The reaction of the Wu army in Shanghai was not the same, and after finally learning the news of Zeng Guoquan's army's successful entry into the city of Beijing through various channels, the leaders of the Wu army headed by Wu Chaoyue, Zhao Liewen, Yan Jingming, and others were not only surprised and shocked, but also deeply worried, afraid that Zeng Guoquan would not be able to defend the battle, and that he would not be able to maintain the results of victory after defeat. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

Because Wu Chaoyue, Zhao Liewen and others are very clear about the true strength of Zeng Guoquan's army, in the Wu army's northern expedition plan, Zeng Guoquan's original task was only to assist the Shanxi Wu army, not only the Central Plains Wu army led by Nie Shicheng was not ready to support Zeng Guoquan's army to enter the capital, and even the two divisions of the Wu army, Jiang Yili and Shubao, which were directly assigned to Zeng Guoquan's command, were still fighting on the Henan-Anhui border and the twisting army, so Zeng Guoquan actually only entered the capital with half of the strength of his headquarters. Then he faced the crazy counterattack of the Manchu court alone.

What is worse is that the Shanxi Wu army, which was supposed to undertake the main combat mission, was also not ready to immediately rush to the capital to reinforce Zeng Guoquan.

So no, Wu Chaoyue could only pray that Zeng Guoquan could hold on for a while longer, and at the same time quickly ordered the Shanxi Wu army to send reinforcements, and at the same time asked Nie Shicheng to immediately mobilize mobile troops and organize a support army to go north to help Zeng Guoquan. However, even so, Wu Chaoyue was still worried that far water would not quench his thirst, and he was so worried that he couldn't sleep well for several nights.

Under such a premise, after learning that Jiang Zhongji and Li Hongzhang had succeeded in decisively advancing eastward to reinforce Zeng Guoquan with clues, Wu Chaoyue was of course relieved, shouted lucky, and couldn't wait to hype up the great victory of Wu Jun, and also rewarded Zeng Jijing fiercely - ignoring the eyes of Fu Shanxiang and Feng Wanzhen, he slept in Zeng Jijing's room for three nights in succession.

A very important reason for Wu Chaoyue's relief is that Zeng Guoquan had previously reported on the grain, grass and ammunition reserves in Beijing, and knew that as long as the main force of the self-army had sufficient numbers, even if they could not get any supplies within two years, Zeng Guoquan and Jiang Zhongji would not have to worry about running out of grain and grass in the capital! And if the main force of the Shanxi Wu army led by Liu Kunyi can't get down to the well for two whole years, and can't dredge the grain supply line that reaches the capital, then even if Wu Chaoyue doesn't have to order him to ask for the guilt, it is estimated that Liu Kunyi will not have the face to continue to live in this world.

After confirming that his accomplice had successfully planted a nail in the capital, Wu Chaoyue of course had more greedy thoughts, and planned to further expand the scale of the Northern Expedition, taking advantage of the opportunity of the Manchu court to lose such an important strategic support point in the capital, quickly annihilate the remnants of the Qing army in Zhili, and take advantage of the upcoming warm weather to send troops to the northeast to completely eliminate the Manchu court! At the worst, Shenyang and Liaoyang will be recaptured, laying a solid foundation for the recovery of the entire Northeast in the future!

Yan Jingming poured a basin of cold water on Wu Chaoyue's head very rationally, and said: "Weiting, quickly annihilate the remnants of the rebellious party in Zhili, send troops to the northeast in the summer, and recover Shengjing and Liaoyang, with the strength of our current army, it is not difficult to do this, but what about grain, grass and supplies?" You are also a soldier, don't you know how much the road consumption is to feed the front line by land? ”

"Of course I wouldn't be stupid enough to rely on the Northern Expedition to transport grain by land." Wu Chaoyue replied very frankly and said: "I plan to send troops by water, with Shanghai as a transit station, take Tianjin by sea, and also transport grain to the north by sea. With the strength of our current sailors and the tonnage of ships, there is no problem in doing this. ”

"What about Longhair?" Yan Jingming asked again: "Will Changmao watch our grain ships and troop carriers pass through their defense area without doing anything to stop them?" ”

"Borrow your way from Longhair." Wu Chaoyue replied more frankly and said: "If it were as usual, Yang Xiuqing and the long-haired warlords along the Yangtze River would definitely not agree, but now it is different, the long-haired civil war is in full swing, whether it is Yang Xiuqing or other long-haired warlords, they are afraid that we will intervene in their civil war and help their enemies, I will go to them now to borrow a way, and they will not dare not agree." ”

"That being said, it's still in suspense." Zhao Liewen shook his head and pointed out: "Comfort Pavilion, not to mention Yang Xiuqing's capriciousness, the long-haired warlords along the Yangtze River have a deep enmity with us, just the two-sided encirclement situation formed against them after we take the north is enough to make the long-haired Dakou who has a little brain dare not take it lightly." ”

"There's something more dangerous." Yan Jingming said again: "If Changmao first agrees to borrow the road, and we also send troops by sea, and then Changmao suddenly regrets blocking the Yangtze River waterway, then our trouble will be even greater." ”

Of course, Wu Chaoyue was also worried about this, but fortunately, Wu Chaoyue had already considered the countermeasures, so he said: "My plan is like this, first borrow the road from Changmao, and at the same time transport a large number of grain and grass and military supplies to Shanghai to hoard, and prepare enough food and ammunition for just in case, and then we will use the water division to protect the troop transport ship and send troops to launch the Northern Expedition by sea." ”

"In this way, it would be best if Longhair was afraid that we would intervene in their civil war, and did not dare to play any tricks. Even if Changmao suddenly repents and turns his face, with Shanghai's grain in hand, our Northern Expeditionary Army does not have to worry about cutting off grain and grass, and at the same time, our sailors can calmly return to the Yangtze River and dredge the Yangtze River channel by force. ”

After defeating the combined fleet of Qing and Russia and digesting the many captured warships, the strength of the Wu army's naval division had already formed an overwhelming advantage over the Taiping army, and at the same time, after getting rid of the burden of grain, the grain in Huguang and Sichuan had also been abundant to the point of causing grain prices to drop sharply, both military strength and grain reserves were enough to bear the Wu army's northward march from the sea, and seeing that Wu Chaoyue had already prepared a perfect contingency plan, Yan Jingming and Zhao Liewen discussed and deduced for a long time, and finally voted in favor of Wu Chaoyue's Northern Expedition plan. No more objections.

However, even so, Zhao Liewen still wanted to speak a little and stopped, and said: "Weiting, although your method is also very safe, and our sailor has enough strength to prevent Changmao from turning his face and regretting it, but doing so is still not as safe and convenient as directly seizing the Yangtze River waterway by force." After all, we and Longhair have always been enemies, and sooner or later there will be a life-and-death showdown. ”

"Of course, I know that it is not absolutely safe for us to take the Northern Expedition by sea." Wu Chaoyue nodded, and then said with a worried face: "But compared to the threat of Long Hair, I am more worried that the rebel party has gained a foothold in the Northeast and split the land of the Northeast from the Chinese territory, because behind them, there is a larger and more dangerous enemy. ”

Seeing that Wu Chaoyue had made up his mind, Zhao Liewen no longer objected to anything, but said: "Then let's do it according to your plan first, but Weiting, I still have to remind you that you must not believe Changmao's promise." ”

Wu Chaoyue nodded again, and said to himself: "Longhairers, don't force me, make me anxious, my Northern Expedition army can become the main force of the Eastern Expedition at any time, kill you first!" And then clean up the mess! ”

Next, of course, it was the turn of Zhou Wenxian, an accomplice who was familiar with dealing with the Taiping army, to carry Wu Chaoyue's letter all the way down the river to the east, and in exchange for a promise to strictly abide by neutrality, to persuade the Taiping warlords along the Yangtze River to take the road and give way. At the same time, Wu Chaoyue finally personally met with Hou Yukuan, the envoy of Yang Xiuqing, who had never left the Hubei provincial capital, and promised to maintain strict neutrality, and promised not to investigate Yang Xiuqing's responsibility for betraying the alliance and Tongqing, in exchange for Yang Xiuqing's permission to pass through.

As expected by Wu Chaoyue, Hou Yukuan, Yang Xiuqing's plenipotentiary, did not even blink an eyelid, and immediately agreed to lend the road to Wu's Northern Expedition, and immediately returned to Nanjing overnight with another envoy sent by Wu Chaoyue in accordance with Wu Chaoyue's request, and discussed with Yang Xiuqing in person the specific passage of grain ships and baggage ships.

The major warlords of the Taiping Army along the Yangtze River were similar, and in fear that the Wu Army would intervene in the Taiping Army's civil war to support the hostile side, they all reluctantly agreed to borrow the road to let them go, promising and promising not to attack, intercept and search any Wu Army ships flying the Wu Army flag first, in exchange for Wu Chaoyue's absolute neutrality in the Taiping Army's civil war, and Wu Chaoyue continued to sell grain and wrought iron to them.

During this period, a fleet of Wu troops loaded with grain from Huguang was also protected by four red single boats, and first set off to test the water, but Lin Qirong of Hukou, Huang Wenjin of Peng Ze and Lin Fengxiang of Anqing really fulfilled their promises, obediently gave way and let them go, without doing any interception and attack. After the Wu army's grain fleet arrived at the Nanjing River, it was warmly welcomed by Yang Xiuqing's direct main force, and the Wu army's grain fleet was very politely sent across the border, and Ye Yunlai and Wu Ruxiao downstream were the same, in order to avoid angering Wu Chaoyue, they also chose to obediently give way and let them go, and let the Wu army fleet pass through their defense area and arrive in Shanghai safely.

When the news reached Hubei, Wu Chaoyue, who was overjoyed, immediately organized a large transport fleet to carry more grain and military baggage east to Shanghai to hoard. At the same time, for the sake of prudence, Wu Chaoyue also adopted Zhao Liewen's cautious suggestion and dispatched the main force of the Wu Army's naval division to protect this transport fleet, preparing to make the sailors work harder, first send food and military supplies to Shanghai, and then come back to protect the troop convoy eastward.

Facts have proved that Zhao Liewen's cautious suggestion is by no means groundless, and Wu Chaoyue's adoption of Zhao Liewen's suggestion is also a decision that is too correct to be correct. Because on the same day that Wu Chaoyue made this decision, the situation of the Taiping Army's civil war suddenly changed dramatically - Li Kaifang, a famous general of the Taiping Army who firmly supported Yang Xiuqing, suddenly turned against each other on the battlefield in Chuzhou and sided with the Yang Army headed by Shi Dakai!

The key reason for Li Kaifang's defection is still because Yang Xiuqing's betrayal of the Taiping Army and the secret passage of the Manchu court is an ironclad fact, although Wu Chaoyue has never fallen into the ground for Yang Xiuqing and publicly announced the ironclad evidence of Yang Xiuqing's crimes, Li Kaifang also refused to believe the evidence released by Wu Ruxiao, and helped Yang Runqing to defend the gate of Chuzhou for Yang Xiuqing, and once blocked the coalition of Shi Dakai, Zeng Lichang and Li Shixian, and effectively protected the safety of Nanjing.

However, after all, the paper can't contain the fire, with the passage of time, and as more and more Taiping warlords stand on the opposite side of Yang Xiuqing, Li Kaifang finally wavered, secretly sent an envoy to get in touch with Wu Ruxiao, met Yang Xiuqing's brother-in-law Chen Lai, who was detained by Wu Ruxiao, and saw with his own eyes the ironclad evidence of Yang Xiuqing's secret crimes.

After learning the truth and seeing with his own eyes Yang Xiuqing's shameless face of borrowing the road to the Qing Russian coalition army and then borrowing the road to Wu Chaoyue for personal interests, Li Kaifang finally made up his mind, first secretly got in touch with Shi Dakai, and then with Shi Dakai's help and cooperation, he successfully captured Yang Runqing, the chief general of the Chuzhou Taiping Army, and helped Shi Dakai's army seize the city of Chuzhou, opening the door for Shi Dakai to enter Nanjing.

Li Kaifang's defection also contributed to Lin Fengxiang's army against Yang, Lin Fengxiang, who had been silent before, was repeatedly persuaded by his friend Li Kaifang, and also learned the truth from Wu Ruxiao, but Lin Fengxiang, who did not turn his face because of Yang Xiuqing's great favor, finally made up his mind, resolutely played the banner of courting Yang, and directly cut off Yang Xiuqing's cronies Huang Wenjin and Nanjing, and cut off Yang Xiuqing's important foreign aid in the upstream.

Regarding Li Kaifang's sudden betrayal, Yang Xiuqing was actually a little mentally prepared, understanding that once Li Kaifang learned the truth, he could betray him at any time. However, what Yang Xiuqing never expected was that after seeing that his general trend was gone, his own brother, Yang Fuqing, who had a heavy army, also chose to defect and fight against him! Then he lifted the siege of Zhenjiang at the first time, led the army back to Yangzhou, and let Ye Yunlai and Wu Ruxiao directly enter Nanjing.

"Yang Fuqing'er, this king wants to cut you with a thousand knives and divide the corpse of five horses!"

Hearing the bad news, there was naturally a burst of chickens and dogs jumping on the main hall of the East Palace, Yang Xiuqing jumped like thunder, the golden teacups and golden inkstones on the golden dragon case flew all over the sky, and all the subordinate officials of the East Wangfu stuck to the ground with their foreheads, and they didn't dare to take a mouthful of the atmosphere, for fear that Yang Xiuqing would use himself as a punching bag, drag him out and beat hundreds of torture sticks, and even directly split the corpse of five horses.

But it was just a howl of despair, Yang Xiuqing knew very well that he was finished, the Taiping warlords around Nanjing had already raised their banners to rebel and surrounded the lonely city of Nanjing, if Yang Xiuqing's main force was still there, maybe he could still be sure to turn the tide and smash the rebel encirclement. However, the main force of Yang Xiuqing's descendants has been buried in the battlefield of the Northern Expedition, and the remaining essence has been lost in the hands of Yang Runqing and Yang Fuqing.

"Could it be that this king is really going to ascend to heaven this time?"

Yang Xiuqing even flashed such a terrible thought in his mind for a while, and after quickly shaking his head to get rid of it, Yang Xiuqing roared to the officials of the Eastern Palace: "Yang Fuqing traitors and thieves have surrendered, and thieves such as Shi Dakai, Lin Fengxiang and Ye Yunlai are besieging Tianjing on all sides, what can they do?" ”

No one dared to speak, or after Yang Xiuqing roared and asked again, Hou Yukuan, the old man of the East Prince's Mansion, said tremblingly: "Long live the East King, now the plan is to borrow troops from the Transcendence Little Demon to quell the rebellion, so that we can kill the ugly and reorganize the majesty of my heavenly kingdom." ”

"Never!" Liu Shaoting, the Marquis of Heaven, stopped: "Not to mention that the generals of my heavenly kingdom have a deep enmity with the Transcendent Little Demon, and when I heard that the Transcendence Little Demon sent troops to help the East King Long Live put down the rebellion, I will inevitably hate the East King even more, and attack Tianjing even more frantically." Even if Tianjing can hold on and persist until the rescue beyond the little demon arrives, it is not that the front door rejects the tiger, and the back door welcomes the wolf! With the treacherous and shameless transcendence of the little demon, he will definitely not miss the opportunity to seize Tianjing! ”

"Although the words are reasonable, it is better than letting Shi Dakai and other traitors break through Tianjing." Hou Yukuan said more carefully: "Long live the East King had previously concluded an alliance with the Transcendence Little Demon, agreeing that the one who entered the capital first would be the king, and now that the Transcendence Little Demon has broken through the capital, why don't the East King use this as an excuse to bow down to the Beyond Little Demon ......." ”

Hou Yukuan's voice became smaller and smaller, and finally he simply stopped himself, because he had already found that Yang Xiuqing's gaze at him was already full of fire-breathing murderous energy.

Fortunately, the guards of the Dongwang Mansion who came in time helped Hou Yukuan escape a catastrophe, and knelt down on Yang Xiuqing and said: "Long live the King of Dongdong, Yang Runqing and Yang Guozong ask to see him outside the palace." ”

"Yang Runqing?" There was an uproar in the hall, and after Yang Xiuqing lost his mind for a moment, he suddenly screamed and asked, "Yang Runqing?" Wasn't he captured alive by Li Kaifang's traitor and handed over to Shi Dakai's traitor? How did you come back again? ”

"Long live the East King, according to Guozong, he was put back by Shi Dakai's traitor, and he also brought a letter from Shi Dakai's traitor to Long Live the East King." The guard replied truthfully.

"Call him ......." Yang Xiuqing first ordered in surprise, but before he finished speaking, he changed his mouth and yelled, "Tell him to get in!" ”

The guard took the order and left, and then soon, Yang Runqing, the third child of the Yang family, really rushed in, threw himself in front of Yang Xiuqing and cried, Yang Xiuqing, who was barely a good big brother, was distressed and angry when he saw it, and roared: "You still have the face to come back to see me!" Chuzhou heavy land, in your hands if you say you will lose it, why don't you die?! ”

"Brother, you can't blame me." Yang Runqing howled and cried: "It's that Li Kaifang's traitor who deceived me into using the banquet, and while drugging me over, he quietly opened the city gate to welcome Shi Dakai's traitor into the city, and I can't help it, little brother!" ”

"Rubbish!" Yang Xiuqing roared even more angrily, and roared: "This king has already explained, telling you to be careful of Li Kaifang, telling you to be careful of Li Kaifang, but you just don't listen!" If he asks you to drink, you will drink? Can't you just be more vigilant? ”

Yang Runqing cried bitterly and kowtowed, but Yang Xiuqing lost his temper again, and then shouted: "Shi Dakai is a traitor, why didn't he kill you?" Still letting you come back? ”

"Back to my brother, Shi Dakai told me that he let me back to prove his sincerity in not hurting our brother." Yang Runqing wiped his tears and replied truthfully: "In addition to asking me to bring a letter back to you, he also wants me to persuade you that as long as you hand over your military power and release the Heavenly King, he will protect you from death in front of the Heavenly King, and ask the Heavenly King to continue to give you glory and wealth, and treat you the same way you treated the Heavenly King before." ”

As he spoke, Yang Runqing took out the letter written by Shi Dakai to Yang Xiuqing from his arms and carefully held it in front of Yang Xiuqing.

If it was Yang Xiuqing during the Jintian Uprising, or Yang Xiuqing before the capture of Nanjing, Yang Xiuqing would definitely tear Shi Dakai's letter to shreds without hesitation, and Yang Runqing, who brought the letter for Shi Dakai, would definitely be heavily responsible. But there is no way, for more than seven years, the life of brocade clothes and jade food in Nanjing, as well as the soft rain and fragrant wind in the south of the Yangtze River, and the beauty like jade, have soaked Yang Xiuqing's bones and seriously eroded Yang Xiuqing's will that was once stronger than steel......

Therefore, after Yang Xiuqing hesitated for a long time, he finally stretched out his hand and took Shi Dakai's letter with a slight trembling.