Lin Fengxiang won successive battles, Yang Xiuqing was very relieved, and ordered the westward expedition.

At the end of May 1853, Hu Yihuang, the prime minister of Chunguanzheng, Lai Hanying, the deputy prime minister of Xiaguan, Zeng Tianyang, and Lin Qirong, the commander of the Xiaguan, took a thousand ships and 20,000 troops, and traced Jiangxi to the west of the river for half a month, Lianke Chizhou, Anqing, Pengze, and Hukou.

Zhang Liangji, the governor of Huguang, was shocked, and accompanied Zuo Zongtang to Tianjia Town, Huangzhou, to plan for blocking matters. I didn't want the Taiping military ships to turn around and enter Poyang Lake south.

The people of Nankang heard that Lai Hanying was kind-hearted, and they offered their prefects and counties to welcome Lai Jun.

Lai Hanying was happy, called his brother when he met people, opened his mouth to preach the doctrine, and went straight to Nanchang City all the way.

The Taiping army fought in the north and west, Henan, Shandong, and Zhili were already in danger everywhere, and now Nanchang was in a hurry, and Emperor Xianfeng was very worried, and he was anxious: Jiangxi, six provinces bordering, and the southeast center. Nanchang, Yuehu Minting, Wutou Chuwei, three rivers and five lakes, its place is very important. Zhang Fu, the governor of Jiangxi, and Chen Fuen, the assistant minister of group training, must not be a little negligent. Qi Shan, Xiang Rong and other commanders of the soldiers, stationed in the north and south of the river, the original period of prevention and suppression, one side of the attack, the other side of the prevention of thieves and the other. Under the city of Naitun soldiers, a few March, so far a city has not been recovered, and the thieves have been allowed to flee from Pukou to Anhui Province in the north. After fleeing, Xi Ling'a and the others could not quickly pursue and suppress them, so that the thieves became rampant. Now the provincial capital of Bianliang is very urgent. All the officers and soldiers of the provinces were successively transferred to the north and south military camps of Xiangrong and Qishan, and at this time, the recruitment and transfer of the northern province was slow and urgent, and there were almost no soldiers to adjust, and there was no money to raise! Hubei according to the judge Jiang Zhongyuan, near Tongcheng, Chongyang, Jiayu rebels, repeatedly made military exploits, I relied on it, and gave the second grade to wear, that is, the Jiangnan battalion assisted in military affairs, in order to curb the Jinling rebels; Jiang Qing was loyal to the source, and immediately galloped, acting on the way, and specially cut first and then played.

Xiang Rong received the order and said: The rebels are attacking the north and advancing west, but they are divided into our forces and cannot specialize in Jinling. It is necessary to divide my strength by channeling from the side, to consolidate the division of the old self, and to pay my salary for a long time, and I am afraid that if the soldiers move slightly, the southeast half of the wall will be more difficult to support.

Subutong said: "Xiang Shuai does this, don't save Nanchanghu?" ”

Xiang Rong said: "Nanchang is in danger, how can you not save it!" My order: Yin Debu, the chief soldier of Heli Town, will lead the headquarters and rush to help. ”

Yin Debu withdrew his troops, Luo Outline was overjoyed, that is, he gathered the whole army, attacked Deng Shaoliang's camp, the two armies engaged, the outline feint, Shaoliang chased to Zhenjiang, set up camp, and was about to erect a ladder to attack the city. Four thousand Taiping troops suddenly from the Beigu Mountain, out of the storm, intercepted Shaoliang's back road, Shaoliang divided his troops to meet the attack, the fierce battle was in full swing, and there was an army from the town to kill, straight to the Qing army barracks, rockets, goods and medicines were put together, and seven large camps around the city were burned in a row. Deng Shaoliang sighed and retreated to Danyang.

Although Xiang Rong complained that Deng Shaoliang was useless, he also cherished his talent, so he asked for resignation and retention; Resent Hechun, commanded 2,000 troops, galloped to the aid of Zhenjiang, and strengthened the Suchang gate.

Qi Shan received the order, and also played: The artillery in all provinces is owned by thieves, which is enough to resist our soldiers, and it cannot be besieged unless the troops are thick. According to statistics, in addition to the allocation, there are only about 6,000 battalions left. And Yangcheng is very narrow on all sides, and it is impossible to divide the troops and arrange them. When soldiers arrived, the provinces intercepted them one after another, so that they could not be effective in suppressing the troops. Last month, the acting governor Hui Chengzhi, the minions attacked for seven days and nights, and the city was shaken. When Lei Yixuan and Fu Ji arrived, they immediately besieged and recovered in one fell swoop.

On July 2, 1853, Yu Shi Lei, the deputy capital of the left, led the brave to Yang, and Qi Shan immediately ordered the general army of Suzhou Town to come and the governor of Yan, Zhang Yiguo, to attack.

Zhang Yiguo got the order and sent people into the city to respond.

Lin Fengxiang poured troops into the Northern Expedition, there were only 3,000 people left in Yangzhou City, the left six checkpoints Zeng Lichang guarded the danger and did not defend the city, the Yangzhou city wall was narrow, Zeng Lichang was guided by the situation, built a wooden horse building along the city, the building was three zhang wide, attached to the inner wall, high and the city Qi, and placed the pawn to prepare for the palace. They also blocked the canals, piled up cannons on the river embankments, and held on to the river.

Qi Shan personally opened 15,000 catties of cannons, bombarded the city wall in many places, Suzhou Town General Soldier Xu Shuanglai took a pontoon bridge to cross the river, set up a cloud ladder to climb the city, and went straight to the horse racecourse. Zeng Lichang set fire to the building, and the flames of Yangzhou City reflected in the sky. There were no Qing soldiers on the horse running upstairs, countless casualties, and Xu Shuanglai was also hit by a lead bullet in his left cheek.

Before long, Qu Tenglong, the chief soldier of Yunyang Town, returned to defend from Liuhe, and Qi Shanxiang stayed to attack Yang. Qu Tenglong and Shuanglai drove the troops to attack on the back, Zeng Lichang fired a cannon attack, and Shuanglaifu was shot again and died that night. Zhang Yiguo drove a ship to re-attack, Zeng Lichang burned his ship, and drove it with a horse.

Qi Shan was hit hard by this and did not dare to attack again.

Jiang Zhongyuan received the holy decree of the assistant Jiang Ying, led the army to Jiujiang, heard that Nanchang was in danger, went to the rescue, and immediately rushed to the front. Jiujiang Nanchang is 300 miles apart, and Zhongyuan Governor leads 1,300 Chu Yong, which will be reached in three days.

Jiangxi Governor Zhang Fu awarded the Zhongyuan Wang Ming banner, and entrusted the military, political and civil affairs of Nanchang to the whole bank.

In extraordinary times, Jiang Zhongyuan set extraordinary rules: on the city wall, every four or five battlements, there is a Chu Yong, and the supervisor supervises the soldiers; Those who retreat from the battle, kill. Within the city, those who uphold dissent and disturb people's hearts will be killed. The houses three miles outside the city walls were burned. Whoever obstructs the living, kill!

For a time, the wolf smoke was rolling outside the city of Nanchang, and Lai Hanying arrived by warship, sighing: The barriers are burned, there is no way to take the city, it is difficult to follow the mistakes of Guilin and Changsha, and the city is difficult to attack!

Han Ying quickly ordered the fire to extinguish the fire and protect the Wenxiao Temple outside Zhangjiangmen. Han Ying used the temple as a cover and bombarded the city wall. Jiang Zhongyuan supervised the battle in the city, calmly dispatched, and repelled several attacks by Han and Ying.

Unable to attack repeatedly, Han Ying ordered the cave to attack the city, blowing up the city wall for more than six zhang, and the soldiers entered one after another.

Jiang Zhongji, the younger brother of Jiang Zhongyuan, led more than 100 Chu Yong to block the gap, kill and resist, and never give up. Jiang Zhongyuan was condescending, with guns and cannons, and then retreated from the soldiers.

Lai Hanying made a desperate bet, collected more than 20 loads of goods and medicine at the bottom of the ruins, roared, the boulder was in the air, the dust was raised, and the wall collapsed more than 20 zhang, and the Qing army near the gap was shocked to death. The south wind was raging, the poisonous smoke filled the city, and the Qing army defending the city was gradually unable to support it. Lai Hanying personally supervised the soldiers and horses, climbed the city and entered the city, and suddenly entered the city. At the last moment, there was a sudden north wind backfire, and poisonous smoke leaked out. Lai Hanying raised his eyes and saw that it was Ningxiang Chu Yongzhi.

Jiang Zhongyuan took the lead, immediately crossed the knife, went straight into the gap, slashed left and killed, and drove the attackers out of the city in an instant. Suddenly, he left the city and attacked the Taiping military camp.

Stealing chickens does not become a counter-erosion of rice, Lai Han Ying, ambushed troops in the woods outside the city, lured the general soldier Ma Jimei of Jiujiang Town outside Yonghe Gate, deceived and retreated, led the horse into the forest, killed it, and the Taiping army was slightly uplifted.

After defending the city for more than a month, Jiang Zhongyuan was already at ease, and Lai Hanying attacked and defended. The offensive was exhausted, and then the counterattack was carried out, and the two sides came and went, holding each other for more than a month.

Nanchang is not broken, the battle situation is in danger, and Yang Xiuqing urgently ordered Hu Yihuang to reinforce.

Shi Dakai said: "Anqing, the barrier of Tianjing, the cardinal of attack and defense, must not be lost. ”

Xiuqing accepted Shiyan, and ordered Hu Yihuang to attack Jingdezhen nearby, rely on Anqing, and aid Nanchang. More than 10,000 soldiers and horses were raised, and Guo Zong Shi Xiangzhen and Wei Jun led them to gallop day and night and gallop to Nanchang.

Shi Xiangzhen and Wei Jun led the army to Nanchang, met with Lai Hanying, and attacked together for ten days.

Lai Hanying complained: "Jiang Zhongyuan, the village man in the mountains, destroyed the pavilion and burned the house; There are reasons to be unspeakable. The butcher of the erection is like a murderer. There is more than innocent thoughts of death. ”

Shi Xiangzhen asked about the future.

Lai Hanying said: "The siege of the city is waiting to change, and the husband is trapped." Divide the troops into four harassments to prevent them from helping. ”

Shi Xiangzhen said: "It's better to attack the city in a hurry, be sure of one place, gather troops, continue to attack, endlessly, and the river demon will collapse." ”

Lai Hanying was noncommittal.

Nanchang was in danger, and Emperor Xianfeng again sent a message to the governors of Hunan, Hubei, Anhui and Suzhou provinces to help the generals and ministers.

Zeng Guofan, the deputy minister of the Hunan Provincial Youth League, said: Since the revival of the Stealing and Defending Army, the retreat of officers and soldiers has been delayed, the wind has collapsed first, victory has not yielded, defeat has not rescued each other, and all kinds of vices have long been in the insight of Shengming. The reason for this is always due to the lack of training on weekdays, the unfamiliarity of skills, and the weakness and timidity.

Hunan was besieged by bandits last year and held out for more than 80 days. Since the beginning of this year, the battalions have been conscientiously trained, but the deputy general of the Changsha Association, Qingde, is comfortable and does not follow the training, and is idle in the department to cultivate flowers and trees; All the camp affairs are armed, and they are at a loss, like puppets. At a time when Guangdong thieves are rushing to Jiangxi and Chu Province is tightened, it is time for the generals to be tired and play like this, why should they lead the soldiers! Accordingly, the deputy general of the Changsha Association, Qingde, was dismissed from his post to encourage the soldiers and boost the prestige of the army. I would like to join the Governor of Huguang, Zhang Liangji, to participate in the performance, and the Emperor Fu begged for the Holy Instruction.

Three days later, Zeng Guofan played again: On September 18 last year, when the bandits dug tunnels and crashed into the southern city, and the people were panicked, the deputy general of the Changsha Association, Qingde, took off his hat and hid the houses, and the soldiers he led took off their coats and abandoned the streets, which has been rumored to be a laughing stock to this day.

This spring, he should return to the province from Yuezhou and go to the Chang and Li areas to investigate and deal with bandits. The minister to the province for half a year, every three or eight periods, the superintendent led the soldiers, gathered in the school field to parade, the general is never the same, it is unreasonable.

Luo Bingzhang, the minister of the minister, and Zhang Liangji, the governor of the letter business, had already asked for the dismissal of the general. Thinking of such a bad general, it is not enough to dismiss him.

Now that the bandits are besieging Nanchang, Hunan has dispatched hundreds of troops to the rescue. The minister received Jiang Zhongyuan's letter twice, asking him to raise 3,000 Chu Yong, and now he has raised it for the first time, and plans to order him to be promoted to Zhu Sunyi, Jiang Zhongjun, Luo Zenan, Jin Songling and other pipe bands, and set off within a few days, and Xingchi will go to help.

Hunan Province is also very tight at the time of prevention, but the soldiers are afraid, tired play has become a habit, do not listen to persuasion, do not fear, there is no way to motivate. Accordingly, the deputy general of the Changsha Association, Qingde, was dismissed from his post and handed over to the Criminal Department, and the crime was severely punished, and the military prestige was slightly suppressed and morale was improved.

The ministers hated the ministers for taking tricks, and the military ministers retreated, causing today's great changes, because they were excited about it. If the minister has a little private opinion, he asks the emperor to strictly investigate and punish the crime of deception.

Since the minister arrived in the province, he has been the acting staff general Taqib, who has worked hard and bravely, worked hard and endured, and won the hearts of the soldiers. There are also quasi-supplements to the thousands of general martial arts to raise the palace yuan, shrewd and honest, brave and brave, with hundreds of brave people, practicing for a long time, each has the art of concurrently man. Taqib's commander Chen Yong worked together with the martial arts, and they all wanted to serve loyally. I would like to submit the resumes of the two of them into the list, and the emperor begged for heaven's grace and made an exception. When Hunan's prevention and blockage were tight, the two people were rewarded to encourage the public. If the two of them retreat in the future, they will be punished together. Just a fool, begging for a holy book. Sincerely.

In late August 1853, reinforcements from all walks of life arrived in Nanchang one after another. Jiang Zhongyuan ordered Luo Zenan and Jin Songling to encircle and suppress the Ji'an Knife Society, and Liu Changyou and Jiang Zhongjun entered Zhangshu Town. Make two horns to defend the west and south of Nanchang. The overall situation was laid out, and Jiang Zhongyuan immediately counterattacked, and Jili should cooperate with the outside to defeat Lai's army.

Lai Hanying saw through it, feinted defeat and lured in, outflanked both wings, and broke the river offensive.

The battle was stalemate, Luo Zenan was anxious and eager to win, led his troops to attack at night, strayed into an ambush circle, and suffered many casualties. Jin Songling led the rear army, but did not rescue. When Jiang Zhongyuan heard the news, he went out of the city to help, and Luo Ze went out in the south.

Jiang Zhongyuan said: "If you are alone, how can you know that there is no disaster? ”

Luo Zenan smiled and said: "The soldiers are in danger, and they take millet from the fire!" ”

Jiang Zhongyuan sighed: "Solo chess is rampant, but the public dares to do it!" ”

In the siege of the city in March, Lai Hanying repeatedly failed to conquer, Yang Xiuqing ordered the withdrawal of the army, and ordered Lai Hanying to return to Beijing to report on his work, and then ordered Shi Dakai to lead the western expeditionary armies and attack Anhui and Hubei.

Nanchang siege was resolved, the celebration banquet was opened, and the right attendant of the Criminal Department, Huang Zan, Tang Zan, Luo Zenan, and Li Xubin were bloody, and they were the first to start the army.

Jiang Zhongyuan said: Hunan people are all bloody, and Luo Luoshan is our model.

Parting, Jiang Zhongyuan and Luo Zenan reminisced.

Jiang Zhongyuan said: "Has Zeng Gongbing been trained? ”

Luo Zenan said: "Pan Duo retired from illness, Luo Fu was in Hunan Province, incompatible with each other, and was almost killed by the green soldiers. Zeng Gong sighed: Current affairs are urgent, and the courtiers can't stop the chaos, how dare they blaspheme the monarch's father with their own affairs. In order to avoid the wall, Zeng Gong has moved to Hengzhou! ”

Jiang Zhongyuan sighed: "The war is tight, life and death are instantaneous, and there is no time for rapping and intrigue!" ”

Jiang Zhongji privately advised Zhongyuan: "Life hangs by a thread, the city is broken and you die!" No one else can count on it. Zeng Guofan, half a year of military training, two months of wait-and-see, what does my brother think? After that, don't make such a leap and bound. ”

Jiang Zhongjun is also attached.

Jiang Zhongyuan said: "Zeng Gong trained the soldiers, and his soldiers were generals, and the dead soldiers were scattered; Follow the rules, don't expect extravagantly. I only slashed my sword, looking for a chance to kill the thief in the Jedi, and save the country from fire and water. ”

Nanchang siege was resolved, and Zhu Sunyi, Luo Zenan and others returned to Hunan to rebuild. Zeng Guofan heard that Luo Zenan was defeated in the middle of the ambush and Jin Songling did not come to the rescue, so he was furious and immediately beheaded Jin Songling to set an example, and said: "The most painful person in today's military affairs is nothing greater than the four words "soldiers do not save each other". Although this army was defeated and ran north, bleeding into an abyss, the other army stood by and watched, smiling with a mouthful of mouth. This unseemly thing, I will be punished when I hear it. “

The national domain killed Songling, wept tears, recruited Songling's brother, and said: "The military order is like a mountain, I have to do it!" The coffin of the pine age, I will be buried; Four hundred silver, my private property, please transfer it to my parents. ”