Chapter 132 Zeng Guoquan advances to Jinling
In mid-March 1862, Zeng Guoquan led 6,000 newly recruited Hunan braves to arrive in Anqing.
Zeng Guofan said to Zeng Guoquan: Shanghai is a gathering place for Suzhou, Hangzhou and foreign goods. Every month I can donate 600,000 yuan; if my brother goes to Shanghai, it will be a good thing.
Zeng Guoquan said: "My brother keeps urging me to come back. It's because I have urgent matters to go to Shanghai!" Don't attack when you leave your old nest. It's useless to fight in vain. Forcing the city is enough to defeat the enemy. Although the situation is dangerous, something can be done. Jiangning is the base of the thieves. If they attack Jiangning urgently, the thieves will use all their strength to support and protect them, and then Su and Hang can succeed. According to the imperial edict of the late emperor, whoever conquers Jinling can be granted the title of county king. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime, so I will fight to the death for my brother to achieve an unparalleled achievement.
Zeng Guofan said: "Shanghai is the richest in the world. Now I have sent two people to ask for troops. They promise to give me 100,000 yuan per month. They will be sent to Shanghai by steamer. They can arrive in four days." I will try my best to save Shanghai. If my brother has no intention, Li Shaoquan will go to Shanghai! However, his skills in writing documents and marching formations seemed to be lacking.
Zeng Guoquan said: General Cheng Xueqi is resourceful, good at making decisions, fierce and violent, and the Kaizi camp under him is extremely fierce and can make up for Li Que.
Zeng Guofan said: Li and Cheng are both from Anhui, so they may be in the same boat. The attacking army can be divided into three directions and six routes. Zuo Zongtang's side has now entered Zhejiang, and Li Hongzhang's side is about to go to Shanghai; his younger brother, the president's side, is clearing the road first and advancing steadily. When Duolong'a advances to Jiusuzhou, Li Xuyi goes south to Zhenjiang, and Bao Chao defeats Ning Guo, they can advance separately and encircle Jinling.
Zeng Guoquan said: Duolong'a, Li Xuyi, and Yuan Jia can attack Luzhou and completely annihilate Chen Ni?
Zeng Guofan said: After the war in Anqing, Chen Gouzhu defended Luzhou and failed to recover. Now he divided his troops and attacked Henan and entered Shaanxi. It is difficult to control the army when it is gathered, but it is easy to control when the troops are divided. From now on, Luzhou will be broken and Chen Ni will be destroyed! From this point of view, whether the city of Anqing is broken or not is actually the key to the transition between the enemy's and ours' offense and defense.
Zeng Guoquan said: Of course! Before Anqing was defeated, Miao Peilin besieged Shouzhou, and Li Zhaoshou looked to the north of the Yangtze River. After Anqing was defeated, Miao Peilin took control of Linhuai and besieged Yingzhou; Li Zhaoshou defeated Tianchang and Liuhe and regained Jiangpu and Pukou. To the north of the Yangtze River and to the south of the Huaihe River, the military situation is excellent.
Zeng Guofan said: Miao and Li are both repeated villains. Miao Peilin is capricious, Chen Gou soldiers come to Anqing, he flatters and shows his favor, earns a false king, besieges Shouzhou, kills and does whatever he wants; Anqing is broken, the victory is guaranteed to return, I am extremely powerful, I will repeat it again. Li Zhaoshou repeated his routine, and the Miao people surrounded Shouzhou and invited them to advance together, but Li refused. I defeated Anqing, and Zhaoshou attacked the city and captured the territory. This was done in accordance with the trend. However, Liangpu, Tianchang, and Liuhe have been gained, but they have also been lost to thieves. The barrier to the north of the Yangtze River has disappeared! The Hong bandits have sent 40,000 troops to cross the river for rescue. In this way, in the upper reaches of Jinling, the thieves' power is extremely weak, and there is an opportunity to take advantage of it.
Zeng Guoquan said: "After a short rest, I will raise my troops and march eastward." Please brother, please consult Li Zhaoshou immediately and take the opportunity to assist.
Zeng Guofan said: "The day before yesterday, we were sparse, and two Pus and Liuhe were obtained. The upper part can be connected with Wu Wuwei and the energy of the various armies. The lower part can be joined with Yuan Jiasan to support the armies in Huai and Chuzhou. Then the section in the north of the Yangtze River is completed and the foundation is solid, and then they can be reunited." The downstream branch leads to the south bank. I can just listen to this memorial, but don’t take it seriously. Miao Peilin, Li Zhaoshou and other repetitive people do not need to be friends.
Zeng Guoquan said: "What's the purpose of Duxing'a stationing in Liangpu?"
Zeng Guofan said: Last year when the two palaces beheaded Sushun, I thought I had destroyed the Great Wall! Looking at it now, the wisdom of the two palaces far exceeds that of men. Jiangning General Du Xing'a stationed in Liangpu, apparently to suppress the flood-washing thieves, but actually to restrain Zhaoshou and us. Shengbao and Seng Gelinqin also had this intention when they came to Jianghuai.
Zeng Guoquan said: In this case, I have no immediate concerns, but there must be distant dangers!
Zeng Guofan laughed and said: "If Jinling is not available, and the Hong thieves are not eliminated, this is not a problem." The birds and rabbits are still there, but the bows and dogs are preserved. Immediately pass on my order, my younger brother and younger brother Ji, together with Bao Chao and Peng Yulin's troops, immediately advance by land and water, with their swords pointed at Jinling. Li Hongzhang's troops waited for the barbarian ships to arrive and then sailed along the river to help Shanghai.
Zeng Guoquan said: I kill people like hemp, and Peng Yulin disobeys me many times. Maybe we don't complement each other!
Zeng Guofan said: Peng Xueqin’s chivalrous heart is incomparable to that of you and me! This gentleman has a quiet good nature, a happy family, and a nature that does not indulge in ease. He was seriously injured and suffered from many illnesses due to overwork. He did not even take a day off to return home for medical treatment. Amidst the wind, waves and rocks all year round, even though he was seriously ill, he never moved to the shore one day. After years of running the army, there has never been a single tile of camp or an acre of land. My brother must rest after every battle, return to his hometown in fine clothes, buy a house and raise fields, how happy it is!
Zeng Guoquan laughed and said, "If you don't share the same interests, everyone will find their own happiness."
Zeng Guofan said: On the battlefield, life and death are unpredictable. Things in the world are like chess, and people's hearts are unpredictable. If Peng Yulin were to watch from the sidelines, I would replace him with Yang Zaifu. The younger brother followed the north of the Yangtze River and went straight down to Chao, Han, and He; the younger brother Ji went to the south of the Yangtze River and attacked Lugang, Nanling, and Wuhu, advancing from the north to the south; Bao Chaoting's army besieged Ningguo, echoing each other from afar. Zhang Yunlan's troops were stationed in Huizhou to protect their retreat. Peng Yulin and Yang Zaifu's naval forces sailed down the river and connected the north and south. All departments must move forward together and support each other. They must not go deep alone and be taken advantage of by the enemy.
Zeng Guoquan said: Chen Yucheng is trapped in Lu, Li Xiucheng is attacking Shanghai, Li Shixian is stranded in Zhejiang, and Chen Kunshu crosses the river to attack Yiliu Yangzhou. To the west of Jinling, the bandits are extremely weak.
Zeng Guofan said: "Have you forgotten what Li Xubin learned from his mistakes?"
Zeng Guoquan said anxiously: My brother knows what he is thinking.
On March 24, 1862, Jiangsu Chief Envoy Zeng Guoquan, named Admiral Bao Chao, Minister of War Peng Yulin, and named prefect Zeng Guobao, together with 50,000 troops under their supervision, marched eastward, approaching Jinling.
Four days later, Li Hongzhang, the editor of Hanlin and the candidate for the original title of inspector, together with Huai Yong, a newly recruited member of the five battalions, and the eight battalions donated by Zeng Guofan, took seven Yi boats, went down the river, and entered Shanghai one by one.
Before Hongzhang left, the vassal states held hands and told each other: From now on, Shaoquan will form an army of his own; if the Huai army is prosperous, Shaoquan will be safe; if the Huai army is defeated, Shaoquan will be in danger. In my poor years, I could only support the expenses of the Hunan Yong Army; I could only go to Shanghai to raise the expenses of the Huai Army. If Zuo Gong of Zhejiang is appointed to Xinjiang Qi, there will be no shortage of things; I will judge the situation and give Shaoquan a comprehensive plan quickly.
With tears in his eyes, Li Hongzhang choked up and said: "My great kindness to my teacher, Hongzhang will never forget it!"
Zeng Guofan said: "Yuanfu raised his army for six years, but only defeated the three cities of Ji'an, Jingde and Anqing. When he left the road to join the feudal vassal, everyone was embarrassed and I was also panicked. Now that we are advancing eastward, how can we all be happy?" Five years ago, Shaoquan was appointed as an inspector. This time when he goes to Shanghai, if he encounters a small setback, he must not belittle himself; he must regard military training and warfare as the foundation of his life.
After Zeng Guoquan Jizi camp was defeated in Anqing, its reputation was great and it was conquered everywhere. Within twenty days, it even reached Kechao County, Hanshan, Hezhou, Yuxikou, and Xiliang Mountain.
Zeng Guofan was not happy and reacted with alarm, and urgently ordered Zeng Guoquan: Quickly send troops to Chao, He, and Xiliang Mountains to serve as the base for the retreat of the younger army. Then he personally led seven or eight thousand people to cross the river from Caishi to garrison in the Taiping area and separated from the enemy. The soldiers in Jianghe Prefecture and Xiliang Mountain are like horns to each other. They can attack Dongliang and Wuhu from above, and capture Jinling from below. They seem to be gaining the upper hand.
When Zeng Guoquan asked for advice, he told Xiao Fusi, the commander-in-chief of Guide Town, and Li Chendian, the general: "Ji's younger brother Zeng Guobao has also conquered Jiuxian, Fanchang, and Nanling. Wuhu has become an isolated city, and the rebels can only sit and wait for death." Bao Chaoting's army fought fiercely in April, annihilated more than ten thousand enemies, and finally defeated Qingyang. Yesterday, they captured Jingxian again, and Ningguo in southern Anhui was also isolated. Navy Peng Yulin will soon arrive at the Taiping River. To the north and south of the river, the enemy was defeated like a river. I want to rest and recuperate quickly, cross the river on a selected day, join Peng Yulin's navy, capture Jinzhu Pass, and cut off the alliance of rebels in Wuhu and Jinling.
