1848 Great Qing Charcoal Burners

Chapter 309 It is better to be too strict than too lenient.

"Brother Disheng is a pillar of our dynasty, a renowned minister of Neo-Confucianism. This time, His Majesty has specially decreed that he be allowed to return to his hometown to assist in organizing the local militia, which is truly a blessing for Hunan! Come, everyone, let us all raise a toast to Disheng!"

The Governor-General of Huguang, Luo Bingzhang, also stood up to praise Zeng Guofan and stood up for him.

Before being promoted by Emperor Daoguang after being recommended by former Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou Lin Zexu for his outstanding achievements, Zhang Liangji was merely a prefect.

After receiving the imperial edict from Emperor Xianfeng, Zhang Liangji traveled a long and arduous journey from Kunming to Changsha to assume his post. Due to limited access to information, there were some things that Zhang Liangji was not aware of.

Luo Bingzhang served as a Beijing official for sixteen years. Although he had been away from the capital for many years, the network of relationships and information channels he had cultivated while serving in Beijing were still intact, and his information was more up-to-date than Zhang Liangji's.

Luo Bingzhang knew that Zeng Guofan was different from other militia leaders. Emperor Xianfeng specially bestowed upon him a string of imperial pearls, granting Zeng Guofan greater authority than other militia leaders.

The reasons for this include Emperor Xianfeng's emphasis on the Hunan militia and his view of the Hubei rebels as a major threat, as well as the fact that Prince Gong and Su Shun did their best to vouch for Zeng Guofan behind the scenes.

Luo Bingzhang greatly admired Zeng Guofan's ability to scheme and his keen political sense.

Zeng Guofan was able to set a record of being promoted seven times in ten years and leaping ten ranks during the Daoguang reign.

As the saying goes, "A new emperor brings a new court," and when Mu Zhang'a, the powerful figure behind Zeng Guofan, fell, he not only managed to escape unscathed but also quickly established connections with Prince Gong and Su Shun, showing signs of becoming a key minister in two reigns.

"Ru Zhai (Luo Bingzhang) and Shi Qing (Zhang Liangji) are too kind. You have offended me greatly, Guofan." Zeng Guofan slowly put down his chopsticks. After serving as an official in Beijing for many years, his Hunan accent had taken on a distinct Beijing flavor.

"Guofan has returned to his hometown to observe mourning for his parents. He is deeply grateful to the Emperor for entrusting him with the responsibility of assisting in the organization of local militias. Ruzhai and Shiqing are both high-ranking officials in charge of the entire region."

All Guofan can do is to contribute his meager strength and fill any gaps in the bandit suppression efforts under your two governors-general. All major matters naturally require the strategic planning and coordination of Ruzhai and Shiqing. Guofan, deeply grateful for the Emperor's grace, is determined to repay it even with his life, and will certainly work hand in hand with Ruzhai and Shiqing to protect our homeland and jointly defend against the bandits in western Guangdong.”

Although Zeng Guofan's words were eloquent and pleasing, Zhang Liangji genuinely wanted to hear Zeng Guofan's specific strategies for organizing local militias, rather than just empty platitudes.

Perhaps Zeng Guofan was unwilling to say more because there were too many people and too many eyes at the banquet, Zhang Liangji thought to himself.

Although Zhang Liangji sighed inwardly, he maintained a warm smile and waved his hand repeatedly, saying, "Brother Disheng, you are too modest! Too modest!"

The atmosphere at the banquet was now extremely harmonious.

The officials and gentry of Hunan were enjoying local delicacies and toasting each other, creating a lively atmosphere.

After the banquet and social gatherings concluded, Hunan Provincial Treasurer Pan Duo, Provincial Surveillance Commissioner Yue Xing'a, Changsha Prefect Zhu Sunyi, and local Changsha gentry Huang Mian and Sun Guanchen, among other Hunan officials and gentry, gradually left. Only Luo Bingzhang, Zhang Liangji, and Zeng Guofan remained in the hall.

Zhang Liangji put down his wine cup, leaned slightly towards Zeng Guofan, and spoke in a serious tone: "Disheng, the bandits in western Guangdong are rampant. Although they have temporarily left Hunan, banditry and secret societies are still rampant in Hunan, and local militias are disorganized. I wonder if you have any preliminary plans for organizing local militias and pacifying the area? We are in the same boat, so please speak freely."

Although the banquet was lively, it was mostly the people below who were drinking afterwards.

Zhang Liangji and Luo Bingzhang were high-ranking officials in Hunan Province, holding great power and influence. Since neither of them took the initiative to raise their glasses, no one below dared to urge them to drink.

They only drank a few glasses at the start of the meal to make a gesture and express their agreement; both of them were still relatively clear-headed.

On his way to Changsha, Zhang Liangji had taken note of the situation along the route in Hunan Province. Bandits were rampant in Hunan, and the situation was far from optimistic.

Upon hearing this, Zeng Guofan's smile faded, and after a moment of contemplation, he slowly said, "Since you have inquired, how could I not tell you frankly? As you have said, given the current situation, it is imperative to train a capable local militia."

However, training troops requires sufficient pay, effective weapons, and clear discipline! To ensure sufficient pay and effective weapons, clear discipline must come first. But currently, the local administration in Hunan is deeply entrenched in corruption! Funds and provisions are wasted on embezzlement, and laborers are exhausted by private schemes! Without eliminating this situation, even the best laws will be nothing but empty talk!

Shi Qing must have heard of the corrupt practices in Hunan: corrupt officials, obstruction by local gentry, and roving thugs among the soldiers—all major obstacles to training the troops.

During the month or so that Zeng Guofan returned to Hunan, he traveled around to investigate and understand the situation in Hunan.

He had a better understanding of the situation in Hunan than Zhang Liangji, who had only been in Changsha for a few days.

In Wuchang, Peng Gang faced the challenge of dealing with rebellious local gentry, while the Qing troops in Changsha were not faring much better in terms of security.

After the Taiping army passed through and left Hunan, Hunan did not return to peace.

Bandits rose up in various prefectures and counties of Hunan. Apart from the uprisings of secret societies such as the Heaven and Earth Society that did not follow the Taiping Army, the Taiping Army's spies, mountain bandits, and hooligans who took advantage of the chaos were very active and rampant.

The difference is that Peng Gang's troops stationed in the prefectures and counties under his command were capable of suppressing and eliminating the rebellious local gentry forces.

Meanwhile, Hunan Province concentrated its forces in the provincial capital Changsha and Yuezhou, leaving its troops in other areas very weak.

If we were to attack Hunan, only the area surrounding the provincial capital Changsha and the front lines of Yuezhou Prefecture would be slightly better off; the security situation in other prefectures and counties would be extremely dire.

The local militia stationed in the flood-prone areas and the disorganized local militias were powerless to suppress local bandits and thieves, let alone investigate and arrest the spies and informants left behind in Hunan by the Taiping rebels.

The imperial court's rule in Hunan was practically on the verge of collapse.

"What are Disheng's thoughts?" Zhang Liangji asked, frowning slightly.

Upon hearing Zeng Guofan's remarks, Zeng Guofan not only decided to train local militias to suppress bandits, but also to reform the officialdom in Hunan.

No wonder that during the banquet, when Zhang Liangji asked Zeng Guofan about his strategies for training militias, Zeng Guofan gave him a perfunctory answer.

If these words were said at a banquet, the banquet would definitely cause an uproar.

"To repel foreign aggression, we must first pacify the internal situation. Rebels and traitors are spreading like wildfire in Hunan. With the rear unstable, how can we talk about resisting Mao and protecting our homeland?"

Zeng Guofan paused here, twirling the pearl in his hand.

Of course, the pearls Zeng Guofan was holding were not the same string of imperial pearls bestowed upon him by Emperor Xianfeng.

The string of pearls bestowed upon him by Emperor Xianfeng was treasured by Zeng Guofan and was even more highly regarded than the ancestral tablets of his father and the Zeng family. The string of pearls that Zeng Guofan was holding was a replica that he bought before leaving Beijing.

After fiddling with the prayer beads for a while, Zeng Guofan continued, "Therefore, I have considered that if I want to do something extraordinary, I need extraordinary means. I propose to establish a first-instance trial bureau in the provincial capital."

"The judicial bureau?"

Zhang Liangji and Luo Bingzhang repeated the same sentence in hushed tones, their faces filled with doubt as they looked at each other, wondering what Zeng Guofan was really up to.

“Exactly.” Zeng Guofan nodded and said that the establishment of the Trial Bureau was not a whim of Zeng Guofan, but a plan he came up with after careful consideration.

"In times of chaos, severe punishments are necessary. This bureau is an extraordinary criminal office, established specifically to eliminate internal troubles and protect local militias."

Anyone found to be colluding with bandits, aiding bandits, or using the guise of local militia to run rampant in the countryside, embezzling funds and weapons, regardless of rank, will be investigated and punished swiftly and on the spot by this bureau, serving as a warning to others. This will clear obstacles and pave the way for the training of the Hunan Army and the protection of the region and its people.

Zeng Guofan's move was intended to bypass the corrupt and inefficient local administrative and judicial system of the Qing government, and to quickly suppress rebels and rioters in Hunan, purge those "bad people" who were close to the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and rectify the officialdom in Hunan by extraordinary means.

Of course, it would be ideal if he could also conveniently obtain some of the wealth confiscated from the wicked and bandits to provide him with start-up capital for training his troops.

Although the Zeng family mansion was burned down by the short-haired thugs, all the valuables were taken away by those damned short-haired thugs.

However, Zeng Guofan had the power granted by Emperor Xianfeng. If he used it reasonably, he could convert that power into cash and accumulate some start-up capital for training troops.

Zhang Liangji and Luo Bingzhang naturally sensed the sharp edge behind the case-handling bureau's words.

Zeng Guofan was indeed no pushover; he was ruthless from the start. But Hunan was currently facing not only the external threat of the Hubei rebels, but also the internal threat of rampant banditry.

Although the Taiping army had left, their success greatly encouraged the rebels and traitors in Hunan.

Only Daozhou.

He Jiangou, the leader of the Daozhou Heaven and Earth Society, has grown his followers to three or four thousand in less than half a year. He has proclaimed himself the King of Punan and has recently shown signs of attacking the capital of Daozhou.

The crisis in Hunan could hardly be resolved without severe measures, and Zeng Guofan's decisiveness and imperial favor were exactly what these two high-ranking officials from Hunan desperately needed.

There are some things that it is indeed inconvenient for the two governors to do personally.

The only concern for Zhang Liangji and Luo Bingzhang was not their subordinates, but their superiors.

According to Zeng Guofan's description, the judicial bureau he wanted to establish had too much power, and the two of them were unsure whether Emperor Xianfeng had given Zeng Guofan such authorization.

“Uh… Disheng is concerned about national affairs and acts decisively, truly a role model for us. However… the Judicial Bureau has a great deal of power, so we need to plan carefully and act prudently. It would be best to submit a memorial to the emperor first, so as not to give others any leverage.” Luo Bingzhang hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“If the law cannot be applied universally, the people will have nothing to fear. In times of crisis, it is better to be too strict than too lenient.” Zeng Guofan raised his hand and showed off to Luo Bingzhang and Zhang Liangji the string of pearls that Emperor Xianfeng had bestowed upon him.

“This string of pearls in Disheng’s hand is not something from ordinary people?” Luo Bingzhang’s gaze fell on the pearls that Zeng Guofan was playing with.

"I am deeply grateful for His Majesty's grace." Zeng Guofan bowed respectfully to the north, his expression solemn. "When I took on the task of assisting in the Hunan militia training, His Majesty specially removed his string of beads as a reward to me."

Luo Bingzhang understood, gave Zhang Liangji a wink, and nodded slightly. Zhang Liangji, grasping Luo Bingzhang's meaning, slapped his thigh and resolutely said, "Excellent! Disheng's thinking is thorough; this is a very good proposal! Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures! The matter of the Trial Bureau will be entirely handled by Disheng! Wherever the Governor's Office needs coordination, Liangji will certainly provide full support! With our combined efforts, we will surely govern Hunan as securely as an iron barrel!"

Zeng Guofan bowed slightly, his expression solemn: "Guofan will certainly not fail Shiqing's trust!"

The two looked at each other and nodded, everything understood without words.

Zeng Guofan's conversation with Luo Bingzhang and Zhang Liangji did not end there.

Zhang Liangji, along with Zeng Guofan and Luo Bingzhang, entered the inner residence to discuss in detail the matter of training troops in Hunan.

After taking their seats, Zhang Liangji took the initiative to speak: "Disheng, although I hold the position of governor, I am not very knowledgeable about military affairs. Do you have any comprehensive plans for organizing and training the local militia? I would like to hear your details."

Although Zhang Liangji's words were a self-deprecating remark, it was true that he was not familiar with military affairs and lacked confidence in them.

Zhang Liangji was known for his expertise in water conservancy and river engineering, and was recommended by his benefactor, Lin Zexu.

After being promoted exceptionally, Zhang Liangji served as the chief official in Yunnan's provincial and provincial administrations.

His only military experience came during his transfer to Yongchang Prefecture in Yunnan. When border bandits from Mong Bang in Burma harassed the frontier, Zhang Liangji appointed Zuo Daxiong, a local officer from Yongchang, to capture the Mong Bang bandit leader and quell the unrest.

It is certainly rare to encounter a benefactor, but it is even more important to seize the hard-won opportunity.

Zhang Liangji was also promoted from local prefect to provincial inspector based on this achievement. He seized the opportunity that Lin Zexu had secured for him and gradually reached the threshold of becoming a high-ranking official.

Otherwise, given his background as a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations) and his purchase of an official position, reaching the rank of prefect would have been an incredible stroke of luck; he wouldn't have even dreamed of becoming a regional official.

"Since you have inquired of me, how could I, Guofan, not tell you with utmost sincerity? Recently, I had a long talk with Luo Shan (Luo Zenan) at my residence, and I pondered day and night. I have come up with some ideas, but they are all clumsy strategies and I am afraid they will not be appreciated by experts." Zeng Guofan first said modestly, and then changed the subject.

"In my humble opinion, if we follow the old practice of organizing local militias today, allowing the gentry of each prefecture and county to do as they please, or recruiting a motley crew to make up numbers and report merits, then we will only be adding another group of undisciplined and redundant soldiers to the Green Standard Army, wasting money and food, which will not benefit the overall situation in Hunan and may even breed new troubles."

In my humble opinion, training soldiers should be like cooking a small fish or planting a fine tree. Initially, the heat should be low, and the foundation should be solid, not broad. The key lies in a three-tiered progression, proceeding step by step.

Zeng Guofan held up three fingers and explained his thoughts on training soldiers one by one: "First, in selecting generals and recruiting soldiers, we should value excellence and simplicity, which is the foundation."

Absolutely no shoddy work will be accepted. Guofan's intention is to carefully select recruits, who must be scholars or honest gentry from our hometown who are spirited, reasonable, and unafraid of hardship. They should be sent back to their hometowns to recruit farmers who are familiar with their backgrounds, honest and hardworking, especially the mountain farmers from Xiangxiang and Baoqing. The mountain farmers in this area are strong and brave, and rarely have the frivolousness of the common people.

The first batch of new recruits should not be numerous, but of high quality. Success lies in meticulously training one or two battalions, approximately five hundred to one thousand men, transforming them completely. This battalion must be the model, the seed!

Zhang Liangji listened intently and couldn't help but ask, "How can you defend against the enemy with only one or two battalions?"

Leaving aside distant locations, the short-haired army guarding the Yangtze River within Yuezhou Prefecture alone numbered over ten thousand. This is even more true for the three towns of Wuhan behind the short-haired forces.

Zhang Liangji had met Jiang Zhongyuan's Chu Yong, who was the most elite militia he had ever seen, and numbered four or five thousand.

Even so, Jiang Zhongyuan's Chu Yong could only manage to protect himself, which shows how fierce and valiant the short-haired warriors were.

One or two elite battalions are of no help to the overall situation and will not accomplish anything.

"That is the second point: generous pay and strict training." Zeng Guofan continued his theoretical discussions.

"The quality of the soldiers is more important than their quantity. The first batch of recruits must be paid more generously, far exceeding that of the Green Standard Army! Each recruit's salary should be enough to support their entire family, so they can train with peace of mind, without worries about their livelihood, and feel ashamed to break the law or flee. The salary must be paid in full and on time every month, personally handed over by a reliable person, never passing through the hands of clerks, to prevent any deductions."
As for training, it's not the kind of fancy drills used by the Green Standard Army. It requires half a day for skill training and half a day for physical labor.

Skill training involves practicing with swords, spears, guns, cannons, and formations, striving for precision and proficiency.
Xi Lao means practicing marching, building walls, digging trenches, and standing guard (night watch)! They must be made to endure the scorching heat and the freezing cold, and to get used to hard work and toil.

Once this seed battalion is fully trained, equipped, disciplined, and its soldiers are willing to fight, and a set of effective battalion rules and tactics has been established…

At this point, Zeng Guofan's eyes shone brightly, and his voice suddenly rose: "Then we can implement the third step: fission and expansion, with the old leading the new, this is called growth!"

At that time, officers and veterans who are brave in battle and familiar with the camp rules can be selected from this elite old camp and sent to various places as the backbone. They can recruit new soldiers in accordance with all the regulations of the original camp and form a brand new camp.

For example, a battalion can split into three battalions. The core members of these three battalions all come from the original battalion, so their essence remains unchanged and their methods are the same.

Once the new battalion is trained, it can expand again. This snowballing expansion allows for the formation of several, even dozens, of battalions within a year, all with the same command, discipline, and combat strength as the initial battalion—far from being a rabble! This is the fundamental method for training brave soldiers!

Finally, Zeng Guofan summarized his thoughts: "Therefore, my foolish strategy is: to be cautious at the beginning—select honest and simple people and train a strong and capable army; to consolidate the foundation—provide generous pay to nurture their ambitions and strict training to forge their character; to expand the business—use the old camp as a seed to create new camps, proceed steadily and step by step."

Initially, don't seek quick results, but rather a solid foundation. Once the foundation is established, abundant branches and leaves will naturally follow. I wonder if Shi Qing and Ru Zhai think this method is feasible?

After listening to Zeng Guofan's strategy of training elite troops, providing generous salaries, and expanding the camp, Zhang Liangji clapped his hands in admiration, but his brows involuntarily furrowed.

Zeng Guofan's strategy for training soldiers was theoretically feasible, but there was still a very practical problem to solve.

After a moment's thought, Zhang Liangji asked the most crucial, practical, and thorny question: "Brother Disheng, your insightful strategy is indeed the fundamental plan to quell the chaos and secure the country. I admire you greatly! However..."

At this point, Zhang Liangji tapped the table beside him lightly with his fingertips: "The words 'generous pay' are as heavy as a thousand pounds. Disheng's statement that the pay for the brave should be significantly better than that for the Green Camp is absolutely reasonable."

But now, after being ravaged by the bandits in western Guangdong, the Hunan provincial treasury is already running a deficit, living beyond its means. Training over a thousand elite Hunan soldiers is already a stretch, and further expansion and increased funding... plus weapons, clothing, and tents—it's no small sum. I wonder if Disheng has any good solutions regarding this fundamental source of funding?”

If the local militia, which consisted of more than a dozen battalions, were accompanied by officials from the provincial governor and grain commissioner, they would probably be cursing.

Hunan today is not the same Hunan it was two years ago. The current soldiers in Hunan still need the assistance of Guangdong and Sichuan provinces to barely keep up with their food and pay.

Even though Zhang Liangji was willing to help Zeng Guofan train the Xiang Army and provide material support, the resources Zhang Liangji could provide were very limited.

The Chu army of Xiang Rong and Deng Shaoliang, the Zhengan soldiers, the Chu soldiers of Jiang Zhongyuan, and the existing local troops in Changsha also need to be supported.

Currently, it is wartime, and Luo Bingzhang and Zhang Liangji are counting on these soldiers to defend Changsha and resist the Mao rebels. Their rations and pay must not be reduced.

Luo Bingzhang had spent a long time in Hunan, and he knew the situation there better than Zhang Liangji.

Not only were the issues of training troops and providing provisions difficult to resolve, but the issue of soldiers themselves was also difficult to resolve.

Zeng Guofan's ideal sources of soldiers were Baoqing Prefecture and Xiangxiang County.

The situation in Baoqing Prefecture, where the Taiping rebels passed through, was slightly better; although there were some losses in the population, they were not too serious.

When the short-haired bandits passed through Xiangxiang County, they not only crippled Luo Zenan's Xiangxiang warriors and exterminated the Zeng family, but also abducted and kidnapped a large number of young men from Xiangxiang County.

This was extremely disadvantageous for Zeng Guofan, who was from Xiangxiang County, in training his troops.

In Luo Bingzhang's view, Zeng Guofan's training of the Xiang Army was not only fraught with problems in terms of food and pay, but the issue of manpower was also not as easy to resolve as Zeng Guofan claimed.

Zeng Guofan seemed to have anticipated this question, and while twirling his pearl bracelet, he said, “Shiqing’s concerns are precisely the crux of the problem. Without funds, there are no soldiers; this is an immutable truth. I am well aware of the difficulties in managing the treasury. However, in extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken. As for the source of funds, I believe the only solution is to use some drastic measures, such as soliciting donations.”

"Persuading people to donate?" Luo Bingzhang couldn't help but interject. "Persuading people to donate is probably no easy task. Although there are many wealthy gentry in central Hunan,..."

“This is not your average solicitation of donations.” Zeng Guofan interrupted Luo Bingzhang, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his triangular eyes.

"This is no ordinary act of charity; it is a battle to protect their lives and property! If the bandits of western Guangdong return, everything will be destroyed. When the nest is overturned, how can any egg remain intact? We need to ask Shi Qing and Guo Fan to jointly issue a proclamation explaining the consequences."

For wealthy gentry and merchants within the province, they should be persuaded to recognize the current situation and actively donate. For those who are rich but uncharitable, stingy and miserly, some measures should be taken. Perhaps a promise could be made to petition the court to award them honorary titles and ranks based on the amount of their donations, as an encouragement.

If they remain obstinate, we can use methods such as investigating local abuses, collecting outstanding debts from previous years, and even other pretexts to force them to comply. In short, everything must make way for the training of the militia!

Zeng Guofan's so-called "persuasion to donate" was tantamount to forced levies.

The Zeng family was almost wiped out by the short-haired rebels. Zeng Guofan had an irreconcilable hatred for the short-haired rebels and wished he could immediately train a strong and brave army to march directly to Wuchang and slaughter the short-haired rebels to avenge the Zeng family members in the afterlife.

Luo Bingzhang's expression changed slightly, clearly indicating that he knew how much resistance this meant and how much of a shock it would cause to Hunan.

Zhang Liangji felt somewhat embarrassed. It wasn't that he was unwilling to support Zeng Guofan's training of brave soldiers, but rather that Zeng Guofan's actions were too cruel and extreme.

Zeng Guofan looked intently at Zhang Liangji: "Shiqing, the matter of supplies and weapons is a matter of success or failure, and there is no room for retreat or hesitation. If there are any obstacles or if we are impeached, I, Guofan, am willing to take full responsibility! The establishment of the Judicial Bureau can also provide protection for this. Anyone who maliciously resists taxes or sabotages the plan to train local militias, no matter who they are, can be punished severely for causing trouble and hindering the overall training of Hunan militias! Only in this way can we break through the current predicament and train a truly capable and powerful army!"

Zeng Guofan's entire family was wiped out, leaving only his two younger brothers. Now, all Zeng Guofan could think about was avenging his family.

As for other things, he's all alone now, so he has nothing to worry about.

Just then, a series of extremely hurried and chaotic footsteps approached from afar and entered the inner courtyard of the Hunan Provincial Governor's Office.

A captain from the Huguang Governor's Battalion, his face filled with panic and drenched in sweat, rushed into the flower hall, led by Zhang Liangji's family, without even waiting for an announcement. He knelt before Governor Luo Bingzhang, panting and trembling, and said, "Reporting...reporting to the Governor! It's...it's terrible! Something terrible has just happened! A military report from Yuezhou arrived with an urgent message! The shipment of silver and grain that Sichuan was supplying us with, the escort fleet, was ambushed...ambushed by short-haired pirates near Junshan in Dongting Lake!"
The Sichuan soldiers escorting the supplies were caught off guard and fought valiantly, suffering heavy casualties. All their pay and provisions were...all of it was looted by the short-haired pirates! Even the boats were taken by them!

(End of this chapter)