Chapter 155: Zeng Guoquan Jinling Massacre (3)

Zeng Guofan received Li Hongzhang's message and sighed: The two palaces issued six edicts in a row, and ordered Li Shaoquan to aid in attacking Jinling.

Ouyang Zhaoxiong said: To aid or not to help, Li Shaoquan is in a dilemma; The two palaces were urgent, and Li consulted, as if he wanted to move, and he couldn't bear it, so he told each other. This so-called throwing stone is not to ask for directions, and hitting the grass is also to frighten the snake.

Zeng Guofan said: I thought about it again and again, and I couldn't stop it anymore, Li Shaoquan immediately asked in a message, and I also replied with a consultation, and sent another letter to explain my intentions in detail. It's just that Yuan Fu's two years of hard work, once it is distributed to others, I really can't bear it, so I will first send this consultation letter to Yuan Fu for self-determination.

Ouyang Zhaoxiong said: The intention of the handsome is to make the nine marshals rush to attack Jinlinghu?

Zeng Guo Fan Dao: Rush or not, Yuan Fu self-determination; 30,000 yuan of gunpowder and 30,000 yuan of silver in May, which are planned to be shipped within a few days; Quickly pass on my order, without further ado, and send it to Jinling as soon as possible.

That night, Zeng Guofan replied to Zeng Guoquan: Yesterday, I sent a letter and a message, and I planned to invite Li Shaoquan to come to Jinling to suppress it, and I think I can come first. Today, I will write a letter to Shaoquan and a counselor, and now I will send a boat to my brother, and my brother will carefully consider it, and if so, I will send someone to Suzhou to send it to the Suzhou Fu Bureau; If my brother doesn't think so, then the consultation and the letter will be handed over to someone to bring back, and I can reply to Li Shaoquan separately.

I thought about it for a long time, but I was afraid that my brother's liver disease would get worse. If you don't invite Shaoquan to Jinling to suppress it, you are afraid that the thief city will hold on to each other for too long, the salary will be too much, and the younger brother will be depressed and sick; Please Shaoquan to come to the meeting, then two years of hard work, once the reputation is in the people, and I am afraid that my brother will be deeply ill. Therefore, he hesitated and hesitated. This time, I will consult and send a letter to my brother for self-determination.

My brother's reputation is my reputation, and my brother's life is my life. Compared with the two, it is more important to take care of your body. If my brother's body can withstand long-term training, then I will rest assured.

In addition, don't worry, I look at Shaoquan repeatedly reciting letters, it seems that he never wants to attack Jinling, if he knows the hardships of the younger army, and does not want to share the merits of this success, he can be so careful, then he is far away.

Hello by the way.

Zeng Guoquan received the book, that is, he told the generals: two years of hard work, once successful, share it with others, it's a pity.

Zhu Hongzhang said: Qiyu Nine Marshals, our army has been attacking the city for two years, and the means have been exhausted, and none of them have succeeded; Today, there are more than 30 excavated roads, and they cannot be broken. I thought that the wide collection of Yi people to bloom cannons, gathered and fired, may be able to deter thieves.

Zeng Guoquan said: Last month, the Zuo Ji high-altitude artillery team came to help, but I have refused. Artillery fire can deter small cities.

Li Chendian said: Qiyu Jiu Shuai, that is, there is a lack of flowering cannons, and there is no rush to attack, wait for time, the old teacher! Don't be in a hurry, change over time, please dig the tunnel in the dragon's neck and fill it with medicine.

Zeng Guoquan pondered for a long time, and said eagerly: Thanks to Brother Xiangyun's reminder! Jinling City is high and deep, strong and abnormal, the west side is close to the big river, the north is surrounded by the lake, the southeast is surrounded by small rivers, only the corner of the neck of Zhongshan Dragon has a dry road to pass, this neck is the must of the soldiers. Zhuge once said that this city is Zhongfu Longpan, the stone city is tiger, and the emperor's house. If Yue rebel is a dragon, he will strangle his neck and bind him. I order, Zhu Hongzhang, Xiao Fusi, Li Chendian, etc., quickly from under the dragon neck city wall, dig a huge hole that can fill 30,000 catties of gunpowder, if this is exploded, the city will be broken!

Zhu Hongzhang got the order, that is, together with Xiao Fusi, Li Chendian and others to capture the stone city near the dragon's neck, Zhu Hongzhang and Xiao Fusi joined forces to build a fort on the dragon's neck mountain, high and the city, only more than ten zhang away from the city, making a false attack; Li Chendian personally led an army, lurking underneath, digging holes in the ground.

Li Xiucheng also knew the weight of the dragon's neck, so he dispatched heavy troops, set up heavy artillery, and attacked day and night, attacking for half a month, although he killed thousands of people under Guo Pengcheng, Wang Shaoyi, and Chen Wansheng, the chief soldier of the Hunan army, and Chen Wansheng, the deputy general, but he was powerless to stop it.

On the morning of July 19, 1864, Governor Li Chen led the letter word camp, which lasted six days and six nights, and finally dug the hole.

Zeng Guoquan learned that he summoned the generals to discuss the matter of destroying the wall.

Zeng Guoquan said: 30,000 catties of gunpowder gathered together, the dragon's neck city wall will collapse, the courage of the Guangdong rebels will be broken, and the governors will lead all the departments to swarm from the breach, and Jinling will break itself. However, the armies are galloping, and the breach is too small to advance together; Ladies and gentlemen, who would like to come first?

Zhu Hongzhang, Xiao Fusi, Li Chendian, Liu Lianjie, Wu Mingliang and others looked at each other, but none of them recommended themselves.

A Mu official surnamed Li Hongzhang was disdainful, pointed at Zhu Hongzhang, and said sharply: You are known for your bravery, why did you shrink your head today?

Zhu Hongzhang was furious, threw himself up, and shouted: I am willing to lead 1,500 people from the Changsheng battalion as the vanguard and take the lead in entering the city; Today, if you retreat, you will be willing to submit to military law!

Wu Mingliang then attached.

Seeing this, Liu Lianjie also signed three petitions.

Li Chendian chattered repeatedly, willing to rank fourth. The rest of the generals signed in turn, and a total of nine people were obtained.

Zeng Guoquan said: I besieged the city with my brothers, blessed and shared hardships, the day the city was broken, the whole army was roped, and it was limited to seven days. I ordered, after the gunpowder exploded and the city wall was broken, Zhu Hongzhang, Wu Mingliang, Liu Lianjie, Li Chendian, Zhang Shiri, etc., immediately led the headquarters to enter from the shortage, quickly divided, and broke the city to annihilate the enemy. Peng Yucheng, Xiao Fusi, Li Xianghe, Xiao Qingyan, etc., have supervised the battle since the rear, and those who retreat from the battle, regardless of the generals, will be killed!

On the afternoon of July 19th, Zeng Guoquan gave an order, and 30,000 catties of gunpowder under Jinling City immediately exploded, and in an instant, he heard the faint thunder in the ground, and for about one o'clock, he suddenly heard a thunderbolt, like the sound of the sky falling and the earth cracking, and the wall of more than 20 zhang went straight up with the smoke.

Zhu Hongzhang immediately ordered 400 death squads to rush in first.

The Taiping army in the city was not discouraged, and the guns and arrows were fired, and all the 400 Hunan troops were annihilated.

Zhu Hongzhang didn't dare to retreat, and the rest of the speed was smashed into a rout, and after several battles, he finally got a foothold. Li Chendian, Xiao Fusi, Liu Lianjie and others did not dare to slack off and quickly entered the city. The soldiers were divided into four routes, divided into joint attacks, and went to the Heavenly King's Mansion.

When the Hunan army entered the city, it was indiscriminate, cut down every person, and young children under the age of two or three were also poked as a play; The woman was taken captive, and there was no one under forty years old. The old man was wounded, or more than ten knives, or dozens of knives, and the sound of wailing reached far away.

Zhao Liewen, Li Hongzhang and other guests heard that the main force of the Hunan army had entered the city, and immediately rushed to Zeng Guoquan's old camp and said hello together.

Zeng Guoquan was sweating, standing barefoot, embarrassed, and said: The head has not been obtained, you must not congratulate first, this is a rough twist, please Brother Huifu, quickly polish one or two.

Zhao Liewen received the order, and in less than half an hour, he was about to finish the performance. On the way to the turn, I saw the eldest husband and the husband each happily entering the city with weapons.

In the evening, Zhao Liewen caught a glimpse of many soldiers, covered in blood, carrying a carrying box, and wandering excitedly. After a while, I saw a few more scenes of copywriters, carrying boxes and dragging sticks, and laughing away.

Zhao Liewen was frightened and hit his horse into the city, but when he saw the corpses along the street, old men, old women, and children, crawling on the ground, there were very few people in yellow clothes.

When Xiang Yong was inquired, they all said: Those who carry the burden and tow the box are all surrendered to the army; The old, weak, sick and disabled, it is useless to leave them, and they will be slashed out; Handsome woman, who grabs it; If you look for it quickly, you may find it.

Liewen sighed: Why do you do it to the nine marshals? Why the emperor? Why heaven and earth? What about yourself?

The soldiers listened in vain and laughed and walked away.