Chapter 6 Chapter 6 God-sent Opportunity

Five days after Zuo Zongtang returned to Changsha, Zhang Liangji led Luo Bingzhang, Xu Guangjin and other troops to move out of Changsha City and began to move closer to Wuchang. Zuo Zongtang accompanied him on the commissioner, while Yang Changjun, the secretary, stayed in the governor's office in Hunan and continued to be his secretary.Jiang Zhongyuan had already returned to Xinning to recruit Xinyong, Jiang Zhongyuan's old troops had already been withdrawn from Sai Shang'a's army one after another, and returned to Zhang Liangji's command.Zhang Liangji had nearly 6,000 soldiers at this time.

On the way, Zhang Liangji said to Zuo Zongtang: "Ji Gao, there are 6,000 people under the command of this department hall in name, but in fact, only 3,000 people can be mobilized. The 3,000 soldiers in Xu Guangjin's hands are brave, and no one but himself Don't think you can move it!" Zuo Zongtang said with a smile: "Master Xu is the revolutionary governor. The imperial decree has clearly ordered him to stay in the camp for dispatch. Even Master Xu is assigned by you. How dare the soldiers under his tent refuse to obey the dispatch?" Zhang Liangji smiled bitterly, but changed the subject: "Ji Gao, when you returned to Baishui Cave, the head office sent an urgent request of 800 li to the superior, wanting to transfer Xu Guangjin to the capital. Tell me, the superior can Are you sure?"

Zuo Zongtang was taken aback, and said casually: "Master Zhijun, Wuchang has not yet recovered, and most of Hubei's prefectures and counties have not been conquered. It is time to employ people. You shouldn't take this book at this time! Even if the emperor has a heart at this time Arrest Master Xu to the capital for interrogation, you should always go to the concert and ask Master Xu to stay in the camp!" Zhang Liangji sighed and said: "Ji Gao, being an official is different from being a man! With Xu Guangjin by my side, I can't sleep well! I have my own difficulties!" Zuo Zongtang stared Looking at the haggard Zhang Liangji, he didn't know what to say for a while.

Two days later, the imperial decree was delivered to the barracks.Zhang Liangji hastily asked someone to set up a table for incense, then knelt down together with Luo Bingzhang and Xu Guangjin, facing north, and respectfully listened to the oracle. The edict said: "Xu Guangjin, acting governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, has been dismissed to act as an acting governor. He will be interrogated immediately, and Zhang Liangji will send his staff to the Ministry of punishment for interrogation. I hereby." After the official announced the decree, he handed the decree to Zhang Liangji and said, "Master Zhang, please act according to the decree."

Zhang Liangji got up and nodded to Xu Guangjin.Xu Guangjin's eyes were obviously red, and he reluctantly took off his top hat and untied his reward saber automatically. Zhang Liangji took the topband and the saber with both hands, sighed and said: "Hey, it's all caused by long hair! Zhongsheng, take care of yourself all the way. The main hall is going to let Hunan's alternate magistrate Shi Mingfeng and Hunan raise the standard to guard Teng Dailin The two escort you to Beijing." Xu Guangjin said in his mouth, "The guilty minister is ready to leave at any time", and walked out of the big tent silently.

That night, Zuo Zongtang locked himself in the camp, drank alone, and didn't rest until he was very drunk. It had only been five days since Xu Guangjin was sent away by Zhang Liangji, and the imperial envoy Sai Shang'a, Guangxi Admiral Xiang Rong and other ministries also approached Wuchang by order. Zhang Liangji was afraid that Saishang'a and Xiang Rong would lose his first merit, so he secretly ordered Luo Bingzhang to lead Xu Guangjin's 3,000 troops to gallop towards Wuchang overnight. Zuo Zongtang was shocked when he heard the news, and hurried to see Zhang Liangji.Zhang Liangji was sitting in the room drinking tea.

After saluting, Zuo Zongtang said: "My lord Zhijun, I heard that my lord has sent Luo Zhongcheng to lead the army to advance to Wuchang, but is it true?" Zhang Liangji smiled and said: "Jigao, sit down and have a cup of tea first, come and make new tea for Zuo Ling!" Someone outside agreed. Zuo Zongtang hurriedly said: "My lord, the situation is urgent. If some words don't sound good, you can just talk nonsense as an official. As far as I know, Changmao has over ten thousand troops stationed in Wuchang, and there are four more soldiers outside the city. A big battalion, estimated to have five or six thousand people. It is too risky for Luo Zhongcheng to advance alone! Our current number is only six thousand, and including Sai Xiangguo and Xiangjunmen, there are only more than ten thousand!"

Zhang Liangji waved his hand and said, "Jigao, the Headquarters has thought about what you said. But the Headquarters thought that Sai Xiangguo and Xiang Rong marched to Wuchang at the same time, and the long hair in Wuchang would know about it. He is willing to stay in Wuchang City Are you waiting for us to fight? "Although the main hall grew up reading the books of sages, it has read several military books in recent years. The book on military affairs says: 'Soldiers are deceitful.' As long as Changmao and Luo Futai fight each other, Sai Xiangguo and Xiang Rong will not sit idly by. The three of them will fight with Changmao, and we can take advantage of the opportunity to recover Wuchang. As long as we can To regain Wuchang, even if the 3,000 people brought by Luo Futai are all killed in battle, it will be worth it!"

At this time, the guard brought tea in and placed it in front of Zuo Zongtang. After the guards withdrew, Zhang Liangji said again: "Ji Gao, you didn't expect this plan from the Ministry, did you?" Zhang Liangji's words made Zuo Zongtang terrified and sweating. Zuo Zongtang pondered and asked: "Master Zhijun, have you ever thought about what would happen if Chang Mao knew that Luo Zhongcheng had left the camp and entered alone? If Chang Mao sent heavy troops to surround Luo Zhongcheng halfway, in turn, Pounced on us again, and then went straight to Changsha..."

Zhang Liangji was taken aback for a moment, then hesitantly said: "Long-haired soldiers come to surround Luo Futai, and Sai Xiangguo and Xiang Rong will definitely send troops to rescue." Zuo Zongtang hurriedly asked: "My lord Zhijun, Luo Zhongcheng led his troops to leave the camp, you didn't inform the two lords in advance, how can you be sure that the two lords can send troops to rescue in time? How?" Zhang Liangji was stunned for a long time, and finally hit the table and said: "Ji Gao, after what you said, it is too abrupt for the main hall to enter alone with the Luo Yumen this time, but the Luo Yumen have been gone all night, and it is estimated that it is far away from the university. The battalion should be fifty miles away. The main hall should send fast horses to chase now, tell Luo Yumen to stop advancing, and set up camp on the spot to wait, how about it?"

Zuo Zongtang said: "My lord, it is inevitable to send a fast horse to pass the order, but my lord has to pull out the battalion overnight to catch up quickly. The distance between my battalion and Luo Fu's battalion can only be about five miles. If it exceeds ten miles, there is a risk. Our two armies There are only 6,000 people in total, and they are alone, unable to face the large number of Changmao!" Zhang Liangji pushed the teacup and said: "Okay, as you said, at the same time as the fast horse delivered the order, the camp also set out overnight." Several consecutive winter rains have filled the land of Hubei with a chilling chill. Luo Bingzhang led 3,000 people from Xu Guangjin's old army to the Jiayu area when they encountered 5,000 Taiping troops.Luo Bingzhang reported the enemy's situation to Zhang Liangji in the camp, and at the same time sent two horses to seek help from Sai Shang'a and Xiang Rong, while he himself quickly adjusted his formation to face the Taiping army. After less than a quarter of an hour of fighting, two groups of Taiping soldiers came from east and west, totaling no less than 5,000 men, and they were extremely well equipped and had many foreign guns. Luo Bingzhang was taken aback, knowing that he had fallen into a trap set in advance by the Taiping Army, he didn't think much about it, he just wanted to tear a gap in the encirclement and escape. The Third Route Taiping Army had already made up their minds to eat him, and they just fought desperately, leaving no opening for him.In less than half an hour of fierce fighting, more than a thousand officers and soldiers have fallen.Luo Bingzhang was gradually in a situation where he could only parry but not fight back.Luo Bingzhang knew that no matter how fast Zhang Liangji, Sai Shang'a, and Xiang Rong marched, they could not save the defeat. In other words, no matter what happened, he, Luo Bingzhang, was doomed. The Taiping army began to cut and encircle, intending to gradually eat up the Qing army.Luo Bingzhang's team was divided into seven or eight groups. Under Shuai Zi's flag, Luo Bingzhang hastily ordered all the battalions to move closer to Shuai Qi to buy more time for the reinforcements to arrive.But the order could no longer be passed on. At this moment, a group of people roared from the east hillside. Luo Bingzhang panicked for a moment, thinking that the reinforcements sent by the Taiping Army had arrived, he couldn't help but sighed up to the sky: "Heaven is dead to me!" banner!" Luo Bingzhang cheered up, and fixed his eyes to look, but saw that the incoming army was playing the flag of the official army: on the flag with the word Shuai fluttering in the wind, there was a big "Luo" embroidered on it. The person who came was Luo Raodian.Luo Raodian was ordered to assist Zhang Liangji in recovering Wuchang, so he happened to come here.Although Luo Raodian's men were only three thousand, his arrival saved Luo Bingzhang's life.However, the Taiping army did not show any special panic when the Qing army's reinforcements arrived, but became more brave, trying to eat Luo Raodian along with it.The two sides began an extremely brutal fight. Zhang Liangji's men finally rushed over, and after a while, Xiang Rong also led his troops here.Seeing that there were more and more Qing troops, the Taiping army had no choice but to pull up the withdrawal flag and retreat to Wuchang. Zhang Liangji was about to order to set up camp, when Zuo Zongtang beside him hurriedly said: "Master Zhijun, you must not set up camp at this time!" Zhang Liangji hurriedly asked: "Ji Gao, the officers and soldiers fought for a long time, and more than half of them were killed or injured. It is time to set up a camp to raise our vitality so that we can fight again." Zuo Zongtang said: "Your Excellency is familiar with military books, and you should know the truth that an army is defeated like a mountain. Changmao fled to Wuchang, and the officers and soldiers are trying to catch up at this time, and Wuchang is ready to go. This is a god-sent opportunity, we must not miss it. !" Luo Bingzhang thought for a while and said: "Master Zhijun, Zuo Ling is right. Although Chang Mao is powerful, he is fleeing after all. We can chase him in several ways and don't give him a chance to breathe. We can't say for sure, Chang Mao doesn't tell the truth. , I can really abandon the city and leave!" Zhang Liang quickly divided up and discussed with Luo Raodian and Xiang Rong before ordering to continue chasing the enemy.