Reading guide: Ding Wei Shilang is about to return to the village to worship Xiaoxiang, in order to fulfill the way of the son of man; Luo Bingzhang came to the sailor to inspect the actual situation and raise boats.

In order to leave a way back to the province for himself, Bao Qibao detained the five boats and stood by in Yueyang.

To control the water division, Ai Yan tried his best to achieve his goal.

When Luo Bingzhang was talking about official business in the camp of the sailor, a mysterious letter was handed to the ......

Zhang Liangji's text and the transcribed oracle were delivered by a fast horse.

After reading Ziwen, Luo Bingzhang couldn't sit steadily

At this time, Zeng Guofan, because the anniversary of his mother's funeral is approaching, is working with his younger brother Guobao to take care of the return to his hometown to pay tribute to Xiaoxiang, so as to fulfill the heart of the son. Regarding the matter of returning to his hometown to respect Xiaoxiang, Zeng Guofan honored Chen as early as a month ago, and although no explicit edict was issued, it was not allowed to be allowed by the Qing Dynasty under the banner of ruling the world with filial piety.

At this time, in the Hunan provincial capital, the air tension was worse than that of Wuchang, and every day there were gentry and seniors who secretly went out of the city with their families and went to the countryside in advance to hide. Because at this time, the people living in Changsha saw that the soldiers were fighting more and more, and Li Dusi openly escaped from the way to the court, and he has not been able to return to the case, so he did not have any hope for Xiang Yong to go out of the province to solve the crisis in Jiangxi.

In the eyes of the people, Xiangyong will break Nanchang when he leaves the province, and he will break it if he does not leave the province. After the Taiping army captures Jiangxi, it will come to take Changsha, and Hunan will definitely not escape this catastrophe. Instead of passively waiting, it is better to hide in the countryside or in the mountains as soon as possible. There are many mountains in Hunan, and Tibetans can be found everywhere.

The Taiping army has not moved, and the situation in Jiangxi cannot be determined, but the people of Changsha have been shaken in advance.

The emergence of this situation was something that Luo Bingzhang did not expect, and it was also much unexpected by Zeng Guofan.

In order to stabilize the morale of the army and the people, Bao Qibao, under the persecution of Luo Bingzhang, led the two battalions in the promotion and the four outposts in the personal army, and reluctantly drove to Yueyang to station. In order to facilitate the withdrawal of the provincial capital, Bao Qibao detained all the only five large war ships that had transported him to Yueyang's naval battalion, and was not allowed to leave without an order. He was the governor of Hunan, and the sailors did not dare to disobey his military orders.

Qingde's co-bid was soon transferred by Luo Bingzhang to the border of Hunan and Jiangxi to garrison. Regarding the defense of the provincial capital, Luo Bingzhang handed over all the defense to Taqib for overall planning and arrangement according to Zeng Guofan's recommendation.

Taqibu himself had two battalions of soldiers, and after some of Xiangyong left the province, Zeng Guofan and Zhao Danian, the prefect of Hengzhou, urgently recruited two battalions of Xiangyong for him. Two battalions of the province were raised, one battalion of the town was marked in the province, and two battalions of the co-standard were retained. These horses were all under the command and training of Tazib. Outside Changsha City, there is a battalion of Zou Shouzhang Xiangyong dispatched by Luo Bingzhang, two battalions of Liu Rongxin Xiangyong, one battalion of Wang Ju, and one battalion of Bao Chao dispatched by Zeng Guofan, and a battalion of Li Xubin and Li Xuyi brothers. Zeng Guofan, who lived in the Issuance Examination Bureau, was originally only a sentry with Xiao Fusi's personal soldiers. Because of the gap in the soldiers, out of the consideration of Zeng Guofan's own safety, he later recruited an additional sentry. After Li Dusi escaped, the first post of the Thunder Battalion also stayed in the Issuance Examination Bureau. Zeng Guofan had a total of 300 people around him at this time. Hengzhou has two battalions of Liu Changyou and Xiangyong, and a battalion of Xiangyong jointly managed by Zeng Guobao and Yang Zaifu. After Peng Yulin arrived in Hengzhou, while using craftsmen to build ships, he also recruited 600 more water warriors. Peng Yulin had to supervise the construction of warships on the one hand, and on the other hand, he had to supervise the water bravery, and he was very busy. In addition to Changsha and Hengzhou, various prefectures, prefectures, and counties also stationed a varying number of local regiments, which were dispatched and deployed by Zeng Guofan.

It should be said that after the situation in Jiangxi deteriorated, Hunan's deployment was still relatively timely.

Still, it did not prevent large urban households from taking refuge in the countryside or in the mountains.

The day after receiving Zhang Liang Jiziwen, Luo Bingzhang thought about it repeatedly, first gave Bao Qibao a piece of old clothes, and ordered Bao Qibao to release the five big ships of the Hunan Navy Division as soon as possible, and then personally went to the Navy Battalion set up outside the city.

When he arrived at the camp of the water division, he only took a brief look, and Luo Bingzhang was even more confused.

Although the Hunan Navy Division was nominally not severely damaged by the Taiping Army, due to poor management, officials at all levels ate their salaries and smuggled goods for others, and their smuggled goods for others have long been dilapidated. Those who eat empty salaries are high-ranking military attachés, and those who transport smuggled goods to earn silver are middle-level officials, that is, those who are in charge of driving. The lower-level military attaché had no chance with the above two items, so he had to think of other ways to make money. What's the solution? It is the money for repairing the ship. If the ship was broken with one hole, it was reported that ten, and the extra nine went to the man. Every time the Taiping army attacked Changsha, officials at all levels of the naval division had to make a ruthless payment.

The soldiers and sailors on board had no money to make and were not eligible to withdraw money for repairing the ship, so they had to secretly dismantle the ship's planks and equipment and sell them for money.

Drinking and gambling and prostituting women, all the things that the barracks are not allowed to do, the Hunan Navy Division did it all. Because the sailor is under the management of Changsha Xiebiao, Qingde regards the sailor as his own cash cow and his own private wealth. Whether it is Zhang Liangji, Pan Duo, or Luo Bingzhang, they are all afraid of the power of the Manchurians, and they dare not ask too much about the water master.

If it weren't for the oracle copied by Zhang Liangji in hand, Luo Bingzhang wouldn't want to come to the Navy Camp to take this trip.

Luo Bingzhang took a green sedan chair, brought 200 personal soldiers, and more than 20 attachés, and quietly came to the Sailor Wharf about five miles outside the city. The Sailor's Tent was set up on the shore of the wharf. Because this is a barracks, the fishing boat does not dare to moor, if there is a violation, the light one will be punished with a cane, and the heavy one will be imprisoned.

The commander of the naval division was a guerrilla with the rank of general, named Ai Yan, who was a Manchurian.

When the Taiping army attacked Changsha for the first time, he used 2,000 silver to buy off a drafter master of the governor's yamen, and was listed in the guarantee list, rewarded with a four-grade top, and was promoted to the acting capital of the co-standard. When the Taiping army attacked Changsha for the second time, he did not participate in the war, but bought a quota from Qingde for 5,000 silver, and took the governor's insurance policy. Under the decree, he was rewarded with a guerrilla rank and still acted as the capital secretary. Coincidentally, at this time, there was a vacancy in the commander of the sailor. Ai Yan saw that the opportunity was rare, and immediately began to exercise. He first bought a little girl of more than ten years old from the hands of a deserter for a limited amount of silver. He was brought into his own house, dressed up cleanly, neatly and neatly, and provided for a while with good food and drink. Until she was white and fat, she recognized her as her goddaughter, carried a sedan chair into the Governor's Mansion, and gave Bao Qibao as a concubine. Bao Qibao initially thought that the girl was too young and refused to agree, and he couldn't stand him on his knees. Bao Qibao didn't feel too embarrassed for him, and finally left the girl. But it's not a concubine, it's just that she was sent to his wife's room to be a maid, and she will wait for a year and a half to be raised. But no matter what, Ai Yan's favor, Bao Qibao can be regarded as the leader.

After that, Ai Yan immediately flew to Qingde's mansion and handed Qingde a silver ticket of 10,000 taels. Qingde is greedy for money but not very lustful because of his health.

Qingde saw that the money was open, and the next day he presented Bao Qibao, on the grounds that Ai Yan was concise and serious, and asked Ai Yan to transfer Ai Yan to lead the water division camp. Bao Qibao has always complied with all kinds of requirements put forward by Qingde. This time was no exception. Ai Yan then took office. Soon, after careful investigation, he was rewarded with the rank of general of Ai Yan, and he was also awarded guerrilla.

The Hunan Navy Division Battalion originally had 17 large official ships, nearly 60 medium-sized ships, and 80 small sampans. The strength is on par with the Hubei Water Division.

After Qingde was promoted to deputy general, the Taiping Army was still in its infancy, and Hunan was the Taiping period. Qingde first secretly laid off the soldiers, and the monthly salary he received was still the original amount. He symbolically gave some of the extra money to the middle-level officials, just to gag their mouths. When his foundation was firmly established, the officials were never to see a single article again. With this empty salary alone, Qingde has an income of more than 300,000 taels a year. Still not satisfied, two years later he began to sell sampans and paddles to local fishermen. Middle-level officials naturally did not dare to do this, so they made money by transporting smuggled goods to local large households; Lower-level officials made false payments for ship repairs; Not to be poor, the soldiers and sailors dismantled the ship's planks and sold them.

Up to now, the number of ships presented by Ai Yan to Luo Bingzhang is only ten official ships, of which five are available, and five are in urgent need of repair; Thirty-six medium vessels, of which twenty-six are in service and ten are damaged to varying degrees; There are fifty small sampans, all of which are damaged in various ways, and are now barely used. Medium and large ships were equipped with guns of various sizes, most of which could not fire properly, and the barrels of five guns were cracked. Others are acceptable.

Looking at this list, Luo Bingzhang's eyes were full of sparks, and there was a buzz above his head.

At that time, it was the hot season in Hunan, and seeing that Luo Bingzhang's face was different, the attachés who came with him thought that Lord Futai had suffered from heat stroke, so they urgently asked Ai Guerrilla to invite Langzhong.

Luo Bingzhang motioned for Ai Yan to sit down, and then said: "The sailor has become like this, as the commander, why don't you report to the Qing Association in time?" Now that the Governor Yamen is urgently requisitioning ships, what do you want the headquarters to take to the army? ”

Ai Yan got up and bowed deeply to Luo Bingzhang and said, "Lord Futai, when it comes to this matter, in fact, it can't all be blamed on Lord Xietai, and there is also a mistake in being lowly and lowly. The mistake of despicable duty is that he did not dare to tell the truth to the army. ”

Luo Bingzhang was stunned for a moment and asked, "Commander Ai, where did you start with this?" ”

Ai Yan said: "Don't worry, don't worry, let me slowly tell my lord." It was still when Pan Futai was there, and Changmao sent hundreds of boats to attack the sailor, and the sailor fought him desperately. Seeing that the sailors were too brave and daring to fight tough battles, and fearing that they would hurt their vitality, the Lord of the Military Gate supervised the land camp of the brigade, and each of them issued a pig's urine bubble, blew it up and tied it around his waist, and swam to the side of the thief's ship like a duck, and pierced the bottom of his ship with a spear. Longhair couldn't take care of the upper and lower levels, and really sank a few ships. After beating the long hair back, the sailor became what the adults see now. Because I can't do without the sailors in Hunan, the military gate, Xietai and the lowly post will go together to report the battle situation to Panfutai, and ask the silver to reorganize the sailors to prevent the thief ships from fleeing. Futai agreed at that time, saying that after discussing with Lord Fangbo, he would transfer the silver taels. When the military gate, Xietai, and lowly officials heard this, they were all very happy. I don't know that there will be no news after that. In desperation, Xietai and the lowly officials came to the governor's yamen and talked to Futai several times. However, Futai turned his face on the other side, and did not allow the sailors to repair the damaged ships or buy new ships. He also said that he had made it clear that he would disband the Hunan Navy Division in the near future. Xietai and his humble position were said by Futai and panicked for a while, but he didn't dare to refute it, for fear that he would dismiss the water division in disregard of the safety of the provincial city. What the humble man said today is true, and there is nothing to hide. If you don't believe it, you can ask the military and Xietai, or you can go directly to Pan Futai. If you always think that lowly duty is chewing Pan Futai's tongue behind your back, lowly duty will definitely be punished! ”

Luo Bingzhang didn't have time to check how true or false Ai Yan's words were at this time, he just wanted to know how much silver it would take to repair the large and small ships that the sailors couldn't use to use.

As soon as he heard this, Ai Yan immediately replied: "Since your lord has ordered you to come down, I will now ask people to work with craftsmen to inspect the broken ships one by one, and I will be able to report the exact amount of silver to you in ten days." There is another thing I want to ask the adults to understand: Will the ships that are in short supply of sailors also be replenished this time? ”

Luo Bingzhang endured his headache and replied: "First find a way to repair the damaged ship." The matter of purchasing new ships will be decided after the Ministry of Liberal Arts, the Military Gate, and the Taiwan Association will discuss it. ”

At this time, an accompanying official walked in with a letter, put his mouth close to Luo Bingzhang's ear and muttered something.

Luo Bingzhang hurriedly opened the letter and read it, turned around and said to Ai Yan: "The Ministry wants to go back to the yamen to deal with an official matter, so I won't delay here." The matter of repairing the ship should be done according to what the ministry said. ”

Ai Yan hurriedly said: "The canteen is preparing food, adults can't leave on an empty stomach." ”

Luo Bingzhang said as he walked: "Do what you should do quickly, don't miss the big thing." By the time the thief ship returns, it's too late to say anything! (End of chapter)