The Qing Dynasty

Chapter 353: No Reward Will Be Acknowledged

Zhang Zhidong continued, "Let's talk about military management first. Teng Xingfu has never lost a battle since he started. Whether it's a small battle with hundreds of people, a battle to defend a city with tens of thousands of troops, or a wild battle with foreigners, he always commands the troops with ease, just like cooking a delicacy."

"Even during the Battle of Anping, when the foreigners attacked at night, Teng Xingfu had to personally wield his spear and fight in the battlefield. However, in the end, it was only a draw. In the end, not only did Teng Xingfu lead his troops to break through the siege, but he also did not suffer any damage. This is a clear proof."

"Let's talk about the battle in the capital. On the first day Teng Xingfu entered the city, he defeated the foreigners and wiped out a coalition force that was almost equal in number to his own. He also burned Xishiku and forced the foreigners in Dongjiaominxiang to surrender. A few days ago, he again inflicted heavy damage on hundreds of thousands of powerful enemies outside the city with tens of thousands of people. What a mighty force!"

Zhang Zhidong pointed to a pile of newspapers and periodicals nearby and said, "Not only did the Ta Kung Pao write articles praising him endlessly, but the Chinese newspapers and periodicals in Shanghai and Guangzhou also praised him highly. Even the common people heard the news and praised Teng Xingfu and the Vanguard Army in the streets and alleys."

Zhang Zhidong breathed a sigh of relief. "There is news that the local gentry and common people in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and here are very enthusiastic in donating money to the Vanguard Army. The three places have already donated hundreds of thousands of dollars."

"There are even rumors that support groups in various places are preparing to call on the people to refuse to buy foreign goods."

"Based on these achievements alone, it is not an exaggeration to say that Teng Xingfu is a famous general rarely seen in ancient and modern times!"

Gu Hongming shook his head and said, "Marshal Xiang is wrong. It is true that Teng Xingfu is a capable fighter, but what Marshal Xiang said seems to be exaggerated. Xishiku and Dongjiaominxiang were all taken by the Boxers, the Tiger God Camp, and the Gansu Army. They have nothing to do with the Vanguard Army."

"It's not just the Ta Kung Pao that says this, but also the personal experience of British journalist Morrison from The Times that was reprinted in newspapers in Shanghai and Guangzhou."

"Furthermore, if this was really done by Teng Xingfu, how could the foreigners let him go? I'm afraid the first person on the list of culprits would not be Zai Yi, but Teng Xingfu."

Gu Hongming's words made Zhang Zhidong speechless and laugh.

"Hongming, if you think so, then you have been fooled by Teng Xingfu."

Zhang Zhidong's words made Gu Hongming's face darken. "How did Marshal Xiang know that this was done by Teng Xingfu? What evidence did he have? Could it be that Teng Xingfu was also like Ting Yongzhiliu, killing innocent people indiscriminately? There are still believers in Xishikuli who have come forward."

Gu Hongming was born in Southeast Asia, and could be considered to be from a comprador family. He received a combination of Chinese and Western education. After spending a long time abroad, he became deeply disgusted by the massacre of civilians.

Seeing the change in Gu Hongming's expression, Zhang Zhidong stroked his beard and said with a smile.

"Hongming, when the Christians in Xishikuli were outside, they were Christians. It was wrong to use swords and guns against them. But when Teng Xingfu entered the city, these Christians had already taken up swords and guns and fought fiercely for several months with the Boxers, the Tiger God Camp and the Gansu Army who were besieging outside. Do you think that civilians who took up swords and guns to fight can still be called ordinary civilians?"

"What's more, innocent people will be affected on the battlefield. Can you say that we shouldn't fight the enemy, or choose a place without civilians to fight a strong enemy?"

Seeing that Gu Hongming's expression had eased, Zhang Zhidong shook his head and continued.

"Let's talk about Xishiku and Dongjiaominxiang."

"Of course, there is no evidence that Teng Xingfu was involved, not to mention the foreigners. Even if the court wants to reward the people who did this in the future, Teng Xingfu will not admit it. If they really want to investigate, I guess the court will first pardon the Boxers, and then investigate in detail, maybe they can get a glimpse of the truth."

"Then how did Marshal Xiang know about this? Could it be that Teng Xingfu had private dealings with Marshal Xiang?"

Zhang Zhidong's words immediately surprised Gu Hongming, and he couldn't help but ask questions.

Zhang Zhidong shook his head and said, "At least for the time being, there has been no private contact with this Teng Xingfu. However, this channel has already existed. Doesn't Hongming know about it?"

Zhang Zhidong's words made Gu Hongming slightly stunned, then he smiled with relief and said, "Xiang Marshal, are you talking about Qian Yizhi of the Ta Kung Pao? But he is only an old friend of Teng Xingfu because of the relationship between Yu Lu and Teng Xingfu. How can we let him pass on private information?"

Zhang Zhidong shook his head and said, "It's definitely not just that. I wonder if you have noticed that the latest battle reports about Teng Xingfu and his vanguard army were all first published in the Ta Kung Pao. Not only are newspapers in Shanghai, Guangzhou and other places reprinted from it, but his news is even faster than the court's official reports and is much more detailed."

"This shows that he would get the news immediately. Due to the war, the post stations in various places are running slowly, and even the ones in Zhili should have been abandoned. How could a newly founded private newspaper like his have such great power to travel freely among them?"

"Unless Teng Xingfu took the initiative to send someone to pass on this information to him, then it seems that the background of Qian Yizhi of Ta Kung Pao is not just a simple old relationship with Teng Xingfu."

Seeing that Gu Hongming had come to his senses, Zhang Zhidong said, "Not only that, you should also know Ning Xingpu of the Aurora Trading Company in Wuchang, right?" "Li Shaoquan wrote to me and told me that Zhou Fu's son Zhou Xuexi is now secretly helping Teng Xingfu. He opened an Aurora Industrial Development Company in Shanghai."

"Zhou Xuexi's company and Ning Xingpu's trading company have one thing in common. They both have the word Zhendan in front of them. I sent someone to secretly check Ning Xingpu's background. It turns out that this person has a close relationship with Teng Xingfu. It is said that this person used his family wealth to support Teng Xingfu."

"Also, Ning Xingpu's company does a big business, dealing in tea, raw silk, Chinese and Western medicines, and almost everything else. Not only does it ship inland goods from Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu, Shaanxi, Hubei, Henan, Yunnan, and Guizhou to the coast for foreign trade, it also buys a large amount of Western goods from those foreign companies and ships them to the mainland for sale. This requires a huge amount of money."

"When he was in Tianjin, although he was considered wealthy, he didn't have such a fortune. If he wanted to borrow money from a bank, he would have to pledge his property. How could he get a loan out of nothing?"

Zhang Zhidong's words shocked Gu Hongming, "Marshal Xiang, where did Teng Xingfu get so much money? Isn't he afraid of Marshal Xiang?"

Zhang Zhidong glanced at Gu Hongming and spoke in a somewhat unfriendly tone.

"Hongming, I have already said that Kang Guangxia, Seymour, and British Consul Freese suggested that I, Zhang Xiangtao, establish an independent state in Huguang. Don't mention it again."

"When we signed the Southeast Mutual Protection Agreement, we were just opposing the imperial court's indulgence in the Boxers. It was a helpless move, and I had no extravagant intentions. I, Zhang Xiangtao, am still a minister of the Qing Dynasty. How could I risk the disapproval of the world and split the country to establish my own regime?"

Gu Hongming was the one who knew best about the British and Kang Guangxia and others instigating Zhang Zhidong to declare independence.

Since the outbreak of the war, Britain has been trying hard to win over Zhang Zhidong and push him to participate in the "Southeast Mutual Protection" while instigating Kang Youwei to instruct the Self-Reliance Army to support Zhang Zhidong in declaring independence in the Yangtze River Basin and establishing a "Southeast Self-Reliant Country."

The leaders of the Self-Reliance Army, Tang Caichang, Lin Gui and others, under the instructions of Kang Youwei, also persuaded Zhang Zhidong to declare independence and break away from the Qing court.

Zhang Zhidong repeatedly weighed the pros and cons between the Qing court, Britain and the Self-Reliance Army and had an ambiguous attitude.

But before the Self-Reliance Army started the uprising, especially after Cixi and Guangxu fled safely from BJ to Shanxi, Zhang Zhidong was no longer indecisive. In particular, although the vanguard army was no match for the Allied Forces, it grew bigger and stronger, with frequent reports of victory. Zhang Zhidong had completely rejected the British advice.

At this point, naturally, I don't want anyone to mention it again.

Seeing that Gu Hongming looked a little gloomy, Zhang Zhidong said with a wry smile.

"Hongming, don't say this is not the place where the dragon energy is. Huguang is just a part of Central and South China. Even if it tries to be self-reliant and self-protective, it will not last long. The situation of great unification has long been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people in China."

"Besides, since ancient times, no one has ever been able to unify the Central Plains from the south of the Yangtze River. It was always the north that eventually led its troops down to achieve a unified situation."

Zhang Zhidong waved his hand decisively, "Hongming, look at Li Shaoquan, does he have any other thoughts now? He has sent many people to Teng Xingfu."

"So, not only this matter, but also the so-called Southeast Mutual Protection Provinces forming an alliance and becoming independent, should never be mentioned again."

"As for Teng Xingfu setting up Ning Xingpu's trading company and the Ta Kung Pao, which must be related to him, in Wuchang, it is because Teng Xingfu trusts me and does not covet my things. In this regard, Teng Xingfu is very discerning."

Zhang Zhidong exhaled a breath of turbid air and said with a smile, "Hongming, let's continue talking about the vanguard army in the capital."

Zhang Zhidong took a sip of the fragrant tea on the desk and continued.

"Think about it, the Boxers, the Tiger God Camp, and the Gansu Army besieged Xishiku and Dongjiaominxiang for months without success. On the first day that Teng Xingfu entered the capital, during the fierce battle with the foreign army, Xishiku, which should have put up a stronger resistance, was taken in one fell swoop. Even Dongjiaominxiang, where there were more foreign soldiers, had to raise the flag and surrender."

"As for the fact that the foreigners did not pursue Teng Xingfu, and even the French did not say a word, this also shows that he was very secretive and clever. They did not have any evidence, so naturally they could not accuse Teng Xingfu."

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(End of this chapter)