Sweep Yuan

Chapter 290 Family Matters and National Affairs are Both Important

In Jiangning City, autumn is deepening. Night falls, and stars are sparsely scattered across the night sky.

Inside the Red Flag Battalion Marshal's Mansion, most of the lights had been turned off, except for the study in the core area, where the last group of civil and military officials who came to report had just left not long ago.

Shi Shan rubbed his throbbing temples, closed the last document Fu Youde had reviewed regarding the reinforcement of Chongming Prefecture's defenses, and neatly placed it on the corner of his desk.

The flickering candlelight illuminated his young yet composed and resolute face, and also the power center filled with stacks of documents and huge maps hanging on the walls. The air was filled with the scent of ink and the faint smell of candle smoke, as well as the weariness and fulfillment after a long day of work.

Shishan got up and stretched his limbs, pondering the recent actions of the Yuan army, as he walked towards the back courtyard.

In the stillness of the night, the guards on duty under the eaves saw the marshal approaching and silently clasped their hands in salute, their armor plates making a very slight rubbing sound.

Since the women of the inner quarters lived there, it was impossible for personal guards to go deep inside. Shi Shan waved back to his personal guards and, greeted by his maids, went straight into the spacious main room. A warm and fragrant atmosphere wafted out of the room, which was completely different from the cold and austere atmosphere of the outer study.

The candlelight was soft as Liu Ruoyun, the wife, hummed a tuneless Jianghuai folk song and carefully placed their sleeping daughter, Shi Minghan, into the exquisite cradle.

Her movements were gentle, as if she were handling the most precious porcelain in the world. When she saw Shishan enter, she quickly put her index finger to her lips as a shushing gesture, and then tiptoed forward to greet him, reminding him that he was about to take off his outer robe.

"Husband."

Her voice was very low as she said:

"Today is Lin Daiyu's birthday, have you forgotten because you've been so busy?"

The "Lin Daiyu" she referred to was Shi Shan's fifth concubine, who came from the Lin family, a local gentry family in Jiangning. Before her, besides Huang Shuyao, Du Ruo, and Ma Xiuying, there was also the Zuo family from Hefei.

During this campaign in Jiangnan, wealthy families from various regions presented dozens of beautiful women to demonstrate their sincerity in submitting, from which Shishan selected four.

As his harem grew larger, and he was busy with military and national affairs all day, he naturally had neither the time nor the ability to remember all the trivial daily routines of these women. He relied entirely on his mistress, Liu Ruoyun, to take care of everything and remind him from time to time.

Upon hearing this, Shi Shan paused in his act of undressing, a hint of realization and apology flashing across his face before transforming into a gentle smile. He then took Liu Ruoyun's hand in his own.

"I've been so busy with military and political affairs lately, and all I could think about was Yunniang and Ming'er, that I completely forgot about this. Thank goodness for reminding me, my virtuous wife."

Although Liu Ruoyun was the legal wife and had been married to Shishan for nearly two years, her husband was away fighting battles all year round, and the two rarely saw each other. Hearing such affectionate and dependent words, two blushes still rose on her fair cheeks, making her appear even more gentle in the soft candlelight.

"My lord, you flatter me. These are all my duties."

She gently withdrew her hand and softly urged:
"Young Lin is young but thoughtful. She has probably already prepared food and wine and has been waiting for a long time. Husband, you should go over quickly and not let her wait in vain and feel heartbroken."

As the mistress of the inner quarters, Liu Ruoyun deeply understood the importance of maintaining harmony within the inner courtyard.

In the past two years, she has fulfilled this duty exceptionally well. Whether it is the more senior women such as Huang, Du, and Ma, or the newly arrived Zuo and Lin, she has tried her best to be impartial, fair, and lenient, allowing Shishan to fight on the front lines without having to worry about matters in the inner quarters.

Feeling grateful, Shi Shan stepped forward, his left hand naturally encircling his wife's slightly plump waist due to pregnancy, while his right hand gently rested on her slightly protruding belly.

Their second child was being conceived there, nearly seven months along. The pulse of life was palpable through the thin fabric of their clothes, carrying a strange and comforting power.

"I am away from home for many years, fighting and traveling. The peace and tranquility of our home is all thanks to Yunniang's meticulous management. Thank you for your hard work." His voice was deep, filled with sincere gratitude.

After confirming her pregnancy again, Liu Ruoyun strictly followed the doctor's advice and dared not have intercourse with Shishan again.

Being held so intimately by her husband at this moment, feeling the warmth from his palm and that familiar and reassuring masculine scent, her body involuntarily went weak, and her eyes welled up with a misty mist, almost causing her to lose control.

Just as her heart was fluttering, a soft "clucking" sound came from the cradle beside her, breaking the idyllic atmosphere of the room.

"Ming'er is awake." Liu Ruoyun took the opportunity to step back slightly, tidied her temples, and concealed her earlier loss of composure.

The eldest daughter, Shi Minghan, is nearly eleven months old. She inherited her mother Liu Ruoyun's fair and delicate skin, as well as the unique features of a baby. After waking up, she does not cry or fuss, but simply opens her big, dark, clear eyes and curiously looks at her father.

Seeing Shi Shan's gaze fall upon her, Shi Minghan stretched out her chubby little arms, as if to ask for a hug.

Babies around one year old grow rapidly. When Shishan returned from his campaign, he heard that his daughter was already learning to speak, and he was even more delighted. In recent days, whenever he had free time, he would come over to spend time with her to make up for the lack of fatherly love.

Seeing his daughter's adorable appearance, he immediately let go of his wife, bent down and carefully picked her up from the cradle. He gently rubbed his chin, which had grown a beard, against her soft little face, which made the little girl giggle again.

“Come on, Ming’er, call me Daddy, Daddy—Daddy—” Shi Shan patiently guided him, his eyes full of doting affection.

"Father—Father—Father—Father—cluck cluck—"

The little one in his arms imitated him indistinctly, uttering two tender syllables before his attention was drawn to the slightly prickly touch on his father's chin, and he reached out his little hand to explore it curiously.

Watching the heartwarming interaction between the father and daughter, Liu Ruoyun smiled contentedly, but her heart was filled with thoughts of Shishan's relatives still in Jiangbei. She carefully chose her words and softly spoke:
“My lord, Jiangning is now at peace. I was thinking... should we send someone to bring my eldest sister, second brother, and sixth uncle to Jiangnan? The whole family can be reunited and look after each other.”

Men were responsible for external affairs, while women were responsible for internal affairs. Shi Shan rarely mentioned military and political matters to the women in the inner quarters. Therefore, Liu Ruoyun, as the matriarch of the Red Flag Camp, was unaware that the Xu Song regime had been destroyed and that the main force of the Yuan court was about to launch a major counterattack against the Red Flag Camp.

In her view, since her husband had already established a foothold in Jiangnan and intended to live there for a long time, it was only natural that he should bring his family to enjoy a comfortable life. As his wife, it was her duty to offer this advice to him.

Arrangements for family and relatives are not only a family matter, but also involve the overall "official" strategy. Shishan felt it necessary to explain this to his wife. He gently said, while playing with his daughter in his arms:

“My brother-in-law is doing quite well at the Veterans' Cooperative. Now the yarn factory has a new eight-spindle spinning machine that can run stably (Note), and the profits are getting better every day. Since he wants to stay at the Veterans' Cooperative, it is not advisable for him to be transferred for the time being.”

The Veterans' Association is the most important government-run enterprise of the Red Flag Battalion. It bears the important responsibility of accumulating and expanding funds, stabilizing meritorious soldiers, and guiding the development of private industry. Recently, it has successfully developed an eight-spindle spinning machine that can operate stably (Note).

Under the Mongol Yuan dynasty, the industrial layout in the north and south was already distorted.

Jiangnan not only has a good agricultural foundation and stable output, but also a population far exceeding that of Jiangbei. In addition, it is a prosperous commercial center, a flourishing literary culture, and has far more talents in the imperial examinations than Jiangbei. Jiangbei, on the other hand, has suffered from years of natural disasters and wars, resulting in a desolate and impoverished population.

The economic base determines the superstructure. If the economic status of the North and the South remains disparate for a long period, no policy can reverse the trend of social division and cultural fragmentation, which will be detrimental to the future development of the Red Flag Camp.

With a large population and strong agricultural base, the gap between Jiangbei and Jiangnan in agriculture will only widen in the short term. In Shishan's plan, Jiangbei will not only be an important granary and source of soldiers in the future, but also shoulder the responsibility of becoming an "industrial powerhouse".

He intends to utilize local resources and manpower to gradually build various workshops and mines, thereby boosting people's livelihoods, reducing the gap between the north and south, and ultimately achieving the revitalization of Jiangbei (Central Plains).

The Veterans' Society is the most important tool and engine for achieving this goal. Such an important institution will not only not be moved to Jiangnan in the future, but will also expand further into the heart of the Central Plains as the Red Flag Battalion's power expands, taking root in Xuzhou, Kaifeng, and even further north.

Since her brother-in-law Peng Youtian has chosen this path and achieved some success, he shouldn't think about coming to Jiangning to enjoy a comfortable life for the time being.

After talking about his eldest brother-in-law, Shi Shan then brought up his second brother, Shi Erhe.

"My second brother is currently in charge of the breeding of superior varieties in Shucheng, which is related to the very foundation of the livelihood of our Red Flag Battalion and even the future of countless people. We must not make any moves lightly."

He deeply understands that agriculture is the foundation of a nation, and that improved varieties are the "core competitiveness" for developing planting and animal husbandry in areas with weak agricultural foundations.

Although the Chinese have had the simple understanding of "you reap what you sow" since ancient times, and also know how to select "good seeds" through the "ear selection method" of "harvesting every year", they ultimately lack a systematic understanding of the nature of genetics and mainly rely on natural variation, failing to establish a scientific breeding system.

The fact that superior breeds such as the Ferghana horses, which the Han Dynasty acquired through war, failed to take root in the Central Plains is clear evidence of this.

The reason why Shi Shan arranged for Shi Erhe to farm and raise horses in Shucheng was because he required Shi Erhe to learn to read and write.

He not only explained the basics of genetics to his second brother, but also personally compiled a booklet on breeding, emphasizing the need to establish paternal and maternal lineages. He also collected a lot of crops and superior breeds of sheep and horses and sent them to Shucheng.

Shishan doesn't need Shi Erhe to achieve such a great feat as hybrid rice (because he doesn't understand it either), but he hopes that through systematic recording and selection of superior varieties, he can prove that human intervention can stabilize and optimize species traits, and establish the concept and norms of "scientific breeding" for Hongqiying.

This undertaking is a meritorious deed for the present and a benefit for future generations. The required technical skills are not very high, but it demands a great deal of patience, and Shi Erhe is the perfect candidate.

"Giggle giggle—" The daughter in Shishan's arms seemed to understand the solemnity in her father's words, or perhaps she found her father's expression amusing, and she let out another clear laugh, waving her little hands haphazardly.

Shishan was infected by his daughter's laughter, and his mood lightened considerably. He gently touched his forehead to his daughter's forehead, making her laugh even harder, before continuing:
"As for the sixth brother, he is still young, so it's fine to take him over. However, we should wait until this major battle is over and the situation has completely stabilized before making a decision."

Shi Shun, the sixth son of the Shi family, was sent to Hefei Academy at the beginning of the year. According to the chief instructor Ye Dui, he studied very diligently.

But he is already fourteen years old, which is a critical period for the formation of a teenager's character and values. He has been away from his close relatives for a long time and lacks proper guidance. Shishan is indeed worried that he will go astray and will need to personally guide him when he has time.

Liu Ruoyun astutely caught the mention of "this battle" in Shi Shan's words, knowing it must be a matter of life and death for the Red Flag Battalion. Wisely, she didn't press for details, but silently suppressed her worries.

Since my husband has embarked on the path of driving out the barbarians and restoring the Han dynasty, it means that he will fight continuously until the Mongol Yuan dynasty is completely driven out of the land of China and the world is pacified.

As Shishan's wife, all she could do was manage the household well, raise their children, and relieve her husband of the burden of family matters.

Liu Ruoyun took her sleepy daughter from Shi Shan's arms, gently patted her, and said softly:

"I understand. I will leave everything to my husband. It is indeed late. Lin Meimei must be eagerly waiting for you. Husband, you should hurry over and not disappoint her."

Although the status of concubines was far inferior to that of the principal wife, their main duty was to produce offspring for the Shi family. However, their temperament and emotions would directly affect the children they raised, which in turn affected the peace of the inner quarters and the upbringing of their offspring.

Shishan knew that neglecting his concubine too much would inevitably breed resentment in her, which would be detrimental to harmony in the household. Without hesitation, he nodded and said:
"Alright, then I'll head over. Yunniang, you should rest early too. I'll come see you and Ming'er again tomorrow."

He has indeed been quite busy these days, so much so that he forgot about Lin's birthday.

In addition to dealing with the political affairs that had piled up during the previous period of conquest, the more important task was a series of personnel adjustments that followed the expansion of territory.

The Red Flag Battalion's eastern expedition expanded its territory to eight prefectures and dozens of counties. Naturally, it was impossible to retain all former Mongol officials for such a large number of county and prefecture positions. Key positions had to be filled by promoting and transferring from the existing core team as well as newly recruited and assessed talents.

For example, Sun Yan, the former military advisor in the Marshal's Office, who was quick-witted, was kept in Shaoxing by Shi Shan and appointed as the Assistant Prefect of Shaoxing Prefecture to assist Xu Da in stabilizing the local area and implementing the new policies of the Red Flag Battalion.

The position of secretary that was vacated after his transfer was taken over by Zhang Yu, a scholar from Jiangzhou who had recently joined the army and was known for his elegant poetry and prose.

Another example is Yang Weizhen, a former official of the Mongol Yuan dynasty who recently joined the government. This literary giant seemed to be determined to prove himself again in the practical field where he had previously stumbled. He even took the initiative to request to be transferred to a county as a magistrate.

Since Shishan sincerely wanted to recruit this person, he would not let him serve as a low-ranking official with such "advanced age" and reputation. Not only would it not make the best use of his talents, but it might also cause controversy among the literati.

After careful consideration, he appointed Yang Weizhen as the Director of the Marshal's Office. This position was responsible for "supervising local areas and investigating illegal activities," primarily overseeing local officials and preventing abuse of power and corruption.

Regarding the problems existing in the Red Flag Battalion's central leadership, Shi Shan believed that since the country had not yet been formally established, the primary task was to unite the people and accumulate strength. It was not advisable to allow a "straightforward minister" like Yang Weizhen, who was outspoken and would speak frankly without considering the audience, to intervene too early, so as not to disrupt the situation.

Of course, the main reason is that the Marshal's Office is currently well-structured and efficient. With him personally overseeing it, even if there are some problems, they won't cause too much trouble.

The founding of the nation has been the most important topic in the Marshal's Mansion in recent days.

Today, the Red Flag Battalion's territory spans across the north and south of the Yangtze River, effectively controlling more than ten prefectures in Xuzhou, Huangzhou, Huainan, and Jiangzhe. Its influence extends to surrounding forces such as Zhang Shicheng and Fang Guozhen, making it the undisputed number one anti-Yuan force in the world.

With the Xu Song regime already destroyed, regardless of whether Shi Shan himself was willing to take up the banner of leading the heroes of the world to oppose the Yuan, the Yuan court would certainly regard him as the next number one target that had to be eradicated with all its might.

Since Shi Shan returned to Jiangning, his civil and military officials have formally submitted two joint petitions urging him to ascend the throne. Their words were earnest and their reasons were sound, including "Heaven's mandate is upon him," "The people's will is with him," and "Only the king can quell the chaos."

Once the ancient ritual of "three persuasions and three concessions" is completed, the country can be officially established and the king can be declared a king in a natural and logical manner.

This "three persuasions and three concessions" were not just a perfunctory gesture.

It is both a political ceremony to demonstrate "popular support and the will of the people," avoiding the impression of being impatient or usurping power; and a test and demonstration of the unity and loyalty of the internal team.

Simply put, Shishan might not remember everyone who participated in urging him to ascend the throne; but those who wanted to stay out of it, or even explicitly opposed it, would certainly leave a deep impression on him.

However, Shi Shan's establishment of a kingdom was a natural consequence of the circumstances, and his subordinates, whether willingly or unwillingly, all understood that this was the inevitable trend. At most, some people were a little slow to react, but no one really wanted to spoil the mood or sing a dissenting voice at this time.

The reason why Shishan did not immediately agree was not only to follow ancient rituals, but also because he was not satisfied with the proposed names of the country by Xia Yu, the Director of the Ministry of Rites.

Xia Yu was a learned scholar who quoted extensively from classical texts and proposed several alternative names for the state, including "Jin", "Qi", "Song", and "Wu".

For example, the reason given for the name "Jin" is that among the regimes that established their capitals in Jiangning (Jiankang) in history, the Jin Dynasty had the largest territory.

But when Shi Shan thought of the Sima family's illegitimate accession to the throne, the War of the Eight Princes, and the subsequent exodus of officials to the south and the fall of China, he felt that this name was extremely unlucky. Moreover, there was another person in history with the same surname, Shi, who used "Jin" as the name of his state and whose reputation was infamous: Shi Jingtang of the Later Jin Dynasty.

Shi Shan came from a humble military family, but he never thought of attaching himself to any "noble" ancestors, nor did he want the people of the world to have any negative associations because of the country's name.

Another example is "Song," because the Southern Dynasty Liu Song once established its capital here, and it could echo the previous Zhao Song Dynasty, perhaps winning over some of the loyal subjects.

Regardless of the "weak" impression left on later generations by the most well-known Zhao Song Dynasty in history, it seems strange and ominous that the Mongol Yuan Dynasty had just conquered a "Xu Song" and the Red Flag Battalion immediately set up a "Shi Song".

As for "Qi" (geographical connection with Yidu Road, where Shishan was born) and "Wu" (the first Sun Wu regime to establish its capital in Jiangning), in Shishan's view, they were both too small in scope and were typical titles of separatist regimes.

Neither of these could fully support his ambition to conquer the world and expel the Mongols, nor could they effectively rally the anti-Yuan forces in the north or even the whole country.

However, the reason why Shishan was able to remain calm and deliberate in such a "detail" as choosing the name of the country was that the reaction speed of the Yuan court did not exceed his expectations.

As September drew to a close, news of the fall of Qishui, the capital of the Xu Song dynasty, had already spread throughout the land through various channels. However, the Yuan court in Dadu seemed to have reached a standstill.

Not only has the reward for the generals and commanders of the various provinces who led the troops in the Battle of Jinghu been delayed, but the next operational direction of this massive army has also been kept secret, with no clear instructions issued.

The Red Flag Battalion had very limited intelligence penetration into the Yuan court's high-ranking officials. Shi Shan could only speculate, based on fragments of information provided by surrendered officials such as Zhao Lian and his own vague memory of the course of history at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, that the Yuan court's high-ranking officials might have recently fallen into fierce factional struggles.

Or they are arguing endlessly about who should lead the eastern expedition and how to coordinate the interests of all parties.

But he was certain that this main force of the Yuan army, sharpening its swords, was like a fully drawn bow, ready to be launched sooner or later, its target aimed directly at him. The Mongol Yuan's "ultimate move" should be coming soon.

During this period, the other two important anti-Yuan forces in Jiangbei—Liu Futong and Zhang Shicheng—experienced both joy and sorrow.

Previously, Xu Song, the Red Flag Battalion, and Zhang Zhou had made a series of major moves that mobilized the Yuan army, giving Liu Futong, who was in dire straits, a much-needed respite. He then regained his strength, conquered Queshan and Suiping, and launched a counterattack on Ruyang, the capital of Runing Prefecture.

Unexpectedly, they encountered a formidable enemy here and were defeated by the Darughachi Chaghan Temur of the prefecture, suffering heavy losses. They had no choice but to retreat to their base in Xinyang Prefecture to rest and resupply, and for a time they could not make any significant progress.

Chaghan Temur was not born into a military family during the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. Instead, he was a leader of a "righteous army" who rose to power by recruiting local militias through his family's influence.

At the end of last year, this man, together with Li Siqi, the leader of another militia, broke through the Luoshan County occupied by the Red Turban Army, thus coming into the sights of the Yuan court. He rose through the ranks based on his military achievements and has now become a powerful figure guarding a region. His rise should not be underestimated.

In contrast to Liu Futong's setbacks and period of dormancy, Zhang Shicheng in the east, after capturing Shanyang County, the seat of Huai'an Road, seized the opportunity to advance rapidly, successively capturing Qinghe, Taoyuan, Shuyang and Andongzhou, among other cities, demonstrating his sharp military prowess.

Seeing that Zhang Shicheng was about to push the battle line to the border of the Yuan Dynasty's inland provinces, Shishan did not believe that the Yuan Dynasty could hold its ground.

……

PS: During the Yuan Dynasty, when Wang Zhen served as the magistrate of Jingde County in Ningguo Road and Yongfeng County in Xinzhou Road (around 1295-1300 AD), he wrote "Agricultural Treatise". The book records that water-powered spinning wheels already existed at that time (there are also illustrations in the book).

This machine can achieve "the string follows the wheel, all machines move, the upper and lower parts respond to each other, and the speed is appropriate". Its twisting and winding mechanism consists of a frame, spindle, guide bar and yarn frame.

To prevent the yarns from tangling during twisting and winding, 32 small iron forks are installed at the front of the frame to "separate the yarns" and also to ensure good yarn shaping, serving the same function as the transverse guide rod on the reeling machine.

(End of this chapter)