It was also late at night, but the Xiwang Mansion in Suzhou was brightly lit and lively, and the officials of various departments were still busy going in and out. Above the main hall, a steady stream of information from all parties converged in front of the table of the West King, and the huge intelligence network of Bai Zetang and the Intelligence Department was now beginning to show its power.

Jiangxi Yang Fuqing still did not move, within two consecutive days, Yang Fuqing convened his henchmen and generals five times in a row to discuss the way out, Yang Fuqing did not dare to return to Tianjing, according to the internal report, Yang Fuqing's most likely way is to stay in Jiangxi to protect himself. Five days ago, the Qing Demon Jiang Zhongyuan Department learned of the Tianjing Rebellion, and sent more than 10,000 soldiers and horses to attack Shanggao County, and Yang Fuqing sent 30,000 troops to take advantage of it. Three days ago, another Qing Demon Zeng Guo sent a lobbyist to Nanchang, seemingly intending to persuade Yang Fuqing to surrender, but at that time, Yang Fuqing was a Qing Demon who had seen him alone, and he didn't know the content of Yang Fuqing's conversation with Qing Demon. Qian Jiang took a secret report and said: "His Royal Highness the King of the West, will Yang Fuqing descend the Qing Demon?" ”

Xiao Yungui, who was sitting behind the table, frowned, his eyes were red, he hadn't closed his eyes for two days, since the Tianjing Incident, he had been like this, and he rarely could sleep peacefully. Xiao Yungui rubbed his temples, took a sip of strong tea and said: "Yang Fuqing shouldn't be able to lower the Qing for the time being, but let the Neiying over there also put it aside, if Yang Fuqing dares to lower the Qing, he will gather the middle and lower-level generals of Yang Fuqing's department to launch a mutiny." If you learn the news of the Jiangxi mutiny, you will let the Lin Qirong Department of the First Army of Fujian enter Jiangxi immediately! ”

Zuo Zongtang added on the side: "It takes time for the news to go back and forth here, and the next general order from the military department will be given to Lin Qirong, once there is something in Jiangxi, after he gets the news, he can make a decision immediately, and he doesn't have to report to Suzhou to ask for his life!" ”

Xiao Yungui snorted, and Li Kaifang, the secretary of the Ministry of War, immediately ordered someone to draft an order and send it to Fujian. These days, the entire Xiwang Mansion is spent in such a fast pace. Every time there is a new change, the west hall can always respond at the first time.

Xiao Yungui asked again: "Is there any new news from Shi Dakai?" ”

Qian Jiang looked through a few pieces of information and said: "Shi Dakai has passed the Wuhu camp and continued to Wuchang, Wei Changhui once sent Qin Rigang to lead more than 10,000 people to pursue, but in the Wuhu camp was repelled by Shi Dakai's troops, and Cheng Xueqi, the east hall guard of the Wuhu camp, followed Shi Dakai back to Wuchang with Shi Dakai. Qin Rigang returned shortly after his defeat and now occupies the camp in Wuhu. ”

Hong Yun'er, who was sitting on the side, suddenly interjected and asked, "Is this Cheng Xueqi from Tongcheng, Anhui?" ”

Qian Jiang quickly turned out Cheng Xueqi's resume and said: "Xi Wang Niang is right, Cheng Xueqi is a native of Tongcheng, Anhui Province, and he was a general in the East Palace at the beginning, and he was subordinate to Ye Yunlai. He was stationed in Anqing, Anhui Province, and later transferred to the Wuhu camp. ”

Xiao Yungui glanced at Hong Yun'er, only to see Hong Yun'er nodding slightly, Xiao Yungui knew what she meant, this Cheng Xueqi was Cheng Xueqi who surrendered to the Hunan army in history. But at this moment, history has changed beyond recognition, and he may not be able to clear it up with Shi Dakai. Immediately hummed. sneered: "Qin Rigang still wants to occupy Wuhu to resist Shi Dakai's army of the three provinces? It's ridiculous! Shi Dakai returned to Wuchang will definitely mobilize Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and other armies to raise troops Qin Wang, the East King died, the East Hall in the north of Hunan, the north of Jiangxi soldiers and horses without a leader, to Shi Dakai can only be able to dominate, and with the help of the East Temple Sailor, Qin Rigang's Wuhu camp is undoubtedly a mantis arm as a car. ”

Zuo Zongtang smiled: "This is Wei Changhui's wishful thinking. He only needs to be able to hold Wuhu and sit back and relax, and when we and the soldiers and horses of the Wing Hall are facing each other, he will know that he is powerful. Then he said: "Ma Haocheng and the others are by the side of the Wing Palace, presumably Shi Dakai can also feel at ease." At least he knew that the king of the west was clear about what he did, and he would not calculate him. ”

Xiao Yungui smiled and said: "Shi Dakai is just burdened by benevolence and righteousness, and he knows that responding to the rebellion will be in danger of being annexed by my West Palace, but he still has to pinch his nose and jump in. ”

Zuo Zongtang sighed lightly: "A son is all wrong, Hong Xiuquan chose Wei Changhui as the first official to kill Yang Xiuqing, he chose the wrong person, if he chose Shi Dakai, Tianjing would not end up like this." After Shi Dakai can only kill Yang Xiuqing, he will collect the subordinates of the East Hall for the use of the Heavenly King, and it will be difficult for us to do it in the West Palace. ”

Hong Yun'er said with a smile: "There is no if, Hong Xiuquan is also very jealous of Shi Dakai's ability, he thought that Wei Changhui was better to master, but he didn't expect to move a stone and hit his own foot." ”

The generals of the West Palace in the palace laughed together, and after laughing, Zuo Zongtang suddenly said: "The Tianjing City is now temporarily controlled by Wei Changhui, except for the Tianwang Mansion and the West Wangfu, the rest of the city gates and passes are controlled by the North Palace, and the only thing Zuo is worried about now is the safety of the Tianjing West Palace." ”

Due to the strength of the West Palace in Sufu Province, whether it is the Heavenly King Hong Xiuquan or Yang Xiuqing, or the current Wei Changhui did not dare to touch the West Palace of Tianjing, such as today's West Palace in Beijing has hundreds of small families including Xiao Youhe, the noble son of Xiao Dynasty, the West King of the West Dynasty, and there are more than 1,000 guards of the West Hall led by Xiao Yungui's cronies Li Zuoche, as well as dozens of dead soldiers in Bai Zetang of the West Hall of Tianjing and more than 100 people and horses from the Intelligence Division. But Zuo Zongtang said it at this time, he was still worried that Wei Changhui, a mad dog, was in a hurry to bite people, although the Tianjing West Mansion was guarded by layers of relationship networks, but it was difficult to guarantee that Wei Changhui would not do anything crazy before he perished.

Xiao Yungui and Hong Yun'er glanced at each other, those Xiwang family members in Tianjing's Xiwang Mansion had no relationship with them, but in the eyes of outsiders, those people were all Xiwang's family members, if they couldn't keep it, they wouldn't have a good time if the so-called lord humiliated the ministers to death.

At that moment, Xiao Yungui pondered for a moment and then said slowly: "The safety of the Tianjing West Palace's Mansion has been arranged before, and all the power that the West Palace can think of has been used, if they can't be protected like this, it can only be said that there should be such a variable in fate." But to exert absolute pressure on Wei Changhui, if he dares to move the Tianjing West Palace, I, Xiao Chaogui, swear that I will let all the relatives of the Beiwang family and the soldiers come to accompany the burial! ”

Everyone in the palace was moved together, only felt that the king of the west had done his best to do this, and in the end he could only obey the mandate of heaven, but everyone felt that if he still couldn't keep the family of the king of the west in the case of taking advantage of the situation, the ministers of the west palace would feel that their faces were dull, and everyone secretly decided to order their subordinates in tianjing to keep the family of the king of the west at any cost.

After a moment of silence. It was the weak voice of a thin scholar in the Intelligence Department that broke the silence in the palace, "The news sent by Anqing, Shi Dakai did not return to Wuchang, but stopped in Anqing to preside over military affairs, and the text of the crusade against the northern traitors arrived in Anqing, Shi Dakai has officially replied, in response to the letter of the king of the West to raise troops and fight against the northern traitors, and decided to raise 50,000 troops to Wuhu in five days. ”

After hearing this, Xiao Yungui slapped the table and laughed: "The big thing is decided, once the Wing King raises troops." The wavering Yang Fuqing will also follow, expecting that tomorrow Yang Fuqing will respond to the news of the army's message, ordering the third army and the fourth army on standby in Zhenjiang and Guangde to prepare for the attack, and tomorrow morning the king and Zuo Xiang, Xi Wangniang and others will rush to Zhenjiang to prepare to enter Tianjing, and Suzhou will be led by Li Kaifang and Li Shangshu. The ministries will make arrangements according to the strategy, and once the king enters Beijing. The ministries are ready to move to Tianjing! ”

The ministers will receive the command with a loud voice. Everyone's face is full of excitement, after waiting for so long, they finally want to get back what belongs to the West Palace, such as today the king is dusty, the east king is dead, and the north king is unvirtuous. The Wing King should be edicted, and the rest of the Yan King and Yu King are not to worry, as long as the army of the West Hall enters Tianjing, the center of the Heavenly Kingdom will be controlled by the West Palace. The king of the west will replace the king of the east to take charge of the kingdom of heaven, and after taking the world in the future, the king of the west will definitely be able to ascend the throne.

Just as the people of the West Hall were about to retreat from their respective busyness, a member of the Intelligence Department hurriedly rushed into the main hall and said loudly: "British and French note, yesterday Britain and France officially sent the declaration of war to Ye Mingchen, the governor of the Qing Demon and the Minister of Commerce and Commerce, and Britain and France officially declared war on the Qing Demon!" Now Britain and France have sent us a note that they hope we will remain neutral! ”

After the first defeat of Britain and France at Dagukou, everyone knew that Britain and France would send troops to retaliate, but they did not expect that they would want to declare war on the Manchus so soon, you must know that although the British and French maritime forces in the Far East are strong, the British marines are only a few thousand people, and they have to garrison the embassies in Hong Kong and various treaty ports, and the strength is obviously insufficient.

The only explanation why Britain and France had the confidence to declare war so quickly was that they mobilized the British army and Indian mercenaries in India. Thinking of this, Xiao Yungui couldn't help but forget Hong Yun'er's glance, and it happened that Hong Yun'er was also looking at him, and both of them saw a questioning look in each other's eyes, I don't know if Cixi and Ronglu will provoke a big uprising in India?

His eyes flashed, Xiao Yungui now has no time to pay attention to the British and French declaration of war on the Manchus, and it will take time for the British army in India to reach the Far East, he can only deal with the seizure of power in Tianjing, and success or failure is here. At that moment, Xiao Yungui looked at Zuo Zongtang and said inquiringly: "Zuo Xiang, since Britain and France have sent us a note to remain neutral, how about we remain neutral?" ”

Li Kaifang interjected: "His Royal Highness the King of the West, it is a good time for the foreign brothers to declare war on the Qing Demon, or wouldn't it be better for us to unite with the foreign brothers to deal with the Qing Demon?" ”

Zuo Zongtang shook his head and said: "The Qing demon is similar to me, and the language is also similar to me, although the race is different, but it has finally been assimilated by my China, but the foreign brothers have their own cultural customs, if the Qing demon is driven away but the foreigners take advantage of the weakness, it is the real disaster of China's extinction." It's good if we don't help each other, or if the foreigner fights the foreigner, we will fight ours, in short, we can't unite with the foreigner. ”

Xiao Yungui stood up and said slowly: "What Zuo Xiang said is good, we fight the Qing demon that is to close the door and fight our own family, if the foreigners come to the door, it will be outsiders bullying the door, we can't do anything for the time being, once the foreigners want to expand the war, we will definitely not be able to stay out of the matter at that time, after all, the land under our feet is not allowed to be lost from our hands because of the civil war, otherwise we will be sinners for the ages!" Everyone's hearts were full of joy, and then they understood, and everyone didn't want to drive away the Qing demon and come to the foreigners, so they took the order together at the moment.

So after Britain and France declared war on the Manchus, Xidian did not reply to the war note, but chose to remain silent, acquiescing in a kind of neutrality, but also did not explicitly reply to remain neutral, Xiao Yungui knew that sooner or later the Taiping Army would have to fight with the foreigners. (To be continued......)