1848 Great Qing Charcoal Burners

Chapter 131 If the brothers can't persuade him, surely the Heavenly Father can?
The Heavenly King, needless to say, is Hong Xiuquan.

The commanders of the central army and the vanguard were Yang Xiuqing and Xiao Chaogui, respectively.

Previously, only Hong Xiuquan indulged in women, but now Yang Xiuqing and Xiao Chaogui have also started their own harems.

The rate at which the upper echelons of the Heavenly Kingdom have become corrupt is far too fast.

This is only the capture of a county town; what would happen if it were the prefectural city or the provincial capital?
Peng Gang didn't want to think about it any further.

Are the other generals also selecting concubines?

As Peng Gang walked into the Heavenly King's Palace, he inquired about the situation of the other high-ranking officials of the Heavenly Kingdom from Lu Liu.

"The other generals are busy requisitioning grain and supplies from Pingnan City and have not selected any concubines," Lu Liu replied.

Peng Gang breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this; thankfully, he hadn't completely become corrupt and degenerate.

Wei Changhui and Shi Dakai came from wealthy families, so they were relatively more able to resist temptation.

Feng Yunshan, on the other hand, came from a less-than-ideal background and had never enjoyed much happiness, yet he was able to resist the temptations of a brothel, which Peng Gang couldn't help but admire.

Peng Gang can only pray to God that Yang Xiuqing and Xiao Chaogui will not neglect their duties because of women.

Yang Xiuqing and Xiao Chaogui were the two most powerful military commanders in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

If the two of them indulge in wine and women and neglect their duties, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Arriving at the "main hall," which was formerly the main hall of the Pingnan County government office.

Hong Xiuquan, Xiao Chaogui, and Yang Xiuqing had taken off the homespun yellow robes they wore during the Jintian Army camp and put on a brand-new, theatrical-style round-necked, wide-sleeved silk robe.

"My seventh brother has guarded the western gate of my Heavenly Kingdom with outstanding merits and great achievements. Therefore, I hereby appoint my seventh brother as the Rear Protector and Deputy Military Advisor."

With a beaming smile, Hong Xiuquan appointed Peng Gang as his Rear Protector and Deputy Military Advisor.

The boundaries between official positions, ranks, and titles in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom were very blurred.

After the Tianjing Incident, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom lavishly bestowed titles and ranks, which led to a significant decrease in the value of official titles and ranks in the later stages of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

However, there is one position that has always been highly prestigious, even more so than a princely title.

That's the strategist.

Below the Heavenly King, the highest official position in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was the Military Advisor. The Military Advisor's actual function was similar to that of a senior staff officer, while also possessing honorary attributes.

The military advisor was the highest-ranking official position in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. This time, Hong Xiuquan appointed four military advisors: Yang Xiuqing, the Left Assistant Military Advisor; Xiao Chaogui, the Right Assistant Military Advisor; Feng Yunshan, the Vanguard Deputy Military Advisor; and Peng Gang, the Rear Guard Deputy Military Advisor.

Even Wei Changhui and Shi Dakai were not appointed as military advisors.

Historically, after the deaths of Feng Yunshan and Xiao Chaogui, the position of military advisor was never changed.

Although Peng Gang's strategist had both a deputy and a lieutenant, it seemed to have a very low level of prestige.

In fact, the position of strategist is much more valuable than that of the commander of the left army.

Peng Gang thanked Hong Xiuquan, accepted the red silk robe with dragon patterns and the letter of appointment bestowed upon him by Hong Xiuquan, and was about to take his leave.

Seeing that Peng Gang had come all this way, Hong Xiuquan, in his capacity as the second brother of the immortals, kept Peng Gang for a chat for a while.

The conversation wasn't about major national or military affairs, but rather about everyday family matters.

Peng Gang became increasingly disappointed with Hong Xiuquan.

Perhaps this is the extent of this Heavenly King's ambition.

In the evening, the generals of the Heavenly Kingdom's various armies gathered in the signing room to discuss matters.

Fortunately, while Yang Xiuqing and Xiao Chaogui were busy with their talent show, they didn't neglect their other duties and arrived on time.

If either of them were absent, the meeting really wouldn't be able to continue.

"The newly appointed Guangxi governor, Zhou Tianjue, has arrived at his headquarters in Liuzhou. A small number of Guizhou troops have already entered Wuxuan and Xiangzhou, seemingly intending to attack Dongxiang. I hope that Fourth Brother and Brother-in-law will return to meet the enemy as soon as possible. Peace in Zijing Mountain is the foundation of the Heavenly Kingdom." Peng Gang pointed to the simple map hanging on the wall of the signing room and explained the situation in Wuxuan and Xiangzhou to Yang Xiuqing and Xiao Chaogui in detail.

This map was given to Yang Xiuqing by Peng Gang when they met in Guiping City to rescue Feng Yunshan.

"Return to Dongxiang? We finally captured Pingnan City, and now we're giving up so easily before the Qing army even arrives? I'm not willing to accept that! Our Taiping Heavenly Army sacrificed the blood of over eight hundred holy soldiers to win Pingnan City." Xiao Chaogui frowned.

"How can we be so reckless as to face our fallen brothers?"

Perhaps it was because he was truly reluctant to give up Pingnan County, which he had finally managed to conquer, or perhaps he was simply captivated by the bustling and gentle atmosphere of the city, but Xiao Chaogui was unwilling to easily relinquish Pingnan County.

“If you save people but lose land, you can save both people and land. If you save land but lose people, you can lose both people and land,” Peng Gang earnestly advised.

"As long as our Heavenly Army brothers are here, we can take over not only county towns, but also prefectural cities, provincial capitals, and even the capital of the Qing Dynasty."

“If we save the people but lose the land, we can save both. If we save the land but lose the people, we can lose both.” Feng Yunshan silently repeated Peng Gang’s words a few times and agreed, “Well said! We should indeed broaden our horizons. The ambition of the Heavenly Kingdom should not be limited to the small city of Pingnan.”

After entering the city, Hong Xiuquan, Yang Xiuqing, and Xiao Chaogui became obsessed with selecting concubines to expand their harems. This matter became a thorn in Feng Yunshan's side, a bitter pill to swallow.

“The blood of the Heavenly Army’s holy soldiers was not shed in vain. The supplies in Pingnan City are enough for us to use for at least four or five months,” Shi Dakai said.

"Pingnan City is easy to attack but difficult to defend. It is not a place to stay for long. After we have collected and purchased enough food and supplies, we should withdraw from Pingnan City as soon as possible."

Speaking of transporting supplies, Wei Changhui paced back and forth with a worried expression, his brow furrowed: "There are too many supplies in Pingnan City. If we want to transport them all back to Jintian, it might not be possible to do so in two months using only manpower and animal power."

Transporting large quantities of supplies is still the most convenient and fastest way via waterways. However, at present, most of the boat corps near Xunjiang have been recruited by the Qing forces, making waterway travel extremely dangerous. What should we do?

The sacred treasury of the Taiping Army headquarters was always managed by Wei Changhui.

There are too many supplies in Pingnan City.

Adhering to the principle of not putting all his eggs in one basket, Wei Changhui had planned five days ago to haul some supplies back to Jintian as a precaution. However, his fleet had been constantly harassed by the Xunzhou Prefecture naval forces active in the vicinity, so he had to give up the idea.

Everyone turned their attention to Peng Gang.

They all knew that Peng Gang's left wing had absorbed the boat troops of Luo Dagang, Su Sanniang, and Qiu Ersao.

Of all the Taiping Army troops proficient in naval warfare, only Peng Gang's two boat battalions were skilled in it.

"The Left Army is willing to leave a boat battalion to safeguard the transportation of food and military supplies," Peng Gang stated.

"With Zuo Jun's boat battalion escorting the fleet, there's no need to worry about Pingnan City's supplies not reaching Jintian," Wei Changhui said excitedly, rubbing his hands together.

"Since the Chu army under Xiang Rong, the Qing general in Hunan, entered Guangxi, Chen Yagui in Guilin Prefecture has gradually shown signs of weakness. I'm afraid Chen Yagui's side won't be able to hold out for much longer." At the end of the meeting, Peng Gang did not forget to remind the high-ranking officials of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

“In the past, Li Yuanfa’s troops of the Xiangnan Tiandihui were defeated by Xiang Rong. Now, Chen Yagui is no match for Xiang Rong either. Xiang Rong comes from a military background and has been in the military for a long time. He is not like Min Zhengwen. We must be cautious and must not underestimate him.”

He had a god-like perspective and diligently used the social connections of Qiu Ersao, Luo Dagang, and others to gather intelligence from the surrounding areas.

But other high-ranking officials in the Heavenly Kingdom did not have them.

It's not that the high-ranking officials of the Heavenly Kingdom are completely unaware of the situation in Xunzhou Prefecture and its surrounding areas.

The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's high command was somewhat aware of the situation regarding foreign troops entering Guangxi.

However, their understanding of the soldiers from other provinces who came to Guangxi was relatively vague, unlike Peng Gang's detailed understanding.

Two weeks ago, Peng Gang had already informed the other army commanders who were attacking Pingnan County of the news that Xiang Rong had led Chu troops from southern Hunan into northern Guangxi.

The news that Xiang Rong led the Chu army and Zhengan troops into Guangxi did not attract much attention from the Taiping army's high command.

I reckon the Heavenly Kingdom's high command has gotten a bit cocky after winning so many battles.

They believe that Xiang Rong and Min Zhengwen are cut from the same cloth.

Unlike Min Zhengwen, Xiang Rong started from the grassroots level of the Green Camp and gradually accumulated military merits to rise to the rank of admiral.

Although Xiang Rong's path to promotion inevitably involved paving the way with gold and silver.

However, Xiang Rong's title of Hunan Provincial Commander was indeed much more prestigious than Min Zhengwen's.

The fact that Xiang Rong could become the nemesis of the Heaven and Earth Society and a formidable enemy of the Taiping Army in its early stages shows that this General Xiang was truly something special.

Leaving aside those far away, let's just talk about Chen Yagui, who was active in Guilin Prefecture.

Before Xiang Rong entered Guilin Prefecture, Chen Yagui advanced triumphantly, encountering few rivals, and at one point even threatened to reach the gates of Guilin City.

After Xiang Rong entered Guilin, Chen Yagui suffered repeated defeats against Xiang Rong's Chu army and Zhengan troops, and is now almost driven out of Guilin Prefecture by Xiang Rong.

After Xiang Rong wiped out Chen Yagui, it was obvious who his next target would be.

In addition, Xiang Rong entered Guangxi as the Governor of Hunan.

This indicates that the Governor-General of Guangxi was someone else.

As for who the newly appointed Governor of Guangxi was, Peng Gang didn't know either.

The fact that two admirals were sent to Guangxi is enough to demonstrate the Qing court's emphasis on the God Worshippers and Heaven and Earth Society in Guangxi this time.

"Chen Yagui is no match for Xiang Rong? He's about to lose?" Xiao Chaogui's expression gradually turned serious upon hearing this.

Previously, Peng Gang had told them that Xiang Rong, the Hunan Provincial Commander, led the Chu Army and Zhengan troops from Yongzhou into Guilin.

As for Chen Yagui's defeat against Xiang Rong, he had just learned about it from Peng Gang.

Chen Yagui was a leading figure in the Guangxi Heaven and Earth Society, and his followers were quite powerful. Xiang Rong was able to defeat Chen Yagui so quickly that he was almost forced to leave Guilin Prefecture, which shows that he was indeed quite capable.

Peng Gang was in a hurry to return to Honglian Village to prepare for war. After receiving the reward, he prepared to set off for Honglian Village overnight.

After picking up his family, Qin Richang did not plan to stay in Pingnan City for long and went back with Peng Gang.

Feng Yunshan was busy with official duties and only saw Peng Gang and Qin Richang off to the city gate.

Yang Xiuqing and Shi Dakai escorted Peng Gang to the ship.

Before setting sail, Yang Xiuqing dismissed Shi Dakai and confided his concerns: "Although my sixth brother-in-law (Xiao Chaogui) has a bit of a temper, he is still sensible and considerate of the bigger picture. My biggest worry isn't my sixth brother-in-law, but..."

"Heavenly King?" Peng Gang said it for Yang Xiuqing.

"The Heavenly King originally had fifteen consorts (plus the one in the first month of the lunar calendar), but this time he selected twenty-one new consorts in Pingnan, making a total of thirty-six palaces. He also often complains that the Heavenly King's Palace is too small and that he wants to build more in Pingnan City. I'm afraid the Heavenly King has no intention of leaving Pingnan City."

The Heavenly King is not only the ruler of our Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, but also our elder brother. If he insists on not leaving, I'm afraid I can't do anything about it and won't be able to persuade him," Yang Xiuqing sighed.

“Third Brother and Eighth Brother are right. The ambition of the Heavenly Kingdom should not stop at the small Pingnan City. Pingnan City has no natural defenses and is not a place where we can achieve anything.”

Although Yang Xiuqing's use of Hong Xiuquan's thirty-six concubines as an example was somewhat like the pot calling the kettle black, the two of them had also taken in more than a dozen concubines.

However, compared to Hong Xiuquan, Yang Xiuqing, Xiao Chaogui, and others were relatively rational and able to see the situation clearly.

Peng Gang smiled without saying a word, then made a cross gesture and pointed to the sky.

If his earthly brother couldn't persuade him, surely his Heavenly Father could?

At this time, Yang Xiuqing was still quite cautious in using the power of the Heavenly Father to descend to earth, and did not use it on Hong Xiuquan.

Peng Gang now understands why Yang Xiuqing, after establishing the Heavenly Kingdom's capital in Tianjing, wanted the Heavenly Father to descend to earth and punish Hong Xiuquan, given how incompetent Hong Xiuquan was.

Perhaps the truth is not as simple as just forcing the emperor to grant the title of "Emperor of Ten Thousand Years".

(End of this chapter)