Sweep Yuan

Chapter 307 After the Huaidong affair was settled, a spies were planted.

As soon as Shi Shan finished speaking, the temperature inside the tent seemed to drop several degrees.

Zhang Shicheng, Shi Wenbing, and Li Bosheng's expressions changed drastically, and alarm bells rang in their minds. The Han King's seemingly invitation to fight side-by-side was actually a poisoned chalice, a trap that, no matter how they answered, would easily lead them into.

If Zhang and Zhou had simply stated that the city of Gaoyou was short of soldiers and generals, lacked provisions, and was no longer able to fight, then Zhang Shicheng, whose status as "King Cheng" was already diminished by his confinement in the isolated city, would have completely lost the right to engage in equal dialogue with Shishan, who was riding high on the momentum of a great victory.

If Shi Shan were to discover Zhang Zhou's true strength in this way, it would be easier for him to seize the opportunity to annex Zhang Zhou's territory—the weak are not worthy of the title of king and territory.

However, if they were to put on a brave face and exaggerate the total number and fighting strength of the remaining troops in the city, they would have even less reason to refuse the King of Han's "righteous" invitation to "jointly attack Tuotuo".

After all, the King of Han did not hesitate to halt the fierce battle in Jiangnan and mobilize a large army to go north to relieve you of the siege of Gaoyou and the danger of national annihilation. Such a life-saving grace should be repaid with all our might. It is only our duty to join forces to defeat the remnants of the Yuan army.

As a result, the Han army drove away Tuotuo after shedding blood and sacrificing themselves, but the Zhou army only wanted to hide in the back to preserve its strength. They were not even willing to take advantage of the victory to pursue and expand their gains. How can this be justified in terms of reason and emotion?
If this matter were to spread, how would the world view Zhang Shicheng? If Shishan were to use this as a pretext to attack Gaoyou, under what name and with what power would Zhou's army resist?

This predicament left Zhang Shicheng feeling his throat dry, unable to think of the right words for a moment.

"inappropriate!"

The first to speak was Zhang Zhou, the Privy Councilor Shi Wenbing. In truth, in the blink of an eye, he hadn't figured out a perfect way to refuse Shishan's invitation to send troops, but as a subject, how could he allow his lord to be put in an awkward position by directly confronting the powerful neighbor?
Regardless of the consequences, he had to take the lead and buy Prince Cheng time to think.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Shi Wenbing realized that his tone had been too harsh and hasty, and fearing that he might have offended Shi Shan, he quickly bowed to the Prince of Han, who was seated in the main seat, and forcibly suppressed his unease, apologizing:

"In my haste, I spoke rudely. If I have offended you in any way, it was not my intention. I beg Your Majesty to forgive me!"

The Han army's current strategic focus is indeed still in Jiangnan. The "joint attack on Tuotuo" remarks made in front of Shishan were a political drama to force Zhang and Zhou to make a statement, so they naturally wouldn't care about Shi Wenbing's minor interruption and rudeness.

He immediately waved his hand, his face revealing neither joy nor anger, his tone calm yet authoritative, and said:
"It's alright. The military situation is urgent, so feel free to speak your mind. Tell me, what's wrong with that?"

Shi Wenbing was quick-witted; in that brief pause, his mind raced, and he grasped the key point. Instead of directly answering whether troops could be dispatched, he took a deep breath and asked in return:

"May I ask, Your Majesty, what exactly do you mean by 'eliminating future troubles'? Do you mean defeating and annihilating the main force of the Yuan army under Toqto'a, or do you mean... launching a northern expedition to Dadu and stabilizing the world?"

His words were not only a delaying tactic to allow himself and Zhang Shicheng to regroup, but also a subtle reminder to Shishan that although the Han army was strong and could defeat Tuotuo in a direct confrontation and easily destroy Zhang Zhou, it was still a long way from launching a northern expedition to Dadu and overthrowing the Mongol Yuan dynasty.

At this moment, if we push too far and cause the situation in Huaidong to collapse, it will not benefit your Han state either. This statement is not a threat of mutual destruction, but rather lays the groundwork for future negotiations.

Shi Shan secretly praised this person as a talent, able to grasp the key to the problem in such a short time.

However, this also conveniently steered the conversation in the direction he had planned. He feigned ignorance and followed the lead, asking:

"Oh? What's the difference between these two in relation to the current military deployment?"

By taking over Shi Shan's words for Zhang Shicheng, Shi Wenbing actually assumed enormous risks and pressure.

It must be understood that when the situation is against you, resorting to empty words will not only fail to achieve your goal, but may even bring about your death. Seeing that Shi Shan remained calm and unperturbed, he felt slightly relieved and began to speak:
"Although the Mongol Yuan territory is vast, it is riddled with internal contradictions. Toqto'a's southern expedition has exhausted the country's resources to assemble this large army. Now that its main force has been defeated by the Prince of Han, its morale is low, and it is in no condition to organize an effective siege of Gaoyou in the short term, let alone threaten Yangzhou."

He first explained Toqto'a's current predicament, then once again praised the unparalleled achievement of defeating the main Yuan army at Shishan, and cleverly steered the topic back to the interdependent alliance between Zhou and Han, before slowly explaining why his side should not immediately send troops:

"On the other hand, our Great Zhou has been besieged by the Yuan army for more than a month. We are exhausted, our food supplies are running low, and our morale is extremely low. The other cities have been ravaged by the Tartars, and the people are suffering. They are still under the control of the remnants of the Yuan dogs. Our rear is actually quite unstable."

If we rashly follow His Majesty the Prince of Han in pursuing the fleeing enemy, not only will we be unable to provide effective assistance to your army, but we may also fall into the trap of counterattacks or ambushes by the remnants of the Yuan army due to slow march and insufficient combat strength.

If our army is caught off guard and suffers a rout, jeopardizing the King of Han's previous great victories, then we, your humble servants, will be condemned to death!

Throughout the conversation, Shi Wenbing carefully observed Shi Shan's reaction, and seeing that the latter still maintained his composed demeanor, he was secretly amazed.
The other party is so young, yet he has such a deep and shrewd mind, as if he has everything under control. No wonder he was able to build such a huge empire in just a few years.

"What the Privy Councilman said is indeed true, and every word he said makes perfect sense!"

Zhang Shicheng finally sorted out his thoughts and quickly took over the conversation, his tone heavy and earnest:
"Your Majesty, we are wise. Our army has just suffered a defeat and is severely weakened. At present, we only have the isolated city of Gaoyou left. Our soldiers are few and our generals are few, and our granaries are empty. We are afraid that we will be unable to provide assistance to Your Majesty's men. On the contrary, we may become a burden to your army."

The best course of action at this time is to first consolidate our foundations, recover lost territories in the surrounding areas, and appease the suffering people. Only after we have reorganized and trained a large army to secure the Huaihe River region can we prevent the Yuan invaders from advancing south again and endangering Yangzhou. This would also be a way for us, as part of our Han-Zhou alliance, to fulfill our responsibility in defending our territory.

His words not only explained the real difficulties Zhang Zhou faced in order to gain Shi Shan's sympathy, but also implied his willingness to act as Shi Shan's shield in the north, to keep watch over Huaidong and prevent the Yuan army from possibly advancing south again.

He adopted an extremely humble attitude, hoping that the other party would know when to stop and not push him too far.

"Um……"

Shi Shan tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of his seat, lost in thought, as if he were truly moved by Shi Wenbing and Zhang Shicheng's reasonable explanation.

"Both of you are right. Since the Zhou state is indeed in trouble and lacks the strength, it would be inappropriate to force them to send troops. So... let's drop it."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shicheng and his two companions breathed a slight sigh of relief, only to see Shi Shan stroking his short beard, suddenly change the subject, his gaze flashing like lightning, his tone still calm, but carrying an even stronger sense of pressure:

"However, our detachment is currently engaged in fierce fighting with the Yuan army on Huai'an Road, tying down the enemy. Now that I have personally led the main force north, I cannot abandon the current favorable situation and watch our detachment fall into a desperate situation just because Toqto'a has temporarily retreated. We are determined to take Huai'an Road!"

After saying that, Shi Shan looked intently at Zhang Shicheng, his meaning as clear as could be—there's no such thing as a free lunch, I saved you, so I have to show my appreciation.

Your strength is weak, so you can refrain from sending troops to pursue Tuotuo's main force. But you must provide the necessary funds, provisions, laborers, and other logistical support for attacking the Yuan army in Huai'an Road.

Logically speaking, one should repay such a great favor in this way.

The problem is that Zhang Zhou now only has Gaoyou, a dilapidated and isolated city, and he is already short of money, food and manpower. The next steps, such as recovering lost territory and pacifying the people, all require a huge investment of money and food.

Where would they find the resources to support the Han army in its continued campaigns?

More importantly, Zhang Zhou's strategic space has been squeezed once again.

Previously, with Xuzhou to the north serving as a buffer, Zhang Zhou was able to barely manage to develop his strength cautiously towards Huaian Road.

Now that Xuzhou has been taken by Tuotuo, if the Han army were to completely control Huai'an Road, Zhang Zhou would be completely trapped in Gaoyou Prefecture, surrounded by Han forces on the east, west, and north sides, losing all room for expansion. He would have no other way but to be gradually digested and annexed by the Han.

After Zhang Shicheng raised his army, not only was the direction of his expansion of power constrained by the Han army in every way, but his troop strength, reputation, and battle record were also firmly suppressed by the latter.

He had often felt as if he were living in the shadow of the stone mountain, and now, facing this aggressive Han king, this feeling was even stronger, almost suffocating him.

A feeling of humiliation, anger, and helplessness welled up inside me.

He felt a surge of adrenaline rush to his head, his right hand, hidden in his wide sleeves, clenched tightly, his nails almost digging into his flesh. His breathing became heavy and rapid, and his cheeks flushed slightly.

"King of Han".

Seeing that Zhang Shicheng was showing signs of losing control of his anger and about to erupt, Li Bosheng was terrified. He feared that the Prince of Cheng might act rashly and offend Shishan, giving the other party a handle to detain all three of them.

Without a leader, Gaoyou City is truly doomed!
He quickly interjected, trying to ease the tension and steer the conversation towards a more practical topic:
"Although Toqto'a has withdrawn his troops, the remaining forces of the Yuan army in Huaidong should not be underestimated. Our army's next step is to recover lost territory, which is actually consistent with your army's goal of annihilating the Yuan invaders. Even if our forces are small, we can still do our part for your army and may even coordinate with you strategically."

"Could...could the King of Han please suggest that the two armies divide their tasks, each taking what they need, in order to pacify the region more quickly?"

Shi Shan finally heard what he wanted to hear—the other party began to seek concrete cooperation plans instead of simply refusing. He inwardly praised Li Bosheng for being pragmatic and knowing when to advance and retreat, but his face remained impassive. He simply nodded slightly in response, saying:

"Minister Li, please tell me, how should the work be divided?"

Li Bosheng, a general from Xinghua, did not want to personally raise the sensitive issue of Taizhou's affiliation, lest he offend Taizhou-affiliated generals such as Lü Zhen and cause internal discord within Zhang and Zhou.

However, the Han army is currently very powerful, and the Zhou army is about to recover lost territory. In many ways, the Zhou army needs to rely on the tacit approval or even support of the Han army.

Whether he says it or not, given the King of Han's methods and strength, there's absolutely no way Taizhou and other places will return to Zhang Zhou's hands. Since that's the case, it's better for him to do a favor and leave a good impression on the King of Han, showing that he's sensible.

Today, after the two kings clashed in the tent, he finally understood everything.

Prince Cheng was magnanimous, kind to his subordinates, and loyal; he was undoubtedly a true hero capable of achieving great things. However, compared to outstanding figures like Prince Han, he paled in comparison in terms of strategic vision, political maneuvering, army building, and personal charisma.

Moreover, the Han state had a solid foundation, possessing the wealthy Jianghuai region, with well-trained troops, ample supplies, and abundant talent, giving it a clear advantage over the precarious Zhang Zhou state. Their performances in dealing with the overwhelming force of Tuotuo's army were starkly contrasting: one swept through with overwhelming force, while the other struggled to hold on, clearly demonstrating the superiority of the Han state.

In chaotic times, the struggle for power is like rowing against the current; if you are slow in one step, you will be slow in every step.

Li Bosheng believed that the King of Han might not be able to unify the world in the future, but the King of Cheng certainly wouldn't be the one to have the last laugh. Since he had already vaguely seen Zhang Zhou's not-so-bright future, he couldn't help but secretly prepare a way out for himself and his family.

Having thought this through, he no longer hesitated. He first looked at Zhang Shicheng, his tone respectful yet suggestive, and said:

"Your Majesty, as the saying goes, speed is of the essence in war. The main force of the Yuan army has been defeated. Our army should cooperate with the Prince of Han to pursue them and expand our gains."

Meanwhile, cities like Taizhou and Xinghua are still in Yuan hands. Their garrison, upon learning of Toqto'a's defeat, must be suffering a severe blow to morale and morale. We should take advantage of this chaos to quickly send troops to retake them, thus stabilizing our rear and appeasing the people.

Zhang Shicheng understood the unspoken meaning in Li Bosheng's words. He was struggling internally, and he really did not want to give up Taizhou, the place where he started his career, where many of his old brothers had established their foundations.

But the current situation is beyond our control. If we cannot satisfy Shishan's appetite today and show enough "sincerity", we may not even be able to keep Gaoyou, let alone talk about the future.

Moreover, after experiencing the fierce siege of Gaoyou, Zhang Shicheng realized that Gaoyou, located in a strategic location and surrounded by enemies, was by no means an ideal place to establish an imperial dynasty.

Especially with the powerful neighboring Han state behind them, they were constantly at the mercy of others and in constant danger of collapse. Sooner or later, they would have to plan to move the capital.

Since even the capital Gaoyou can be abandoned in the future, why should we stubbornly refuse to give up Taizhou, which already belongs to Yangzhou Road and is beyond our ability to reclaim, and bring trouble upon ourselves?
Upon realizing this, a hint of sadness and determination flashed in Zhang Shicheng's eyes. He nodded slightly to Li Bosheng, indicating that he understood Li's intention to sacrifice Taizhou to preserve the Zhang-Zhou alliance as a whole, and allowed him to continue the discussion.

With Zhang Shicheng's tacit approval, Li Bosheng felt reassured and emboldened. He then turned to Shishan, adopting an even more humble posture, but his words became increasingly clear and pragmatic:

"Your Majesty, let's not beat around the bush. I've heard that the Yuan army annihilated the Xu Song dynasty several months ago. I imagine their main force, which remained in Jiangnan, has already moved eastward into northern Zhejiang and is currently engaged in battle with your country."

Your country is currently focusing all its efforts on conquering Jiangnan, and the pressure of dealing with the main force of the Yuan army must be considerable. Therefore, you should concentrate your full strength and it is not advisable to tie down a large number of troops in Huaidong for too long.

His words naturally exaggerated Prince Cheng's prestige and influence in Huaidong. If Zhang Shicheng truly possessed such abilities, many cities under Zhang Zhou's control wouldn't have surrendered so readily upon Tuotuo's arrival with his army. However, diplomatic negotiations are inherently about demanding higher terms when available, and finding compelling reasons, even if difficult to verify immediately, to maintain appearances and increase one's bargaining power.

Li Bosheng kept a close eye on Shi Shan's expression. Seeing that the other man's face was calm and his deep gaze made it impossible to guess what he was thinking, Li Bosheng sighed even more at the unfathomable depth of his character.

But he noticed that the senior Han army generals standing behind Shi Shan were showing signs of impatience. Fearing that someone might interrupt and disrupt the flow, he quickly sped up his speech and presented his plan:
"Our emperor and his ministers are all natives of Huaidong, and have been operating here for a long time, with extensive local connections and friendships. Even if we suffer a minor setback at present, as long as our lord travels out of Gaoyou and raises his arm to call for action, heroes from all over the country will respond, and the recovery of the surrounding lost territories will be just around the corner."

Therefore, could your army keep an eye on the enemy in Taizhou, while our army concentrates its forces to the north to recapture Baoying, cutting off the Yuan army's escape route north? Then, the two armies can work together to trap and annihilate the remaining Yuan troops who have not yet had time to retreat.

"Humph!"

Before Li Bosheng could finish speaking, Shao Rong, the commander of the Left Guard of the Han Army, couldn't hold back any longer and snorted coldly, interrupting without any politeness:

“Minister Li has a good plan! Taizhou City has always been under the jurisdiction of Yangzhou Prefecture of our country, and now it has been occupied by the Yuan army. Why do you need to ‘invite’ our army to take it?”
As for the main force of the Yuan army, it is true that they advanced eastward into northern Zhejiang, but they were repeatedly defeated by our army, losing more than 100,000 soldiers! Enningpu, the Left Vice Minister of Huguang Province, Dong Tuanxiao, the Left Vice Minister of Jiangzhe Province, and many other high-ranking officials and so-called famous generals of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty all became the dead on the battlefield of our army!
Otherwise, how could my lord so calmly set aside the war in Jiangnan and personally lead the main force to rescue you from the crisis in Gaoyou?

Shao Rong's voice was booming and his aura imposing. His gaze swept over Zhang Zhou and his ministers as he continued:
"With the current prestige of our lord and the current combat strength of our Han army, we are invincible wherever our troops are deployed! We can resist Tuotuo in the north, destroy Buyan in the south, and expand our territory on both the north and south fronts at the same time. What is wrong with that?"
Does Minister Li perhaps believe that our Han army needs to rely on your defeated remnants to succeed?

Shao Rong's words were extremely blunt, directly degrading Zhou Jun to "a defeated and remnant army," highlighting the insurmountable gap in strength between the two sides.

"This?... General Shao, please be careful with your words!"

Li Bosheng wanted to say something strong to bolster his position, but when he looked at the arrogant and self-righteous expressions of Fu Youde, Zuo Junbi, Gong Wu, and other senior Han army generals beside Shao Rong, his confidence in bargaining vanished instantly.

If the Han army was truly so powerful that it could disregard the geographical limitations of the Yangtze River and maintain its dominance while fighting on multiple fronts in Huaidong, northern Zhejiang, and western Huaidong, then what capital or necessity would the Zhang Zhou regime have to struggle or exist?

Perhaps, for King Cheng to relinquish his title and for the entire Zhou state to be incorporated into the Han state, is the most rational choice at present, the one that can best protect everyone's interests...

Li Bosheng knew that this matter involved the survival of the nation, and was far beyond the scope of his decision as a mere subject. He glanced at Shi Wenbing beside him and saw that his colleague also looked ashen-faced and had a complicated expression. His lips moved, but in the end, he said nothing.

The two men tacitly chose to remain silent—the decision of whether to fight or make peace, to kneel or to resist, a matter of paramount importance concerning the fate of the nation, could only be made by Prince Cheng himself.

Zhang Shicheng's heart was in turmoil, filled with mixed emotions.

Although he was proud and arrogant, considering himself a hero of his time, he was by no means a fool who looked down on everything and couldn't see reality.

If he had not yet started his rebellion, or if his power was still weak, joining the Han state, which was at its zenith, might not have been an unacceptable outcome.

But he had already declared himself king and established his own kingdom. Behind him was a huge interest group, old brothers from different factions such as Xinghua and Taizhou, and thousands of soldiers who had followed him through thick and thin. How could he easily bow down to another separatist force?
Moreover, although the general situation of the world is gradually becoming clearer and more favorable to the Han state, the Mongol Yuan dynasty is still formidable, there are still strong enemies in the north, and the south of the Yangtze River has not been completely pacified. Shishan's reputation is currently unparalleled, but it is not certain that he will have the last laugh.

Before the situation becomes completely clear, rashly joining Shishan will not only completely deprive the opportunity to fight for supremacy in this chaotic world and contend for the world, but may also lead to being buried with the Han state when it encounters setbacks or is replaced by a new strongman.

He might even be suspected because of his status as king, and in the end, he would die even more mysteriously than Li Huafu, only to be ridiculed by heroes all over the world.

However, if we don't demonstrate our "sincerity" with concrete actions that will satisfy Shishan, we certainly won't get through this hurdle.

They themselves are short of money and food;
The other side is determined to get the territory.

So, what else can he offer?
Send a hostage? The thought flashed through Zhang Shicheng's mind, but he quickly suppressed it.

He has quite a few children, but they are all still very young. Sending them away as hostages would be tantamount to handing over his biggest weakness to someone else, which he is reluctant to do, and the risk is too great.

He does have a beautiful, unmarried younger sister… Perhaps, a marriage alliance? This is a common way to solidify alliances or express submission in chaotic times. Using a marriage alliance could ease the current tension and buy Zhang Zhou a chance to breathe.

Although he knew that Shishan had already married and his position as the empress was already secured, and that his sister would at most become a concubine after marrying into the family, at this moment, this seemed to be the only bargaining chip he could offer that had some weight and could save face for both sides.

As for the issue of face, it seems insignificant in the face of political interests.

Zhang Shicheng hesitated repeatedly, his face flashing with struggle and humiliation, before finally settling into a resolute expression.

He raised his head to meet Shi Shan's gaze, which seemed to see right through him, and tried to keep his voice steady as he said:
"The states of Han and Zhou are as close as lips and teeth; cooperation brings mutual benefit. Now, the King of Han has gone to great lengths to rescue Gaoyou, a favor akin to being reborn. To express my personal and the sincerity of the people of Zhou, I wish to further strengthen the relationship between our two states..."

I have a younger sister who just turned eighteen this year. She is of dignified appearance and character, and I wish to offer her to the King of Han to serve him, thus forging a marriage alliance and solidifying our union. I wonder... what the King of Han thinks?

He deliberately used the word "send" instead of "marry" to make a humble gesture, which not only made it clear that this was a gift and a sign of submission, but also avoided the awkward situation that Shishan already had a wife and could not marry again.

A meaningful smile finally appeared on Shi Shan's face. He didn't answer immediately, but his gaze lingered for a moment on Zhang Shicheng's forced composure, then swept over Shi Wenbing and Li Bosheng, whose expressions were complicated, before he slowly spoke, delivering the final blow:
"Your Majesty's kindness is truly appreciated, and I would be impolite to refuse. I have long heard of your sister's virtue and will certainly not fail you in the future."

As the saying goes, killing someone is just a matter of beheading them; politics is about compromise and balance.

Shi Shan knew that given the current situation of the Han state, with Tuotuo still having a main force in the north, Buyan Temur pressing in the south, and Xu Song about to rise again in the west, it would be satisfying to force Zhang Shicheng to surrender.

However, forcibly annexing and assimilating Huaidong would require a large investment of administrative and military resources and could also provoke fierce resistance from the remaining forces of the Zhou army, which is by no means the best course of action.

Forcing Zhang Shicheng to offer his sister as a peace offering and relinquish actual control of Taizhou would strategically further suppress Zhang and Zhou, making them nominally independent but in reality reduced to semi-vassals. This would be the most ideal outcome at this stage.

If we truly push the other side into a corner, forcing them to surrender to the Mongol Yuan dynasty in desperation, we will only suffer losses instead of gains.

Shishan was well aware that the fragile alliance between the Han and Zhou dynasties could not possibly be truly maintained by a woman.

If Zhang Shicheng feels he has gained enough power in the future, or if the Han state encounters a change of fortune, he will still betray it when necessary. Whether or not he accepts his sister will not affect his decision.

But this matter is insignificant. In the struggle for supremacy in chaotic times, one's own soft and hard power always prevails. As long as we can buy this time, and the Han Kingdom completes the integration of Jiangnan and its strength is further enhanced, then whether Zhang Zhou lives or dies will be up to him.

Now that the highest-level political deal has been reached, the subsequent details will fall into place naturally.

Shi Shan and Zhang Shicheng tacitly agreed to stop mentioning those sharp conflicts and instead began to plan how to wipe out the remaining Yuan forces in Huaidong.

Baoying County, north of Gaoyou, must be captured as soon as possible in order to close the door to the Yuan army's southward advance and achieve the strategy of "closing the door to beat the dog".

Xinghua County to its northeast is equally crucial. It is crisscrossed by waterways and serves as a vital passage for the enemy from Taizhou to break up and disperse and escape into Huai'an Road. It must be blocked.

However, the situation is clear: with the main force of Tuotuo's troops still at large and potentially launching a counterattack at any time, Zhou's army, given its current strength, would be able to take over one county independently at best, and taking over two places at the same time would be nothing short of a pipe dream.

Ultimately, we still have to rely on the strength of the Han army.

Shishan immediately made arrangements:

He ordered Shao Rong to lead a portion of the elite troops of the Left Guard of the Fu Army to join Zhang Shicheng's main force of Zhou Army in marching north to jointly capture Baoying County.

The main task of the Han army was to sweep away and pursue the scattered Yuan soldiers along the way, and to be on guard against any possible Yuan reinforcements.

As for the tough battle to capture Baoying County, it was mainly entrusted to Zhou Jun himself, so as to train his troops and give them the merit of "recovering lost territory".

Correspondingly, after Baoying County was recaptured, it came under the control of Zhang Zhou. However, all prisoners of war captured along the way and important military equipment and supplies seized by the Han army were taken away by the Han army to replenish the losses in this battle.

Shi Shan himself led the main force of the Han army, first heading north to make it appear as if he was pursuing Tuotuo's main force. After reaching Fanshui Village to intimidate them, he suddenly turned east and headed straight for Xinghua County.

To prevent the Han army from lingering after capturing Xinghua County, Zhang Shicheng dispatched Li Bosheng with 1,000 Zhou troops to accompany the main force at Shishan.

Xinghua was Li Bosheng's hometown, and having him take the lead would facilitate contact with local powerful figures and stabilize the situation. More importantly, among Zhang Shicheng's brothers, the most capable and skilled warrior, Zhang Shide, had already died in battle, and the other brothers were of limited ability and unfit for the important task.

As for the generals from Taizhou, such as Lü Zhen, their emotions were inevitably fluctuating because they had effectively abandoned Taizhou. Zhang Shicheng dared not give them any more free rein, lest it cause further complications.

Such an important and sensitive task is best entrusted to Li Bosheng, who is calm and knows the big picture.

Ultimately, Shi Shan's main force encountered a sizable Yuan army about twenty miles from Xinghua County, in a relatively open riverbank area—the very army of Wu Lianghatai, who had hastily retreated from Taizhou.

Wu Lianghatai had previously led an army of 20,000 to capture Taizhou. The last task that Tuotuo gave him was to join forces with the Goryeo army to threaten the flank of the Han army, slow down their advance, and buy time for the main force to retreat. He was also a pawn to be sacrificed.

Upon learning that the Goryeo army had collapsed at the first contact and failed to complete its mission of blocking the enemy, Wu Lianghatai acted swiftly and decisively abandoned Taizhou. With the Grand Canal no longer passable, he planned to go north via Xinghua, intending to retreat to Huai'an Road to reunite with Tuotuo.

Unexpectedly, Shishan's military action was swift and faster than he anticipated, and he even managed to block Shishan's only route north.

In their haste to escape danger, the Yuan army had been forced to march, leaving them exhausted and their ranks scattered. The sudden sight of the Han army's main force, with its fluttering banners and imposing military might, overwhelming them with a palpable sense of menace, shattered their already low morale.

Before the Han army could launch its charge, someone shouted, and the more than 10,000 Yuan soldiers (many of whom had already fallen behind and deserted along the way) immediately broke up and scattered, showing no will to fight.

What followed was a predictable game of chase and capture.

The Han cavalry launched attacks in all directions, while the infantry advanced steadily, employing a strategy of splitting up and converging attacks. In this battle, the Han army captured the largest number of prisoners of war since their northward march, including many elite troops from Liaoyang and Goguryeo soldiers.

After the war, Shishan conducted an initial screening, taking away all the elite troops and all the Goryeo soldiers, while the remaining troops and some local coerced men were generously "gifted" to Li Bosheng.

This move not only strengthened the power of Li Bosheng's directly subordinate troops and did him a favor, but also increased his influence and weight within the Zhang-Zhou regime, which was currently short of manpower.

Li Bosheng is a shrewd man who knows when to advance and retreat, and his stance is relatively flexible. He is a person worth cultivating and winning over. In Zhou, the future "vassal state" of Han, having a powerful figure with goodwill towards Han and a relatively high position is not a bad thing.

When Li Bosheng received these prisoners, his feelings were quite complicated. He naturally understood Shi Shan's intentions—this was a calculated move.

In chaotic times, only those with soldiers have power and the means to establish themselves.

More importantly, after this incident, Prince Cheng will definitely become suspicious of him, and no amount of explanation will help. It would be better to accept the King of Han's goodwill and save his own life.

Li Bosheng ultimately accepted these troops. Although he did not make any statement to Shishan, he knew that from this moment on, the fate of him and his army was intertwined with the will of Han King Shishan.

How long can that "Zhou" banner on the city wall of Gaoyou continue to fly over this land of Huaidong?

(End of this chapter)