Reading guide: My aunt gave birth to a group practice, and she looked for a way out; Governor of the Governor's Office, Hunan officialdom changed.

Xiang Yong's training was a little eyebrow-raising, and a constitutional complaint flew in.

At the time of the delivery of the governor and Fu, Zeng Guofan's blue sedan chair quietly went out of the city.

After returning from Chu Yong's camp, Zeng Guofan changed his past attitude of indecisiveness and complaining, and decided to cheer up, find a way out of hopelessness, and train the regiment into a strong force that can fight tough battles.

He locked himself in the signing room and drafted a letter to the states and counties

The book said: "The initiator: the national domain was sent to Jiangxi in June, and on the twenty-fifth day of July, he heard about the death of Xianci in Taihu County, Anhui Province, and went to the funeral on the same day, and bought a boat to go west. When I arrived in Wuchang, I heard the letter that Changsha was besieged, abandoned my luggage, took only one servant, crawled and arrived home on August 23. That is, on September 13, the right house is first kind to the mountain behind the room. Fang plans to find another burial place and do his filial piety. On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, he received an edict and ordered him to handle the affairs of the regimental training of the villagers and the search for bandits. That is, on the twenty-first day, he went to the provincial capital to discuss everything with Zhang Zhongcheng. Fang Jin's business, don't rush to suppress the bandits. There are many bandits, cults, thieves, and ruffians. Or gather in the valley and entangle the henchmen, and the magistrates know it but dare not deal with it strictly, why is it? Cover and search its nest, and there is a danger of resisting arrest; fear of their gangs, fear of revenge; The constitution is transferred to the court, and there is the trouble of paperwork; There is a fee to be asked for to solve the offender's exchange. Those who use this number hesitate in their hearts, and they do not do it with forbearance. Fortunately, he did not move, and he was content with nothing. How do you know that once the theft is discovered, it will become a huge case, rob the prison officials, and be the bandits who have not moved. And then regret the mistakes of forbearance and kindness, is it too late? Since the Cantonese bandits have caused trouble, the people of various provinces have harbored unscrupulous intentions, cunning and thought of committing crimes and causing chaos, and if they are not punished once, they will be bold and contempt the law; If you don't punish it twice, you will gather a crowd to run rampant. The Holy Lord was restless and sternly annihilated the bandits. Zhang Zhongcheng leans on the holy will, and takes the removal of the evil and the conscience as his heart every day. The month before last, there was a strict ban on bandits, so that the state and county could arrest the people themselves; If they can't, they will send a letter to the Central Cheng Office and try to suppress it. However, if there is no case and no case is not solved, no crime will be punished, all the documents of investigation and transfer, and the cost of relieving the offender will be saved, and the punishment will be lenient. The national domain was ordered to investigate and deal with the bandits, but he was short-sighted and hard-sighted. I only ask the Ming government to work hard, and I can't catch it. Or ask the gentry to cooperate with it, or come to the province with the special ding, please suppress the soldiers, the strategy is impermanent, but the expectation is fast! If you go to a bandit, you will have a clean township, and if you kill a nest, a thousand families will sleep peacefully. The country is fortunate, and it is really great to be made in my mulberry state! ”

Zeng Guofan thought about it for a while, and wrote two articles: "The Book with the Gentlemen of the Provincial City" and "The Book of the Just Gentlemen with the Prefectures and Counties of Hunan".

"The Book with the Prefectures and Counties" and the "Book with the Fair Gentry of the Prefectures and Counties of Hunan" were printed in many copies, and the purple flower seal of the Issuance and Examination Bureau was stamped that night, and handed over to the special messenger to be delivered to the prefectures and counties; The article "Book with the Gentlemen of the Provincial City" appeared on the streets and alleys of Changsha City early the next morning.

Before dinner, Zeng Guofan took a sedan chair to the governor's yamen to discuss with Zhang Liangji, and Zhang Liangji came forward to seconded the bid for the provincial army Qianzong Zhudian Yuan to teach in the provincial regimental camp; Yang Zaifu, the general manager of the green battalion, and Huang Yisheng, the general manager of the green battalion, who were seconded to investigate the water bandits in Xiangyin, were promoted to serve in the Issuance Examination Bureau. Zhang Liangji agreed one by one.

At this time, the four battalions of the provincial capital Xiangyong all put on brave uniforms, and all the horses given to the officers were distributed to the battalions. At this time, although most of the Xiangyong used cold weapons such as broadswords, spears, axes, and iron rods, and only a small number of brave soldiers used spears and shotguns, their training was not slack.

In a few days, Tang Xuan, the housekeeper of Zeng Guofan when he was in Beijing, also came to the provincial capital. Zeng Guofan ordered him to go to the grain station to help with affairs.

During this period, Zhou Guoyu in Liuyang set up a righteous hall to collect the party, with more than 10,000 people. When the uprising was about to happen, the incident was leaked. Therefore, when Changsha was a little quieter, Zhang Liang sent Chu Yong's three battalions to arrest him, and asked Zeng Guofan to transfer a battalion of Xiangyong to cooperate. During the battle, Chu Yong and Xiang Yong captured nearly 1,000 foreign guns and four foreign cannons from Zhengyitang. After the incident, Xiang Yong was given 500 foreign guns and two foreign cannons. Jiang Zhongyuan's move was tantamount to sending charcoal in the snow to Xiang Yong, who lacked guns and guns. Zeng Guofan distributed these new weapons evenly among the battalions, but he was extremely grateful to Jiang Zhongyuan in his heart.

In this "quelling the chaos", Chu and Hunan bravely captured nearly 1,000 members of the "Zhengyi Hall" party, including more than 100 large and small hall owners.

After these people were escorted to the Issuance and Examination Bureau, Zeng Guofan first singled out some of the retinues and blind followers, the poor were punished with rods, and the rich were fined silver, and the local squires were guaranteed to take them back, and the magistrates strictly guarded them; All the hall owners and those who took the initiative to respond were locked in the station cage, put on the car, and escorted by the brave men to parade through the streets for three days, and then all of them were shown to the public.

The Issuance Examination Bureau originally had five station cages, and Zeng Guofan saw that there were too many people standing in cages, so he asked people to build 20 overnight. Still, it's not enough.

Soon, the Taiping army sent people to Changning and Leiyang, sealed officials and made wishes, secretly developed the party, and wanted to use the Taiping army to attack Changsha. Some villagers passed the news to the county government. The two counties urgently reported to the Issuance and Examination Bureau.

Changning Zhi County said: "Check that many Guangdong bandits have entered the country, and they have gone to the countryside to make trouble, so please send troops to arrest and suppress them." ”

Yongxing Zhixian said: "I found that in Leiyang local factory, the big river beach and other places, bandits gathered to make trouble, please send officers and soldiers to arrest and suppress." ”

Zeng Guofan didn't dare to hesitate for a moment, and immediately gave a reply to the two counties, saying: "Now I have sent a commission to teach Liu Changyou, garrison Li Fuchao, and Wang Zhu, a member of the company, take Chu Yong 500 and Xiang Yong 300 to go to the attack. Yang the county coordinated the arrest, and found out the traces of the thief's head and the way to enter the army. On the one hand, he sent people to the area of Leiyang Qingquan to welcome the soldiers; One side flies to the provincial capital. and gave Yongxing Wuju Chen Buyuan and Gongsheng Liu Maoting, each with a copy, and sent it to the dispatch, so that they could be intercepted with their efforts, in order to quickly extinguish it! ”

Approved and sent away, Zeng Guofan sent Liu Changyou, the garrison title, Li Fuchao, and Wang Jutong to lead 800 people from each battalion of Hunan and Chu to rush to the two places to suppress him. Because of his rapid movements, he not only captured more than 30 heavenly soldiers and generals sent by the Taiping Army to the two places in one fell swoop, but also arrested one heavenly general and 92 heavenly soldiers who had just developed in the local area.

After these people were taken to the Issuance and Examination Bureau, Zeng Guofan was immediately tried in court.

More than 70 people had just been tried, and Zeng Guofan was already stunned. Because Zeng Guofan found that among the ninety-two newly recruited heavenly soldiers, there were more than sixty of them, who were taken back by the squire last time and were strictly guarded by the magistrate! Not only did these people not repent, but they even went to other counties to join the Taiping Army! Obviously, these people are iron-hearted against the Great Qing Kingdom - if they are let go again this time, they will definitely join the Taiping Army as long as they have the opportunity!

Zeng Guofan first locked the thirty heavenly soldiers and generals who had been confessed into the station cage, and then paraded through the streets and beheaded them; The rest of the people were all imprisoned, and they wanted to discuss with the Yamen of the Imperial Envoy and the parents and officials of the two counties before deciding how to deal with them.

However, when it comes to the affairs of the Issuance and Examination Bureau, the Hunan Court does not dare to interfere and make comments; However, after the magistrates of the two counties were ordered to enter the province, they resolutely disagreed with the capital punishment of these people, on the grounds that if the punishment was too severe, the people's will be even more unstable; Especially in extraordinary times, we should be more careful.

After sending the magistrates of the two counties away, Zeng Guofan did not sleep in the middle of the night.

Before he got up the next day, news reached Zeng Guofan's ears: more than a dozen Taiping soldiers were sent to Xiangxiang in the guise of deserters, wanting to attack Zeng's mansion in Lotus Pond; Zhu Sunyi received the confirmatory report, and immediately rushed to Heyetang with the officials and the regimental training, and captured the dozen or so Taiping soldiers who were about to attack - these people were being sent to the provincial capital by the regimental training.

Zhu Sunyi finally swore to Zeng Guofan: He has sent a special person to wait in the lotus leaf pond day and night with the group practice; As soon as a suspicious person appears, immediately arrest and question.

After reading Zhu Sunyi's writings, Zeng Guofan immediately made a decision: all the people captured from the two counties will be beheaded, and none of them will be spared! It will be so in the future! Zeng Guofan believed that only in this way could the villagers keep to themselves and not dare to get on the thief ship lightly; Only in this way can the Taiping army have no chance to take advantage of it and cut off the idea of coming to Hunan to make trouble. so that Hunan can truly achieve the goal of "thieves holding their breath, and the people of Hunan will change more and follow the good"; On the same day, he received an urgent report from Anhua County: saying that a squire Lin had recruited more than 500 village fools, ruffians, and market bullies in the name of running a regimental guard. Now he sent people to other provinces to buy guns and cannons, and secretly contacted the Taiping army, wanting to kill officials and cause trouble.

Zeng Guofan immediately made a decision, and immediately sent a fast horse to Hengyang to pass the order: Liu Changyou and Jiang Zhongji got all the brave men and flew to Anhua to arrest and suppress. Zeng Guofan specially told Liu Changyou that except for the chief escorting the provincial capital for interrogation, all coerced servants could be beheaded on the spot.

For a time, the counties of Hunan were full of swords and swords; Everyone is afraid, and every household is careful. Everywhere were teams of Hunan and Chu Yongding who were fighting guns and sticks, killing from one county to another, and nowhere could they be found. So that the scattered Taiping troops who were sent to the villages to prepare for the uprising had nothing to hide, no way to hide, and they really complained of hardship.

The bloody atmosphere of the couch examination bureau began to get thicker and thicker.

The words "Zeng Guofan" were also quickly replaced by "Zeng shaved his head" and "Zeng butcher". For a time, the Taiping army gritted its teeth on Zeng Guofan, and many people who wanted to join the Taiping army also hated Zeng Guofan to their bones.

Zeng Guofan's notoriety first spread throughout Huguang, and then slowly spread to other provinces, and three months later, even Emperor Xianfeng, who was far away in the capital, knew the nickname "Zeng Shaved Head".

Xianfeng didn't say a word about Zeng Guofan's approach, but he agreed with it in his heart.

The university scholar Qi Liaozao folded his eyebrows and eyes differently, and wanted to ask the emperor to shave his head to calm the people's hearts.

On the day Emperor Xianfeng received the excerpt, he summoned Su Shun into the palace; After Su Shun came out, Prince Zheng Duanhua was passed in again; Before Duanhua came out, Prince Yi walked in like a fly.

Discussion came and went, and Emperor Xianfeng not only left the excerpt in the middle, but also ignored Qi Liaozao for three days. Qi Liaozao was bored with himself, and he was very stupid.

Li Hongzhang, a close disciple of Zeng Guofan, also followed Lu Xianji, a waiter of the Ministry of Works, to his hometown of Anhui to practice Yong after the Hanlin Academy was disbanded. After Li Hongzhang got the news that his mentor was killing in Hunan, he couldn't come forward to dissuade him, so he wrote a letter to his brother Li Hanzhang, asking his brother to come forward and persuade his mentor to put the butcher knife when he put it, so as not to make too many enemies and affect his future future. Li Hanzhang's character is Xiaoquan, born in Bagong, and he was also employed under the Zeng State Domain. He used to be the governor of Yongding County, Hunan, and now acts as the acting Yiyang County with the title of sixth. After receiving his brother's letter, Li Hanzhang wrote a secret letter to Zeng Guofan overnight, politely telling his teacher and persuading him to suspend his sentence.

Zeng Guofan replied with "It is advisable to use heavy classics in troubled times".

On this day, Zeng Guofan had just had breakfast and was watching exercises in the playground, but Yang Zaifu and Huang Yisheng hurriedly came to the playground, found Zeng Guofan, pulled their sleeves and said: "My lord, the Issuance Examination Bureau has received an urgent letter from the governor's yamen, please go back to the Issuance Examination Bureau." ”

Zeng Guofan was stunned for a moment, and asked in a low voice: "Have you ever opened the seal?" ”

Yang Zaifu said: "This is the secret letter of the governor's yamen, and the lord must personally open the seal." ”

Zeng Guofan had no choice but to take a sedan chair back to the signing room of the Issuance and Examination Bureau, and saw that there was indeed a secret letter at the head of the case.

Zeng Guofan retreated left and right, and then cut the official letter, but it turned out to be a constitutional complaint.

The complaint came from Hengzhou, and was jointly signed by the nine major cloth houses in Hengzhou and some local wealthy households, accusing Huang Luyao, the former Hubei Water Transport Dao, who was the assistant minister of Hengzhou to return to his hometown to recuperate, under the banner of running a group training, forcing the squires to donate silver, and those who dared to disagree were imprisoned and the heavy ones were confiscated into the army; However, the Hengzhou regimental training still does not have a trace of appearance, neither a musket nor a single artillery gun. The gentleman asked: Where did the more than 500,000 taels of silver donated by the people go? At the end of the case, the Nine Great Cloth Lines implored the Hunan Governor Yamen to send personnel to verify; If Huang Tuanlian does not specify the whereabouts of the tuan training fee, the people will never donate a penny of silver!

Zeng Guofan's worst fear finally happened!

At the beginning of Xianfeng, the Taiping army rose up, and the imperial court called on the squires from all over the country to hold group exercises. Zeng Guofan's biggest concern is the source and management of the cost of running the group. Because it is run by the villagers themselves, the expenses naturally have to be raised by the villagers themselves; The government naturally has no right to interfere with the money raised by the villagers themselves. The government has its own affairs, and the government has to levy money for the division of the economic system. In the past two years, there has been great pressure on the villagers and the government.

Zeng Guofan's biggest worry was that the villagers' silver was limited after all, and the regimental training had to develop with the development of the war situation. How can the people bear this kind of indefinite development?

Zeng Guofan put up this constitutional control and went straight to the governor's yamen in a sedan chair to find Zhang Liangji. Xiao Fusi hurriedly brought someone to follow.

When they arrived at the governor's yamen signing room, Zhang Liangji and Zuo Zongtang were discussing something quietly on the kang.

As soon as they saw Zeng Guofan coming in, the two of them hurriedly got off the kang to greet him.

Zeng Guofan was caught off guard, because Zhang Liangji and Zuo Zongtang had never been so polite.

The three of them sat down again, and as soon as Goshha came in with tea, there was a sudden shout outside: "The holy decree has arrived, the holy decree has arrived!" ”

Zhang Liangji hurriedly jumped off the kang and pulled Zeng Guofan and said, "Disheng, follow me to the hall to receive the order!" ”

Zeng Guofan struggled and said, "Don't tell jokes. The holy decree of the governor's yamen, what have I received in purification? ”

Zuo Zongtang whispered: "Disheng, Zhang Zhongcheng let you go, there is a reason to let you go!" Go ahead. ”

Zeng Guofan hesitated to follow Zhang Liangji to the lobby and knelt down to listen to the order.

The herald officer glanced at Zhang Liangji and Zeng Guofan, and slowly unfolded the holy decree and read: "I hereby send an edict: Xu Guangjin, the governor of Huguang, has suffered a lot of defeats, and he is really sorry, so he will be dismissed from his post with immediate effect and escorted to Beijing to be questioned for his crimes. The Governor of Huguang is the interim acting of Zhang Liangji. It is hoped that the governor of the department will work with the governor Qishan to recover Wuchang as soon as possible and live up to my hopes. After Xu Guangjin arrived in Hunan, he was escorted by Zhang Liangji. Luo Bingzhang, the governor of Hunan, was dismissed from all punishments and actually awarded to the governor of Hunan. Chin this. ”

Zhang Liangji said "thank you for the decree", took the holy decree with both hands, and slowly stood up.

Zeng Guofan had no choice but to call "Sheng'an" and was ready to get up.

The herald slowly opened another holy decree and said, "Ding Wei Shilang, Hunan Deputy League Training Minister Zeng Guofan received the decree——"

Zeng Guofan had no choice but to kneel down again and listen to the holy oracle.

The herald opened the decree and read: "Zeng Guofan, the right attendant of the former Ministry of Rites, helped to organize the group training during the Ding Wei period, and was very effective. I'm so relieved. rewarded the rank of squire of the military department of Zeng Guo, and continued to help the Hunan regimental training. Chin this.

Zeng Guofan thought while receiving the holy decree: "It seems that Zhang Liangji and Zuo Zongtang are discussing this matter. I think someone in Beijing has already sent a letter in advance. ”

Sending off the herald, Zhang Liangji took Zeng Guofan's hand and came to the signing room again.

Zuo Zongtang first congratulated Zhang Liangji, and then congratulated Zeng Guofan on his recovery. Zeng Guofan said silently.

Zhang Liangji said: "Disheng, the court has revived you unusually, how do you look like this?" ”

Zeng Guofan said: "The Qing Dynasty official system, Ding Wei can only be restored in three years, this is a national decree, and everyone must abide by it." Now in the imperial court, I just rewarded this soldier during my Ding worry, what will others think? It is enough to help the same group practice! How do you want to impose a nominal official body on me? Whose idea was this? As long as the country is here, the program and discipline must not be abolished! It has been the case since ancient times. ”

Zhang Liangji took out a letter and said, "This is the letter I received from Jingshi. Shao Yichen had already transferred to the military machine Zhang Jing, and he wrote this letter overnight when he saw the holy decree. Yichen said that all this was recommended by Su Shun and Wenqing. The current Governor of Huguang, although different from the previous Governor of Huguang, has a name after all. Disheng, are you here for something? ”

Zeng Guofan pushed Shao Yichen's letter outward, and then took out the constitutional letter from his sleeve and said, "Disheng is here to discuss this matter." Zhang Zhijun, as you see—"

Zhang Liangji interrupted Zeng Guofan's words and said, "Disheng, I still have to give the emperor a thank you." For all matters related to group training, you will go to Luo Qimen to discuss in the future - Ji Gao, you should write a draft first! ”

As soon as Zeng Guofan heard this, he had no choice but to stand up, and said while saying goodbye: "How complicated is the army, Disheng will leave first-by the way, I am going to go to Hengzhou Mansion in person-"

Zhang Liangji said: "You are now the rank of squire of the Ministry of War, and you are also the minister of regimental training, what do you want, just do it." ”

Zeng Guofan said: "Since the army says so, Disheng should not give up - Disheng went to Hengzhou Mansion and wanted to ask the governor Yamen to use the royal flag!" ”

Zhang Liangji thought for a while and said, "Disheng, do you think this is good." You go to Hengzhou tomorrow, what about the king's order, let me and Luo Futai talk. If you really need it, send someone back. How is it? ”

Zeng Guofan said: "This is very good! The Disheng Issuing and Examination Bureau has thanked the army! ”

Luo Bingzhang is a native of Huaxian County, Guangdong, and is eight years older than Zeng Guofan. The original name was Jun, with the word line, changed the word to the door, and the number was Ruzhai. Daoguang Jinshi, choose Shu Jishi. The museum teaches editing and editing, and the professor teaches bachelors. In the thirtieth year of Daoguang, he was promoted from the political envoy of Guizhou to the governor of Hunan. Xuan was dismissed from his post and served before staying in the camp.

Back at the Issuance and Examination Bureau, the news that Zeng Guofan was rewarded by the imperial court with the rank of squire of the military department has spread. Luo Zenan, Wang Ju, Taqibu, Zhu Dianyuan and others were waiting in the lobby to congratulate Zeng Guofan. The faces of the members of the Issuance Examination Bureau were also full of smiles.

As soon as Zeng Guofan entered the lobby, everyone hurriedly greeted and congratulated. Zeng Guofan answered one by one.

At this time, Wang Jingqi had already taken out the second-grade official uniform and top, and said in his mouth: "Your Excellency, in a while, all the civil and military officials in Hunan will come to the Issuance and Examination Bureau to ask for peace." Please change your clothes so that you can meet them. ”

Taqib also said: "I'll wait in the lobby, please go to the inner room to change clothes." ”

When Zeng Guofan was changing clothes, he suddenly passed Xiao Fusi into the inner room and said, "You can take someone to replace the sedan chair in the headquarters hall with a blue sedan chair." The main hall will go out of the city tomorrow to run a good ride. ”

Xiao Fusi said happily: "My lord, I heard Jing Qi say that when a few of us were still in the governor's yamen, Luo Xianggong had already taken care of the people and replaced the adult's sedan cloth with green. ”

Zeng Guofan said: "Change it to blue." ”

Xiao Fusi stood still and argued: "My lord, how majestic the eight-carrying green sedan chair is!" Fu Si is also angry! ”

Zeng Guofan squinted his eyes and said: "Fu Si, whatever the headquarters commands, you will do." During the period of the Ministry of Justice, the title of squire has been overstepped, aren't you swaggering enough? During the Ding worry, the main hall only took the blue sedan chair, and never took the green sedan chair! Go for it. ”

Xiao Fusi didn't dare to speak anymore, and went out with a pout.

Zeng Guofan finished his plainclothes and sat down in the lobby again to salute everyone. Soon, Luo Bingzhang, the governor of Hunan, took the cloth and the following officials to sit in a sedan chair to greet Zeng Guofan.

Not long after these people sat down, Bao Qibao, the governor of Hunan, brought hundreds of military attachés, including the Chinese army and the Chinese army, to pay a visit. The Issuance Examination Bureau has been busy again.

Zeng Guofan asked Luo Zenan and others to chat with everyone, and invited Bao Qibao and Xu Youren, the political envoy, to the signing room to sit down.

After the official finished the tea, Zeng Guofan said: "Bao Junmen, the safety of Hunan is all related to the military gate. I hope that the military gate will train well and not live up to the expectations of the saints. ”

Bao Qibao raised his head and said, "Why do you need to be ordered by adults? Without Benti's protection, can adults still sit in Changsha and hold group exercises? By the way, my lord, there is one thing that I must make clear to my lordship, that Taqib is the brave general of the Chinese army that I am promoted, and I can't leave it for a moment. Benti came today, one to ask the Lord for peace, and the other to bring Tazib back. ”

Zeng Guofan said with a smile: "Taqibu is a teaching borrowed from the main department, how can it stay for a long time? Please rest assured that as soon as the regimental battalion drill improves, the headquarters will send the Zhiting back for promotion. Looking at the military gate for a little more time, the headquarters has thanked the military gate! ”

Bao Qibao said: "I hope that Lord Zeng will not lose his trust." Xu Fangbo, you always testify. ”

Xu Youren said: "Lord Zeng, Bao Junmen, this department only cares about Qian Gu, and does not care about the military camp and regimental training affairs. This dry certificate, our company can't do it. ”

After Xu Youren finished speaking, he picked up the tea bowl and only tasted the tea, snorting soundly.

Bao Qibao stood up and said, "Lord Zeng, if you are like anything else, Ben Ti will leave." ”

Zeng Guofan said slowly: "Bao Junmen is good, and the headquarters will not be sent!" ”

Xu Youren also stood up and said, "Sili won't disturb the adult's trouble." Siri also took his leave. He arched his hand and walked out with square steps.

Sending away the civil and military officials in Hunan, Zeng Guofan drafted a fold of "Xie Reward the Rank of Squire of the Military Department" overnight and handed it over to the governor Yamen for worship.

After breakfast the next day, the guns purchased by the governor Yamen from the provinces for the regimental battalions arrived by land.

When Zeng Guofan heard the news, his spirit was lifted.

After the delivery was completed, Zeng Guofan wrote a letter of receipt.

Zeng Guofan gave Luo Zenan and Wang Ju and issued muskets and cannons to Yongding; Luo Zenan, Wang Zhu, Li Xubin, Li Xuyi, Xiao Fusi and others also wore short guns.

After finishing the matter of the gun, Zeng Guofan asked Xiao Fusi to pick thirty personal soldiers, sat in a blue sedan chair, and went to Hengzhou.

Hengzhou is south of Changsha, and the first county is Hengshan County. Zeng Guofan walked Zhu County and Zhu Ting, and he could reach Heng County in one day's foot.

Zhuxian County is relatively close to Changsha, and the regimental training is relatively better.

When Zeng Guofan's sedan chair passed through Chengguan, the shops facing the street were all wide open to do business, and the panic on the faces of the people was worse than that of Changsha.

Zeng Guofan's heart couldn't help but be full of admiration for Sun Xianyi, the magistrate of Zhuxian County, who was born in these two lists. When facing the battlefield without panicking, and seeing the enemy without being at a loss, such capable officials really can't pick out a few in the Qing Dynasty.

When Zeng Guofan decided to return from Hengshan, he wanted to visit Sun Ming's Mansion to quench his thirst for admiration.

When Zeng Guofan and his entourage entered Hengshan County, the sun had set for a long time, and the light smoke of evening cooking was wafting everywhere in the sky above Hengshan County.

Zeng Guofan asked Xiao Fusi to quietly find an inn to rest, without alarming the yamen.

According to Zeng Guofan's instructions, Xiao Fusi chartered a total of three guest rooms, and told the store not to show a trace of style.

The shopkeeper didn't know where these people came from, thinking that the Taiping Army was disguised as an official army and wanted to rob the county seat. I inadvertently touched the crotch of my pants with my hand, but it was already too wet to look good.

After dinner, Zeng Guofan sent Xiao Fusi and asked the store to bring in a pot of tea. In order to explore the truth, the store mustered up the courage to bring in the tea by himself.

The shopkeeper quietly placed the teapot on the table, his eyes carefully examining the red top on Zeng Guofan's head, hoping to find some flaws in it, and his feet slowly retreated.

Zeng Guofan suddenly said: "Shopkeeper, you go slowly, I want to have a good time with you." ”

As soon as the shopkeeper heard that it was his hometown accent, he stood on his feet and said with a smile on his face: "My lord, just ask, as long as I know, I will not hide anything." How dare you come from Wuchang? Do you want to rob the government? The shopkeeper was going to say, "Your Excellency is from the provincial capital?" Do you want a private visit? "I was nervous, and I actually said what I wanted to say.

The shopkeeper was so frightened that his legs were weak, so he knelt down in front of the table and kowtowed: "Grandpa Tianbing, spare your life!" Grandpa Heavenly Soldier spares his life! ”

Zeng Guofan smiled and helped the shopkeeper up and said, "Shopkeeper, don't be afraid, we are not long-haired." Come, sit down, drink saliva, and suppress the alarm. ”

The shopkeeper sat down with his legs trembling, his eyes still looking at Zeng Guofan's roof. No matter how you look at it, the store thinks that this top is a fake.

Zeng Guofan poured a bowl of tea for the shopkeeper and himself, and then said, "Shopkeeper, how many years have you lived in Hengshan?" What do you call you? ”

The shopkeeper said: "Back to adults, my ancestors immigrated to Hengshan for four generations. The first three generations opened a grocery store, and I had accumulated a few pennies of silver in my hands, so I redeemed this carriage and horse shop. Except for this shop, I don't have a penny in my hand now. - People here call me Xu Sanlengzi. ”

Zeng Guofan heard it familiar, so he took out the constitutional control from his sleeve and opened it to see, and saw that the seventh person named was Xu Sanda. It is also stamped, which is extremely solemn; It's just that I don't know if Xu San, who is stunned by the constitution, is the Xu San stunned in front of him.

Zeng Guofan covered up the constitutional control and asked tentatively: "Xu Sanleng, I heard that the regimental training in Hengzhou was done well?" ”

"!" As soon as he heard the word group practice, Xu Sanlenzi stood up suddenly: "This group practice is to make the people of Hengzhou Mansion miserable!" I don't know what happened to this court. Grandpa Longhair rebelled, you don't let the officials and soldiers suppress it, just mess with these things? Group training, group training, neither group nor practice. The man who sent the group hurt the people who paid for it. The old man collects cashiers and eats opium, sleeps at the prostitute and listens to tunes - this set of songs is so good, there is no one in Hengshan who can't sing it! ”

Zeng Guofan then concluded that the Xu Sanleng in front of him must be the Xu Sanleng on the constitutional control.

Zeng Guofan took a sip of tea, slowly unfolded the constitutional control, and pointed with his hand: "Xu Sanfang is stunned, this named Xu Sanleng, I think it's you." ”

Xu Sanleng stretched out his head to take a look, and immediately said: "This is a few of the accusations I wrote to the ministry, isn't my lord Zhang Zhongcheng?" I haven't seen Lord Zhongcheng, but I know that Lord Zhongcheng's top is red. But although the top of the adult is also red, why does it look like it is dyed? ”

In a word, Zeng Guofan laughed.

Xu San was stunned and knelt down for the second time, and said: "Xu Sanlengzi asks Lord Zhongcheng to say goodbye, please ask Lord Zhongcheng to make the decision for the people of Hengzhou Mansion, and recover the silver that was extorted by Huang Lu Yao's dog!" ”

Zeng Guofan left his seat with a smile, helped Xu Sanlenzi up, and said, "You are dazzled again." I'm not Zhang Zhongcheng, I'm Zeng Guofan, the assistant minister of group training. ”

"What?" Xu Sanleng's eyes widened: "Adults are also engaged in group training?" How did the constitutional control that I bothered to make out of boiling oil get into the hands of the group training! It's not bitter! ”

Xu San was stunned, lowered his head hatefully, and didn't look at Zeng Guofan.

"What's the matter, Xu San was stunned? How did you become like this? I have not sinned against you! Zeng Guofan was surprised: "What's more, the matter of the regimental training is handled by the minister of the regimental training, isn't it justified?" ”

Xu Sanlenzi patted his thigh and said: "The dog group practices Huang Luyao, but he is a Taoist who has returned to his hometown to recuperate!" is another third-rank rank, and the prefect's yamen has to look at his face to do things! Cough! Don't count the Beijing control, right? ”

Zeng Guofan smiled and said, "Sanleng, you don't care about anything else." I just ask you, is this constitutional accusation all true? Falsely accuse the minister of group training, according to the law, he should be beheaded! ”

Xu Sanleng fell to his knees and said, "My lord, Huang observes this dog thing, he is forcing us, those who have some savings, to force it to the point that there is really no way!" He raised 100 people with his own soldiers alone, and sat in a green sedan chair all day long, and went to his regimental training yamen to run errands. It is said that 2,000 regimental warriors have been trained, but have the people ever seen one? When he arrived at the Yamen, in addition to collecting the tour fee with a dog's legs, he was * taking people! When the people saw him, they were more afraid than they were when they saw Qincha! Hengshan originally had more than 30 grocery stores alone, so there are only seven left, barely supporting the façade. There are more than 20 houses, the yellow stall of Huang Tan'er, and the nest of the nest - he is good, after a year, two smoke houses have been opened, and a teahouse has been opened in the most lively place in Chengguan. There is also a bureau in the teahouse, and people go to his teahouse every night to call the bureau! There is a time limit for the long-haired scourge of the people, but this yellow observation, when is it a leader! The prefect's yamen was at night, and there were only two personal soldiers guarding the gate. At the gate of the mansion where Huang observed, there were more than a dozen pro-soldiers patrolling the courtyard every day! I don't know if this yellow observation is guarding against long hair, or guarding against the people! ”

Zeng Guofan paused, and said in a low voice: "Xu San is stunned, you go and rest—today, you are not allowed to leak a trace of it." Tomorrow you will testify, you have to come to the church, understand? ”

Xu Sanlenzi hesitantly withdrew from the door and went to beckon for business.

Zeng Guofan let Xiao Fusi come in and whispered something.

Xiao Fusi walked out, and brought three personal soldiers in very late and said: "According to the instructions of the adults, the little ones went to the gate of the mansion where Huang was observing, and sure enough, there were more than a dozen people with guns on their backs guarding the courtyard. All of them are fierce! ”

Zeng Guofan waved his hand, and Xiao Fusi retreated to his guest room with his own soldiers. (End of chapter)