Chapter 45 Section 45. Grain purchasing officer was shot dead

Ding Baozhen's negative response made Li Hongzhang in a hurry and had to send people to other provinces to transport large quantities of grain to meet military supplies.For several days in a row, Dongmei saw that Li Hongzhang's tea and food were tasteless, and the table was too busy to keep warm, with a few gray hairs on his head. Sometimes, Li Hongzhang really wanted to join Ding Baozhen's book, but he really couldn't do it. Li Hongzhang knew very well that Ding Baozhen entered the body earlier than himself, and it was not easy to survive until now.What's more, Ding Baozhen is known as a capable member, and has won the respect of governors from all over the country.Seriously join him, if the court gets angry and dismisses him for questioning, not only will Ding Baozhen be ruined, but Li Hongzhang will also be called a murderer.

Li Hongzhang was really in a dilemma, and he couldn't think of a good plan. On October 17th in the sixth year of Tongzhi (AD 1867), Liu Ming traditionally led the 22nd Battalion of Mingzi Battalion with more than 10,000 people, and Jilin and Heilongjiang Cavalry Team Shanqing Battalion with 3,000 people, and fought with Lai Wenguang's Nian Army in Anqiu County, Shandong Province outside.Liu Mingchuan first ordered the artillery team to bombard Lai Wenguang's cavalry team, and while the gunpowder was full of gunpowder, he ordered the infantry to shoot with foreign guns, and finally ordered Shanqing to lead the cavalry team to attack the Nian army camp.

Lai Wenguang's troops were under the fierce attack of the official artillery fire, and the horses were killed and injured. After the Shanqing horse team charged, they were even more defeated. After Liu Mingxuan led the battalions to pursue for more than ten miles, Pan Dingxin took over and continued the pursuit. Liu Mingchuan led his troops back to Anqiu, and pitched the camp in a wide area five miles outside the city.Killed more than 10,000 Nian soldiers, and got more than 10,000 live horses, and countless dead horses.Liu Mingchuan ordered the soldiers to bury pots and cook food, and at the same time sent the guerrilla officer Yu Wenjian, the battalion officer, to order him to go to the city to find the county magistrate to purchase military supplies and provide military supplies.

After sending Yu Wenjian away, Liu Mingchuan flicked his pen and reported the results of the battle to Commander-in-Chief Li Hongzhang, recommended meritorious personnel, and asked for sympathy for the soldiers who died in the battle.Yu Wenjian got the order, that is to say, Liu Changjin, the governor of the capital, Wang Desheng, the general manager of Qian, Li Yingshu, Li Yingshu and 20 personal soldiers rode to the city gate on horseback. When he arrived, the gate of the city was already closed, so Yu Wenjian had to order his own soldiers to call the gate. A row of torches lit up at the top of the city, and a gatekeeper stood at the top of the city and asked loudly: "According to the order of Futai, the city gates will be closed early during the army season. Who are you? How dare you shout under the city?" Do you not want to live?"

The soldiers under the city responded: "You Zhimacheng official, don't use your air to scare people, my guerrilla master is here." When the city gate officer heard this, he quickly raised a high torch and shouted: "Which one is your guerrilla? Let him stand up and let me check it out! If it is a fake, I will treat him to a musket meal!" Yu Wenjian could not help but feel angry when he heard the truth in the city.Guerrilla is a dignified third-rank military officer. On the ground of the Qing Dynasty, no city gate official dared to speak to him like this.You must know that Men Qian is only a prospect of the sixth rank, and he is three ranks and five ranks behind the guerrilla from the third rank.

Yu Wenjian rode his horse forward and shouted loudly: "I am here, why don't you open the door quickly?" The city gate officer looked down, and suddenly sneered and said: "The man in the city, you said you are Master Guerrilla, why does the Lord look at you like a thief?" After finishing the official speech at the city gate, he immediately raised the musket in his hand, aimed at it and sneered, "Don't look at my rank, I can take the life of you, a guerrilla boss." After speaking, he didn't think about the consequences, swish The only shot was a shot, and the flames fell like lightning, hitting Yu Wenjian's chest impartially.Yu Wenjian was caught off guard, turned over and fell off the horse, and died immediately.

When Liu Changjin and the others saw it, they hurriedly got off their horses and came to Yu Wenjian's side, calling out to your lord repeatedly.Liu Changjin took out a short musket from his arms, pointed at the top of the city gate, and cursed: "Well, you city gate dog officer, you dare to shoot and kill even a dignified guerrilla master, let's see how you explain to my military gate master!" Liu Changjin then ordered that Yu Wenjian's body be carried on a horse, and then he left the city gate and turned back to the camp.Seeing that the people below the city were about to leave, the city gate officer kept saying that he was going to see some military officer. He was afraid, and couldn't help saying: "If these bird people leave, and wait for a large team to be called, can our county city be protected? "

The city gate officer simply didn't do anything, and simply asked the soldiers to open the city gate, and ordered: "Listen to the officer's order, don't care whether he is an officer or a bandit, first bring him into the city and we will see the outcome!" The city guards got this order, rushed out of the city, surrounded Liu Changjin and others, locked them up one by one, and only ran away with a fast soldier. The soldier bravely ran into the camp, stumbled and rushed into the big tent of the Chinese army. When he saw Liu Mingchuan, he immediately knelt down and said repeatedly: "My lord, spare my life! My lord, spare my life! The young one is indeed not a bandit, Qian Zhen Wan is indeed an officer and soldier in front of Liu Jun's tent!"

Liu Mingchuan saw that Bingyong's face was ashen and bloodless, he was obviously scared out of his wits. Liu Mingchuan yelled: "Didn't you go to the city to buy food with Master Yu Wenjian? Why did you come back alone? Where is Master Yu Wenjian? Why didn't he come to see me?" That Bingyong didn't answer, he just kowtowed repeatedly and kept saying, "Forgive me!" Liu Mingchuan saw that he couldn't find a solution, so he had to send Wang Pei, the candidate for the chief minister, and pointed to the soldier who was kneeling and begging for mercy, and ordered: "Yu Wenjian went to the county to buy food and hasn't returned yet. Unknown people turned out like this. Could it be that the city guards mistook them for Nian bandits? Take someone to the county seat immediately to see what happened. No matter how much food Yu Wenjian buys, he has to go back to the camp to pay. Ling. He has no food here, we can buy it elsewhere, we can't waste our time here."

Wang Pei hurriedly took a few long-horse horses and went straight to the county seat, but he never returned.Liu Mingchuan was so anxious that he stayed up all night. Early the next morning, Liu Mingchuan sent Shanqing over and said, "My lord, last night I went to the county town to buy grain with guerrilla Yu Wenjian's order, but I only ran back as a soldier, but I was so frightened that I couldn't explain it." Situation. This official had no choice but to ask Wang Pei to enter the city for the second time, but he never returned. He has not returned to the camp to pay the order. Yu Wenjian, Wang Pei and others saw that they were being twisted by the guards and soldiers as thieves. Locked up. I want you to take a few people to the county seat, explain the situation to the county magistrate, and let them release the people who bought the grain as soon as possible."

Shanqing shouted: "Why are the Shandong officials trained like this by Ding Baozhen! Instead of encircling and suppressing the Nian bandits, they want to fight against the officials and soldiers!" Liu Ming preached: "Let's not talk about this now, saving people is the most important thing. After saving people, I will report to the imperial envoy to discuss with Ding Futai. You need to bring a few more people, don't suffer from other people's tricks again. !" Shan Qing is a famous fiery general, he didn't answer at the moment, he ran out of the camp, quickly assembled the battalion, and rushed to the city gate. At this time, Li Shuqiao, the seventh-rank magistrate of Anqiu County, was guarding the city gate with officers and soldiers and a group of subordinate officials.When Li Shuqiao saw the banner of the officers and soldiers, she hurried forward, walked up to Shanqing's horse's head, bowed and saluted, "Li Shuqiao, the lower official of Anqiu county magistrate, is waiting for Shanjun's gate here! It just so happens that the officers and soldiers guarding the city last night Captured a few Nian thieves and just handed them over to the adults." Shan Qing flew off his horse and asked, "Where is the Nian thief you captured?" Li Shuqiao pointed backwards with her hand: "The Nian bandits are fierce, and even pretended to be the officers and soldiers who bought grain. The subordinate officials have already tied them under the wheels of the cart." Shanqing followed Li Shuqiao's fingers to look over, and saw that Liu Changjin, Wang Pei and others were all bundled up and turned over, tied under the wheels respectively. When Wang Pei saw Shanqing, he said loudly: "My lord, come and save us!" Shanqing was furious, raised his hand to Li Shuqiao's face, and whipped him, cursing: "Officer dog, you are blind, even officers and soldiers dare to capture you! Let him go!" Li Shuqiao was beaten so hot that she became dizzy and couldn't distinguish things for a while. Shanqing yelled: "You dog official, don't you want to let me go? Do you think I dare not take your dog's life?" Li Shuqiao stumbled to the back and called for people to be released. Shanqing carried Yu Wenjian's body, Liu Changjin, Wang Pei and others with him, and quickly returned to the camp. When Liu Mingchuan saw Yu Wenjian's body, he burst into tears immediately.On the one hand, he sent someone to deliver a letter to Commander Li Hongzhang, and on the other hand, he sent a message to the governor's yamen in Shandong, intending to discuss it with governor Ding Baozhen. When Li Hongzhang read the urgent report sent by Liu Mingchuan, he couldn't help stomping his feet and said: "The local government in Shandong is in a difficult situation with our Huai army, and now it has developed to the point where it treats the officers and soldiers like thieves and kills them at will! If this continues, my Huai Yong will not only It is difficult to move an inch in Shandong, how can we succeed in suppressing the great cause of Nian!" On the one hand, Li Hongzhang sent a letter to the Yamen of the governor of Liangjiang to report what happened in Anqiu County. At the same time, he wrote to the Yamen of the Governor of Shandong to inform that the imperial envoy would go to Anqiu for a festival. Li Hongzhang decided to take the opportunity to rectify Shandong's officials and let Ding Baozhen see his own methods.Although Ding Baozhen was shocked when he received Liu Mingchuan's letter, he didn't realize the seriousness of the consequences. What's more, during the period of military prosperity, it was common for locals to recognize soldiers as bandits.Especially after reading the report written by Li Shuqiao, the county magistrate of Anqiu County, he decided that Anqiu was the reason.But he did not expect that Li Hongzhang would go to Anqiu in person, so he had to go to Anqiu as well. Ding Baozhen arrived in Anqiu County a day before Li Hongzhang. After Li Hongzhang arrived, Ding Baozhen ordered the city guards to line up on the city wall, and he personally took a large and small entourage out of the city thirty miles to meet him.This is not Ding Baozhen's intention to do so, it is really the Qing Dynasty's etiquette system, he dare not not do it. After Li Hongzhang got off the sedan chair, Ding Baozhen hurriedly knelt down with his entourage. Ding Baozhen said in a loud voice, "Ding Baozhen, the second-ranked top-ranked governor of Shandong Province, pays my respects to the imperial envoy! I welcome the imperial envoy!" Li Hongzhang looked around, bowed to support Ding Baozhen and said, "Ding Futai doesn't need to be polite, get up quickly." Ding Baozhen said: "Thank you for your kindness." He stood up with his hands on the ground. All the attendants behind Ding Baozhen got up. Li Hongzhang looked at Ding Baozhen and said, "Ding Futai, did Li Ling, the magistrate of Anqiu County, come with you?" Ding Baozhen pointed to Li Shuqiao standing behind him and replied: "If you go back to the imperial envoy, this is Li Ling of Anqiu County." Shu Qiao, please greet the Imperial Envoy, Mr. Li!" Li Hongzhang nodded and asked casually, "Your name is Li Shuqiao?" Li Shuqiao replied: "It's the next official." Li Hongzhang sneered and said, "Li Shuqiao, my imperial envoy asked you that the officers and soldiers came to your county to buy grain, why did you kill him without asking questions?" Li Shuqiao replied: "Your Excellency, it was dark that night, and the city gates were closed. The officers and soldiers who bought food called the gates fiercely, and no one was allowed to speak. The officers and soldiers who guarded the city believed that it was a bandit pretending to be an officer and soldier who came to visit the city, so they let them go." Fire up the gun. I can't blame the city gate officials for this. Please learn from me, my lord!" Li Hongzhang asked: "According to what you said, the city gate officer shot and killed the officers and soldiers not only innocent, but also meritorious? How do you plan to reward him?" Li Shuqiao said: "Just wait for the orders of the imperial envoy and Futai, and the next official will do it." Li Hongzhang shouted loudly: "Bold! Unreasonably shooting and killing the grain purchase officer, you are plausible! You are talking nonsense to reward the city gate officer! Come here, take off his hat first, and take him into the city and put him in a prison!" After the imperial envoy asks the reason, I will ask the crime!" When the two soldiers heard this, they immediately kicked Li Shuqiao down, and then took off the hat. Ding Baozhen hurriedly said: "My lord, wait a moment. My lord, the subordinate officials thought that it was too abrupt to take off Li Ling's hat before your lord had asked the reason of the case. What's more, the shooting and killing of the officers and soldiers was done by the city gate officials. Even if your lord asks about the crime, you should first ask about the crime of the city gate official, what has Li Ling to do with it?" Li Hongzhang widened his eyes and said: "Presumptuous! This imperial envoy is here, and it's not your turn to speak. You should lead the way ahead. This imperial envoy is going to the city to ask questions!" After Li Hongzhang finished speaking, he got into the sedan chair and yelled, "Get up the sedan chair!" Ding Baozhen blushed, but he didn't dare to disobey the imperial envoy's orders.