As Jiao Hong, Bo Yong, and the three of them led a large group of brothers from the sect of worshippers of God through layer upon layer of inspections and casually entered the Huangdao Gate, one of the nine ancient gates in Changsha, atop the Tienxin Fortress to the east of the Huangdao Gate, four men in long robes and short jackets, wearing small gua pi hats, stood hand in hand at a high altitude, watching the refugees flooding into the city in a surge towards the direction of Huangdao Gate. One side of their brows was slightly furrowed while they whispered to each other.
They were Zuozongtang, Huang Shijie, Guo Songzhao, and a middle-aged man with short stature, big eyes, and thick eyebrows, who had a beard like a character in a novel.
The middle-aged man spoke to Huang Shijie and asked, "Among them, there must be some Long Mao spies and outlaws of Tian ti will. Zi ying, was Daozhou captured by Long Mao spies and outlaws of Tian ti will?"
Huang Shijie respectfully replied, "Teacher, you are exactly right. That's how Daozhou was lost!"
This middle-aged man was actually Huang Shijie's teacher, a native of the same village as Changzhou, surnamed Luo, given name Zhenan, and courtesy name Zhongyu. He was not from an affluent family. At the age of 19, he failed to pass the child-bearing examination and began teaching as a profession. At the age of 33, he ranked first in the prestigious talent competition of Changsha Prefecture. However, his path in the imperial examinations came to an end there. Now at the age of 45, he has made no further progress.
Although he did not pass the imperial examination, Luo Zennan was widely recognized as a great scholar among the literati of Hunan Lake. He mastered the Six Arts, was well-versed in military strategy, and delved into practical learning. After teaching for twenty-eight years, he trained a group of outstanding students including Wang Yuan, Li Xumin, Li Xuyi, Li Xingchun, Jiang Yili, Zeng Guocun, Zeng Guoba and others who excelled in both literature and martial arts. Huang Shijie from Daozhou was also his favorite pupil.
Luo Zennan turned to look at Zuozongtang, who was known as "Jinliang," whose reputation and ability surpassed his own:"Jiqiao, are you still going to let people into the city?"
Zuozongtang nodded: "Let them in! Why not let them in? The spies and outlaws entering the city must be fewer than the number of Xianghu scholars who have fled here! Luo Mountain, my fellow scholars of Xianghu want to protect our hometown and seek our future. In order to do so, we need to establish a large militia. To establish a large militia, we must make those three Xianghu scholars suffer even more. Only when their homes are destroyed and they are dead can they unite with us! And those who have not yet experienced such tragedy know what it means when water can carry a boat, but it can also turn it over!"
Luo Zennan was startled, turned back to look at Zuozongtang, and said, "Jiqiao, are you not considering Ruyu? He is the acting Governor of Hunan!"
"Just in charge," Zuozongtang coldly said. "The acting Governor of Hunan, Sheng Ba, is here with his troops. He has four thousand soldiers under his command and is under orders from the Emperor. Sheng Ba is a Manchu noble, so how can he be expected to defend Changsha? And what do we have to say against him?"
It was said that he had also brought a thousand Western explosive thunderclaps attached with spells this time, which was used to blow up the so-called Niu Mowang. This is pure nonsense! Zi Ying, have you ever seen what Niu Mowang looks like?"
"Not yet," Huang Shijie shook his head and sighed, "The Taiping rebels who captured Daozhou didn't engage much in spiritual rituals. Instead, they focused on equalizing wealth and distributing land. They were particularly good at inciting farmers, miners, and laborers who had lost their livelihoods. I, as the richest man in Daozhou, have been unable to help the entire state, and thus the destitute and those without a place to turn were all employed by them. It has led to great disasters, and I am truly ashamed."
"There are too many poor people and too few places to support them, which is the root of chaos in the world!" Luo Zennan sighed, his tone becoming increasingly serious.
His family was not wealthy compared to Huang Shijie, a first-rich young man.
Even Huang Shijie, who could feel the abundance of the poor and the impending "explosion" of chaos in the world, felt a sense of powerlessness in his heart. How much more so for Luo Zennan, who had experienced poverty himself?
Zuozongtang's mood was also serious. Although his background was not particularly wealthy, he only became rich after he married a wealthy woman after passing the imperial examination.
Therefore, he already knew where the hardship of the world was. After reading "The Book of Laozi's Strategic Wisdom," he was even clearer that the enemies of the Qing Dynasty had caught the hardship of the world and had stirred up violent storms.
With such clear-headed enemies, the Qing Dynasty is likely to fall!
"The world is about to be chaotic!" Zuozongtang turned to Guo Shunzhao and said, "Xunxian, you go and try to invite him to come out again. We have done a lot of things with his support, and if he doesn't come out, it will be embarrassing for everyone."
The situation in Changsha is now much more severe than in history!
The Taiping Rebellion has become a "supercharged version." Lu Bingzhang, Zuozongtang, and the scholars of Xianghu have all sensed the crisis of extinction, and naturally, they must work even harder to save themselves.
After all, the Hunan scholars and literati of this era are still quite capable. They cannot simply sit and wait for their demise.
And the way they are trying to cope with the situation is to establish a large militia.
However, the minister in charge of organizing the Hunan militia, Zeng Guofan, is still acting as a filial son in his hometown of Xiangxiang county.
If he doesn't come out, who will take care of matters like "seeking official positions" and "raising funds"?
Although there are ready-made methods in "The Book of Laozi's Strategic Wisdom" and historical books, such as official positions can be "reciprocally endorsed", can be self-appointed, and can also be requested to be conferred with troops. The grain and funds can be seized on a piece of land by themselves.
But this approach is too unseemly and also undermines the court and humiliates Xianfeng Emperor, so people like Zuozongtang and Luo Zennan still hope to do things with a bit of dignity, so that everyone can still see each other in the future.
"Jiqiao. Xishang is very stubborn. It's not easy to invite him!"
Zuozongtang shook his head and then said to Huang Shijie, "Ziying, why don't you accompany Guo Yunxian on a trip to Xiangxiang. Take a thousand militia with you and make sure to invite Zeng Dingsheng to Changsha!"
Please bring him? Or, do you want to bind him?
Huang Shijie turned his head to look at his teacher Luo Zennan.
Luo Zennan nodded, sighed, and said, "If Dingsheng doesn't come out, neither will Xianghu be safe. If Xianghu isn't safe, how can Dingsheng be safe? Under a collapsed nest, where can an egg be whole? So you must use whatever means necessary to get Zeng Dingsheng to come out. Bringing him out will be saving his life! Dingsheng is a wise man; he will thank us."
Huang Shijie bowed his hand: "I understand, my teacher."
After arranging Huang Shijie to go and "invite" Zeng Guofan, Zuozongtang and Luo Zennan set off together towards the Hunan Provincial Government office near the Chaozongmen area.
Since Zeng Guofan has not yet come out of retirement and Luo Bingzhang, who has been dismissed from his position as Governor, is about to leave office, it would be inappropriate for Luo Bingzhang to recommend Zuozongtang and Luo Zennan for official positions. Therefore, both of them are still commoners. So Luo Bingzhang arranged for Luo Zennan to be a teacher at the Governor's Office, with a position below Zuozongtang.
When the two returned to the Governor's Office, Luo Bingzhang was in the third hall receiving guests. The guests were Sheng Ba, Fu Cheng, Yin Lipei, Tu Laama, Yuan Bao, and Wen Xiang. They had just arrived in Changsha.
Sheng Ba and Luo Bingzhang naturally took the seats of honor. Fu Cheng, Yin Lipei, Tu Laama, Yuan Bao, and Wen Xiang sat on either side. Luo Bingzhang also invited Taqi Bu and several unfortunate souls who were waiting for a position at the Governor's Office to join them as companions.
Luo Bingzhang now had little interest in handling affairs and was chatting idly with the guests. After seeing Zuozongtang and Luo Zennan enter, bow, take their seats, and go through a round of polite gestures, he smiled warmly at Zuozongtang and Luo Zennan and said, "Jiqiao, Zhongyu, just now Kezhai proposed a strategy: to lure the enemy deeper into our territory, set up ambushes, and then destroy them using Western thunder techniques."
Luo Bingzhang revealed the clever strategy that Sheng Ba came up with on his way to Changsha, and told all of it to "Jinliang" Zuozongtang. After listening to Luo Bingzhang's words, Zuozongtang's heart couldn't help but laugh coldly: "What a worthless strategy! Can anyone really stop the enemy from coming deeper into our territory? Setting ambushes? They have tens of thousands of people, how can your few thousand ambushes stop them? Using Western thunder techniques to destroy them? That one is the only interesting thing about it!"
We must find a way to learn this Western thunder technique. Once learned, we can use it to destroy others!"
Although Zuozongtang secretly looked down upon Sheng Ba's strategy, he still bowed respectfully and said on the surface, "Vice Minister Sheng is indeed a distinguished Manchu talent. The strategy you employed is very ingenious, surpassing that of Zhuge Liang. I am deeply impressed by it. With your leadership in military affairs, Changsha will definitely be safe!"
Sheng Ba was flattered by Zuozongtang's praise, and he immediately developed a liking for this seemingly ordinary Han scholar. He thought in his heart, "This man calls himself 'Jinliang', indeed he has some skills. After Luo Bingzhang returns to the capital, he won't need this person. I should recruit him and make him an adjutant, so that this talent won't be wasted in the imperial examinations. Later, I can recommend him for official positions."
As he was contemplating recruiting Zuozongtang, a lowly civil servant named "Guan Bai Lao," a six-rank officer, came in with a report. He had just received a bulletin and held it in his hand. After bowing to Luo Bingzhang and Sheng Ba, he said, "Uncle Ruyu, Minister Sheng, I have just received the bulletin. There are thousands of red-headed bandits, suspected to be the advance guard of the Taiping rebels. Two days ago, they broke through the defense of Zhuzhou Town!"
