1848 Great Qing Charcoal Burners

Chapter 264 Wuchang
For a long time, the discipline of Qing soldiers in fighting outside their hometowns has been criticized.

The Xiangxiang County militia was no exception.

During training and combat operations in Xiangxiang County and Xiangtan County.

Because it was in his hometown, and with Wang Xin, who was directly in charge of training the troops and was very strict in disciplining them, he was able to supervise and restrain them.

The local militia in Xiangxiang County were still able to restrain themselves, but once they entered Hengyang City, Wang Xin, whom they usually feared, disappeared without a trace.

The true nature of the Xiangxiang County militia was fully exposed and unstoppable. On their very first day in Hengyang City, they began to unleash their long-suppressed lust.

They committed rape, plunder, and all sorts of evil deeds, causing unrest in Hengyang City.

Zhu Sunyi was unable to control the local militia in Xiangxiang County.

Luo Zenan, Li Xubin, and others were immersed in immense grief and concerned about the situation in their hometown of Xiangxiang County, so they had no time to restrain themselves.

Zeng Guoquan's mother, Jiang, passed away in grief after her father, Zeng Linshu, was killed by a barrage of bullets fired by the short-haired rebels.

Zeng Guoquan attributed the fact that the short-haired rebels were able to invade Xiangxiang County and kill his parents to the fact that the people of Hengzhou Prefecture not only failed to stop the short-haired rebels but also provided them with military supplies and provisions, thus regarding the people of Hengzhou Prefecture as accomplices of the short-haired rebels.

Zeng Guoquan found the people of Hengzhou Prefecture displeasing no matter how you looked at them, believing that everyone in Hengzhou Prefecture was a scoundrel.

To vent his personal grievances, Zeng Guoquan led his troops to kill people in Hengyang City. After killing them, he cut off their heads, shaved their heads, and preserved them as short-haired heads to be used for future rewards.

If I can't deal with the short-haired tyrants, can't I deal with you commoners of Hengzhou who provide money and food for them?
In just two days, Zeng Guoquan earned the nickname "Zeng the Head-Shaver" in Hengyang City, and everyone avoided him.

Upon learning that Zeng Guoquan had killed over two thousand people in Hengyang in just two days, sparing neither men nor women, young nor old, Luo Zenan could no longer stand by and watch. He hurriedly stepped forward to stop Zeng Guoquan: "Yuanfu, stop! What are you doing!"

"Sir, I am eliminating a menace. Those I have killed are all short-haired scoundrels; they deserve to die!"

Upon seeing Luo Zenan arrive, Zeng Guoquan casually drew a knife and stabbed it into the stomach of a pregnant woman, stirring it violently before skillfully sheathing the blood-dripping cleaver and speaking righteously.

"Yes! They're pro-Hair! They deserve to die!"

The militia members of Xiangxiang County, their clothes stained with blood and their satchels bulging, gathered around Zeng Guoquan and stood on his side, echoing his sentiments.

On their first day in the city, the Xiangxiang County militia were still hesitant to commit violence, fearing punishment from Luo Zenan.

However, after seeing Zeng Guoquan openly and brazenly slaughtering and looting house by house along the streets with his personal guards, more and more militia members in Xiangxiang County chose to follow Zeng Guoquan.

Zeng Guoquan had an older brother who was a vice minister. No matter who Luo Zenan dealt with, he dared not deal with the Zeng brothers.

With Zeng Guoquan's leadership and protection, the Xiangxiang County militia, who followed Zeng Guoquan, became increasingly unscrupulous, and even Luo Zenan was no longer afraid of them.

Zeng Guoquan also realized that his elder brother's plaque was very useful; it was a great opportunity to win people's hearts and merge with other units.

The Xiangxiang County militia suffered heavy losses in this operation, leaving many militias without leaders.

Zeng Guoquan intended to recruit these militias that had lost their leaders, especially Wang Xin's former troops, who were the elite of the Xiangxiang County militias, and Zeng Guoquan had long coveted them.

At the beginning, Zeng Guoquan's massacre and looting of Hengyang was simply for venting his anger.

Now, Zeng Guoquan is carrying out a purposeful massacre and plunder of Hengyang City.

"Foolish! The short-haired tyrant has been staying in Hengzhou for more than two months. Any Hengzhou people who are on his side have already left with him! Where in Hengyang City are there so many people who are on his side?" Luo Zenan rarely pointed at Zeng Guoquan's nose and cursed.

"Hard to say," Zeng Guoquan said, raising his head.

“Even if there are some people in Hengzhou Prefecture who are loyal to the short-sighted regime, can you kill everyone in the entire Hengzhou Prefecture?” Zeng Guoquan’s deadly appearance made Luo Zenan’s chest heave violently with anger.

“It’s not impossible,” Zeng Guoquan replied coldly.

Luo Zenan suppressed his anger and advised, "Yuanfu, we're all from Hunan, it's best to leave some room for maneuver. Stop now."

“Since you have spoken, sir, I will listen to you and refrain from using my sword for one day.” After all, they were teacher and student, and Luo Zenan had a relationship with his elder brother Zeng Guofan. Zeng Guoquan did not want to make things too awkward with Luo Zenan, so he gave Luo Zenan face.

Back at his residence, Luo Zenan remained unsettled for a long time.

Firstly, there was concern that if things continued this way, the situation in Hengyang City and even Hengzhou Prefecture would spiral out of control, and the Xiangxiang militia would be unable to maintain order.

Secondly, I heard that the short-haired Mao Zedong had withdrawn from Xiangxiang County, so I wanted to prevent Zeng Guoquan from committing more atrocities.

Luo Zenan felt it would be best to take some troublemakers back to Xiangxiang County first.

The following day, Luo Zenan, under the pretext of retaking Xiangxiang County, led Zeng Guoquan and his brothers, along with two hundred unruly local militia members, and returned north to Xiangxiang County.

The remaining troops were left to Zhu Sunyi to guard Hengyang City and recapture the surrounding counties.

With the arrangements made, Luo Zenan and the Zeng brothers boarded the boat they had seized in Hengyang City and headed north down the Xiang River.

As Luo Zenan passed by the Xiangjiang River near Xiangtan County, he was filled with regret.

I had known that Shorthair would be so vengeful and so fierce.

Why did they provoke and slaughter hundreds of elderly and weak people from the Taiping Rebellion in the first place?

For the sake of a few hundred old and weak Taiping rebels, they almost sacrificed the entire Xiangxiang County militia. It was truly a case of picking up a sesame seed and losing a watermelon.

The closer they got to Xiangxiang County, the more uneasy Luo Zenan and his men became, fearing that the short-haired rebels would do the same thing they had done in Hengyang City, wreaking havoc in Xiangxiang County.

Until we passed by the banks of the Lian River, smoke rose from the chimneys of the villages on both sides, and the sounds of chickens and dogs could be heard from one another.

After going ashore and making inquiries, they learned that the short-haired tyrant had not carried out a large-scale massacre, but had only dealt with the matter by confiscating the property of local gentry in Xiangxiang County and taking away several thousand able-bodied men.

Luo Zenan and his companions felt somewhat relieved and cautiously arrived at the county town. They saw that the county town of Xiangxiang was intact, except that the county government office had been demolished and used as firewood for cooking porridge. Only then did Luo Zenan finally feel at ease.

Upon arriving in Xiangxiang County, the Zeng brothers removed their blood-stained old clothes, bathed to wash away the stench of blood, changed into clean clothes, and tied hemp ropes around their waists to show their mourning for their father, Zeng Linshu, and mother, Jiang.

The two brothers bid farewell to Luo Zenan, hired two sedan chairs, and returned to Heyetang under the escort of dozens of personal guards from Heyetang.

Before even reaching Lotus Pond, Zeng Guoquan and Zeng Guohua could see from afar that Lotus Pond had been reduced to ruins and was now lifeless, and they immediately sensed something was wrong.

In their haste, the two had no time to leisurely return to Lotus Pond by sedan chair. They got out of the sedan chair and ran frantically towards Lotus Pond.

The Zeng family's personal guards, who were also from Heyetang, followed closely behind Zeng Guoquan and Zeng Guohua back to their respective homes.

Upon arriving at the gate of the Zeng family compound, Zeng Guoquan and Zeng Guohua's last glimmer of hope vanished.

The once bustling, vibrant, and prosperous Zeng Family Compound, with its constant stream of guests, has been reduced to cold, scorched earth.

Zeng Guohuang, Zeng Guobao, Zeng Guolan, Zeng Guohui, Zeng Guozhi and other brothers and sisters, as well as their uncles and aunts, have all disappeared without a trace, and even their bodies could not be found.

"Ah~"

Zeng Guohua, who was less psychologically resilient, felt dizzy and let out a cry. Suddenly, everything went black, and he lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground.

Zeng Guoquan's mental fortitude was much stronger than Zeng Guohua's. Although Zeng Guoquan also felt that the sky was about to fall and he didn't know how to explain it to Zeng Guofan, he knelt down on the scorched earth of the Zeng family mansion in a daze, as if his soul had been captured.

But he ultimately did not faint like Zeng Guohua.

After regaining his composure, Zeng Guoquan wailed and vented his emotions, roaring to the sky, "Short-haired traitors! I, Zeng Guoquan, am sworn to be your mortal enemies! We will fight to the death!"

Influenced by the pragmatic and utilitarian spirit of Hunan.

During the Xianfeng era, many scholars from Hunan and Hubei were skilled in commanding troops and managing military affairs.

However, Chang Dachun, the governor of Hubei who was from Hengyang, was not among them. He was just a scholar and knew nothing about military affairs. Because he loved reading since childhood and served as an editor for six years after passing the imperial examination, he was constantly dealing with books.

Chang Dachun had three great passions in his life: collecting books! Collecting books! And damn it, collecting books!

Chang Dachun's hometown in Hengyang, the Tanyin Pavilion, boasts a collection of over 40,000 books, a thousand stone inscriptions, and hundreds of inkstones, making it the most prestigious in Hunan.

With such a vast collection of books, Chang Dachun could not possibly read them all in his lifetime.

However, Chang Dachun continued to collect various books, especially rare and valuable ancient books.

Although Chang Dachun, like other officials of the Qing Dynasty, had a fondness for gold and silver.

Unlike other officials, Chang Dachun was focused on personal enjoyment and did not have much ambition in acquiring land.

Chang Dachun amassed wealth primarily to collect and purchase more books.

Even though he could never finish reading all these books in his lifetime, Chang Dachun felt incredibly satisfied just looking at the books filling the walls and room.

Even now, the Taiping army has passed Luxikou and is heading straight for Wuchang.

Chang Dachun still did not give up his hobby of collecting books and continued to organize the newly collected books as usual.

Compared to Guilin and Changsha, the two provincial capitals.

Wuchang's organizational and mobilization capabilities were several levels below.

As of now, the three towns of Wuhan have only over 3,000 soldiers and over 1,000 recruited civilians.

In the 1850s, although the concept of the Wuhan metropolitan area did not yet exist, the three towns of Wuhan were already taking shape.

However, Hanyang and Hankou were still small at this time.

Hankou, in particular, didn't even have a city wall; it was just a giant town right next to the capital of Hubei province.

Historically, the rise of Hankou did not begin until the 1860s when foreign powers extended their reach into the heart of the Yangtze River and established concessions in Hankou.

Given the current timeline, it's hard to say whether foreigners still have the opportunity to infiltrate their influence into the heart of the Yangtze River, let alone establish concessions in Hankou.

Wuchang has been a famous city in Hubei since ancient times. It served as the provincial capital during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties and is the undisputed political and economic center of the Wuhan area.

Li Mengqun's father, Li Qinggu, the Hubei Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, believed that although Hanyang and Hankou were far inferior to Wuchang, if they could be managed to serve as a buffer for Wuchang across the river, it would greatly expand Wuchang's defensive depth.

With the rebel army about to besiege the city, Chang Dachun was still slacking off and doing nothing, which Li Qinggu could no longer stand.

Ignoring the obstruction of Chang Dachun's family, Li Qinggu, accompanied by his Manchu colleague Ruiyuan, barged into the inner quarters of the governor's office to see Chang Dachun.

"Governor Chang, stop playing with your books! What good is your vast collection if the rebel army breaks through the city? All these books will just end up in the hands of the rebels!" Li Qinggu snatched the books from Chang Dachun's hands and said sternly.

"Yes, Governor Chang, how should Wuchang be defended? You need to say something quickly and come up with a plan!" Ruiyuan urged Chang Dachun to come up with a plan.

"I have already sunk a huge rock into the river at Luxikou, so that not a single boat of the rebels can cross Luxikou. I have also sent letters urging Lord Sai and Governor Luo to send troops to pursue and annihilate the rebels. Once Lord Sai and Governor Luo catch up with the rebels, they will surely defeat them decisively, leaving no one alive and ensuring the safety of Wuchang." Chang Dachun, his face full of displeasure, snatched back the book from Li Qinggu's hand and made excuses.

“The cultists are not fish or turtles in the river. Boats cannot cross, but they can cross on foot! Governor Chang! Wake up! The vanguard of the cultists has already reached Huanglingji!” Li Qinggu, who was extremely anxious, cursed in a rare manner.

"We should have made plans and preparations earlier! By the time the rebels reach the gates of Wuchang, it will be too late!"

wide awake?

Chang Dachun was not unaware of what Li Qinggu had said; as the governor of a province, how could he not know it?
What good is being awake? What good is knowing?
Chang Dachun had already reported the situation in Wuchang to Emperor Xianfeng via urgent dispatch.

The letters requesting help have all been sent out.

Chang Dachun had done everything he could.

To this day, he has not received a single reply, let alone reinforcements.

Planning and deploying defenses in Wuchang? Deployment requires troops to deploy!

The soldiers from Hubei had long been transferred to Guangxi and Hunan, and Sai Shang'a refused to return the Hubei soldiers.

The combined forces of Wuchang, Hanyang, and Hankou numbered only a little over four thousand, not even enough to fill half of the battlements of Wuchang.

Planning and deployment my ass!

Wuchang was a dead end no matter how you looked at it. Four thousand soldiers, no matter how elaborate the deployment, couldn't stop tens of thousands of rebel troops.

Instead of wasting time, why not make the most of it and enjoy it to the fullest?

"What are your brilliant ideas, Li Juetai, and how should we proceed?" Chang Dachun asked Li Qinggu unhurriedly.

“Open the treasury, recruit more brave men, and send troops to garrison strategic locations outside Hanyang, Hankou, and Wuchang, such as Changhong, Shuangfeng (Feng) Mountain, Hongshan, and Xiaoguishan. In battle, they can attack the rebels from both sides; in defense, they can form a pincer movement, supporting each other and delaying the rebel army,” Li Qinggu said, expressing his idea.

Chang Dachun sneered inwardly, thinking that Li Qinggu might have some brilliant ideas!

If he could recruit civilians to defend the city, why would he be so inactive and shirking his duties?

Four thousand soldiers were not enough to defend Wuchang, Hanyang, and Hankou. Chang Dachun wanted to withdraw the soldiers from Hanyang and Hankou back to Wuchang, hoping to hold out for as long as possible.

The two provincial judges, Li Qinggu and Ruiyuan, actually wanted to divide their troops to guard Changhong, Shuangfeng (Feng) Mountain, Hongshan, Xiaoguishan and other places outside Wuchang City.

Did they think the cultists weren't attacking Wuchang fast enough?

"Regarding the defense of Wuchang, I have entrusted Boti and Shuangti with full authority. As for the city's defense, you two provincial judges should consult with Boti and Shuangti," Chang Dachun said, rubbing his forehead.

"I am exhausted from working hard these past few days. Please go back."

The number of soldiers in Wuchang is small, but the number of generals is large.

Currently, there are three high-ranking military officers in Wuchang, including the commander-in-chief.

They were Boler Gongwu, who had just been demoted to acting admiral by Emperor Xianfeng and allowed to remain in office to atone for his sins; Shuangfu, the newly appointed admiral of Hubei and a general of the Manchu Plain White Banner; and Wang Jinxiu, the garrison commander of Yunyang Town, who had just been transferred to Wuchang.

Li Qinggu and Ruiyuan had no choice but to bid farewell to Chang Dachun and go to the governor's office to discuss the matter with Boler Gongwu and Shuangfu.

Inside the governor's office, Bo Le Gongwu and Shuang Fu, who were looking worried, were greatly shocked by the suggestions from Li Qinggu and Rui Yuan.

Shuangfu thought Li Qinggu and Ruiyuan were simply being ridiculous.

Although the two Manchu admirals, Bo Le Gongwu and Shuang Fu, were incompetent, they had at least some experience leading troops and possessed some basic military knowledge.

Holding out in a strategically important location outside the city is certainly a better strategy than being trapped in Wuchang, as it offers a greater margin for error and buys more time.

The problem is that there need to be soldiers available to be stationed there.

Shuangfu did not directly reject Li Qinggu and Ruiyuan's suggestions.

He simply sent Li Qinggu and Ruiyuan to the provincial governor's office to collect some money and grain to hire militia.

He promised Li Qinggu and Ruiyuan that as long as they could recruit enough militia, he could send some regular troops to guard Changhong, Shuangfeng (Feng) Mountain, Hongshan, Xiaoguishan and other places.

No sooner had Li Qinggu and Ruiyuan left than Shuangfu hesitated and weighed the pros and cons than finally decided to abandon Hanyang and Hankou and withdraw all the troops from Hanyang and Hankou to Wuchang to strengthen the city's defenses.

(End of this chapter)