Pu Chengyao, the commander-in-chief of Jiujiang Town, received the order, and together with his deputy general Pu Chengzhong and the elected magistrate Liu Tenghe, they led four thousand troops and divided them into two groups to attack Jiande.
Jiande was subordinate to Anhui, and Qiling, the governor of Jiangxi, was unwilling to go abroad to fight. He ordered: "A large number of rebel bandits have emerged from Wuyuan and are entrenched in Jiande. They are similar to the rebel bandits in Jingdezhen, Wuhu and other places. They are approaching the borders of Poyang and Pengze." The intention was to copy the retreat of Raojun's officers and soldiers in order to break the siege of Jingdezhen. You and other ministries must secure the old camp, block and suppress it at the same time, advance when you can, and never underestimate the enemy.
Liu Tenghe disagreed, and marched forward alone, capturing and killing Yuan Rong Yin Minggao of the Taiping Army at Meishan Ridge. The morale of the Hunan army was greatly boosted, and they attacked Yunfengling again. Emperor Yang Yiqing retreated to Sanli Street and set up an ambush. Liu Tenghe went straight into the ambush and was shot to death.
Pu Cheng Yao was stationed outside Jiande City, waiting for reinforcements; he also divided his troops at Niuguling to defend against Liu Tenghe's retreat.
When Yang Fu moved to the north of the Qing Dynasty and entered Jiande, Jingdezhen was depleted of troops. Zhang Yunlan took the opportunity to lay siege and fought fiercely until night. Jingdezhen was full of flames and the defenders held torches and marched northward, appearing to be fleeing. Yun Lan urgently ordered his soldiers to pursue him, but he was ambushed. A hundred people including General Qian Yi Zhigui and others were all killed in the battle.
After winning consecutive battles, Yang Fuqing was full of energy and gathered the main force to besiege Pu Chengyao's army.
Pu Chengyao was in panic all day long. He begged Jiang Chu for advice and waited for ten days, but no one came to help him. Pu Chengyao did not dare to attack again and retreated to Pengze to protect himself.
Zeng Guofan was defeated in consecutive battles, and Emperor Xianfeng angrily said: The stone rebellion has not been eliminated, Zeng Guofan went north to supervise the army, and retreated to Fuzhou for half a year. How does this add to the overall situation? The former informant Shi Ni intended to go from Nan'an to Hunan, and go down to Hubei Province in order to gain momentum upstream. Now that the results have come true, what does Zeng Chen think now? Quickly send more troops and generals to support southern Hunan. Guan Wen, Hu Linyi, Qi Ling, Du Xing'a, etc. also quickly sent generals to Hunan!
After Zeng Guofan received the order, he sighed and laughed again.
Staff Li Hongzhang said: Shi Dakai is deeply trapped in Hunan, and Yuan Fu's army can finally attack Jingdezhen north.
Zeng Guofan said: Shi Ni held Nan'an for three months and just entered Hunan. Within half a month, he attacked the four major towns of Guiyang, Yizhang, Xingning and Chenzhou. It can be said that it is not unpowerful. However, thieves abandon themselves as they fight, and the tactics of rogue bandits are no longer something to be feared. Zuo Zongtang is the Kong Ming of this world. Soldiers value actual combat. Zuo Jigao is more important than Zhuge Liang. I think he deserves the title. Otherwise, who would dare to call himself today's leader? Furthermore, even if there is no left, Liu Changyou, Li Xuyi, Xiao Qijiang, Jiang Zhongyi, Chen Shijie, Liu Kunyi, Liu Rong, He Shaocai, Jiang Yili, Liu Yuezhao, etc. of Xiangchu are not ordinary people.
Li Hongzhang said: The heroes of Hunan and Chu are all at the hands of my master; the suppression of the Cantonese bandits is due to my master's ability to carry the cauldron.
Zeng Guofan said: "Shao Quan, don't flatter me. Liu Changyou, Jiang Zhongyi, Liu Kun and others all respect me and stay away from me. Zuo Jigao goes even further. Not only is he disrespectful, he is openly insulting me." Wow, Ji Gao's talent and knowledge are indeed extraordinary. Shaoquan's literary talent was outstanding, but he was born in troubled times and only by making meritorious deeds could he establish his career. If a teacher is not talented, he can only be clumsy. In the world, Hu Runzhi is the first-class person who is wise and knowledgeable!
Li Hongzhang chuckled.
Zeng Guofan said: Shaoquan is laughing so much? Hu Runzhi, cares about the country with all her heart, is careful to serve her friends, and works hard to protect the generals. I wish there were more people like him in the world!
Li Hongzhang said sternly: I heard that Duke Hu Runzhi was concerned that Shi Ni would go against the Yuan River and Zishui to build warships and take advantage of the situation upstream of Dongting.
Zeng Guofan said: This is nothing to worry about! At the beginning, the scale of Hengzhou Shipbuilding No. 60 was extremely small, but a great deal of effort was expended. In the five or six years of Runzhi, the navy was built up with broad and sophisticated talents, and with the help of the public and private sectors of Hunan. However, it was difficult to build cannons, which required a lot of medicine, and the shipbuilding process was complicated and heavy, and it was said that countless efforts were expended. , so we have to gather things together. Now the thieves want to build ships in Yuan and Zi. Where can they find a quiet place where there will be no officers and soldiers to attack them for two months and three months? Where to buy guns? Where can I get this big pile of medicine? If you make your own earthen cannon, you won't be afraid. If we only build civilian ships, they will only be used to burn Yang Zaifu and Peng Yulin, which is especially not worthy of fear.
On February 28, 1859, Shi Dakai abandoned Nan'an and sent troops into southern Hunan. In half a month, he conquered Chenzhou and Guiyang.
Luo Bingzhang, the governor of Hunan, was shocked and said to Zuo Zongtang: Hunan has been entrenched for many years and has been relying on foreign aid to its neighbors. It has exhausted its financial resources and its talents. Those who have elite soldiers and generals who aid and suppress other provinces are often detained in other provinces. A large number of traitors are taking advantage of the situation and are scurrying around. If they cannot be eliminated quickly, not only will the lives of the province be poisoned by it, but the people of Kunming who go out to assist in the suppression will inevitably have internal worries, and the overall situation in the southeast will no longer be in question.
Zuo Zongtang said: "Don't worry, sir. Two months ago, I ordered all the states and counties on the South Road to reorganize their regiments and train in preparation for any emergencies." Reinforcements from Hunan, Chu, Hubei and Anhui, numbering as many as 40,000, are arriving in droves. Now that Chenzhou and Guiyang have been lost again, the thieves' intentions are clear. They advance northward to Changning and Leiyang, peek at Hengzhou, an important town on the Xiangjiang River, and seize the upper reaches. I have ordered Daoist Liu Kunyi to lead two thousand troops to garrison at Longhaitang and Jiangkou Island, together with the navy, to strictly control the road to Leiyang; Yuanwailang Chen Shijie has led two thousand troops to guard the Guiyang creek and block the road to Changning; Taoist member Liu Changyou and prefect Jiang Zhongyi rushed to Hengzhou to build forts and dredge the city; deputy general She Xingyuan and general Yang Hengsheng also rushed from Jianghua to ensure that Hengcheng was safe. I will go to Hengzhou in person and swear to kill the stone rebels on the bank of the Xiangjiang River.
Luo Bingzhang said: "Inside and outside Changsha, in the land of Xiangchu, everyone says that Mr. Zuo is the censor of Zuodu. Although it is a joke, it is true!" What you say, sir, is my government order. Anyone who disobeys will be killed without mercy!
Zuo Zongtang sighed: Hearing that Fan Xie was so resentful, he had complained to the Governor-General's Office in Huguang and the Inspection Office in Beijing, accusing me of being a bad official. The Futai Yamen used both seals. The officialdom of Xiangdi also said: Civil and military officials and gentry cannot be proud unless they please Zuo, and no one can be displeased if they win Zuo's favor. The governor only listens to Zuo. With Zuo's weight, the division, state, state, and county are not as good as Chengfeng. .
Luo Bingzhang said: All living beings follow what everyone else says, but Mr. Qian has only one opinion. Mr. Xiang is a peerless genius who can turn the tide and bring it down. Only then can Chu Xiang be able to clear the four borders internally and provide foreign aid to the five provinces. No one knows about this. I have reported it many times, and my emperor has also praised it. The fourth rank is Wei, and Shi Ni has been punished. I will report again to protect him.
On March 18, 1859, Shi Da's march north to Hengzhou was blocked, so he moved his troops westward and marched towards Qiyang. Unable to defeat him in one attack, he drove westward again and besieged Yongzhou.
Liu Changyou heard this and rushed to help. On April 6, they arrived at Yongzhou City. The two armies engaged in battle and fought for three days, with no outcome yet. On the 9th, Qing deputy general She Xingyuan and staff general Yang Hengsheng arrived with reinforcements. Liu Changyou suddenly became murderous and divided his troops into five groups to attack inside and outside. Shi Dakai was caught off guard and withdrew from the siege of Yongzhou. His troops were divided into two groups, one to attack Dong'an and the other to Qiyang.
Zuo Zongtang learned of this and ordered Liu Kunyi to reinforce Dong'an. Before Liu Bu arrived, Dong'an had been lost.
Luo Bingzhang advised Zuo Zongtang: Qiyang is located in Hengzhong and Yongzhong, and its northwest boundary is connected to Baoqing. It is in the middle of Qiyang, and it is also the retreat of the army; do not lose it again.
Zuo Zongtang also knew that Qiyang's gains and losses were crucial to the overall situation, so he immediately ordered Liu Changyou and Liu Kunyi's troops to rush to their aid.
In late April, Shi Dakai and Zhang Suimou devoted their main forces to besieging Qiyang. After more than a month of bloody fighting, they failed to defeat them. On May 21, Shi Da abandoned Qiyang and attacked Baoqing from the north. Within half a month, they raised troops to attack three times, but they still failed.
