Just when Jiao Hong, Boyong and the others led a large group of brothers from the God Worshiping Association to pass through various inspections and swagger into the Zodiac Gate, one of the nine old gates in Changsha. On the Tianxin Pavilion fortress east of the Zodiac Gate , four men in long robes, mandarin jackets, and melon-pipe caps stood on a high place with their hands behind their backs, looking at the refugees coming into the city like a torrent in the direction of the Zodiac Gate, frowning slightly while talking in a low voice.
They are Zuo Zongtang, Huang Shijie, Guo Songtao and a middle-aged man with a short build, big eyes and thick eyebrows, and a thick mustache.
The middle-aged man asked Huang Shijie: "Among them there must be some rebels from Changmao Xizuo and Tiandihui, right? Ziying, was Daozhou captured by Changmao Xizuo and rebels from Tiandihui?" Huang Shijie said He replied respectfully: "It's exactly what the teacher said, that's how Daozhou was lost!"
This middle-aged man turned out to be Huang Shijie's teacher and a fellow villager of Zeng Guofan. His surname was Luo, his given name was Zenan, his given name was Zhongyue, and his nickname was Luoshan. His family was not wealthy. He failed the boy test when he was nineteen, and then he began to teach. Sir, when I was thirty-three years old, I became the first scholar in Changsha Prefecture. However, my journey to the imperial examination ended here. I am already forty-five years old this year, and I have not made any progress.
Although he did not win the imperial examination, Luo Zenan was recognized as a great sage among Xianghu literati. He was proficient in the six arts, familiar with the art of war, and delved into the study of managing the world and applying it. He taught for 28 years and brought out Wang Xin, Li Xubin, and Li Xuyi. , Li Xingchun, Jiang Yili, Zeng Guoquan, Zeng Guobao and many other students who were talented in literature and martial arts. Daozhou Huang Master Huang Shijie was also his favorite disciple.
Luo Zenan looked back at Zuo Zongtang, who was known as "Jin Liang" and whose reputation and talent surpassed him: "Ji Gao. Are you going to continue to let people into the city?"
Zuo Zongtang nodded: "Let it go! Why not let it go? There must not be as many traitors and rebels entering the city as there are the Xianghu gentry who fled! Luo Shan, we Xianghu scholars want to protect our hometown and seek a future... just We need to organize a large-scale group training. If we want to organize a large-scale group training, we must let the Sanxiang gentry suffer a little more. Only when their families are ruined will they be of the same mind as me! Only those who have not yet lost their families and people know what it means that water can carry a boat. , it can also capsize the boat!"
Luo Zenan was shocked, turned back to look at Zuo Zongtang, and said, "Ji Gao, you don't care about the scholar? He is the governor of Hunan!"
"It's just nursing care," Zuo Zongtang said coldly, "Assisting Minister of Military Affairs Shengbao has arrived with Xi'an Town General Soldier Fucheng, second-class bodyguard Yuanbao, Tongguan Xie Deputy General Yin Lipei, thousands of people from Beijing Banner and three thousand from Gansu and Shaanxi Green Camps. Changsha... We have 4,000 soldiers to protect the victory, and the emperor's orders are on his side, and he is a Manchu relative. How can he defend Changsha and still have our say?
It is said that this time he also brought a thousand Western-style bombs with magic spells, specifically designed to blow up that Bull Demon King... This is nonsense! Ziying, have you seen any Bull Demon King?"
"Never." Huang Shijie shook his head and sighed: "The Changmao who invaded Daozhou didn't do much dancing. Instead, they focused on equalizing the wealth and the poor, dividing the fields, and were especially good at inciting farmers, miners, and coolies who had their livelihoods cut off. ..Wan Shengmo is the richest man in Daozhou, but he is unable to help the whole state, so that all the poor and helpless people are used by him, which leads to great disaster. I am really ashamed."
"There are too many poor people and too little land to support the people, which is the source of chaos in the world!" Luo Zenan sighed, and his tone became heavier and heavier. His family background was not good, and he was not as good as the richest man Huang Shijie. .
Huang Shijie could feel that there were too many poor people and that the world was about to "explode", and he felt full of powerlessness in his heart, not to mention Luo Zenan, who had suffered from poverty himself. Zuo Zongtang's mood was equally heavy. His background was not very wealthy, but he He became rich only after he won the imperial examination and married a rich woman.
Therefore, he already knew where the stubborn diseases of the world were. After reading "Anti-Jing", he became even more aware that the enemies of the Qing Dynasty had already grasped the stubborn diseases of the world, and had also caused a huge storm. The Qing Dynasty had such clear-headed people. The opponent... is afraid that he will be finished!
"This world... is going to be in chaos!" Zuo Zongtang turned around and said to Guo Songtao, "Yunxian, please go to Xiangxiang again! See if you can invite him? We have already grabbed his tiger skin. A lot of things have been done, and if he doesn’t come out, everyone’s face will look bad.”
The situation in Changsha now is much more severe than in history!
The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom has become an "enhanced version of power". Luo Bingzhang, Zuo Zongtang and the Xianghu gentry all sensed the crisis of destruction, and naturally they have to redouble their efforts to save themselves. After all, the Hunan gentry of the economic sect of this era is still somewhat capable, right? Maybe waiting to perish.
And the way they work hard is, of course, to hold group training on a large scale.
But Zeng Guofan, the minister who helped organize the Hunan league training, is still a dutiful son in Xiangxiang County! If he never comes out, then who will care about "seeking an official position" and "raising salary"?
Although there are ready-made methods in "Anti-Jing" and in history books, for example, official positions can "represent each other", they can be self-appointed, and they can also raise troops to seek titles. And for food and salary, you can occupy a piece of territory and collect it yourself. But this approach is really ugly. , are still tearing down the court and slapping Xianfeng in the face, so Zuo Zongtang, Luo Zenan and the others still hope to be more dignified, so that we can meet each other easily in the future!
"Ji Gao... your father-in-law is so stubborn! It's not easy to please him!"
Zuo Zongtang shook his head and said to Huang Shijie: "Ziying, how about you accompany Guo Yunxian on a trip to Xiangxiang, bring a thousand regiments with you, and be sure to invite Zeng Disheng to Changsha!" Do...invite? Or... kidnapped?
Huang Shijie turned to look at his mentor Luo Zenan.
Luo Zenan nodded and sighed: "If you can't save the Xianghu Lake, how can you protect the Xianghu Lake? How can you save the eggs if the nest is overturned? So no matter what method you use, We must invite Zeng Disheng out, asking him to come out is to save his life! Disheng is a smart man, he will thank me for waiting."
Huang Shijie cupped his hands and said, "Students understand."
After arrangements were made for Huang Shijie to "invite" Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang and Luo Zenan went to the Hunan Governor's Office near Chaozongmen.
Since Zeng Guofan had not yet left his post, and Luo Bingzhang was a governor who had been dismissed from his post and was about to leave, he recommended Zuo Zongtang. It seemed inappropriate for Luo Zenan to become an official, so both of them were still commoners. So Luo Bingzhang also Luo Zenan was appointed a governor's office master, under Zuo Zongtang.
When the two returned to the governor's yamen, Luo Bingzhang was meeting guests in the three halls of the yamen. The visitors were Shengbao, Fucheng, Yin Lipei, Tu Lama, Yuanbao, Wenxiang and others who had just arrived in Changsha a few days ago. Shengbao and Luo Bingzhang were naturally Your Majesty, Fucheng, Yin Lipei, Tu Lama, Yuanbao, Wenxiang and others took their seats on both sides. Luo Bingzhang also asked Taqibu and a few unlucky ghosts who were waiting for vacancies in the governor's Yamen to accompany him.
Luo Bingzhang didn't have much time to care about things now, so he kept talking to a few visitors. Seeing Zuo Zongtang, Luo Zenan walked in, saluted again, sat down, and after some polite words, he smiled at Zuo Zongtang. , Luo Zenan said: "Ji Gao, Zhong Yue, and Ke Zhai just came up with a strategy of luring the enemy deep, setting up an ambush, and then using Western thunder to destroy them..."
Luo Bingzhang told "Jin Liang" Zuo Zongtang all the clever plans that Shengbao had come up with on his way to Changsha. After listening to Luo Bingzhang's words, Zuo Zongtang sneered in his heart: "What a useless plan to lure the enemy." Going deeper...it sounds like who can stop the incoming enemy! They also set up an ambush. They have tens of thousands of people. Are you afraid that you will ambush thousands of people? They also use Western thunder to destroy them. This one is a bit interesting!
You must find a way to learn this Western thunder method. Only when you learn it can you destroy others!"
Although Zuo Zongtang didn't like Shengbao's strategy in his heart, he still bowed his hands respectfully and said: "Sir Sheng is indeed a Manchu hero. The strategy he used is very clever, even better than that of Zhuge. Zongtang admires him endlessly. Master Sheng presides over it." In terms of military affairs, Changsha will be safe!"
Shengbao was praised by Zuo Zongtang, and he immediately took a liking to this rustic-looking Han scholar. He thought to himself: "This man calls himself "Jin Liang", and he must have some ability. Luo Bingzhang returned to Beijing There should be no need for this person in the future, so I might as well recruit him as a disciple and let him serve as a military master, and then recommend him to become an official in the future, so that this kind of talent will not be wasted in the imperial examination."
Chapter completed!