Chapter 47 In the fourth quarter, Chen Defeng knelt down in front of Li Xiucheng to pay his respects, which made Zeng Guofan dispel the idea of ​​surrendering

The small steamer "Huanghu" manufactured by Anqing Nei Ordnance Co., Ltd. traveled along the Yangtze River quickly, and arrived at Zhangfengling in the blink of an eye.Sitting in the cabin, Zeng Guofan said to Xu Shou: "After all, the steamer goes fast. If you take a wooden boat, you won't even be able to reach Crucian Fish Bay." Xu Shou said excitedly: "If the journey goes well, you can reach Xiaguan when you hold the lantern." "How much slower is the Huang Hu than the foreigner's ship?" "It's only half the speed of the foreign ship." Xu Shou replied. "In terms of shipbuilding and gun making, foreigners are indeed better than us."

Zeng Guofan watched the river flowing backwards in silence, and Xu Shou stopped talking without making a sound.It was noon when the boat passed Wuhu, the cabin was as hot as a steamer, and the clothes and pants of the two of them were soaked through, so they had to change their clothes and pants and then took a private boat.Zeng Guofan said: "The Yellow Huo is good, but it is too hot and airless, so you can't sit for a long time, and you have to change it." Xu Shou said: "What Zhongtang said is true. We are building a big ship, and we will ask Zhongtang for review after the blueprint is completed."

"Okay." Zeng Guofan said, "I'll see if it's ventilated first. If not, I'll never take your boat again." After speaking, both of them laughed.Although the private boat was comfortable to sit on, it was too slow, so it stopped at Caishiji that night.The next day we sailed before dawn and arrived in Jinling before noon.Zeng Guoquan had already been reported.As soon as Zeng Guofan got out of the cabin, he saw dozens of senior generals of Jizi Daying standing under the scorching sun on the Xiaguan pier.Zeng Guofan stepped onto the pier quickly, and saw that the ninth younger brother standing at the front was as dark as an old farmer who worked all year round, and as thin as a patient who had been bedridden for many years. Suffering!" He hugged his younger brother tightly, but with these four words, he couldn't say anything more.The brothers hugged each other for a long time.Seeing his younger brother's eyes gradually turning red, Zeng Guofan was afraid that he would lose his composure, so he quickly let go of his hand, walked up to Li Chendian, Xiao Fusi, Liu Lianjie and others, and congratulated them one by one.

After entering the inner room in the Xingyuan, which was temporarily converted from the original servant's mansion, Zeng Guofan asked the ninth brother about everything in detail.He also asked his younger brother to take off his shirt, inspected the scars on his back and chest one by one, and stroked them gently.Every time he touches a scar, he asks his younger brother tirelessly, when and where he got hurt, when he got better, whether it will have any effect after he healed, and whether it will happen again.One sentence, one sound, the question made Zeng Guoquan burst into tears, first shed quietly, and finally couldn't help crying loudly.

"Cry, cry! There are no outsiders here. Eldest brother knows that you have suffered so much. You cry out all the grievances, pain, and fatigue you have suffered in the past two or three years." Zeng Guofan said while patting his younger brother. shoulders.Time seems to go back thirty years. In the hometown of Heyetang, the elder brother is comforting the wronged younger brother. After a while, Zeng Guofan smiled and said: "Okay, enough crying! Such great feats fell on other people's heads, the mouth is crooked, and the body is floating. How can there be brothers like us who face each other?" crying."

In a word, Zeng Guoquan stopped crying.A sumptuous welcome wine was already set up outside, Li Chendian, Xiao Fusi, Liu Lianjie, Peng Yuju and others all came to accompany them.At the table, cups clashed and laughter was loud.Zeng Guofan said to Li Chendian and others: "Think about how shabby it was to be a soldier for me back then. When I was so arrogant, I still follow the Nine Commanders!" Everyone laughed out loud.Zeng Guoquan said: "They all made great contributions to breaking Jinling this time. This is the result of my brother's hard work in cultivation." "This is also the number of days." Zeng Guofan put on his usual dignified expression, "They were by my side back then, and I never thought that they would have such a great contribution today. Since ancient times, all major tasks have been done partly by manpower and partly by destiny. You have to think about it from this aspect, so that you can get along with up, down, left, and right in the future." Everyone nodded indiscriminately, not realizing the far-reaching intentions of these words.

After eating, Zeng Guofan, accompanied by his ninth brother and others, went out of the city to check the tunnel outposts, and then visited the camps where Xinziying, Zhenziying, Beiziying, Gangziying, and Jieziying were stationed. Officers, congratulate them, and the battalion officers are very grateful. When we returned to the original servant's mansion, it was already dark. After dinner, Zeng Guoquan said, "Brother, I'm too tired today, take a bath early and rest!" "You have worked hard for two or three years, what am I doing! There is still a big thing to do tonight."

"What big event must be done tonight?" "Interrogate Li Xiucheng!" "Brother, let's go to the lobby for trial tomorrow, and I will accompany Big Brother for the trial." "Not in court, but in this small house for interrogation." "That won't work." "Why not?" Zeng Guofan felt strange. "The cage is too big to fit in." "What cage?" Zeng Guofan asked in surprise. "Li Xiucheng is in a big cage." "Hahaha!" Zeng Guofan laughed loudly, "Li Xiucheng is not a tiger, why are you putting him in a cage?" Zeng Guoquan was a little embarrassed when he said it. "Are you trying to use the method I used to deal with bandits in Changsha? Like a brother, like a brother!" Zeng Guofan cheered up, "Let him out of the cage, just ask someone to escort him."

After a while, Li Xiucheng was tied up and brought in.Since Xianfeng came back in eight years, he has dealt with this person for six full years, and he saw his name in documents almost every day, and heard his subordinates talk about him.What kind of person is this person?Zeng Guofan will take a closer look tonight.The long-haired man standing in front of him is of medium to short stature, thin and thin, with a pale and haggard face, a broad forehead, and slender eyebrows, like two parallel black lines on his face, with a straight nose and a straight mouth. , with a clear outline, although the hands and feet are tightly bound, but the upper body is faintly shaking slightly, judging by the expression, it does not appear to be trembling with fear.Zeng Guofan, who always likes to save people with his face, finds it hard to understand why a man who looks so thin and weak, especially his lips, which are as delicate as a woman's long hair, has such perseverance and courage to swallow mountains and swallow seas?

Anyway, he is a man after all!A feeling of loving and cherishing talents quietly surged into my heart. "Untie him!" Zeng Guofan ordered.Li Xiucheng was quite surprised.After the rope was untied, he moved his hands and feet a few times, as if he had regained his freedom.At this moment, he raised his head and took a good look at Zeng Shaved, who had killed countless Taiping Army brothers. "Li Xiucheng, the governor asked you a few things, you must confess truthfully, and don't talk nonsense." Although Zeng Guofan spoke harshly, his tone was gentle, and Li Xiucheng did not feel pressured.I thought, since he treats me with courtesy, I will treat him with courtesy, so I replied: "Yes."

"Let me ask you, Qin Rigang, the King of Yan who guarded Tianjia Town for four years in Xianfeng, later found many of your documents on the ship, calling him Sun Richang, the King of Yan. Are Qin Rigang and Sun Richang one person or two?" Li Xiucheng noticed that when Zeng Guofan called "Yan Wang", he did not deliberately change it to "Yan Chief" like Zeng Guoquan did, nor did he add a word "false" in front of it.He replied straightforwardly: "Sun Richang is Qin Rigang, he is one person, and he was named King Yan at that time." "Lin Shaozhang was defeated by our army in ten battles and ten defeats in Xiangtan. This man has no ability, why was he named king?" Zeng Guofan still asked in a questioning tone. "Although Lin Shaozhang is not very capable in war, he is very capable of enduring hardships and is loyal, so the Heavenly King named him King Zhang." Li Xiucheng's answer was neither humble nor overbearing. "Zeng Tianyang and Lin Shaozhang went to Hunan together and died in Yuezhou. He was a master and had deep qualifications. Why was he less powerful than Lin Shaozhang?" Zeng Guofan was particularly impressed by the few people who first dealt with the Hunan Army. "Zeng Tianyang and Lin Shaozhang have the same positions. Zeng Tianyang is illiterate, old, and honest. Lin Shaozhang is smart, knows everything, and is hardworking, so he has more power." He is a low-ranking officer, but he will never forget those fiery years at the beginning of the uprising. At that time, the senior generals in the army were idols worshiped by everyone, and they were often talked about, so Li Xiucheng knew it very well. "Why hasn't Shi Xiangzhen been mentioned in the future? Is this person still there?" After a short pause, Zeng Guofan asked again, a bit like chatting about family affairs.Li Xiucheng felt that it was completely different from the interrogation a few days ago. "Shi Xiangzhen later went west with King Yi, and it is said that he was killed together with King Yi last year." Li Xiucheng loosened his hands and feet again, and Zeng Guofan saw that his two legs were constantly exchanging and shaking. "Let me ask you again, Lin Fengxiang, Li Kaifang, and Lin Qirong were all crowned kings after their deaths, and Luo Dagang, Zhou Guoyu, and Ye Yunlai also made great efforts for you, why were they not crowned kings?" These words touched Li Xiucheng's heart.On this point, he had a major disagreement with Hong Xiuquan, which was also what he was most dissatisfied with Hong Xiuquan, especially the indiscriminate closure before the fall of Tianjing, which made him angry.But in front of the enemy, you can't blame the king of heaven.He thought for a while and said, "These things are messy, and there is nothing to say." After asking these people who had a deep memory in his mind over the years, Zeng Guofan stopped asking about the past. "Li Xiucheng, I want to ask you, how many people and how many long hairs were there in Jinling before the recovery?" "There are only 30,000 soldiers and civilians in the whole city, and my Taiping army brothers only have more than 10,000 people, and most of them have fallen ill and starved. There are only three or four thousand people who can defend the city." As the supreme commander on the eve of the destruction of Tianjing, Li Xiucheng knew the strength of the troops at that time like the palm of his hand. Zeng Guofan was very uncomfortable when he heard it. He glanced at his ninth younger brother sitting beside him out of the corner of his eye, and saw that Zeng Guoquan looked even worse. His good news said that there were more than 100,000 Taiping soldiers before the city was broken, and they all killed them. , Qinhuai Changhe corpses like hemp.Zeng Guofan reported these few words to the court again.In this way, the ninth brother deceived himself, and he deceived the court! "Li Xiucheng, you are talking nonsense! There are long hairs all over the city, why are there only more than 10,000 people?" Zeng Guoquan yelled at Li Xiucheng angrily. "These troops are all under the command of my king. I don't know how many people there are!" Li Xiucheng did not give in to the arrogant and unreasonable Zeng Guoquan, as if he was teaching his subordinates with the dignity of a prince.Zeng Guoquan was bored. Li Xiucheng basically gave him satisfactory answers to the questions Zeng Guofan asked, which made Zeng Guofan think that Li Xiucheng could be won over.Yuanfu said that Li Xiucheng's stubbornness was obviously due to his violent attitude.For a person like Li Xiucheng, torture, even death threats are impossible to make him succumb, the key is to try to move his heart.Although Jinling has been captured, Changmao still has 100,000 or 200,000 horses in Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Fujian. The false young master has not been caught, and it is likely that he escaped without self-immolation. If these people unite to assist the young master , Continue to confront the court, that is still a terrible thing.It's better to use Li Xiucheng's status and influence to make Chang Mao outside Jinling city put down his arms and surrender to the court.right!Start from the heart. "Li Xiucheng, the governor heard that although Hong Xiuquan named you a loyal king, he didn't think you were loyal to him in his bones and was always on guard against you. If that's the case, why do you still work hard for him?" This question from Zeng Guofan surprised Li Xiucheng: Why did Yaotou Zeng understand it so clearly?I have heard for a long time that this person is far superior to other civil and military officials of Qing Yao, and his reputation is indeed well-deserved.Li Xiucheng thought for a while and said: "My lord has something greater than human beings, which is beyond the reach of my generation. He made me king and has great kindness and virtue to me. Although he has doubts about me, I still should Loyal to him. I am foolish loyalty." Zeng Guofan was satisfied.I thought to myself that this person actually knows the word "foolishness and loyalty", and he can be regarded as a kind and righteous person.He was loyal to Hong Xiuquan, and after Hong Xiuquan died, he was loyal to his son. If Hong's son died too, wouldn't he have no one to be loyal to. "Li Xiucheng, you have been trapped among thieves for more than ten years. As the leader of the thieves, you have committed great crimes. But as you said just now, you are out of foolish loyalty to Hong Xiuquan. This governor can understand your feelings. Now this governor I want to solemnly tell you that Hong Xiuquan's son, Hong Fuzhen..." "Young Heavenly King is not called Hong Fuzhen." Li Xiucheng interrupted Zeng Guofan. "It's not called Hong Fuzhen, what is it called?" Zeng Guofan was taken aback, thinking to himself: All the memorials reported to the court in the past called the fake young master Hong Fuzhen, did he get his name wrong? "Young Heavenly King's nickname is Hong Tiangui. Two years ago, the old Heavenly King added a word of blessing to him. Since then, the young Heavenly King's name has been Hong Tianguifu. After the old Heavenly King ascended to heaven, the young Heavenly King ascended to the top, and the name on the jade seal was engraved with Allah horizontally. The two characters have caused the outside world to misrepresent it as Hong Fuzhen." "It seems really wrong." Zeng Guofan thought, and continued: "The governor solemnly tells you that your young master has died in the rebellion and has now passed on to the capital." "The young master is dead?!" Li Xiucheng was surprised, but soon calmed down. What he has been thinking about the past few days is the Young Heavenly King, and he shouldn't be surprised by Zeng Guofan's news.The young heavenly king was only sixteen years old. He grew up in the deep palace since he was a child. He was held by dozens of queens like the sun and the moon. Killing and suicide are possible.However, he was still sad in his heart, and he deeply blamed himself for failing to live up to the king's trust and friendship. "Li Xiucheng, your young master and his younger brothers are dead, Hong Xiuquan's family is extinct, who are you still loyal to? Are you going to be foolishly loyal to Hong Rengan?" Zeng Guofan's attitude became more gentle, and Li Xiucheng bowed his head. Reply.Yes, the old Heavenly King is dead, and the young Heavenly King is also dead. Which one should you be loyal to?If there is a new master in the future, it is likely to be Hong Rengan, but Li Xiucheng is unwilling to be loyal to him.Seeing that Li Xiucheng was silent, Zeng Guofan had already seen his thoughts, so he said more kindly: "Li Xiucheng, this governor hates you for doing many evils, but also loves you as a talent. This governor has always loved talents and valued talents. If this governor Declare to the imperial court, if you are spared death, will you submit to the imperial court?" Li Xiucheng was surprised when he heard this, and didn't know how to answer for a moment.Zeng Guoquan, who sat aside and hadn't spoken for a long time, didn't expect his elder brother to say such a sentence.He said to Zeng Guofan: "Brother, Li Xiucheng killed thousands of brothers in our Hunan Army, and he can't be spared! Don't bother with him anymore, just kill him!" "Ninth Brother." Zeng Guofan said to his younger brother with a smile, "Talent is rare! Hong Xiuquan has made more than two thousand kings successively. I think there is only one Shi Dakai who can really fight in the early stage, and Li Xiucheng in the later stage." After hearing this, Li Xiucheng felt a sense of relief for no reason.This is exactly how Li Xiucheng looked at the many generals of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and there was only one Shi Dakai he admired.However, the ruling and opposition parties in the Kingdom of Heaven generally believe that the most capable of fighting is the Eastern King Yang Xiuqing, the Second Wing King Shi Dakai, the British King Chen Yucheng third, and Li Xiucheng can only take the fourth place.Today, Li Xiucheng finally found out that this Zeng Yaotou, who had fought to the death with him for many years, was actually a bosom friend!Now that the young heavenly king is dead, his loyalty to the old heavenly king is over.The fall of Tianjing has dispersed the vitality of the kingdom of heaven. The death of the young king means that the dragons have no leader. Hong Rengan is not enough to command the whole army. Dai Wang Huang Chengzhong, Pei Wang Tan Xing, Ting Wang Chen Bingwen, Kang Wang Haiyang, Ning Wang Zhang Xueming, Prize King Tao Jinhui, Lin Wang Liu Zhaojun, Li Wang Zhu Xinglong, these people, in the current situation where the military is dangerous and the hearts of the people are scattered, there is no One can lead a group.The fire that started in Jintian Village has burned to this day, and it has turned into ashes.Since Zeng Guofan thinks highly of himself so much, how about rewarding his confidant with this ability?Just thinking about it like this, Li Xiucheng felt that this idea was too shameful.Could it be that he will lead Qing Yao to beat his brothers who have fought bloody battles and shared weal and woe with him in the future?Do you want to be a traitor who will be called a pig and a dog by future generations?No!You can't be this kind of person even if you die! With decades of experience in reading people, especially the experience of interrogating captured Taiping Army generals, Zeng Guofan has already guessed seven or eight points about the psychological activities of the silent Li Xiucheng. "Li Xiucheng." Zeng Guofan completely changed into an equal tone, "I know that you don't want to give in to the imperial court, and you are afraid of being reviled by your former partners. This governor will not make things difficult for you. If you can advise this governor on behalf of others outside Jinling The big and small Changmao put down their swords and guns, and no longer resist, the governor will send you back to your hometown in Guangxi, and tell the soldiers not to kill your mother, wife and children, so that your family can be reunited and you will grow up to be a good citizen of the court." Li Xiucheng fell into deep thought: Right now the Taiping Army is being beaten to pieces, and the officers and soldiers are red-eyed. If the beating continues, the more than 200,000 brothers scattered outside will definitely be killed by the officers and soldiers.If Zeng Guofan really managed not to kill the brothers who put down their swords and guns, wouldn't they be able to save their lives?Even if I am misunderstood by my brothers and blamed by future generations, it is worth it.What's more, this benevolent heart will always be understood!And it can also be exchanged for the lives of the mother and the young. Li Xiucheng has a deep affection for his mother.He was born in a poor farmer's family in Dalili, the fifty-seventh capital of Teng County, Guangxi. There are two brothers, his father is weak and sick, and the family is supported by his mother alone.In order for Li Xiucheng to have a future, the mother knelt down in front of her natal cousin, begged for her son, and asked the cousin to teach him how to read a few words.Li Xiucheng studied with his uncle on and off for three years, and his mother worked as a maid for his family for three years.Li Xiucheng will never forget this kindness of his mother.Later, he joined the Taiping Army, was promoted, and took his mother out of Teng County. He always placed the old man in the safest place, lived in the best house, ate the best food, and treated his mother with respect and obedience.Li Xiucheng did not have a biological son until he was nearly forty years old. The year before last, Mrs. He gave birth to a son for him, and he regarded this biological son as his sweetheart.These days, apart from missing the young heavenly king, he is concerned about his mother and young child.If Zeng Guofan really kept his word, he would return to his hometown in Teng County with his mother and young children, and be an ordinary citizen who farms and feeds himself.He saved the lives of more than 200,000 brothers and did not do anything for the Qing Yao court. This cannot be regarded as a traitor!Li Xiucheng felt that his decision was right, worthy of the king of heaven, and worthy of his brothers in the Taiping Army.Li Xiucheng felt calm, at ease, and full of energy.He resumed his usual demeanor, raised his head, and said calmly: "Old Zhongtang, brothers who put down their swords and guns, do you promise not to kill them?" The words "Old Zhongtang" made Zeng Guofan secretly pleasantly surprised: Doesn't this clearly mean that he is willing to surrender? "As long as you put down the knife and gun, I promise not to kill you!" Zeng Guofan replied hastily. "Don't you kill the old brothers from Guangdong and Guangxi?" Li Xiucheng asked.In previous wars, the Hunan Army also advertised that they would not kill the surrendered people, except for the people from Guangdong and Guangxi. This made the old brothers from Guangdong and Guangxi more determined to fight the Hunan Army to the end. "I won't kill the long-haired old men from Guangdong and Guangxi," Zeng Guofan replied immediately. "Can you guarantee to find my mother and child?" Li Xiucheng asked again. "The governor has ordered all the officers and soldiers who are hunting down to protect your mother and son. You can rest assured." Zeng Guofan's reply made Li Xiucheng very satisfied: "So, Li Xiucheng is willing to submit to the court." "Okay!" Zeng Guofan was very proud, stood up and walked to Li Xiucheng's side, and saw that the left arm that Zeng Guoquan had cut off two pieces of flesh was festering and rotting, so he said to Zeng Guoquan, "Call a doctor and apply medicine to his wound." Bandage, tea and food should be served on time every day." Zeng Guoquan nodded, admiring the elder brother's interrogation tonight. "Thank you, Lao Zhongtang, for your kindness." Li Xiucheng changed into a condescending tone.Just as he was about to turn around and leave, two big white lanterns suddenly passed by outside the door. Behind the lantern was a man with his hands tied, behind the man were two soldiers with knives, and behind him was a master in a light white Changhu silk robe. "Huifu, where are you going?" Zeng Guofan called Master Changpao to stop him. "Master Zhongtang, Jiushuai." Zhao Liewen stepped into the threshold and bowed, "Just now, together with Master Pang, we interrogated the long-haired leader and false king Chen Defeng." "Is that Chen Defeng who wanted to surrender?" Zeng Guofan asked. "Exactly." "Call him in!" Chen Defeng was escorted in, saw Li Xiucheng standing there at a glance, hurriedly took two steps forward, knelt down in front of Li Xiucheng to pay his respects, and shouted: "His Royal Highness King Zhong..." As he spoke, tears fell like rain, and he kowtowed.Li Xiucheng hugged Chen Defeng's shoulders with a sad expression.The two pairs of eyes looked at each other, as if there were thousands of things to say but nothing to say.Zeng Guofan watched from the sidelines, his heart skipped a beat, and he thought to himself: Li Xiucheng is already my prisoner, yet Chen Defeng dared to salute Li Xiucheng in front of me, under the surveillance of knives and axes. Maozhong's prestige can be imagined.You can't blame Yuanfu for putting him in a cage, he is really a tiger!If this person is released back to Guangxi, wouldn't it really be letting the tiger go back to the mountain?At that time, as long as he raises his arms and shouts, those old troops who have temporarily put down their swords and guns will gather under his banner again!Can't let him go, this person must be killed!His hazel eyes flashed with a fierce and sharp light again. "Li Xiucheng, Chen Defeng, what kind of place is this, how can you allow you to be presumptuous!" Zeng Guofan shouted.He wanted to interrogate Chen Defeng a few words, but now he has no more thoughts, so he ordered him to be taken away.Chen Defeng walked to the door, turned his head again, and said to Li Xiucheng in a crying voice: "Your Highness, please take care, I'm sorry that I can't serve you anymore." "Let's go, take care of yourself." Li Xiucheng waved his hand helplessly. "Li Xiucheng!" Zeng Guofan's tone became more serious, "From tomorrow onwards, you must honestly write a letter of repentance, and the governor will report your repentance to the court. You must understand the relationship!"