When Wei Ze's Chinese army arrived in Tongcheng, the battle to attack Shucheng began. The 5th Division, as the vanguard, soon fell into a fierce battle.

"The surprise attack didn't work!" Lei Hu's report wrote this sentence.

"If the surprise attack fails, surround Shucheng and prepare to attack!" Wei Ze gave Lei Hu an order.

Tongcheng, which was captured by the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Division more than a month ago, was captured by Wei Ze this time, and the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Division returned to the building quickly. The troops then fought a tough battle in Shucheng.

Regarding this transfer, Zhang Yingchen argued at the military meeting, "If we are allowed to fight the vanguard, we are only afraid of a surprise attack." ”

After hearing this, from the General Staff to other brigade commanders and division commanders, they did not say a word. Everyone completely ignored Zhang Yingchen's words, and just looked at Wei Ze.

This situation did not happen once or twice, since the army began to be regularized, Zhang Yingchen's troops have become more and more unpopular. Wei Ze knew this, so he asked with a straight face: "Ying Chen, if you transfer out the first brigade under you, can you take the other three brigades to attack Shucheng and take Shucheng down?" ”

"Why did you transfer the 1st Brigade?" Zhang Yingchen was quite stunned.

Wei Ze replied very unceremoniously: "Because I don't think there is a First Brigade, you can't lead the First Division yourself." ”

Wei Ze wanted to say this a long time ago, although Zhang Yingchen did well in the exam and was rated as a lieutenant colonel. However, Wei Ze has been dissatisfied with Zhang Yingchen's attitude for a long time, and this time, while Zhang Yingchen is boasting, Wei Ze is ready to beat Zhang Yingchen.

In fact, not only Wei Ze, but also a considerable number of senior officers were not very satisfied with Zhang Yingchen. After listening to Wei Ze's unceremonious criticism, everyone either looked away, or lowered their heads and held back a smile. Among the senior generals of the army, Zhang Yingchen is the only one who has not experienced a first-level battle and climbed to the position of division commander. And after the new system was promulgated, no one else had the possibility of such a rocket promotion. Moreover, Zhang Yingchen relied on the teaching brigade to fight, and the teaching brigade was recognized as the first among all troops, and Wei Ze's troops only Lei Hu suffered a loss in front of the Qing cavalry, and at other times, everyone failed to defeat in front of the Qing army. Therefore, the generals may not have malicious intentions towards Zhang Yingchen himself, but they have also been dissatisfied with Zhang Yingchen's current status for a long time.

Zhang Yingchen listened to Wei Ze's unkind words, first stunned, and then full of grievances. But seeing the expressions of the other generals, he knew that it was impossible for someone to come out and speak to him. Now he honestly lowered his head.

Wei Ze didn't want to further attack Zhang Yingchen at this time, and after the troops made the decision to attack, they dispersed.

As soon as the meeting ended, Wei Ze called Zhang Yingchen to his side, "Yingchen, I've been thinking about it for a while. I think I'm going to have to give you a good experience. ”

Zhang Yingchen looked at Wei Ze pitifully, "Prime Minister, are you angry with me?" ”

"I'm mad at you, so I won't talk to you about this." Wei Ze made up his mind, "You're just afraid to ask me next, if you can fight the next battle well, will it be okay?" Am I right? ”

Zhang Yingchen was stunned, he really wanted to say so. was grabbed by Wei Ze and said, which made Zhang Yingchen very uncomfortable.

Wei Ze continued: "I want you to start with Captain Wu now, it's not because I'm angry with you. I'm not mad at you at all. It's that you lack the experience of being so honest and rising step by step. Now don't talk about the brigade commander, it's the pawn commander, Sima, who hasn't commanded a platoon of guns? You don't. That's it, and you're different. I want you to climb every level, just like everyone else. ”

Hearing that Wei Ze was going to demote himself to the rank of captain, Zhang Yingchen was really frightened. His face turned pale, and he said with a crying voice: "Prime Minister, if you think I have done something wrong, you should be beaten and punished." You can't do that to me. ”

"It's not your fault, it's my mistake when I arranged your position. You didn't do anything wrong. When I set the rules, I didn't let you be promoted like everyone else, but I thought that you had been with me for a long time and were a little smart, so I arranged for you to be the commander. Now I feel more and more that this is not going to work. You have to rely on your own ability to move up the ranks in the army. I used to protect you, but now I see that I have delayed you! If you were to command the battle yourself and rely on your feats again and again, I would never say that. It was my mistake. So I can't delay you any longer, I have to let you lead the troops yourself. ”

When he said this, Wei Ze was not angry, but his attitude was strict but gentle. But Zhang Yingchen was already trembling with fright, and he mustered up the last courage and said: "Prime Minister, no matter how you arrange me, you can't let me be a military commander." ”

Wei Zeyan nodded, "Very good, then I won't let you be the captain." We also know that after we arrived in Tongcheng, several nearby local forces were alarmed and came to join the army. Now there are four or five hundred of them, and I will transfer some captains and Sima from the teaching brigade to this team, and you can also gather enough men and horses for a pawn, and you are still the commander of the division, so I will hand over these people to you, and you can take them to start fighting. In the future, I will also give you some of the new Anhui brothers, so that your troops will gradually expand. However, now it is your turn to personally direct them on the march, fire their guns, and charge. Whether you can do it well or not is up to you. ”

This is by no means a denigration, Zhang Yingchen did not dare to continue to argue with Wei Ze, and honestly accepted Wei Ze's personnel arrangement.

After solving Zhang Yingchen's problem, Wei Ze finally relieved his heart. The only abnormal arrangement in the entire army was now normal, and Wei Ze could finally command the troops with confidence. The hardest thing for a person to deceive is himself, and among all the division commanders, Wei Ze is most worried about what Zhang Yingchen will do. However, if it is punished, the responsibility is naturally Wei Ze, who arranged Zhang Yingchen to a high position. Weeser knew this.

As soon as this order was issued, no one among the generals objected. Not only did no one object, but the brothers' fighting spirit became even higher. The personnel arrangements that made everyone unconvinced were finally straightened out, and the rest was to show their abilities by virtue of their military exploits.

Weeser also announced another order, "As everyone knows, we have been given the number of ten corps. As far as the current situation of our Taiping Heavenly Kingdom armies is concerned, one army is two thousand people, but it is only the number of our division. This time, I also said in my head, whoever fights well, I will promote that division to the army. Please brothers fight hard and build up meritorious deeds! I'll wait and see! ”

As soon as the news came out, the entire venue almost boiled. Weese's troops were all fully manned. If there is no expansion, there is actually no difference between the division commander and the army commander. However, Wei Ze's troops still attach great importance to this title, and everyone feels that there is no reason why people from other troops can be army commanders with 2,000 people, and they can only be division commanders with 2,000 people.

"Prime Minister, we must fight a good war, and definitely earn face for the Prime Minister!" The generals have expressed their positions.

Wei Ze said loudly: "It's not for me to earn face, if we fight well, we can take Luzhou." At that time, from Anqing to Luzhou, it was very convenient for us to levy food and soldiers. At that time, the size of everyone's troops will increase, and they will be able to defeat the Qing Demon earlier. Defeat the Qing Demon, and this heavenly kingdom will be established. When the time comes, we will share the peace together! ”

"Down with the demons! Share the peace! Wu Qilu, deputy minister of the Ministry of Political Affairs who attended the meeting, took the lead in shouting.

Hearing this slogan, everyone's feelings were even higher, and the generals shouted together: "Down with the Qing Demon!" Share the peace! "Down with the demons! Share the peace! ”

Except for Zhang Yingchen, who was depressed, he did not say anything, and the other generals were full of love and high-spirited.

Wei Ze asked Zhang Yingchen to stay in Tongcheng with his troops, and he led the first and third divisions to Shucheng with artillery.

When he arrived at the city of Shucheng, Lei Hu had firmly surrounded the city. Shucheng is located in the central part of Anhui Province, the eastern foot of Dabie Mountain, the shore of Chaohu Lake, and between the Jianghuai River. It is the intersection of Luzhou (Hefei), Lu'an and Anqing. After arriving in Shucheng, the mountains slowed down, and to the north, there were more plains. After occupying Luzhou, Wei Ze was equivalent to gaining a foothold in central Anhui. Whether it is food or soldiers, it can be much better than Anqing, which is located in a mountainous and hilly area.

When Wei Ze arrived in Shucheng, Lei Hu immediately came to report the situation. "Prime Minister, we were deceived by the Qing Demon? Where are there four thousand demons to fight Anqing, my horses have run outside Luzhou City, from Luzhou to Shucheng, there is no Qing Demon at all. This is the wind released by the Qing Demon, scaring us! ”

"Oh?" Weser also felt that the news was a little surprised. Anqing guarded the main road of the Yangtze River, and if the Qing army in Lianghu and Jiangxi wanted to go down the river, they had to break through Anqing. If you can't control Anqing, just pass by Anqing, it's not impossible. However, when you go downstream, it's very pleasant, but when you go upstream, it's hard.

Even if Wei Ze's navy could not directly face the Qing army's navy, it was impossible for the Qing army to let a large number of military ships escort the grain ships at any time. And Wei Ze's navy could cut off the logistics and transportation of the Qing army at any time. If the Qing army could not solve the troops in Nanjing, it would become a turtle in an urn in the Yangtze River. It was not easy to build large ships, and even the Qing army could not dispose of large ships as disposable consumables. Therefore, they must solve Anqing in order to rest assured to attack Nanjing further downstream.

So not to mention the 4,000 Qing troops, even if there were 40,000 Qing troops coming to attack Anqing, Wei Ze would not feel any surprises. But the Qing army on the Luzhou side actually dared to release 4,000 Qing troops to attack Anqing, are they preparing to scare Wei Ze and want Wei Ze to stand still in Anqing, or do they want to mobilize Wei Ze and attack Anqing by other Qing troops?

Lei Hu didn't have so many thoughts, he continued: "Prime Minister, when I arrived at the city of Shucheng, the city gate was already closed. I have inquired, and this gate has not been opened for the past month. So there's really no way to raid. Only prepare for a strong attack. ”

"Good. Then what is there to fight in Shucheng? "Wei Ze didn't want to hold him accountable for the failure of the raid, and if the gate of Shucheng was wide open, Wei Ze might be surprised.

Lei Hu replied: "There is no artillery in Shucheng, and it is all concentrated at the south gate. There are a lot of stones here, and it is not easy to dig tunnels. There are no soldiers in the city, so I think it would be more appropriate for our five or six thousand men to climb the city wall. ”

"Wait until the staff has reconnoitred the terrain here before making a decision." Wei Ze knew that his first battle to storm the city was about to start in Shucheng, so he was extremely cautious.

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