Yi County was recovered, Qimen was surrounded, and Zeng Guofan heaved a sigh of relief.
On December 8, 1860, Zuo Zongtang visited.
Zeng Guofan exclaimed: "Three battles in ten days, three victories in three battles, killed two thousand Guixi bandits, and did not lose a single soldier of his own. Brother Zuo is really a god!" When it comes to military warfare, Brother Zuo is the best, so I can sleep soundly!
Zuo Zongtang said: The Chu army of six thousand hastily formed and is now stationed in Jingde to clear the way back and ensure the food route to Qimen. Yang Fuqing and Huang Wenjin's 30,000 troops came along the river and had already conquered Jiande. Is Mr. Di prepared for defense?
Zeng Guofan said: "We have ordered our deputy generals Tang Yixun, Shen Baocheng, and fellow commander Zhu Shenglong to counterattack quickly."
Zuo Zongtang said: Since then, Qimen has become an empty city.
Zeng Guofan said: "No problem, Bao Chaoting's army is coming soon."
Zuo Zongtang said: "Qi Shuai Shuai, it's time to dispatch the Tang Yi Xun Department back to the nursing camp without further delay." How is the war going in Anqing, Jiangbei?
Zeng Guofan said: The day before yesterday, Duolong Abe's army and cavalry came out and defeated Chen Yucheng's rebel bandit again at Wanghedun. In the north and south of the river, the most difficult moment has passed. Brother Zuo can also enter Qimen and jointly suppress the enemy.
Zuo Zongtang said: Jingdezhen is the front door of Jiang Province, and the back door of Digong Qimen. It is the gate of food and salary. It would be unimaginable if there are any mistakes. Qimen is really a dangerous place, and the safety of Commander Di is crucial to the overall situation. The thieves from the south of the Yangtze River work together to lay siege, and the gains outweigh the losses! When the time is right, move eastward quickly to avoid danger. Bao Chaoting's army is stationed at Qimen; it can assist Yi County in the east and protect Jingde in the south. In the areas of Anqing and Tongcheng in the north of the Yangtze River, Hu Runzhi no longer had to escape and quickly dispatched the entire army to fight to the death with Chen Yucheng's rebel bandits at the trailer river.
After Zongtang left, Zeng Guofan wrote to Hu Linyi, saying: Mr. Zuo has been in Qi for two days, and his energy is more exposed, his discussions are more plain, and his brain is darker.
Hu Linyi received the letter and said happily: The person with the highest level on the left can see the seventy-two states, and the person on the right is not as talented as him. If he experiences things, he will be able to advance without borders. Immediately pass on my order: Li Xuyi and Duolong'a will immediately lead the army to attack in separate groups to encircle and annihilate Chen Yucheng's rebel bandit.
Duolong'a and Li Xuyi led the order, one from the trailer river and the other from Xin'an crossing. The troops were divided into twelve groups, and they were divided into two groups to attack Xiangpu Street. Guerrilla Lei Zhengwan and the deputy commander-in-chief Wendelek, with 4,000 land cavalry, also fought out from the rear.
Chen Yucheng marched out with his entire army and resisted with all his strength. After three hours of fierce fighting, he was defeated and fled to Tongcheng. Gong Deshu and Sun Kui decided to retreat to Luzhou to avoid the war and rest.
Duolong'a and Li Xuyi took advantage of the victory and attacked again. They burned more than 20 Taiping army camps and captured Tongcheng.
Chen Yucheng fought again and was defeated again, and retreated to Shucheng.
Duolong'a and Li Xuyi attacked again, but Hu Linyi did not allow it. He ordered Duolong'a and Li to camp on the spot, secure Tongcheng, and pay close attention to Chen Yucheng's movements. He also ordered Zeng Guoquan and Zeng Guobao to besiege Anqing day and night. Yu Jichang and Cheng Daji were also ordered to strictly guard the mountain roads in Yingshan, Huoshan, Lu'an and other places to protect the grain roads; and local officials from various states and counties were ordered to build blockhouses and forts at the junction of Anhui and Hubei, and guard the corners.
Chen Yucheng suffered repeated defeats and was unable to do anything.
Liu Xuanlin said: "Yang Fuqing and Huang Wenjin conquered Jiande and divided their troops into two groups. Huang Wenjin went south to Fuliang and Jingde and attacked the west of Qimen; Liu Guanfang, Gu Longxian and Lai Wenhong entered Yixian County and wrapped their troops to the north of Qimen; Li Shixian is in control of Xiuning and Huizhou to the east. Li Xiucheng has already attacked Jiangwan and Shangxikou, heading straight for Wuyuan; the gap in the south of Qimen has also been blocked. Zeng Yao is about to die."
Chen Yucheng said: Jiangwan and Shangxikou are both important passes into Jiangxi. Li Xiucheng tried his best to capture them because he wanted to go south to Jiangxi. Even if he captured Wuyuan, he was already two hundred miles away from Qimen. It was so far away that Zeng Yao's skin was gone. Who could do it? To unite the armies in the south of the Yangtze River? Li Xiucheng's knowledge is not as good as the frog at the bottom of the well. Immediately pass on my order, the army will go south to Congyang to attack Wei Jun, the rebel demon. If Congyang is captured and Anqing is surrounded, I will immediately cross the river and go south to encircle and annihilate Zeng Yao.
Li Shixian, Li Xiucheng, Huang Wenjin, and Liu Guanfang besieged Qimen from the southeast, northwest, and northwest. Although Zeng Guofan was worried, he was calm and said: "The more dangerous our land is, the safer Anqing will be."
Zhao Liewen said: "Huang Wenjin rebelled against the bandits and captured Fuliang. The Qimen grain road has been cut off. Zuo Zhenggong dispatched troops and generals to fight decisively with them. Liu Guanfang's bandits had broken through Hexu Ridge the day before yesterday and are now attacking Yangzhan Ridge. .Li Shixian's bandit troops are guarding Xiuning and have made no moves for the time being."
Zeng Guofan asked: "Where are the three bandits Chen Yucheng, Li Xiucheng and Yang Fuqing now?"
Zhao Liewen said: "Chen Yucheng lost consecutive battles and retreated to Shucheng. He was ready to move and seemed to have signs of attacking Songyang in the south. Li Xiucheng broke through Shangxikou and entered Jiangxi. He was attacking Wuyuan and had already engaged Wang Kaihua. Yang Fuqing attacked Peng Peng. Ze and Hukou are in trouble with Pu Chengyao's tribe."
Zeng Guofan said: "Quickly pass on my order. Bao Chao and Zhang Yunlan will rush to Yangzhan Ridge and completely annihilate Liu Guanfang's bandits. After that, Bao and Zhang will branch, Bao will support Fuliang and Jingde, and Zhang will attack Xiuning."
Zhao Liewen said: "Soldiers are unpredictable, and battles are unpredictable. Does Commander Di have any plans to move the camp?"
Zeng Guofan said: "A hundred branches are shaken, and a war is imminent. One move affects the overall situation. Send my order quickly. If anyone talks about moving camp again, behead him! Bao Chao and Zhang Yunlan jointly attack Liu Guanfang. The victory is guaranteed. After that, Bao Chao and Zuo Zong Tang attacked Huang Wenjin, Zhang Yunlan fought against Li Shixian, what does Huifu think the chances of winning are?"
Zhao Liewen said: "The fiercest thieves are Chen Yucheng and Li Xiucheng! Chen Yucheng has been defeated in a row, Li Thief is absent-minded, but Di Shuai is able to defeat them one by one."
Zeng Guofan said: "How can it be so easy! Soldiers are a matter of life and death. The enemy and we are doing our best. I will send my order again. Qimen is dangerous and has been surrounded by thieves. Generals Bao Chao and Zhang Yunlan must use all their strength to fight. The remaining Liu Guanfang rebelled against the bandits, and it was best to annihilate them completely. He would not allow his skin to be harmed and give the thieves an opportunity to repeat themselves. Then the two generals divided their forces, Bao Zongtang assisted Zuo Zongtang, and Zhang fought against Li Shixian. Zuo Zongtang used six thousand newly recruited brave men to fight against the bandits. Blocking Huang Wenjin in the west and fighting Li Xiucheng in the east, it is not easy to resist the enemy on both sides."
Li Xiucheng's troops retreated to Yangzhanling, stopped briefly in Xiuning and Huizhou, and then turned to Wuyuan. On December 26, they captured the two key passes of Jiangwan and Shangxikou and drove straight into Jiangxi. On the 28th, they attacked Shimen Town.
General Quan Kegang of the Green Camp was defeated and asked Zuo Zongtang for help. Zuo Zongtang sent Wang Kailin and Wang Kaihua with 5,000 troops to help.
Yang Changjun, an aide, said: "How about I send out my main force and the enemy attacks Jingdezhen?"
Zuo Zongtang said: Li Bandit is so brave and resourceful that he must fight with all his strength. If the enemy comes to attack, I have a clever plan to reject it.
Li Xiucheng found out that Jingdezhen was empty, so he sent his adopted son Li Rongfa to lead a counterattack with 3,000 troops.
Zuo Zongtang was frightened and sent an order to Wang Kailin to quickly come back for help. In desperation, Zongtang had no choice but to follow the example of Gu Liang and Kongming and repeat the empty city strategy.
His Highness Zhong Er, Li Rongfa, was only twenty-eight years old and had a newborn calf. Rongfa and his troops arrived and immediately attacked the city regardless of the actual situation.
Zongtang closed the city and defended, and was in danger. Hearing that Li Rongfa was Li Xiucheng's son, Zongtang immediately sent an order to the three armies, shouting in unison: "Li Xiucheng is dead, Rongfa is dead, put down your weapons, and I will spare your life!"
Rong Fa missed his father so much that he suspended his offensive and sent his troops back to find out.
Zongtang ordered the soldiers to bury the pots to make rice, eat and rest, and wait for the opportunity of war.
Early the next morning, Wang Kailin's reinforcements arrived, and Zuo Zongtang immediately ordered Kaicheng to attack.
Li Rongfa was attacked front and back, his position was in chaos, and he retreated in defeat.
Li Xiucheng heard this and said with a smile: Zuo Yaozongtang is indeed both wise and brave.
Li Shixian sent people to appeal again, begging Xiucheng to stay in Anhui and fight for the decisive battle; Huang Wenjin also ordered a joint attack on Jingdezhen to kill Zuo Zongtang. Li Xiucheng ignored it, but when he heard that Chen Yucheng was attacking Songyang, Xiucheng immediately led his entire army and fled to Changshan, Zhejiang.
On January 2, 1861, Chen Yucheng led thousands of troops and marched south to attack Songyang.
Wei Jun, the general guarding Songyang, led an army and built a checkpoint on the streets of Songyang to attack the enemy. Wei Jun looked around and realized that his troops were weak, so he asked Li Chengmou, the commander-in-chief of Zhangzhou Town, to use boats to protect the camp.
Li Chengmou was dissatisfied and asked Yang Zaifu: "Wei Nai is a guerrilla, how can he order me!"
Yang Zaifu replied: "In the past, General Wei Nai led more than ten thousand troops. He was good at attacking and defending. I am not as good as me!"
Chen Yucheng garrisoned Qili Pavilion and sent people to lobby Wei Jun.
Wei Jun wrote back: "It's like meeting each other. Wei has no fault of his own, and ignores his debauchery. The massacre in Tianjing is not my fault. The victory of Wuchang is due to my contribution. I cherish my sincerity and bend myself. I will not gain from the Yang family. I am very important." Looking sideways, can you calm yourself down in the court? The boat on the Wanjiang River was sealed, the joy of a close friend was lost, the road to Wuhu was cut off, the flag of the enemy was changed, the yellow flag pointed everywhere, the war was scattered, the robe was cut off and the righteousness was cut off, this is it!
Chen Yucheng read the article and was speechless for a long time. The next day, the army was deployed to cover up the killing, but the three attacks failed. Yang Zaifu was afraid that Wei Jun would be wrong, so he personally led thousands of people to support him. Yucheng retreated to Guanbu Bridge and set up base near the mountain, hoping to find a different way to help Anqing. Yang Zaifu saw through it, supervised the troops and ships, and chose to fortify the enemy. Yucheng joined the team to fight for days, but was repelled by Zaifu. Yu Chengfu then turned to attack Songyang Street Card, but could not advance.
Liu Xuanlin said: "Congyang is surrounded by rivers and lakes. We have no water divisions and it is difficult to develop our troops. The main force of Hu Yao has not yet arrived. Your Highness should make plans early."
Chen Yucheng said: The Hunan demon is trying its best to plot against Anhui, and Wuchang is empty. Send my order quickly, go north to Hubei, attack Wuchang, mobilize the demon to return reinforcements, and annihilate it with the camera.
Liu Xuanlin said: "The troops besieging Qimen have been deployed. Why don't Yingdian cross the river to capture Zeng Yao?"
Chen Yucheng said: "The various tribes in the south of the Yangtze River are fighting on their own and are destined to do nothing. If I go south and cannot unite the armies, it will be in vain. The loyal tribe Xiucheng has entered Yushan, Jiangxi. I will send my army westward to cooperate with Xiucheng and attack Wuchang. "
