On the battlefield in Jiangxi, Zeng Guofan received the imperial decree to attack southern Anhui. He was overjoyed and immediately ordered Zeng Guoquan to attack the north and advance to Jingdezhen.
Before Zeng Guoquan left, Zeng Guofan warned: There are many cunning thieves in the town and the terrain is scattered. Zhang Yunlan and other battalions were stationed on key roads, which stretched for twenty or thirty miles. They were far away from Liu Yuchun's defense armies and separated by a river. They were in a dilemma. After the Chu army arrived at the town, they lost more than 600 people. They were outnumbered and it was difficult to succeed suddenly. When you arrive, you must take strict precautions and watch for gaps. If you look at the gap and move, I think it's okay. It's just like Ji'an, where you can't fight with a strong stronghold and rely on the navy to trap and kill the rebels.
Zeng Guoquan said: What should happen if the stone thief returns to southern Jiangxi? Should I turn back again?
Zeng Guofan said: The stone thieves left because of internal strife and will never look back. If Luo Bingzhang and Zuo Zongtang are not strict enough, they may be able to go north to Hubei; otherwise, they may escape to the west and enter Guangxi. The stone thief made a good move and went straight into the horn. The stone thief peeked into Shu's mind, but he was blunter than Zhejiang and Fujian. After entering Hunan, he was duller than Yong and Qi. Now he is duller than Baoqing. There are fewer and fewer people who are willing to follow him, and there is no old nest to feed him. On the platform, grain and rice must be taken away, and medicine must be moved, and they must be carried among the valleys. One hundred thousand people need to eat thousands of stones of rice and thousands of kilograms of medicine every day. There is no source in the canals, and all the grain and rice are taken away. , destruction is a matter of time.
Zeng Guoquan said: The rebels are said to be two hundred thousand strong, how can they be said to be scattered?
Zeng Guofan said: The West Road has been trapped by thieves for a long time. The rumors are huge and there are many threats. In fact, those in Jiangxi who are captured by thieves and those who are willing to go forward cannot fight. Officials who have been fighting for thousands of years have been victorious in hundreds of battles, but the officers and soldiers are not as strong as they are. In fact, the obedient people of Jiangxi cannot fight. That is to say, the bandits newly attached to Guangdong, who came from Chaling Prefecture, also have a head start in fighting but have no staying power. Most of them are addicted to opium. After fighting with them for a long time, they will become addicted to smoking and cannot fight. If we can use Luoshan's method, and our soldiers stand on the ground like people climbing into the toilet, and hold them for a long time, then there is no reason to be invincible. Our officers and soldiers must understand two things. Firstly, the people of Jiangxi cannot fight at all. If they are attacked by others, they will be defeated instantly. Secondly, the new bandits in Guangdong cannot fight for a long time. If they persist with them for a long time, they will be defeated.
Zeng Guoquan said: My brother knows the inside but is confused by the outside. He can only make plans and plan in the court. He kills the enemy in the vanguard and drinks blood like hair. This is what a foolish brother does!
On June 22, 1859, Zeng Guoquan led his troops to Jingdezhen. Before he could catch his breath, he built forts and strongholds at Jijiao Ridge and dredged ditches.
Zhang Yunlan said: "Brother Ninth Junhao, what do you want to do?"
Zeng Guoquan said: Resist the city bandits internally and refuse to aid the bandits externally.
Zhang Yunlan said: Ninth brother has strong soldiers and horses, why not attack the city by ladder?
Zeng Guoquan said: The city is wide and the walls are high, which only increases casualties and losses; forcing the city and building a fort will trap and kill the rebels.
In the early morning of June 26, Yang Fu's Qing troops divided into three groups and crossed the river to attack, but were driven back by Zeng Guoquan. In the afternoon, the Fuliang Taiping Army received Yang Fuqing's military order and raised 20,000 troops. They surrounded Zeng Guoquan's camp but could not advance. Yang Fuqing set up an ambush to attack again, but failed. Fuqing looked up to the sky and sighed: This demon turtle is hiding in the iron barrel camp, only defending but not attacking, just crying for help!
Yang Yiqing said: "It is a trivial matter to attack the demons. King Hong Tian ordered King Qian and King Ying to be the commanders of the army. Where should they be placed?"
Yang Fuqing said: Yucheng is worthy of his name as King of England. The king was in chaos before, which caused a lot of harm to people!
Yang Yiqing said: As soon as Dakai left, the king of heaven had sworn not to be crowned king. Today we are making an exception. What’s the point?
Yang Fuqing said: "It's just to win over people's hearts. The King of Heaven also ordered us to move to Huizhou and Chizhou to supervise Wei Jun's army." Li Zhaoshou and Xue Zhiyuan rebelled one after another, Li Xiucheng could not escape his involvement, and Wei Jun devoted himself to Li. The king of heaven has a serious heart, and it is definitely not a good thing if the kingdom of heaven is moved by one person. The orders of the King of Heaven must be obeyed; my brother guards Jiande and acts as a backup, while I and Runqing attack Huizhou from the east.
On July 12, Yang Fuqing pretended to advance southward, but actually withdrew from Fuliang to the north, attacked Qimen, and advanced eastward to Huizhou. On the 23rd, Yang Fuqing besieged Qidu in Shidai Pass, killing deputy general Wu Weiqi, general Ma Guangzong, and alternate magistrate Liang Peng.
Zhang Fu, the deputy censor of the left capital and the military affairs supervisor of the four prefectures and one prefecture in southern Anhui Province, was shocked: now the salary arrears of each battalion in Huining have accumulated to several months. The thieves from Jiangbei are heading toward Wuhu, but Ning's troops cannot separate them; the thieves from Jiangxi are attacking Qimen, and Huizhou is particularly strong. The minister asked for orders, and Zeng Guofan stayed in Jiangxi to capture the Anhui thieves in the east and control the Chu thieves in the west, so that Jiangsu and Zhejiang could cultivate their vitality and use Xu Yu's salary source.
Southern Anhui is located in the south of the Yangtze River, and both Emperor Xianfeng and Zeng Guofan ignored it. Emperor Xianfeng urgently ordered Zeng Guofan to quickly send Zhang Yunlan's troops to southern Hunan to encircle and suppress Shida Kai's troops.
After the victory in Qidu, Yang Fuqing led his troops to advance rapidly along the ancient road of Qingyang Yi County. In early August, they captured Guocun. Fu Qing immediately took a look and couldn't bear to leave. He said to Yang Runqing: "Here, the three prefectures of Ningguo, Huizhou and Chizhou intersect. It is located at the strategic point of Yangzhanling. Although it is only a village, it is as majestic as a city." A person from the Song Dynasty said: I want to find the traces of immortality, and the villagers will become more interesting. The clay pots are filled with wax wine, and the spring grass is boiled in the thatched huts. The green trees are dripping with pines and cedars, and the fern shoots and buds are clearly distinguished. There are no words to say goodbye when we meet, we can only plant mulberry and hemp. When the Kingdom of Heaven is accomplished, I will come here to gather mulberries and plant hemp.
Yang Runqing also sighed: This place is a land of thousands of acres, surrounded by mountains, winding ancient roads, gurgling streams, and filled with smoke. It is truly a paradise!
Er Yang was obsessed with Taoyuan Wonderland and couldn't stay there for a long time. Zhang Fu took the opportunity to mobilize his troops and generals to surround Guocun. Yang Fuqing realized that it was too late.
Yang Runqing sighed again: In five days, Zhou Tianshou occupied Baisha Ling, Liu Renfu and Tian Zongxing occupied Jiao Village, Mi Xingchao occupied Xia Village, Yang Mingming occupied the three capitals, Wang Mengling occupied Tangli Ridge, Jiang Changgui occupied Lu Village, and all around me were monsters. !
Yang Fuqing said: There is no other way but to fight desperately to fight a bloody road; Chizhou is Wei Jun's defense line, and the nearest Wei army is less than fifty miles away. Tell Wei Jun quickly and ask for his rescue!
Wei Jun accepted the report and said nonchalantly: The King of Heaven, King Qian, and King Ying all ordered us to harass the camp in the south of the Yangtze River and support the camp in the north of the Yangtze River. In the military system of the Celestial Dynasty, the king suppresses the general.
Huang Wenjin said: We can send one to support Er Yang.
Wei Jun said, "Brother Huang, please send generals to help him." Yang Fuqing was a man who went back on his word and was unfaithful. Last year, they occupied the four prefectures of Fujian Province and abandoned them without waiting for Shi Da's army to arrive; Shi Yi resisted the demon and was our ally. Jingdezhen is the place we have worked so hard to defend. Yang occupied it and occupied it. When I went there, I was met with slanderous remarks. Wuyuan was captured by Naer, but I have nothing to say. My order: march into southern Jiangsu, surround Wei and rescue Zhao, and assist Yang Fuqing from afar.
Yang Fuqing fought bloody battles for a month before leaving Guocun. Yang Runqing gritted his teeth and said: Bei traitor massacred my entire family. The blood feud has not yet been avenged. Wei Jun has used the hands of Qing Yao to kill us. I led an army and went to Chizhou to ask for an explanation.
Yang Fuqing said: "Retribution must be repaid!"
When Yang Runqing came to Chizhou, Wei Jun kept silent and said to Huang Wenjin and Gu Longxian: "It is not my wish for my brothers to fight against each other!" In the kingdom of heaven, if Xiu becomes friendly, I will send someone to report it.
Three days later, Li Xiucheng replied: If our brothers rebel against the wall, the empire will suffer; the land north of the Yangtze River is extremely narrow, but there is still a corner for Brother Wei. Brother Wei can cross north to Hezhou, and I will send my own troops to meet him.
Wei Jun accepted the complaint and hesitated again and again. That night, I invited Gu Longxian to have a drink with him. After drinking two glasses of wine, Gu Longxian said: "Wei Shuai has no fault in his majesty and wealth, but not in his debauchery. The massacre in Tianjing is not Wei Shuai's fault. The three defeats in Wuchang are Wei Shuai's fault." Wei Shuai repeatedly praised and sacrificed his merits, but no one wanted to see him, especially the Yang brothers.
Wei Jun said: You and I have been brothers for almost ten years. After ten years of fighting, we have lost much but gained little. Which is gold, silver, fish, meat and wine? Brothers and sisters share it all in the world! Why is it that no one wants to see you? Frankly speaking, brothers Yiwang and Xiucheng!
Gu Longxian said: "Previously, if you go with King Yi, how happy it will be!"
Wei Jun sighed and said: King Yi wandered around the four provinces and has now entered Hunan. Abandoned as they go, they have no fixed place to live, and they don’t know where they will end up. The Wei and Shi families have deep resentment, and it is difficult to forget their grudges even if they smile at each other.
