Chapter 5 Section 5: Li Hongzhang offers advice

Considering the weakness of the army, Anhui governor Jiang Zhongyuan ordered people to return to his hometown in Hunan and recruited 2,000 new soldiers from the fourth battalion.At the invitation of Zhou Tianjue, he also recruited 1,500 people from the third battalion. After the new year is the fourth year of Xianfeng (AD 1854), the imperial court flew a decree, ordering Jiang Zhongyuan, the governor, Zhou Tianjue, the minister of regiment training, Fuji, the chief envoy, etc., to look for opportunities to recover Anqing, Hanshan, Shucheng and other places in Anhui. Nei Dang pacified the Taiping Army in the territory to reap all the achievements.

Zhou Tianjue, Fu Ji and others received the order, and immediately met with Jiang Zhongyuan to discuss the route of march.In the end, it was concluded that if you want to reap all the merits, you must first conquer the provincial capital Anqing, which is the foundation of the entire Anhui.Once Anqing is conquered, the foundation of the Taiping Army in Anhui will be shaken, and Hanshan, Shucheng and others will not be difficult to conquer.However, it is extremely difficult to regain Anqing with the current strength of Anhui.Anqing is the gateway to Tianjing of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. There are nearly 30,000 Taiping soldiers guarding here, and the firearms are also very sophisticated.

Jiang Zhongyuan and Zhou Tianjue will tell the truth, and please send at least 10,000 more troops to help.At this time, Emperor Xianfeng had sent all the main troops to the Jiangnan and Jiangbei camps, and there was no more troops to adjust.Emperor Xianfeng had no choice but to order Jiang Zhongyuan, Zhou Tianjue and others to recruit another 10,000 brave men in the near future to make up for the shortage of Anhui troops. Zhou Tianjue immediately moved his camp to the Suzhou area far away from Luzhou. While training the existing troops, he recruited courageously with great fanfare. Jiang Zhongyuan also sent more than a dozen of his cronies back to their hometowns to recruit courage, and ordered Fuji to move to Yuexi to monitor Anqing's movements nearby.

On the day when the order was obtained, Li Hongzhang said to Fuji: "Lord Zhou and Yuan Jiasan have gone to Suzhou to recruit brave men, and now they have ordered me to move to Yuexi. If the long hairs attack me in Luzhou at this time, what should we do?" Fuji didn't think so, and said: "Jiang Zhongcheng has more than ten thousand troops, I thought that Chang Mao would not dare to attack Luzhou lightly. Besides, Jiang Zhongcheng fought in the north and south, beheading countless generals, Chang Mao is not afraid of the old king of Zhou, but he is really afraid of Jiang Zhongcheng. Shaoquan , the affairs of Luzhou, Mr. Zhongcheng will take care of it himself, we should leave as soon as possible."

After thinking about it carefully, Li Hongzhang felt that Fuji's words were also reasonable, so he stopped talking, turned around and walked out of the big tent to arrange the relocation.In fact, the Taiping Army didn't pay much attention to Zhou Tianjue and Fu Ji's movements, but they always paid attention to Jiang Zhongyuan and his Chu Yong.The Taiping Army has an unforgettable hatred for Jiang Zhongyuan.In the Battle of Coir Cloth Ferry, Jiang Zhongyuan commanded two thousand Chu Yong to severely damage the Taiping Army, and Feng Yunshan, the 7,000-year-old Southern King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, was killed in this battle; in the battle for the Miaofeng Mountain in Changsha City, Jiang Zhongyuan and Zuo Zongtang's cannons killed the 8,000-year-old Western King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Xiao Chaogui. Send to the west.Jiang Zhongyuan has both wisdom and courage, and he is used to fighting, which has always been a heart problem for the Taiping Army.

With Zhou Tianjue, Fu Ji and other troops leaving one after another, the Taiping Army quietly increased its troops to Shucheng. One night, more than 20,000 Taiping troops rushed to Luzhou. The troops were divided into two parts, one part surrounded the green battalion outside the city, and the other part was responsible for attacking the city.Jiang Zhongyuan was not flustered when he heard the report, he ordered Kuai Ma to go out of the city and hurriedly dispatched Fuji back for help, and at the same time went to the top of the city to direct the battle. According to Jiang Zhongyuan's vision, as soon as Fu Ji's reinforcements arrive, the Taiping Army will be in chaos, and when the time comes to open the city gates to attack, the Taiping Army will undoubtedly be defeated.At that time, it was easy for him to take advantage of the victory to recover Shucheng and Hanshan, which can be said to kill two birds with one stone.Unexpectedly, Jiang Zhongyuan's idea came to nothing, and the several fast horses he sent for help failed to leave the city as scheduled, and were all killed by the closely guarded Taiping army under the city.

Jiang Zhongyuan didn't know the inside story, but still organized troops to defend the city in an orderly manner.The green battalion outside the city quickly showed signs of defeat and retreated to Yuexi.The Taiping army did not pursue, but turned around and attacked the city together.The Taiping army dispatched artillery to bombard the city head and gate.Looking into the distance from the top of the city, Jiang Zhongyuan saw that the number of Taiping troops under the city increased sharply, but there was no flag of the official army, and his heart sank.What puzzled him the most was that there was no movement from Fuji's reinforcements!

The Taiping army besieged Luzhou for 36 days. They first used the residential areas outside the city as cover, dug tunnels, and focused on Shuiximen.Supervisor Jiang Zhongyuan dug from inside the city, destroyed the Taiping Army's tunnels, and blocked the Taiping Army's bombardment and charge twice successively.The Taiping Army switched to a new method and dug a double-layered tunnel next to the Shuiximen Moon City to reach the bottom of the city, which was completely beyond Jiang Zhongyuan's expectations. On the night of January 14, the Taiping Army launched a general offensive and began to attack the city with ladders. The regiment at the top of the city resisted bravely.By dawn, sixty-seven out of ten of Tuanyong had been killed or injured, but the Taiping Army became more and more courageous.The gate of the city was breached soon, and the Taiping army poured into the city like a flood.

Jiang Zhongyuan knew that the general situation was over, so he didn't have time to think about it. He hurriedly summoned his brother Jiang Zhongyi to his side and said, "Luzhou is lost, brother is dead. My brother leads the soldiers in the city to break through as soon as possible to join Fuji. But Luzhou has been recovered. On that day, don't forget to send your brother's bones to Xinning to be buried with your parents. Take care, brother, go!" Before Jiang Zhongyi had time to speak, Jiang Zhongyuan jumped down the wall and fell into the moat.Jiang Zhongyi looked down at the city and yelled "brother" three times, full of grief and indignation, he went down to the city to collect the remnants of the defeated soldiers, and tried his best to break through.Jiang Zhongyi finally rushed out of the city, counting only two thousand people.According to his brother's order, he led the army to Yuexi for several days.Seeing Jiang Zhongyi throwing off his helmet and armor and running into the big tent, Fuji was so frightened that he almost fainted.Jiang Zhongyi knelt at Fuji's feet, begging Fuji to send troops to avenge his brother.

Fuji helped Jiang Zhongyi up and ordered Jiang Zhongyi to go back to the camp to rest first. After Jiang Zhongyi left, Fuji ordered someone to send Li Hongzhang, and asked, "Shaoquan, Luzhou is lost, and Jiang Futai threw himself into the river to die for the country. I heard from Jiang Zhongyi that Changmao took my Luzhou this time, and there were no fewer than three people." Wan. Do you think they will come here?" Li Hongzhang was also shocked when he heard this and said: "Luzhou is fine, how can you say that it is lost? My lord, have you ever sent away the booklet for the court?"

Fuji patted his thigh and said, "Brother let Changmao get dizzy! Okay, brother will let the master draft the manuscript now. Shaoquan, in your opinion, will Changmao come over?" Li Hongzhang thought for a while and replied: "My lord, I think that at least the long hair in Luzhou will not come here now. If he wants to take Yuexi, Zhou Zhijun will definitely send troops to Luzhou. How can Zhou Zhijun let go of this great contribution?" past?" Fu Ji nodded and said: "What my brother said is true. Old man Zhou is crazy to think about credit. Brother, I will pass on the manuscript drafted by the master now, and report to the higher authorities about the fall of Luzhou. Shaoquan, you will replace my brother. Send a few people to Luzhou to find out what's going on. Changmao is full of tricks, we'd better be careful." Li Hongzhang got up and said: "Your Excellency's words are true, and the next official will make arrangements now." Fuji's booklet was delivered by the barracks on the same day.Xianfeng received the note, and at a glance, his world was spinning.He never expected that in just a few months, Jiang Zhongyuan, who in his mind was most capable of fighting, would be gone as soon as he said it. That night, a group of princes and ministers who were in charge in Beijing were called into the palace to discuss countermeasures.One month later, the imperial decree was issued to Zhou Tianjue and Fuji Daying in Anhui: "Jiang Zhongyuan will be rewarded with a top-ranked headband, and given the posthumous posthumous title of Zhonglie to honor his merits; Governor of Anhui, the Political Envoy, Welfare and Relief Department; added the title of Imperial Envoy of Shengbao, Jiangbei Daying, and let him go from Ying to Suzhou, Anhui, to supervise the military affairs of the whole province of Anhui." Fu Ji regained the power of Governor Guan Fang, with a smile all over his face.Sheng Bao rushed to Suzhou, Anhui to join Zhou Tianjue.The official army in Anhui was divided into two by the Taiping Army at this time. Shengbao, Zhou Tianjue, and Yuan Jia were stationed in Suzhou, while Fuji and Li Hongzhang commanded the remnants of Fubiao, Jiang Zhongyi and the original 3,000 troops in Yuexi. Order Shengbaohui and Zhou Tianjue to recover Yuxikou in Hezhou within a month.The decree said: "Yuxikou is where the Cantonese bandits store grain. If Yuxikou is restored, the Cantonese bandits will be in chaos if they have no food. At that time, Luzhou and Shucheng will be restored, and the whole province of Anhui will be flat." Emperor Xianfeng said so. They were clear and straightforward, but Shengbao, Zhou Tianjue, and Yuan Jiasan were all confused.Sending off the messenger, Zhou Tianjue stroked his beard and said to Shengbao: "The Holy Majesty said that the mouth of Yuxi is the place where Changmao stores grain. Why didn't I know?" Shengbao said: "Are there still mistakes in what the above said? Let's discuss the matter of recovering Yuxikou now. Regardless of whether Yuxikou is a long-haired grain storage place, as long as we are ordered to recover it, it will be a great achievement." pieces." Zhou Tianjue didn't say anything else because Shengbao was the imperial envoy.After repeated discussions, the two people quickly divided up their troops and acted according to the above-mentioned intentions, and the army went straight to Yuxikou of Hezhou.Shengbao led the battalions to attack from the front, Zhou Tianjue led the army to attack from the rear of Yuxikou, and Yuan Jiasan was in charge of reinforcements.Shengbao, relying on his military skills like a god, decided to recover Yuxikou in one fell swoop. Simultaneously with Shengbao's dispatch of troops, the imperial decree ordered Fuji's troops to dispatch troops to recapture the two cities of Hanshan and Chaoxian in order to reap all the achievements.Seeing that the Holy Order was as urgent as a spark, Fuji led his battalion and galloped to Hanshan Mountain without thinking about it. However, before Shengbao's troops reached the designated location, they were surrounded by the Taiping Army.Zhou Tianjue sent his troops to rescue, but was besieged by the Taiping Army who reinforced from Yuxikou.The Taiping Army also dispatched reinforcements from Hezhou, Luzhou, and Anqing.The strength of the two sides is equal, and the fight is inextricably linked. In desperation, Shengbao sent a fast horse to deliver a letter to Fuji, and ordered him to lead his army to rescue the siege. Fuji was shocked when he received the military report, and hurriedly summoned Li Hongzhang and Jiang Zhongyi to discuss in the tent.Fuji said worriedly: "Sir Sheng is unfavorable, which will affect our effectiveness in recovering Hanshan and Chao County. If the victory is handsome and the defeat is defeated, Changmao will surround me with all his strength, and Anhui will be in danger!" Jiang Zhongyi said: "Master Futai, what kind of idea do you have, let's make it clear. Sheng Shuai is in danger, should our army save or not?" Li Hongzhang whispered: "Fu Shuai, are you worried about our army?" Also caught in the siege of long hair?" Fuji clapped his hands and said: "Shaoquan's words really speak to the heart of the Ministry. The Ministry has just heard from Tanma Bao that Chang Mao has surrounded Shengshuai and Lao Wangba with heavy troops this time. The Ministry deduces that this Zhao'er is probably a trick used by the long-haired general Wang Chief (Wang Haiyang). He surrounded Shengshuai first, then lured me and Zhou Laowangba to go for reinforcements, and finally gathered the net and wiped them out. Shaoquan, Didn’t the department make a mistake?” Li Hongzhang said: "The commander-in-chief was right. Wang Chief was clearly trying to lure me into the shortlist, and then surrounded and wiped out with heavy troops in an attempt to capture Anhui in its entirety and connect it with Jiangning. But Shengshuai is the commander-in-chief of Anhui and the imperial envoy. Today The imperial envoy is under siege, even if Mr. Sheng does not issue an order to dispatch troops, our army should rush to relieve the siege after hearing about it. Fu Shuai, what do you always think?" Fuji nodded and said: "The headquarters doesn't want to fall into Wang Chief's trap, but at the moment they can't think of a better way. If we really don't go to rescue, after Sheng Kezhai is out of danger, we will definitely not give up with the headquarters; if we send troops to Rescue, no matter how Wang Chief is, Zhou Tianjue's old bastard really made this department unable to swallow this breath! When Luzhou was besieged, Zhou Laowangba and Yuan Wuqiao were close at hand, but they didn't send a single soldier. It wasn't Jiang Da If the handsome man arrives in time, can the headquarters still discuss matters with you here? If he is the only one being surrounded this time, Zhou Laowangba, not only will the headquarters not take action, but also burn a few pieces of paper for him in advance, so that he can pass. Use it when the gate of hell is closed." Li Hongzhang pondered: "Fu Shuai, I have come up with a plan to achieve both ends, but I don't know if it will work?" Fuji's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly said, "Shaoquan, tell me quickly, the headquarters is already on fire." Li Hongzhang said: "The lower officials thought that since Wang Chief designed to lure me into the shortlist, our army might as well come up with a plan and give him a plan to encircle Wei and save Zhao, and it will definitely work." Fuji hurriedly said: "What Shaoquan said, could it be that he disregarded Shengshuai first and took Luzhou instead?" Li Hongzhang said: "Wang Chieftain knows that our army is in Yuexi, and Luzhou will definitely deploy heavy troops to prevent me from joining Shengshuai. If our army sends troops to Luzhou at this time, not only will it not be able to save Shengshuai, but it may even be captured by the Luzhou area." Surrounded by long hair, you can't escape." Fuji couldn't understand, so he said, "Shaoquan don't make detours, it's okay to speak up. How can our army encircle Wei and save Zhao?" Li Hongzhang said: "The lower officials thought that it would be better for our army to divide into two groups, to go all the way to rescue Sheng Shuai with great fanfare, and to take a detour all the way to Yuxikou. The lower officials speculate that Wang Chief will surround us with all his strength. Jiang Ning mobilized troops here. The army that surrounds and wins Shuai must be the enemy of Yuxikou, Hanshan, and Anqing. There will not be too many troops in Yuxikou, Hanshan, and Anqing. Our army will surely be able to get twice the result with half the effort if we attack suddenly." Fuji nodded: "What Shaoquan said is very true, but isn't it okay if we go straight to Hanshan?" Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "Fu Shuai's argument is very true. But the lower officials think that although our army can defeat Hanshan in one battle, it cannot relieve the danger of winning the commander. Because Hanshan is not a battleground for military strategists after all. Even if our army Conquer Han Mountain quickly, and Changmao can mobilize all kinds of people to besiege me in the shortest time. But Yuxikou is different. Yuxikou is the place where Changmao stores grain, and the relationship is very important. With the broken esophagus, the long hair will definitely be in chaos without a fight, and the crisis of Shengshuai will be relieved. What do you always think?" Fuji didn't have much strategy at first, but now seeing Li Hongzhang's words clearly and logically, he already agrees with them 80% in his heart. Jiang Zhongyi said at this time: "Master Li, I don't know if you have always thought about it. If Changmao has a heavy army at Yuxikou, wouldn't our army fall into the trap? At that time, what should we do?" Fuji also asked anxiously: "The headquarters is also worried about this matter. Shaoquan, Changmao has always been treacherous, and that stone chieftain is the best at using soldiers. Wang Chief has his heart." Li Hongzhang didn't want to miss this opportunity. He stood up and said with a solemn expression: "Master Futai, you are familiar with military books and strategies. The ancients said: Soldiers have no constant momentum, and water has no permanent shape. It also said: Know yourself and the enemy, and you will never be imperiled in a hundred battles. Long-haired The troops in Anhui are no more than 80,000, while the troops of Wei Shengshuai are nearly 30,000. Changmao has already occupied more than half of our cities in Anhui. Which city does not need to send troops to defend? In this way, Yuxikou can only have at most Five thousand people." "This..." Fuji Nianxu pondered, without saying a word for a long time. Li Hongzhang said: "The lower officials also know that dividing our army into two is a dangerous game, but there is no danger, no wonder, how can our army win more with less?" Fuji nodded and said: "What Shaoquan said makes sense. Shengshuai asked the headquarters to rescue him, will Shaoquan go this trip on behalf of the headquarters? The headquarters can hand over the three thousand regiments to you, as long as Gongcheng, the first one in the headquarters to recommend your brother! How is it?" Jiang Zhongyi said at this time: "I am also willing to take this trip with Master Li." Fuji hurriedly waved his hand at Jiang Zhongyi and said, "Don't make trouble with me. You all go to Yuxikou and let the headquarters make clay figurines now. Are you going to rescue the Marshal?" After Fuji finished speaking, seeing Li Hongzhang lowered his eyebrows thinking, he hurriedly asked: "Shaoquan, don't you be afraid? Why don't you just let Zongzhen Zhang go alone, your brother should go with the headquarters to rescue Shengshuai. Letting you go on an adventure alone, this department is really reluctant." Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "Your Excellency is too worried. Since your Excellency has been with you, your Excellency has treated you very generously. At this critical time, even if your Excellency asks you to jump into the fire pit, your next official will go. My lord will give the order." Fu Ji no longer hesitated, and immediately arranged for the dispatch of troops.After Fuji led the troops away, Li Hongzhang called together the five battalion training officers and said: "Sheng Shuai is in a hurry, Master Futai led the green battalion to rescue, and ordered me to attack Yuxikou. After you go down, order the soldiers Prepare one torch and one piece of flint for each person, and they will be used urgently, do you hear me clearly?" The battalion officers looked at each other in blank dismay, and remained silent for a long time.Li Hongzhang knew that these battalion officers were afraid of being beaten by the Taiping Army, so he smiled and said, "Everyone, don't be afraid. Everyone joins the army for nothing more than to make meritorious deeds and to secure their wives and sons in the future. Now that the great achievements are in front of you, how can you be like this?" What about the expression?" Xu Maoying, the battalion officer of the "Yingzi Battalion", said in a low voice: "Master Li, I heard that Changmao stationed more than 10,000 troops at Yuxikou, and equipped with foreign guns. Our battalions together only have 3,000 troops and no artillery. Let's fight, how do we meet the enemy?" "Wu Ziying" battalion officer Qian Fanwu also said: "Lord Li, fighting a war is not a joke, you should think twice! What a prestige Master Futaijiang was, he was defeated by Changmao! We are waiting for you!" I am afraid of death, because I am afraid that my lord will make a mistake!" Li Hongzhang said: "I have already issued a military order to Master Futai. Success or failure is determined by one action. After repeated consideration, this official thinks that as long as I take down Yuxikou with all my might, Chang Mao's military spirit will be fundamentally shaken. This is also the case." The key to whether our army can gain a foothold in Anhui. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Cao Mengde faced Yuan Shao. Cao Mengde was weak at the time, while Yuan Shao was powerful. Cao Mengde broke through Guandu, Yuan Shao's grain storage place, and the situation reversed, and Yuan Shao was defeated. This story I'm sure you've all heard of it." Qian Fanwu frowned and said: "Your Excellency, I have heard some of these truths from my lord's words from my elders when I was a child. I thought that Yuxikou was not Guandu. At that time, there were only a thousand soldiers defending Guandu. Of course, Cao Cao can take it lightly, but Yuxikou has tens of thousands of troops, waiting for us like a fisherman with a net waiting for fish. The situation at Yuxikou and Guandu is different!" Li Hongzhang said: "Based on my inference, Changmao's troops at Yuxikou will not exceed five thousand, and the five thousand may be mostly old, weak, sick and disabled. When our army launches an attack from the rear of Yuxikou, we must Chang Mao didn't expect it. At that time, our army will continue to bluff the banner and raise more torches. Chang Mao doesn't know the truth and the truth, and the army's morale will be confused. Don't you get your fame and fortune?" After hearing Li Hongzhang's words, Qian Fanwu and Xu Maoying were full of joy and said yes again and again.