Chapter 31: Zuo Zongtang Lures Li Yunzhong into Surrender

  Li Yunzhong suddenly remembered something about Hubei and asked: "Do you have any connection with the Tiandihui in Hubei?"

  Jiao Liang said: "Yes, the Hubei Tiandihui is a loose sand, each doing their own thing. I have connections with many of their leaders."

  Li Yunzhong solemnly said: "I heard that the Hubei governor has set up many obstacles in the river to prevent our army from going north. You must contact the brothers in Hubei and rush to the riverside, mobilize the people to be passive and lazy, and when our army arrives, quickly clear away the obstacles in the river. Then our army can go upstream smoothly and directly attack Wuchang."

  Jiao Liang also knew that this matter was important, and he hastily promised: "Please rest assured, Your Highness, I will go back and instruct my wife to personally rush to Hubei to handle this matter."

  "Your wife?"

  Jiao Liang said: "My sister-in-law is both civil and martial, and in Hubei, she is also acquainted with various leaders, so she must be able to complete the task."

  Li Yunzhong thought of Su Sanniang and Hong Xiuqiu, who were also women warriors, and nodded in agreement.

  The scouts who had been sent out to reconnoiter Changsha finally returned, and Li Yunzhong summoned the regimental commanders to his quarters for a council of war.

  The scout reported the military situation: "Reporting to Your Highness, the government army and the Taiping Army have been fighting fiercely in the city for a whole day. Several times the Qing army was about to be driven out of the city, but the fire prevention measures blocked the Taiping Army. Most of the buildings in the city were burned down. Now the Taiping Army has entered the city, and the Qing army only controls a small part of the eastern city."

  Luckily Your Highness opened all the city gates when you left, otherwise Yang Xiuqing would have gotten his wish now.

  Jiao Liang said: "This plan is excellent. The government army and the Taiping Army are both wounded in the fight for Changsha, so we have a lot of initiative."

  Zhang Su thought to himself: "The government troops are getting more and more, the Taiping Army is dying one by one, I'm afraid the Taiping Army will be wiped out by the Qing army."

  Hu Yihuang said: "Both publicly and privately, we must think of a way to support the Taiping Army."

  Li Yunzhong looked down and saw Li Xiucheng sitting behind the crowd with a hesitant expression, asking: "Xiucheng, do you have any opinions?"

  Li Xiucheng did not expect the Han King to ask for his opinion in public, and he dared not decline at the moment. He said: "The Taiping Army is short of food and soldiers in Changsha, and it will definitely not be able to hold on for long before retreating. We can provide them with food and troops."

  Ling Eighteen opposed: "Yang Xiuqing is so cruel and poisonous, first harming Feng Yunshan and Xiao Chaogui, and now he wants to harm the Han King. We don't send troops to attack him, how can we still provide soldiers and food?"

  Li Xiucheng said: "It's not about directly providing troops and food, if our army captures the west of the river and sends it to the Taiping Army, not only can we cut off the Qing army's supply area, but also support the Taiping Army, let them feel grateful and continue to contend with the Qing army for Hunan, so that our army can easily withdraw northward."

  Jiao Liang sighed in his heart: "Li Yunzhong's command is indeed full of talents. The commander of the 600-strong battalion has such insight." He immediately agreed, saying: "That's right, Hexi is a strategic location in western Changsha, it is the key to controlling the west and entering Dongting Lake from the north. If the Qing army loses Xiangxi, they will definitely be at a disadvantage."

  Li Yunzhong pointed to the map and said, "Alright, we have already occupied Wangcheng. We will immediately send troops to attack Hexi. The Qing army under Changsha city will definitely come to support us. Everyone must not be careless."

  "Li Xiucheng, you lead two thousand men to occupy Shuilu Zhou and hold it firmly." Li Yunzhong estimated that Li Xiucheng had grown up and planned to reuse him.

  Li Xiucheng rose and replied: "Yes, sir."

  Li Yunzhong said: "Luo Dagang you attack Yuelushan, Yanghu and Wantown area, must eliminate all the Qing army."

  "Following orders", Luo Da Gou glanced at the map and went out to inspect the troops.

  Xie Xuan learned that the Great Han army had returned to Changsha and advanced into the area west of the river, he was extremely frightened and hastily ordered Xiang Rong to lead 3,000 soldiers to retake the strategic location of Shuilu Zhou. As long as they could cut off Shuilu Zhou, they would be able to sever the connection between the Great Han army and the Taiping Army.

  Xiang Rong led the troops to charge towards Shuizhoucheng, and learned that there were only a thousand or so people there. He thought that the Great Han army would be stationed in a strategic location on the continent, and directly killed towards the middle of Shuizhoucheng.

  Li Xiucheng saw the Qing army coming to attack and had all his troops ambush in the forest south of Zhou, only sending a small number of troops out to lure the enemy.

  Xiang Rong ran all over the continent, only to see these hundred or so people. He ordered the entire army to charge forward. The Green Camp was victorious and shouted loudly as they charged into the forest. They were ambushed and couldn't tell how many enemies there were. All they could hear was the deafening cry: "Capture Xiang Rong alive!" "Surrender and we won't kill you!"... The Green Camp immediately collapsed, abandoning their armor and fleeing in disarray. When Xiang Rong reached a safe area, he was the only one left around him.

  The Qing army suffered a defeat, and the Qing troops in the west never dared to make any rash moves again. The Taiping Army inside Changsha City also did not dare to come out of the city to fight, and the two armies continued to engage in fierce fighting within the city walls.

  Another half month passed, the Taiping Army in the city was in an increasingly difficult situation, losing more than half of Changsha. Just when they were at a loss for what to do, they received news that Li Yunzhong had sent someone to take over the west bank of the river.

  Hong Xiuquan and the kings discussed whether to send troops to take over Hexi.

  Wei Changhui said: "I don't know if this is true or false. Can Li Yunzhong put aside past grievances and help us fight against Hexi?"

  Shi Dakai said: "Li Yunzhong's actions are upright and aboveboard, he shouldn't be plotting against us."

  Yang Xiuqing saw Shi Dakai moved and said: "Since Big Brother Da has confidence in Li Yunzhong, then please ask Big Brother Da to lead the troops on a trip."

  Shi Dakai said: "Obey orders"

  Li Yunzhong led the generals to welcome Shi Dakai, and in Li's mind, Shi was very important. Not only was he now only twenty years old, but he was also a famous general who had never lost a battle, with the nickname Shi Dadao. Most importantly, he had abandoned Hong Xiuquan and fled, so at that time Li Yunzhong's hope of recruiting him increased greatly. Now he first made good relations with him.

  Li Yunzhong grasped Shi Dakai's hand and said: "Younger brother, in the Taiping Army I admire you alone, the others are not worth considering."

  Shi Dakai repeatedly said he didn't dare, but when General Changsheng praised himself, Shi Dakai was still very happy. When Li Yunzhong left, Yang Xiuqing supplemented the right army and gave it to him to command, and sealed him as Wing King. In his heart, he had a grateful thought for Li Yunzhong.

  Li Yunzhong introduced the generals to Shi Dakai, and set up a banquet on the water-land boundary. Everyone drank freely for one night. Li Yunzhong analyzed the situation in the world for Shi Dakai, who nodded repeatedly, admiring Li Yunzhong with all his might.

  The next morning, Li Yunzhong broke camp and headed north, leaving Shi Dakai to hand over a letter to Hong Xiuquan and Yang Xiuqing. The letter ridiculed the Taiping Army for only following behind the Great Han Army's buttocks to pick up cheap gains, severely damaging their self-esteem. Li Yunzhong estimated that after seeing the letter, Hong Xiuquan and Yang Xiuqing would no longer follow him northward.

  When the army passed through Changsha, they met two people. One was Hong Xuanjiao, who had been thinking of Li Yunzhong day and night. She was not favored by Hong Xiuquan in the Taiping Army and was asked to marry Yang Xiuqing, so she left Changsha alone and happened to meet Li Yunzhong. The other was a middle-aged scholar. It was only because of Hong Xuanjiao's face that Li Yunzhong ordered his men to bring him along as well.

  Only then did the scholar say to Li Yunzhong: "I am Gao Jizuo, a man from Hunan, and I have come to offer you a great fortune."

  Li Yunzhong was overjoyed that this man named Gao Jizuo had come to join him, as no scholar had ever come to join his cause since he first took up arms.

  Li Yun said in a gentle tone: "Mr. Gao, what advice do you have for me?"

  Gao Qizhuo said: "General, if you lead the army to attack and kill the Taiping Army, as long as you use Hong Xiuquan's head as a token of surrender, you will definitely be able to become an official of the first rank. Others would need at least twenty years to achieve this, but General, it would only take you one or two years, isn't that great wealth and honor?"

  Li Yunzhong carefully looked at Gao Jizuo, suppressing the urge to chop him with a knife, and said: "Sir, your words are different. I started the army to drive out the Tartars and restore China, not for wealth and glory. Moreover, Li Yunzhong's actions are upright and honest, and he has never been ashamed of heaven and earth in his life. How could he do such a thing as betraying friends for personal gain?"

  "General, think thrice! Now that the country is in turmoil and the foreign barbarians are invading, it is precisely the time for us to render service to the nation!"

  Li Yunzhong waved his hand, ordering someone to take Gao Jizuo away. He became dispirited and started daydreaming, never expecting that these scholars would be so devoted to the Qing dynasty. He secretly cursed: "Old Confucius, Old Mencius, look at the students you've taught! They're like babies who'll follow whoever feeds them - what kind of character is this!"