Time has silently entered the sixth year of the Wild Boar Skin Ninth Xianfeng, the best New Year's gift to Wu Chaoyue is undoubtedly Zuo Zongtang was forced to leave Hunan, heard the good news and heard that Zuo Zongtang was on the boat at the Xiangjiang Wharf to go north, Wu Chaoyue immediately sent someone to Jiayu Wharf with a heavy gift to meet Zuo Zongtang, not for anything else, but to try to get Zuo Zongtang over to be a cow and a horse for himself. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

Of course, if Zuo Zongtang is really taken in, he will definitely face pressure from the official documents and public opinion of the imperial court, but Wu Chaoyue doesn't care about this, and he is sure to settle these things, but left and right, calculating the distance, Zuo Zongtang must have arrived in Jiayu a long time ago, but the people who went to greet Zuo Zongtang have not sent any news, which makes Wu Chaoyue very strange and worried.

Of course, he couldn't just wait for Zuo Zongtang to do nothing, under the pretext of Dongping Changmao North to fight against the bandits, and pretended to be cautious and cautious with the consent of the official first, Wu Chaoyue recruited more than 2,000 people to form a new Hubei New Army of five battalions, and gradually expanded the scale of his descendant army little by little.

One of the five newly expanded battalions was a sailor battalion, which first used sailboats and short-term leases of steam merchant ships from foreigners for training, and received training in operating steam paddle steamers to reserve skills, and at the same time, Wu Chaoyue had also ordered two steam paddle steamer gunboats with a displacement of 600 tons through the small package order, sparing no expense to reinforce the relatively weakest Wu army sailors, and the funds for the purchase of ships were provided by the Hankou tariff interception part and Hubei's centigold. -- Wu Chaoyue was too shameless to continue to stretch out his hand to the old and sick comprador grandfather, otherwise Wu Chaoyue had planned to buy five steam paddle steamer warships that cost more than 100,000 taels of silver.

Of the other four battalions, two battalions are all recruits, one battalion is reinforced by Liu Mingchuan's inscription battalion, and the last battalion is a cavalry battalion, Wu Chaoyue's first cavalry unit, this battalion is also commanded by Wu Chaoyue's brother-in-law Nie Shicheng, and Nie Shicheng's deputy is Ding Ruchang, a new general with quite good riding skills - of course, Wu Chaoyue also suffered a lot of pressure for this.

In order to arm these recruits, Wu Chaoyue used almost all of his weapon reserves, and at the same time, the ammunition and musket accessories lost in training must be a large amount, plus the picric acid weapons were almost exhausted in the battle of Tianjiazhen, it was difficult for the Wu army to have the strength to launch a large-scale war in a short period of time, and even the defensive war was estimated to be in danger of running out of ammunition, which looked more powerful but was actually not as strong as before.

However, it is not bad, the Western Route Army of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom has basically concentrated on the battlefield around Nanchang, and has obviously temporarily given up the plan to continue to attack Hubei, and at the same time, the Twist Army, which is still in the development stage, does not have the strength to go deep into the Hubei battlefield, at most it only dares to harass a few times on the northern border of Hubei, and each time it is quickly driven out by the Hubei Governor Duolong'a who sits in Xiangyang, so as long as the information about the lack of ammunition of the Hubei New Army is not leaked, it will once again attract a large-scale attack by the Taiping Army. It is unlikely that Wu will be in danger of being punctured by the painting skin of this paper tiger, and Daye Arsenal will still have time to gradually increase production and produce weapons and ammunition to supply Wu's army.

Since it is a paper tiger, of course, you have to pretend to be a little more like, on the day when the new fifth battalion finished its preparatory training and officially became an army, according to the usual practice, Wu Chaoyue went to the ceremony site and delivered an impassioned speech, praising the glorious history of Wu Jiajun to the new lackeys, encouraging the recruits to learn from the predecessors and veterans, train strictly, fight bravely, protect the territory and the people, and be worthy of the people's food, clothing, military salaries and weapons and equipment in their hands! It is also necessary for these recruits to obey the command, obey the order, and unite around the Qing Dynasty's important minister Wu Chaoyue Zi Weiting to report to the country and protect the people!

I can't remember how many times I went through similar scenes, Wu Chaoyue didn't blush when he said these words, and after giving a speech, he showed off his superb acting skills, condoled the soldiers and asked for warmth, and tried his best to create a hypocritical image of loving soldiers like children, and was busy until noon and accompanied the soldiers to have lunch before leaving the barracks established at the foot of Hongshan and returning to the provincial capital to continue working.

Evil has evil retribution, it may be that he worked too hard during his speech and talked too much to appease the recruits, and just sat down in the governor's yamen, Wu Chaoyue suddenly felt very uncomfortable in his throat, and when he spoke, it was even more painful like a hell of pulling out his tongue. However, just when Wu Chaoyue was thinking about whether to call Lang Zhong to come for diagnosis and treatment or find some fat sea to soak in water to drink, someone outside the door suddenly came to report, saying that Zeng Guofan sent Guo Songtao to visit him, and Wu Chaoyue, whose throat was sore uncomfortably, heard that he was bitter, although he had already publicly turned his face with Zeng Guofan, but because of the previous teacher-student relationship, he could only order to see him, and at the same time send someone to call Lang Zhong to treat himself.

After a while, Guo Songtao was the first to be led in front of Wu Chaoyue, and Wu Chaoyue, who was uncomfortable with his speech, was very helpless, so he could only force himself and said: "Mr. Yunxian, please sit down, serve tea, I happen to have a sore throat, Mr. Please tell Huifu if you have something, and I will listen to it next to me." ”

Fox suspiciously glanced at Wu Chaoyue, who only had a painful expression but no sickness, Guo Songtao muttered in his heart, extremely suspicious that Wu Chaoyue deliberately pretended to be sick because he knew his intentions, but he couldn't expose it in person, so he could only bow his hand to Wu Chaoyue and said: "Lord Futai, since you are not feeling well, then the student is not polite, this time, the student is to beg you for Zeng Butang." ”

"Please?" Wu Chaoyue's heart was first stunned, and then he immediately came to his senses - Teacher Zeng's side must have been unable to parry, and he must have been in danger to the point where he could no longer be in danger, so he could only pull down his face and ask for help.

As expected, Guo Songtao really brought a letter written by Zeng Guofan asking for help, and asked Wu Chaoyue very sincerely to send the Hubei New Army to Jiangxi to pull him for the sake of the previous teacher-student relationship, as well as for the sake of the imperial court. At the same time, Guo Songtao also directly told Wu Chaoyue that after the Hunan army had been fighting against the Taiping army in Wucheng for a long time, it had to abandon the camp because the grain and grass were exhausted, but Shi Dakai seized the weakness of the Hunan army that was good at defending and not attacking, and kept chasing and fighting, and stubbornly pestered the Hunan army that was forced to fight a sports war.

At the same time, Shi Dakai also expected that the Hunan army would inevitably flee to Nanchang City, the only city in Jiangxi with more food and grass, and arranged an ambush on the road early to meet it, and transferred Lin Fengxiang's army from the Nanchang battlefield to intercept it. But the Hunan army was still unable to break through the front blockade and chase after the Taiping army, and killed under the city of Nanchang to get food, and had to flee to Jianchang, where the city was short of food, to temporarily stay.

However, when Zeng Guofan finally escaped to Jianchang with the Hunan army, there were only more than 3,000 people left in the Hunan army land division that had swept Huguang, and there were only more than 1,000 people left in the water division who hid in Leting on the east bank of Poyang Lake and did not dare to leave the port, unable to rescue each other, and the food and salary were cut off, and the ammunition was almost exhausted. However, even so, only the Taiping army led by Shi Zhenji was unable to deal with the Hunan army, so they could only stick to the camp and not be able to leave. Completely helpless, Zeng Guofan had no choice but to listen to the persuasion of Liu Rong, Guo Songtao and others, and cheekily asked the disobedient protégé for assistance, begging the disobedient protégé to send him reinforcements and provide him with a batch of military salaries, grain and grass to help him get through this difficulty.

The reason why the Hunan army was so miserable was that of course Wu Chaoyue gave the pit, and in history, the Hunan army was pumped all over the ground by Shi Dakai in Jiangxi, but Hu Linyi at that time had already taken office as the governor of Hubei and held real power, relying on Hubei's money, food and reinforcements to help Zeng Guofan get through the fateful difficulties. And now because of the agitation of Wu Chaoyue's wings, the governor of Hubei is surnamed Wu, and Hubei's money, food, and military salaries are no longer selfless supplies for Teacher Zeng as they are in history, and poor Teacher Zeng is of course even more pitiful in front of his nemesis Shi Dakai.

Of course, Wu Chaoyue, who has a sparse history, doesn't know that the real culprit of the Hunan army's fall to today's situation is himself, but fortunately, Wu Chaoyue doesn't want Mr. Zeng to die quickly, so while gloating, Wu Chaoyue still calculated whether he should send troops to rescue the Hunan army. However, Wu Chaoyue immediately remembered an important problem - with the current ammunition reserves of his army, there was absolutely no possibility of supporting another expedition to Jiangxi, let alone helping Zeng Guofan to fight under the city of Nanchang to rescue Nanchang.

After thinking about it for a long time, Wu Chaoyue, who had an unbearable sore throat, first brought the map in person, and then beckoned Zhao Liewen and Guo Songtao to step forward, and drew a route from Jianchang to Ruichang to Tianjia Town on the map with his fingers, and then wrote a sentence, "I will send troops to meet you and fully support you." ”

Zhao Liewen was Wu Chaoyue's confidant, and immediately said to Guo Songtao: "Mr. Yunxian, what Weiting means is to suggest that you withdraw to Tianjia Town to regroup, and we will send troops to meet your retreat, and after returning to Tianjia Town, we will fully support you whether you supply soldiers with food or military weapons." ”

"What about Nanchang?" Guo Songtao hurriedly asked.

Wu Chaoyue also wrote the three lines of "the city is hard to break", "the long hair is exhausted" and "you can save it again after you make a comeback", and Zhao Liewen also explained for Wu Chaoyue: "Mr. Yunxian, Weiting thinks that the city of Nanchang is strong, and the grain and grass are relatively sufficient, so it will not be easily broken by the long hair. In addition, Changmao fought many fierce battles with you, and was defeated by us twice in a row in Tianjia Town, and the army was close to exhaustion, and it was difficult to quickly take Nanchang. Therefore, as long as you withdraw to Tianjia Town to survive the crisis, rely on the help of Huguang's money and food, and then save Nanchang. ”

"What if Nanchang is really broken by Long Hair?" Guo Songtao was so anxious that his eyes were red, and he said loudly: "That is the provincial capital of Jiangxi, if it is unfortunately attacked by Changmao again, the entire Jiangxi will be finished!" Also, our army now wants grain and grass, ammunition and ammunition, and if it is surrounded by long hairs on the way back to Hubei, then what will we do? ”

If it weren't for the fact that his throat was sore like a knife, Wu Chaoyue really wanted to shout, in your current situation, even if you go to Nanchang, what is the use of fart? Hurry up and withdraw to Hubei to get money, food, and soldiers from Huguang and Guangzhou provinces, and then try to save Nanchang, isn't it much easier?

However, there is no way, Wu Chaoyue's illness is really unfortunate, and he can only find his own guilt when he reluctantly speaks, and he has no choice but to let Zhao Liewen come forward to explain and persuade him, but unfortunately Zhao Liewen is useless no matter how he explains, Guo Songtao not only couldn't listen to half a sentence, but also suddenly knelt down to Wu Chaoyue, and pleaded with a crying voice: "Wu Futai, the student begged you for Zeng Dashuai, he is sorry for you, he relied on the silver you lent him, and repeatedly blackmailed you in Hubei, conniving at Li Yuandu to harm you and Zhao Huifu, In the end, I was jealous of your merits and simply folded the bullet and impeached you! You hate him to the core, rightfully so! ”

"But he's your teacher after all!" Guo Songtao cried completely, and cried loudly while kowtowing desperately, "Wu Futai, please save us once, send us a support army, send us a batch of military rations and ammunition, I beg you!" ”

In the face of Guo Songtao's kowtow and begging, Wu Chaoyue and Zhao Liewen were helpless, and in desperation, Zhao Liewen could only say to Wu Chaoyue: "Weiting, since Zeng Butang insists on rescuing Nanchang, then we will let Bao Chao lead two thousand green battalion soldiers to Jiangxi with a batch of grain and grass and military supplies to help him with this." ”

Wu Chaoyue was still thinking about whether Bao Chao had the strength to carry a large number of grain and grass to Jianchang for rescue, but Guo Songtao was already crying: "The green battalion soldiers are useless!" If you want to save Jianchang and Nanchang, you can only send your new army in Hubei, Lord Futai, and only they can bring a large number of grain and grass to Jianchang to reinforce us! Wu Futai, I beg you, let your Hubei New Army dispatch! ”

Wu Chaoyue was completely speechless, at this time Lang Zhong had also been led to Wu Chaoyue by his own soldiers, Wu Chaoyue had no choice but to let Lang Zhong check his throat for himself, and said to Zhao Liewen with difficulty: "Huifu, take Mr. Yunxian to the back hall and tell him the truth." ”

Zhao Liewen smiled bitterly and nodded, so he could only quickly invite Guo Songtao into the back hall, risking leaking secrets to tell Guo Songtao the truth about Wu Jun's current paper tiger. Wu Chaoyue continued to be examined by Lang Zhong in the front hall, and then Lang Zhong also told Wu Chaoyue very nervously, saying that Wu Chaoyue's disease was due to the decline of physical fitness caused by overwork, and the milk moth (acute tonsillitis) caused by evil heat, and the condition was quite serious, and if you did not hurry up to bed rest and medication, there would be a danger of causing high fever - but it was a pity that it was difficult to die.

Just sighed secretly that his illness was really unfortunate, but Guo Songtao rushed out of the back hall quickly, arched his hand to Wu Chaoyue and said goodbye, and then rushed out of the hall crying. Wu Chaoyue was inexplicable, and Zhao Liewen followed out and said with a wry smile at Wu Chaoyue: "I don't believe it, I always think that we are making excuses to excuse us, and I would rather go back and die on the battlefield with Zeng Butang than beg us again." ”

With the same helpless wry smile, Wu Chaoyue first asked Zhao Liewen to arrange a plan to send Bao Chao east to rescue Zeng Guofan, and then quickly accepted Lang Zhong's first aid, but when Lang Zhong carefully blew the ice boron powder into Wu Chaoyue's throat with a thin bamboo pipe, there was a sudden report from a personal soldier outside the hall, saying that a man was scolding Wu Chaoyue's ancestor of the eighteenth generation outside the gate of the governor's yamen. Wu Chaoyue and Zhao Liewen were all in the same place when they heard this, and Zhao Liewen also hurriedly asked for Wu Chaoyue: "Who is scolding Lord Futai?" Did the man say who he was? ”

"I said, he said his name was Zuo Zongtang." The soldier replied truthfully: "That Mr. Guo Songtao Guo was also with him just now, but Mr. Guo was just crying, and it was Zuo Zongtang who was scolding." ”

There is no nonsense, not caring that he may lie down due to illness at any time, Wu Chaoyue hurriedly went out with Zhao Liewen to meet Zuo Zongtang, and then just walked near the Yuanmen, Wu Chaoyue had already heard someone greeting the ancestor of his comprador grandfather, and then when he was already full of people who did not know the truth, Wu Chaoyue saw at a glance that sure enough, there was a middle-aged man in his forties who was yelling and scolding, "Wu Chaoyue, you despicable villain who can't save him when he sees death and takes revenge for personal gain!" Shameless bastards who deserve to die! ”

The sore throat was too bad, Wu Chaoyue could only bow while asking Zhao Liewen to come forward to explain for himself, but Zhao Liewen didn't want to be unlucky, and just reported his name, he was immediately scolded by Zuo Zongtang pointing to his nose, "Zhao Liewen, you are a young mouse who helps in abuse, and I am as famous as you in Huguang, it is really a blood mold that has been poured for eight lifetimes!" Wu Chaoyue Xiao'er will take revenge, and he will not save his mentor when he sees death, you, as his chief of staff, not only are you not good at persuasion, but you help him find all kinds of excuses to refuse, and deliberately help him harm his teacher to be defeated and die, you bastard who is a tiger can't die well! Come to a sticky end! ”

I have long heard of Zuo Zongtang's temper and scolding his mother, but Wu Chaoyue and Zhao Liewen, the unscrupulous pair, really haven't reached the point where Zuo Zongtang's temper can be so hot, even if he is forced out of Hunan, he doesn't know how to repent. Crying and laughing, Zhao Liewen had no choice but to bow his hand again and again at Wu Chaoyue's wave and said, "Mr. Zuo, Mr. Zuo, we didn't say no, we are discussing the plan to send troops." Please sit inside, and we'll tell you why when you get to the lobby. ”

"It's dirty! Lao Tzu stinks! Roaring angrily, Zuo Zongtang roared again: "Send troops? Send the Green Battalion to the rescue? What kind of virtue is the Green Battalion, you still don't know? Why didn't you send out the Hubei New Army, which you had built with Hubei money and grain? ”

In front of countless outsiders, even if they killed Wu Chaoyue and Zhao Liewen, they didn't dare to tell the truth that the Hubei New Army was actually a paper tiger now, so they could only invite Zuo Zongtang to speak inside. However, Zuo Zongtang not only still disliked Wu Chaoyue's yamen and the same dirty smell as the thatched pit, but when the fire was extremely big, he simply turned around and pulled up Guo Songtao, who was crying bitterly, and left, yelling: "What are you crying about? Heaven doesn't help, people don't help, help yourself! Let's go, I'll go to Jiangxi with you, and accompany Zeng Guofan and Changmao to fight for this life! ”

Looking at Zuo Zongtang's back pulling Guo Songtao away, Wu Chaoyue wanted to cry without tears, just sighed secretly that he was really sick this time, and then suddenly felt that the sky was spinning, and the whole person fell down softly, although Zhao Liewen and Wu Dadao and others next to him found out that something was wrong and quickly helped Wu Chaoyue, but Wu Chaoyue's head was still so heavy that it seemed to be poured into the paste, and he was groggy and gradually lost consciousness.

When Wu Chaoyue woke up, it was already dark, and the bedside was also full of accomplices, lackeys and Hubei officials who came to visit the sick. ”

"Gone." Zhao Liewen replied with a wry smile: "I got on the boat directly with Guo Songtao and went directly to the lower reaches of the Yangtze River." ”

When Wu Chaoyue was helpless to lament, Li Qinggu, the Hubei envoy, Duoshan, the prefect of Wuchang, and Ma Xiuru, the newly appointed political envoy, were already scolding on the side, scolding Zuo Zongtang's arrogance, Guo Songtao's short eyes and Zeng Guofan's shameless demands, and they all patted their chests and vouched to testify for Wu Chaoyue, proving to the Manchu court that they saw with their own eyes that Wu Chaoyue was unable to send troops because of his sudden illness due to overwork, and never gave Zeng Guofan any chance to falsely accuse Wu Chaoyue of dying and not saving him.

Thanks to the kindness of several colleagues for their kindness, Wu Chaoyue lamented even more in his heart, "My illness is really unlucky, and it will be difficult to ambush Zuo Zongtang in the future." (To be continued.) )