1848 Great Qing Charcoal Burners

Chapter 128 Selection of Bandit Suppression Personnel

Du Shoutian, Minister of Personnel and Imperial Tutor, bowed and said, “Your Majesty, I believe that Guangxi is mountainous and remote, plagued by miasma, and its people are fierce and unruly. It is not something that can be controlled by ordinary officials or ordinary military commanders. This campaign requires both civil and military means to appease the people and stabilize the army. I recommend three people, each with their own strengths. Your Majesty may assign them according to the situation in western Guangdong.”

Emperor Xianfeng nodded slightly, feigning composure, and asked with narrowed eyes, "Minister Du, you are known for your prudence. Tell me in detail, who should I send?"

Du Shoutian explained in detail: "I dare to recommend three people. Lin Zexu is upright and honest, and his courage and strategy are useful. He once served as the acting military and political leader of Guangdong and Guangxi and is familiar with the military and political situation in Guangdong and Guangxi. He can be the chief planner for raising funds and mobilizing troops."

Zhang Bilu, the former governor of Guizhou, was a veteran general during the Jiaqing and Daoguang reigns. He was upright, honest, and cautious, with extensive military experience, and was skilled in both land and water warfare.

Xiang Rong, the Hunan Provincial Commander, was a fierce and skilled warrior. Last year, he distinguished himself in suppressing the Heaven and Earth Society bandits in Hunan.

Du Shoutian recommended Lin Zexu, an old minister who had requested to resign and return to his hometown to recuperate, and Zhang Bilu and Xiang Rong, veteran generals from the southwest region.

Emperor Xianfeng had been on the throne for less than three months, and he hadn't even gotten to know all the court officials in the capital, let alone the governors in the provinces whom he had never even met.

Of the three people recommended by Du Shoutian, Emperor Xianfeng was only familiar with Lin Zexu, who was a capable, famous, and important minister during the Jiaqing and Daoguang reigns, and who was also at odds with Mu Zhang'a.

The late emperor relied heavily on Lin Zexu. In his memory, Lin Zexu not only banned opium, but also served as a high-ranking official in many places, even going to the Western Regions, and he did a good job in all of them. He was a high-ranking official worthy of being entrusted with important responsibilities.

As for Zhang Bilu and Xiang Rong, Emperor Xianfeng was not very familiar with them.

He racked his brains trying to recall the memorials he had read in the past, attempting to find memories of Zhang Bilu and Xiang Rong.

After thinking for a long time, I still couldn't come up with a single clue.

Meanwhile, the ministers in the Imperial Study were still waiting for Emperor Xianfeng's reply.

The worst thing is when the air suddenly goes quiet, making the situation extremely awkward.

Emperor Xianfeng looked to Du Shoutian with a helpless expression, seeking his help.

With Du Shoutian's quiet explanation, Emperor Xianfeng gradually learned who the two military officials recommended by Du Shoutian were.

Zhang Bilu was bestowed the title of "Liyong Baturu" by the late Emperor. He was not only a man of both literary and military talent, but also skilled in both land and sea warfare. He served as the admiral of both the land and naval forces and spent a long time suppressing the Heaven and Earth Society bandits, Miao people, and Yi people's uprisings in Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou, achieving remarkable military exploits.

The Xunzhou Prefecture in Guangxi is crisscrossed by waterways, and the God God Society has absorbed many water bandits from the Heaven and Earth Society. It is appropriate to send the retired Zhang Bilu to fill the vacant post of Guangxi Governor left by the death of Min Zhengwen.

As for Xiang Rong, the Hunan Provincial Commander, he was also a veteran of the Green Standard Army. Last year, when Li Yuanfa and other bandits from southern Hunan launched an uprising, it was Xiang Rong who suppressed it and drove Li Yuanfa's Heaven and Earth Society bandits from southern Hunan to northern Guangxi.

Emperor Xianfeng suddenly realized the truth, but he still had doubts.

Since the two men recommended by Du Shoutian are both experienced Green Standard Army veterans, sending one of them would suffice.

There is only one substantive post for the Governor of Guangxi. If the post is given to Zhang Bilu, how will Xiang Rong make arrangements?
Du Shoutian patiently explained to Emperor Xianfeng.

Zhang Bilu was retired and then reinstated, but he did not hold an official position. The position of Governor of Guangxi should have been given to Zhang Bilu.

Xiang Rong was the governor of Hunan, so he could be sent to Guangxi to assist Zhang Bilu in suppressing the bandits.

Zhang Bilu was old and frail, with limited energy. Guangxi needed to suppress two factions of the bandits, not just one.

To ensure absolute success, it would be more prudent to send two generals to Guangxi to jointly suppress the two bandit groups, the Heaven and Earth Society and the God Society.

Emperor Xianfeng wanted to make a good impression on his ministers, so he asked the two men, both of whom were admirals and veteran generals of the Green Standard Army.

What if they disagree with each other and fight for the power to suppress bandits?
This question not only broke Du Shoutian's defenses but also...

This also made Mu Zhang'a, who had not yet spoken, feel somewhat ashamed.

Mu Zhang'a thought to himself, what kind of students did Du Shoutian teach? Apart from being filial and virtuous, they seemed to have nothing else to offer.

If it were the Sixth Prince Yi, he would never be so ignorant about the Qing Dynasty's commanders and ask such a low-level question.

In terms of seniority and merit, Xiang Rong wasn't even worthy of carrying Zhang Bilu's shoes.

Zhang Bilu was the governor of Guangxi, while Xiang Rong was the governor of Hunan who came to assist in the suppression of the rebellion. Xiang Rong was a guest general, so what did he have to compete with Zhang Bilu for military power?

Even if the two of them wanted to fight, they both had Lin Zexu above them to keep them in check, right?

With Lin Zexu around, how could the two of them possibly rebel?
Although Mu Zhang'a was dissatisfied with the fact that all three people recommended by Du Shoutian were Han officials.

But Mu Zhang'a also had to admit that the Qing Dynasty was currently facing a shortage of capable officials, both civil and military.

Although the three men recommended by Du Shoutian were old, they were still reliable.

However, Mu Zhang'a and Lin Zexu had always been at odds and had many unpleasant dealings. Mu Zhang'a did not want Lin Zexu to take charge of the overall situation of suppressing bandits in Guangxi. Mu Zhang'a sneered and said, "Minister Du's move can be described as restoring old kinship and bringing back old friends."

Du Shoutian turned to look at Mu Zhang'a: "What do you mean by that, Minister Mu?" It is true that Du Shoutian's recommendation of Lin Zexu was motivated by a desire to reconnect with old friends and associates.

Did you, Mu Zhang'a, not reunite with your old relatives and friends during the Daoguang reign?

Now, I have finally made it through the long years, and my student has ascended the throne.

If I no longer have old relatives or friends, haven't I wasted all these years?

Furthermore, with each new emperor comes a new set of officials, and Emperor Xianfeng had always intended to suppress former officials, led by Mu Zhang'a.

Du Shoutian's decision to appoint Lin Zexu was merely a convenient excuse.

Moreover, Lin Zexu is indeed one of the few capable and competent officials at present.

Whether for public or private reasons, Du Shoutian had a clear conscience in recommending Lin Zexu.

Mu Zhang'a hurriedly stepped forward and reported, "This servant believes that the banditry in western Guangdong is not a recent phenomenon. The land in western Guangdong is barren and the people are poor. Even in peaceful times, they still need financial assistance from neighboring provinces. The tax revenue and grain of western Guangdong alone are insufficient to sustain the bandit suppression efforts. We need financial assistance from neighboring provinces, especially Guangdong, to help with the suppression."

Those in charge of suppressing bandits in western Guangdong should be young, strong, and capable in both speech and action.

Lin Zexu was seriously ill and had a strong and unyielding nature, which made him prone to clashes with governors and viceroys in various regions. It was likely that he would have difficulty coordinating relationships with them.

Zhang Bilu is very old; it is uncertain whether he can still eat.

As for Xiang Rong, although he was brave and skilled, he was not capable of controlling the overall situation on his own.

Your servant recommends Sai Shang'a to oversee Guangxi. He is older and more prudent, handles matters with a balance of tact and strategy, is well-versed in military and political affairs, and is a relative of the Manchu and Mongol nobility. Governors and viceroys of all provinces will surely respect and obey him.

He Chun, a military officer promoted to the rank of Central Army Commander in Hunan, is intelligent, brave, skilled in archery and horsemanship, and a formidable warrior. Wulantai, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Guangdong, is proficient in firearms, fiercely loyal, and courageous. Both are capable of being given important responsibilities.

After much deliberation, Mu Zhang'a finally came up with three barely usable Manchu and Mongol candidates for bandit suppression.

Mu Zhang'a originally intended to recommend his prized student, Zeng Guofan.

However, considering Zeng Guofan's rapid rise in rank—he had only been acting as Vice Minister of War in August of the previous year—and his long-standing experience serving in Beijing without prior experience as a high-ranking local official, coupled with his status as a Han Chinese official, using Zeng Guofan to compete with Lin Zexu offered no advantage.

So they gave up on that idea and decided it would be better to directly recommend Saishang'a, who came from a Manchu-Mongol noble family.

Du Shoutian remained unfazed and prostrated himself on the ground, saying, "Your Majesty, the God Society is no ordinary band of rebels. They use foreign religions to incite and bewitch people, march like a tide, and have gathered more than ten thousand followers. They also collude with the Heaven and Earth Society. They should not be underestimated."

Manchus, Mongols, and Han Chinese are all one entity. If we continue to select virtuous and capable individuals based on the distinction between Manchus, Mongols, and Han Chinese, it may jeopardize the overall strategy of suppressing bandits.

If the three men I recommended—Lin Zexu, Zhang Bilu, and Xiang Rong—fail to achieve merit, I am willing to resign and be stripped of my official rank.

Hearing Du Shoutian speak so harshly, Emperor Xianfeng hurriedly said, "Sir, you are too harsh. In the future, do not bring up the matter of stripping someone of their official rank so easily. You are my teacher. If I strip you of your rank, wouldn't I become a person who disrespects his elders and is unrighteous and unjust?"

Du Shoutian realized that he had been too hasty and had spoken without thinking. His student, influenced by him, was pure and kind and had always respected his teachers.

He really shouldn't have spoken so harshly, and quickly bowed, saying, "It was my fault for speaking without thinking, but I was only thinking of the affairs of the country."

Emperor Xianfeng cleared his throat and said in a deep voice, "I have only recently ascended the throne, and these are turbulent times. You are all loyal ministers of the Great Qing. You should work together to help me revitalize the Great Qing and be ministers of its revival. Manchu, Mongol, and Han ministers are all my pillars of support, and I treat them all the same."

After making some polite remarks to appease the officials, Emperor Xianfeng paused for a long time before finally making a decision: "Issue Lin Zexu as Imperial Commissioner to control the military affairs of Guangdong and Guangxi and coordinate the suppression of bandits; appoint Zhang Bilu as Governor of Guangxi to command all the land and naval forces in Guangxi and oversee the Guangxi militia."

Hunan Governor Xiang Rong immediately entered Guangxi to suppress the bandits. Hunan Commander He Chun followed Xiang Rong to aid Guangxi, while Guangdong Deputy Military Governor Wulantai followed Lin Zexu to aid Guangxi.

Sai Shang'a, you shall remain in the capital to oversee all matters concerning border defense.

Emperor Xianfeng and others have created a mess.

Those recommended by his teacher, Du Shoutian, must all be capable, and they will certainly be employed.

Mu Zhang'a was an important minister of the previous dynasty, and Emperor Xianfeng could not completely ignore the people he recommended.

Although Mu Zhang'a was not very satisfied with Emperor Xianfeng's arrangements.

Du Shoutian relied on his seniority and exploited Xianfeng's weaknesses, threatening to strip him of his official rank. Ironically, Xianfeng fell for Du Shoutian's tricks.

Mu Zhang'a knew he couldn't compete with Du Shoutian now, so he decided to quit while he was ahead.

Inside the Imperial Study, all the officials kowtowed in unison: "Your subjects (servants) obey your decree."

(End of this chapter)