On May 28, 1860, Li Xiucheng entered Gaoqiao and attacked for two days in a row. It was the night rain, Xiu Chengqin led an army, smuggled the canal south, crossed the Hui Mountain, and attacked the west gate; and sent an army to attack the south gate.

Ma Dezhao hurriedly sent his deputy general Chen Bugao to reinforce the West Gate, asked the deputy capital commander Sertu Shan to reinforce the South Gate, and sent the capital secretary Zheng Guokui and the garrison Li Fengbiao to reinforce Gaoqiao.

In the afternoon, the rain stopped, Huishan was suddenly covered by clouds and smoke, Xiucheng then ordered an army to climb the top of the mountain, condescendingly, and bombarded the west gate. The defenders were defeated, and Xiucheng took the opportunity to attack the city walls.

Zhang Yuliang quickly retreated to the north gate to resist, but the defeat was successful, and it was difficult to save alone, Zhang Yuliang and Ma Dezhao fled to Suzhou, and discussed with Xu Youren, the governor of Jiangsu, to resist the enemy.

Zhang Yuliang said: The thieves are surging, and we will work together to ensure the province.

Ma Dezhao said: The soldiers and the people all take food as the sky, the walls are clear, and they will not be thieves against a grain of food. In the west of Suzhou, outside the Changmen, all residential buildings must be burned down to stop the thief army.

Xu Youren said: According to the words of the town, I immediately ordered Gusu to be outside the city, from Changmen to Shangtang Street of Hanshan Temple, from Changmen to Huqiu Shantang Street, from Changmen to Nanhao Street of Xumen, and all residents were wrapped up; secondary migration; Three orders for arson.

That night, the misinformation of the soldiers, or the mishearing of the city soldiers, caused the three orders to be parallel, and in an instant, the fire and candle sky, the burning was extended for twelve hours, and the south and north were all ashes. The dwellers carried money and clothes, the birds went away one by one, and the children cried and the girls cried all night long.

Xu Youren and his office sent Zhu Jun to the city to watch, and Zhu Jun cried bitterly when he saw this.

Xu Youren cried and said: I am not properly settled, I am ashamed of Gusu Limin, the city wall is broken, that is, my death!

Li Shouling, a Su person, saw the smoke and flames outside the city of Gusu, covering the sky for three days, Shouling looked up to the sky and wept: the Qing army 100,000 came in a hurry, and the city gate could not be closed for three days. The Fu army ordered the burning of people's houses, and thousands of households outside the city became cold ashes. The athletes were recruited to turn their faces, and the abandoned armor was piled up like hills and mountains.

On June 1, Li Xiucheng went to Suzhou, and the people came to greet him, and they all shouted: Please ask the army to eliminate harm for the people, and kill all the soldiers of Zhang and the two evils together.

On the 2nd, Xiucheng immediately carried out a general attack, and after two hours, the alternate Taoist Li Shaoxi and the candidate prefect of Suzhou, He Xinyi, opened the door to surrender, and Xiucheng led his troops into the city.

The city of Suzhou was broken, Xu Youren, the governor of Jiangsu, committed suicide by throwing himself into the pool, and Zhu Jun led the crowd to fight in the streets, suffering dozens of wounds, hiding the paint worker, spending three days, and sinking into the well.

Zhang Yuliang and Ma Dezhao packed up the rout and retreated to Hangzhou. On the way, Dezhao suddenly fell off his horse; The medical officer investigated and treated, and it turned out to be a depression and disease; Yuliang was helpless and sent someone to protect the horse into Sichuan to recuperate.

With the city of Suzhou lost and Shanghai in jeopardy, He Guiqing, the governor of Liangjiang, contacted the British minister Pruss to discuss the exchange of contracts and the protection of Shanghai. Pruss insisted on entering Beijing to exchange the contract, otherwise the war would start.

Gui Qing pondered again and again, and said: Cantonese bandits, foreign Yi, and chaos in China, for today's plan, the only way to appease the Yi people is to insist on what they want. Subordinate to Shanghai, face to face the envoy, persuade him to be grateful, put aside his collusion, and take advantage of the situation to persuade him to help Shun suppress the thief. If the two evils are dwarfed, the lesser of them will be taken.

Emperor Xianfeng did not listen to He Guiqing's arguments, and abandoned the city to mourn his teacher, and issued an edict to dismiss him. Xuan also decreed: Xue Huan, the secretary of the Jiangsu Domain, rose to the occasion and came to the aid quickly, and immediately acted as the minister of the Qincha, and concurrently acted as the governor of Liangjiang, and actually authorized the governor of Jiangsu to handle the trade affairs of the five ports; When you go to Shanghai, you must be kind enough to advise and exchange for trade; Acting Admiral Zhang Yuliang repeatedly lost his guard and was immediately dismissed and retained; Hangzhou General Ruichang, in the face of danger, tried his best to block the stubborn enemy, and immediately called the president of the Jiangnan army.

Xue Huan received the order and ordered Su Song Taidao Wu Xu and Su Song Liang Dao Yang Fang to meet with the British and French ministers to discuss the exchange of treaty, trade and the defense of Shanghai. The British and French ministers refused to send troops on the grounds that they would "maintain the strictest neutrality outside the concessions".

Su Song Liang Dao Yang Fang Dao: American Wall, familiar with me, this person joined the army in his early years, served as an official, experienced battle formations, is familiar with firearms, can give money extensively, hire Wall, recruit Yi people, form an army of his own, and resist the rebellion of Guangdong.

Wu Xu said: The consul of Yiguo insists on neutrality, and I use Yiren as soldiers, if there is a dispute between them, what should I do?

Yang Fang Dao: The mercenary system of Yiguo is like the dart bureau of our country, as long as the money is enough, life and death will not be investigated. I inquired about this, and the French minister said: "As long as there is no contradiction to the laws of one's own country, the government of one's private affairs. The government has no right to intervene. I will consult the British and French ministers again, and get their assurances to quickly organize the army.

Xue Huandao: This matter is not trivial, it stands to reason that I should play and make a decree from the saint before I can act. However, the situation is difficult, and there is no need for red tape.

Yang Fangdao: I understand that recruiting soldiers and getting rid of the relationship requires no public money. Wealthy businessmen from southern Jiangsu gathered in Shanghai, and the money they needed came immediately.

Wu Xu said: The British and French ships have been reported to have started in Dinghai, and they will arrive soon, so Lord Futai can make plans as soon as possible.

Xue Huan sighed: There are hundreds of Yi ships, more than 10,000 Yi soldiers, and they are coming in a surge, which is not a blessing in my Qing Dynasty.

Su Changju, Li Xiucheng was in a good mood, divided his troops and attacked, less than half a month, and Kekunshan, Wujiang, Zhenze, Pingwang, Taicang, and Jiading.

On June 15, 1860, Qiu Tianyi Chen Kunshu and Lang Tianan Chen Bingwen entered Zhejiang and conquered Jiaxing.

Hangzhou General Ruichang trembled, and accompanied by Xu Youren, the governor of Zhejiang, he hurriedly played: Please come to supervise military affairs, and those who want Huining and Huguang Yuanyuan to help the teacher are also.

Three days later, Ruichang played again: The current situation may have to be suppressed by Zeng Guofan.

Zhang Yuliang retreated into Zhejiang in defeat, and said urgently that Ruichang said: Zeng Guofan is too far away from here, and he can't hope for extravagance. The adults must immediately gather their forces and counterattack Jiaxing.

Ruichang Road: If Jiaxing is deserved, Hangzhou is also protected. Quickly pass my order, Zhejiang is full of Han soldiers, and Xian listens to the dispatch of Zhentai.

Zhang Yuliang said: I have repeatedly lost my defense, and I have been dismissed by my emperor, and then I order the whole army, I am afraid that it is inappropriate.

Ruichang Dao: The Holy Lord ordered the president of the Jiangnan Army, and I ordered the Zhentai Governor to lead the whole army.

On June 24, Zhang Yuliang gathered 30,000 troops and counterattacked Jiaxing. Ask Tianyi Chen Kunshu to be invincible, and ask for help Li Xiucheng.

Li Xiucheng received the notice and ordered Chen Kunshu to stay and wait for help. After Xiucheng's order, he sent a message to the British and French envoys in Shanghai, claiming that the attack on Shanghai was China's internal affair, and that they were both brothers who worshiped God, and would certainly do their best to safeguard their rights and interests in friendly trade and navigation. Li Xiucheng waited left and right, and did not see the reply of the British and French ministers.

One day, Chen Yucheng paid a surprise visit; The two of them are cold and noisy, Chen Yu said: Yang, Chu two cities, I have not been willing to take, Anqing has been trapped by Zeng, Hu two demons around the moon for more than a month, this city with Huai, the throat of the land, Tianjing grain source is closed, if lost, the door of Tianjing is wide open, the future is endless, will be rescued.

Li Xiucheng said: Zhucheng in the south of the Yangtze River, except for Zhenjiang, Jintan, Shanghai, and Hangzhou, I have all of them. The poor must be chased, otherwise there will be endless troubles. I intend to attack Shanghai in the east, enter Zhejiang in the south, capture Hangzhou, annihilate the demon army in the south of the Yangtze River, and open up the sea passage. At that time, I will be from the south, Brother Ying will live in the north, and Ye Yun from Anqing will be in the center, containing both sides, blooming in the middle, and Zeng Youyan will not be destroyed!

Chen Yucheng said: Jixian Pass north of Anqing; Zongyang in the east, Qingcaoyuan and trailer River in the west, and the Yangtze River waterway in the south are all occupied by Hunan demons. If you don't rescue again, Anqing will be broken. If Anqing is lost, it will be difficult to attack again!

Li Xiucheng said: That's it, Hangzhou is temporary, but Shanghai is close at hand, I will immediately tell the king, explain the matter in detail, and ask him to decide. If you attack Shanghai, you will be able to recover it within half a month. At that time, I will go to Anqing with Brother Ying.

Chen Yuchengdao: For half a year, he has repeatedly crossed the river to and fro, and the ordnance and food resources have gradually become scarce, so in Suchang place, he set up a card to collect cashiers, which caused unhappiness, and I hope that the loyal brother will forgive me! I have inquired about the grain and the king, and the king said who will take and who will get it. I immediately marched south, attacked Zhejiang, and raised food. When the brother Kede Shanghai, we will immediately join hands to go west. Jie Tianyi Lai Wenguang, extremely brave, temporarily helped his loyal brother to attack Shanghai. I have repeatedly fought with the Hunan Demon Duolonga and Bao Chaobu, and there are fewer wins and more losses. At that time, if you want to use the power of your loyal brother to fight to the death with the two demons, is it possible?

Li Xiucheng said: Brother Ying's heart is bitter, and I will never bear it. I immediately ordered Jie Tianyi, Lai Wenguang, Lu Shunde, Shao Tianyu, and Zhou Wenjia to immediately reorganize their troops and horses and attack Shanghai.

On June 30, Lai Wenguang and Zhou Wenjia attacked Qingpu and Lu Shunde attacked Songjiang.