Between July 28 and October 19 of the second year of Xianfeng (September 11 to November 30, 1852 AD), the Taiping Army, which had captured nearly half of Hunan, such as Yongzhou, Daozhou, Guiyangzhou, and Chenzhou in Hunan, approached the city of Changsha with the intention of taking what they saw as the city
A "rotten city" that can be destroyed at once.
However, the miracle did not appear, before the siege of the city, the sharp Taiping Army, not only did not capture changsha city, but broke the sand, and even Xiao Chaogui, the king of the west, was killed in battle.
This is the second founding king of the Taiping Army to be killed in battle since the uprising.
In desperation, the Taiping army was forced to detour through Yuezhou and enter Hubei to attack Wuchang and Hanyang, and the Qing army won the victory in the defense of Changsha.
In this defensive battle, the leader was Zhang Liangji, the governor of Hunan, but it was his staff, Zuo Zongtang, who called himself "Jinliang", who planned all the defensive matters in the city and formulated the strategic plan for a timely attack.
See Shi Gong (Zhang Liangji Shi Qing) in the besieged city, shaking hands as before, doing several strategies, and immediately seeing the implementation. --- Zuo Zong tang Wen Mu. The Book of Gengshen and Hurun
The thief backs the surface city, and the reinforcement division has strangled its northeast and has become a Jedi. Only the west road is at the head of the earthen wall and the dragon back to the pond. When thieves cross the river to prey, they first cross the west with an army and strangle other channels, but they can also be annihilated with one drum. --- "Zuo Zongtang Annals"
Zong Tang was angry and happy to talk about things, and Liang Jiyi was responsible for military affairs. --- "Notes on the Yakichi Shoya"
It was this defensive battle that allowed people with hearts to see Zuo Zongtang's strategic vision in the military and the ability to coordinate logistics, and Zeng Guofan was one of them.
After Zeng Guofan arrived in Changsha in December of the second year of Xianfeng as a deputy regimental training minister, the first problem he faced was the lack of an all-round talent who understood the military and could coordinate.
Therefore, he began to dig zhang Liangji's corner, but Zuo Zongtang refused him.
Of course, this was Zeng Guofan's first invitation, and in fact, the first time Zeng Zuo and Zuo met and talked happily.
In addition to the common friends such as Hu Linyi, Guo Songtao, and Jiang Zhongyuan, there are more common topics for governing the country and the army, although the identities of the two are very different at this time, but it does not affect the sympathy between the two in the slightest.
It was only Zuo Zongtang who knew very well that at this time, the Taiping Army had already captured Wuchang, and Zhang Liangji was also acting as the governor of Huguang by the Governor of Hunan, and Hubei had a lot of things waiting for him to do, preparing for the Xiang military to be small, recovering Wuchang, and caring for refugees.
Therefore, he would reveal his regret in a letter to his son-in-law Tao Yu, working under a boss like Zeng Guofan who was slightly lacking in talent, perhaps more able to support his talent, but now he could only give up, to blame, to blame Zeng Guofan for coming too late.
To be a man, you must have a beginning and an end, and if you promise Zhang Liangji, you will assist to the end.
Zeng Disheng Waiter Lang came here to help the regiment defense, and his people were decent and willing to do things, but they were slightly underdeveloped, and they were very compatible with the servants, but they were too late to come. --- "Zuo Wen Xiang Gong Shu Mu"
On the second day of the first lunar month of the third year of Xianfeng, the Taiping Army went down the river to take Jinling.
On the 21st day of the first month (February 28, 1853), Zuo Zongtang followed Zhang Liangji to Wuchang, and faced with the heavy damage caused by the war in Hubei Province, which was "the city was devastated and could not bear the sight of the eyes", he quickly threw himself into the work of restoring the people's livelihood in Wuchang, and he was very busy.
During this period, there was still an exchange of letters between him and Zeng Guofan.
However, what Zuo Zongtang did not know was that Zeng Guofan, who was training troops in Changsha at this time, encountered difficulties.
In addition to his deteriorating relations with Wang Xin of the old Xiang camp, he was also ostracized by bureaucrats at all levels in Changsha City, and did not have the support of Luo Bingzhang, the new governor of Hunan, and under the difficulty of many parties, he ran to Hengzhou in August of the third year of Xianfeng to train troops.
Knock out teeth and swallow blood.
Zeng Guofan, who ran to Hengzhou, tasted the hardships of training troops at the local level, far less comfortable than being an official in the Beijing Division, especially it was even more difficult for a civilian official like him to run the army, and he could not have any impulsive actions after being wronged, otherwise, how to be worthy of the emperor's heavy trust!
Before the great calamity is over, do we dare to blaspheme the king and father with private anger? --- Draft History of the Qing Dynasty
At this moment, Zeng Guofan was more looking forward to having a talent who could coordinate logistics and coordinate multiple resources to help, and the candidate in his heart was still Zuo Zongtang.
Of course, he also knew very well that Zuo Zongtang, who was in the Governor's Mansion of Wuchang Huguang, could not pull out to help him at this time.
However, the Xianfeng Emperor, who was far away in Beijing, created a new opportunity for him to invite Zuo Zongtang.
On September 13 of the third year of Xianfeng, Zhang Liangji was dismissed by Xianfeng from his post as the governor of Huguang and transferred to Shandong as an inspector, this time, Zuo Zongtang did not follow, and after bidding farewell to Zhang Liangji, he still ran back to his hometown in Xiangyin to continue to live in seclusion.
Zeng Guofan was overjoyed, but after the joy, he was sad, because Zuo Zongtang once again rejected him.
If it is reasonable to say that the first invitation was rejected, then the second refusal made it difficult for Zeng Guofan to understand, and he could not understand the reason for Zuo Zongtang's refusal this time.
From zeng guofan's point of view, when the country is in trouble, Zuo Jigao, who has the talent of the world and the heart of governing the country, can obviously help himself, why should he refuse?
Is it because the conditions he gives himself do not meet the requirements of others, or is it because he is not willing to be subservient to himself? No one told him the answer!
However, what made Zeng Guofan slightly relieved was that Zuo Zongtang not only refused him, but also refused the invitation of Luo Bingzhang, the governor of Hunan, and Jiang Zhongyuan, the inspector of Anhui, and it seems that he did not have any dissatisfaction with him, perhaps, there are other reasons that are difficult to say!
It's just that such a great talent is not used by himself, which is a pity!
Therefore, on November 18 of the third year of Xianfeng, Zeng Guofan's letter to Jiang Zhongyuan was full of helplessness and resentment towards Zuo Zongtang.
Ji Gao, Junxian, servant sent books to the mountain, belong to him to balance the training of troops, far away from Anhui Zhong, help your excellency, now are the future. --- The Complete Works of Zeng Guofan. Epistles
According to his plan, as long as Zuo Zongtang was willing to go out to the mountains to help himself, then the formation of the Xiang Army would be accelerated, so that it could also echo Jiang Zhongyuan who was far away in Anhui as soon as possible to succeed in the industry.
It was only Zuo Zongtang's refusal that allowed his plan to be prolonged, and the unhappiness and mustard in his heart were also planted, laying the cause of future discord!
Wang Lang said
Of course, the reason for the loss of peace between Zeng Zuo and Zuo is just a joke of the Wang Lang family, and there is no need to take it seriously.
But so is human nature!
For people, although they like icing on the cake, they still hope that others can send charcoal in the snow when they are most difficult.
Kong Sheng can kill Shao Zhengdi, why should Zeng Bansheng be otherworldly, have no desires and no desires?
On the seventeenth day of the third year of Xianfeng (January 14, 1854 AD), when luzhou, a temporary provincial capital of Anhui, was breached by the Taiping army, and Jiang Zhongyuan committed suicide by throwing water, Zeng Guofan's Xiang army was only in size, and it was impossible and too late to reinforce the Anhui battlefield, and did not fulfill his military strategic commitment to Jiang.
Perhaps, this will also deepen some of Zeng Guofan's complaints about Zuo Zongtang!
concentrate:
"Luo Wenzhonggong Self-determined Chronology"
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I am Jiangdong Wang Lang, bringing you a different historical vision! Stick to the original, like me please pay attention to me! 】