Sweep Yuan

Chapter 288 Xu Da's Military Skills Are Truly Divine

At the mouth of the Cao'e River, the turbid river water and the turbid sea water meet violently, emitting a deep roar.

On both banks, guarding the strategic pass, stands a fortified village built of blue bricks and huge stones, like a giant beast crouching at the mouth of the river, its towering walls and dark arrow slits coldly watching the river.

There are currently more than 2,200 troops stationed in these two fortified villages, and their core function is not to directly block large-scale enemy amphibious landings.

This would have been nearly impossible along the long coastline of Shaoxing Road, but instead it served as a nail and an eye, firmly guarding the Cao'e River, a vital waterway deep into the heart of Shaoxing.

If the enemy forces were to fight to the death with the defenders inside the fortress, the reinforcements arriving from Shaoxing would be able to attack from both inside and outside and drive them into the sea.
If the enemy dares to abandon the attack on the fortress and advance its main force deep into the territory, they can threaten its supply lines from the rear, or even cut off its retreat, making it feel like it has a thorn in its side and dare not exert its full strength.

Fang Guozhen launched several uprisings to harass the coastal areas of eastern Zhejiang, but never dared to penetrate into the prosperous Shaoxing Road, because of its well-developed defense system.

Although the Red Flag Battalion's Yangtze River Navy had gunboats, they could only suppress the firepower of the defenders on the stockade, and could not destroy such a small but sturdy fortress in a short time. Xu Da knew that he could not waste his precious time and energy on these two nails.

"Order: The Second Garrison Commander (Governor Yu Tingyu) shall remain, and be assigned another 4,000 soldiers to first blockade Shuangbao and prevent Shuangbao from sending messengers to Shaoxing to report the latest movements of our army."

If the garrison in the fort dares to attack, they must be routed; if they remain holed up and do not come out, then there is no need for a forceful assault. After one day, withdraw the defenses and then advance eastward along the Cao'e River and Yuyao River to capture Shangyu County and Yuyao Prefecture, preventing Fang Guozhen's forces from seizing Qingyuan Road and then eyeing Shaoxing Road.

Upon receiving the order, Yu Tingyu immediately used gunboats to suppress the long-range firepower of the Yuan army's naval camp, covering the passage of the main force.

Xu Da led the main fleet, taking advantage of the northwest wind, to sail upstream along the Cao'e River and plunge straight into the soft hinterland of Shaoxing Road.

The defense of Shaoxing Road was uniformly managed by Bolanxi, the Commissioner of the Jiangnan and Zhejiang Circuit of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty.

This man was no mediocre talent; he had considerable experience in commanding troops and had even considered that the Red Flag Battalion might bypass the heavily fortified Qiantang River front and land from the Cao'e River in the east or even further away.

Previously, he had specifically dispatched an additional 1,000 troops to Shuangzhai, where the Cao'e River meets the sea, which was originally only garrisoned by 1,200 men, bringing its total strength to 2,200, hoping to delay and wear down the enemy's landing attempt.

However, given the absolute disparity in strength and the strategic initiative, minor, piecemeal repairs are futile.

The Red Flag Battalion not only had a superior total force, but also firmly controlled the sea in this area with its powerful navy (compared to the Yuan army, which had almost no decent navy).

The attacking side can freely choose landing points along the long coastline, while the defending side's limited forces are like pepper sprinkled everywhere, which is equivalent to having no defense at all.

When the garrison at the water fortress received the urgent news that the Red Flag Fleet was crossing the sea to Shaoxing, Bolanxi was in the government office discussing the enemy situation on the west bank of the Qiantang River with his staff. Upon hearing the report, he abruptly stood up, his face instantly turning ashen, and slammed his fist on the table, making the teacups rattle.
"Fell into a trap!"

Bolanxi instantly realized that the large-scale attack by Chang Yuchun's troops on the west bank was just a feint to attract his attention. The real main attack and fatal blow of the Red Flag Battalion actually came from the sea to the east!
The advisors looked at each other, and one of them urgently suggested:

"My lord, the water fortress is in grave danger. Should we send reinforcements immediately?"

Bolanxi forced herself to calm down, slowly sat back in her chair, and shook her head, saying:

"No. The rebel army has crossed the sea and come out in full force; their numbers are far more than a few thousand. Although there are 13,000 soldiers in Shaoxing, this huge city has a wide defensive area, and we need to divide our forces to defend it. Sending too few reinforcements would be like sending sheep into the tiger's den, resulting in needless losses."

If too many are sent... what if this is a ruse by the rebels to lure us away from our stronghold, or we suffer a defeat in open battle? Shaoxing will be in danger!

Bolanxi was more worried that the Red Flag Battalion had control of the sea. Once it gained a foothold in the heart of Shaoxing, it could continuously transport troops and supplies from Hangzhou, and the strategic importance of the western "Qiantang River-Xiaoshan" defense line had been greatly weakened.

He knew that the key to breaking the deadlock lay in eliminating the enemy force that had already landed as soon as possible.

To achieve this goal, relying solely on the garrison in Shaoxing to launch an attack would be too risky. The only option was to urgently recall the mobile troops of Lü Wensui, who were pre-positioned on the western front, in order to launch a pincer attack from both inside and outside and defeat the Red Flag Battalion.

But Xu Da's actions were more decisive.

The Red Flag Fleet, taking advantage of the wind and current, sailed upstream day and night without hesitation. After passing the Cao'e Saltworks, they entered the Grand Canal and continued westward, heading straight for Shaoxing!
Along the way, the Yuan army had two fortified villages built along the river. The defenders even fired rockets into the canal in an attempt to burn the Red Flag Battalion's warships and slow down the army's advance. However, under the fierce firepower of the gunboats, this resistance was futile.

After a few booming sounds, stones flew from the fortress's battlements, the Yuan archers dared not show their faces, and the few rockets they fired lost their aim, mostly falling into the water and hissing as they went out, failing to cause any real obstacle to the fleet.

When the Red Flag Battalion's warships appeared on the canal west of Shaoxing, Bolanxi's last shred of hope was shattered.

He couldn't wait for Lü Wensui's reinforcements and could only watch helplessly as the Red Flag Battalion's warships docked, and squads of soldiers in red armor surged down like a tide. They then felled trees to build fortifications, dug trenches, and set up watchtowers outside the city.

Under the protection of the army, craftsmen and laborers began to construct siege ladders, shield wagons, battering rams, and other siege weapons with a clanging and clattering sound. The efficiency and orderliness of their work sent a chill down the spine of even the battle-hardened Bolanxi.

Shaoxing is not a city that can be easily taken.

This city was recently expanded under the supervision of Mantemur, the Vice Commissioner of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provincial Administration Commission. The walls are made of blue bricks and huge stones, with a circumference of 24 li and 250 steps. Although the height of the city wall is only between 14 and 16 feet, which is actually quite low (note), its defense system is extremely complete.

A wide moat winds around the city, towering watchtowers offer a wide view, sturdy barbicans block the city gate passages, and low sheep and horse walls provide an additional barrier for the outer perimeter.

The city has nine gates, four of which are land gates and three are amphibious gates, all of which have drawbridges. The remaining two water gates are also equipped with heavy sluice gates made of iron and wood. The entire defense system is complete and sturdy.

Xu Da personally led his troops to survey the terrain near Shaoxing City. He knew that the city's defenses were ingenious and that without sufficient siege equipment, it would be difficult for his forces to even reach the city walls. He then said to Li Xixi, the commander of the Right Guard of Qingri who had accompanied him on the expedition:
"Commander Li, Shaoxing's defenses are formidable, and a full-scale attack requires thorough preparation. I intend to lead six thousand elite troops westward by boat to support Chang Boren's troops crossing the river, and to seek an opportunity to annihilate any Yuan mobile forces that may be returning to reinforce."

Your tasks are threefold: First, defend the camp and prevent the city's defenders from launching a surprise attack; second, urge the craftsmen to do their utmost to build siege weapons; and third, stabilize the morale of the troops and demonstrate strength to the enemy so that they dare not act rashly.

"When I join forces with General Chang and return victorious, this city will change hands!"

In addition to commanding the main force of the Yangtze River Navy, Xu Da was also temporarily assigned the Right Guard of Qingri and some newly reorganized local strongmen forces on this trip, with a total strength of more than 23,000 men.

He had previously left Yu Tingyu's troops with 6,000 men, and taking another 6,000 away meant that he was temporarily handing over command of the main force to Li Xixi.

Li Xixi was not afraid of the Yuan army's counterattack, but he felt that it was unreasonable to let the main general lead a detachment to carry out a high-risk maneuver mission while he stayed behind in the relatively safe camp.

"General Xu! Responding to General Chang's mission and sweeping away the enemy reinforcements is quite risky. Let me go instead!"

Xu Da wasn't trying to compete with Li Xixi for credit, but rather he explained that this battle was indispensable for him:

“Commander Li’s bravery and loyalty to the Marshal are well known to me. However, the key to this battle lies in the coordination between land and water. Many of your soldiers are suffering from seasickness and urgently need to rest on land to recover their fighting strength. Those who remain to guard the main camp also bear great responsibility. This matter need not be discussed further!”

Seeing that Xu Da had made up his mind, Li Xixi no longer insisted, clasped his hands in a deep fist salute, and said with a sigh:

"In that case, General Xu, go ahead with peace of mind! With me here, I will ensure the camp remains as solid as a rock! If anything goes wrong, bring me your head!"

Xu Da nodded slightly, reassured by Li Xixi's composure.

His stated purpose was to assist Chang Yuchun in crossing the river, but his real target was the Yuan army's mobile forces in Shaoxing.

Previously, Chang Yuchun's troops were stationed on the west bank of the Qiantang River, preparing for a large-scale crossing. Bolanxi urgently deployed a large army on the east bank of the Qiantang River in an attempt to block the Red Flag Battalion's large-scale crossing.

Xu Da predicted that after Bolanxi learned that the navy had bypassed the Cao'e River and attacked the heart of Shaoxing Road, he would urgently transfer some of the western troops back to defend Shaoxing City. The key to a quick victory in this battle was whether or not this mobile force could be dealt with.

After entering Shaoxing Road, the navy marched straight ahead, even at night, without delay.

The Shaoxing garrison commander needed time to receive the urgent report from the water fortress and make the decision to mobilize troops to reinforce it. Messengers also needed time to deliver the orders. The Yuan army on the western front had set up a maze while confronting Chang Yuchun across the river, and it would take even more time for them to withdraw safely. Moreover, their troops lacked ships and could not travel day and night.

Based on the above information, Xu Da concluded that the Yuan army would definitely not reach the walls of Shaoxing that night.

This army, eager to return to its base, had broken away from its fortified positions, making it an ideal target for annihilation in open battle. Opportunities are fleeting; he must take the initiative and seize control of the battlefield.

Xu Da's military campaigns were characterized by both swift and decisive action and cautious and hesitant tactics. After making a decision to wage war, he did not immediately send out his troops.

It was already close to 5 pm. If the fleet set off immediately, it would be dark before they could travel far.

It would be easier to miss enemy troops who might not be camped near the water, which would expose Li Xixi's troops left behind to the risk of being attacked from both inside and outside by the defending forces and reinforcements. It would also prematurely reveal their own strategic intentions and alert the enemy.

After careful consideration, Xu Da made meticulous arrangements.

He first dispatched several elite scout teams to search westward for twenty miles, then set up camp there to closely monitor the main road leading to Shaoxing, in case the Yuan army launched a surprise attack overnight.

Four battalions of soldiers were ordered to launch several probing attacks towards Shaoxing City using makeshift weapons carried on the ships. They advanced with great fanfare, arrows flying everywhere, creating the illusion of an urgent siege, further confusing and pressuring the city's defenders. As night fell, the Red Flag Battalion's main camp was brightly lit. The accompanying craftsmen worked through the night in their designated areas, the sounds of hammers and saws filling the air. Campfires illuminated their busy figures and the gradually taking shape siege weapon framework.

This scene put immense psychological pressure on the defenders on the city walls, as if they would face a thunderous all-out attack at dawn the next day.

Meanwhile, the six thousand elite troops who were truly ready to attack rested on their warships early after a hearty meal, conserving their energy.

On the canal, apart from the flickering lanterns of the patrol boats that twinkled like fireflies, the main warships were completely silent, a stark contrast to the bustling activity of the main camp on the shore.

At dawn, before daybreak, is the time when people are most tired.

On the city wall of Shaoxing, the Yuan soldiers on duty, holding their spears, whispered among themselves about the movements of the Red Flag Camp outside the city, speculating whether there would be a bloody battle after dawn.

On the canal, the main fleet of the Yangtze River Navy, like a giant whale lurking in the dark, quietly weighed anchor and raised its sails. With the faint morning light and the guidance of navigation ships, it disappeared silently into the darkness before dawn, heading west upstream.

"Sir! Sir! Something bad has happened!"

Just as dawn was breaking, a Yuan army officer scrambled into Bolanxi's temporary residence, his voice filled with terror, and said:

"The Red Flag Bandits...the bandit fleet...disappeared at night!"

Bolanxi suddenly sat up from the simple bed, put on his outer robe, and hurriedly ran towards the south city wall.

Looking around, one could see that the canal where the huge fleet of ships had been moored was now much emptier, with only a few dozen large ships that appeared to be transporting supplies and some light escort vessels remaining.

Bolanxi's heart sank. Recalling the Red Flag Battalion's feigned probing attack yesterday, their tireless work in forging equipment throughout the night, and the main fleet's quiet departure at dawn, a terrifying thought exploded in his mind:

"They are feigning an attack on the city, but in reality they are using a portion of their forces to tie us down while their main force... their main force is heading towards Lü Wensui!"

He felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, his hands and feet instantly turned icy cold, and his vision went black for a moment. If he hadn't reached out and grabbed the cold wall tightly in time, he would have almost collapsed to the ground.

Finished!

Lu Wensui's troops were on their way back to reinforce, completely unprepared. If they were intercepted by the enemy halfway...

The advisor, seemingly anticipating the same outcome, offered a suggestion tinged with a sliver of hope:

"My lord, should we immediately send several more messengers, on horseback, to inform General Lü to be on high alert, or... or perhaps change their routes?"

Bolanxi smiled bitterly, slowly shook her head, and said in a hoarse voice:
"It's too late! The traitor's plan was meticulous. Last night, he deliberately created a diversion to prevent us from tipping him off. At this moment, his fleet is sailing downstream at great speed, and he's probably already far away. Sending messengers now would only send them to their deaths."

As he gazed at the gradually brightening sky in the west, the last glimmer of hope in his eyes was extinguished.

"Now, we can only pray to the Eternal Heaven for protection, and hope that Lü Wensui will be more cautious on his journey and discover the enemy's tracks in advance."

Neither of them mentioned the possibility of a counterattack from the city again. Although the enemy camp outside the city seemed to have reduced its troop strength, the fortifications were well-maintained, the amount of smoke from cooking fires had not decreased significantly, and a large number of Red Flag Battalion scouts were patrolling outside the city, obscuring the battlefield.

If the Shaoxing garrison were to leave the city at this time, not only would they be unable to launch a surprise attack and achieve results, but they would also be highly likely to be entangled by the Red Flag Battalion. If the Red Flag Battalion were to take advantage of the situation to ambush and seize the city gate, then Shaoxing City would surely be lost!
Bolanxi forced himself to calm down, his face regaining some of the sternness befitting a military commander. He took a deep breath and instructed his advisors:
"The enemy army is about to attack the city, and we don't have much time left. Go immediately and inform the two counties to conscript another five thousand militiamen to go up the city and help defend it!"

Bolanxi's guess was correct—it was indeed too late to send a messenger at this point.

Because at the hour of Wei (1 p.m. to 3 p.m.) that day, Xu Da's main fleet received an urgent report from the forward scout ship: Lü Wensui's troops were found hurriedly crossing the Puyang River near Kanshan Town!
"Report! General, urgent report from the scout ship ahead! A large force of Yuan troops, about 7,000 men, has been spotted in the direction of Kanshan Town. The first 4,000 or so men have already crossed the Puyang River, and the rest are rushing to cross!"

The Puyang River originates in Pujiang County, Wuzhou Prefecture, flows through mountains and ridges, passes through Zhuji Prefecture, intersects with the Grand Canal at the border of Xiaoshan and Shaoxing, and finally flows northeast through Doumen Town and into Hangzhou Bay.

Xu Da had anticipated encountering the returning Yuan army, but he hadn't expected the opportunity to be so perfect—the enemy was in a state of "crossing the river," unable to attend to both ends, and their forces were scattered! If they didn't strike now, when would they?

"Send the order!"

Xu Da's voice suddenly rose, filled with murderous intent, and he said:
"The Third Battalion will advance and break into the Puyang River, destroying all of the Yuan army's ferries and cutting off their retreat and reinforcements! The remaining towns and battalions will land two miles later (the fleet is still about five miles from where Lü Wensui's troops crossed the river), and form ranks to meet the enemy who have already crossed the river!"

Command flags waved and bugles blared.

The massive fleet split into two, with a small number of agile gunboats and speedboats plunging into the mouth of the Puyang River like arrows, heading straight for the poor little ferry boats of the Yuan army in the middle of the river.
The main fleet accelerated forward, and upon reaching the designated landing point, more than 5,000 elite Red Flag Battalion soldiers, like tigers descending a mountain, quickly landed and began to assemble at the command of their officers.

Lu Wensui was a powerful figure in Zhuji. Last year, when the Xu and Song armies captured Hangzhou, his brother Lu Hao organized a local militia and helped Bolanxi recapture Hangzhou. After the war, Lu Hao was appointed as the Assistant Magistrate of Zhuji Prefecture, and Lu Wensui was appointed as the Commander of a Thousand-Household Righteous Army.

Previously, Bolanxi mistakenly judged that the main attack direction of the Red Flag Battalion was on the western front, and ordered Lü Wensui to lead several units of nearly 10,000 local militia to block the enemy on the Qiantang River defense line, which shows that he attached great importance to it.

Lü Wensui was well aware that his family's interests were now tied to the Yuan court, so he dared not be negligent. After receiving Bolanxi's order, he immediately adjusted the defenses, leaving behind a small force to make a show of force and to be exposed to cooking smoke, in order to prevent Chang Yuchun's troops from crossing the river to pursue them.

After carefully arranging everything, he led most of his troops to Shaoxing, but unexpectedly, Xu Da acted so decisively that he caught up with his troops crossing the Puyang River and attacked.

When Lü Wensui spotted the sails of the Red Flag Battalion fleet on the river, he sensed something was wrong and urged the rear guard to cross the river quickly.

"Hurry! Cross the river! Rear troops, speed up!"

He screamed at the top of his lungs, but chaos was inevitable.

The Red Flag Battalion's warships were extremely fast, and soon they rushed over. The Yuan army's ferries were smashed and overturned like toys under the impact of the tall warships, and the soldiers who fell into the water cried out and struggled in terror.

Broken planks and the corpses of Yuan soldiers were scattered in the middle of the Puyang River. Some Yuan soldiers were struggling to swim to the temporarily safe west bank, while many others, injured or exhausted, were futilely splashing the water.

On the east bank of the Puyang River, nearly five thousand people who had already crossed the river gathered in a chaotic manner, their morale low and their spirits broken.

Seeing Xu Da's troops rapidly approaching, Lü Wensui drew his sword, forced himself to remain calm, and loudly encouraged the terrified village leaders and soldiers around him:

"Don't panic! Form ranks! Form ranks! Last year in Hangzhou, didn't we utterly defeat tens of thousands of Red Turban rebels? The number of bandits before us is roughly equal in strength to ours; we will surely..."

"Boom boom boom——!"

Before he finished speaking, a deep and extremely intimidating roar came from the Puyang River behind his army formation!

Lu Wensui had actually heard that the Red Flag Battalion had a powerful "large bowl-shaped gun" and deliberately lined up it a little distance from the riverbank, but he did not expect that the range of this weapon would exceed his imagination.

In the first salvo, a total of four cannonballs hit the Yuan army's formation.

Despite the fact that the distance was too great and the kinetic energy was insufficient, resulting in several casualties.

But the earth-shattering roar, the attack range far exceeding the range of arrows, and the horrific sight of cannonballs plundering the ground instantly destroyed the last bit of resistance of this army, which was mainly composed of local militia.

"Sorcery! It's sorcery!"

"Run!"

Screams, cries of alarm, and wails erupted all at once. Two of the three Yuan army formations, which were already on the verge of collapse, crumbled on the spot. Soldiers scattered and fled like headless flies, and the officers' shouts and even swords were of no use.

Xu Da's troops jogged over, their formation somewhat disordered, but the opportunity was fleeting. He suddenly raised his spear high and shouted:

"The enemy has collapsed! All troops, charge! Rout them!"

"kill--!"

……

Note: The fact that the city wall of Shaoxing was 14 feet high after it was built in the 13th year of the Zhizheng era is somewhat "counterintuitive", but this data comes from authoritative historical materials such as the "Shaoxing Prefecture Annals" and the "Encyclopedia of China" (3rd edition).

At the same time, the city walls of Shangyu County and Yuyao Prefecture in Shaoxing were even shorter, only one zhang high.

(End of this chapter)