Chapter 44 Seven Zeng Guofan closed his eyes tightly and jumped into the whirlpool of the Xiangjiang River

In the afternoon, Sun Guanchen rushed to the river, got on Zeng Guofan's tug, and told Zeng Guofan this important military situation. "Master Zeng, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, it's a pity to lose it!" Zeng Guofan stroked his beard and remained silent for a long time.Sending troops to the north is his established plan for using troops, and eliminating the long hair in Jinggang is in line with this plan.Zeng Guofan has an extraordinary relationship with Sun Guanchen's elder brother, and he also has a good impression of Sun Guanchen.He felt that at the critical moment the year before last, Sun Guanchen was indeed a blood-spirited man who was able to borrow money generously. He came to ask for troops today, although it was for business, but he also had a good intention to protect the environment and the people, not to mention that tomorrow is indeed a good opportunity.However, he was still a little uneasy.

"Master Long, have you met him before?" Zeng Guofan asked Sun Guanchen. "I have, I have. The Long family is my regular customer, and I do several big business with him every year." Sun Guanchen has actually never met the young master of the Long family. He knows that Zeng Guofan is suspicious. Zeng Guofan must have doubts; what's more, after talking with that person for many hours, he can conclude that he is the real young master of the Long family.If not, why did you pay a deposit of a thousand taels of silver before buying a piece of material? Zeng Guofan nodded and said to himself: "What did Changmao arrange for five hundred people to do in Jinggang?" After the failure of Yuezhou last time, Zeng Guofan became more cautious, and he still hadn't made up his mind whether to send troops or not.

"Master Di, don't care what he does! Let's clean up the five hundred long hairs first." Wang Chi was eager to avenge Yang Lousi, and tried his best to encourage him from the sidelines. "Master Di, Jinggang is not far from here. I think we should send a few people to inquire first. If it is true as what Master Long said, it will not be too late to send troops." Li Xubin also wanted to take advantage of this victory to cleanse Yanglou Si. Ashamed, but he is more stable than Wang Chi. The attitude of Wang and Li prompted Zeng Guofan to make up his mind. "If there are really only 500 people," he thought in his mind, "Shuiluzhou has 5,000 people, and we will surely win with ten times as many troops. If we win this battle, we can cheer up the Hunan warriors." gas."

Yes, Zeng Guofan really needs to win the battle at this time!He finally adopted Li Xubin's suggestion.In the evening, the people who sent the detectives came back to tell the truth, and everything that Master Long said was true.Zeng Guofan finally decided to send troops. The next day, Xiangyong got up to eat at the fourth watch.Wang Qi and Li Xubin led all Lu Yong, and Zeng Guofan sat on a tugboat and personally commanded all the water braves, and drove towards Jinggang in a mighty manner.The journey went smoothly, and the warship quickly sailed to Baishazhou, which was twenty miles away from Jinggang.

The navy stopped at Baishazhou.Soon, Lu Yong also arrived.The cavalry turned around and reported: Pigs and cattle are being slaughtered in Jinggang Town, and the Eight Immortals tables are all over the street.Zeng Guofan was overjoyed and ordered the land and water to advance side by side. The navy landed at Jinggang, and Lu Yong crossed the pontoon bridge to join forces at Jinggang. At noon, two teams of Xiangyong, water and land gathered in Jinggang.In Jinggang Town, although the Eight Immortals Tables were placed all over the street, there was no Taiping army in sight.Just when he was wondering, he suddenly heard the sound of a soaring cannon, and the 20,000 Taiping Army soldiers who were ambushing on Tongguan Mountain came out together, holding machetes one by one, shouting and rushing down the mountain, like an unstoppable torrent rushing across the pontoon bridge , pressing towards Jinggang.Zeng Guofan looked at the red and yellow scarves scattered all over the mountains and plains, and realized that he had been fooled by Master Long, and he couldn't stop complaining in his heart.Xiang Yong only knew that Jinggang only had five hundred long hairs, and he was full of confidence in winning easily. The earth-shattering scene that suddenly appeared before him was completely unexpected, and everyone was terrified.Wang Qi and Li Xubin had no choice but to suppress their positions and command Xiangyong to meet the enemy.As soon as he took over the battle, Xiangyong was defeated one after another.In Jinggang town, shouts of "capture the Qing demon Zeng Guofan alive" rang out from all directions.The sound of cannons, drums, and footsteps was like thunder and lightning.Xiangyong seemed to have fallen into the gossip array, he didn't know where to run, so he had to retreat to the river.Zeng Guofan was angry and anxious, and had nothing to do.Seeing a group of Xiangyong rushing towards the river with their heads in their arms, he was furious. He hurriedly drew out the sword presented by Wang Shiquan, left the boat and went ashore, and asked Kang Fu to plant a military flag by the river. Raised his triangular eyes and shouted: "Whoever has this flag will be killed immediately!"

Kui Yong was stunned, and stood dumbfounded by the river, not daring to move forward. A few who wanted to make up for their mistakes turned back.At this time, another wave of broken courage came to the riverside without thinking, like a defeated leaf swept up by a strong wind.One of them, Yong Ding, a small man from Xiangxiang, panicked and just ran for his life. He didn't see Zeng Guofan standing there, and ran past the flagpole in a daze.Zeng Guofan gritted his teeth in hatred and stabbed with his sword.The little Yong Ding screamed and rolled on the ground in pain, blood staining the river bank.Taking advantage of the moment when Zeng Guofan drew his sword, a group of courageous fugitives hurriedly bypassed the military flag and rushed towards the warships parked by the river. Many Xiangyong took advantage of the chaos to take off their coats, throw away their knives and guns, and hide behind the bushes and trees.Zhou Guoyu and Wei Kui, the leader of the Chuanzi Club who had recently come to join him, rushed over with his brothers from Jinggang Street, shouting all the way: "Seize Zeng Guofan!" "Kill Wang Chi and Li Xubin!" "For the brothers!" The day of revenge has come!"

Although Zeng Guofan was still standing on the military flag with his sword, it had no effect at all. A group of defeated troops bravely bypassed the military flag, jumped on the warship, and fled for their lives in a hurry.At the head of the pontoon bridge, a group of death squads led by Wang Chi gained the upper hand after some fighting, and the pontoon bridge was captured by Xiang Yong, but a group of Pirouyong took the opportunity to escape from the pontoon bridge and ran back to Changsha.Zeng Guofan was so angry that he threw his sword to the ground and ordered Kang Fu to take people to demolish the bridge.Li Xubin ran to Zeng Guofan and asked: "Master Di, don't tear down the bridge, let the brothers find a way to survive! Otherwise, the whole army will be wiped out. You should hurry up and get on the boat, and revenge will be reported in the future."

Zeng Guofan shook his head resignedly as he watched the Taiping Army approaching like waves, and Xiangyong, who was all in a mess and scrambling to board the boat to escape for his life, but he still refused to board the boat.Li Xubin turned around in a hurry.Suddenly, someone shouted: "Wei Yongfu, that bearded man under the Shejun banner!" Before he finished speaking, an arrow flew past Zeng Guofan's left ear, and he was so frightened that he lost his mind.Li Xubin and Kang Fu came over, dragged him onto the tug, and set off immediately. At this time, a southwest wind blew on the river, and it was very difficult for the warship to go upstream against the wind.Li Xubin forced Yongding to get off the boat and go to the shore to stretch his fibers; Chu Ruhang urged Shui Yong to fire a cannon for cover.The cannons of all the ships fired together, and finally managed to suppress the Taiping army chasing behind.Yong Ding, who couldn't get on the boat, searched for his way around, climbed mountains and ridges, and fled towards Changsha without his helmet or armor.From the start of the war to the collapse of the whole line, it took only one meal.

Zeng Guofan sat on the mop, listening to the chasing soldiers yelling "Catch Zeng Yaotou alive", seeing the arrows shooting like locusts from both sides of the bank, and his own panic-stricken appearance, he was annoyed and ashamed.Since Hengzhou left the army, the two battles with Chang Mao ended in disastrous defeats. I don't know how the battle in Xiangtan will be. Chang Mao is so scheming, I am afraid that most of them will fail.Xiang Yong, who has been training hard for a year and expects to be immortal, is so vulnerable.Zeng Guofan was extremely discouraged.The great entrustment of the emperor, the trust of Prince Gong, Bachelor Su, and Master Jing Hai, as well as his own ambitions, will all be in vain. The big words in "A Call to Cantonese Bandits" will always be the laughing stock of future generations.Thinking of this, Zeng Guofan was ashamed.He closed his eyes, and suddenly appeared in front of him the ferocious and angry faces of Bao Qibao, the jealous and cold faces of Xu Youren and Tao Enpei, the gloating faces of Luo Bingzhang, and all kinds of malicious faces in Changsha officialdom. The faces merge into one face.This face was long and sallow, with two thin eyes that cast a cold light from behind the lens, staring at him fixedly, and a hoarse voice came out of the thin throat: "Master, you will not die in a prison cell from now on. , and died of swordsmen." Zeng Guofan opened his eyes in shock, isn't this Sima Tiezui from twenty years ago! Shouts of "Catch Monster Zeng alive" came from behind, seeming to be getting closer and louder.He concluded that the day predicted by Sima Tiezui had come, and he would definitely die today.He knew very well that he had forged a great enmity with the Taiping Army, and once he was caught, he would end up in the following ways: cramping, skinning, lighting the sky lantern, dismembering the body by five horses, gouging out his eyes, and showing his head to the public.Either one made him shudder.As he imagined the pain of being tortured, the blood in his body froze. "No! How can I be insulted by Changmao, a dignified second-rank member of the imperial court? I might as well die myself." Zeng Guofan made up his mind to commit suicide.

His eyes were drooping, his complexion was pale, and he stared blankly at the rushing northward river outside the cabin.It is impossible to imagine that this beautiful and affectionate river that I have loved since I was a child will ruthlessly devour my body today. "Destiny, this is fate!" Zeng Guofan sighed in despair. When Kang Fu entered the cabin, he saw Zeng Guofan sitting on the stool like a dead man, his eyes were already numb, and he suddenly realized that something was wrong.Kang Fu quietly withdrew, sat outside the cabin, and never left. As the boat passed Baishazhou, Zeng Guofan saw a vortex beside the cabin.He pushed open the hatch, closed his eyes tightly, and jumped into the whirlpool.Kang Fu heard the sound of the water and saw the hatch door was wide open. He knew that Zeng Guofan had thrown into the water, and jumped into the whirlpool while shouting "Save Mr. Zeng".The people on the boat were shocked and rushed to the side of the boat.Kang Fu was good at water, so he quickly pushed Zeng Guofan out of the water, and the crew caught him and carried him into the cabin.Seeing Zeng Guofan's pale face, everyone worried that he was dead.Kang Fu put his hand near Zeng Guofan's nostrils, and he felt relieved when he felt a trace of breath coming in and out.Everyone hurriedly changed his clothes.It took a long time before Zeng Guofan opened his eyes and saw Kang Fu standing beside him wet, knowing that he got into the water to save himself.He glared at Kang Fu: "Do you want Changmao to insult me?"

Kang Fu was eager to gain wisdom, and said with a smile: "My lord, just now Changsha flew a horse to report, and the deputy general Ta won a big victory in Xiangtan!" Zeng Guofan said coldly: "The boat is walking on the water, and the flying horse reports the message. How do you know?" Kang Fu answered unhurriedly: "Pushan met some cavalrymen on land, and in order to reassure you, I sent someone to tell you in a small boat." "Where are people?" "In the back cabin, wait for me to fetch him." "No need." Zeng Guofan closed his eyes again. Kang Fu said softly to Zeng Guofan: "My lord, you can rest at ease! We will talk about everything in Changsha." Zeng Guofan was unable to speak anymore, and lay flat on the bed, letting Tuogu drag him to Changsha.Along the way, with the sound of wind and waves, he always suspected that Changmao was chasing him, until he got close to Shuiluzhou, and he was in shock.