Summary: A secret letter from Xiangxiang County made Zeng Guofan's worst fears come true. Commander Xiangyong made a decision on the spot, and a quick letter was urgently sent to the provincial capital.

In order to save his protégé and his reputation, Luo Zenan set off to Xiangxiang overnight, but he was still one step behind.

"The protégé will now divide six battalions to hand over to your old commander, and we will go back to the province together to see Luo Futai. Futai has promised that the newly recruited Xiang Yong's food, firearms and other materials will be supplied by the governor's yamen. It's time for us to make a difference! ”

Wang Zhu Zhenzhen has words to advise his teacher.

"Do you think you can really make a career out of Zeng Disheng when you leave Zeng Disheng? You're thinking wrong! Don't say that your little Wang Pushan, even I, Luo Zenan, Liu Mengrong, and Guo Yunxian, leave Zeng Disheng, and don't want to do one thing! ”

Luo Zenan spoke bitterly.

Luo Zenan returned in vain, but Hu Outline was asking Zeng Guofan for merit and reward......

When Hu Outline set off for Hengzhou, Luo Zenan was getting up from Hengzhou and sailing to Xiangxiang in a hurry. The day after Hu Outline left Hengzhou with the "number one" and Xu Ye, Zeng Guofan received a secret letter from Xiangxiang County. Xiangxiang County reported to Zeng Guofan in a secret letter: The candidate for Tongzhi Wang Ju recruited the 11th battalion of Xinyong in Xiangxiang, Xiangyin, and Xiangtan counties at one time, with a number of more than 5,500 people. is in formation, about to go to the province.

At a glance, Zeng Guofan felt dizzy at that time, the sparks in front of him burst wildly, and his ears were buzzing.

Zeng Guofan couldn't understand how to think about it, why did Wang Ju ignore his advice and recruit courage without authorization? And the number of recruits at one time reached 5,500! not only surpasses Jiang Zhongyuan, the governor of Anhui, but also the one who recruits the most brave and leads the most brave among the current Hunan Yong battalion officials. Recruiting so many new warriors at one time, where is the salary? Where do firearms come from? All with broadswords and spears? All with iron rods and axes? Although Zeng Guofan had already guessed that Wang Ju dared to do this, it may have been approved or hinted by Governor Luo Bingzhang. But Zeng Guofan still didn't dare to imagine that the provincial capital would be full of regimental exercises overnight, and the green camp would be silent? The Taiping army attacked Changsha, and Luo Bingzhang relied on the thousands of Xiangyong who lacked guns and artillery in Wang Zhu's hands, so he could really hold the city? Will Bao Qibao allow thousands of Xiangyong to stay in the city?

Zeng Guofan was most afraid of Xiangyong's internal detachment, intrigue, and discord. But discord still did not appear in the diversion of his will! And it happened at the beginning of the creation of the Sailor Grass.

At the same time that he sent the secret letter from Xiangxiang County to Luo Zenan, he also wrote a private letter to Wang Zhu and Luo Bingzhang.

Zeng Guofan wrote in a letter to Wang Zhu: "The courage of new recruits is untrained and unusable. The division of the aid to the river in June this year is a lesson from the past! ”

In just a few sentences, Zeng Guofan's distrust of Wang Zhu was still revealed.

Zeng Guofan wrote in a letter to Luo Bingzhang: "Wang Pushan returned from Xingning, met with Yu Heng, and saw that he was full of spirit, his spirit was floating, his words were too easy, and he was worried about his difficulties and great things. …… Now there are too many recruits in the provincial capital, and the servants have repeatedly written to your honor, which is also a scarf. In a book last night, Yan Xiangyong could not exceed 4,000 at most, and he said that he was aiding Hubei. If they do not come to Hubei's aid, then Hunan Yongzhi can leave 2,000 people. In addition to the original camp of Luo, Wang, and Zou, it is advisable to stay 1,000 people. Or choose from Jiangxi returnees, or choose from Pushan new recruits. I pray to hurry up and eliminate it, and I am afraid that Xiangyong will spend more money and achieve less results, and the service will also be blamed. Therefore, it is impossible not to say it. ”

When Luo Zenan saw the letter from Xiangxiang County, he couldn't help but be shocked, and set off for Xiangxiang overnight. Setting up another mountain is the most intolerable thing for Zeng Guofan and himself, and it is also the most despicable for scholars in the world. Luo Zenan can't watch his protégé go farther and farther, he wants to come forward to do Wang Zhu's work in person, for Wang Zhu, but also for himself, to redeem the influence in time. Luo Zenan never thought that in a few days, Wang Ju would do such a ridiculous thing! It caught him off guard.

Before Luo Zenan arrived in Xiangxiang, Wang Ju had already led the newly recruited courage and left the county seat in a mighty way and marched towards the provincial capital. All the way, the fanfare, gongs and drums are noisy, like a triumphant division.

Luo Zenan didn't dare to delay, and was busy chasing after him by boat, and finally caught up with Wang Zhu halfway.

Knowing that Luo Zenan had arrived, Wang Ju ordered each battalion to set up a large camp, and then personally welcomed the teacher into the big tent of the Chinese army.

After the big tent ceremony, before the soldiers could put the tea up, Luo Zenan asked: "Pushan, how did you recruit so many new warriors at one time?。。 How come I haven't heard about it? ”

Wang Ju smiled and said: "Teacher, the protégé does this all for the sake of his teacher's meritorious service." What's more, the protégé recruits new bravery, which has nothing to do with Di Weng, and it is the order of the Lord Futai. Di Weng's own little man, there is no way to solve the salary, how can he always agree to the protégé to recruit Xinyong? Recruit more than 5,000 people at a time, does the water have this kind of courage and courage? It's just your protégé Wang Pushan! ”

Luo Zenan got carried away when he saw Wang Zhu say this, his eyes were empty, and he hurriedly said: "Pushan, don't say anything, immediately go back to Hengzhou with me to see Disheng!" Thou shalt always explain to him the reasons for the matter, and listen to his old ways. ”

Wang Ju laughed and said, "Teacher, don't say this. Now that you're here, don't go back. The protégé will now divide six battalions to hand over to your old commander, and we will go back to the province together to see Luo Futai. Futai has promised that the newly recruited Xiang Yong's food, firearms and other materials will be supplied by the governor's yamen. Teacher, the time has come for us to make a difference! ”

Luo Zenan was stunned for a moment, and said in a low voice: "Pushan, people can't forget their righteousness!" If the word about what you do gets out, the world will laugh at it! ”

Wang Ju said with a cold face: "The teacher's words are wrong! It's that Di Weng is too selfish, and Pushan is forced to be helpless! remembered that at the beginning of the group training, we helped him recruit bravery, and we helped him come up with ideas. How about now? We have all become outsiders, Taqib, Bao Chunting, Peng Xueqin, these latecomers, have all become his descendants! If he treats us like this, why should we follow him? When the imperial court uses troops, whoever can supply food and salary, we will follow whom! He once had no food and salary, and no right to a place, at best, he was just a vain Ding Wei waiter! If we praise him, he will be able to do it; We ignore him, he is Lu Xianji of Anhui。。 I, Wang Pushan, look down on people like him! ”

Luo Zenan said angrily: "Pushan, why did you start farting with a mouthful? Do you think you can really make a career out of Zeng Disheng when you leave Zeng Disheng? You're thinking wrong! Don't say that your little Wang Pushan, even I, Luo Zenan, Liu Mengrong, and Guo Yunxian, leave Zeng Disheng, and don't want to do one thing! ”

Wang Ju was not annoyed, but still said with a heartfelt voice: "Teacher, you keep scolding me because your wife values the word affection and righteousness. Actually, what is love? What is righteousness? It's just talking. In today's world, power brings affection, and soldiers lead to righteousness. If it weren't for the fact that Zeng Disheng had thousands of people in his hands, Wu Zhenfu, who was loud and powerful in the world, could write to him in person? He is just a provincial minister, in the eyes of Wu Zhenfu, what is it worth! I can't even look down on him, can Wu Zhijun afford it? ”

At this time, a soldier came up with tea. Luo Zenan stood up suddenly, flew up and knocked over the tea bowl, and strode out.

Wang Zhu stood stunned for a long time before he said: "With such a strong temper, sooner or later you will suffer a big loss!" ”

When Luo Zenan returned to Hengzhou, he did not come to see Zeng Guofan in time, but locked himself in the house and drank alone for two days. The fact that Wang Zhu took refuge in the mountain and set up another door made Luo Zenan heartbroken.

At this time, accompanied by Liu Changyou, Hu Outline reported to Zeng Guofan about the purchase of civilian ships in Yiyang, which was actually asking Zeng Guofan for merit and reward.

Hu Xuan said: "Yiyang is very wealthy, and every fishing family has one or two boats, and many have five boats. When the lower officials grasped these circumstances, they immediately asked Yiyang County to issue a notice explaining the reason for the shortage of ships in the Qingshui Division and purchasing civilian boats for use. When the people saw the notice, they all rejoiced. For their ships are idle, and they can be exchanged for silver, which is a great thing. It is said that Zeng is the reincarnation of a living Bodhisattva. ”

After Hu Xuan said this, he took out the bottom case from his arms, stood up, put his hands in front of Zeng Guofan's eyes, took a step back and said: "This is the bottom case of buying a ship, please take a look." ”

Zeng Guofan smiled and motioned for Hu Outline to sit down, and then slowly opened the bottom case. (End of chapter)