Emperor Xianfeng was very happy about the great victory in Xiangtan and said: "Zeng Chen, the vassal state, saved my southwest half!"
Prince Gong Yixin said: "Xiaoxiang is temporarily safe, but once the 30,000 rebel bandits from Lichang crossed the Yellow River and fell into Jinxiang and other places, intending to flee north. From the prefectures and counties they passed through to Shandong, there were no obstacles, and it was like entering an uninhabited country. , the troops are present at Li Guanzhuang, which is twenty miles away from Linqing and only three hundred miles away from Fucheng Lin and the bandits. If the two thieves merge, there will be endless trouble."
Emperor Xianfeng said: "Two senior officials, Seng Gelinqin and Shengbao, surrounded the two thieves Lin Fengxiang and Li Kaifang. It has been three months in Duliu and Jinghai, one month in Shucheng, and more than one month in Fucheng. I don't know how long the two of them will last." ! Linqing is in danger, and I have ordered Shengbao to go south to fight against the rebellion. I am extremely disappointed with this monk Gelinqin."
Yi Xin said: "The monk commanded 20,000 troops, but failed to achieve success for half a year. He is not worthy of his reputation. He won the victory in the south and fought in the north. He traveled thousands of miles. It is difficult to live up to his great reputation."
Emperor Xianfeng sighed: "Hechun and Fuji attacked Luzhou for half a year, and Xiangrong and Qishan besieged Jinling for a year, but they were all in vain. Seng Gelinqin was old and prudent, and he was victorious and powerful. Last month The two ministers joined forces to kill Ji Wenyuan, the rebel leader. Without them, would the capital be safe? Yuan Jiasan of Huaibei won many battles, killed countless bandits, and Xin had settled in Linhuai. His military prowess surpassed that of Zeng Guofan and Xiang's bravery . Yuan Jiasan recently came to Shu: Luzhou is located in the hinterland of the north of the Yangtze River, and is surrounded by more than ten prefectures and counties. Luzhou cannot be conquered, not only because it is restrained by the defense troops in the north of the Yangtze River, the Chu army cannot rush to Jiangning when it goes eastward; Hechun and Fu The Second Division of Ji was tired of veterans, so it was urgent and difficult to achieve results."
Yi Xin said: "Yuan Jia San is really a talent that can be created."
Emperor Xianfeng said: "I ordered Yuan, He, and Fu Lian to have official titles and handle military affairs in Anhui Province at their own discretion. He Chun and Fu Ji Lian were impeached by Yuan Jiasan for insisting on his own opinion and having no chance of receiving the title. He also said that Yuan Zhu was guarding Linhuai and was whitewashing it. Military intelligence, good at cutting off pay and silver, and false sales to enrich oneself. He Chun and Fuji divisions are tired veterans, nothing serious. After Yuan Jia won three consecutive victories, he is very high-spirited. I intend to hand it over to the ministry for strict discussion."
Yi Xin said: "It may be inappropriate to replace the meritorious generals before the battle."
Emperor Xianfeng said: "No one has faults. If they have faults, they should be punished. If they don't, they should be encouraged."
After saying this, Emperor Xianfeng also told Monk Gelinqin: The Fucheng military camp has been laid out layer by layer with walls and tree gates for more than a month. Why did the rebel bandits rush out without any resistance, causing the camp to be burned and they reached the outside of Hao without resistance. The long siege that had been installed for days was completely ineffective, and it was really deplorable that the defending officers and soldiers were doing nothing. Today, the Ni army has been scurrying out repeatedly, all heading to the southeast, apparently hoping to escape from Jingzhou, Dezhou and other places to collude with the thieves coming from the south. If you can't do it quickly, just think that it's hard to do it manually, and look at the situation and it seems like you are helpless. If you cannot intercept all the thieves who have escaped, I will certainly punish you with a serious crime.
Seng Gelinqin accepted the order and sighed: "It is difficult to defeat the enemy's army without fighting!"
The leader of the cavalry and the first-class imperial guard Du Xingadao said: "Prince Qi, I thought I could trick the thief out of the camp, so I led the cavalry to surround him and kill him."
Seng Gelinqin said: "The thieves are all warriors, it is easier said than done! Hire civilians quickly, dig out Changhao, set up cannons, and kill the thieves."
Lin Fengxiang defended Fucheng for more than a month. Due to lack of food and medicine, he was unable to continue, so he broke out of the encirclement and retreated south to Lianzhen.
Governor Seng Gelinqin led his troops to encircle the town again.
Following the imperial edict, Shengbao led 7,000 soldiers and horses and marched south along Fucheng. They arrived at Zhengjiakou in two days.
Shengbao said: The east of Zhengjiakou is Dezhou Qian Road and the west is Qinghe County. It is actually a key area. If the minister abandons Zhengjiakou and goes to Linqing, if the thief leaves Linqing and takes a detour to the north road without soldiers guarding the middle, the thief can still run north and collude with the thieves in Fucheng, and the trouble will be even worse.
Emperor Xianfeng refused, but still ordered Shengbao to rush to Linqing.
On the second day after Shengbao resumed his journey, he rushed to the north of Linqing City and stationed at Liujiazhuang. Zhang Liangji, the governor of Shandong, and Chongen, the chief envoy of Shandong, came to discuss the matter.
Zhang Liangji said: "Linqing is the throat of water and land, a key point for canals, and a prosperous land. If the thieves captured it, it would be a hundred benefits without any disadvantages. I have ordered the cities and villages to build strong walls and clear the fields to wait for the thieves' army; the thieves' army cannot attack them. Pull it out and plunder without success; within ten days, forty thousand thieves will run out of food and will be trapped without a fight!"
Chong'en said: "The thieves attacked Linqing yesterday with extraordinary ferocity. Fortunately, the imperial envoy's army arrived, otherwise Linqing would have been in danger!"
Shengbao said: "There are thirty or forty thousand thieves against us. If they flee north, we will not be able to stop them. I have sent eight hundred troops to join the city to defend it. The most urgent task is to protect Linqing first. Linqing must not be lost. This city has three Facing the canal, there is the Zhang River in the southwest that leads to Daming. If this place is lost, we must have 40,000 to 50,000 officers and soldiers to encircle it."
After everything was discussed, Shengbaoshu said: After checking the food in the gate outside Linqing City, I heard that the thieves and policemen had all moved it into the city, and there were not many that could not be brought in before it was brought in. How can the tens of thousands of people be supported for a long time? Now that there are officers and soldiers in the east and north, there is no way for Ni to get food, but the southwest is empty, and it is difficult to cut off its support. However, there is not much food in nearby villages and it is impossible to feed tens of thousands of people. If the enemy lacks food internally and is attacked externally, he will inevitably flee.
When the Shengbao army arrived, the Taiping Army general and Xia Guan Youzheng Prime Minister Zeng Lichang was worried and said: "We set out from Anqing in the first month of the first month and will arrive here in two months. After Linqing is captured, we must raise enough food and drink. When you're full, head north again. Fucheng is three hundred miles away, and the army will arrive in four days."
Chen Shibao, deputy prime minister of the Xia government, said: "I have occupied all the houses outside the south gate of Linqing. Now I am building a wooden city and installing cannons. I will bombard them tomorrow. It will be done in one fell swoop."
Xu Zongyang, the deputy prime minister of Dongguan, said: "We have arrived to protect the monsters, and there are tens of thousands of monster soldiers here. We have 40,000 people, many new soldiers, good and bad. If there are setbacks, there will be waves. Go around and go north, and join Lin Li The best strategy is to join together.”
Zeng Lichang said: "Brother Xu is right, but the monsters have built strong walls and cleared the country. Our forty thousand troops are short of food and drink. The city of Linqing must be attacked! My order is to dig nine feet into the ground and dig it out from the monsters." Cross under the trench, dig to the root of the city, fill it with cargo and ammunition, and blow up the wall to attack the city."
The next day, Zeng Lichang ordered a general attack. With two thunders, the city walls collapsed. Zeng's troops rushed in, killing everyone they met and looting everything they saw. For a time, in Linqing City, the sounds of killing, fire, and crying were mixed together, and the sounds spread for more than ten miles.
When Shengbao heard about it, he was supervising troops to rescue him. Suddenly, a strong south wind blew up. Zeng Jun took the opportunity to shoot arrows and spread sand. It was difficult for Shengbao's men and horses to stand and he was forced to retreat.
Zeng Lichang captured the inner city, killed Zhang Jigong, the prefect, and counted the supplies, but was disappointed. The treasury has been burned, and the food, equipment, gold, treasures and medicines have all been reduced to ashes.
Chen Shibao sighed: "It took ten days to achieve this empty city. The victory on the north road blocked the road, and everything was in vain when we retreated to the south. Our army is hungry. What should we do?"
Zeng Lichang said: "We cannot stay here for a long time. We immediately cross the canal to the west, turn around and go north to meet Lin Li."
Xu Zongyang said: "Although I have a crowd of 40,000, old brothers in Tianjing, there are only five or six thousand. The newly attached crowd has no discipline at all. After breaking the city, I intended to plunder, but now I have found nothing. It is hard to change."
Chen Shibao said: "We will organize the army tomorrow. Anyone who does not obey the general's orders will be killed without mercy!"
Zeng Lichang said: "Brothers are fighting against each other and are completely defeated. Haosheng appeases the leader of Xinna and works together to destroy the victor and protect Yao'er."
Lichang talked earnestly and lobbied for three days, and people's hearts finally settled. Lichang sighed and ordered a pontoon bridge to be built, crossing the canal to the west and heading north to Fucheng.
Victory was rewarded, and the pontoon bridge was ordered to be burned. Zeng Lichang builds again, and Shengbao burns again. Lichang Fu sneaked across at night and was ambushed again.
Shengbao said to Zhang Liangji: "The thieves intend to cross west and advance north. I will intercept this route. They will go to the south to show that there are no soldiers. Our cavalry is strong, lure them to flee, and ambush them secretly. The thieves and bandits are difficult to attack if they flee. It’s easy to make.”
Zeng Lichang was defeated in three battles, and the morale of the army was in great confusion. The new soldiers led an uproar and ran south across the city. Lichang was weak and weak, unable to restrain him, so he had no choice but to stagger along.
Shengbao's soldiers pursued him, fighting first at Liguanzhuang and then at Qingshui Town, defeating more than 10,000 Zeng's troops.
That night, Zeng Lichang personally led a thousand men on horseback, carrying cargo and medicine packages, to raid the Shengbao camp. Where the sound of cargo and medicine was heard, the sky was covered with smoke and flames, and the sound was like the cracking of the ground, with a big bang. Shengbao was caught off guard and retreated hastily.
Zeng Lichang insisted on taking advantage of the victory and marched north.
Chen Shibao said: "The army is defeated like a mountain. This is the battle to return to the light. It is really an opportunity to escape!"
Xu Zongyang also attached.
Zeng Lichang said: "In that case, retreat quickly."
Chen Shibao said with a smile: "The Qing Yao is newly defeated, so it will not dare to come suddenly. The soldiers and horses are tired, so it is okay to camp for a while."
Zeng Lichang cried and tried to persuade him, but no one listened.
The next day, the Shengbao Zhen Brigade arrived again. Zeng's army was defeated and the new followers dispersed. Zeng Lichang retreated to the Mankou Branch River. At that time, the Yellow River changed its course, and the swamps were muddy. People and horses could not move quickly. The river was swollen and it was difficult to move. Zeng Lichang ordered the people to retreat first. After leading several cavalry halls, the winning troops arrived. Lichang fought hard with his spear. Exhausted, he leapt into the Yellow River.
In one month, Zeng Lichang's 40,000-strong army was defeated. Emperor Xianfeng was delighted and issued an edict: "Victory guarantees bravery. He will reward Prince Shaobao. He immediately returned to Lianzhen and together with the Monk Gelinqin tribe, completely annihilated Lin Li's army."
Shengbao was proud of the spring breeze, smiling to the town, and his joy was beyond words.
Monk Gelinqin greeted him personally and treated him with admiration. He was as envious as if he had met Amen from Wu Xia and had just been away from him for three days.
Shengbao said: "If you and I join hands together, there is no need to worry about the treason being destroyed!"
Seng Gelinqin said: "The terrain of Lianzhen is low-lying. I have flown to consult the ministers of Shandong Province to quickly divert water from the canal to flood the rebels."
Lin Fengxiang was confined in Lianzhen for more than 20 days, and his food supplies were gradually running out, so he told Li Kaifang, "We must choose another place where we can hold back the demon soldiers and provide support."
Li Kaifang responded to the order and led 700 troops, marching 300 miles south to capture Gaotang County.
Shengbao said to Seng Gelinqin: "You and I are divided into two groups, Erlian Town, and I Gaotang. If the chain town is lowered, Gaotang will be defeated."
Seng Gelinqin said: "The thieves are fierce, so be careful."
When Emperor Xianfeng heard that Lin and Li had divided their forces, he happily told Seng Sheng: "The rebels have been divided, and they ignore the head and the tail. This is the time when God's false self destroys the thieves." If the attack is not stepped up, when the thieves who have left the town return to Lien Town, the thieves in Lien Town may go south to collude. No matter how many they are holding hostage, the suppression will be difficult and the time will be delayed, and the salary will be useless.
