1848 Great Qing Charcoal Burners

Chapter 345 Li Hongzhang

Meanwhile, in the study of the residence of Lü Xianji, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works in the capital.

The discarded manuscripts piled on the desk, the ink still fresh, were scribbled and altered beyond recognition.

At the beginning of his reign, Emperor Xianfeng intended to rectify the officialdom, hoping that the new dynasty would have some new atmosphere, and promoted some new officials.

Because of his upright and outspoken nature, and his frequent discussions of the gains and losses of current affairs, Lü Xianji caught the eye of Emperor Xianfeng.

Lü Xianji was thus favored by the Emperor and promoted from the fourth-rank official, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, to the second-rank official, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works. Lü Xianji never dared to forget the Emperor's kindness in recognizing his talent.

Since the uprising began, Emperor Xianfeng had been deeply worried about it, and his appearance became increasingly haggard.

Lu Xianji saw this and was anxious. The burning desire to serve his sovereign, share the emperor's burdens, make a name for himself in history, and create a beautiful story of a ruler and his minister was constantly surging in his heart.

Lu Xianji was eager to offer brilliant strategies during this time of crisis, not only to relieve the country's troubles but also to leave an impression of being a capable minister in the young emperor's mind, so that he could go further and become the head of a department.

After all, Lu Xianji is only forty-nine years old this year, which is the age for striving, and there are still unlimited possibilities for the future.

However, while his ideals were lofty, reality left him feeling utterly powerless.

Lu Xianji came from a proper family and was well-versed in the classics, history, philosophy, and literature. However, he was completely unfamiliar with military affairs, such as warfare and bandit suppression.

Previously, Lü Xianji had also submitted memorials on the matter of suppressing bandits, which were nothing more than generalities such as "strictly instructing the soldiers to work together with one heart" and "defending the strategic passes and gradually planning for recovery".

The outcome was invariably like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, not even causing a ripple, let alone receiving a single word of praise from Emperor Xianfeng. His reply to him was nothing more than a cold, indifferent three words: "I know."

This left Lü Xianji feeling extremely frustrated, yet he struggled to find the key to a successful response.

Lu Xianji's reputation for being upright and outspoken was earned by pointing out the faults of others, but now, when asked to write some suggestions on how to suppress rebellion, he could barely manage to utter a few words in half a day.

Just as Lü Xianji was at his wit's end, his wife entered unnoticed and gently handed him a cup of ginseng tea: "Master, please rest for a while."

As they spoke, Lu Xianji's wife glanced at the mess of crumpled papers on the table and said softly, "Since it's a matter of writing, why not find someone skilled in writing?"

His wife's reminder jolted Lü Xianji up, a blurry young figure flashing through his mind: "You mean..."

The lady gently reminded Lü Xianji, "Master often praises Li Xiexiu of the Hanlin Academy for his outstanding literary talent, quick wit, and promising future, doesn't he?"

The Li Xiexiu mentioned by Lu Xianji's wife was Li Hongzhang.

Li Hongzhang was from Modian, Hefei County, Luzhou Prefecture, Anhui Province. He was the thirteenth-ranked Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the second class in the twenty-seventh year of the Daoguang Emperor's reign (1847). For the past five years, he had been working in the Hanlin Academy. He was known for his literary talent and was a famous writer in the Hanlin Academy.

Li Hongzhang's father, Li Wen'an, also served as an official in Beijing, holding the rank of fifth-grade secretary in the Ministry of Justice.

Lu Xianji was from Jingde County, Ningguo Prefecture, Anhui Province, so they were from the same hometown and the Lu and Li families often visited each other.

However, as a second-rank official, Lü Xianji was willing to associate with the Li family not only because of their shared hometown. There were many officials in the capital from Anhui, and not all of them were worth his time and effort to befriend.

Li Wen'an was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the 18th year of the Daoguang Emperor's reign (1838), the same year as Zeng Guofan.

Since Li Wen'an passed the imperial examination, the Li family has been transforming from a family of farmers and scholars into a prominent family in Lu County.

Li Wen'an had six sons, with Li Hanzhang being the eldest and Li Hongzhang the second.

The eldest son, Li Hanzhang, was appointed as a county magistrate as a Bagongsheng (one of the five types of tribute students, extremely difficult to obtain, and considered a quasi-Jinshi, with a status slightly lower than that of a regular Jinshi, similar to today's central government selected graduates). The second son, Li Hongzhang, was even a Jinshi who ranked among the top in the second class.

Lü Xianji had met Li Hanzhang and Li Hongzhang many times, and they left a very good impression on him, especially Li Hongzhang.

Lu Xianji suddenly stood up, paced around the study a couple of times, and immediately called out to the old servant: "Prepare a letter and quickly invite Li Xiexiu of the Hanlin Academy to the mansion for a chat!"

Almost at the same time that Lü Xianji thought of Li Hongzhang, Li Hongzhang, who was renting a place near the Ministry of Justice with his father, was also deep in thought, staring at a map of the Qing Dynasty.

Since the uprising in Guangxi spread like wildfire, his gaze has never left the war situation in the south.

Especially since the rebels captured Wuchang, the capital of Hubei Province, and then sailed down the Yangtze River to easily take Anqing, the capital of Anhui Province, Li Hongzhang has been constantly concerned about this rebel force that originated in Jintian, Xunzhou Prefecture, Guangxi.

Although the rebels' military campaign against Anhui mainly focused on the city walls along the Yangtze River, and their northward advance this time involved entering Henan through the three prefectures of Chuzhou, Fengyang, and Yingchuan, they almost bypassed Hefei County in Luzhou Prefecture, which is located in Anhui Province.

Li Hongzhang's hometown thus escaped disaster and was spared from being attacked by bandits.

But escaping this time doesn't mean you can escape it next time.

Now, the short-haired rebels have seized a large area of ​​fertile land in Hunan, with Wuhan as their base, while the long-haired rebels have seized Jiangnan, with Nanjing as their capital, and have falsely proclaimed themselves kings and nobles.

Jiangxi and Anhui, sandwiched between Wuchang and Jiangning, are strategically vital areas. His hometown of Hefei can hide for a while, but not forever.

Over the past two years, Li Hongzhang has read extensively on military strategy, collected reports from various regions, and devoted himself to studying them.

When Li Hongzhang learned last year that Emperor Xianfeng had lifted restrictions on local militias and allowed Guangxi and Hunan provinces to organize them on a large scale, he keenly realized that the world was truly about to change.

Sending a large number of Han officials to local areas to help organize local militias and delegating military power to local Han officials was something that was previously unthinkable.

The Eight Banners and Green Standard Army, which had enjoyed peace for so long, were no match for the enemy. Perhaps the best way to deal with this unprecedented catastrophe was to emulate Hunan and truly establish local militias, allowing the gentry and heroes of Anhui Province to protect their hometowns. This would also be a stepping stone for Li Hongzhang's rise to power.

Li Hongzhang went to Beijing to prepare for the imperial examination at the age of twenty. At the age of twenty-four, he passed the examination and ranked thirteenth in the second class. He was selected as a probationary official in the Hanlin Academy. After completing his studies, he was appointed as an editor and later promoted to assistant editor. In the blink of an eye, he was nearly thirty years old, but he still had not achieved any success or fame.

Li Hongzhang did not want to live a life where he could see the end from the beginning, nor did he want to repeat the mistakes of his father, Li Wen'an, who wasted his time in paperwork and only became a mediocre fifth-rank official in his late fifties.

Unfortunately, he was merely a minor seventh-rank assistant cultivator, without the authority to submit memorials to the emperor. He had ambitions, but no way to reach the emperor's ears. If things continued this way, without finding another way, he would probably follow in his father's footsteps.

When the steward of the Lü family knocked on the door late at night to convey Lü Xianji's invitation, a glint flashed in Li Hongzhang's eyes. He knew that the benefactor and opportunity he had been waiting for might finally arrive today.

Neither he nor his father, Li Wen'an, had the authority to submit memorials directly to the emperor, unlike Lü Xianji, who held the rank of Second-Rank Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works!
Not long after, Li Hongzhang arrived at the Lü residence with an old servant from the Lü family.

The Li family father and son were frequent guests at the Lü residence. The old servant of the Lü family led Li Hongzhang directly to the door of Lü Xianji's study and reported to Lü Xianji from outside the door: "Master, Lord Li has arrived."

Lu Xianji straightened his clothes, suppressed the distracting thoughts in his mind, and said in a deep voice, "Please come in quickly!"

The curtain was lifted, and Li Hongzhang stepped in, bowing respectfully to Lü Xianji with his hands clasped. His voice was clear and resonant, neither humble nor arrogant.

"This junior, Li Hongzhang, greets Your Excellency."

"Shaoquan is here! Come, have a seat!" Lu Xianji greeted Li Hongzhang with a warm smile and personally led him into the study to sit down. "I apologize for disturbing your peace and quiet by inviting you so late at night."

"You flatter me, Your Excellency." As he spoke, Li Hongzhang's gaze swept across the desk, landing on the several discarded memorials. He glanced briefly at the contents of the discarded memorials, suppressing his elation.

"Does Your Excellency wish to submit a memorial regarding the matter of rebellion?"

Lü Xianji sighed, making no attempt to hide his feelings: "Indeed. Shaoquan, as you know, His Majesty is deeply worried about this matter. Having received the Emperor's favor and holding the position of Vice Minister, I always wish to offer some advice to share His Majesty's burdens. Alas..."

At this point, Lü Xianji gave a wry smile and pointed to the discarded memorial on the table: "Shaoquan, you've seen it all. What I write always feels like scratching an itch through a boot, failing to get to the point. It's hard to get the Emperor's approval."

Li Hongzhang accepted the hot tea offered by the servant, but did not rush to look at the drafts. Instead, he asked, "If I may ask, Uncle, what were the main points you were thinking about when you just tried writing?" Lü Xianji replied, "I had three points to consider. First, I wanted to reiterate the court's determination to suppress the rebellion and boost morale. Second, I wanted to denounce the dereliction of duty by the local governors and ask His Majesty to severely reprimand them. Third, I wanted to request the allocation of funds for provisions and supplies."

Upon hearing this, Li Hongzhang remarked on his and Lü Xianji's good fortune.

The fact that an incompetent like Lü Xianji could be promoted to the position of Vice Minister of Works by Emperor Xianfeng was due to the fact that the new emperor had just ascended the throne and was in dire need of upright and outspoken ministers.

In other words, besides being upright and outspoken, Lu Xianji doesn't have much else to offer.

Li Hongzhang listened quietly, and finally smiled slightly: "What you say, Uncle, is indeed a mature and wise way of governing the country, but..."

At this point, Li Hongzhang deliberately paused, because what he was about to say was not pleasant to hear. Whether he said it or not, and whether he spoke lightly or harshly, depended on Lü Xianji's attitude.

Although the Lü and Li families had a good relationship, Li Hongzhang was well aware that Lü Xianji valued him.

But this does not mean that Li Hongzhang can be arrogant and take advantage of his talents.

"Oh?" Lu Xianji leaned forward slightly and raised his hand, saying, "Shaoquan, please feel free to speak your mind."

Seeing Lü Xianji's attitude, Li Hongzhang understood. He put down his teacup and said, "In my humble opinion, Your Excellency should just listen to it. I believe that what His Majesty most wants to see right now, in the highest position, is not empty talk about having made up his mind, nor is it about investigating past crimes, nor is it simply a request to allocate funds and provisions."

At this moment, what His Majesty most desires is a practical strategy to break the deadlock. If your subjects can understand His Majesty's urgent needs, you will surely win his favor.

Lu Xianji's memorials were either empty words or nitpicking, causing Emperor Xianfeng distress. Emperor Xianfeng's cold response to Lu Xianji was already quite lenient.

If it were a different, more short-tempered emperor, Lü Xianji would probably have lost his position as Vice Minister of Works much earlier.

Lu Xianji dismissed his attendants, leaving only Li Hongzhang in the study: "Shaoquan, we are from the same hometown, there's no need for formalities. His Majesty is worried and has no appetite; how can we, his subjects, sit idly by? I only regret that I am unfamiliar with military affairs, and my previous memorials were all ineffective. Does Shaoquan have any good strategies?"

Li Hongzhang was secretly delighted upon hearing this. From the few words he had just exchanged, he knew that Lü Xianji wanted him to write a memorial that would win the Emperor's favor and gain the Emperor's approval. He had been waiting for Lü Xianji to say this.

Lü Xianji was a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Works, holding the authority to submit memorials directly to the emperor. However, Lü Xianji himself was unfamiliar with military affairs and was not proficient in military matters or local defense.

Li Hongzhang may not claim to be an expert in military affairs, but in the past two years he has diligently studied military books and reports, and his insights into bandit suppression and local defense are certainly better than those of Lü Xianji.

They've both gotten what they wanted.

Although Li Hongzhang thought this way, he became even more respectful on the surface: "Your Excellency's loyalty to the emperor and the country is evident to heaven and earth. I am not very talented, but I have some shallow views on the situation in Anhui Province and the matter of local militias."

He no longer concealed his abilities and shared his insights from more than a year of dedicated research.

From the geography, landscape, and customs of Anhui, we discuss the different combat characteristics of the two rebel forces; from the drawbacks of the imperial army's established system, we discuss the successes of the Chu and Gan militias.

When talking about Chu Yong, Li Hongzhang couldn't help but feel sorry for Jiang Zhongyuan.

If we're talking about which militia has been the most successful since the ban on militia training was lifted, then Jiang Zhongyuan's Chu Yong is undoubtedly the one.

During last year's Battle of Changsha, rumors circulated that Jiang Zhongyuan and Bao Qibao joined forces to kill a key leader of the rebels.

Although the rebels kept the matter strictly confidential, there is still no definite information about who the rebel leader Jiang Zhongyuan and Bao Qibao killed by artillery fire in Changsha was.

However, based on the fact that the rebels later established a pseudo-New Western King with a very low profile, Li Hongzhang could easily deduce that the rebel leader killed by Jiang Zhongyuan and Bao Qibao in Changsha was most likely the pseudo-Old Western King Xiao Chaogui.

To be fair, Jiang Zhongyuan's record against the short-haired fighters is not good, but his record against the long-haired fighters is quite impressive.

If Jiang Zhongyuan hadn't been tied down in Hunan by the short-haired Maoists, but instead fought against the long-haired Maoists in Anhui, Jiangxi, and Jiangsu, his achievements would certainly have been greater than they are now.

Anhui needs its own "Chu Warriors," and urgently needs a militia comparable to the Chu Warriors to solve the immediate problem; otherwise, any future rebellions will not be as simple as just occupying some riverside city walls.

Li Hongzhang's analysis was insightful and to the point that Lü Xianji, who knew nothing about military affairs, nodded repeatedly in agreement.

"Brilliant! I never imagined Shaoquan had such insight into military affairs!" Lu Xianji exclaimed, clapping his hands in admiration. "If these insights were written into a memorial to the throne, they would surely move His Majesty's heart!"

"If Your Excellency does not mind, I am willing to do my utmost to draft it!" Li Hongzhang volunteered.

Lu Xianji was overjoyed and immediately ordered his servants to prepare paper and pen for Li Hongzhang.

Li Hongzhang sat upright at his desk, his thoughts flowing freely, and his pen flew across the page. He wrote down everything he had learned in the past two years: the severity of the Nian Rebellion and the Taiping Rebellion in various parts of Anhui, the lack of defenses at key passes, the available resources of the local gentry, and the specific plans for raising funds, recruiting soldiers, and training them... He wrote down everything in great detail and with clear organization.

As dawn broke, the lengthy memorial, containing thousands of words, was finally completed.

Lu Xianji took the book and read it carefully, becoming more and more delighted and excited with each reading.

Compared to his previous empty and meaningless memorials, Li Hongzhang's memorial, though perhaps a bit theoretical, at least contained some substance.

It contains data, analysis, a plan, and steps; it is substantial and indeed better written than the memorials previously submitted by Lü Xianji.

Lu Xianji could almost see Emperor Xianfeng reading this memorial, his furrowed brows relaxing, his approving gaze falling upon him, praising him as a pillar of the state.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Lu Xianji said "good" three times, his face beaming. He quickly picked up his pen and carefully copied a copy, signing his name. Ignoring his fatigue from staying up all night, he hurried off to the palace.

Li Hongzhang watched Lü Xianji's retreating figure, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Emperor Xianfeng was not satisfied with the situation of militia training in various provinces, and rumors were circulating throughout the court that he would send a second batch of militia training ministers.

At present, the rebels are in power, and many people in the court know that Zeng Guofan was beaten by the short-haired rebels and fell into the Xiang River, almost losing his life.

It is evident how dangerous the position of Militia Minister was. Most officials in the capital avoided being sent down to the provinces to serve as Militia Ministers, and Emperor Xianfeng was currently worried about not having anyone to use.

If Lü Xianji were to present this memorial to Emperor Xianfeng, he would not only gain the emperor's favor, but the emperor would also likely entrust him with an important task, sending him to his hometown of Anhui to train local militias.

The current officials in charge of the Anhui militia training are Zhou Tianjue, the governor of Anhui, and Li Jiaduan, the minister in charge of the Anhui militia training.

One of these two men was from Dong'e, Shandong, and the other was from Daxing, Shuntian Prefecture, Zhili. They did not follow Li Mengqun's example and directly engaged in marriage alliances with local prominent families.

Zhou Tianjue and Li Jiaduan did not do a good job in organizing the local militia in Anhui.

Until Sai Shang'a, Li Mengqun, Liu Yuxun and others launched a major attack on Hukou and Pengze, forcing Shi Dakai, the rebel leader in Anqing, to send reinforcements to Jiangxi.

Zhou Tianjue and Li Jiaduan were basically being chased and beaten by Shi Dakai, and they did not win a single battle.

Even though Shi Dakai has been gradually transferring a lot of troops from Anhui to reinforce the Jiangxi battlefield, Zhou Tianjue and Li Jiaduan still failed to recapture Anqing, the capital of Anhui province.

If this memorial were submitted, Lü Xianji would inevitably become Emperor Xianfeng's top choice for the position of Minister of the Anhui Militia.

Lü Xianji is unfamiliar with military affairs, so he will inevitably need to ask for help.

Lü Xianji's most suitable assistant was undoubtedly Li Hongzhang, who, along with another native of Anhui, was appointed Minister of the Anhui Militia through a memorial to the throne.

(End of this chapter)