Chapter 127: Li Xiucheng's second attack on Hangzhou

Li Xiucheng led an army of 200,000 troops, attacked Wuchang and could not, returned to Jiangxi, Nashida opened more than 100,000 people in the old department, fought two battles against Bao Chaoting's army, both were invincible, and then entered Zhejiang, joined Li Shixian's department, and fought and advanced.

In late October 1861, Li Xiucheng arrived in Hangzhou.

Wang Youling, the governor of Zhejiang, was frightened,

Hangzhou General Ruichang disagreed, and said: This general has experienced a hundred battles, will annihilate the ugly group, and there are police in the closed territory.

Wang Youling said: There are hundreds of thousands of thieves, and the soldiers in Hangzhou are less than 10,000. I will fly all the way and surrender Hangzhou.

Ruichang Road: All departments of Feiyu, within ten days, will enter Hangzhou, otherwise they will be severely punished!

On the 10th, Rao Tingxuan, the governor of Zhejiang, Lin Fuxiang, the political envoy of Zhejiang, Mi Xingchao, Wu Zaisheng, Zeng Desheng, and Yang Jinbang, the deputy general, arrived successively.

Wang Youling ordered Rao Ting to elect the president's army. The court election was not far behind, and Yang Jinbang was sent to lead 3,000 troops to garrison Mantou Mountain in the west of the city to resist the enemy; Lin Fuxiang was ordered to look inside and outside the Jiangmen and defend the river road.

On November 3, the Taiping army attacked Hangzhou from the north and west.

Li Xiucheng personally went to the northern line, captured the fortresses along the West Lake, paid tribute to Yue's tomb, praised King Yue's resistance to the Jurchens, went straight to Wangjiangmen, and killed more than 1,000 Qing troops.

Lin Fuxiang was defeated and fled into Hangzhou.

In the west of Hangzhou, Lang Tianan Chen Bingwen led the army to besiege Mantou Mountain, and Yang Jinbang was unable to support it alone.

Rao Tingxuan personally led 5,000 soldiers to go out of the city to rescue, the fierce battle was in full swing, and Li Xiucheng led an army of 100,000 troops, surging.

Rao Ting chose to be afraid and retreated into the city.

Yang Jinbang did not get the order to withdraw, he fought alone, and the whole army died.

On November 7, Zhang Yuliang, the governor of Guangxi, led 10,000 troops to Hangzhou; Wen Rui, the chief soldier of Chuzhou Town, and Guo Wenbang, the deputy general, also retreated from Pujiang to Hangcheng.

Zhang Yuliang to, Wang Youling mourned, and cried and asked: My Hangzhou, there is only a trapped lake city in the west, and there is only a projectile in Haining in the east.

Yuliang Dao: Only die and fight!

Youling Dao: Fighting to the death and waiting for help, I have asked the monk Greenqin to lead the Beijing camp to the southeast, and then consult the Zeng State Domain.

Yuliang Dao: The monk is far away from thousands of mountains and rivers, even if you come, you don't have extravagant hopes. Zeng's people, the holy decree has not been obeyed, and the teachers and friends have not been saved, so we are waiting! Tomorrow out of the city to kill thieves, who are you going?

The deputy general said: The last general is willing to die with Lord Titai!

The next day, Zhang Yuliang and Guo Wenbang joined forces and went out of the city to fight, breaking five camps in a row.

Zhang Yuliang inspected and observed the battle situation, anxious for Wang Youling, divided his troops out of the city, and formed a base to resist thieves.

Wang Youling inquired about Rao Tingxuan.

Rao Tingxuan used the wall to build a strong city, hesitated, and did not give the order.

Li Xiucheng's troops approached the city wall, and said that the generals said: Hangzhou is the southeast shape of victory, and the three Wu capitals are so strong that they cannot be built overnight. Quickly pass on my order, set up camp, besiege and resist the enemy, wait for the demon food to run out, and break the city in one fell swoop.

Overnight, the Taiping army rushed to build more than 50 camps, and 10 gates of Hangzhou were all surrounded.

Xiucheng Xishu: Since the holy soldiers arrived in Hangjun, they have won the Japanese war day by day. The demon caves outside the city are all swept away; Countless killed, thousands of captors, thousands of self-surrendered. The city has been besieged, and there is no communication between inside and outside, and success is imminent!

Zhang Yuliang resented Rao Tingxuan for wandering in the face of war and not knowing military affairs, so he went to Hangzhou and was besieged.

Rao Tingxuan also hated Zhang Yuliang's violence, and privately called Wang Youling: In the past, Zhang Bu was stationed in Lanxi, wantonly killing old and weak women, and no one was spared, not only killing his people, but also setting fire to his house, seventy miles of ashes! Zhang Wei lost his conscience, if he was not as good as a bandit. Such a person is punished by all.

Wang Youling said: The Lanxi tragedy is well known to the world. Zhang Yuliang set up troops to kill the militia of the bandits, killed the gentle gentry, killed the poor people, killed the fleeing Hui merchants, killed the prefect's guests, but did not kill the rebels of the city; However, the enemy is at present, kill the main general, and the army's spirit will be scattered!

Rao Ting chose the way: Zhongcheng Lord Bodhisattva's heart, the end will be admired; In troubled times, we must use heavy canons, and if we don't punish this guy, the law will not be able to be carried out! We also have no shame to face the Zhejiang fathers!

Wang Youling said: Li Xiucheng has 100,000 rebels and has surrounded Hangzhou. The situation of Hangzhou is majestic, the geographical advantage is dangerous, and it does not suffer from the lack of defense and defense, but suffers from the rice millet. The rebels are so besieged that within a month, we will all die; At this time, Zhang Yuliang will be punished, what is the benefit? It is better to let him lead his troops into battle, or live or die, at the mercy of heaven. Quickly pass my order, Zhang Yuliang, the governor of Guangxi, quickly bring the people of the headquarters to resist the enemy outside the city!

Zhang Yuliang received the order, attacked again and again, and fought hard; However, the soldiers are few and outnumbered, and they are repeatedly defeated.

On November 21, Zhang Yuliang fought again, returned defeated, and on the way back to the camp, he was hit by the city artillery on the right rib.

Zhang Yuliang died, and his subordinates dispersed.

Wang Youling was angry, and angrily said that Rao Ting chose to say: Does Lord Titai have a good way to solve his difficulties?

Rao Ting chose the road: You can quickly ask Hangzhou General Ruichang to lead the flag to help in the war. Last year, the thieves besieged Hangcheng, Ruichang went to Qiantang Gate in person, and the deputy capital came to Chun to garrison Wulin Gate, and they all fought until the city was broken.

Wang Youling said: Ruichang has become ill from hard work, and the affairs of the flag camp have been ordered to be taken care of by Guan Fu, the deputy capital of Zhapu, and Jiechun, the deputy capital of Zhapu. Guan Fu and Jie Chunzhu guarded the city and got by. The Fujian soldiers volunteered to fight, and I hung a heavy reward, how about it?

Rao Ting chose the road: Absolutely not, there are many rebels outside the city, and they will die if they go out of the city. Sticking to the list is the best option. It was reported that Xue Huan, the governor of Jiangsu, had sent personnel to send military funds to Zhapu; Zuo Zongtang led an army of 10,000 and has entered Zhejiang; Li Yuandu's 8,000 Anyue army has attacked the area of Guangxin and Quzhou; I have consulted Shen Baozhen, and then persuaded Zeng Guofan to be sure to personally lead Xiangyong and gallop to help.

Wang Youling smiled miserably and said: Last month, I asked for a blood book, and I waited for Zeng's big help; Can Tsang save me? It is better to ask for others than to ask for yourself, quickly pass on my order, all Fujian soldiers are brave, quickly go to the outside of the city to resist the enemy, after the matter is completed, there will be a heavy reward.

Rao Ting chose Yin and Yang to disobey, and secretly ordered the Min soldiers to gather until dawn, and returned with empty guns.

Zeng Guofan received the letter of request for help, lamenting and said: Looking at Hangzhou from afar, the whip is beyond reach, how is the sorrow!

The Qing army held on to Hangzhou for two months, and the grain gradually ran out. And he killed all the horses, and gave each man two taels of meat and a little rice, but the death did not make up for the hungry, and there were cannibals, and as for the tossing and turning of the ditches, there were no less than 100,000 people who died of starvation in a month.

Hangzhou is starving everywhere, the popularity has dispersed, Li Xiucheng repeatedly shot into the city, regardless of the army, the people, the Manchu, the Han, those who are willing to surrender will live.

Wang Youling also knew that the city walls were not protected, so he hoped that the city gate would be opened so that the people could come out.

Ruichang is not allowed, and said: Abandoning the people is abandoning the city.

Wang Youling was discouraged and wept bitterly.

Master advises: It's useless to cry, we are martyred, it is our duty; There is no need for the people to be martyred. Shoot the book out of the city, and advise Xiucheng: Hangzhou or broken, don't hurt the people.

The Qing troops of Wulin, Qiantang, and Qingbo did not eat for several days, and they were hungry and unbearable, so they rushed out one after another, and they were out of control.

Tan Shaoguang, Chen Bingwen, Deng Guangming, and Gao Yongkuan took the opportunity to dig into the ground and blow up the wall and rushed in.

When the city fell, Wang Youling, the governor of Zhejiang, hanged himself, and Rao Tingxuan, the governor of Zhejiang, and Wen Ruili, the chief soldier of Chuzhou Town, were killed.

Li Xiucheng cared for Wang Youling's kindness, invested 3,000 taels, and buried him thickly.

The outer city was broken, and Xiucheng led a large army to besiege the city. Xiucheng shot an edict to persuade him to surrender, and asked Tianjing to grant amnesty to the Manchurians.

Hong Xiuquan accepted the order, thought about it again and again, and allowed to pardon the Manchurians who surrendered in Hangzhou.

Under Xiuquan's order, he was sighing to himself, and the British Counselor Pashali asked for a meeting with the British naval commander He Bo, saying that he wanted to join forces with the Celestial Empire to bring down the Qing court and divide China equally.

Xiuquan is not allowed, and said: I fight for China, I want to have the whole picture, the matter will be divided equally, the world will lose laughter, and after it fails, it will lead ghosts into the state.

The king of heaven has not arrived, the generals want to attack, Xiucheng did not allow, issued an edict saying: Heavenly King Xiucheng advised the general of Hangzhou Ruichang, Erfeng Er's order to guard Hangzhou, I took it according to the order of my lord, and each supported its master, and I had to do it by saying and doing things, so as not to hurt the lives of men and women. Willing to give the boat, you have gold and silver, and bring it in parallel, if not, I am willing to give a grant and send it to Zhenjiang. The people of Manchuria have become emperors of our great country, which is the mandate of heaven, not self-contained. Treat the Han people with their affection, and now they each support a gentleman, and the two have no choice but to save my heart for this matter.

Hangzhou General Ruichang disdained it and vowed not to surrender.

Li Xiucheng ordered the attack, Ruichang knew that he would die, and died in the water, followed by the deputy capital Jie Chun and Guan Fu. The city was broken, and the soldiers and people of the city were almost all killed.

Xiucheng occupied Hangzhou, that is, transferred rice and ten thousand stones to relieve the victims; The poor households have no capital to make a living, and Xiucheng raised 200,000 strings of money, borrowing their capital to make a living, not asking for profits.

On January 7, 1862, Li Xiucheng ordered the chief general Deng Guangming and the heavenly general Tong Ronghai to garrison Hangzhou, and Xiucheng led a large army to the north into Songhu.