Chapter 60 Chapter 5: Zeng Guofan, who failed to make a fortune

When Zeng Guofan was studying in the capital, Hong Xiuquan was sweeping the world with thunder.When Hong Xiuquan ruled the world separately, what was Zeng Guofan doing?He is getting fit.In Zeng Guofan's family letters, diaries and memorials, he described a very painful life in Beijing.He reflects on himself every day: I went to the street today and saw a lot of people and it was lively. I went to see it. Why do you do this?Because he wants to curry favor with Woren.In addition to the pain of self-cultivation and denial of self-personality, Zeng Guofan also faces another pain: poverty in life.Ordinarily, the consumption in the capital is not high, but Zeng Guofan got married early and had a child, and the burden of the family made him unable to support him.

At this moment, his luck finally turned and he was sent to Sichuan to invigilate the exam.When he arrived in Sichuan, Zeng Guofan immediately took large sums of bribes, collecting a total of one thousand taels of silver.After having this one thousand taels of silver, six hundred taels were used to pay off debts, and four hundred taels were given to relatives and friends, finally earning back some face.Then Zeng Guofan returned to the court and continued to work hard. At this time, his extraordinary talents began to be revealed. There were six ministries in the Qing Empire: the Ministry of Households, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Officials, and the Ministry of Punishment. At that time, Emperor Xianfeng gave Zeng Guofan the position of minister in five departments. Ministry work, but his salary is the lowest salary of the Ministry of Rites.Emperor Xianfeng is also very picky.In the first few years, Zeng Guofan still gritted his teeth and resisted, thinking that I have performed so hard, and I have done almost the entire court's work by myself, the emperor should give me some bonuses!But there is no such good thing, the more you can endure hardships, the more Emperor Xianfeng will give you more money, and you can forget about bonuses.

A few years later, Zeng Guofan finally got sick. He owed a sum of money every year he worked, and he was already deeply in debt.He is equivalent to carrying the entire imperial court by himself, but not only the salary is extremely low but also there is no bonus.So Zeng Guofan wrote a memorial, scolding Emperor Xianfeng, saying that Emperor Xianfeng was not authentic.Emperor Xianfeng was furious, and even wanted to kill Zeng Guofan.But the ministers around the emperor were still very sensible, and hurriedly kowtowed to the emperor and said, Congratulations, your majesty, because you are a wise emperor, that's why Zeng Guofan dared to speak like that, if you were a foolish emperor, he wouldn't dare to speak like that even if he was killed.The minister's persuasion saved Zeng Guofan's life.

At this time, Emperor Xianfeng also knew that he had gone too far and could not whip Kuai Niu. Since Zeng Guofan was willing to do it, he should pay more bonuses.However, the treasury has no money to send, so there is only one way - to release it outside and let him take the money.So Zeng Guofan got another chance to go outside to Jiangxi to take the exam. But Zeng Guofan was destined not to make a fortune.Before he arrived in Jiangxi, his mother died, and he had to go back to mourn Ding You.At this time, the Hongyang Rebellion had spread to his hometown Hunan.Emperor Xianfeng hurriedly ordered Zeng Guofan to say, let Ding You put it aside in advance, first the country and then the family, you go back to your hometown to form a local regiment, and let me settle this Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Hong Xiuquan.

This task is heavy. To put down the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and the unprecedentedly powerful theocracy empire established by Hong Xiuquan, ordinary ability is not enough, one must have great wisdom in life.Although Zeng Guofan does not lack this great wisdom, it is not so simple to implement it in practice. Therefore, during the confrontation between Zeng Guofan and Hong Xiuquan, their different personalities, different ways of self-cultivation, and different perspectives on the world all formed a strong contrast.