Hengyang Mansion, after the conspiracy of Zeng Guofan, Chen Shijie, Li Yundu and others, the base camp of the Hunan army was temporarily located in this place, which is in the middle of Hunan, and it is only a few days away from Changsha.

On February 4, 1855, Shen Baozhen, Zhao Yali, Liu Rong and their entourage traveled tirelessly and finally came to Hengyang Mansion in Hunan, and everyone entered the city under the escort of Zhu Sunyi.

In the palace, Shen Baozhen recognized Zeng Guofan from the crowd at a glance, and immediately stepped forward and said: "Brother Disheng has been absent for a long time, since the capital has been goodbye, I haven't seen him for five years now, so that the little brother misses it." ”

Zeng Guofan was secretly happy, it was easy to do things when he met acquaintances, this Shen Baozhen was a twenty-seventh year jinshi of Daoguang, and he was his junior, no matter how he said it, he would not embarrass him.

"Let Lord Shen laugh, Zeng is ashamed, everyone is please! Zeng Mou picked up the wind and washed the dust for everyone. ”

Shen Baozhen motioned for Zhao Yali to follow, and as Zeng Guofan and others entered the mansion, they came to the main hall of the backyard, where several tables of banquets had already been prepared, Zeng Guofan and Shen Baozhen shirked each other, so that they could be on the main position, and asked Shen Baozhen to do the second.

Shen Baozhen first introduced Zhao Yali and smiled at everyone: "This is Lord Zhao, the emperor's deputy envoy, he is a big celebrity in front of the emperor, you can't offend him." ”

Zhao Yali smiled and gestured to everyone, and said to Zeng Guofan: "I have heard of the prestige of Lord Zeng since I was a child, and it is really a blessing to see the deity today!" ”

Zeng Guofan became solemn at this time, and smiled at Zhao Yali: "Lord Zhao has worked hard, Zeng is ashamed." Come! Let's toast Lord Zhao together. ”

Shen Baozhen drank it all and slowly put down the wine glass. said to Zeng Guofan: "Since Lord Zeng has decided to start an incident, then this matter should be sooner rather than later." It is better to immediately send troops to Changsha and Wuchang, and we will seem to be explained by the emperor. ”

Liu Rong, Zeng Guoquan, Li Xuyi and others all looked at Zeng Guofan, as long as the Hunan army moved, within a month, they could capture Wuchang and capture Prince Gong alive.

Zeng Guofan had a difficult face, and said with a wry smile: "You don't know, half a month ago, I don't know who leaked the news. Hunan Governor Hu Linyi fled to Wuchang overnight, and now Hubei is ruthless in guarding the Hunan army, even someone Zeng was also pointed out by Qianfu, it is easy to occupy Hunan, and it may be difficult to send troops to Hubei! ”

Everyone knew that Zeng Guofan was concerned about his reputation, and Shen Baozhen didn't want to persecute him too much, so he glanced at Zhao Yali and said as if he was discussing: "Then capture Hunan first?" Hubei will wait for a while? ”

Zhao Yali replied lightly: "Everything is arranged by Lord Shen, but the emperor has repeatedly explained." The Huguang issue must be resolved within two months, and there will inevitably be suspicions of resisting the decree at that time. ”

Hearing the protest order, Zeng Guoquan said fiercely: "What are you afraid of, let me lead troops to attack Hubei." I don't believe that the little soldiers brought by Prince Gong can still be reversed! ”

Liu Rong hurriedly stopped Zeng Guoquan and explained: "The so-called name is not good, then the word is not good." If you don't go well, it will be difficult to accomplish, and our Hunan army has always started with loyalty and filial piety. I am afraid that rashly using troops against Hubei will only backfire. ”

Zeng Guoquan said: "What should I do then? You can't let the Han army send troops. Then what kind of face does our Hunan army have to reward? ”

Everyone listened to Zeng Guoquan's words so bluntly, and when they saw Zhao Yali showing a little expression, their embarrassment flashed.

Liu Rong sighed: "If you let the Hunan army enter Hubei, you have to have a fair and honest reason, and the Hunan army has been operating in Hubei for a long time, and it doesn't take a few battles to fight in Wuchang." ”

Zhao Yali smiled: "It's not easy to have a reason! ”

Zeng Guofan was shocked, this problem had plagued him for a month, and he was afraid that he would not be able to explain it to Li Yunzhong, but now that he heard that Zhao Yali had a way, he was really overjoyed, and immediately asked: "Ji will be released?" ”

Zhao Yali said: "As long as there are rebels entering Hubei, the Hunan army can justifiably quell the rebellion. ”

"Wonderful! Wonderful! Liu Rong praised again and again, and asked: "But there are rebels there, the rebels are weak, I am afraid that before the Hunan army can be dispatched, it will be annihilated by the Qing army in Hubei, but where can the powerful rebels come from?" ”

Zhao Yali asked: "Is there no ambitious person in Hunan and Hubei, what Heaven and Earth Society, Little Knife Society, and Red Flower Society, just find a reason to force them to rebel, and then drive these rebels into Hubei, and the Hunan army will follow behind, won't the problem of Hubei be solved!" When the Hunan army arrived in Hubei, it was to protect the territory and the people, and no one could find fault or omission. ”

Zeng Guofan saw that everyone looked contemplative, and decided: "Since everyone has no good way, and there is not much time left before the emperor's regulations, just act according to Lord Zhao's method, who of you knows what kind of chaos there is in Hunan and Hubei?" ”

Li Xuyi smiled bitterly: "My lord doesn't know, the Hunan Rebellion Party has been wiped out, even the Heaven and Earth Society has also been driven to neighboring provinces, as for the others, they have all made up their minds to hide their names, and they really don't know what they do." ”

Zeng Guofan then remembered that when he was against the Han army, he was defeated again and again, and he ordered the extermination of the Hunan bandits, so as to train the troops to restore morale, how could he think of today's difficulties at that time.

Shen Baozhen said with a smile: "Hunan may not be absent, as far as I know, the White Lotus Sect has branches in all provinces, during the Jiaqing period, the Sichuan Chu White Lotus Sect had an incident, and after the failure, most of them fled to Hunan Ansheng, do you know where the helm of the White Lotus Sect is?" ”

Zeng Guoquan was overjoyed, patted the table and said with a smile: "It's really providence, these bandits are also useful, there is a battalion officer in our army, named Xie Zhengfeng, when he goes into battle, he loves to read scriptures such as the blessing of the Holy Mother, he must know about the White Lotus Sect." ”

Shen Baozhen smiled elegantly, stroked his beard and said: "This is easy to do, there is a book written by Jiang Gan in ancient times, we can also follow suit once, let him know that our Hunan army is going to attack the White Lotus Sect, and let him go back to report the news, so that he is not afraid that he will not rebel." ”

Zeng Guofan finally let go of a burden, nodded again and again, and immediately ordered Zeng Guoquan and Liu Rong to take charge of this matter.

Late that night, at the Jizi Camp station, Zeng Guoquan and Liu Rong smiled at each other.

Zeng Guoquan said: "When that guy comes, Xia Xian will deliberately chant the three words of the White Lotus Sect to attract the attention of Xie Zhengfeng, and then we will tell him about the extermination of the White Lotus Sect." ”

Liu Rong solemnly instructed: "Have the guards outside the door been arranged?" Don't let them startle them. ”

Zeng Guofan smiled proudly: "Xia Xian, rest assured, everything has been arranged, and Xie Zhengfeng is convinced of it." ”

It was a sparse conversation outside the door.

"Lord Xie, you are here, Lord Zeng is meeting guests inside, they can't finish talking for a while, you wait here first, your stomach is uncomfortable, I can't serve you."

"Well, Zhilu Dao, you go, the official will be here for you for a while."

"Thank you for your understanding!"

Xie Zhengfeng smiled, and when he saw that there were indeed two figures in the room, he sat down at the stone table in the courtyard.

"White Lotus Sect!"

Xie Zhengfeng was shocked and frightened, how could the White Lotus Sect be mentioned in the house, he looked around, cautiously came to the window, poked a small hole, and saw Zeng Guoquan and Liu Rong discussing something.

Zeng Guoquan said: "How can my eldest brother be interested in the White Lotus Sect, besides, I have been in Hunan for so many years, and I have never heard about the White Lotus Sect. ”

Liu Rong said: "Jiu Shuai doesn't know, the Han Emperor Li Yunzhong is particularly jealous of the White Lotus Sect, and orders us to take it seriously, and also says that the capture of Hubei is secondary, and the extermination of the White Lotus Sect is the main thing." ”

Zeng Guoquan showed a confused look and asked: "But where to find the White Lotus Sect, this Han Emperor is not easy to fool, if you kill a few people casually, I am afraid that you will show your feet." ”

Liu Rong said with a smile: "Nine Shuai, rest assured, there have been White Lotus Sect people who have secretly surrendered to the emperor, and the White Lotus Sect is active in the area of Changde Mansion and Yueyang Mansion. ”

Hearing this, Xie Zhengfeng was shocked and angry, he is a person from Changde Mansion, the White Lotus Sect has long changed its name, and now it is called the Illuminati, but it still worships this Maitreya ancestor and the statue of the Virgin Buddha, and his father Xie Wen is the head of the Illuminati, if the officers and soldiers really want to act like this, I don't know how many people will suffer.

Zeng Guoquan said: "It's simple, my subordinate Xie Zhengfeng is from Changde Mansion, and letting him lead troops to Changde Mansion is just right to hide people's eyes." (To be continued......)