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This strategy prevented the Red Flag Gang from arousing strong hostility among the people, but instead gained them a certain amount of support.

As the power of the Red Flag Gang grew, the Qing government felt a huge threat and began to suppress it. In 1808, Lin Guoliang, the general of Dongguang Right Wing Town, led 25 warships to encircle and suppress the gang. Shi Xianggu responded calmly and sent Zhang Baozi to lead the fleet to fight. Zhang Baozi pretended to retreat and led Lin Guoliang into an ambush. The Qing navy was instantly disrupted and defeated, and Lin Guoliang was beheaded by Zhang Baozi's men.

The following month, Shi Xianggu and Zhang Baozai defeated the Qing army commander Pinfa at the Asia-Pacific Festival, seized 6 ships, and captured 24 Qing soldiers. In February 1809, Sun Quanmou, the governor of Guangdong, led more than 2 boats to the sea to wipe out the Red Flag Gang.

At first, the Qing army had the upper hand with rockets and gunpowder barrels, but Shi Xianggu calmly commanded Zhang Baozai to lead the warships to meet the enemy head-on, and at the same time sent Xiao Jilanbu to lead the fleet to attack the rear of the Qing army, dividing and encircling the Qing fleet. The Qing army was disrupted, and Sun Quanmou could not resist and abandoned his ship and fled. The Red Flag Gang won a great victory and seized 14 warships.

In addition to fighting the Qing army, the Red Flag Gang led by Shi Xianggu also targeted foreign merchants who violated my country's maritime rights. In August 1808, the Red Flag Gang learned that the British merchant ship "Pengfa" was returning with a full load of cargo, so they planned to seize it. They first seized two ordinary merchant ships, lured the "Pengfa" to approach, and then climbed onto the "Pengfa" and successfully seized it.

In 1809, the Red Flag Gang became more active. They detained three large sailing ships of the Siamese tribute mission, drove five American ships to Macau, and engaged in battle with the Portuguese Governor's brig Antonio Botero.

Guozhong asked the Westerners for help, and the Governor of Menao ordered two warships to fight the Red Flag Gang, but they were defeated by the Red Flag Gang. Afterwards, Shi Xianggu killed dozens of Portuguese in a battle with the Portuguese warships and captured a Portuguese ship.

In response to the strength of the Red Flag Gang, the Qing government was determined to intensify its efforts to eliminate them. In April 1809, the new Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, Bai Ling, took office and took a series of measures: building 4 mud boats to improve the combat effectiveness of the Qing army; closing the port to cut off the pirate supply lines; and promoting the Baojia system and the Aojia system to promote local defense.

In June, Xu Tinggui, the general of Guangdong Youyi Town, led 6 warships to encircle and suppress the Red Flag Gang, but he relaxed his vigilance due to a storm and was seized by Shi Xianggu. Zhang Baozi led 25 warships to raid the Qing army, causing countless casualties. Xu Tinggui committed suicide and the Red Flag Gang confiscated 200 warships.

In July, the transoceanic pirate alliance fell into trouble due to supply difficulties. Shi Xianggu and others led pirates into Xinhui, Dongguan and other places in Guangdong to rob, and the people suffered terribly.

In September, the Qing government and Western forces joined forces to suppress the Red Flag Gang. Portuguese warships and Qing troops besieged Zhang Baozai in Chek Lap Kok, but Guo Bodai, the leader of the Black Flag Gang, did not come to his rescue because he had a conflict with Zhang Baozai.

After Zhang Baozai broke through, he clashed with Guo Bodai and was defeated by him. The successive misfortunes made Shi Xianggu realize that the Red Flag Gang was facing a severe test.

In December 1809, Guo Bodai surrendered to the Qing court and was granted the title of Eight Generals. Shi Xianggu saw Guo Bodai's official position after surrendering, and the fact that the Transoceanic Pirate Alliance had split up and the Red Flag Gang was in an increasingly unfavorable situation. After weighing the pros and cons, she also decided to surrender to the Qing court. Qing official Zhang Zhiyu sent Zhou Feixiong as an intermediary to negotiate with the Red Flag Gang.

In April 1810, the Red Flag Gang formally surrendered to the Qing government, which confiscated a large number of sailboats, artillery and weapons, and the pirates surrendered. Zhang Baozai was awarded the title of Qianzong, and Shi Xianggu was allowed to marry Zhang Baozai and was named a royal lady.

In 1822, Zhang Baozai died of illness, and Shi Xianggu, 31, returned to Menao again and made a living by running a casino. After that, she gradually faded out of the public eye and eventually died in Macau.

[She was only famous at the age of 19. There is not even a few lines of text recorded in history books, but she has been remembered by the world for more than 1,500 years.]

She was the most famous prostitute in the history, and the only woman who could be buried by the West Lake after her death. Even Emperor Qianlong had to pay respects at her tomb. She was a goddess in the hearts of countless talented men because of her beauty and talent.

However, she became depressed because of a love affair and died at the age of 19.

Su Xiaoxiao was a famous Qiantang singer during the Southern Qi and Liang dynasties. She never appeared in official history, but her outstanding talent, beauty and unique personality have been passed down for thousands of years in the notes, poems and songs of successive literati.

The earliest record of her can be found in Yutai Xinyong compiled by Xu Ling in the Southern Dynasties, which includes the poem "Qiantang Su Xiaoxiao Song". The charming lines in the poem "I ride in an oil-painted carriage, and my lover rides a green horse" have established an eternal artistic image for this legendary woman.

Su Xiaoxiao was born in Qiantang during the Southern Qi Dynasty. She was the daughter of an official family. She was smart and talented since childhood, and her parents took her in their arms and cultivated her with great care.

She grew up in the influence of poetry, songs, calligraphy and painting, showing a talent far beyond her peers. However, fate is unpredictable. When she was 11 years old, her family suffered a sudden change, her parents died one after another, and her family fell into poverty. Su Xiaoxiao has been lonely and helpless since then, and her life has fallen into difficulties. In desperation, she moved to the Xilin Bridge with her wet nurse Jia.

The scenery here is beautiful and tranquil. Although she lived in poverty, Su Xiaoxiao found spiritual comfort. She loved the scenery and often rode in a carriage to enjoy the scenery by the West Lake, reciting poems and writing couplets. Her poem "Where can we tie the knot? Under the pines and cypresses of Xiling" is full of romance, which also adds a touch of beauty to her story.

Her original oil-painted fragrant carriage has also become a unique landscape in Qiantang: the carriage with draped gauze and vines is decorated with flowers, and the girl's clear singing voice accompanies the carriage as it passes over Baidi Bridge, attracting countless passers-by to stop and watch.

Tian Rucheng of the Ming Dynasty recorded in "Xihu Youlan Zhiyu": "Su Xiaoxiao was a famous prostitute in Qiantang during the Southern Qi Dynasty. She was extremely beautiful and talented." Su Xiaoxiao's talent and beauty gradually spread in Qiantang, and many literati, scholars, and nobles came here to meet this extraordinary woman. Although Su Xiaoxiao was in a difficult situation, she was neither humble nor arrogant. She made friends with poetry, talked about poetry and essays with guests, and drank and had fun.

Her residence was often filled with guests, chatting and laughing, and became an elegant place in Qiantang at that time. However, among the many visitors, only a few could really enter her heart.

Until one day, Su Xiaoxiao met Ruan Yu. Ruan Yu was born in a famous family, elegant and talented. The two were attracted by each other's temperament when they first met and fell in love at first sight.

After that, Ruan Yu often accompanied Su Xiaoxiao. They went to the lake together, admired the scenery, wrote poems and painted, and spent a wonderful time together.

Su Xiaoxiao thought she had found her true love and would be able to spend the rest of her life with Ruan Yu. However, reality cruelly shattered her beautiful dream. Ruan Yu's father was furious when he learned that his son was in love with the singer, and he forcibly recalled Ruan Yu back to Jinling.

Before leaving, Su Xiaoxiao gave Ruan Yu a pearl at the Xiling Bridge, and sang with tears in her eyes: "Where can we be together? Under the pines and cypresses of Xiling." This scene has become the theme of countless artistic creations in later generations. Although Ruan Yu was reluctant to leave, he had no choice but to leave under the pressure of feudal ethics and family, and he never heard from him again.

Ruan Yu's departure hit Su Xiaoxiao hard. She was depressed and in tears all day. However, the hardships of life did not end there. A local official, Meng Lang, heard of Su Xiaoxiao's talent and wanted to see her, so he sent someone to summon her.

Meng Lang deliberately made things difficult for her and wanted to humiliate her, but he didn't expect Su Xiaoxiao to respond calmly and resolve the situation cleverly with a poem, showing her extraordinary talent and wisdom, which made Meng Lang have to look at her with admiration.

Despite the emotional setbacks and the difficulties faced by the powerful, Su Xiaoxiao still maintained her love for life and her yearning for beauty. She continued to live her life by the Xilin Bridge, helping the poor and those in need. Her kindness and chivalry won the respect and love of the local people.

Later, Su Xiaoxiao met a scholar named Bao Ren during a trip. Although Bao Ren had great ambitions, he could not afford to go to Beijing to take the imperial examination due to his poor family background.

Seeing that he was talented and upright, Su Xiaoxiao generously donated money to help him go to Beijing to take the exam. Bao Ren was so grateful that he swore to Su Xiaoxiao that he would repay her in the future.

However, fate always likes to play tricks on people. Su Xiaoxiao's health deteriorated due to long-term depression and the hard work of life. Not long after Bao Ren went to Beijing to take the imperial examination, Su Xiaoxiao fell ill and died at the age of 19. Before her death, her only wish was to be buried by the Xiling Bridge after her death, accompanied by the mountains and rivers that she loved so much.

Bao Ren lived up to expectations and passed the imperial examination, and was appointed as the governor of Huazhou. When he returned happily to repay Su Xiaoshi, he learned the sad news that she had passed away.

Bao Ren was heartbroken and buried Su Xiaoxiao beside Xilin Bridge according to her last wish. Since then, Su Xiaoxiao's tomb has become a unique landscape beside West Lake.

For thousands of years, countless scholars and writers have come to pay tribute to her and left behind many moving poems. Su Xiaoxiao's tomb has undergone many repairs and has always been an important part of the cultural landscape of West Lake. During the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Qianlong wrote a poem to praise her during his southern tour: "Jade was buried here in the lake and mountains, and the person with flowers and moon can be cast in gold." During the Republic of China period, the martyr Qiu Jin chose the area near Qi's tomb as a secret gathering place.

[Will Wei Yan's Ziwu Valley plan succeed? Historical trivia and historical figures]

Is it possible for Wei Yan's Ziwu Valley Strategy to succeed? In 228 AD, Zhuge Liang, the Prime Minister of Shu Han, launched the first Northern Expedition with the intention of restoring the Han Dynasty. In this battle that concerns the fate of the country, the famous general Wei Yan proposed a highly controversial military plan - the Ziwu Valley Strategy.

The core of this plan was to lead 5000 elite troops through the Ziwu Valley of the Qinling Mountains and directly attack Chang'an, the strategic hub of Cao Wei, and then form an east-west response with Zhuge Liang's main force. However, Zhuge Liang ultimately rejected Wei Yan's proposal and chose to advance steadily from the Qishan direction.

This decision sparked a thousand-year-long debate: Was Wei Yan's brilliant plan an opportunity to change history, or an adventure doomed to fail?

According to Wei Lue, Wei Yan's tactical deployment can be divided into three stages. First, he asked to lead 5000 elite soldiers from Hanzhong and march north along the Ziwu Valley, planning to cross the 10-kilometer steep mountain road within 330 days and raid Chang'an City.

Ziwu Valley is the most dangerous passage among the six passes of Qinling Mountains. There are many cliffs along the way, heavy rains in summer, and snow in winter, making the mountains blocked, making marching extremely difficult.

Wei Yan's second strategy was psychological warfare. He believed that Xiahou Mao, the defender of Chang'an, lacked combat experience and was cowardly. If the Shu army suddenly approached the city, he would surely abandon the city and flee. If Chang'an could be captured, the Shu army could rely on the supplies in the Guanzhong Plain and the natural barrier of Tongguan to block the westward advance of Cao Wei's reinforcements.

At this time, Zhuge Liang's main force marched forward from Xiegu, and the two armies formed a horn-like force, which might reverse the strategic disadvantage of Shu Han in one fell swoop.

On the surface, this plan has both the courage to win by surprise and the careful tactical coordination. However, a deeper analysis of the objective conditions during the Three Kingdoms period shows that its feasibility is actually full of hidden dangers. The primary obstacle is the fatal limitations of geography and logistics.

The passage conditions in Ziwu Valley are extremely poor. Cao Zhen, a famous general of the Cao Wei Dynasty, once tried to cross Ziwu Valley in 230 AD. However, due to heavy rain, the plank road was damaged and the supply was cut off. The tens of thousands of troops spent a month but failed to get out of the Qinling Mountains.

The 10-day march Wei Yan requested meant advancing 33 kilometers a day, far exceeding the conventional speed of 20 kilometers a day for ancient armies. Even if the Shu army traveled light, it would be difficult to avoid unexpected factors such as sudden weather changes and enemy ambushes.

Secondly, Cao Wei's defense system was far from being as fragile as Wei Yan imagined. As the core of Guanzhong, Chang'an had strong city walls and a large garrison.

Although the defending general Xiahou Mao was not a famous general, his subordinate, the Yongzhou governor Guo Huai, was a veteran of many battles and had turned the tide in Hanzhong. Even if the Shu army miraculously arrived at the city, it would be difficult for 5000 troops to quickly conquer Chang'an. The reinforcements from Luoyang could arrive in as little as 5 days, and the Shu army would be trapped in a desperate situation of being alone in deep territory.

The deeper contradiction lies in the bottleneck of Shu Han's national strength. After the Battle of Yiling, the total strength of Shu Han was only about 10, and the elite troops were almost all lost. The 5000 elite troops required by Wei Yan accounted for about 1/6 of the main force of the Shu army in the field.

Once the surprise attack failed, Shu Han would lose its strategic counterattack capability. Zhuge Liang admitted in "The Second Letter to the Emperor" that Zhao Yun, Wei Yan, Deng Ping and more than 70 other people were elite troops gathered from all over the country over decades, not overnight. It can be seen that Shu Han had a very low tolerance for war, and Zhuge Liang had to concentrate limited forces on strategic directions with a higher success rate.

During the first Northern Expedition, Zhuge Liang chose to go west to Qishan, intending to seize the five counties of Longyou. This area is vast and sparsely populated, but it is rich in war horses and can cut off the connection between Cao Wei and Liangzhou, providing capital for Shu Han to confront for a long time. In contrast, even if Wei Yan miraculously captured Chang'an, Shu Han lacked sufficient troops to consolidate the victory.

The Guanzhong Plain was indefensible, so Cao Wei only needed to concentrate its original main forces to counterattack. The Shu army would inevitably fall into a war of attrition, and the national strength of Shu Han was simply unable to support such a confrontation.

Zhuge Liang's decision to reject the Ziwu Valley plan was essentially a profound understanding of the laws of war. He advocated the principle of "using the right tactics to unite and the unconventional tactics to win" in Sun Tzu's Art of War, but emphasized more on "making oneself invincible first, and then waiting for the enemy to be defeated."

The weak position of Shu Han determined that it had to adopt a prudent strategy of accumulating small victories into big ones, and gradually weaken Cao Wei by nibbling away, developing the economy, and uniting with Eastern Wu.