Chapter 185 Zeng Guofan decides the case at the opportunity (8)
Before the departure of the vassal state, he summoned Li Hongzhang, the governor of Zhili, and said: "The Tianjin religious case, the assassination of Jiang Ma, and Zuogong's extermination of fennel were all happening simultaneously. Which one did Shaoquan think was more important?"
Li Hongzhang said: "I am reporting to my teacher the Tianjin teaching case. My teacher has already decided what is right and what is wrong. Shaoquan only needs to follow Xiao Gui and Cao to make a profit." Liangjiang has a vast land and abundant resources, and with the arrival of his mentor, everything will be easily solved. However, the western frontier has been invaded by the bandit Agubai for five years. The British and Russian barbarians are also looking at it with eager eyes. However, Duke Zuo was unable to resolve the turmoil in Ganlong for a long time. Hongzhang believed that if things continued like this, there would be more danger and less good in Western Xinjiang.
Zeng Guofan said: Shaoquan is wrong! Zuo Zongtang is here, and everything is fine in Western Xinjiang. Zuo Zongtang has been supervising the army for ten years without even a trace of corruption. He is loyal to the country and has Zuo Zongtang as his crown. The Qing Dynasty is lucky to have Zuo Zongtang.
Li Hongzhang said: "But this time in the northwest suppression of bandits, Zuo Gong was very hesitant."
Zeng Guofan said: "The soldiers and horses have not moved forward with food and grass. If the food and wages of the left army are not continued, there is nothing we can do!" When it comes to military warfare, I am not as good as Zuo Zongtang. In today's world, there are very few people who surpass Zuo Zongtang in terms of military accomplishments. Liu Mingchuan came from behind and was a rare talent. However, he was unwilling to be inferior to others, so it was easy to retreat but difficult to advance.
Li Hongzhang said: "What my teacher said is absolutely true. The three soldiers of Liu Province were successful in the battle. They were proud of their talents and became more and more unruly." I will continue to supervise and urge them to forge ahead. Liu's department is currently sitting in a quiet place, just wasting time. Could your mentor tell me something and transfer him to Zuo Gong's command so that he can do his best?
Zeng Guofan said: No! People are grouped together and things are sorted. The only person Zuo Zongtang admired in his life was Hu Linyi. The two men talked arrogantly and boasted that all people in the world had no talent. Even like Luo Bingzhang, Zuo Zongtang even used a puppet to call him. Of. Liu Shengsan was unparalleled in talent, but had an aloof temperament; Zuo and Liu were incompatible with each other when they coexisted. Furthermore, how can there be any meritorious deeds in the world, but the master does not doubt his position, the ministers are extremely popular, and the public does not envy him. Only when you and Zuo look down on each other and check and balance each other can they live in peace and harmony. If they work together, disaster will arise from themselves.
Li Hongzhang said: Hongzhang must remember his mentor’s golden words.
Zeng Guofan said: When Jinling was defeated, I was good at defeating the brave men of Hunan, and I originally wanted to devote my heart to the bright moon. However, in the past five or six years, I have suffered a lot of humiliation. Now if I have hundreds of thousands of Xiangchu athletes standing on the river, I will be assassinated by a horse on the river. Dirty things. It has been a principle since ancient times that the birds are gone, the bows are hidden, the rabbits are dead, and the dogs are cooked. It has been the same since ancient times. The car in front of Hunan is the same as the car in Huaihe.
On December 12, 1870, Zeng Guofan wandered for three months and finally arrived in Jinling. On his first day in office, he angrily criticized Anhui academician Yin Zhaoyong: You presided over the provincial examination, and you used "Ruo Pricking the Brown Man" as a question to confuse students and slander important officials in Xinjiang. Are you aware of your guilt?
Yin Zhaoyong said: The rural examination is related to the selection of national talents. Thousands of things can be used as questions. There is no innuendo in the humble position. I sincerely ask Mr. Zeng to take a clear view.
Zeng Guofan said: "To prick a king of ten thousand chariots is like pricking a brown man!" Assassinating princes, generals, and ministers is like assassinating a commoner; you are using the topic to mislead your children, which is really hateful! I will ask the Holy One to deprive you of your duties and punish your sins. Let's see how you are free. Immediately transmit this governor's order. From now on, there is no conclusive evidence regarding the assassination of the former Governor Ma. Anyone who dares to make any further remarks about betraying friends, betraying the country, or paying for murder will be severely punished!
That night, Zeng Guofan had a private meeting with Mei Qizhao, the governor of Jiangning. After the ceremony between teachers and students, Mei Qizhao said: "My teacher must have made a conclusion about the assassination of Ma Xinyi."
Zeng Guofan said: To be fair, Ma Xinyi is indeed a good official and capable minister. In both public and private matters, I should handle the case impartially and clear up the injustice of Mr. Ma. However, there are many mysteries in this case. If you are not careful, the war resumes in Jiangnan.
Mei Qizhao said: "What my teacher said is absolutely true. Kuiyu, the general, and Zhang, the governor of Cao, stayed hidden and did not show up. This is also the reason."
Zeng Guofan said: I think back in those days, when Ma Xinyi followed Yuan Jiasan, he tried his best to protect Linhuai and Mengcheng, and made great achievements. Later, he was promoted to governor, and he was cautious and guarded the wells. However, in recent years, he has not been familiar with current affairs and has always been unconventional. The Ge Gua of the Book of Changes says: The great man changes like a tiger, the villain changes face, the gentleman changes like a leopard; the noble man changes like a leopard, and eventually loses to his enemies for revenge.
Mei Qizhao said: "My teacher has great advice, my teacher has made the final decision, and the south of the Yangtze River is bustling and bustling again. This is the blessing of the Qing Dynasty."
Zeng Guofan said: "Jiang's case is so complicated that two important officials from the Manchu and Han Dynasties couldn't figure it out for half a year. Who am I to be able to make the final decision?" Everything in the world has its own cause and effect. Brother Xiaoyan, please follow me on a walk south of the Yangtze River and wait for the instructions from the two palaces.
It had been more than a month since Zeng Guofan took office, but there was no confirmed news, which made Empress Dowager Cixi worried.
Wang Jiabi, the young minister of Taichang Temple, wrote: The son of Ding Richang, the governor of Jiangsu, was put on trial, and Ma Xinyi was asked to investigate and deal with it.
Prince Gong Yixin angrily scolded Wang Jiabi for being far-fetched.
Empress Dowager Cixi said: The assassination case of Ma Xinyi, the former governor of Liangjiang, has been pending for half a year, but there is no definite news. However, there are four rumors in the public eye: betraying friends, betraying the country, paying for the assassination, and taking revenge on suspicion.
Empress Dowager Ci'an said: There are three rumors about the assassination: Ding Richang paid for it, Hunan general Huang Yisheng paid for it, and anti-foreign believers paid for it.
Empress Dowager Cixi said: How unworthy is it for such a great country to allow rumors to spread like this! It is necessary to select a capable person to work with Zeng Guofan to review the case carefully and close the case as soon as possible.
Yi Xin said: "The Emperor Qi, the Queen Mother, the Queen Mother, the Queen Mother, and the Minister of Punishment Zheng Dunjin are honest and fair, and are proficient in handling cases. Zheng's arrival in Jiangnan will be of great benefit."
The Empress Dowager Cixi said: "Importantly convey the edict, and then send Zheng Dunjin to Jiangning. Together with Zeng Guofan, they will study the entire case witness in detail, find out the real situation, and punish him severely to apply for national law." Zheng Dunjin accompanied his staff, including Yiletong'a, a Manchu doctor in the Ministry of punishment, and Yan Shizhang, a Han doctor in the Ministry of punishment, and they went to the post office together with Sun Yiyan and Yuan Baoqing, the alternate Taoists, to attend the joint trial. Before Zheng Dunjin goes south, he must go to the palace to see his majesty.
On January 7, 1871, Zheng Dunjin, the Minister of Punishment, was summoned to the palace.
The Empress Dowager Cixi said: I heard that you are an honest and selfless official, and that you can do everything in court to solve the case. In the case of the assassination of Ma Xinyi, the former governor of Liangjiang, can we find out the real situation and get a definite message? Punish the murderer severely, pay tribute to the deceased, and file the case away.
Zheng Dunjin said: "The emperor, the empress dowager, and the empress dowager, the empress dowager, all the ministers must be aware of everything and try to get to the bottom of this case."
