Guan Zhuofan said that Tan Shaoguang is ignorant of the general trend, which is not bad at all. What he was most worried about was that Tan Shaoguang would fight steadily, set up camp under Songjiang City and not withdraw, and break through the city wall with tunnels, so the Xuan army would definitely not be able to gain a foothold. Now the Taiping army has divided its troops in Songjiang, marched on two fronts, and encircled Shanghai, which seems to be majestic, but in fact it is useless - Shanghai's supply does not depend on the surrounding counties! From Songjiang to Wusongkou, this golden waterway on the Pujiang River is unimpeded, whether it is the transfer of troops and salaries, or the guns, artillery and food, they are all set up to run, so besieged the city, what is the difference between not besieging the city?

On the side of the official army, in addition to the troops holding Songjiang, the other Xuan army base camp, the foreign gun team, Li Hengsong's green battalion, and various troops that withdrew from the counties all shrank near Nanxiang, Sijing, Zhoupu and the county seat of Shanghai, and were on the inner line. The Taiping army was not only on the outer front, but also distributed more than 30,000 people on a long front like beans.

"This is a taboo for soldiers, and they will die quickly!" Guan Zhuofan walked back to his seat from the map, "And the cities occupied by Changmao seem to be on the outer line, but in fact, the north road is attached to the river, and the east road is backed by the sea, all of which are Jedi." Once the situation is unfavorable, you can't even run. ”

This is very clear. The Taiping Army's North Road was sandwiched between the Yangtze River and Shanghai, while the East Road was sandwiched between the Huangpu River and the sea. This is where Tan Shaoguang trusts the most, but it is also because in recent years, the Taiping army has been invincible in the southeast and gradually does not take the official army seriously.

Xue Huan understood that Guan Zhuofan did not just want to hold Shanghai, but to be ruthless and annihilate the two Taiping armies. This idea is too amazing, but once it succeeds, it will be a great victory on the southeast battlefield that has not been seen for several years, so he is also worried and happy, and asks: "Yixuan, how sure are you?" ”

"Futai, let me say it bluntly, this battle, the officers and soldiers can win."

"There are many long-haired soldiers and few officers and soldiers, how can you be so sure?" Xue Huan asked in surprise.

"Although there are many long hairs, there are five defeats, although my soldiers are few, but there are five victories, how can I not be sure of the long and short strikes?" Guan Zhuofan said with a smile.

"Yixuan, I would like to hear about it." Xue Huan, like everyone else, was eager to hear him say "five defeats" and "five victories".

Five wins and five defeats, in fact, are the same thing. Although the soldiers of the Xuan army are few, they are all equipped with the latest foreign guns and cannons, which are far superior to the Taiping army, so the sharp weapons are the first victory. The Taiping army fought for days and days, and the soldiers were worn out and exhausted, while the Xuan army had been sharpening their knives on the inner line and recuperating their strength, which was the second victory. The Taiping army's battle line was too long and supplies were difficult, while the Xuan army relied on the Pujiang River and had no worries about military supplies, which was the third victory. The officers and soldiers of the Xuan army were bound by the military order, and they complained about not being able to fight with the Taiping army, like a caged beast, and their desire to fight was extremely strong, so their morale was available, and this was the fourth victory.

"And a fifth win?" Xue Huan was overjoyed when he heard this, and when he saw that Guan Zhuofan was suddenly silent, he asked loudly.

"Is this the fifth victory...... Hehe, it's a little careful thinking of the lower officials, so I have to talk about it here. Guan Zhuofan smiled and said a Suzhou dialect he learned from Libin: "If it spreads, it will really be 'if you want to refute it, your life will be handed over'." ”

"But it doesn't hurt to say it." Xue Huan glanced around the lobby with his eyes, "It's impossible that there is anyone else in this room who dares to divulge secrets." ”

"Britain, the United States and France, although they secretly help the officers and armies, and are willing to assist in the defense of Shanghai County, but on the face, they still maintain the neutrality of the third party." Guan Zhuofan began to talk about foreigners, "But the current situation has been 'corrupted to such a point', using this to scare them, maybe they can continue to maintain this 'neutrality'?" It must not, they are more anxious than us! I don't want their foreign soldiers to come out of the army, just use their gunboats. ”

Xue Huan looked at Wu Xu, and Wu Xu hurriedly said, "This is up to me to negotiate with Uncle He, and I should be able to do it." Yixuan, I don't know what you want the gunboat to do? ”

"Block the Huangpu River first, and don't allow Changmao to cross the river with a single soldier. When it's time for me to fight Longhair, I'll ask them to shoot a few more shots to make me stronger. ”

"Good! Good! Guan Zhuofan's five wins and five defeats made Xue Huan feel overjoyed, slapped his hand on the table, and said with relief: "Yixuan, this battle is not only related to the safety of Shanghai, but also to the overall situation of peace and reverse. You just let go and fight, I'm in Nantong, coordinate everything for you. ”

Xue Huan's governor's yamen was located in Nantong, north of the Yangtze River. Guan Zhuofan said in his heart, this old slippery head, hiding in Nantong, which is out of the war, what else does he say about "coordinating everything"? But it's better to go, so as not to get in the way in Shanghai.

"That's great, there is Futai to dominate the overall situation, so naturally everything is worry-free."

"By the way, Yixuan, where are you going to fight the decisive battle?" Xue Huan asked Zuihou.

"I never leave the Haikou of the Pujiang River," Guan Zhuofan said calmly, "it's either Gaoqiao or Wusong." ”

*

*

Xue Huan only stayed in Shanghai for two days, and on February 13, he took Xu Changshan and went back by boat. Ju Huiqian, the chief soldier of the Jiangning Naval Division, and the seventeen large ships under his command brought by him, but Guan Zhuofan left them behind and placed them on the west bank of the Pujiang River outside Shanghai.

"Mr. Ju, this is the most important place, if there is a long hair from Pudong who crosses the river from here, it will be a sea of blood." Guan Zhuofan said very solemnly, "But as long as Shanghai City is protected, then in the future, when it comes to the merits on the water, General Ju will be the first." ”

After settling Xue Huan, Guan Zhuofan was relieved, but there was also an uneven matter, which made him extremely annoyed.

Of course, the gentry and common people of Shanghai could not know the contents of this military meeting. In their minds, the great expectations of the Xuan army at the beginning to the joy after the victory in Songjiang have now become a big disappointment, and they all think that the Xuan army is self-respecting and strong, regardless of the life and death of the locality. In the street talk, when it comes to Xuan Jun, there are all those who scold.

Just scolding, Guan Zhuofan can't hear it, that's it. However, every day or two, there is a group of senior gentry and village elders to the county government to ask for orders, to urge the Xuan army to fight, and I don't know which one of the narrow talents, pasted a pair of couplets on the street diagonally opposite the yamen, the upper couplet is written "outstanding, how many heavenly soldiers and generals are bringed", and the lower one is "think twice about everything, don't lose two hairs", which is extremely mean.

These people can't be beaten and beaten, scolded and scolded, these few days are the heaviest time for military affairs, Guan Zhuofan was ruthless, and simply announced that he would be closed for seven days, and he would not do non-military affairs, and he would not be out of sight and out of mind.

Unexpectedly, the seal couldn't be sealed. On the third day, I faintly heard the movement outside, and a servant came to report: "Master, there is a girl who wants to see you." ”

"What a girl, aunt! Didn't you say that you didn't see anything? Guan Zhuofan was furious, "What kind of mistake did you deserve?" ”

"This ...... It's the drum of injustice......" the official said.

So that's the case, so it's no wonder that the officials want to report themselves -- if they dare to beat the drum of grievances, they naturally have great grievances, and even if they are sealed, they can't be ignored. Guan Zhuofan had no choice but to follow the official to the lobby, but he saw Hu Qingqing standing in the hall, with a box and a package at his feet.

Guan Zhuofan frowned, annoyed - at such a time, how many important things are being done, even if the fairies in the sky come down to earth, they have to be driven out! This Hu Qingqing, I don't know what to find myself, relying on my acquaintance, or her beauty, dare to take this as a child's play?

He was almost about to have a seizure, but he thought that Hu Qingqing had donated a lot of money to Xuan Jun, so he endured it again and again, and asked her about her intentions first.

"Miss Hu, you probably don't know that this drum can't be knocked casually." He said coldly, "If you have nothing to do to beat the drum, you have to beat thirty!" ”

"I have a grievance, why can't I knock it?" Hu Qingqing could naturally see his coldness, but as if she hadn't seen it, she didn't care at all.

"Do you have a grievance? Well, tell me, what grievances do you have? ”

"I want to repay the country, and they won't let me in, isn't this a big grievance?" Hu Qingqing said confidently.

Nation? Guan Zhuofan was stunned by her, looked at the box at her feet, and said in his heart, didn't he come with silver, and he wanted to donate military salaries? If so, although it is inconvenient to collect her money again, but this heart is really touchable, then I blame her. Thinking about it like this, his frosty face eased and he decided to ask first.

"I don't know how to repay the country, Miss Hu?"

"Master Guan, now that Changmao is fighting Shanghai, we ordinary people naturally have to have money and strength, right?"

"That's right."

"Those who know how to use knives and guns can help kill long hair, those who have strength can help transport grain and grass, those who can strike iron, they can help repair weapons, and those who know medical skills can help treat wounded soldiers." Hu Qingqing's voice is still soft and good, but her words are extremely simple and fluent, "These are all regarded as serving the country, right?" ”

"This ...... Count it all. ”

"The food in the county has always been crude and simple, the secretary in the ya, the tolerance master, if you don't eat well, how can you have the strength to run errands for Master Guan? Master Guan commands the whole army, and he can't eat well, so how can he have the strength to think about things? The little woman has nothing else to do but cook a few side dishes, so she deliberately came to the door to use this craft to make a contribution. Hu Qingqing said in one breath, "May I ask Master Guan, is this considered a service to the country?" ”

Not...... Well?!

Guan Zhuofan was dumbfounded, and only felt that the most unbelievable thing in the world was nothing more than this. However, she was squeezed by her words before, and now she couldn't find the words to refute her for a while, so she was on the spot, unable to make a sound.

"In the future, the kitchen in the county will be in charge of me." Hu Qingqing saw that Guan Zhuofan had nothing to say, put down such a sentence, and actually ignored him, lifted the box with his left hand, sandwiched the package with his right hand, and walked inward by himself. Thurin on the side had seen Hu Qingqing, and at this moment he glanced at Guan Zhuofan's face, and then rushed forward, took the box and package in her hand very enthusiastically, and whispered: "Miss Hu, I'll take you in, our grandfather is in the backyard wing, and it's always empty." ”

Hu Qingqing smiled slightly and said, "This military master, xiexie, you." He followed behind Túrin generously, as if he was swinging willows in the wind, twisting and twisting, and twisted into the back hall.