1848 Great Qing Charcoal Burners

Chapter 115 If you can't eat alone, then share! [Third update!]

"I don't know the exact number of troops, but the city garrison in Guilin, the provincial capital, and the five battalions in Liuzhou (left, right, front, rear, and center) are all large camps of the Guangxi Green Standard Army. According to regulations, the number of troops in a large camp should be around eight hundred." Xie Bin stroked his chin and beard, recalling and thinking for a while before carefully analyzing the situation.

"Of course, there couldn't actually be 800 people; officers of all ranks in the Green Standard Army had to fill some vacancies."

Liuzhou was a military stronghold in Guangxi, constantly dealing with rebellions by local chieftains. Guilin, on the other hand, was the provincial capital and the permanent residence of the governor and military commander. It is likely that the problem of officials embezzling positions was not as serious as in Xunzhou and Taiping.

If they took 30% of the vacancies, this battalion and a half of Green Standard Army should have more than 800 people, and including the officers' entourage, there should be at least 900 people.

As for equipment, the Liuzhou and Guilin Green Standard Army units were the best equipped among all the Green Standard Army units in Guangxi.

The number of personnel in each battalion of the Green Camp is not fixed and can vary by several times.

The small camp has a staff of only two or three hundred people, and in extreme cases, it may only have a staff of about one hundred.

Xie Bin's hometown, Zuojiang Town, Taiping Prefecture, had a staff of only 154 people.

The left and right battalions of the Xunzhou garrison were typical medium-sized battalions, with a strength of 551 and 521 men respectively.

As Xie Bin said, the five battalions of Liuzhou—left, right, front, back, and center—each had a strength of around eight hundred or even more.

Of course, the maximum number of members in the Green Camp is just over a thousand.

A situation like the Hunan Army, where a single battalion could have tens of thousands of men, would never occur in the Green Standard Army.

The Green Standard Army was mostly composed of Han Chinese. If there were Green Standard Army units of tens of thousands of people, the Tartar emperor probably wouldn't be able to sleep soundly.

Xie Bin's speculation is largely consistent with Peng Gang's understanding of the Qing Dynasty's system.

One thousand men was the maximum number of troops that a provincial governor or commander could mobilize without the formal authorization of the Qing emperor, and without reporting the situation to the emperor first.

The Green Camp members recruited by Min Zhengwen were the elite of the Guangxi Green Camp, and they were recruited at the maximum limit.

Judging from this, Min Zhengwen's visit was ill-intentioned.

Unlike last time, when they arrived in Xunzhou Prefecture and barely settled in before turning back to Guilin, this time they were serious.

"Compared to the Xunzhou garrison's Green Standard Army, how do the two Green Standard Army units brought by Min Zhengwen compare in combat strength?" Peng Gang pressed.

Xie Bin thought for a moment, then shook his head slightly and said, "I have no dealings with the Green Standard Army in Liuzhou. The Xunzhou Right Battalion Commander Chen Nanshan, whom we captured in Wuxuan, used to serve in the city garrison in Liuzhou for a period of time. Why don't we arrest him and ask him?"

Qing Dynasty civil and military officials captured during the attack on Wuxuan County.

Peng Gang handed the three civil servants over to headquarters for further handling.

The two Green Standard Army military officers, Garrison Commander Huang Can and Colonel Chen Nanshan and Peng Gang, were not handed over to headquarters.

The garrison commander, Huang Can, was a man who was addicted to all five vices, including a severe opium addiction. He knew nothing when asked questions and was completely useless.

Huang Can was of no value to Peng Gang, so in order to save rations, he simply used him as a live target for the new recruits to practice shooting.

Chen Nanshan still retained a trace of a soldier's demeanor and fighting spirit, so he was spared.

"Bring him in!" Peng Gang ordered, bringing Chen Nanshan in.

Before long, Chen Nanshan was escorted into the main hall by two guards.

Peng Gang then questioned Chen Nanshan.

"Did you work as an assistant in Liuzhou?"

"forgotten."

"Which battalion did you originally serve in in Liuzhou?"

"do not know."

"Compared to the left and right battalions of the Xunzhou Brigade, which is stronger or weaker?"

"forgotten."

Chen Nanshan acted tough in front of Peng Gang and others, refusing to answer truthfully.

Peng Gang's face darkened, and he said coldly, "It seems Chen Qianrong has a bad memory. Da Gang, help Chen Qianrong get his memory back."

"okay!"

Luo Dagang rubbed his hands together to warm up before unleashing a powerful memory restoration technique on Chen Nanshan.

After being tortured by Luo Dagang for more than twenty minutes, Chen Nanshan, with a bruised and swollen face, finally couldn't take it anymore and hurriedly called for a stop.

"Stop! Stop hitting me! Stop hitting me! It hurts! I'll talk! I'll talk!"

“Chen Nanshan, even if your memory is bad, it shouldn’t be so bad that you don’t remember what I asked you two quarters of an hour ago, right?” Peng Gang said with a gloomy face.

"I don't want to ask the same question a second time. Just tell me the truth."

"I used to serve in the city garrison of Liuzhou. The city garrison of Liuzhou was not as good as the left and right battalions of Xunzhou, but the other battalions of Liuzhou were better than the two battalions of Xunzhou." Chen Nanshan poured out everything like beans from a bamboo tube.

Peng Gang then asked Chen Nanshan some detailed questions, such as the number of men in each battalion of the Liuzhou detachment, how much of the quota was being embezzled, how serious the embezzlement of rations and pay was, who the battalion officers were, what their character was, their ability to command troops, and their reputation.

Although Chen Nanshan was just a junior Green Standard Army officer, and there were personnel changes among the battalion officers after he was transferred, Chen Nanshan could not answer every question.

However, the questions that Chen Nanshan could answer largely corroborated Xie Bin's analysis and speculation.

After questioning him, Peng Gang ordered two guards to take Chen Nanshan away and instructed them not to forget to treat his injuries.

"Min Zhengwen is going to attack us and cross the border to Guiping. This is a golden opportunity! We can wait in comfort and ambush Min Zhengwen's troops!" Luo Dagang was very excited, feeling that this was a great opportunity.

"If we can capture and kill Min Zhengwen, God and your reputation as commander will surely spread throughout the world! This is even more exciting than taking Wuxuan County!"

Luo Dagang makes a good point.

Since the uprising of the Heaven and Earth Society in Guangxi, many officers of the Green Standard Army have been killed.

However, the Green Standard Army officers killed by the Heaven and Earth Society were mostly mid- to low-ranking Green Standard Army officers.

Among the high-ranking Green Standard Army officers, let alone admirals or generals, not even a deputy general had ever been killed.

Although Peng Gang became famous after the battle of Wuxuan, many people in Guangxi learned about the God Society and heard of Peng Gang's name.

Among the many forces that resisted the Qing government in Guangxi, he was not the only one who achieved the feat of capturing a county town.

Zhang Jiaxiang also captured a county town.

If Min Zhengwen can be captured and killed, as Luo Dagang said, the influence of the God Society and himself will surely extend beyond the corner of Guangxi.

Of course, the Qing government would inevitably intensify its crackdown on the God Society.

But since they had already chosen to rebel, there was no turning back; they could only carry it through to the end and move forward steadfastly.

Even if they didn't attack Min Zhengwen, the Qing court would still do everything in its power to suppress the God Worshippers; it was only a matter of time.

"Zheng Zuchen needs to be stationed in Guilin, the provincial capital, to guard against Chen Yagui. If he can capture and kill Min Zhengwen, the Green Standard Army in Guangxi will inevitably fall into a state of leaderlessness."

At that time, the Qing court would inevitably have to appoint a new admiral. From the selection and appointment of the new admiral to his arrival in Guangxi, it would take at least two or three months.

"Our God Society is training an army, and what we need most, besides money and food, is time." Peng Gang paced back and forth, carefully considering the matter.

He really wanted to fight Min Zhengwen's Green Standard Army, and he had plenty of reasons to do so.

The Green Standard Army troops brought by Min Zhengwen represent the pinnacle of the Guangxi Green Standard Army's combat strength, and their equipment is also quite good.

If he could capture Min Zhengwen's forces, he would have more confidence and strength to deal with Qing troops from other provinces who came to Guangxi in the future.

The Battle of Wuxuan was fought brilliantly and relatively easily.

But it was precisely because it was too easy and too smooth.

His troops have not received adequate training and have yet to fight a proper, decent battle, especially a tough one.

Peng Gang was well aware of this.

“Min Zhengwen has nearly a thousand men under his command, and the local militia in Liuzhou must number at least two or three thousand. Our troops have too many new recruits, and only half of them are capable of fighting. I’m afraid we won’t be able to handle Min Zhengwen’s elite force,” Xie Bin reminded Peng Gang.

"Our family is poor, and this is all we have. We hope that the commander will consider this carefully and think it over before acting."

Xie Bin joined Peng Gang's team earlier than Luo Dagang and served as a spearman instructor.

Xie Bin knew more about Peng Gang's army than Luo Dagang did.

Although they organized six battalions this time, totaling nearly 2,600 people.

In reality, only Peng Gang's musket battalion and Luo Dagang's two boat battalions were actually capable of being deployed to the battlefield.

The remaining three battalions were all greenhorns who had not yet undergone formal training and could not be considered combat-ready.

The chances of successfully ambushing and attacking Min Zhengwen's elite Qing army were too slim.

Even if we win, it will be a Pyrrhic victory, and our strength will be greatly diminished. How should we deal with the Qing army's subsequent attacks?
They had to deal with more than just Min Zhengwen's Qing army.

Xie Bin hoped that Peng Gang would consider the matter carefully and make a prudent decision.

People have self-knowledge.

Peng Gang agreed with Xie Bin's assessment; he indeed lacked the ability to single-handedly defeat Min Zhengwen's elite Qing army.

“What if we use the entire God Society?” Peng Gang thought of the God Society. “Since we can’t eat it all, and we can’t eat it all alone, then we’ll eat it all together!”

The Jintian militia camp and the Mengchong headquarters gathered fifty to sixty thousand followers.

Of the 50,000 to 60,000 people, we can always find 10,000 able-bodied men.

Xiao Chaogui and Yang Xiuqing also had three or four thousand troops under their command who had completed their initial training and were already capable of fighting.

Shi Dakai and Qin Rigang, these two from Guixian County, also have one or two thousand men who can fight.

"We can give it a try, we have a good chance of winning!" Xie Bin thought for a moment and said.

If we can mobilize the entire God Society to fight Min Zhengwen, then our chances of winning will naturally be much greater.

"But can you convince them?"

The same old problem remains: Peng Gang has not yet entered the highest decision-making level and is unable to lead upper-level decision-making.

“We have to give it a try. We can’t let this big fish, Min Zhengwen, get away like this. You all train hard. I’m leaving for Mengchong tomorrow,” Peng Gang said.

After discussing Min Zhengwen's Qing army, Peng Gang explained to everyone his idea of ​​controlling the Qianjiang waterway and developing his influence in Longshan and Lianhuashan in Guixian County on the south bank of the Qianjiang River.

Everyone agreed with the idea and had no objections.

Bitan Xun is located on the north bank of the Qianjiang River, separated from the south bank by only one river.

If they can't hold onto their territory in Guixian County on the south bank in the future, with so many ships, they can simply withdraw their people from the south bank.

Peng Gang thought his ideas were radical enough, but Luo Dagang's ideas were even more radical than his.

Luo Dagang was originally a pirate and a naval bandit. He was particularly excited when talking about naval warfare, and he talked on and on without stopping.

Luo Dagang not only wanted to control the Qianjiang waterway, but also the Xunjiang waterway.

Previously, Luo Dagang was a prominent figure in the Heaven and Earth Society in Guangxi, but the Heaven and Earth Society was loosely organized and everyone did their own thing.

Luo Dagang often felt frustrated, resenting those scoundrels from other gangs who were not worth his time.

Now I've joined the God's Church, a new organization that is well-organized, disciplined, and relatively united.

Luo Dagang felt that he had finally found a place to put his skills to use.

"Waterways are the lifeline of the Qing army, and also our lifeline. Water transport is far more convenient than land transport. When large armies are fighting, they cannot help but rely on water transport."

The banks of the Xunjiang River are covered with fertile fields and densely populated. We also have silver. As long as we control the Xunjiang waterway, we can use the silver to buy grain from the people on both banks and continue to fight the Qing army for a long time.

My old friends from the submarine force, such as Tian Fang (Big Carp), Zhong Achun, and Li Guanbao, are still active on the Xunjiang River. We can contact them to act together. When the situation is favorable to us, these old friends of mine are still reliable.”

In short, Luo Dagang's idea was to open up and control the waterways within Xunzhou Prefecture.

His idea is both visionary and feasible.

Peng Gang recorded Luo Dagang's thoughts.

But you have to eat one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time.

Min Zhengwen was to be stationed in Guiping City to oversee the military operations. Guiping City is located at the confluence of the Qianjiang, Xunjiang, and Yujiang rivers, making it the most crucial waterway hub within Xunzhou Prefecture.

Once Min Zhengwen enters Guiping City, Luo Dagang's ideas will be nothing but empty talk.

We can only eliminate Min Zhengwen first, control the Qianjiang waterway, and then see if Luo Dagang's idea can be implemented.

After the meeting, while he still had plenty of energy, Peng Gang copied down "The Song of Chasing the Manchus" from memory, half reciting and half supplementing it.

"The Song of Expelling the Manchus" thoroughly criticizes the Manchu emperors from beginning to end, making it extremely damaging.

Since the last short section was about events after the Taiping Rebellion, Peng Gang didn't copy it, only up to the part where people forgot about propriety, morality, and shame.

The next morning, Peng Gang handed "The Song of Expelling the Manchus" to Peng Yi, Lu Qin, Huang Bingxian, Qiu Zhongliang and others.

They were to teach the students to sing it during class, and to teach everyone in Honglian Village to sing it in their spare time.

Do not beat the drums, do not bang the gongs. Listen to me sing this song of expelling the Manchus.

The current emperor is not a Han Chinese; he is a Manchu Qing demon, an old monkey.

The braids stretched out eighteen inches long, and the pig's tail swayed as it rolled all over the ground.

He wore a red-cherry-adorned dog hat, and a string of court beads hung on his head like a rat's nest.

They open examinations to deceive students, and even more so, they open donations to drive away the wealthy.

Everyone says it's good to be an official, but they've forgotten about propriety, integrity, and a sense of shame.

"If the officials heard or saw this song, they would be so angry they would vomit blood." Huang Bingxian recited it briefly, then covered his mouth and laughed out loud.

"It's not enough to make them vomit blood, it's better to make them so angry they die," Peng Gang instructed. "I'm leaving for Mengchong today, so I'm leaving the school to you."

Ayi, especially you, you must first set up the school at the children's camp and teach them pinyin and Arabic numerals. Those children at the camp are at the age where they learn things the fastest.

The children's camp consists of a group of children aged eight to fifteen, who are highly malleable and have strong learning abilities.

Lay a solid foundation for them so that once the environment stabilizes, they will have a relatively secure home front.

Providing them with a systematic modern education makes it easier for them to integrate into modern society.

Conquering the world requires guns, but maintaining it and industrialization cannot rely solely on guns.

"There are too many people in the children's camp; Chen Yucheng, Zhang Handai, and I can't handle it all," Peng Yi complained. "I also have to manage the sacred treasury."

　Zhang Taiyan's "Song of Expelling the Manchus"

　　Do not beat the drums, do not bang the gongs. Listen to me sing this song of expelling the Manchus.

　　The current emperor is not a Han Chinese; he is a Manchu Qing demon, an old monkey.

　　The braids stretched out eighteen inches long, and the pig's tail swayed as it rolled all over the ground.

　　He wore a red-cherry-adorned dog hat, and a string of court beads hung on his head like a rat's nest.

　　His ancestor Nurha led his soldiers to my home.

　　General Longhu once surrendered to the Han people, but was ridden by them.

　　Later, he rebelled and became emperor, spouting nonsense about the Mandate of Heaven and the Heavenly Wisdom.

　　His grandson, Fulin, took advantage of a stroke of luck to become the emperor of Beijing.

　　He changed the reign title to Shunzhi and styled himself Emperor Shizu. He was the uncle of the Prince Regent.

　　The uncle and sister-in-law committed adultery and married the Empress Dowager. The wedding wine was bestowed upon corrupt officials.

　　It is pitiful that we Han people are forced to enter the slaughterhouse with sheep and pigs.

　　The massacre in Yangzhou lasted for ten days, and the killings in Jiading and Guangzhou were also completed.

　　In Fujian, he encountered Prince Kang again, who raped and abducted respectable families like prostitutes.

　　The garrison troops stationed there to suppress the demons were even more shameless, as they didn't need to farm or grow vegetables.

　　He reaches out for food and opens his mouth for rice. He possesses all the grain and rice from the south.

　　Han people sometimes bullied Manchus, arbitrarily executing, strangling, exiling, and banishing them.

　　If a Manchu mistreats a Han Chinese, he will be punished only if he kills them three times.

　　Emperor Kangxi was the most cunning, and his "Single Whip" law mandated the strict control of taxes and provisions.

　　Despite the promise of never increasing taxes, the remaining losses from firewood sales are still countless.

　　Her name was Ding Yao, who was exempt from all duties.

　　They open examinations to deceive students, and even more so, they open donations to drive away the wealthy.

　　Everyone says it's good to be an official, but they've forgotten about propriety, integrity, and a sense of shame.

　　The full text is too long, so I won't paste it into the main text to pad the word count. There's a short section at the end of the original song, but the author said there's a word limit and it can't be included here. If you're interested, you can search for it yourself.

　　Although there are only three chapters today, each chapter has more words than yesterday. I'd like to ask everyone for your votes! Thank you!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)