Chapter 146: The Northern Front War

The battlefields of Jingbei were intertwined. Zeng Guofan deployed heavy troops to guard the dangerous areas, and those who won the Central Plains won the world. Xiangfan "connected Ru Road to the north, led Qin and Shu to the west, blocked Huguang in the south, and looked at Guanyue in the east". His dangerous strategic position has always been a must-fight for military strategists.

The guards of Xiangyang was Zeng Guofan's arm, Bao Chao, and he was also the only remaining backbone of Zeng Guofan's new army. The backbone of the new army in Xiangfan area was Bao Chao's Ting Army, and he was also one of the most fierce branches of the Hunan Army. He killed people and slaughtered the city and was extremely brave.

Bao Chao is not only brave, but also good at using his brain. When he was fighting the Taiping Army in the past, he established a hollow square formation, which was a series of gunfire techniques, and once defeated Chen Yucheng's troops. Now he has more and more firearms. Bao Chao has even made famous craftsmen and created "jumping" at the end of last year. This mine is to load an iron-cast circular mine into a wooden cabinet. The lower part of the wooden cabinet is filled with gunpowder to connect the mine fuse. The wooden cabinet is equipped with a fire device. When using it, first bury the wooden cabinet underground, place a overturn next to the wooden cabinet, and connect it to the fire device in the cabinet. Once the enemy accidentally steps on the overturn and pulls the fire device, the gunpowder will explode, and the mine in the cabinet can be thrown up to seven or eight feet high, and explode in the air. The killing range can reach a radius of dozens of feet, which is extremely powerful.

Before the Spring Festival, Bao Chao used this kind of lightning to severely damage a part of Pingyuan Army, and then defeated and annihilated thousands of people. Although he later learned that this armed force was Pingyuan Army's auxiliary militia musket team, this victory was undoubtedly a heart-warming agent for the Hunan Army on the battlefield in Hubei.

Bao Chao also became famous and was awarded the title of "Botong'ebatulu" by the six kings. He was promoted to the admiral of Hubei and was granted the title of First Class Viscount and Yiyunqiwei.

Zeng Guofan was extremely relieved to let Bao Chao guard Xiangyang and guard the dangers.

Bao Chao's admiral yamen was temporarily set up in the house of a large family in Xiangyang. The original owner was driven to a side house and did not give him a penny. At this time, how could the rich family dare to speak?

Bao Chao is known for his ruthlessness. His eyes are like poisonous snakes. It makes people shudder when he stares at people. In the past, he killed people and set fires, and did everything he did. The Ting Army massacred the city, and it was really no different from the beasts.

Many people in Xiangyang know that his armed forces are now occupied by a house, and they have not made excuses to kill all the houses. The owner of the house has burned incense and worshipped Buddha.

The war in Hubei was in a tense situation. Although there was no sign of Pingyuan Army activity in Xiangfan area, the gate of Xiangyang City was closed, and only opened for one hour every day. The pedestrians were checked and strictly checked. It was noon now. An old lady carrying a vegetable basket was forced to search by soldiers, and the vegetable basket was thrown aside. The green vegetables in the basket were even trampled by the soldiers in the city.

The villagers who lined up in a long queue behind all looked at this scene with anger, but they dared not speak out.

There are not many pedestrians on the streets in Xiangyang City. On the most prosperous long street in the past, the strong wind blew, and the long wooden signs creaked, making them look desolate.

The teahouse in front of the Admiral Headquarters may be the most lively place in the entire city. The second-story small wooden building, and the first floor is Sanwen Hall, as the name suggests, the lobby, a bowl of hot tea for three cents.

There are many officials from the Admiral's Office in the lobby. On this terrible autumn, even when the tea guests in the teahouse keep their voices to the lowest point, as if they are afraid of being heard by others.

Zhang Yougong was the Admiral's Office's Office of the Admiral's Office. He sucked tea and whispered to his colleagues about the imperial examination in the southern country. He heard that the provincial examination was delayed because of the outbreak of the war in the north and south. The provincial examination began last winter. Now the 860 juren have gathered in Jinling to participate in the final palace examination. In addition to the three-level palace examination, there were fifty Jinshi. I heard that it was to directly enter the central government office of the Government Affairs Council to collect scholars.

When it comes to Zhang Yougong, the imperial examination in the southern country, he sneered at it, and he was simply ignorant.

However, my colleagues admired him very much, looked envious and said in a low voice: "Chengxuan, let me tell you my heart, if I was in the southern country, I could be appointed as a juren, which would be a hundred times better than being a scribe in the Admiral's Office. We will be a scribe for the rest of our lives, but we are also a minor official. People, who are like officials, can be promoted as an official. It is true that you say that this yamen is not all the minor official who does things?"

Zhang Yougong blinked his eyes and said nothing, saying that he was different and he was not planning to do anything. You actually said such a ruthless thing. When I report to the general, I will see if you still want your bad mouth.

Zhang Yougong stood up and said goodbye. Dr. Cha came over with a smile and said, "Master, Sheng Heng costs ten cents."

Zhang Yougong glared at his triangle and cursed: "What is not open to the eyes, isn't you tired of living?"

The shopkeeper hurried over, reached out to slap the clerk, and smiled at Zhang Yougong and said, "Third Master, he is new and new, don't be as good as him. Look at me, look at me-!"

Zhang Yougong rolled his eyes and walked out of the teahouse cursed.

The shopkeeper spitted at his back and returned to the counter.

The sun was scorching outside, and Zhang Yougong had just left the teahouse when his waist was suddenly pushed by a hard object. He turned around and saw a man in cloth standing behind him, sweating and stinking, staring and scolding: "Get out!"

The big man grinned and thrust his mouth.

Zhang Yougong looked down and immediately took a breath. The black revolver gun pressed against his waist. He had seen this thing and pulled the trigger, but the rockery could knock down half of it.

"Master, don't joke, which battalion of military master are you?" Zhang Yougong laughed, his mind turned around, thinking about whether he would offend the military master in the Ting Army.

"Borrow a step to speak." The big man still smiled.

Zhang Yougong followed him into the narrow alley with a sad face.

...

When the gunshots rang out suddenly, Bao Chao was drinking with the newly-acquisted concubine in the Houya. He could no longer remember how many women he had possessed. There were only twenty or thirty concubines who had passed by. If he got tired of playing, he would give them away. In his eyes, women were no different from cats and dogs, and they were even worse than a yellow-haired dog he had raised for many years.

"What's going on?" Bao Chao shouted to the outside.

The door was suddenly kicked open, and several burly men rushed in. Without saying a word, they pointed their guns at Bao Chao and then hit them.

Before Bao Chao could even react, several blood holes appeared in his chest. The concubine screamed, then she was shot on her forehead and she screamed and fell down.

The first joint operation between the Pingyuan Army Special Land Regiment and the Office of the Internal Affairs.

In the throat-high town of Jiangbei, the Interior Office almost has an intelligence team that has been in operation for many years. Xiangyang can be said to be the most successful intelligence point. Its internal line even penetrated into the Admiral's Office, and there were two intelligence personnel who helped the kitchen.

The Lu Qin Group also developed an armed organization in Xiangfan. A few months ago, more than a hundred Lu Qin team members disguised themselves as if they were to Xiangyang Prefecture.

Using the inside of the Admiral's Office and Zhang Yougong, the number one figure in the signing room, was poisoned and mistressed, and Lu Qintuan rushed into the Admiral's Office almost without any effort.

The Flying Tigers used the Decapitation Operation only once against the Taiping Army. Now, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and more than a few months of preparation, the weapons are more sophisticated, and the individual soldiers are more sharp, and the use is more sophisticated. Bao Chao was completely unprepared and was immediately hit by a blow.

In the city, gunfire sounded like rain. After the city gate opened, the heavy infantry commando of the Lu Qin Regiment, who had already ambushed outside the city, rushed to Xiangyang City like a sharp knife.

1,500 heavy infantrymen, each equipped with a new Guangzhou-made model, improved the efficiency of the bridge clamp, 8mm caliber, and a maximum effective range of 1,200 meters. Compared with the prototype gun, the accuracy and accuracy are partially improved, the firepower is stronger, and the supply failure rate is greatly reduced.

The heavy infantry each hung special bullet belts, wore steel helmets, and was covered in cold air. After 1,500 people rushed into the city, they immediately rushed to the important places in the city in three directions.

Amid the fierce gunfire, although the three commandos were strongly resisted by the Ting Army, they advanced very quickly. After the sudden attack came, the Ting Army in the city immediately lost all fighting spirit and fled one after another.

Almost overnight, Xiangyang City changed its flag, and when Xiangyang changed its ownership, the news of Bao Chao's death reached Zeng Guofan's tent at Danjiangkou. The God of War, who had already been mobilized overnight, almost completed the encirclement of Zeng Guofan's troops.

Losing the East Wing Barrier, Zeng Guofan made a quick decision and immediately ordered the entire army to retreat, which avoided the catastrophe.

However, on the way to escape west, he still encountered the Second Infantry Regiment of the Harrich army, who arrived first. In a fierce battle, Zeng Guofan led the remaining troops to break through, retreated for hundreds of miles, and retreated to Xi'an.

The Ting army, which had no heads in Xiangfan, was partially encircled and annihilated by Shenbao, and the remaining troops fled into the Dabie Mountains.

At this point, the Southern Dynasties restored the entire territory of Hubei, and the front army of Harichi's troops pointed directly at Shaanxi.

During the fierce battle in Jingbei, Zheng Zewu also launched an offensive against Senggelinqin, which was actually more of a restraint, so as not to rush westward to help Zeng Guofan.

At the same time, forty infantry and artillery battalions of Su Hongniang's troops pressed into the Shandong battlefield.

The Xiangfan Campaign was unprecedented in shock to the northern country. The successful beheading operation of the elite heavy infantry in the Southern Dynasty directly led to the complete victory of the entire battle after paying a very small price. The Hunan Army suffered the first fatal blow to the southern country in Jiangnan. This was the second time on the battlefield in Hubei, and the vitality was hard to recover.

The six kings of Beijing City knew this since then, and from then on, the original Hunan Army was no longer a force that the court could rely on.

Subsequently, the Regent of the Southern Dynasty issued a letter to the national people, calling on the governors of all provinces to recuse themselves. Those who rebel in the past will not blame others and resist to the end will be severely judged by the South.

A few days later, Li Songjie, the governor of Hanzhong in Shaanxi, led the camp and militia to surrender, raised the Dragon Banner of the Southern Dynasty, and swore allegiance to the Southern Dynasty. Then, the prefectures and counties in Sichuan, including Baoning, Long'an, Songfan, etc., followed suit.

The Sichuan Governor Zeng Wangyan wrote a secret letter to Ye Zhao, and Zhao Sanbao forwarded the telegram to Ye Zhao, proposing the conditions for the uprising, retaining his command of the green camp, and he continued to serve as the governor of Sichuan, etc.

Ye Zhao thought about generating electricity to Zhao Sanbao after repeated attempts, and ordered him to attack Chengdu.

Although I once hoped that Yan Ruo surrendered, it was a benchmark for the governors of various provinces, which could induce them to leave the northern camp and divide and defeat them in the future. It would be better than to make a fuss everywhere now. The general trend of the world is certain, and it would be easier to deal with them.

But the Western Expedition Legion is in Sichuan. It is safest to measure the pros and cons of the situation. If Wangyan proposed this condition to surrender before the establishment of the Western Expedition Legion, it would be acceptable.
Chapter completed!