"Forget it, forget it..." Xiao Letian waved his hand, "I've been in a bad mood for the past two days and I'm a little upset. I'm sorry for taking it out on you..."
Xiao Letian was indeed in a state of confusion. On the one hand, his own strategy was disrupted, which was the main reason. However, there was no irremediable solution to this mess, and Xiao Letian could even take advantage of the chaos to gain more benefits.
What made him unhappy was that due to this out-of-control strategy, others actually saw the opportunity to take advantage, especially the cunning Hunan Army Group, which actually wanted to enter Xinjiang in advance. This was not a good sign.
In real history, Zuo Zongtang should have entered Xinjiang seven years later. He spent seven years to put down the Huibu rebellion, and then led his troops westward out of Yumen in the first year of Guangxu.
Moreover, the war to pacify Xinjiang lasted for three years before it was basically over, and Zuo Zongtang himself stayed for another two years until 1881 before officially returning to Beijing.
In other words, the elite of the Hunan Army Group was dragged down by the war in the Northwest until 1881, and they were relieved.
This year is 1868, which means it will take another thirteen years before the main force of the Hunan Army can return to the Central Plains. And how many thirteen years do people have to wait?
Xiao Letian couldn't help but sighed and thought to himself, many people don't understand why the Hunan Army, which fought hundreds of battles, did not rebel in the end, and why did it disappear into obscurity in the long river of history? The answer actually lies here.
When was the Hunan Army established? Very detailed records are difficult to find, but Qing palace archives record that the court only allowed local organizations to organize regiment training in 1853, and it was in that year that Zeng Guofan received the power to train troops.
It is said that this is also pushed by fate. Zeng Guofan was originally a capital official and did not serve in his hometown, but why was he able to train troops in his hometown? That's because in 1852, the second year of Xianfeng, his mother died of illness. According to the past rules, officials had to go home to Dingyou for three years to show their filial piety.
That is, in his hometown, he witnessed the tragic scene of local gentry being so frightened by the menacing Taiping Army that they even abandoned their homes and businesses and fled their homes.
The imperial court knew that Zeng Guofan was a talented person, and also knew that he was currently in his hometown of Dingyou, which happened to be the front line against the Tianping Army, so it was logical to give Zeng Guofan the order to train troops. This was the original source of the Hunan Army.
When the Hunan Army Corps was established in 1853, let us assume that the average age of the recruits at that time was twenty years old. Then how old should these veterans be after the city of Nanjing was captured in 1864? The answer is thirty-one years old.
Of course, this data will not be very accurate, because the army is absorbing new recruits every year, which will cause the average age to increase very slowly, but this data is very accurate for the elite, because only veterans are the soul of an army.
Did the veterans of the Hunan Army immediately leave Nanshan after 1864? Of course not. After the Tianping Army there was the Nian Army, and after the Nian Army there was the Huibu Rebellion.
When Zuo Jigao led the main elite of the Hunan Army to enter Xinjiang in 1875, the first year of Guangxu, what was the average age of the earliest veterans of the Hunan Army? It’s 42 years old!
Of course, the 42-year-old soldiers who are still fighting in the army have actually become officers at all levels, and a group of disabled people have already left the army.
At that time, the veterans of the Hunan Army under Zuo Jigao were no longer the first batch of veterans. They were more soldiers recruited in batches during the pacification of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom more than ten years ago. They belonged to the second and third echelon of veterans, so even if They are slightly younger, with an average age of over thirty-five.
Then they continued to attack Xinjiang Aguba, and continued until Zuo Zongtang returned to Beijing in 1881. These veterans, with an average age of more than 40 years old, must have had gray hair. They had exhausted their energy and lives for this empire, and they also arrived The age of no doubt.
The average life span of ancient people is not as long as that of modern people. If you are forty, you will not be confused, but if you are fifty, you will know your destiny! Where has the Hunan Army gone during the Hundred Wars? In fact, they have already melted into the long river of time and become invisible particles in our civilization.
From an emotional point of view, Xiao Letian hoped that these people would go home to Nanshan as soon as possible to enjoy family happiness and stop fighting. They had already fought enough.
But strategically speaking, he must also allow the Hunan Army to continue to advance along the lines of the past life, at least without causing any confusion in the time nodes.
Because Xiao Letian knew very well that once the Hunan Army stopped the national war, this powerful military group was destined to vent its excess energy. The radicals headed by Zeng Guoquan were destined to cause trouble, and Xiao Letian could not fight with him now. They fall out.
As an aside, why didn't the Nine Marshals Zeng Guoquan rebel in real history? On the one hand, it was his brother's suppression, and on the other hand, it was because of his age. In fact, he was defeated by time just like the Hunan Army.
When the veterans who were loyal to him gradually grew old and could no longer wield the sword, the ninth commander Zeng Guoquan was also too old to use it. When Zuo Zongtang returned to Beijing in 1881, the ninth commander was already 57 years old, and it was not long before his death. With only 9 years left, even if he wanted to rebel, he no longer had the energy.
So don't think that Cixi and other Manchu cliques have such brilliant political skills. Sometimes they use the stupidest method to deal with Han officials, especially the veterans of the Hunan Army, which is to use time to survive.
So for politicians, what is the real skill? In fact, it means longevity. If you live longer than others, you will naturally be able to walk further. Even if you walk slower than a tortoise, there is no problem.
Xiao Letian waved his hand and stopped his random thoughts. "It seems that the development of the situation is somewhat out of our control. Many details in the ten-year plan need to be fine-tuned. We must seize the time to quickly solve some important problems..."
"Once the Russians reduce their support for Agub, Zuo Zongtang will quickly expand the results of the war. The war that I originally thought would take more than ten years to quell may be brought forward..."
"On the contrary, in the Far East, our burden has increased... I am really unwilling to accept it. I have always hoped that the delay in Xinjiang will be longer. This is like carrying a burden. The east and west borders of the Qing Dynasty are the burden At both ends, the pressure on the west side has been reduced, and as a result, we will be tight on the east side..."
"Hey...my Lord Long! Why are you trying to be a hero? These are great. You will attract at least 30,000 to 40,000 elite Cossacks from the Northwest. This battle will not be easy to win!"
The three of them pondered for a moment, and then Wang Huaiyuan asked, "What should we do with Beijing? Ministers from various countries have now expressed serious concerns. We have to give Britain, the United States, France, Russia and other countries an explanation? Avoidance is not the answer..."
Xiao Letian nodded, "My identity is too sensitive. I can't always appear in Sijiu City. It will frighten the Manchus... Let's do this. Xiao Hexin, please come for me. I will appoint you as the plenipotentiary ambassador. Dealing with the current diplomatic war..."
