The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 139: How to “turn” defeat into victory (asking for monthly votes)

When Shengbao and Fucheng fled to Tiefu Temple with their remaining troops, Luo Yaoguo was clasping his fists and exchanging greetings with Zhu Jiutao, who was wearing a robe that looked like a theatrical costume.

It turns out that the tens of thousands of "red-headed men" seen by Zuo Zongtang's militia were not the Taiping Army, but the "straw sandal men" under Zhu Jiutao. The Tiandihui in Changsha was certainly not a small force. When the Taiping Army won a great victory and the Qing Army was defeated, it was no problem for Zhu Jiu, the head of the Chuyi Hall, to gather 10,000 or 20,000 disciples to "show off their horses". If they really fought with swords and guns, it would not be enough.

But this Old Master Zhu is the local tyrant in Changsha after all, and Luo Yaoguo does not want to expend too much energy in Changsha, so he relies heavily on this Old Master Zhu Jiu. He immediately uses the incisions and gestures taught by Su Sanniang to fight against Zhu Jiutao.

Zhu Jiutao was also delighted that the Taiping Heavenly God used the etiquette of the Tiandihui to interact with him. No matter what the origin of this angel was, he now regarded himself as the leader of the Guangyi Hall, which meant that he and Zhu Jiutao, the leader of the Chuyi Hall, were from the same Hongmen family, or good brothers. He immediately took Luo Yaoguo's hand and said happily, "Master Luo, I am several dozen years older than you. Can I call you my brother?"

"Brother," Luo Yaoguo said with a smile, "I am only in my early twenties. I am too young to be your nephew. It is a great advantage for me that you call me brother."

Zhu Jiutao nodded with a smile and said, "The governor's office has been cleaned up and is waiting for you and..." He glanced at Su Sanniang and said with a smile, "You and Sanniang can move in."

The relationship between Luo Yaoguo and Su Sanniang had been established long ago, but they were too busy with military affairs to hold a wedding. However, the two had already "lived together". After Luo Yaoguo was airborne, Su Sanniang had been responsible for taking care of his daily life.

Of course, it's just taking care of daily life.
When Luo Yaoguo heard that Zhu Jiutao had prepared the Governor's Office for him, he knew that the old man was trying to test him, so he smiled and said, "I live in the Governor's Office, where do you live? You are the master of Changsha!"

Zhu Jiutao was overjoyed and said with a smile, "Of course I live in the prefectural government office. Brother, am I qualified to be the prefect of Changsha?"

"You deserve it, you deserve it," Luo Yaoguo nodded repeatedly, "I will submit a petition to the Heavenly King and recommend you to be the prefect!"

Zhu Jiutao was so happy that he could hardly close his mouth. He immediately made a "please" gesture and said with a smile: "I have asked my disciples Qiu Er and Tang San to prepare a celebration banquet at the governor's office. We brothers must not leave until we are drunk today!"

"Okay, okay." Luo Yaoguo nodded repeatedly.

Su Sanniang saw that the two were quite close, and immediately said with a smile: "You two are so close that you are almost sworn brothers. Why don't you invite Master Chuguan to become sworn brothers? Then you will be a real family from now on."

Luo Yaoguo turned his head and looked at Master Zhu Jiu, only to see that the old man was also looking at him. They both had smiles on their faces and burst into laughter.

"Okay, okay," said Master Zhu Jiu, "If your Highness the Angel doesn't mind my old age and confusion, let's become sworn brothers in front of the statue of Guan Yu!"

Luo Yaoguo smiled and said, "Yaoguo couldn't ask for more!"

"Second brother, please!"

"Brother, please!"

These two good brothers, who were of different fathers, different surnames, different religions and several dozen years apart in age, invited each other to go to the Hunan Governor's Office with a fluttering red flag under the watchful eyes of a group of disciples of the Changsha Tiandihui.

Iron Buddha Temple outside Changsha City.

When Luo Yaoguo and Zhu Jiutao went to the Hunan Governor's Office together, Shengbao, Fucheng, Zuo Zongtang and others had already arrived at this temple located in the north of Changsha, close to the moat and Xiangjiang River.

This temple must have been a popular place, and because it was outside the city, it had to be guarded against bandits, so it was built very solidly, with high walls and a large courtyard, and it was magnificent. Recently, the troops of the Western devils who were at odds with the Buddha in the West were rushing towards Changsha again, and the Iron Buddha Temple was naturally run as an "anti-demon" stronghold. The gate and walls of the temple were reinforced, a trench was dug outside, and rice was stored inside the temple.

When Zuo Zongtang calculated that Changsha City was about to be breached, he had already mobilized a thousand militiamen he had recruited from his hometown of Xiangyin to garrison in Tiefu Temple, firmly controlling this stronghold that was "as if it were in" Changsha City.

When Changsha City was in danger of being lost, he ordered Luo Zenan's student Wang Qin to lead 500 Xiangxiang militiamen to garrison at Yingchun Gate, the north gate of Changsha. Yingchun Gate and Tiefu Temple are very close to each other and can be said to be connected as one.

With the Iron Buddha Temple and Yingchun Gate in hand, not a single corner of Changsha will be lost.

In addition, there is a Tianxin Pavilion in the southeast of Changsha, which is guarded by Tazibu and a thousand elite Fu Biao troops.

The Taiping Army now has no heavy artillery to attack the city, and has no idea how to deal with the Tianxin Pavilion for the time being.

Therefore, the city of Changsha is now in a state of being about to be lost but not yet lost. And "like losing" can also be said to be "like defending"!
"Mr. Ru, Mr. Su, Lord Sheng, Lord Fu, in my opinion, there is still much to be done in the battle of Changsha!"

Inside the Tiefu Temple, in a large meditation room, Zuo Zongtang, who had just retreated from the Chaozong Sect with more than a thousand militiamen, was waving a paper fan and analyzing the situation with Luo Bingzhang, Luo Raodian, Shengbao, and Fucheng, four adults who were so anxious that they were at a loss!

"Is there still much to be done? There is only one Yingchun Gate left of Changsha's old nine gates. What else can be done?" Shengbao made a sad face and clasped his fists towards Luo Bingzhang and Luo Raodian. "Mr. Ru, Mr. Su, let's write a letter of apology together!"

"Wait, wait." Zuo Zongtang couldn't let Shengbao, Luo Bingzhang and Luo Raodian confess their crimes to Emperor Xianfeng together.

If the three of them admitted their guilt and were to be killed by Emperor Xianfeng, then whose name would Zuo Zongtang be able to rely on?

Zuo Zongtang clasped his fists and said, "May I ask, Lord Sheng, why did the emperor send you to lead the Demon-Subduing Battalion all the way to Changsha?"

"Of course I'll use the Holy Bomb to blow up the Bull King!"

"Did you explode?" Zuo Zongtang asked.

Yes, did it explode?

Shengbao was so frustrated with the defeat today that he forgot to ask his subordinates. He turned around and looked at Yuanbao, Bai Siwen and Wenxiang, who were sitting beside him with their heads down.

"It exploded!" Bai Siwen replied, "I personally threw a thunderbolt at the Bull Demon King's head. When I threw the thunderbolt, I heard the mooing of the bulls and heard many Green Camp soldiers shouting, 'The Bull Demon King' is coming!'"

Zuo Zongtang clapped his hands and said, "Look, it exploded!"

Shengbao asked again: "Was he killed in the explosion?"

"That..." Bai Siwen shook his head, "I don't know about that."

Bai Siwen didn’t know, but Yuanbao knew!

He had seen what the "Bull Demon King" looked like. The "Bull Demon King" did not look like a bull at all. He was just an ordinary strong man, wearing a yellow shirt, riding a flying bike, and wearing a hat with rabbit ears. He looked like a "Rabbit Demon King".

"At least he's half dead!" Yuan Bao said loudly, "I saw with my own eyes a guy with a bull's head and a human body being hit by Brother Bai's thunder. He disappeared instantly. Even if he didn't die, he was seriously injured!"

Really?

Bai Siwen looked back at Yuan Bao with a guilty look on his face.

Shengbao didn't dare to believe it either, and looked at his brother and asked: "Yuanbao, this is not a joke."

"No kidding!" Yuan Bao patted his chest and said, "I guarantee it with my life! Brother, if you don't believe me, you can go and ask, after the thunder in Huangdao Street, has anyone seen the Bull Demon King's Dharma image appear?"

Shengbao was like a drowning man, who suddenly found a life-saving straw. How could he not hold on to it tightly? He immediately searched his mind and nodded gently, saying, "It seems, it seems that no one has reported seeing the Bull Demon King's Dharma image! Have you ever heard of the Bull Demon King's Dharma image appearing?"

"No!" Fu Cheng shook his head, "I have never seen it."

Wen Xiang also shook his head: "I have never seen it either."

Zuo Zongtang also shook his head and said, "Sir Sheng, I have already asked the people below. After the battle of Huangdao Street, no one from the Fu Biao, the Shoucheng Camp, or the militia has ever seen the Bull Demon King's Dharma image! Apparently, this beast has been injured by the warriors of the Eight Banners Demon Subduing Camp. As long as no one sees the Bull Demon King's Dharma image again, this beast is most likely dead!
Now Changsha has not been completely lost, but the Bull Demon King has been ambushed and killed or seriously injured. Isn't this a victory?"

(End of this chapter)