The small town of Xiangxiang County will soon be surrounded by the Taiping Army on five sides - east, north, west, south, and inside!
Near the south gate of Xiangxiang County, in a narrow and shabby alley, in a small courtyard with a closed door, dozens of people were crowded this night with a torch in one hand, a steel knife in the other, and a short gun in their belt. , the Taiping soldiers with their heads wrapped in red scarves were quietly waiting for something.
The Taiping Army...has entered the city!
The "Sister Xu" who came from Hengyang during the day yesterday was Xu Yuegui, the deputy head of the God Worshiping Association. Recently, according to Luo Yaoguo's instructions, she disguised herself as a fleeing landowner and went to Zeng Guofan's hometown, Heye, to find relatives and serve the people. Tangbai Yangping, and also found out where the big house of Zeng Guofan's family was.
Unfortunately, it was all in vain...Zeng Guofan's family had left long ago, and only some clan members who looked after the house and land for his family were captured by Xiao Chaogui's Taiping Army.
However, Xu Yuegui did not give up. She quickly found out that Zeng Guofan had gone to Xiangxiang County, and she also abducted a little boy from the Zeng family who was born in Ji. Several of the masters are very familiar - now I am no longer afraid of not recognizing Zeng Guofan!
Then she tried her best to persuade Xiao Chaogui, who originally wanted to go around Changsha, to visit Xiangxiang County again, and made a plan to combine the inside and the outside!
However, this strategy of cooperating inside and outside was used too often, and Qingyao also had a good memory. Originally, there were many beggars and strong men with Tiandihui background in Xiangxiang City, but when Mr. Huang came with the Taozhou regiment, they all gave up. They were driven out of the city. Originally, the people guarding the city gate were all local strong men, and those people were all disciples of the Tiandi Hui. After Mr. Huang came, they all lost their jobs and were replaced by Daozhou regiment training.
After a lot of troubles, the Tiandihui organization in Xiangxiang City was half-broken, and only Liu Shiba, a chain-smoking boss, was left outside the city to talk things over - this is because almost all shipowners, boatmen, and dock workers in Hunan are The disciples of the Tiandihui did not use the people of the Tiandihui, so the wharf in Xiangxiang was abandoned.
However, Liu Shiba and his disciples were not allowed to stay overnight in the city of Xiangxiang, and could only live in shacks on the pier outside the city, which made it difficult for these men who were begging for a living on the dock.
But for Xu Yuegui and the more than a hundred secret soldiers she brought with her, disguised as members of a regiment in a town in Hengyang, Mr. Huang's efforts were of no use. They still managed to sneak into Xiangxiang County very smoothly. Mr. Huang's Although those Daozhou Xiangyong were not members of the Tiandihui, they had never been involved in society or had public meals, so they could not recognize those secret warriors who were good at disguising themselves.
Moreover, after this group of Daozhou Xiangyong gained a little power, they immediately learned to accept bribes without any teacher. After receiving Xu Yuegui's money, they naturally went to the city with confidence and boldness to let people go...A...
"Big brother, second brother, third brother, fourth brother... Oh no, Changmao is calling!"
In the Zeng family's big house, people who were packing their bags heard this cry and all stopped what they were doing at the same time. Everyone had a look of fear in their eyes. Zeng Guofan was in a room with several brothers, lighting only an oil lamp. Sitting in the room, several people were discussing what to do after returning to Changde Mansion.
Although Zeng Guofan was appointed by Emperor Xianfeng as the minister of regiment training of Hunan, the minister of regiment training of Hunan was not the governor of Huguang, the governor of Hunan, nor the Manchu general of Jingzhou City. This is not a permanent official position, but a temporary one, and the duties and powers are unclear, so The jurisdiction is unclear, and the source of funding is unknown. How big a thing can be accomplished depends on how capable the person sitting in this position is?
This is also the main reason why Zeng Guofan was reluctant to go out before. This job is really difficult to do! But now... of course it is even more difficult!
Not only did the war situation in Hunan suddenly collapse, but Zuo Zongtang also appeared. With Luo Bingzhang's trust, he assumed the power of the minister of regiment training as a commoner, and also used Zeng Guofan's card to recruit thousands of people to participate in the battle in Changsha. .. If he wants to continue to grow bigger, will the Hunan League Training Minister be named Zuo?
Although becoming a minister in one step was not in line with the Qing Dynasty's system, could he go to the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and become a minister? So the first thing Zeng Guofan had to deal with after running to Changde was not the Taiping Army, but Zuo Zongtang!
When Zeng Guofan was discussing in low voices with several brothers, his youngest brother Zeng Guobao suddenly opened the door and barged in, with panic on his face. Zeng Guofan still had a look of dismay on his face, and asked: "They How many have come? Where have they gone?"
Zeng Guobao replied: "Three or four thousand people have come from outside the city, marching with torches. They have divided into two groups, heading all the way to the east gate, and going all the way around to the north. They seem to be outflanking the north gate and the west gate!"
Zeng Guohua said anxiously: "Brother, leave from the west of the city quickly!"
Zeng Guofan still looked confident: "You can't go to the west of the city, but take the waterway to the south of the city!" Zeng Guobao added: "Then we have to do it as soon as possible, there are also Taiping troops in the city!"
"What? In the city..." Zeng Guofan's expression changed slightly.
At this time, there was a burst of noise outside the door, and the singing of "Welcome to Peace" could still be vaguely heard.
Zeng Guoquan, the rudest and most violent of the Zeng brothers, said bitterly: "I have killed all those people from the Heaven and Earth Society a long time ago!"
Zeng Guofan's face was gloomy, he shook his head and said: "How easy is it to kill them all? Xiangxiang has long been overpopulated with people but little land... there are just too many people!"
How do people like Zeng Guofan not know that the root cause of today's turmoil lies in the contradiction between man and earth? He himself is well-read and is familiar with the rise and fall of past dynasties. He is also a squire and landlord, so he knows very well how miserable the poor people at the bottom are! "Master, master... There are two houses on the street that are on fire. They are burning so fiercely that they are about to spread!"
At this time, another member of the Zeng family ran in panic to report.
Zeng Guofan frowned and said in a low voice: "Let's go! Lao Jiu, take a few people to the county government office and tell Shi Qiao not to panic, but to open the west gate and ask the rich people in the city to flee to the west first. , and then bring the regiment to meet me at the south port of the city, and then we can escape from the water together."
"Take the water route?" Zeng Guoquan was stunned, "But we don't have many boats on hand!"
"Yes!" Zeng Guofan said, "There are so many blockages on the top of the stream... That's enough!" He turned back to Zeng Guohua and said, "Fifth brother, you go immediately to gather the clan soldiers to protect your father and daughter. The children will go first. My second brother and my fifth brother will go to Huang Ziying's camp together, and then we will lead the troops out of the south gate!"
"Report..."
At the south gate of Xiangxiang County, in the small courtyard filled with soldiers from the secret worship hall of God, suddenly there was the sound of rapid footsteps and the low sound of "report". In the small room, there was a lamp like a bean, and someone was holding an English-made Xu Yuegui, who was gently wiping his flintlock pistol, raised his head, his almond-shaped eyes widened, and looked at the person coming. "Deputy Hall Master, Zeng Guofan is here... taking his family with him, and going to the south gate under the protection of one or two hundred clan soldiers. Coming!"
"Oh." Xu Yuegui narrowed her eyes slightly, "Are you sure it's Zeng Guofan?" "Report..."
At this time, another person came rushing in, clasped his fists and said: "Deputy hall master, Zhu Zhixian opened the west gate of Xiangxiang, and sent government officials everywhere to beat gongs and deliver orders, asking the wealthy households in the city to escape through the west gate!"
"Ha" Xu Yuegui smiled, stood up suddenly, put away the pistol, picked up a pair of peace knives placed on a square table nearby, and rushed to the yard outside the house like the wind, heading towards The soldiers in the pen who had been eager to try for a long time looked at them and spit out four words: "Send troops to the south gate!"
Zeng Guohua, dressed in green and wearing a cap, supported an old man who looked very casual, holding a flintlock pistol in one hand. Surrounded by a large group of Zeng clan soldiers and Zeng family women and children, he walked quickly along the narrow alleys in Xiangxiang City. Go to the south gate.
At this moment, the whole city of Xiangxiang is in chaos. The streets and alleys are full of people. Some are rich families who have fled, and some are poor people who want to make a profit while taking advantage of the chaos. The sounds of crying and fighting can be heard everywhere. There were also bursts of "pop" noises. I don't know if they were gunshots or someone setting off firecrackers?
Fires also broke out all over the city, and the blazing fire shone on the people running back and forth, making them even more panic-stricken, as if they were in the end of the world.
The soldiers of the Zeng family were still loyal. They held swords and spears, opened the way in front, stood behind and guarded on the left and right, shouting all the way: "Shilang Zeng is here, anyone who blocks the way will die immediately!"
As soon as they shouted like this, there was no one blocking the way, but the wealthy gentry who were following them and wanted to escape from the city that was about to fall into the hands of the Taiping Army came out in large numbers, and a large group of people rushed towards them. Go to the south gate of Xiangxiang County.
The south gate of Xiangxiang County was closed. The Daozhou regiment guarding the gate had the experience of abandoning the city and fleeing. He didn't seem too panicked. He also pulled out a cordon inside the south gate, with a large blade and a sharp long sword. The spear was revealed, frightening a group of rich people who wanted to leave the city and board a boat to escape.
This time I finally saw "Zeng Guofan", and I met my savior. They all shouted together: "Shilang Zeng is here, open the door quickly!"
The officers of the Daozhou Battalion who were guarding the gate had already received Huang Shijie's order. When they saw the Zeng family coming, they immediately ordered the city gate to be opened and escorted them out of the city. Outside the city was the stream pier, and there were many moorings scattered around the pier. As long as you get on the open boat, you can escape along the stream and Yongfeng River to Baoqing Prefecture.
With their way out in front of them, father and son Zeng Guohua and Zeng Linshu quickly quickened their pace and rushed towards the south gate. At the same time, the rich and common people who were originally blocked in the south gate also fled out like crazy.
Just as they were about to escape and ascend to heaven, the few open boats moored at the head of the stream, without any movement, suddenly flashed a dozen or so dots of fire, and then there was a "crackling" sound! They had just left the city to replace the Zeng family. The Daozhou regiment leader who opened the way immediately fell down with several people, and even let out shrill screams.
There is an ambush!
Zeng Guohua immediately realized that there were long-haired soldiers lurking at the port outside the city - this road was blocked!
Chapter completed!