether the promises made in the proclamation could be quickly translated into concrete actions that would win the trust of the people.

"very good!"

Shi Shan nodded, made only minor adjustments to two places of wording, and then handed the pen back to Sun Yan.

"Make a copy of this document and distribute it to each patrol team. Read it aloud repeatedly so that all soldiers and civilians in the city know our army's policies."

Sun Yan took the manuscript, glanced at Chen Ji standing solemnly to the side, seemingly wanting to say something, but ultimately swallowed it back, clasped his hands and bowed:

"Yes, sir. I will do it right away."

"marshal."

After Sun Yan's footsteps faded at the end of the corridor, Chen Ji gently put down a scroll of documents concerning the Hangzhou treasury's finances, straightened his clothes, stepped forward, and solemnly addressed Shi Shan, saying:

"Now that the situation in the Jinghu battle is about to be settled, the pseudo-Yuan court will soon be able to free up its resources and will definitely mobilize a large force to target our army."

Hangzhou, the former capital of the Song Dynasty, is a place imbued with imperial aura and a hub of cultural brilliance. Why doesn't the Marshal seize this moment of triumph, in accordance with the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people, to rightfully establish a new nation, thereby inspiring the entire army and rallying the hopes of heroes across the land?

Chen Ji's words were not unfounded.

In times of chaos and strife, those who presumptuously declare themselves kings or emperors when their foundations are weak are undoubtedly inviting trouble and courting their own destruction.

However, when a business has already reached a certain scale, if the leader of the power is still unwilling to take a further step and clarify his title, it is easy for his followers to doubt his ambition and vision, and even breed inappropriate thoughts, leading to internal discord.

—Just last month, the situation in Jiangbei became turbulent.

Unable to capture Shanyang County, the seat of Huai'an Road, after a prolonged siege, Zhang Shicheng secretly sent someone to contact Peng Erlang, whose progress had slowed after occupying Sizhou, and agreed that the two forces would jointly send troops to divide Shanyang.

Not everyone can follow Li Xixi's example and abandon their base in Xuzhou to start over in Jiangnan with Shi Shan. The generals who remained in Jiangbei also needed to find a way to survive for themselves and their men.

After all, Shi Shan led his army across the river to conquer Jiangnan, and for a long time he was unable to devote too much strength to Jiangbei, especially to the various tribes in Xuzhou.

However, with the main force of the Red Flag Battalion moving south, the Yuan court, feeling much less pressure, began to intensify its counterattacks against the various tribes in Xuzhou. If Peng Erlang and his men could not take proactive steps to break through the situation, they would only be able to sit and wait for death amid the increasingly fierce encirclement and suppression by the Yuan army.

Shishan was unwilling to annex the Red Turban Army in Xuzhou because he was unable to shoulder this heavy burden, and instead gave them considerable autonomy.

Although Peng Erlang had previously captured Sizhou by "acting first and reporting later," Shishan did not investigate further; in late June, Yin Congdao also seized the opportunity and, under the name of Sesame Li, mobilized troops to capture Suqian.

However, the nature of Peng Erlang's attack on Shanyang County in this joint effort with Zhang Zhou's regime was different.

No matter how unrefined Zhang Shicheng's title of "Prince Cheng" may be, in this era that placed great importance on titles and symbols, his appeal was still incomparable to that of a regional "Marshal".

Upon learning that Peng Erlang had unilaterally joined forces with Zhang Shicheng to launch an attack, Li Wu, Yin Congdao, and Zhima Li jointly submitted a memorial to Shishan, reporting the matter in detail and urging him to ascend the throne as soon as possible to stabilize the hearts of the various tribes north of the Yangtze River and clarify the hierarchy.

As a Doctor in the Marshal's Office, Chen Ji's duties were limited to document drafting and regulations, and he had no authority to inquire about military secrets. Therefore, he was unaware of Peng Erlang's alliance with Zhang Shicheng to divide up Shanyang.

His motivation for urging the emperor to ascend the throne differed from that of Li Wu and others—he was more focused on establishing a kingdom in Hangzhou, and his actions implicitly reflected the expectations of the Jiangnan literati.

Shishan, of course, could not accept this suggestion, which seemed to be in line with the times but might actually harbor the selfish motives of local scholars. Feigning ignorance, he countered with:

"Jingchu (Chen Ji's courtesy name), have you forgotten? Wasn't the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty Bianliang?"

Throughout the Song Dynasty, the legal capital was always Bianliang (Kaifeng), while Hangzhou (Lin'an) was merely a temporary capital. Emperor Gaozong of Song named it "Lin'an," which itself implied "temporary settlement" and "not forgetting the Northern Expedition," thus maintaining the political legitimacy of the Southern Song court.

"cough--"

Chen Ji coughed lightly, looking slightly embarrassed. He advised...
The matter of advancing to the throne usually requires the concerted efforts of all ministers to create an atmosphere of "popular support" and "following the will of Heaven and the people," as individual advice has limited effect. The reason he particularly emphasized establishing his kingdom in Hangzhou is because this juncture is extremely crucial.

The Red Flag Battalion's current military and political center is in Yingtian Prefecture, where the Marshal's Office is also located. As the leader of the forces, Shi Shan cannot remain far from the center of power for long. Now that Hangzhou has been captured, if he does not take this opportunity to move the center of his rule to Hangzhou, or at least hold a coronation ceremony there, then Shi Shan will soon return to Jiangning.

For a scholar like Chen Ji from Jiangnan, he could still accompany the marshal as an army advisor at this moment. If he returned to Jiangning, where the marshal's mansion was full of talented people and there were many followers from Jiangbei, it would be difficult for him to have such an opportunity to show his talents and exert influence at such close range again.

These words were actually a reminder to Shishan that he should make good use of scholars from Jiangnan in order to consolidate the Red Flag Battalion's ruling foundation in Jiangnan.

Seeing that Shi Shan had changed the subject by mentioning Hangzhou as an informal capital, seemingly unwilling to discuss it further, Chen Ji had no choice but to be more explicit:
"I apologize for my carelessness just now, Marshal. However, the symbolic significance of Hangzhou Road is incomparable to that of ordinary roads and prefectures. It is rich in money and grain, and its literary culture is flourishing. Now that you have taken this place, why not follow the will of the people and take a further step to consolidate your power and win over the hearts of the heroes of Jiangnan?"

Shi Shan knew that this timeline had been completely altered since his arrival, and the Red Flag Camp was now the largest anti-Yuan force in the world. As a time traveler, he bore the hopes of the world and had to shoulder the historical responsibility of leading the people; further advancement was only a matter of time.

But the location absolutely cannot be Hangzhou. He must make his stance clear as soon as possible to prevent Chen Ji and other people from Jiangnan from having unrealistic fantasies.

“Jingchu’s words are indeed reasonable.”

Shi Shan turned around, looked at Chen Ji with an honest gaze, and said:

"My previous renaming of Jiqing Road to Yingtian Prefecture was to lay the groundwork for establishing a country and capital in the future. However, although Hangzhou is a good place, it is not a place for expansion and advancement. The Red Flag Battalion takes the expulsion of the enemy and restoration of the Han Dynasty as its banner, and its vision should be set on the whole world. How can it limit itself to a corner of Jiangnan?"

He paused, then emphasized his words with expectation, and continued:
"Respecting your great talent, you should also broaden your horizons and look beyond the surface of the world!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Ji's body trembled slightly. He finally understood Shi Shan's ambition and decisiveness, and also grasped the warning and expectation implied in his words. He took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and bowed deeply to Shi Shan, his tone becoming extremely solemn:

"The Marshal's teachings are like a wake-up call; I have been short-sighted. I will do my utmost to assist the Marshal in pacifying Jiangnan, recovering the Central Plains, and restoring order to the world!"

Shishan intends to use the manpower, financial resources, and material resources of Jiangnan to sweep away the Mongol Yuan dynasty. Sooner or later, a group of talented people from Jiangnan will need to be recruited into the core power structure, but this will take time and requires a balance.

He must not, having just occupied a corner of Jiangnan, show an excessive reliance on Jiangnan scholars, as that would chill the hearts of the "old-timers" from Jiangbei who had risked their lives to follow him in starting the business.

Wherever there are people, there is a social hierarchy. Even though the Red Flag Camp is composed entirely of people from Jiangbei or Jiangnan, various factions will gradually emerge within it due to differences in region, interests, and ideologies.

There is no monolithic force in the world; internal strife is inevitable. The key lies in control and balance, which is the most important ability of a leader to manage his subordinates.

As for the location of the capital and the establishment of the country, Hangzhou was indeed not an ideal choice.

Ishiyama's statement that it was "not a place for development" is a very euphemistic way of putting it.

The Southern Song dynasty only officially chose Hangzhou as its temporary capital five years after its founding, a decision based on multiple considerations including military defense, economic foundation, geographical environment, and political needs. But the most important reason, in reality, was only one—its proximity to the sea, which facilitated a safe escape by sea should the situation become uncontrollable.

Hangzhou is surrounded by mountains to the west and south, making it easy to establish passes for defense; the Taihu Plain to the north is densely covered with waterways, which can hinder the rapid movement of cavalry; and the mouth of the Qiantang River to the east leads directly to Suzhou Ocean, allowing for escape by sea should things go wrong.

More than two hundred years later, Hangzhou was engulfed in war again, changing hands three times within a year. While the incompetence of the defending army was certainly a factor, its inherent geographical disadvantages—a lack of strategic depth and an over-reliance on external barriers for defense—made it difficult to defend Hangzhou once the outer perimeter was breached.

Shishan was unable to change this situation; without a firm grip on the surrounding cities, Hangzhou remained unstable.

Therefore, after capturing Hangzhou, he ordered the Red Flag Battalion to launch attacks on cities such as Yuhang, Lin'an, Yuqian, Changhua, Xincheng, and Fuyang, as well as passes such as Yuling Pass, Qianqiu Pass, and Dusong Pass (including Dusong, Baizhang, and Youling Passes).

As for Xiaoshan County in Shaoxing, which is across the Qiantang River, the current situation is due to the high tide, strong winds, high waves, and complex and dangerous hydrology of the Qiantang River. Even if the Yangtze River naval fleet arrives, the risk of the army crossing the river to carry out the operation is very high, so the operation can only be postponed for the time being.

From this perspective, Qing Tong's strategy of dispersing the main Yuan army's forces across various key locations in the surrounding areas was indeed more strategically effective than concentrating them within Hangzhou city. The fact that the Red Flag Battalion failed to annihilate the Yuan army's fighting force in Jiangsu and Zhejiang under the walls of Hangzhou suggests that subsequent battles will inevitably be more frequent and arduous.

However, that's how war is; it's full of uncertainties. Once you miss an opportunity, it's gone, and there's nothing to regret.

At least, Hangzhou has already been taken over. The most urgent task now is to stabilize the local order as soon as possible, restore people's livelihoods, and capture the surrounding cities before Shishan can return to Jiangning.

With the Jinghu campaign nearing its end and Buyan Temur's army about to return, it was imperative to strengthen the defenses of the western front in northern Zhejiang. In Jiangbei, the situation was once again turbulent due to Zhang Shicheng's alliance with Peng Erlang in capturing Shanyang County. As the leader of the forces, he could not afford to be away from the military and political center of Yingtian Prefecture for an extended period.

Since crossing the river, Shishan has been invincible, demonstrating the formidable military strength of the Red Flag Battalion. Along the way, it has recruited talented individuals and pacified the local communities, clearly expressing its sincerity in cooperating with local gentry and powerful figures for joint governance.

The key to stabilizing Hangzhou lies in tangible results and confidence. As long as the Red Flag Battalion can firmly control the outer perimeter and ensure that the Yuan army cannot counterattack, the local elites will naturally make a wise choice after assessing the situation.

Before recruiting talents on a large scale, Shishan needed to clarify Hangzhou's position in the Red Flag Camp regime system—which was also the issue that Chen Ji was concerned about, except that he focused more on "people" while Shishan focused more on "location".

Without a doubt, the current military and political core of the Red Flag Battalion can only be Jiangning Yingtianfu. Hangzhou, with its economic strength and political influence, can continue to serve as the capital of the Jiangzhe Province, but only after the "Jiangzhe Province" has been divided and weakened.

The Yuan Dynasty's provincial divisions were too broad. The Jiangzhe Province alone encompassed what would later become southern Jiangsu, southern Anhui, northeastern Jiangxi, the entirety of Shanghai, the entirety of Zhejiang, and most of Fujian, many of which were densely populated and tax-rich areas.

After the Red Flag Battalion crossed the Yangtze River, they first captured the Jiangzhe Province, which was bound to be the first to emerge from the war and restore prosperity. Even with planned emigration in the future, the population density and economic size of Jiangzhe will still have an overwhelming advantage over other regions for a long time to come.

If Shishan continues to establish its capital in Jiangning, it may be able to barely suppress and balance Jiangsu and Zhejiang by leveraging the close proximity and draining of resources from the political center.

If the capital is moved elsewhere in the future, the wealth and flourishing culture and education of Jiangsu and Zhejiang (which are essentially supported by economic investment in education and a large population that selects knowledge elites) could easily lead to the formation of powerful local interest groups that could even influence the political situation.

In Shishan's future blueprint, the Jiangsu-Zhejiang province will be drastically divided, returning to a more rational historical and geographical unit positioning.

However, the Red Flag Camp had not yet fully controlled northern Zhejiang, and its territory was limited, so it was not the right time to suddenly change the administrative divisions of the high-level authorities. So, following the "practice" he had previously used in places like Jiqing, he first changed Hangzhou Road to Hangzhou Prefecture, downgraded Haining Prefecture to Haining County, and left the other prefectures and counties as they were for the time being.

As for personnel arrangements, Shishan originally considered sending Chen Ji to a post outside the area to cultivate his ability to handle administrative affairs.

But after the conversation, he realized that Chen Ji had great ambitions, but inevitably carried the regional perspective and eagerness for progress inherent in Jiangnan scholars. It seemed that he needed more observation and refinement.

(End of this chapter)