Chapter 136: Bao Chao Dun Bing Ning Guo
Within three days, the Taiping Army units gradually withdrew to Suzhou. Li Xiucheng urgently summoned Chen Bingwen, Tan Shaoguang, Gao Yongkuan, Li Mingcheng, Cai Yuanlong, Ji Qingyuan, and Liu Zhaojun to discuss the situation of the war.
Li Xiucheng said: The battle in Shanghai was a failure, but it was actually due to the evil spirit of Li Hongzhang. In Shanghai, Tianjing, and Zhejiang, our army has repeatedly suffered defeat. Is there any other strategy to defend against the enemy?
Gao Yongkuan said: Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang are both sent by the Xiang demon, so they are really difficult to shake.
Li Xiucheng said: Li Hongzhang defended Shanghai, Zuo Zongtang attacked Zhejiang, and Zeng Guoquan besieged Beijing. The three groups of Xiang demons are marching abreast. I can gather my forces and annihilate them all.
Fengtianyi Liu Zhaojun said: The Confucian scholar Huang Wan said that the British, French and foreigners do not really want to embarrass me. Why can't I give it up? The way of using military force is to abandon the strong points and attack weak points, to avoid the front and defeat the disadvantages. Those who compete with me for the world are the demons of Qing Dynasty, not Britain and France. Today, when the country is not at peace, we are planning to conquer the Central Plains. Only 23 out of 10 territories in the Central Plains have been conquered, and a large number of troops are needed. Therefore, we want to treat the Yi in peace and not fight, and we should not ignore the loss of foreign aid to start a border provocation.
Li Xiucheng sighed: Let’s not discuss the territory of the Central Plains for the time being, Shanghai must be undesirable?
Liu Zhaojun said: Huang Wan proposed a plan, tell it clearly and punish it severely, attack it from the Yang side and attack it from the Yin side, use it slowly to plan it, and slow it down to trap it. The Celestial Dynasty restores old things. I don’t have the earth and bullets. How can Shanghai Pianyu be born alone? Without him, the foreigners are here, so I am slow to listen!
Tan Shaoguang said: If I slow down, Li Hongzhang, Hua Er and the British and French monster armies will surely advance step by step. Suzhou is adjacent to Shanghai, and the nearest point is only dozens of miles away. Are you just sitting here and waiting to die?
Li Xiucheng said: Zeng Guoquan's demon army came from top to bottom and benefited from the water army. I have to work hard. The water channel is difficult to fight and the army is always victorious. Its power is very powerful. This needs to be considered in the long term. However, the King of Heaven issued an urgent order and had to help. I ordered Li Mingcheng's troops to quickly advance westward to rescue Tianjing. The other troops organized their troops and weapons, took a short rest, and then fought in Shanghai again.
Governor Zeng Guoquan led more than 20,000 people to gather in Yuhuatai for more than a month. He was also frightened and anxiously looked for Peng Yulin and Zeng Guobao. He said: "Jinling City is so vast that it cannot be seen when looking up. We can only surround its southwest sides with deep ditches and high fortifications, with water divisions." As the foundation, use the river surface as the grain road, first consolidate yourself, and use Xu Tu to control thieves.
Zeng Guobao said: Brother Xueqin's navy is really crucial to our life and death.
Peng Yulin said: Brother Ji Hong's knowledge and knowledge will be remembered by Yulin until his death. If Yulin does not die, the waterway will be smooth. Killing on the battlefield is a matter of life and death; destroying the city and killing indiscriminately, how can you bear it! Yuanfu must strictly control his subordinates and never repeat the mistakes of Anqing.
Zeng Guoquan said: "Brother Qin's words are extremely accurate. If he offends again, I will punish him."
Peng Yulin said: "If the reinforcements don't arrive, I'm just a weak force. If the thieves attack with all their strength, they will be in danger!"
Zeng Guobao said: Li Zhaoshou's troops cleared Liangpu, Tianchang, and Liuhe, and then crossed the river to capture Shibuqiao, Longtan, and Dongyang. They are now working with Wu Quanmei's navy to encircle Jiuzhou. Duxing Ayi sent his troops to defeat Guanyin and others. Yanziji; Although the three groups traveled slowly, they all supported our army.
Zeng Guoquan said: This is a matter of seeing the wind and steering the ship! If our troops make a slight revolt, Li and others will be immediately routed. Brother Di repeatedly reported that Duolong Abe of Qing Dynasty was attacking Jiusuzhou, but the imperial court ordered many tribes to enter Shaanxi, which really chilled people's hearts. Now it seems that Bao Chaoting's army is our only support; I will immediately ask Commander Di to give orders to Bao's troops for reinforcements.
Zeng Guofan accepted the advice and ordered Bao's troops to conquer Ningguo quickly and move into Gaochun and Lishui.
Zhao Liewen, an aide, said: After the death of Commander Run, the Bao tribe no longer has the same courage as before.
Zeng Guofan said: "Bao Chao is distraught. I will again report to the two palaces for strict supervision."
After hearing the report, the two palaces immediately negotiated.
Empress Dowager Ci'an said: The Ai family once said that Duolong Abe entered Shaanxi, and Zeng Guo's Quanxiang tribe fought alone. This Jinling Hong Ni is actually the leader of thieves.
Empress Dowager Cixi said: Li Hongzhang entered Shanghai and Zuo Zongtang entered Zhejiang, both of them were the arms of Zeng's tribe. Bao Chaoting's tribe must move their camps and advance, and quickly break out of the strong city. As soon as Ning County is recovered, they can advance from Guangde to Gaochun and Lishui, and join the army. They carried out raids and worked with Jinling's land and water armies to dig holes and seize canals. Although Xing'a and Li Zhaoshou in the north of the Yangtze River have captured Liangpu and Liuhe, and the river has been cleared, the layout of the camp must not be careless. The situation in the north of the Yangtze River is more important than suppression. It is important to defend while making progress.
Prince Gong Yixin said: The Queen Mother is wise. Duolong Abe entered Shaanxi, and Yuan Jiasan retired due to illness. Shengbao took charge of the affairs with one heart. Zeng Bao, Peng Yang, and Li Zuo all went to the east. Anhui Province connects Hunan, Hubei, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. The affairs of this province should be supervised by a capable and senior official.
The Empress Dowager Cixi said: Li Qing continued to be a strict and orderly military leader who was indifferent to glory and profit. He was a rare talent. He was actually appointed as the governor of Anhui to assist the Manchu commander in securing victory and stabilize Anhui's military affairs. It is also the duty of the emperor to guard the gates of the country, and it is the duty of the emperor and his ministers to die for the country; merit must be rewarded, and faults must be punished, which is also fundamental. Weng Tongshu, the former governor of Anhui, failed to suppress bandits and repeatedly caused land losses, so he was severely punished by the ministry!
Yi Xin said: Zeng Guofan's impeachment against Weng Tong was written in fragments, which is reasonable and insightful.
Empress Dowager Cixi said: Of course! When Shouzhou fell, Yuan Jiasan and Weng Tongshu were jointly responsible for the same task, and they were responsible for supervising military affairs. They issued an order and handed it over to the Ministry for discussion. However, Wei Nian, the minister, had supervised Anhui's military affairs for three years. During the difficult and critical times, he tried his best to support him. Everything was still stable. It was agreed that Yuan Jiasan should be punished with grace and leniency. The ministers of Xiang, Chu, Anhui, and Su said that Duo Gong was the dragon, Bao Chao, and the tiger. Bao Chao's Ting army must continue to supervise and move forward.
Bao Chao was devastated when he rushed to Jinling again.
The generals asked why.
Bao Chao said: After the death of Commander Run, our department has become a partial division! Food and wages are not maintained, and the morale of the military is unstable.
Song Guoyong, the commander-in-chief of Xuanhua Town, said: After Luzhou was conquered, Jingzhou General Duolong'a repeatedly refused to follow orders to march eastward, and the commander-in-chief was helpless.
Bao Chao said: The Duolong Anai Manchus rely on official documents and can advance and retreat freely; I only know one Bao, who is brave but little resourceful. Where to go? The only way to win people's favor is to attack Ningjun to the death.
Lou Yunqing, the commander-in-chief of Zhengding Town, said: Yang Fuqing, Liu Guanfang, Hong Rengan, Tong Ronghai, etc. are all tough bandits. Our attack is destined to be difficult.
Bao Chao said: Face difficulties and go up, why fear hardships and dangers! If you want to defeat Ning County, you must first clear up the fortresses outside the city. The Wangcheng Hill in the west of the city has a key point and must be pulled out first. I ordered Lou Yunqing's tribe to leave Linggang; Chen Desheng's tribe to leave Yikou and ambush under Wangchenggang City; Song Guoyong, Zhou Yongsheng and Wang Yanqing's three troops attacked together, fought hard and retreated, luring the enemy out of the hill. Governor Huang Qing led ten battalions. When the enemy arrived at Wangchenggang, he immediately surrounded them with two wings. When Wangcheng Hill is in danger, the Ning County guards will come out to rescue the thieves. When the enemy is out, Wei Zhijun's troops will immediately move back to intercept the rebels' return. If the rebels' back route is cut off, there will be chaos. Lou Yunqing and Chen Desheng's troops will seize the opportunity. Then outflank, completely annihilate Yang Fuqing's rebel army, and capture Ningjun.
On June 11, 1862, Bao Chao ordered an attack.
Wangchenggang Taiping troops went out to attack, but were ambushed. Auxiliary king Yang Fuqing and Xiang Wang Liu Guanfang went out to the city to rescue, but they were also trapped in a tight siege. They fought fiercely for a day and suffered countless losses. Yang and Liu had no choice but to abandon the outer forts and enter the city to protect themselves.
Ting's army took the opportunity to besieged on all sides and attacked the city. They attacked for five days in a row, but to no avail.
On June 22, King Bao Tong Ronghai, under Li Xiucheng's military order, led a 60,000-strong army to come to the rescue.
Bao Chao had no fear and secretly summoned Zhang Yuchun, the surrendered general, and gave him face-to-face instructions.
Zhang Yuchun took Bao Mi Ling with him, took advantage of the excitement, and came back, saying that Tongbu would like to shave his head anyway and serve the country wholeheartedly.
Bao Chao was also happy, but said to the generals: "The city is high and the walls are wide, so it cannot be attacked repeatedly. The thieves are also coming to help. What can be done?" The many dragons, Baohu and tigers of the past are already a thing of the past.
