Chapter 148: Cheng Xueqi Kills Suzhou (1)

Before Li Xiucheng entered the Soviet Union, Cheng Xueqi and Gordon had joined forces to besiege Suzhou for seven days, and the Taiping army resisted stubbornly, and Cheng and Ge suffered heavy casualties.

Gordon was reluctant to attack again, and said to Li Hongzhang: On November 27 and November 29, in the two battles outside the city, more than 180 people were killed and wounded in our unit, many British officers were killed or wounded, and my adjutant, Mr. Kergen, was also killed; In the battle outside the city, there were still such casualties, and if the city was fortified, the casualties would be even greater. You can't hope that I can take Suzhou, and the Taiping army can crush us with a little resistance on that seven-yard bridge, so I earnestly hope that Li Futai will stop fighting and take over the city peacefully.

Li Hongzhang said: What does Fang Zhong mean?

Cheng Xueqi said: The soldiers who surrender without a fight, and the city that takes people without a fight, are very good!

Li Hongzhang said: In Suzhou City, can there be a willing general?

Gordon Dao: A month ago, Bai Qiwen and 34 others surrendered to me......

Li Hongzhang interrupted Gordon's words and said angrily: Bai Qiwen beat my officials, took refuge in Yue, and the two ends of the first rat, according to the laws of the Qing Dynasty, this person should be beheaded.

Gordon Dao: Mr. Futai, the people of Erguo have a saying, everyone has death, or lighter than a feather, or heavier than Mount Tai, Bai Qiwen is as light as a feather, and death and life have nothing to do with the overall situation. Those who surrendered said that the rebels had different thoughts, and there were many people who were willing to surrender; Nawang Gao Yongkuan and Mu Wang Tan Shaoguang are not on good terms, and Gao Yongkuan has long had the heart to surrender.

Li Hongzhang said: Gao Yongkuan is a Hubei clan, not the old rebel of Liangguang, Fang Zhong knows?

Cheng Xueqidao: On the one hand, I will send someone to discuss secretly.

Li Hongzhang said: In the past, Zheng Guokui killed people with a sword, expelled the salt tyrant, became a salt lord by himself, led an army by himself, and fought against Yue. When Su Cheng was broken, he was captured by thieves, and he got along with the thief for half a year, and heard that he had become a brother with a different surname with the thief.

Cheng Xueqidao: Qi Li Shuai, the Kuizi battalion is decisive in killing, and has made many military exploits, all because of Zheng Guokui's leadership; I will immediately send Zheng Guokui to consult.

Li Hongzhang said: In addition to Zheng Guokui's debauchery, he also has a chivalrous heart, and this trip may be successful.

Zheng Guokui was ordered, dressed up in disguise, blended into Suzhou City, and met Gao Yongkuan.

Gao Yongkuandao: But sincerely?

Zheng Guokui said: No second thought! Our emperor decrees that those who can sincerely submit to the city before the city is set will be allowed to surrender to the thief, regardless of the length of time they have been a thief. After the ordnance and horses were surrendered, they were ordered to accompany the thieves. If there is a reluctance to accompany the camp, the magistrate will be sent back to his hometown, or he may be properly placed so that he will not be lost.

Gao Yongkuandao: If we wait, there are three conditions, first, we must leave half of the city to settle my soldiers. 2. Twenty battalions are set up to pay salaries. 3. Defend the official positions of the chief soldier and deputy general. All three of the above are indispensable.

Zheng Guokui said: If Brother Gao wishes, I will report it. You and my brother, let me say bluntly, Brother Gao's conditions are too harsh, I am afraid it is not feasible. Cheng Fangzhong kills people like hemp, spends money like dirt, this person acts in war, and never plays cards according to common sense; There are more than 10,000 soldiers in the Hunan army, more than 100 generals, Li Futai stands out, which shows that his eyes are clear and spicy, and he is good at dancing with long sleeves.

Gao Yongkuandao: That is, it should not be allowed, there is no him, but Zhan Er! Our army is 100,000, but 20,000 are insufficient, and there are strong cities, why be afraid!

Zheng Guokui said: Brother Gao, don't laugh, Li Xiucheng's army of 200,000 has also been wiped out. I am a native of the Qing Dynasty, and everything is about human feelings; Foreigners don't, foreigners only look at right and wrong, and they respect the contract, and this matter is the first mention of Gordon, why didn't Brother Gao let Gordon as a guarantor?

Gao Yongkuan said: The Qing Dynasty is afraid of foreigners, and Gordon is a guarantor, and this matter can be done. Brother Zheng quickly replied, and we will meet at Yangcheng Lake again.

After Zheng Guokui's farewell, Gao Yongkuan immediately gathered his henchmen to discuss the matter of dedicating the city.

Wang Anjun, King Kang, Wu Guiwen, King Ning, Zhou Wenjia, Tianjiang Fan Qiqi, Zhang Dazhou, Wang Huaiwu, Wang Youwei, etc., all said: Sucheng will be broken sooner or later, so it is better to fall.

Gao Yongkuan said: If we are united, we will do it.

On November 28, 1864, Wang Anjun, King Kang, went to Yangcheng Lake and said that Cheng Xueqi said: Can we agree to the three articles we proposed?

Cheng Xueqi said: I have reported to Li Futai, and Lord Futai has also asked for it, and there should be no objection when the court appoints people. Cut the heads of Li Xiucheng and Tan Shaoguang, and dedicate the city to sincerity, which can protect high-ranking officials.

Wang Anjun said: The loyal king's kindness is as heavy as a mountain, and he can't bear to hurt each other. Tan Shaoguang thought that the people of the three rivers and two lakes were unacceptable, and when he spoke, he invaded them. We can send Tan's head as a gift of the audience.

Cheng Xueqi said: Without further ado, tomorrow I will attack the Great Wall outside Loumen, and Chief Mu will go to the rescue, and you will isolate it outside the city, and our army will be combined with the outside to break the city in one fell swoop.

Wang Anjun said: But I will return to prepare for it.

Wang Anjun returned to Suzhou, planned with Gao Yongkuan and others for a night, and at dawn, the city of Suzhou suddenly made a noise of gongs and drums, and the voices of people were boiling.

Gao Yongkuan, Wang Anjun and others were shocked, and asked in unison: Where did the sound come from?

After a while, the spies came to report: Li Xiucheng, the loyal king, was defeated in Wuxi, led 30,000 troops, and retreated into Suzhou City.

Gao Yongkuan said: If you don't do it, you just have a pot of stew.

Wang Anjun said: Tomorrow's troops will attack the stone base, Li Xiucheng will order us to fight, if I resist the order, Li and Tan will be suspicious.

Gao Yongkuandao: What's the use of suspicion? The picture has been exhausted, and we can only see each other with swords and guns.

Wang Anjun said: Li and Tan have 60,000 people, which is equivalent to me, and when there is chaos, Li Xiucheng raised his arms and shouted, can I restrain my subordinates?

Gao Yongkuandao: Look at my eyes at that time, and the camera acts.

On November 29, Cheng Xueqi and Gordon besieged Suzhou separately as agreed yesterday.

Li Xiucheng immediately ordered Gao Yongkuan to divide his troops and attack.

Gao Yongkuandao: Some of our four gates, including Tunchang, Xu, Pan and Qi, are not enough; If you attack, I am afraid that you will be taken advantage of by Cheng Demon. Our army is newly defeated, and the army's spirit is unstable, so we can only stick to the city walls.

Gao Yongkuan did not obey the military order, and Li Xiucheng did not need to be strong, so he and Tan Shaoguang led an army of 10,000 and went out of the city to meet the battle.

Cheng Xueqi and Gordon's soldiers were divided into four routes, and Yue Hao besieged; Li and Tan fought for a day, but they were unable to catch up and hurriedly returned to the city.

Li Xiucheng said: The camps outside the city are all occupied by demons, and Suzhou is in danger; Gao Yongkuan and others disobeyed our military orders, and their hearts were to be investigated.

Tan Shaoguang said: I just reported that yesterday, King Kang Wang Anjun went out of the city without permission and did not know where to go.

Li Xiucheng said: Quickly summon the generals, eat wine in the palace, and discuss the city defense.

That night, the generals of the Taiping Army gathered in the palace of Zhongwang. Li Xiucheng said that Wang Anjun said: In the past, when attacking Hangzhou, Brother Kang personally led the death squad, did not avoid the rain of bullets, climbed the city wall, captured the demon head of the Mixing Dynasty, the demon army began to collapse, and Hangzhou Fangde, on merit, Brother Kang was the first.

Wang Anjun said: There are demons on all sides of Sioux, and we are not effective in engagement, and we are loyal to His Royal Highness; The courage of the past, how dare you mention it again.

Xiu Chengdao: The battle horse for the gift, is still riding?

Wang Anjun chattered.

Xiucheng said again: With all due respect, I want to give up Suzhou and Tianjing, pour out the whole army, return to Liangguang, and seek a great cause.

Tan Shaoguang didn't allow it, and said: Go to the palace, I will fight to the end.

Gao Yongkuan also did not allow it, and said: Liukou is partial to the army, and he will go to the footsteps of the wing hall.

Xiucheng sighed and said: Our brothers, the kingdom of heaven has fallen to this, and I can't force it, everyone has their own ambitions, and they cherish this wine.