Time flies, and it has reached the first year of Guangxu (1875 AD). It has been three years since the King of Khan entered Beijing in the blink of an eye. In the past three years, although the doctors of the Tai Hospital have carefully diagnosed and treated and carefully conditioned, the condition of King Khan has not fundamentally improved.

Zhixin copied the Khan King of Liudi's recital to the imperial court's request to send troops to Xinjiang and recover the lost territory; Letters of all kinds, briefing ministers on the situation in Xinjiang and detailing the suffering of the people, have filled the entire bookcase.

More than half of these letters were addressed to the ministers of the "coastal defense faction" who advocated "consolidating the coastal defense in the southeast first, and then conquering Xinjiang in the west." The Khan's intention to explain the importance of Xinjiang and the suffering of the army and the people was very clear, and he tried to persuade them to change their original intentions and decide to restore Xinjiang. These important ministers of the court were gradually touched by the perseverance and sincerity of the King of Khan, and they woke up and felt embarrassed.

Li Zhongtang, the core figure of the "coastal defense faction", once personally replied to the original situation: "The original intention of our generation is definitely not to abandon Xinjiang in the wilderness!" In fact, due to the ravages of foreign powers and frequent civil strife, the national strength has declined and all industries have withered. Coastal defense and westward expedition are difficult to take into account. However, if you find a good solution, you will do your best to restore the land without delay! ”

When the Khan heard that Xu Xuegong, Kong Cai and other militia leaders were still skillfully maneuvering and resisting the invading army in the mountains; And there are occasional good news. I am very relieved! At the same time, I also sweat for these brothers in distress who are in danger!

Mount Erbin, where the Turghut tribes lived, was surrounded by the Agubo invading army and British mercenaries from the east, south, and north; The Russian army that invaded Ili in the west was also eyeing and ready to move. The entire tribe has completely fallen into the treacherous situation of being surrounded by wild wolves on three sides and a vicious tiger on the other. The living situation is miserable!

The haggard King Khan is deeply concerned about the increasingly erosive situation in Xinjiang, and he is anxious in his eyes and in his heart! The physical condition is not improving.

But in a trance, he seemed to vaguely feel that the day he had been looking forward to for a long time was coming...... a large number of remedial stations repaired and added on the ancient grain road in the desert; the large-scale adjustment of Xinjiang's military and political leaders, especially the supervision of Xinjiang's military affairs by Zuo Zongtang and Zuo Marshal who strongly advocated the recovery of Xinjiang; The imperial court was secretly raising military expenses and food from the whole country. All this can support this point, and this should be a precursor to the use of troops in Xinjiang to regain lost territory......

This evening in early May. The two official sedan chairs hurriedly went out of the Desheng Gate in the capital and quietly got off the sedan chair in front of the outer hall of the Li Fan Yuan.

The Shangshu soap of the Li Fan Yuan, accompanied by another mysterious court official, got off the official sedan chair and entered the gate of the outer hall.

Soap Bao turned to the garrison commander and said, "Close the gate, no one is allowed to disturb!" ”

The gate of the outer pavilion was closed instantly, and the guards began to close all the passages in front of the door.

After a while, under the guidance of the garrison commander, the Khan came to the meeting room.

King Khan and Sobao have known each other for a long time; But the person next to him, who was over the age of sixteen and had a sturdy physique, had never met.

Soap Bao knew that these two didn't know each other, so he hurriedly introduced, "I'll introduce you...... This is the king of the Buryan Khan of the Turhut tribe in Xinjiang...... This is the scholar of Dongge University and the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, Zuo Zongtang Zuo Marshal! ”

King Khan saw that the long-admired Zuo Dashuai was in front of him, and he was pleasantly surprised! Hurriedly bowed his hand, "I have heard the prestige of the left handsome!" The younger generation has admired it for a long time! See you today, fortunately, fortunately! ”

Zuo Zongtang smiled and nodded, looking at the burly, haggard young Khan King with blazing eyes; There is also the feeling of déjà vu and hatred of seeing each other. Said slowly:

"Young talents, young talents! …… Is your body well? ”

"Thank you for your concern! My body is fine, but the doctors are holding on to it......"

Zuo Zongtang shook his head, "No! I know a little about the Khan's injuries, and many battle injuries are not trivial! The time for healing has been delayed, and it has become a serious illness. It must not be treated as child's play......"

"Don't worry! I will definitely cooperate with the treatment...... I don't know if the handsome man is here at night, what advice do you have? ”

Zuo Zongtang nodded, stroked his already gray beard, stretched out two fingers, and said slowly to the King of Khan:

"There are two things that come to see you: the first thing is that the imperial court's determination to use troops in Xinjiang has been made. The army of the Western Expedition began to assemble in the Lanzhou camp, and soon marched west to Xinjiang to recover the country. I think this should be your greatest wish, and I would like to tell you! ”

When the King Khan heard the news, he immediately felt joy descending from heaven! Excitedly, he folded his hands and said loudly: "Bodhisattva bless! Finally waited for this day......"

Soap Bao hurriedly added mysteriously: "Lord Zuo is now the minister of the Qincha and supervises the military affairs of Xinjiang!" At the same time, he also continued to receive the titles of Dongge University Scholar and Governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, and the burden was not light! ”

King Khan once again arched his hand and said: "Lord Zuo has been fighting hard and hard to recover the lost land in Xinjiang in the past few years! We people in Xinjiang should be grateful! ……”

Zuo Zongtang waved his hand and said: "I just explained to the imperial court the cause of recovering Xinjiang and the fruit of abandoning Xinjiang." No matter how good the article is, it is also a piece of text. You and your Hatun will lead the army and people of the Arkhut tribe to fight for their lives against the army of Kokand. Although the losses are huge, they can skillfully maneuver and inflict heavy losses on the enemy. Turn the tide and ignite the hope of the government and the opposition!

This is where the real confidence of the imperial court in its determination to use troops in Xinjiang lies. If there were no Turgut tribes and the Xu Xuegong militia group, such a civil force would have insisted; I can't even imagine how much Xinjiang will be eroded. At that time, did the imperial court still have the will and confidence to restore the territory? …… The second thing that the old man has done here is to ask you for advice on the strategy of the army entering the territory and suppressing the Kou! ”

King Khan was stunned! Suddenly felt a little embarrassed, and arched his hand and said: "Lord Zuo is eloquent!" The word 'for advice' must not be used to describe each other. The juniors can't afford ......"

Zuo Zongtang waved his hand again and said, "King Khan, don't be too humble!" In today's court, the only person who really confronts the Aguba army and the British mercenaries is the Khan. No matter whether it is talking about combat experience, strategic courage, or situational awareness, and familiarity with the local water and soil, no one can match it! Although I have worked hard here to explore and judge Aguba and the English; Lord Lin Zexu Lin, the Xinjiang chart given to me before his death, also benefited a lot. But in the end, it is not in the end, and it is still a leopard in the tube, and it is not the essentials.

"Now the British and the Russians are in cahoots and complicity with Aguba! Ignoring my sovereignty; Signing a contract to demarcate the border and poison the living beings in my territory. The wolf's ambition to split my Xinjiang from the territory of the Qing Dynasty is clearly revealed! If it is not recovered as soon as possible, the consequences are unpredictable. Just as King Khan mentioned in the recital, 'Xinjiang is not guaranteed, and it will be taken advantage of by Britain and Russia'. I also ask King Buyan Khan to give advice and plan a good plan together......"

King Khan pondered silently for a moment, and said slowly: "In the past three years in the capital, I have indeed thought a lot. The current situation of Xinjiang is just as a miscellaneous poem by the monk Zhixin "The Resentment of the West" said: "Xiao Wall has caused trouble and trapped the dragon, and the tiger and wolf covet many heroes." I knew the dragon vein in the west, but how could I use the army? ’……”

Zuo Zongtang said with a smile: "This monk still has some insight and can tell the bitterness of the imperial court. The fall of Xinjiang and even the domination of our country are all caused by the 'disaster of the Xiao Wall'. The imperial court also knows the importance of Xinjiang; It is also true that the national strength is empty, and it is unbearable to use troops to take care of one thing and the other. However, these difficulties have now taken a turn for the better. Although the national strength is not good; Even if you raise foreign debts to raise military expenses, you must be determined to restore Xinjiang! Determination will no longer waver...... King Khan believes that with the current situation in Xinjiang, what is the weakness of our army's westward expedition to recover the land? ”

King Khan has previously conducted in-depth research on many aspects of the use of troops in Xinjiang, and he has a lot of experience. Now seeing that the imperial court's determination to restore Xinjiang has been made, Zuo Shuai is also sincerely discussing; And Zuo Shuai is the first person to deeply explore the weaknesses and shortcomings of the army's expedition to Xinjiang. I feel that Zuo Shuai is the soul of the real preparation for the restoration of Xinjiang, and the core center that can 'know oneself and know the enemy' and 'win the battle'. is ready to put out his research experience bluntly and discussively for Zuo Shuai's reference; For the western expeditionary army to make comprehensive plans in advance, prevent problems before they occur, and dedicate their modest efforts...... After sorting out his head a little, he said solemnly:

"Ancient and modern Cypriot foreign soldiers: it is difficult to raise salaries, it is difficult to raise salaries, it is difficult to raise salaries, and it is even more difficult to raise food. Now that the war in the interior has subsided, we can go all out to the west. It should not be a problem to assemble troops and prepare weapons. However, the Central Plains, Hetao, Shaanxi and Gansu and other grain-rich places were ravaged by civil strife; The fields are desolate, the people are scattered, and it will take time to recover.

"The huge amount of food consumed by the army should be unbearable, and it must be difficult to raise food. The three routes of the mainland to the south of Xinjiang are Hexi, the north through Kobdo, and the middle through the Alxa Gobi Desert, all of which are above 10,000 miles. I have returned to Beijing several times, and I know a lot about the three routes; With less water and more Gobi, it is difficult to transport along the way. Therefore, this 10,000-mile grain road should be the lifeline of the Western Expedition Army! ”

Zuo Zongtang nodded yes and said, "What King Khan has seen is extremely true! What worries me the most is precisely this 10,000-mile grain road. No food is equal to no soldiers, and food is wasted for soldiers! However, preparations have been made for this matter. Previously, when I supervised the transfer of grain and salaries for the army of the Western Expedition, I had contact with Russian merchants, and the imperial court had approved the purchase of grain.

"Russia is vast and sparsely populated, and there is an abundance of food; Moreover, it can be directly transported to Hami and Balikun. This can temporarily alleviate the difficulty of military food transfer! Grain and grass from the interior were transported to Xinjiang through the Gobi Desert, although the journey was difficult; But it is still the main channel for the supply of military rations for the Western Expeditionary Army. Therefore, at present, the Juntai post station on the two main grain routes from the Hexi Corridor to Hami and Ejina from Mamanshan to Hami has been restored and repaired, and can be put into use. This is also due to the fact that the imperial court has been concerned about Xinjiang in the past few years; No matter how hard the days were, the imperial court never gave up on Xinjiang. Otherwise, it will take some more time to dredge these grain routes. ”

King Khan nodded and said, "Three years ago. When I entered Beijing, I took the route of Hami, Mamanshan, Ejina, and Dengkou. At that time, the Juntai Post Station on this road has begun to be restored and repaired, and I think there are some new ones? ……”

"Yes! There are fifteen new military stations on this grain road. Zuo Zongtang said, changed his words, and continued to ask: "After my westward expedition army enters Xinjiang, there are two choices: one is to first claim from the Russians to recover Ili, and then defeat the Agubo army with all your might; The second option was to first wipe out the Kokand Aqubo army and the British mercenaries, and then collect Ili. I wonder what the Khan King thinks about these two options? ”

The Khan replied: "I think that although the Russians occupy my Ili, they have the heart to covet Xinjiang; However, it was all caused by the instigation of the British Empire and the rebellion. The country's internal strife and the scourge of the Xiao Wall attracted the evil wolf of Agubai, who destroyed our territory and attracted the black bear of Tsarist Russia, and the cause and effect are clear at a glance. If the army of the Western Expedition swept away the Agubo thieves first, the British would be defeated at the same time! The Russians are bound to be frightened, and there is no excuse for 'escrow'. The recovery of Ili can be done without the use of military means, and it is just around the corner! ”

Zuo Zongtang nodded and continued to ask: "After the army gathers Hami and Balikun, there are also two options for attacking the Agubai army and the British mercenaries: one is to advance to the south road, and after going down to Turpan, supplemented by the Ruoqiang partial army, it will go straight to Yanqi and Korla, the throats of northern and southern Xinjiang. Attack the two roads together, take the two key cities, and cut off their back roads; Then the camera went north to Urumqi and gathered the main force of the Agubai army. Then go straight to Aksu and Kashgar in southern Xinjiang...... second, marching from Balikun, first recovering the ancient city and Jimusa, and then going down to the ancient pastureland, Urumqi and the cities of northern Xinjiang, and defeating its main force; Then he pursued and advanced to southern Xinjiang, smashing its nests along the way to regain southern Xinjiang. I wonder which attack plan the Khan prefers? ”

After a moment's thought, the Khan replied, "I think the second option is more appropriate. There are three reasons, first: first take Yanqi and Korla, strangle them, cut off their way back, and force them to fight a decisive battle. It's a quick win, but it's too risky. Our army will be in the unfavorable position of being attacked from the belly and back, fighting from both the north and the south. Second, the main supply channels of our army, including food supplies from Russia, are all concentrated in Balikun, Kobdo and Gucheng in northern Xinjiang; The replenishment of soldiers and military supplies also depends on these supports.

"Northern Xinjiang uses troops, not worrying about food, grass, and soldier supplies. Yanqi and Korla, which were directly hitting the throat of northern and southern Xinjiang, had too long supply lines and the situation was worrying. Third: first go down to Yanqi and Korla, although there are two tribes of Turghut and Heshuote to respond; However, it was not as effective as Xu Xuegong of Urumqi, Shen Tingxiu of Changji, Zhao Xingti of Manas, Kongcai of Jimusa, and the military government of Tacheng and Kobuduo to restore northern Xinjiang. Taking the northern Xinjiang first can be safe, and going to the southern Xinjiang first has a lot of concerns. ”

Zuo Zongtang nodded again and praised: "King Khan is familiar with the art of war, grasps its essentials, and is far-sighted. It opens the eyes of the old decay a lot! ”

King Khan waved his hand and said, "Zuo Shuai is serious!" There is one more thing I would like to warn about. Now both the British and the Russians have sent missions to deal with Aquba; He also sent ministers and signed treaties, ignoring our sovereignty, dancing with ghosts and ghosts, and acting in embarrassment. I think that the Russians are intent on 'making profits' and have nothing to worry about, while the British are intent on dividing our western territory, and their intentions are reprehensible! ……

"Now the Russians have destroyed the Kokand Khanate, and Aguba is already homeless. The Russians must be the ones he hates the most in his heart, and the Russians must know it. This forced Aguba to fall further to the British, and he would do whatever it took to win the favor of the British. This is also the result that the evil British Empire wants to see the most.

"In the ten years that Aguba led his troops into Xinjiang, the British have been providing arms and equipment and sending mercenaries to fight in the war, operating behind the scenes. Now, in its view, the time is ripe for it to gradually come to the forefront. Therefore, it sent a national mission of 130 people, and twice it signed arms trade and trade agreements with Aguba. Trying to divide my Xinjiang when the Qing Dynasty has no time to look westward! There is no morality at all, and it is really an ugly act......

"Although the British have not yet expected that in the situation that our Qing Dynasty is in ruins and hungry, they will do their best to use troops to recover Xinjiang! And when our army marched westward and the troops came to the city; It will surely come out and obstruct it by any means and in every possible way. For example, pressure European banks to stop borrowing military expenses, and pressure Russia to block the supply of food for our army; When the dog jumped over the wall in a hurry, it was unknown to provoke and cause trouble on the southeast coast of our country again! …… The British had sinister intentions and had to be guarded against. I hope you are prepared! ”

Zuo Zongtang said solemnly: "King Khan is far-sighted, able to plan far-sightedly and strategize!" It is really a blessing for the country and Xinjiang! I expected that to happen. But it's just a trick! ”

King Khan continued: "I do not think that the marshal and the imperial court need to worry about the intervention of the British Empire and Tsarist Russia in the future. Wipe out Aguba, the wild dog that has lost its home! Agubo is destroyed, Britain and Russia are naturally terrified! We resolutely dare not openly venture into Xinjiang again, and the Ili knot can also be resolved. The hundred-year plan of Xinjiang in the west can be determined from now on! ”

Zuo Zongtang nodded, and asked again: "The imperial court has been worried about the difficulties of Xinjiang for more than ten years. Previously, Chenglu was sent an army to Xinjiang to suppress thieves; As a result, he was blocked in Suzhou for seven years, did not set foot in Xinjiang for half a step, and has now been dismissed from his post and questioned. Later, Jing Lian supervised the military affairs of Xinjiang, and Jin Shun assisted in military affairs; Although it was stationed in Balikun and Hami, it failed to achieve effective results. What do you think about this? ”

The Khan replied: "I think: First, they think that the army of Aguba is in full swing and difficult to match, and there is no chance of victory if the army goes deep alone. Second, the supply of food and salary is intermittent and the morale of the army is unstable. Third, they do not know much about the operational environment in Xinjiang and have too many concerns...... In fact, what made them most unconfident and most worried was the imperial court's determination to completely defeat Agubai and recover the lost territory in Xinjiang! Although the current imperial court is determined to recover Xinjiang, several years have passed; The troops sent before have no fighting spirit and no good strategy, and they have lost their fighters. In the future, the great plan for the restoration of Xinjiang must be re-planned......"

Zuo Zongtang nodded thoughtfully, "What King Khan said is true. Cheng Lu was cowardly before fighting, delayed and missed the opportunity. Jinglian mud is too ancient; He has no experience in battle, nor does he have the courage to fight the enemy. Jin Shun is still brave, but he is difficult to support alone. These are indisputable realities...... Now the chaos in Shaanxi and Gansu has subsided. I plan to appoint Liu Jintang to lead the main force of the Hunan army, and the battalions of the Shun Department will form the backbone of the Western Expeditionary Army; In addition, the strong teams from all over the country echoed left and right, and moved forward. The war in the west can be safeguarded. ”

King Khan added: "I think. Cheng Lu was stagnant and Jing Lian was ineffective in supervising the army; It is also closely related to the impact of the rebel people's armies in various places! to make them even more timid...... I believe that those who oppose the imperial court and expose the rebellion should adopt a soft policy of 'suppressing and appeasing the rebellion'. Focus on caress and convince people with virtue. Being able to win over and serve the country is a force to be reckoned with! ”

When Zuo Zongtang heard this, he suddenly smiled secretly! He asked softly, "Does King Khan remember that 'Yellow River Self-Defense Regiment' marshal of the People's Army, Li Jian?" ”

King Khan was stunned! He replied with a smile: "Of course I do!" …… This man is very brave and courageous. If the commander can take this person under his command, it will be of great use in the future! In the future, if you break the thief into battle, you will definitely be able to make a contribution! ”

Zuo Zongtang nodded with a smile and said solemnly: "This person has already served in my Lanzhou camp. In the future, he will be the first choice for the vanguard of Xinjiang......"

King Khan rejoices! Eight years ago, I met the karma formed in the desert, and finally saw the good results! Their own efforts were not in vain...... He nodded excitedly.

When it comes to this topic, Zuo Zongtang himself is excited, "He can serve the country, and the country can do this; First of all, thanks to your influence on him eight years ago, he sprouted the heart of helping the world and serving the country! Coupled with the 'Xinjiang Covenant' in which you and him joined hands to swing the Koukou, there was the later 'Lost Return'...... Coming to Beijing to discuss the war in Xinjiang with you is his proposal.

"And! The two Russian-made 'Bodan rifles' you gave him are indeed quite powerful, accurate and durable. The Lanzhou Manufacturing Bureau has referred to this rifle and produced our own infantry firearms. The combat power of foot and cavalry has been greatly improved! The odds of breaking the enemy have increased a lot...... All of these are directly related to the generosity and foresight of the Khan. The old man should once again thank King Buyan Khan for his 'help'! ”

Soap Bao listened with relish! I think it's an incredible myth and legend. He shook his head excitedly and said:

"Oh my God! You two, how can you still have such a deep karmic entanglement? What a surprise! Eight years ago, King Buyan Khan was already paving the way for today's expedition to the west...... It's amazing! In the future, if I have the opportunity, I will definitely tell this story to my colleagues in the court! ”

Zuo Zongtang waved his hand and said, "These are all small episodes. And that's not all that King Buyan Khan has contributed? The momentum of his life-fighting fight with the Agu Bai thief invigorated the entire court! His sharp words and profound analysis of the twists and turns and letters made the members of the 'coastal defense faction' all shut their mouths! Otherwise, today's 'expedition to the west' will definitely become a 'wait and see'...... The battle wounds on his body, not only the imperial doctors are crying when they look at him, but everyone in the world is crying......"

The Khan King was already a little choked up when he saw Zuo Dashuai; Soap Bao Shangshu's expression also began to be heavy. Then he hurriedly said:

"'The rise and fall of a country is the responsibility of the husband'. The younger generation is just doing his best and dedicating his meager strength! An dare to be so praised by the marshal? Besides, for me, Xinjiang is both a land and a homeland. Family affairs and state affairs are all paid here! We must move forward and dare not slack off! This makes sense. ”

Zuo Zongtang calmed down and said, "Please also ask King Khan to take care of his body and recover as soon as possible!" On the day of the expedition to the west, we can walk hand in hand! ”

The King of Khan also excitedly bowed his hand and said, "Although human life is determined by heaven; However, joining hands with the handsome to break the thief is the greatest wish in this life! The marshal is over the age of six, and he can still lead troops on expeditions; It is really a blessing for the country and Xinjiang in the west! As a pillar of the country, you should take care of your health. Regulate the restoration of the national territory and settle the affairs of Xinjiang. Thanks to the power of Zuo Gong! ……”

After Zuo Zongtang had a secret meeting with King Khan, he set off at night and left Beijing for Lanzhou Daying. The pre-war preparations for the westward expedition to Xinjiang began. The nationwide troop build-up has officially kicked off!