1848 Great Qing Charcoal Burners

Chapter 344 Why Was Emperor Xianfeng Not Panicked?

As for the Taiping rebels, although they occupied cities such as Jinjiang, Ningde, Anqing, Zhenjiang, Yangzhou, Suzhou, and Changzhou, and established their own legitimate dynasty, falsely claiming to be kings and nobles, they seemed to have a fixed territory.

However, their modus operandi remained that of bandits, plundering a large amount of property and then retreating to major cities like Jiangning and Anqing, taking as much as they could, killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, and draining the pond to catch all the fish.

The Jiangnan region is prosperous and can withstand the Taiping Rebellion's raids for a year or two. However, even the most prosperous places cannot withstand repeated plundering. As the Taiping Rebellion's profits from plundering wealthy households continue to decline, to the point that they cannot even support the old Taiping rebels in Guangxi within the pseudo-Tianjing city, not only will the Taiping Rebellion's morale and fighting strength suffer a severe blow, but internal strife will also be inevitable.

Most importantly, although the Long-haired Rebels were much more violent than the Short-haired Rebels, not a single scholar or graduate of the imperial examinations has ever served the Long-haired Rebels.

This illustrates the Taiping Rebellion's practice of replacing Confucianism with Western religions, burning Confucian classics, destroying ancestral temples and shrines, and substituting religious mythology for a practical political program. While this might deceive the lower classes, it held no appeal for the intellectuals.

Several scholars and officials have already joined the short-haired army, especially during their western expedition, when Pang Gongzhao, the magistrate of Pingjiang County, and Liu Qixian, the prefect of De'an, both volunteered to serve the short-haired army.

The defection of Pang Gongzhao, the magistrate of Pingjiang, and Liu Qixian, the prefect of De'an, to the Mao Zedong caused a greater blow to Emperor Xianfeng than the complete annihilation of Xiang Rong and Deng Shaoliang's Chu Army and Zhengan Army in Yuezhou.

Although some scholars and even those who had passed the imperial examinations had previously served the short-sighted Mao, those scholars and those who had served the short-sighted Mao either did not serve in office or did not hold any official position. The only serving county magistrate who served the short-sighted Mao, Yang Xun, was a purchased official.

These scholars, at best, represent only a marginal part of the scholar-official class.

Pang Gongzhao and Liu Qixian, who served briefly in this uprising, were both Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) and were both serving as local officials.

In particular, Liu Qixian was the son-in-law of a former provincial official. At the age of twenty-six or twenty-seven, he and his brother Liu Qiqu passed the imperial examination together. Before he was forty, he became a prefect. His future was bright, and he was a core beneficiary among the scholars.

Such a person actually subdued the short-haired rebels, and the resulting negative impact far exceeded the loss of the Yuezhou camp and the defeat of the Xiang Army in Jinggang.

Just as Emperor Xianfeng was feeling troubled, Su Shun strode into the hall. As he was about to perform the salutation, Xianfeng noticed the urgent report in Su Shun's hand and asked, "What's happening in Shanxi now?"

Su Shun presented the urgent report in his hand: "The Northern Expedition against the rebels has captured Changzhi, the capital of Lu'an Prefecture. Senggelinqin reported that the Northern Expedition against the rebels seems to be resting in Changzhi."

"Changzhi." Emperor Xianfeng repeated the place name, looking out the window. "Beyond Changzhi is northern Henan, and further north... The Northern Expedition against the rebels is determined to march straight towards the capital."

After venting his emotions, Emperor Xianfeng's tone softened, and his voice was not as loud as before, but everyone in the warm pavilion remained on edge, not daring to relax.

Emperor Xianfeng pondered for a long time, then turned to look at Su Shun: "Su Shun, what are your thoughts on the rebellion during the Northern Expedition? Speak freely."

Su Shun pondered for a moment, then stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that although the Northern Expedition against the Rebellion is currently gaining momentum, it is not a cause for concern."

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Emperor Xianfeng's expression softened slightly, and he nodded gently. "Tell me about it."

"Yes, sir," Su Shun replied, beginning his analysis with clear and logical reasoning.

"Firstly, since the Northern Expedition began with a pledge in Jiangning to march north, four months have passed. They have traveled thousands of miles, fighting dozens of battles, large and small, without any long rest. They have only focused on rapid advance and striving for a quick victory."

The fact that they have now stopped to rest in Changzhi is quite unusual, which precisely shows that this isolated army of rebels in the Northern Expedition has been exhausted after a long march and continuous fighting, and its morale has been greatly diminished.

If, after resting and regrouping, they continue their northward advance into Zhili, facing our well-rested and powerful troops in the capital region, their exhausted army will certainly find it difficult to achieve anything. This is what is meant by "a spent arrow, its power unable to pierce even the thinnest silk."

At this point, Su Shun paused slightly to ensure that Emperor Xianfeng could hear him clearly, and then continued: "Secondly, the Northern Expedition against the rebels was an isolated and treacherous campaign, which violated a major taboo in military strategy. Although the Northern Expedition against the rebels led by Lin Fengxiang and Li Kaifang was cunning and fierce, it was still far from their puppet capital, Nanjing, and had no secure rear."

Their military supplies, including provisions and manpower replenishment, would inevitably face numerous difficulties, relying entirely on plundering cities captured along the way—a plan that could not last. The longer the conflict dragged on, the more pronounced the supply problem for the Northern Expedition would become, a fatal flaw for the enemy.

"Thirdly," Su Shun raised his voice slightly, "Zhili's terrain is open and flat, with few rivers, making it the best battlefield for our Qing Dynasty's Mongol, Jilin, and Heilongjiang cavalry to unleash their power, rather than the southern barbarians' strength in mountainous and water-based warfare. Using our strengths against their weaknesses is a great advantage for us!"
At present, Senggelinqin's Mongolian cavalry, Shengbao's Jilin cavalry, and Xilinga's Heilongjiang cavalry are engaged in fierce fighting with the Northern Expeditionary Rebels, constantly harassing their flanks and rear.

The reinforcements from other provinces, such as Shaanxi, Zhili, Shandong, and Shanxi, are currently converging on Zhili. Once our army completes its strategic assembly and forms an encirclement, our well-rested and refreshed forces will be able to defeat their exhausted and isolated force, having marched a thousand miles. It will be as easy as throwing a stone at an egg; victory is assured.

Emperor Xianfeng listened quietly, then returned to his throne and sat down, lifting his robe: "So it is said that the Northern Expedition against the rebellion, which seems to be unstoppable, is actually a self-inflicted trap."

Su Shun nodded: "Your Majesty is wise. The capital's defenses are solid, and the elite troops of each camp are all present. Your Majesty need not worry."

"You're thinking the same thing as me."

Emperor Xianfeng was very satisfied with Su Shun's performance. Su Shun was one of the very few Manchu officials around him who could share the pressure. If only there were more Manchu officials like him, the situation of the Qing Dynasty would not have deteriorated to its current state if he had more capable servants around him.

"But you've forgotten one thing. The Taiping rebels have launched a major northern expedition, approaching Zhili. The reason I am not alarmed is that Zhili is the bulwark of the capital, and the entire Shandong province is still in our hands. As long as Shandong is in our hands, we can cut off the Taiping rebels' retreat and reinforcement routes, and the initiative in the north will be in our hands."

Emperor Xianfeng was not trying to comfort himself; he was genuinely alarmed by the early stages of the Northern Expedition led by Wei Changhui and Lin Fengxiang.

Emperor Xianfeng's anxiety only eased slightly when the Northern Expeditionary armies of Wei Changhui and Lin Fengxiang bypassed him, allowing the River Conservancy Governor Yang Yizeng and the Grand Canal Transport Governor Yang Dianbang to deploy heavy troops in northern Jiangsu and instead enter Henan from northern Anhui, ignoring Shandong.

The Northern Expeditionary Army led by Wei Changhui, Lin Fengxiang, and others avoided direct confrontation and made rapid progress, seemingly achieving a great military victory.

On the other hand, avoiding the enemy's strength and attacking their weaknesses meant that the main force of the Qing army in the north was not damaged. The Jiangsu and Shandong troops deployed by Emperor Xianfeng to block the Taiping Rebellion's northward expedition were almost completely unharmed.

At this critical moment, the Taiping rebels launched another large-scale expedition to southern Jiangsu, aiming at Zhejiang, instead of heading north along the Grand Canal to northern Jiangsu and Shandong, giving the troops in northern Jiangsu and Shandong a chance to regroup and reorganize.

Moreover, as the Taiping Rebellion's northern expeditionary force entered the North China Plain, the Qing cavalry's advantage began to emerge.

Although Senggelinqin's Mongol cavalry, Shengbao's Jilin cavalry, and Xilinga's Heilongjiang cavalry failed to decisively defeat the main force of the Northern Expeditionary Taiping Rebellion in a head-on confrontation, news has recently come that the Manchu and Mongol cavalry have repeatedly harassed the Taiping Rebellion's rear supply train and successfully killed or captured some Taiping auxiliary soldiers.

Although it was only a minor victory, the Manchu and Mongolian cavalry's harassment of the Taiping Rebellion has not yet damaged the Taiping Rebellion's core strength in its northern expedition.

But Emperor Xianfeng believed that as long as small victories accumulate into great ones, and by maintaining a scorched-earth policy in northern Zhili without losing the major cities of Zhili, the so-called 100,000 Taiping rebels' northern expeditionary army would have nowhere to eat.

Once the Taiping rebels in Zhili are defeated, they will be at their last gasp.

If the northern troops were to encircle the fleeing rebels, who were already at their last gasp, Emperor Xianfeng might very well be able to switch from defense to offense. "Your wisdom is unparalleled, Your Majesty!" Su Shun said, bending down to pick up the memorials that Xianfeng had swept to the ground.

Emperor Xianfeng glanced at Su Shun and said, "What I am most worried about is not the Taiping Rebellion, which has already reached Shanxi and is poised to advance directly towards the capital region of Zhili, but the Taiping Rebellion, which has seized control of Hunan and Hubei."

The short-haired rebels' westward expedition caused heavy losses to the Hunan and Hubei armies, especially the Hunan army, completely disrupting my plans. For a time, I was at a loss as to how to deal with the short-haired rebels.

Luo Bingzhang, Zhang Liangji, and Chong Lun, as governors of Huguang, failed to defend their territory effectively, resulting in the loss of troops and land, and the complete annihilation of the elite troops of Chu and Zhengan.

And then there's Zeng Guofan. I trusted him so much back then and supported him in leading the local militia in Hunan. In the Battle of Jinggang, the Xiang Army was severely weakened. His painstakingly built Xiang Army navy was almost completely destroyed. He himself almost drowned in the Xiang River. Even his own younger brother died in this battle, and his body could not be found!

They even said the Hunan Army was loyal and brave, fighting on despite repeated defeats—it's utterly shameful! A loyal and brave army that can't win battles and can't share my burdens, what use are they to me?
In my opinion, Zeng Guofan, this famous Confucian minister, is nothing but a figurehead. If I had used the money and supplies for the Hunan Army instead of the Hubei Army, the Western Expedition against the short-haired barbarians would not have ended in such a disgraceful defeat.

"Recently, there have been increasing numbers of memorials impeaching the governors and viceroys of Hunan and Hubei, as well as Zeng Guofan and Luo Raodian, which is causing me great distress."

As he spoke, Emperor Xianfeng couldn't help but sigh deeply, beginning to regret his decision to allocate resources to the Xiang Army.

Although Jiang Zhongyuan's Chu army did not achieve a major victory in the battles against the short-haired Mao, and suffered more defeats than victories, at least each defeat was not too humiliating, and the main force was able to be preserved.

Especially during last year's Battle of Changsha, Chu Yong was a mainstay in the defense of Changsha and performed brilliantly.

There were many memorials impeaching the governors of Hunan and Hubei, as well as Zeng Guofan.

Even though Emperor Xianfeng was forced by the current situation to rely on them to maintain the situation in Hunan and Hubei, and could not carry out a major purge and adjustment of the officials in Hunan and Hubei, it would be unreasonable not to punish them at all.

After pondering for a long time, Emperor Xianfeng finally spoke: "Draft an imperial edict."

"Yes, sir." Su Shun listened intently.

"Governor-General of Huguang Luo Bingzhang, Governor of Hunan Zhang Liangji, and Governor of Hubei Chonglun have failed in their duties, resulting in the loss of troops and territory, and the complete annihilation of the elite Chu army. Their crimes are unforgivable! They are hereby stripped of their peacock feathers but allowed to remain in their posts to atone for their crimes! If they fail to effectively stop the westward advance of the rebel Peng Gang's troops, they will be arrested and brought to the capital for severe punishment without any leniency!"

Su Shun also knew that Hunan and Hubei could not do without these senior officials who were familiar with the situation. Changing the governor-general now would not only fail to find a more capable and suitable candidate, but would also lead to greater chaos and give the short-haired rebels an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

Furthermore, Su Shun was close to many Han Chinese officials in the frontier regions, especially those who had recently been promoted. Emperor Xianfeng's decision to remove Su Shun from office but not demote him was exactly what Su Shun wanted.

"Your Majesty is wise. At present, the traitor Peng is harassing Hunan and Hubei, and his military strength is at its peak. If we replace the governors and viceroys at the last minute, the morale of the army will be demoralized, which would play into the enemy's hands. Let them remain in their posts to atone for their crimes. This will not only demonstrate the power of the court's punishment, but also prevent major turmoil in Hunan and Hubei."

"Thunder and rain, both are the Emperor's grace. Luo Bingzhang and the others have received the Emperor's divine favor, being granted permission to atone for their crimes through meritorious service; they will surely be moved to tears and repay the Emperor with their lives."

Emperor Xianfeng snorted coldly and continued, "What about Zeng Guofan? He suffered repeated defeats, causing the loss of troops and disgrace to the country. I am extremely disappointed in him."

"Reporting to Your Majesty." Su Shun was sweating profusely. He was only close to Luo Bingzhang and Zhang Liangji, but Zeng Guofan was someone he had strongly recommended. Su Shun forced himself to speak.

"Although Zeng Guofan suffered setbacks on the battlefield, the Xiang Army was still useful in maintaining the situation in Hunan. The Chu Army was hampered by the short-sighted rebels in Changsha and had no time to attend to southern Hunan. The situation in southern Hunan still needed to be maintained by the Xiang Army."

Furthermore, Zeng Guofan's loyalty is commendable, and he has persevered despite repeated setbacks. This servant believes it would be better to strip him of his title of Vice Minister of Rites, but still order him to oversee the Hunan local militia and coordinate the suppression of bandits in southern Hunan, allowing him to atone for his crimes through meritorious service.”

Emperor Xianfeng remained silent for a long time, weighing the pros and cons.

Although Su Shun had his own selfish motives, his suggestion was the most pragmatic choice at present.

The imperial court is currently lacking in capable officials. Although Zeng Guofan and his Xiang Army are not fighting well, at least they are still fighting and can maintain the situation in southern Hunan. If they are completely stripped of their power, the situation in southern Hunan may collapse instantly.

"That's it." Emperor Xianfeng finally sighed, speaking with a hint of helplessness.

"As you have suggested. Luo Bingzhang, Zhang Liangji, Chonglun, and Zeng Guofan shall all be dealt with according to this proposal. However—"

At this point, Emperor Xianfeng's gaze suddenly sharpened, and his voice rose sharply.

"Tell them this is their last chance! If they fail to live up to my expectations again and suffer defeat and loss of territory, don't blame me for being ruthless. I will punish them for both crimes and execute them without mercy!"

"Yes, Your Majesty! This servant obeys the decree." Su Shun acknowledged the order, secretly relieved.

"Has there been any news from Jiangxi recently?" Emperor Xianfeng inquired about the situation in Jiangxi.

Jiangxi is currently the only battlefield that brings Emperor Xianfeng any comfort. He hopes that Sai Shang'a, Zhang Fei, Li Mengqun, and others on the Jiangxi battlefield can bring him some surprises.

"General Fu Cheng and Deputy General Yin Peili of Xi'an Town, together with Li Mengqun's Jiangxi troops and Liu Yuxun's Jiangxi army, after capturing Hukou, have also recaptured Pengze. They are currently advancing eastward to besiege Madang Town and open up the passage into Anhui. It will be a matter of time." In an instant, Su Shun put on a happy face and winked at the servants outside the hall.

“Li Mengqun obtained some books written by Peng Ni and presented them to the master for his perusal.”

"Oh? A book written by Peng Gang? Bring it here for me to see!" Upon hearing that it was a book written by Peng Gang, Emperor Xianfeng became interested and ordered Su Shun to bring the book to him.

Su Shun personally received several volumes of Peng Gang's "Brief History" and presented them to Emperor Xianfeng.

Emperor Xianfeng examined the documents for a long time, then got up and walked to the screen. He stared at the names of Li Mengqun and Liu Yuxun for a long time before saying, "Sai Shang'a has finally achieved some results. I am very pleased with the performance of the Jiangxi militia."

I have always been clear about rewards and punishments; those who commit crimes should be punished, and those who perform meritorious service should be rewarded. I remember that Liu Yuxun once served as the magistrate of Qinghe County in Jiangsu, and later as a sub-prefect. He was also in mourning at home training local militias. For now, I will grant him the title of prefect so that he can supervise the Jiang Army. After his mourning period is over, I will grant him a substantive post.

As for Li Mengqun, he made many contributions from Guangxi to Jiangxi, and his father, Li Qinggu, died in Wuchang last year. He is the son of a loyal and valiant general of our Great Qing Dynasty, and is hereby awarded the title of Provincial Surveillance Commissioner.

(End of this chapter)