In mid-June 1861, Li Xiucheng's army entered Hubei from Jiangxi. Cai Yuanlong, a pioneer officer and Xiucheng's son-in-law, led 20,000 troops and defeated Xingguo, Daye, Huangshi, and Ezhou. The troops reached Wuchang City.
Jie Tianyi, Lai Wen Guangwen, also crossed south from Huangzhou to support Cai's tribe.
Li Xuyi urgently dispatched Taoist Jiang Ningxue and naval guerrilla Zeng Shaolin to supervise the gunboats and attack by land and water. After three days of fierce fighting, Huangshi and Ezhou were recovered.
Huang and Hubei were gained and lost again, leaving Li Xiucheng in a dilemma.
Jiantianyi Tan Shaoguang said: "Jiang Ningxue is a ferocious evildoer. Huangshi and Ezhou are not safe. Lai Wenguang is stationed alone in Huangzhou, and Yingdian returns to Anqing." The demonic reinforcements are approaching, the field battles have been repeatedly defeated, and the city is fortified and difficult to conquer. His Royal Highness Prince Zhong should make plans in advance.
Li Xiucheng said: "Running for thousands of miles, encircling Wei to rescue Zhao, and supporting Anqing, how can we return immediately after a slight setback? Our 300,000-strong army is here, and the Hu Yao will return to the old camp from Anqing." I immediately rushed to Daye to take charge of the war. If anyone dared to retreat again, he would be severely punished.
In early July, Cheng Daji led his army and joined Taoist priest Jiang Ningxue to capture Xingguo and Daye. Li Yuandu and his deputy He Shaocai also advanced in separate directions, attacking from above and below to capture Chibi and Tongcheng.
Bao Chao received Hu Linyi's military order and immediately led Ting's army to cross the Yangtze River south and gallop into Gan.
The Hunan Army was approaching with great force. Li Xiucheng was surrounded by enemies on all sides and did not dare to fight anymore. He even ordered an army of 300,000 to turn back and enter Jiangxi, making the attack easy.
Li Xiucheng's troops retreated, and the city of Wuchang rejoiced. However, Hu Linyi's cough became worse and he vomited blood more and more day by day.
The official of the Governor of Huguang said: "Brother Run is very exhausted. From now on, don't think about military affairs anymore. Rest in peace, and fight again when you are well." Brother Run is standing in the Chutian, and the Qing Dynasty is filled with great blessings.
Hu Linyi forced a smile and said: My time may not be long; this is the most serious disease. One minute of concentration can increase the disease by one point, and one day of concentration can increase the disease by ten days. Although Wuchang is protected, more than half of Anqing's reinforcements have been mobilized. I wonder if they can still resist? The battle of Anqing is of vital importance to the overall situation; if we lose this battle, we will live and die.
The official text said: Duolong'a has won many battles, Zeng Guoquan dredged the natural chasm, Yang Zaifu's ship was strong and powerful, Zeng Guofan took control, Anqing will be defeated sooner or later, brother Run must not be anxious anymore. At this time, thirty-six strategies, brother Run, take care of yourself. For the best plan.
Hu Linyi said: Chen Gou's soldiers were scattered and defeated in repeated battles; Duolong'a, Zeng Guoquan, Yang Zaifu and others were well-organized in offense and defense, and they won in repeated battles, perhaps without losing.
The official said: According to the report, five bandits, Chen Yucheng, Yang Fuqing, Huang Wenjin, Lin Shaozhang, and Wu Ruxiao, have gathered 50,000 troops and are coming to Anqing again. However, they are all defeated and their troops are weakened. Duolong A will definitely be able to fight and win.
Hu Linyi said: Again and again, the thieves will attack the trailer river three times. This is the last battle. Duogong Long'a, if he can resist again, the city of Anqing will be destroyed, and Duogong will be the first to succeed. When the condition of the disease subsides a little, I will go to supervise the battle.
In late July, Yang Fuqing led an army of 20,000 troops out of Ningguo, crossed the river northward, joined Chen Yucheng's troops, and advanced on Anqing.
Chen Yucheng ordered Lin Shaozhang, Huang Wenjin, and Wu Ruxiao to attack the Kuache River again to contain them. Yucheng and Yang Fuqing personally attacked Taihu Lake and fought fiercely for two days, but failed. On August 17, Chen Yucheng and Yang Fuqing returned to Kuchehe, joined Lin Shaozhang, Huang Wenjin, and Wu Ruxiao, and attempted to attack Duolong'a camp again, but failed.
Yang Fuqing said: "Duolong is a monster, and the cavalry is especially powerful. I can't control it, so I can't help you!"
Chen Yucheng said: "Many demons relied on the dangerous river and sky on the trailer to attack and defend with ease. I spent tens of thousands of troops at the front and back, but could not gain an inch of land. I think I am sorry." All the fortresses inside and outside Jixian Pass and along the Linghu Lake were breached. Zeng Yaoguo Quanzheng and Niyao Cheng Xueqi besieged the stone barriers outside Anqing City. If the stone barriers were broken, Anqing's survival would be almost gone, and they would be rescued immediately. My intention is that the three brothers Lin, Huang and Wu will stay at the trailer river to contain the many demons. Brother Yang and I rushed to Jixian Pass to fight to the death with the monster Zeng Guoquan!
On August 24, Chen Yucheng and Yang Fuqing led 40,000 troops to Jixian Pass and built more than 40 forts in the areas of Shilipu, Maoling and Pass.
Anqing guard general Ye Yun came to hear about it and hurriedly sent an army to line up at the west gate to show support.
On the 25th, Chen Yucheng and Yang Fuqing personally led the main force to attack Changhao in the northwest. Chen and Yang both issued strict orders: If you fight directly forward, no casualties will be counted. Those who advance will be rewarded with rewards and silver, and those who retreat will be killed without mercy!
The Taiping soldiers rushed in with bunches of grass and moved the grass to fill the mound, which was full in an instant.
Seeing this, Zeng Guoquan urgently ordered the bombardment. With each artillery attack, there was a blood balance, and the Taiping army advanced as before. The former froze and pounced, while the latter took advantage of it. The old cannons on the pier wall of the Hunan Army could not be loaded and fired, so they were fired in closer rows and in turns. Eight hundred more shotguns and shotguns were added, and the sound of Yin cutting was like a continuous stream. Outside Changhao, there were mountains of corpses for a while.
Yang Fuqing sighed: Our troops were divided into more than ten groups, attacked more than a hundred times, and fought hard for four days and nights. Thousands of people were killed, while the demon only injured their skins. Repeatedly, the entire army was wiped out within ten days.
Chen Yucheng said: There is no food in Anqing, and people are eating each other. This battle is related to the rise and fall of the Kingdom of Heaven. If Anqing is destroyed, I will definitely defeat it! Anqing is prosperous, and the kingdom of heaven is prosperous! Immediately pass the order of the president, and the whole army will be sent out to attack Zeng Yao's front and rear forts. On the north bank of Linghu Lake, another fort will be built, and boats will be deployed to send food into the city.
The Taiping Army's offensive was very fierce, and Zeng Guoquan struggled to hold on. After the battle, he told Zeng Guobao: Within four days, our army had killed more than a hundred people, and we had used tens of thousands of jins of medicine and hundreds of thousands of jins of lead medicine. Fortunately, Brother Di and Commander Run had already made arrangements, otherwise they would have run out of ammunition and food and the fortress would have been broken down early.
Zeng Guobao said: "A hundred dense and sparse, if a thief breaks through one place, it would be unimaginable!" Rush to the north and south of Linghu Lake, set up camps and build fortifications, contact the navy, and completely cut off communication with the city.
Cheng Xueqi said: I will tell the nine commanders that there will be a strategy in the end that can solve this situation.
Zeng Guoquan said: Brother Cheng, please speak. Broken the stone barrier, Brother Cheng was honored with the first achievement! If I defeat the traitor again, I will ask for a reward for Brother Cheng again.
Cheng Xueqi said: It has been nearly a year since we laid siege to the city and launched reinforcements. If we don't attack the city, we don't go out to fight, we hold on and don't retreat, the strategy of long-term siege can be stopped now! Today's battle situation cannot be broken or established. The two thieves Chen and Yang broke through Hao and occupied the fortress, and we died without a burial place. However, if I break through the Anqing city wall, the thieves' rebellious spirit will weaken and they will retreat without fighting. On the thirteen slopes of Jiutou in Anqing, the soil at the north gate is loose, and the holes are filled with medicine to blow up the city and destroy the enemy! The city is broken and everything is fine.
Zeng Guoquan said: "Brother Cheng has a lot of work to do by digging the ground and blowing up the city. We can do it immediately without delay." When the city walls collapsed, a general attack was launched by land and water.
Zhu Hongzhang, the first general under Guoquan's command, laughed and said: "If the city is destroyed by the big rope, it will only take three days. Can it be effective?"
Zeng Guoquan said: It hasn’t changed!
On September 4th, Cheng Xue started excavation to the north gate of the city and loaded 10,000 kilograms of medicine. At the sound of four drums at night, Zeng Guoquan gave an order, and Cheng Xueqi personally fired the cannon. There was a loud bang where the smoke and dust rolled, and the Anqing city wall was blown down by more than forty feet. Cheng Xueqi took the lead and took the lead in killing people.
The Anqing defenders had not eaten for half a month and were so hungry that they could no longer hold their arms.
Zeng Guofan ordered the prisoners to be killed, leaving no grass behind.
Zeng Guoquan was trembling with fear and hesitated to raise arms.
Zhu Hongzhang smiled and said: "Nine commanders, take a rest for a while, and I will do the evil. Fighting is boring, but killing is the best."
After Hong Zhang finished speaking, he ordered a group of hundreds of surrendered soldiers to enter the urn one by one and kill them one by one. In half a day, more than ten thousand surrendered soldiers were all killed.
Zhao Liewen saw it with his own eyes and reported back to Zeng Guofan: More than 10,000 thieves were killed, all the men above the bun were killed, and more than 10,000 women were looted. Since the rise of the army, there has never been such a cool cleanup!
Another official, Li Rong, also said: According to statistics, more than 40,000 people were killed before and after the reinforcements, thieves outside the city, surrendered thieves, and thieves in the city. Since the rise of the army, this is the heaviest killing and robbery.
Zeng Guofan thought for a long time and said: To conquer the city, it is better to kill more people. Don't miss the big deal by pretending to be compassionate. We are unfortunate enough to be born into troubled times, and also unfortunate enough to be leading troops. We spend our days killing people, which is very heart-breaking. We only have the thought of loving the people at all times, and we rarely care about what we do to feed our children and grandchildren.
