Chapter 142: Li Hongzhang Goes to the Old and Accepts the New (1)

In the name of raising food resources, Li Xiucheng, the loyal king, returned to Suzhou in mid-January 1863, and as soon as he entered the city, he summoned Tan Shaoguang, Chen Bingwen, Cai Yuanlong, and others to discuss the offensive and defensive matters around Suzhou.

Li Xiucheng said: The king of heaven ordered me to cross the river to attack Anhui to relieve the siege of Tianjing, the war in Sufu Province, and you have to work for you.

Mu Wang Tan Shaoguang said: Li Hongzhang's demon army is a Hunan demon, with foreign guns and cannons, which is really difficult to shake.

Li Xiucheng said: After I go, Changshu, Taicang, Kunshan and Suzhou must be defended as an attack, and do not go out lightly; When I return, I'll fight back. Quickly pass on my order, love the king Huang Chongfa, raise the king Ji Qingyuan, Ji Wang Jinai, the king of Wu Wang Youwei, Shun Wang Li Chunfa, the prime minister Chen Panwu, etc., immediately reorganize the army, raise food and raise funds, half a month later, the army looked west, crossed the river to attack Anhui.

Changshu taught Qian Guiren, the commander of the Tiantian Army, to see through the situation, and insisted on lowering the Qing, tossing and turning for a year, retrusting his fellow villager Cheng Xueqi, saying Li Hongzhang, and begging to show his intentions.

Li Hongzhang got the report and ordered Qian Guiren to take action on January 19. Unexpectedly, before the matter started, the loyal king Li Xiucheng returned to Suzhou.

Qian Guiren sighed for a long time: Last year and today, Xiucheng is coming, is it against my will!

General Luo Guozhong said: His Royal Highness the King of Qiyu, the matter is man-made, why not go to Suzhou in person, invite Li to inspect the defense of Shicheng, and find an opportunity to punish him.

Qian Guiren said: This plan is very good!

Qian Guiren ordered President Luo Guozhong to defend Changshu, and he flew to Suzhou by himself, and invited Xiucheng to Changzhao to see the army.

Li Xiucheng wants to go.

Tan Shaoguang resisted and said: At this time last year, Xiong Wanquan in Suzhou, Li Wenbing in Kunshan and Qian Guiren in Changshu conspired to rebel. His Royal Highness arrives just in the bud. There may be fraud in this trip, and His Royal Highness Wanwang will think twice.

Li Xiucheng said: Without real evidence, you can't speculate on yourself; The matter of crossing the river to attack Anhui is urgent, and this army does not ignore it.

Qian Guiren was stuck in Su and did not return, Luo Guozhong couldn't bear it, cut down the Cantonese soldiers and Qian Guiren's family, and grabbed the Qian family's assets. The next day, Fu captured Fushan, a key pass along the river.

When the great success was completed, Luo Guozhong told Li Hongzhang: Our department has 20,000 or 30,000, 200,000 salaries, and more than 500 Guangdong thieves have been besieged and killed.

Luo Guozhong rebelled, the loyal king Li Xiucheng panicked, and hurriedly said: Changshu and Fushan are all lost along the river, and the north of Suzhou has no obstruction.

On January 20, Tan Shaoguang, Chen Bingwen and other overseers of 100,000 troops marched north and besieged Changshu and Fushan.

The Taiping army was strong, and the Fushan defender Jiang Shenghai regained the water again, and Fushan recovered.

Fushan was lost, and Li Hongzhang sighed: The Guangdong rebel camp is settled, the soldiers are easy to change, and Fushan is even more difficult to handle. From Fushan to Changshu, the thieves are camped for dozens of miles, and they are blocked layer by layer, and it is difficult to get through. Quickly pass on my order, Hanlin edited Liu Bingzhang, the rate of the winning army of the first one, will be Huang Yi to give birth to the water division, and attack Fushan, and fight the usual waterway. Cheng Xueqi and Li Hezhang, Guo Songlin's Songzi Battalion, and most of the Changsheng Army, quickly crossed the river along Wulidun, and the soldiers approached the city of Taicang, and responded from afar. Luo Guozhong and others, don't act carelessly, quickly consolidate the city defense of Changshu, and wait for help.

Cheng Xueqi said: From the loyal chieftain to the Su, the thief army is strong, and our army is scattered, and I am afraid that it will be broken by each one.

Li Hongzhang said: The loyal chieftain is running from east to west, and its momentum is not as good as before. The thieves attack Changshu is very urgent, if they will attack Taicang as soon as possible, they will be able to control the thieves' momentum, and Changshu and Fushan can be preserved, which will benefit a lot, and if this opportunity is missed, it will be difficult to defend the city of Ketai.

Tan Shaoguang besieged the city for more than a month and could not attack it repeatedly.

Li Xiucheng went to Changshu in person, supervised the battle, and the morale of the Taiping army was greatly boosted, and they captured Yushan in one fell swoop, turned the muzzle of the cannon, and bombarded the whole city; Tan Shaoguang, Chen Bingwen and others also worked together to break through the north gate.

The city of Changshu is about to be broken, but the edicts of the king of heaven are coming one after another, asking when Xiucheng will cross the river to attack Anhui?

Xiucheng muttered: Rong Ma is handsome, and it is three months in a flash; The west line of Chaohu Lake has been repeatedly urgent and has to be taken care of; If the King of England is here, why is there such an embarrassment!

Li Xiucheng's main army retreated, and Tan Shaoguang did not attack vigorously, so he ordered all departments to be stationed on the spot and besieged for a long time.

Li Xiucheng returned to the west, Li Hongzhang sighed for a long time, and said: As soon as the loyal chief goes, Su Changkun is too rebellious and the bandit is the same as the rabble, we will cut its branches and leaves, and the picture will be fundamental. I mean, Liu Mingchuan inscription battalion, Pan Ding new Dingzi battalion, quickly to Liangyang Port, rendezvous with Liu Bingzhang's department, cooperate with the sailor, and then attack Fushan, and solve the siege of Changshu.

Cheng Xueqidao: After Bai Qiwen made trouble in Songjiang, the combat strength of the Changsheng army was not as good as before; The city of Taicang is wide, and it is also held by the chief Cai Yuanlong, which is difficult to break for a while.

Li Hongzhang said: Bai Qiwen knew his guilt and could not hide it, so I immediately went to Ningbo to discuss with the British Army Admiral Stiller about the abolition of the Changsheng Army. Since the opening of the Yangtze River, China's interests and powers have been exercised outside the country, and there are many drawbacks, which cannot be stopped. The victorious military strength of Britain, France and the United States has helped to prevent and suppress the suppression, which has been of great benefit a few days ago. When you want to put down this thief quickly, pay attention to the government, and change the bad habits of the camp for hundreds of years. If I can improve myself, then the other clan will not be coveted in vain, otherwise the future will be incredible.

At the end of February 1863, Li Hongzhang arrived in Ningbo and summoned the British Army Admiral Still.

Li Hongzhang said: In November of last year, I ordered Bai Qiwen to lead the victorious army to aid Jinling, but Bai Qiwen refused to go; In December, I ordered Bai Qiwen to attack Jinling Jiuhuanzhou, but Bai Qiwen refused. At the beginning of the establishment of the Changsheng Army, China and Britain had an agreement that all matters concerning the Changsheng Army should be handled through consultation between China and Britain. May I ask Mr. Admiral, what should Bai Qiwen do?

Stifer said: Your country's military orders are like a mountain, and once this matter is ascertained, it will be strictly investigated.

Li Hongzhang continued: Bai Qiwen not only disobeyed the military order, but on December 8 last year, Bai Qiwen beat up the Taoist Yang Fang and closed the city to rob 40,000 treasury silver. May I ask you, Mr. Admiral, what should I do with this?

Stifer said: This matter is not trivial, and I must consult with Mr. Ho Bo before informing your country.

Li Hongzhang said: Mr. Admiral, I personally went to Ningbo to inform the Chang Shengjun Bai Qiwen of the troubles, for the sake of the eternal friendship between China and Britain. Bai Qiwen is a Chinese, beats Taoists, robs treasury silver, repeatedly violates the order of the Fu army, according to the laws of the Great Qing Dynasty, the Changsheng army was immediately dismissed, and Bai Qiwen was decided!

Stifer said: Before we clarify this matter, we cannot cut the army and cut the people.

Li Hongzhang said: Xue Huan, Minister of International Commerce, impeached me for arrears of salaries, which led to a mutiny, and my emperor may remove me from the post of governor. Bai Qiwen's provocation is extremely urgent, and I ask Mr. Admiral to make a decision immediately!

Stifer said: If Your Excellency goes to work, Songhu will be in chaos! What do you mean by the fact that the victorious army is going to stay?

Li Hongzhang said: Bai Qiwen repeatedly resented military orders and robbed the treasury and silver, and it is no longer suitable to be the commander of the Changsheng army; Although the victorious army had 5,000 people, it was uneven, and it was advisable to immediately withdraw to 3,000.

Stifer: Yes! The victorious army cannot be left without generals for a day, and the chief of staff of the victorious army, Mr. Oren, can be temporarily the commander.

Li Hongzhang said: Mr. Oren is very familiar with Bai Qiwen, I am afraid that something is wrong.

Stifford Road: Charlie. George. Major Gordon was a model for our Imperial Army; Mr. Gordon will arrive next month and will be in command of the victorious army.

Li Hongzhang said: Mr. Admiral's choice must be a refined person, and I have no objection. However, the cost of the salaries of the victorious army is very huge, and we must send managers in the future to reduce the needs of salaries.

Shi Di Lidao: Bai Qiwen is unharmed, the winning army is not cut, everything is negotiable.