The prefect of Yuezhou looked at the Han army under the city with despair. He received two official documents one after another today. One was from the Imperial Envoy Xu Guangjin, asking him to defend Yuezhou. The other was from Xiang Rong, and he was also asked to defend it.

In Yuezhou, reinforcements were coming soon. He was ready to die together, and his family was sent out of the city.

The demolition team dug a tunnel at the west gate and put the explosives into a closed box, because after testing, this would increase the power of the explosives. Looking at the first army attacking the city, the second army was well prepared. The demolition crews got into the tunnel and lit the fuse.

After a while, there was a "boom", and the west wall was blasted - a crack appeared in the wall that could accommodate three people standing side by side. Without any instructions, the army rushed into the crack and occupied Yuezhou.

Yuezhou has been an important place for military strategists since ancient times. The Qing court stockpiled a large amount of food, military pay, and ordnance here to supply the Qing army under Changsha City. Someone reported that thirty artillery pieces left behind by Wu Sangui's army were buried under the government office. Lieutenant General Li Yun

They were dug out and tested. Except for two broken doors, the rest were usable. Li Yunzhong gave them to the demolition camp for use.

Under Jiao Liang's orders, the Third Army and a large number of Tiandihui personnel coaxed and intimidated all the boatmen on both sides of the Yangtze River to Yuezhou, a total of more than 80,000 people. Hubei Governor Gong Yu created secrets in various diving areas of the waterways.

It took three months to build the piles. Li Yunzhong ordered these sailors to pull out the hidden piles so that the ship could move. It only took one day and one night to clear a channel.

The army only stayed in Yuezhou for two days. On February 8, he ordered the entire army to march to Wuchang by boat. Since there was enough food, Jiao Liang ordered the Third Army to burn down all the buildings along the way and take in the refugees. It only took three days to arrive.

When we arrived outside Wuchang City, we saw the mighty Han army and thousands of large and small ships parked on the river outside Wuchang City.

Yanjing

Xianfeng was exhausted mentally and physically after watching the memorial of Yuezhou being captured by the Han army. In the past few months, he dismissed the ministers who suppressed thieves one by one and questioned them, but bad news still came one by one. Yuezhou was lost, Wuchang was in danger, and the two places were in danger.

There is no danger to defend. If Wuchang is captured again, the southeastern provinces, the Central Plains, and Sichuan will all be within the attack range of the rebels.

"The decree was drawn up to dismiss Xu Guangjin and keep him in office. Qi Shan was appointed as the Imperial Envoy to prevent the blockade of Henan and prevent the Han army from marching north to the Central Plains. Lu Jianying, the governor of Liangjiang, was appointed as the Imperial Envoy to be responsible for the military affairs of the three provinces of Su, Anhui and Jiangxi and to block the Han army." Xianfeng had unprecedented continuity.

Two imperial envoys were appointed.

"Your Majesty, the cabinet bachelor, Sushun, would like to see you." A young eunuch said to Xianfeng.

"pass"

Sushun walked into the upper study and paid homage to the emperor: "I am here to see you, Your Majesty."

"Free gift"

Listening to Xianfeng's listless voice, Sushun guessed that news of another war defeat in the south had come, and asked: "Your Majesty, the war in the south is not going well?"

Xianfeng really wanted to find someone to talk to, and said: "The battles on the front line have been defeated one after another, Yuezhou has been lost, the prefect has died for the country, and now I am afraid that Wuchang will also... This Han bandit has successively defeated Yong'an, Daozhou, Guiyang, Changsha, Xiangyin, and Yuezhou.

In the state, the military front is unprecedentedly prosperous. Is it really the time for the Qing Dynasty to subjugate?"

Sushun quickly comforted him: "Your Majesty, please calm down. The reason why the Han bandits were invincible was because the government and army were intercepting the Taiping Army. The Han bandits were good at using the Taiping Army, so they allowed the Li bandits to become bigger. Now Xiangrong's troops are concentrating on encirclement and suppression."

, I believe that I will make great contributions to Wuchang City."

Xianfeng took out Xiang Rong's salary package and said: "The imperial court has successively allocated 30 million taels to suppress bandits. Now that the treasury is empty, how can Xiang Rong's department work hard to suppress bandits? If the rebels attack Jiangnan, then the treasury...

"

Sushun had long thought that the treasury would be empty, and had already thought of a countermeasure: "The imperial court can issue banknotes, reward meritorious soldiers on the front line, and mint large amounts of money as military pay."

Xianfeng was very happy. In the past, he asked his ministers what to do if the treasury was empty. Those people all said to increase taxes and taxes, hoping to take advantage of the opportunity to make a fortune. The emperor of the Qing Dynasty had long had an ancestral motto: To prevent the Manchus from following the footsteps of the Ming Dynasty, their descendants should not be allowed to lead the people.

Increase taxes. Now that I have heard a practical and useful suggestion, I am really happy and feel relieved from the bottom of my heart. I am not the only one who is to blame for this!

Seeing Xianfeng's face flush, Sushun felt excited and said, "Your Majesty, I have another plan that can save a lot of money every year."

Xianfeng thought that Sushun wanted to talk about the expenses of the palace, and he was a little unhappy. The late emperor had already saved money when he could. He had just ascended the throne and did not increase expenses. He said: "What strategy is it? Let me tell you."

Sushun knelt on the ground again and said: "When we Manchus entered the customs, there were only a few hundred thousand people. At that time, in order to stabilize people's hearts, everyone from princes to ordinary bannermen had to be given some money as support. At the beginning

At that time, it was only one million, but now it consumes tens of millions of taels of silver every year. If we save this amount of expenses, then..." Seeing Xianfeng wave his hand, Sushun stopped.

Xianfeng left his seat, went to Sushun and helped him up, saying: "This matter is of great importance. The foundation of our Qing Dynasty is the banner people. This is not like drinking poison to quench thirst."

Sushun said: "When the previous dynasty was overthrown, all the clans were rich and had nothing to lose. Emperor Chongzhen had no choice but to impose taxes. In the end, Li Zicheng broke into the city and forced him to die in Meishan. Which clan in the Ming Dynasty could escape! They were all slaughtered and all their property was confiscated.

.The same goes for the Qing Dynasty. If the country is destroyed, they can’t even save their families.”

Seeing that Xianfeng was still silent, Sushun stepped up and said: "At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, any bannerman could go into battle to kill the enemy. Now there are too many bannermen who are bastards and confused. Not only do they only ask for money from the court, they also refuse to accept it.

Contribute to the country.”

Xianfeng said angrily: "It's not that time yet, but don't leak this matter to prevent the banner people from panic. When the court really can't come up with the money, you will be responsible for this matter, and it must be implemented with thunder and lightning."

.”

Seeing that Xianfeng agreed, Sushun was very encouraged. He took out a letter from his arms and handed it to Xianfeng and said: "This is a letter from Zeng Guofan, the minister of the Ministry of official affairs, to me. After reading it, I think it makes sense. Please let the emperor read it."

Xian Feng took the letter with interest and said while reading: "This is Zeng Guofan who moved seven times in ten years and was promoted ten times in a row. Is he Mu Zhang'a's favorite disciple? I have made plans to dismiss him."

When Xianfeng saw that the content of the letter was very reasonable, he couldn't help but read: "The thieves are chief, and the officers and soldiers are often guests, so the thieves are free and the officers and soldiers are busy. The thieves often set up ambushes to wait for the officers and soldiers, and the officers and soldiers are often

To fall into the enemy's plan, the Art of War says, "Plan the plan and then fight. He who is good at using troops will control the enemy and not be controlled by them." This principle is known to the thieves but not to the officers and soldiers. In this way, the officers and soldiers are defeated repeatedly. If the people are required to build more forts, the officers and soldiers will be stationed in the area.

In dangerous places, we must camp step by step and gradually approach. If the thieves do not want to be surrounded by the officers and soldiers, they will inevitably come out to fight with the officers and soldiers. The officers and soldiers can then turn around and defeat the thieves."

After reading it, Xianfeng exclaimed, "Okay, well written. If Li Xingyuan, Sai Shang'a, and Xu Guangjin had done this, why would the situation be like this!"

Sushun said: "I also discovered that the victory of every battle fought by the officers and soldiers depends on the strength of their bravery, and the Eight Banners of the Green Camp are not enough. I sincerely ask the emperor to allow the officers and gentry to set up regiment training."

Xianfeng shook his head and said: "In regiment training, most of the local warrior leaders are Han people. The late emperor often dismissed them when he was there, because he was afraid that these people would get together and plot evil."

Seeing that Xianfeng disagreed, Sushun said stubbornly: "Today is different from the past. Rebels are rampant and the government and army cannot suppress them. If this continues, the Qing Dynasty will also perish!"

Xianfeng saw that he was sarcastic and said angrily: "Bold, you are cursing the Qing Dynasty! Are you cursing me for being the king of the country's subjugation!"
Chapter completed!