Anti-Qing: Starting from the Jintian Uprising

Chapter 163 Li Yi: Three people surrounded but one missing? I can do that too!
It is actually normal for those Xiangyong to make such a decision.

Because the letter of surrender dropped by the Tang army has already shown that their families are now in the hands of the Tang Dynasty.

This time the letter came with persuasion to surrender, but if they remain stubborn and refuse to surrender, the next letter might bring the sad news that their entire family will be killed.

Chinese people have a strong sense of family. Except for a few extremely selfish people, in the hearts of most people, family always comes before the individual.

No one can sit back and watch their family members being killed.

Whether it was the common people or the gentry, the militia or the officers, no one could accept such a thing.

Therefore, it was actually a very normal thing for the Hunan Army to choose to surrender on a large scale.

The Qing Dynasty is the Qing Dynasty of the Eight Banners, but their families are their own families. Everyone can still distinguish which is more important.

"Master Zeng, the Hunan Warriors have surrendered to the Tang thieves in an organized manner. The imperial court may be powerless to reverse the situation in Changsha. You should make plans early..."

Luo Bingzhang on the side began to persuade him, with a serious expression on his face.

Zeng Guofan frowned and asked when he heard this.

"What does Lord Luo mean?"

Luo Bingzhang took a deep breath and then spoke.

"Either we withdraw to Changsha and use the Green Camp's power to defend Changsha City and wait for Jiang Zhongyuan's victory report."

"If we can hold out until the news arrives that Jiang Zhongyuan has recaptured Hengyang, the Tang thieves will surely withdraw their troops, and Changsha can still be defended."

"Or we should evacuate Changsha as soon as possible and retreat to Xiangyin."

"In order to limit the enemy's power to the south of Dongting Lake and protect Hubei."

The two options he now proposed are not just a simple retreat or defense.

It also concerns the future of Hunan and the overall situation of the world.

If Zeng Guofan led his troops to hold Changsha, there would still be hope of defending Hunan.

If Zeng Guofan retreated to Xiangyin, Hunan would be lost.

Even if Jiang Zhongyuan captured Hengyang and cut off the enemy's food supply, as long as the enemy occupied Changsha, they could obtain food and grass supplies from inside and outside Changsha.

What Jiang Zhongyuan's troops are doing now is useless, and Hunan will definitely not be able to be saved.

But if Zeng Guofan led his troops to garrison Changsha and failed to hold it, the consequences would be even more serious.

This means that after capturing Changsha, the enemy troops will be able to cross Dongting Lake unhindered and enter Hubei from Hunan.

By then, it won’t just be Hunan that is lost!

Zeng Guofan needed to consider whether to take the risk of defending Changsha to protect Hunan, or to be safer by retreating to Xiangyin to protect Hubei.

Zeng Guofan also began to think after hearing this.

Jiang Zhongyuan's troops bypassed Baoqing Prefecture and Yongzhou Prefecture to raid Hengyang. Even if they marched day and night, it would take at least seven or eight days.

If we take into account the time required for the news to be transmitted back and for the enemy soldiers to lose their composure, it would take at least ten days.

Without the Hunan Braves, could the few thousand Green Camp rotten soldiers in Changsha city hold out for ten days, or even longer, under the attack of the enemy troops?

Zeng Guofan thought this was impossible.

Taking a deep breath, Zeng Guofan made a decision, prepared to be steady, and spoke.

"The Hunan Warriors are finished. It will be difficult for the Green Camp to defend Changsha alone."

"Lord Luo, please go and tell the Hunan Governor Bao Qibao, Changsha Assistant General Qingde and others in Changsha City to immediately organize their troops and prepare to withdraw from Changsha, march north along the Xiangjiang River, and retreat to Xiangyin."

"Try to leave before daybreak, otherwise we may be pursued by the enemy soldiers."

Although fleeing without fighting and abandoning Changsha would inevitably expose Zeng Guofan to attacks from his political enemies in the court and would involve great political risks.

However, for the sake of the Qing Dynasty and the world, Zeng Guofan was willing to take this risk.

It is better for him to take the risk and play it safe than to risk defending Changsha to the death and being killed by the enemy troops who penetrate Hunan and enter Hubei.

Upon hearing this, Luo Bingzhang nodded to show that he understood, but his heart was heavy.

Because abandoning Changsha would not only be a risk for Zeng Guofan, but also for Luo Bingzhang, the governor of Hunan.

Even if the decision was ultimately made by Zeng Guofan rather than him, Luo Bingzhang would probably still end up in trouble.

But the same thing goes, since Zeng Guofan has made the decision and is ready to take on the biggest bomb himself, then Luo Bingzhang cannot lose face.

Besides, holding on to Changsha is clearly a dead end.

Once Changsha City is broken, Luo Bingzhang will fall into the hands of the enemy soldiers and his life will be in danger.

But if he retreated to Xiangyin, even if the court would hold him accountable in the future, that would only be a future matter.

Live as long as you can!
……

"Your Majesty, it's done!"

"After our army dropped leaflets persuading them to surrender, the Hunan Army outside Changsha was in chaos."

"Now, a well-organized group of Hunan warriors have left the Qing demon camp outside Changsha and come to join our Tang Dynasty."

Zuo Zongtang came to Li Yi's tent with a happy face and reported to him.

It was late at night, but Li Yi still did not go to rest. He was standing in front of a map, drinking strong tea to refresh himself, and thinking about the strategic offensive direction of the Tang army after capturing Changsha.

After listening to Zuo Zongtang's report, Li Yi turned around and couldn't help but smile.

"Haha, that's great."

"Since the Hunan warriors have surrendered, then taking Changsha will be as easy as taking something out of a bag for our Tang Dynasty."

"Our army was able to conduct this battle so smoothly, and your brilliant plan played an indispensable role."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Zongtang just shook his head.

"This battle was able to achieve such a result, all thanks to your Majesty's decisive command and victory thousands of miles away. I dare not take credit for it."

Li Yi smiled and shook his head.

"Mr. Zuo, why should you be so modest? Merits are merits, and faults are faults. How can I be the kind of person who would not appreciate merits?"

"After my army captures Changsha, how about Mr. Zuo acting as the governor of Hunan?"

Li Yi had his own considerations when he planned to let Zuo Zongtang act as the governor of Hunan.

First of all, it is to thank Zuo Zongtang for his advice and suggestions in the Battle of Changsha, as well as for his hard work and proper handling of many affairs of the Secretariat in recent times.

Secondly, Zuo Zongtang was from Hunan, and Li Yi happened to need a Hunanese to be the governor of Hunan in order to appease the people of Hunan.

Third, after Li Yi conquered Changsha, he was preparing to promote land distribution in Hunan as well, and needed a capable official to handle specific affairs.

Li Yi believes that Zuo Zongtang has this ability!

To sum up, Zuo Zongtang was indeed the best candidate for the Governor of Hunan.

Of course, also because Zuo Zongtang was from Hunan, he would not be able to serve as the Governor of Hunan for long.

Li Yi planned to transfer Zuo Zongtang to the General Staff once the situation in Hunan stabilized.

When Zuo Zongtang heard this, his face turned red instantly, and he couldn't help but be moved.

From a commoner to a humble but powerful director of the secretariat, and then to a provincial governor, Zuo Zongtang achieved a triple jump in status in less than half a year.

All this is thanks to the trust of King Li Yi!

As a scholar, he was honored by the king for his life and he could die without regrets!

Taking a deep breath and suppressing the surging emotions in his heart, Zuo Zongtang bowed in front of Li Yi.

"I thank the king for his grace." "From now on, I will serve the king and the Tang Dynasty until my death."

Li Yi helped Zuo Zongtang up from behind, then spoke while laughing heartily.

"Get up, get up."

"Mr. Zuo, you don't have to be so formal. If you really want to repay me for my kindness, then you can help me manage Hunan in the future."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Zongtang just nodded vigorously.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will not let you down."

At this moment, another notification was heard from outside the big tent.

"Report, Your Majesty, there is urgent military information!"

Hearing this, Li Yi turned around and said.

"Come in!"

The communications soldier outside the tent responded, then opened the tent curtain and walked in, reporting.

"Your Majesty, our army's hot air balloons have detected unusual movements by the Qing army in Changsha City."

"The Qing monsters in Changsha City are gathering towards the north of Changsha City. They may be trying to escape from Changsha."

Upon hearing this, Li Yi's expression turned serious. He strode back to the map hanging in the military tent and began to think.

From the north city of Changsha, you can go directly to Dongting Lake via the Xiangjiang River.

Xiangyin, Yiyang, Yuanjiang and Yuezhou are all on that line.

If Li Yi guessed correctly, the Qing army in Changsha City might be preparing to retreat to the Dongting Lake line when they saw that Changsha was undefendable, and then prevent the Tang army from continuing to move north.

But how could Li Yi possibly let them get what they wanted?
A smile involuntarily appeared on the corner of Li Yi's mouth, and he spoke.

"Immediately send a fast horse to send a message to Chen Yucheng's troops who are ambushed in the area of ​​Xiufeng Mountain in the north of Changsha City, telling them to prepare for battle. If the Qing army escapes from the north of Changsha City, stop them at all costs."

"Don't let any Qing monster escape!"

"Go and send a message to Chen Chengrong's troops, asking them to lead our cavalry to rush to Xiufeng Mountain immediately and cooperate with Chen Yucheng's troops to annihilate the Qing army at the foot of Xiufeng Mountain. There must be no mistakes."

The Qing army was not the only one that could use the tactic of surrounding three sides and leaving one side empty. Li Yi also knew how to use it.

As early as the beginning of the war, in order to prevent the Qing army from fleeing northward after the Battle of Changsha, Li Yi arranged an ambush in the north of Changsha City.

It was originally just a matter of trying hard, but unexpectedly it turned out to be a blind cat catching a dead mouse.

Li Yi made arrangements quickly. The Tang army's communications soldier clasped his fists and accepted the order, then went to pass on the message.

After doing all this, Li Yi began to focus on the matter of recruiting the Hunan Braves to surrender.

……

At the same time as the Hunan Army was in chaos.

Zeng Guofan decisively led the Green Camp cavalry led by Tazibu and quietly left the Hunan Yong camp outside Changsha City and retreated back to Changsha City!

Unlike the Xiangyong soldiers who were all from farming families near Changsha, it was easy for the Tang army to make the Xiangyong surrender as long as they controlled their families.

The main force of this Green Camp cavalry was the Green Camp soldiers from Shanxi and Zhili, whose families were all in the north.

So, generally speaking, it is reliable!
It’s a pity that after the battle during the day today, nearly half of the Green Camp cavalry was lost, and now there are only a little over a thousand people left.

After returning to Changsha City, Zeng Guofan and Luo Bingzhang met up with Hunan Governor Bao Qibao, Changsha Assistant General Qingde and other Green Camp generals, and together they left Changsha City from the north and retreated along the Xiangjiang River towards Xiangyin.

The morning light is just breaking through the horizon, and the stars and the moon are still high in the sky.

Zeng Guofan stood on the deck of a flat-bottomed sand boat, looking back at the Changsha city in the distance which was still in darkness, and his mood was quite complicated.

If I leave here, it will be like I'm abandoning the city!
I just don’t know when I can return to Changsha after this trip.

Taking a deep breath and looking at the Green Camp soldiers marching along the east bank of the Xiangjiang River, Zeng Guofan suddenly felt a little frustrated.

I began to doubt whether my decision to start a group training was the right one.

The Hunan Brave Militia, which he had worked so hard to establish, surrendered quickly after the Tang bandits arrived in Changsha.

On the contrary, the Green Camp, which he looked down upon a thousand times, was still willing to fight for the Qing Dynasty.

Is group training really necessary?

Zeng Guofan slowly exhaled a breath and retracted his gaze. Hu Linyi at the side asked.

"Master Zeng, since we have decided to abandon Changsha, should we recall Jiang Zhongyuan's troops who are heading to raid Hengyang?"

In Hu Linyi's view, since Changsha was not defended, there would be no point in a surprise attack on Hengyang.

Rather than letting Jiang Zhongyuan's troops sacrifice in vain, it would be better to call them back and garrison in Xiangyin.

Under the current circumstances where the Green Camp's combat effectiveness is low and the Hunan Braves have simply surrendered to the enemy, the importance of Jiang Zhongyuan's Chu Braves has risen sharply.

Zeng Guofan heard this and shook his head.

"No!"

"After we retreat to Xiangyin, we need time to reorganize our troops and prepare for war. Jiang Zhongyuan's surprise attack on Hengyang will just delay the advance of the Tang bandits and buy time for our army to reorganize."

Zeng Guofan now regards Jiang Zhongyuan as a discarded pawn.

They were prepared to sacrifice Jiang Zhongyuan to buy time for them to organize their troops and prepare for war.

After hearing this, Hu Linyi fell silent and said no more.

Although doing so was a bit unfair to Jiang Zhongyuan, he had to admit that Zeng Guofan's choice was actually correct.

For the sake of the Qing Dynasty, someone has to sacrifice. Why can't that person be Jiang Zhongyuan?
The Qing army continued to move north.

Soon, they arrived at the Xiufeng Mountain area.

At this moment, a whooshing sound broke through the air, echoing across both sides of the Xiangjiang River.

Zeng Guofan subconsciously turned his head and looked in the direction where the sound came from.

Rockets with long tails of flames were seen rising into the air from Xiufeng Mountain and firing at the Qing fleet on the Xiangjiang River and the Qing infantry and cavalry marching on the east bank of the river.

Phew! Whoosh!

The sound of breaking through the air like the devil's low roar continued to ring out, and the rockets streaked across the sky like meteors and then fell down.

The explosions continued!
Rockets fell on the Qing army's infantry and cavalry formations, explosions and flames occurred, and the shock wave caused limbs and arms to fly all over the sky.

Even the horse's body was torn apart by the shock wave, and blood mixed with internal organs sprayed out.

The scene is shocking!

The rumbling explosion was as deafening as thunder.

A rocket successfully hit a Qing army ship, which then exploded with a bang.

The Qing army ship disintegrated instantly in the flames and smoke, and the Qing army soldiers on the ship fell into the water like dumplings, struggling in the Xiangjiang River.

"Lord be careful!"

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Bandits are attacking!"

"Protect your lord!"

"..."

The Qing soldiers shouted at the top of their lungs, but it didn't change anything.

Rockets continued to be fired at the Xiangjiang River and the Qing troops on the shore.

(End of this chapter)