Within ten months, Zeng Guofan received another battle report, saying that the capital was in danger, and the emperor moved to Jehol. The state vassal was worried and uneasy, and wrote to Zeng Guoquan: Regarding the matter of King Qin, I wonder if the emperor is sending the state vassal to the north, or is the emperor sending Runshuai to the north? Zuo Zongtang has not arrived for a long time. If he sends me north, will my brother Yuan go with him? If you are an ordinary official, your brothers in the same province must avoid you; if you are a soldier of the Qin King, your brothers will feel more honorable if you are with them. Brother Wang Yuan will make plans today and write back to me. Whether he sends me or Runshuai, he must lead ten thousand people. The general situation on both sides of the Taiwan Strait in northern Anhui and southern Anhui will be greatly turbulent. Please tell me how to do it and how to arrange the billing notice. Everything is arranged secretly and with confidence. Once the order is given, the trip can be completed in ten days.
Zeng Guoquan received the letter and immediately told the vassal: I have been with the army for half a year and are waiting for Chen thief. When Chen thief arrives, I will personally kill his head as a sacrifice to Brother Wenfu! Today's Holy Master does not respect Seng Gelinqin, which will cause a serious problem; he is not worth saving. Prince Gong, Yi Xin, is far superior in wisdom and power. The Holy Emperor is about to collapse, and the capital will not be overthrown; we will no longer have any constraints, and the elimination of Yue Ni will be just around the corner.
When Zeng Guofan read Zeng Guoquan's letter, he was sweating profusely, fearful and disgusted. He quickly burned the letter and wrote again: The letter I received from my brother on the ninth night of the lunar month was full of arrogance and many absurd words. Things in the world are ever-changing, principles are profound, human feelings are hard to understand, and the way of heaven is hard to predict. Yet, my brother just covers up the sky with words and arrogant nonsense. I don’t know what the consequences are?
I have seen and heard of Prince Gong’s virtuous character many times. However, his behavior is frivolous, his intelligence is too obvious, and he is resourceful and changeful. If you stay in Beijing for too long and the Holy Master stays away, you may not be able to feel satisfied even for a long time.
The Mongolian tribes led by King Monk are fighting in Tianjin and Tongzhou. They have already used all their strength to fight the rebels to the death. How can they still have some leftovers and refuse to do their best? How can the emperor prohibit it and make it not do its best? The emperor and the monks both sighed and could do nothing. However, my brother has written to me many times, saying that I will use the monk's residence very much. I don't know where I got the news, saying that the monk's residence is sparse and disrespectful. I have never heard of this.
It is the duty of ministers to divide their troops to support the north in response to the imperial edict. The reason why we have stolen a false reputation and been attached to by others is all based on the word loyalty. Not forgetting the Lord is called loyalty; not breaking one's trust is called righteousness. Now that Luan Yu has announced the move, but the ministers are paying no attention to it, can it be said that they are loyal? If there is any mistake in the capital, there is no silver rice in Rehe, and it is difficult for the soldiers to prevent it from collapsing. If the fundamentals are correct, how can the southern regions such as Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan and three provinces be able to remain undefeated? How can the common people be willing to finish their food supplies? How can a business traveler be willing to take a cut? Will the officers and soldiers of the state and county be willing to obey orders? Instead of not coming in for help and dying together, just a few months apart, who would be able to come in for help and follow the correct principles and always be loyal and righteous? Even if you fail to achieve anything, you will not regret it after your death, nor will you ridicule it for a hundred generations. My brother said that you must not listen to scholars' opinions. What I saw was the pedantic views of scholars.
The siege of Anqing cannot be withdrawn, which is what my brother and Xi'an meant. My brother is only responsible for the war and defense of Anqing, and I should not talk about external affairs without any scruples. Confucius said: If you hear too much, you will doubt it, and be careful about what else you say. My brother has not heard much about it, but he has no doubts about it, and he is especially careless in what he says. Catching the wind and catching shadows, grasping the candles, and trying to decide the affairs of the world. Are things in the world so easy?
Generally speaking, if you want to talk about military affairs, you must guess the talents of your own army, how many people can hold the position, and how many people can get into the battle; if you want to talk about the economy, you must guess the talents of the world, how many people can be guaranteed to be governors, and how many can be guaranteed to be generals? Several people. I might not be embarrassed if I ask my brother to open an insurance policy.
My brother is so arrogant that I am afraid that the thieves will attack me or make mistakes. This reply letter expresses my deepest gratitude to my brother. If my brother continues to believe as absurdly as he did on the fifth day of the lunar month, I will no longer believe him!
After the emperor left Beijing, Yi Xin urgently summoned Guiliang, Seng Gelinqin, Wenxiang, Shengbao and others to plan the current situation.
Yi Xin said: "Baliqiao was defeated, and I have no chance to fight. My emperor has issued an order to negotiate peace with the barbarians. What do you think?"
Seng Gelinqin and Shengbao refused each other to retreat first. They chattered endlessly and almost wanted to make a move.
Guiliang said: "The barbarians are approaching the city. We must not hold the wall inside!"
Yi Xin said: The Yi people have reached the two gates of Desheng and Anding. The two brothers, Seng and Sheng, have led their headquarters and joined forces with King Qin to fight and retreat to the important areas of the capital to assist the capital. It is not too late to repair the lost sheep; I will go out of the city immediately, take note of the barbarians, and promise to return the Pashali chiefs. Where is Parkes? Release quickly! So comforting!
Wenxiang said: The Ba chieftain is still in prison in the Old Summer Palace.
Yi Xin ignored everyone's dissuasion and went to take a look. He saw that Pasha Li and others were all in ragged clothes and looked haggard. Of the thirty-nine people in the group, only eighteen were left alive. The rest were all lying dead. One of them was actually dead. It was torn into eight pieces, leaving dirty parts scattered.
Yixin lamented: The Qing Dynasty is in danger! The Qing Dynasty is in danger!
Shengbao said: "Don't worry, Prince. Miao Peilin and King Qin's army are on their way to the capital. We will then fight to the death with the barbarians."
Yi Xin said: The fire is burning, water from far away cannot quench the thirst from near!
That night, Yixin and Wenxiang went out of the city to pick up the Qiayi people and presented them with a peace treaty note and promised to return Pashali and others.
Elgin ignored him and said to Grant, the commander of the coalition forces: Parkes and others are peace envoys and must return in full! But it's too late! Our troops have arrived in the Forbidden City and will discuss the matter of compensation.
At noon on October 6, the British and French forces marched outside Deshengtucheng and secretly attacked the Senggelinqin Cavalry. The Monk King had no intention of fighting, and the Qing army collapsed again. The defeated troops retreated to the Old Summer Palace, and the British and French forces also arrived in succession.
At 7 o'clock in the evening, the coalition forces attacked the Old Summer Palace. More than 20 eunuchs who were guarding the garden were not afraid of being killed and fought hard to move forward. However, they were outnumbered and collapsed at the first touch.
Elgin looked at the Ten Thousand Gardens at night and was so moved that he sent three British and French committee members to discuss the distribution of the treasures in the garden.
Montauban, the commander of the French army, secretly instructed the French commissioners: After entering the garden, first take the most valuable items in art and archeology, dedicate them to His Majesty the Great Emperor, and hide them in a French museum.
British commander Grant also ordered his subordinates: After entering the park, they should try their best to collect objects that should belong to the British.
The next day, the French army went first, followed by the British army, who rushed into the Old Summer Palace, smashed, looted and acted wantonly.
A Times reporter said to Elgin: My dear Sir, I have just come back from the Old Summer Palace. It is really a good place, like a British park. There are countless beautiful rooms filled with antiques, bronzes, and beautiful clocks. But they were robbed and smashed to pieces by your soldiers. Their carriages were filled with all kinds of treasures. I don't know where they are going to transport them? The evil war becomes more and more disgusting the more you watch it.
Elgin said: The emperor of the Qing Dynasty has no faith and detained my peace envoy without permission; this is only revenge! After two days, this behavior will be prohibited.
Russian Minister Ignatieff added: Do you want to annex the Qing Dynasty?
Elgin said: If the Qing emperor insists on his own opinion, everything is possible.
Ignatieff said: Your Excellency's ammunition and food reserves are about to be exhausted; and the Qin King's divisions are arriving in droves. If you insist on going your own way, you may be unable to dismount from the tiger. I will go to the Forbidden City immediately to give you a taste of the situation.
When the barbarian soldiers approached and the Old Summer Palace was robbed, Prince Gong Yixin was frightened. Hearing that the Russian envoy asked for an audience, he happily said: Please come quickly.
Ignatieff said: The British and French forces will attack the Forbidden City soon. Can Mr. Prince stop it?
Yi Xin said: "My Emperor Mulan Qiuyi has been sent to Wusui and Sui Fan, and will return soon. My troops from King Qin have also arrived in Beijing in the past few days. However, the war in the capital is not a good thing. Please sir, please mediate."
Ignatieff said: Four years ago, my country fought bloody battles with Britain and France for four years in Crimea. We and Britain and France had deep hatred. If Mr. Prince agrees to Aihui’s agreement, our country will not only be willing to mediate , and can even send troops to help.
Yi Xin said: "Although I am an imperial envoy, the seal, seal, and painting are of great concern, so I must report to the emperor immediately. Please sir, please mediate first. After the matter is completed, I will not treat you unfairly!" Half of Parkes and other negotiating envoys died unexpectedly. Please give me your kind words, sir. Our country is willing to spend huge sums of money to deal with the aftermath.
Erjin looked at the miserable situation of the peace envoys and said angrily: The people of the Qing Dynasty are so sinful, how can they be redeemed by just money? I might as well suggest that those who framed our country and those who broke the truce should be handed over and punished. However, these are all under the orders of the Qing Emperor. Can the Qing Emperor kill them? Can it kill animals? Burn the Old Summer Palace immediately as punishment!
The French envoy strongly objected, saying: We have already plundered countless things, and it is ridiculous to set fire to the garden again!
Elgin said: Although I have a lot of resentment, I will never kill innocent people indiscriminately! Let's set a fire to relieve our grievances; moreover, the things lost in the Old Summer Palace can also disappear with the fire. Lieutenant General Michael led 3,000 troops and burned the Old Summer Palace.
Before the burning, the British army made a big announcement, saying: In the universe, no one, no matter how noble he is, is guilty of hypocrisy and fraud, and he cannot escape the responsibility and punishment he deserves. In order to punish the Qing emperor for not abiding by the previous agreement and violating the peace treaty, it is decided to burn the Old Summer Palace on the 18th. The people have not participated in all kinds of violations and will never harm them. However, the Qing Dynasty official must be punished. also.
Three days after the notice of burning the garden was posted, Elgin ordered a fire. The fire spread to Anyou Palace. The eunuch in charge actually locked the palace door. More than 300 eunuchs, maids, and craftsmen screamed at the sky and the earth, and they all perished in the flames. .
The fire raged for three days and three nights. Amidst the sound of the fire, Erjin's anger filled the sky and he said: This move will shock the Qing Dynasty and Europe, and its effect is far beyond the imagination of people thousands of miles away. If the Qing Emperor If there are more twists and turns, I will burn the Forbidden City again!
Yi Xin was surprised and immediately informed Elgin that all matters could be negotiated. In the midst of his busy schedule, Guiliang urged Yi Xin to submit a request for help. He also said: "Gong Cheng, the son of Gong Zizhen, begged for food from foreign countries and acted as an aide for tigers. I will complain to foreigners about my situation."
Yi Xin sighed: "When the country is destroyed and the family is destroyed, even if Zhuzi wag his tail and beg for mercy, it will only be like a dog's ears!"
