Qing Dynasty Secret History

Chapter 60 Wang Xiangguo’s Death Reported to Junyu’s Imperial Envoy

Within a few months of talking and agreement, the British made waves again, causing a big trend.This matter, at the beginning of the peace talks, there was a minister with blazing eyes in the court, who had already expected it.This minister, for this matter, even lost his life.This man's surname is Wang, his name is Ding, his style name is Dingjiu, he is a native of Pucheng, and he lives in Wenyuan Pavilion.Shan Beizi asked for permission to do business, and Wang Zhongtang just returned to Beijing from the Donghe survey. He heard that the governor of Guangdong had a move to cede land and pay money. The previous chapter said it was absolutely impossible.Xuanzong asked Mu Zhang'a, and Mu Zhang'a said: "If you start to burn cigarettes, you won't get the price of the cigarettes, and the foreigners will not stop fighting. The combination of disasters and troops is not a blessing for the people. Besides, there are many military uses, and the soldiers are endless. The fear of loss is not limited to this. Foreigners who have won the military benefit will definitely be grateful to God, and there will be no more accidents. As long as the trade is prosperous, the tariffs will definitely improve. The five or six million silver will be restored in just one or two years. came back."

Xuanzong nodded.Wang Zhongtang knew that Mu Zhang'a had bewitched Shengming, so he invited him to fight against him.Xuanzong couldn't refute him with half a word, so he got up and said: "It's getting late, I should go back to the palace."

Wang Zhongtang met and said: "The emperor please listen to the minister's speech before returning to the palace."

Xuanzong ignored him and just left.

Wang Zhongtang was in a moment of urgency, unable to keep up with the etiquette of the emperor and his ministers, he walked forward on his knees, holding Xuanzong's clothes and said: "Please listen to what I say, what I say today is related to the rise and fall of the country, and the growth and decline of Yi and Xia."

Xuanzong entered without evidence.Wang Zhongtang was full of loyalty and anger, and had nowhere to vent.Back at home, with the door closed, I made a hasty note, every sentence in the note was blood, and every word was tears, expressing Mu Zhang'a's treachery and negotiating failures vividly and heartily.After writing the omission, he took off the sweat towel, and quietly hanged himself to death.He just wants to imitate Shi Yushi's remonstrance, enlighten the emperor once he dies, and save the country's crisis.When the family members found out, they frantically poured water to rescue him, how could he wake up with water rescue!
When the news came to Mu Zhang'a's ear, Mu Zhang'a was startled and said: "Ding Jiu seeks death, it's nothing to do with me. As soon as this omission comes out, my official will also be ruined in his hands."

Rubbing his hands and stamping his feet, he was so anxious that he had nowhere to go.When I was in a hurry, I suddenly reported to the military plane Zhang Jing and Nie Yun asking to see him.Mu Zhang'a said: "I'm not feeling well, but there's another guest here, and this guest is too ignorant, so let's go back and finish."

The family members responded with two "yes" and withdrew.After a while, he came in again and said: "Master Nie said that there is something important and confidential, so we must go back to Zhongtang face to face."

Mu Zhang'a murmured: "It's a confidential matter, what is it? Let him come in."

Temporary family introduction.Seeing Mu Zhang, Nie Yuan asked for his greetings, and then said, "Wang Zhongtang is vacant, does Zhongtang know?"

Mu Zhang'a said, "It's fine even if he's dead, I just hate that he's still against me when he's dying."

Nie Yun said: "What Zhongtang talked about, dare it be because of that legacy?"

Mu Zhang'a said: "You know it too. Do you think he is hateful or not?"

Nie Yun said: "Wang Zhongtang is really stubborn. But his legacy must not touch you in the slightest. Your old man is as safe as a rock."

Mu Zhang'a said: "Perhaps you know the temper of the boss, he died so pitifully, no matter what, you have to watch it a little bit. Originally, it was eighty percent credible, but now it has to be tenth.

What's more, the superiors reluctantly agreed to the peace negotiation. "

Nie Yun said with a smile: "Zhongtang thinks deeply about it, so it's not what I expected? But this will only be known after it is played up. If someone gets stuck in it, or replaces it, and the superior doesn't see it, How would you know?"

Mu Zhang'a said: "Where is there such a good person in the world, I didn't ask him to make it up for me quietly."

Nie Yun laughed and said, "I dare not accept the gold award, it was Wan Sheng who made up for Zhongtang."

Mu Zhang's smile spread across his face, unconsciously forgetting his appearance, he blurted out: "My son, you are so filial, I will love you very much from now on."

Nie Yuan heard that his face was as shameful as a hozen's butt, and it was pitifully red.

Mu Zhang felt it, and said casually: "I was so happy for a while, that I treat you like your own son. Don't be ashamed."

Nie Yun said: "That's something I wish for, how dare you be ashamed!"

Mu Zhang'a said, "How did you hold on?"

Nie Yun said: "Wansheng was replaced. Wansheng heard that Wang Zhongtang had hanged himself, so he knew there must be a reason for it. He hurried to see Wang Zhongtang's son, Wang Fu, holding the suicide note and crying there. Wansheng read it Once I passed it, I knew that the future of Zhongtang would be greatly hindered by this booklet. I had a plan in mind, so I said to him: "As soon as this booklet is posted, a disaster will happen to your family. The superior and the honored man were not very agreeable. What's more, this time The draw was originally the meaning of the superior, and Mu Zhongtang was just following his will. The Zunweng left no effort to slander Mu Zhongtang. This is not to slander Mu Gong, but to slander the emperor. When the emperor is angry, the Jun family is afraid that there will be serious It's a big disaster." Mrs. Wang, after being so frightened by Wansheng, really didn't dare to submit the will. Wansheng was at his house, and drew a pen for him. He took out the real one and told them Reported a sudden illness and died, and concealed the death by hanging."

Speaking of this, he took out a memorial from the boots and said: "This is the left ink of Dingjiu Xiangguo."

Mu Zhang'a received it, read it from the beginning to the end, and said yesterday: "It's very dangerous! It's very dangerous! Old Nie, I will never forget your kindness for the rest of my life. I don't have anything else to thank you for. There are two exams in the guild hall, one for the guild and the other for the number one, I always asked them to leave it to you."

Nie Yuan was so happy that his eyes lined up, he couldn't stop thanking him.

It turned out that this Nie Yun was a selected student from Jingyang. He got the first class in the imperial examination and was selected as the head of the household department.Shangke Shuntian Township Examination, and passed the mid-level examination again.So Mu Zhang'a allowed him to win two prizes.Unexpectedly, good dreams don't come often, and icebergs are hard to rely on.When it came to the trial period of the Ministry of Rites, Mu Zhang'a gave him a joint, and told the four presidents and eighteen fellow examiners.But among the examiners, there is a stubborn censor who likes to play left sex, but Nie Yuan's papers are distributed in his room, and he hides them.When the list was set, the four presidents looked at each other in astonishment, and discussed searching for the leftover scrolls according to the room. When they found this room, the censor said: "I was not careful on a certain night, and one scroll was burned to the ground. After the list is released, it is not allowed." Don’t ask me to discuss it.”

Everyone can do nothing for him.It's a later story whether you won't get two yuan in the meeting.

But regarding the peace situation in Guangdong, Yishan did not agree with Elliot that the coastal provinces would not interfere any more. It seemed that Guangdong was from Guangdong, and China was from China, all irrelevant.So within a few months of reconciliation, they abandoned their good friends to seek revenge again.The provinces in the southeast suffered from military disasters for nearly two years, and this was all successfully taken care of by Chengshan Beiziqing.When the peace situation was not settled, none of the officials in the southeast advocated conquest. Yan Botao, the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, and Yuqian, the imperial envoy, were filled with resentment and loyalty.Please move Yan Zhitai to Xiamen and increase troops to defend.The original official of Yu imperial envoy was the governor of Liangjiang. Xuanzong knew that he was loyal and diligent, so he was appointed as imperial envoy and went to Zhejiang to handle foreign affairs.Imperial envoy Yu took up the post in Liangjiang, seeing Yilibu backing down step by step, he was very angry.Now that I am an imperial envoy, I can carry out orders as soon as I have the power in my hand.Hearing the news of the peace talks in Guangdong, he immediately protested in a chapter. The main purpose was to say, "Yili has ulterior motives. If you hand over Dinghai's theory, you may be deceived by him. Please order Shouchun to mark the officers and soldiers and continue to move forward."

According to the imperial edict, it is very true that after the foreigners captured Dinghai, they burned, looted, and poisoned the living.All our soldiers and people are determined to share the same hatred, and people think of the enemy.Yuqian went to Zhejiang this time to fight against rebels with obedience, drive away guests with the master, and defeat the few with the crowd.I look forward to the minister's quick performance of skin merits and rewards.This is it.

When imperial envoy Yu received this decree, his spirit of killing the enemy and achieving results was immediately revived tenfold.It's a pity that there is no large group of enemy ships in the ocean of Zhejiang Province, only Dinghai and Zhenhai and one or two British ships, which come and go from time to time, make the imperial envoy Yu hate it so much that he ordered all the land and water troops to meet the British ships. Must try to burn.Capture the British ship and foreign chief, and reward him heavily.It has always been said that under heavy rewards, there must be brave men.It was his bad luck that the British ship went to Zhejiang.The ships were detained, the people were captured, and the Yu imperial envoy used the method to solve the foreigners, regardless of whether they were soldiers or generals, merchants or civilians, and they were skinned and executed in one case.The skinning method is the cruelest. Use a small knife to cut the man's head into several slits, then pour the mercury down, and pat the whole body until there is no place in the skin that is not satisfied. Grab the cut skin, forcefully pull it off, and immediately peel it into a bloody man.As far as humanitarianism is concerned, this is a very bad thing.However, imperial envoy Yu is only trying to please himself at this time, so who cares about inhumanity?In the past few months, I don't know how many foreigners he has stripped alive.Before the anger was vented, the soldiers and civilians were ordered to search for the corpses of foreigners and set fire to them.This behavior spread to Guangdong, and the British were very angry and vowed to retaliate.

After the Guangdong Central Peace Bureau was completed, it was ordered to dispatch officers and soldiers from Baoshan, Zhenhai and other places to observe the situation and withdraw them as appropriate.Imperial envoy Yu was angry like a mountain, and he said to the left and right: "There have been so many accidents in the Central Plains, and I don't know where I died."

While talking, a corner of the official document was sent in from outside, and it was from Guangdong Consulting.When I took it apart and looked at it, I saw that it said, "The British will move their troops into Zhejiang and report their hatred for skinning and exhuming their corpses. Now I have heard that there are newly arrived steamer ships that will go to Zhejiang as soon as they are ready. I hereby advise and take strict precautions" and other words .Imperial envoy Yu said: "The draw is really unreliable, but the imperial edict ordered me to lay off the defensive troops. I want to obey the order, and there will be accidents in the local area. I have to keep the local area safe, and I am afraid that I will commit the crime of violating the order again. Now I have no choice but to It's a request.

"He picked up a pen and wrote a manuscript, which was copied and published. The main idea is that "the foreigner is in the name of commerce, and commerce has a certain wharf."Since Yishan and the others are begging for God's favor, they should take care of the overall situation and make a firm offer with them.As a once-and-for-all solution, it is absolutely impossible not only to let him withdraw from Humen, but also to follow the principle of disturbing other provinces.Now that there are rumors about going to Zhejiang, why don't you ask the foreigner for clarification?Turning to another line of advice and strict prevention, as a result, there are different rumors in the coastal provinces, and the rumors are getting more and more serious.

Not only are the officers and soldiers dispatched from the provinces withdrawn, but the residents and others also share the same hatred and give up their careers.Should the order be ordered to order Jingni General Yishan and others to question the foreigner strictly, are they sincerely begging?Or is it still a step back?Let all the provinces follow it, and the ministers will be too scared to stand by." Imperial envoy Yu thought that after this memorial arrived in Beijing, Xuanzong would be furious and question Yishan greatly. He was so angry that he was stunned and couldn't say a word. All civil and military officials came to express their condolences, and Yu Qin said: "Come and see, this decree is clearly written by Mu Zhang'a. "

When everyone looked at it, they saw that it was written: the foreigner went to Zhejiang to make trouble. It is a rumor, so where can we find out its origin?And if you don't want to succeed, there is no reason to spread the teaser first.Yuqian still obeyed the previous order and abolished the officers and soldiers dispatched from Zhejiang as appropriate, so he didn't have to be confused by false rumors, so as to waste money and pay for the teachers.This is it.

Everyone said: "Jiuzhong is far-reaching, how can we know the things outside? We are outside the foreign language, and we have preserved the place, so we can discuss other things."

Envoy Yu said: "The situation is forcing, so it has to be like this."

So he ordered to set up a festival and headed straight for Zhenhai.Just arrived in Zhenhai, then the sea ship alarmed: "British generals Pu Dingcha and Guo Shili led a large group of warships, and went straight to Xiamen. Yan Zhitai mobilized the water and land battalions at the entrance of Gulangyu Island, fired artillery to resist, and sank five British ships in succession. Steamboat warships, a large group of British ships are still unwilling to retreat."

Envoy Yu said: "It's amazing, the foreigner's attack on Xiamen is just a name, and his idea is probably still here with us."

Ge Yunfei, the general soldier of Dinghai, Zheng Guohong, the general soldier of Chuzhou, and Wang Xipeng, the general soldier of Anhui Shouchun, each commanded [-] soldiers in their town, and went to Dinghai to guard against the British.

He commanded the strong garrison troops in Jiangning and the elite soldiers in Xuzhou Town to defend Zhenhai.On the one hand, he consulted Yu Buyun, the admiral of Zhejiang, and Liu Yunke, Futai, Zhejiang, and told them to observe the situation and prepare accordingly.After the arrangement was finalized, a surprise report came again, saying: "Xiamen fell, the British attacked Haikou, and shed their boats and landed. The Xiamen army was defeated and collapsed. Jiang Jiyun, the commander-in-chief of Jinmen Town, was bombarded into the sea by foreign artillery to protect the fort. Lieutenant Ling Zhi of Yanping and Wang Shijun, the capital of Zhunkou, all died in battle. Yan Zhitai collected the remnants and retreated to Tong'an. Now a villager named Chen in Xiamen has united [-] militiamen and is fighting with the British soldiers. .”

Imperial Envoy Yu said in surprise, "There are police in Xiamen, so it's even more dangerous here."

Everyone is puzzled.Imperial envoy Yu said: "I am the only one the British want and are willing to get. Xiamen is just a stop along the way. It's the south wind, when the ocean tide is strong, and Xiamen is close to here. The boat is sailing. When the morning comes and the evening comes, why shouldn’t I be surprised?”

In just a few days, the heroes of the three towns have been transferred.Gezhentai in Dinghai Town, Zhengzhentai in Chuzhou Township, and Wangzhentai in Shouchun Township are all dressed in robes and gowns, holding on to their manuscripts, and throwing them at Xingyuan.

Yu imperial envoy heard the news and ordered to open the middle door to meet him in person.It turns out that Ge Zhentai, whose name is Yunfei, whose style name is Lingtai, was born in Shanyin, Zhejiang Province, and was a Jinshi of Daoguang Guiwei Kewu. In the 19th year, Ding's external difficulties were overcome, and the change of Dinghai last year, the Dafu Zhuanzhao asked Duoqing to recover.Ge Zhen Taigong is skilled in Taoism and is good at writing. He is actually a Confucian general who throws songs into the pot.In the lobby of the Township Office, he wrote a pair of words. His speech said: "Bow with integrity, accept people with sincerity; do things only with loyalty, and decide with courage."

The brushwork is very strong.Wang Zhentai is from Zhili, and Zheng Zhentai is from Fujian.Seeing such preferential treatment, the three guards were all surprised and resigned: "A certain class is humiliated under his command, how dare he be so handsome!"

Imperial envoy Yu said: "The country has a lot of troubles, and it all depends on your efforts. I am not taking over the commander in chief, but a loyal minister and righteous man who will take over the country's efforts."

When the three towns heard this, they were all relieved.

After receiving the reception from the flower hall, Emperor Yu ordered the kitchen to hold a special banquet to clean up the dust for the three town halls.While killing cattle and horses, reward the soldiers of the three towns generously.When the wine was half drunk, imperial envoy Yu said to the three towns: "Dinghai is the Pingfan of the whole province. I entrust Dinghai to the three. The survival of the whole province rests on the shoulders of the three."

The three towns all said: "I am willing to defend the island of Dinghai with all my strength. If I have a breath, I will never let the British set foot on Dinghai."

Imperial envoy Yu said: "Man is determined to conquer nature, I know the three of you will always be able to hold on."

Follow-up question: "When will the three go to the defense?
"San Zhentai said: "Let's take a day off today and start tomorrow. "

Envoy Yu said, "It's very good!"

After finishing speaking, he got up and went inside to change clothes.He came out again for a while, took out three secret seals, and distributed them to the three people: "In this king's seal bag, each has a clever plan to defeat the enemy. The three of you can only read it when you have to."

The three accepted it gladly, and Xi scattered back to the camp.

It was easy to pass the night, and at dawn the next day, the soldiers of the three towns took a sea boat and went to Dinghai by riding the wind and waves.Imperial Envoy Yu felt a little relieved, and said to Mu You: "There are people in Dinghai, and I have to go and inspect the situation here for a week."

Now go to Jinji Mountain first.Jinji Mountain Guard General Xie Chaoen was originally the commander-in-chief of Langshan Town in Jiangsu Province. He has strict discipline, his troops are prudent, and his defense is quite strict.Envoy Yu was delighted, took Xie Zhentai's hand, and looked at the future from place to place.Occasionally, I looked up, and suddenly saw a white flag flying high above the head of the camp on the opposite bank, waving in the wind there.Imperial Envoy Yu asked in surprise, "Where is the other side?"

Xie Zhentai replied: "The other side is Zhaobao Mountain."

Envoy Yu said, "Isn't Yu Buyun guarding Zhaobaoshan Fort?"

Xie Zhentai answered "Yes".Imperial Envoy Yu said, "It's also the luck of the country!"

After saying such a sentence, he let out a long sigh and fell silent.

After reading and watching, Envoy Yu said: "Every entrance of this mountain is still tightly guarded, but there is no one guarding the Shaxie Ridge behind the mountain. I think this place is also very important."

Xie Zhentai answered "Yes".Envoy Yu said: "Brother plans to go to the Empress of the Emperor Guan in the morning to pay homage to the swearing-in master. I must invite Yu Titai and my elder brother to accompany the sacrifice there. All the people in the camp, regardless of their official positions, must come."

Xie Zhentai answered "Yes" again.Imperial envoy Yu asked a few more words, and then returned to the courtyard in a sedan chair.At the moment, a military order is issued: the generals of the battalion will gather in Tianhou Palace tomorrow and wait for the swearing-in. "

He also sent someone to inform Titai Yu Buyun.

The next day, at five drums of talent, imperial envoy Yu had already got up to wash, put on some plain clothes, put on official uniforms, and came to Tianhou Palace in a sedan chair.When I went there, I saw countless sedan horses resting at the gate of the gate, and I knew that all the officials and supervisors had arrived.The imperial envoy warmed the sedan chair before entering the gate, and many military officials, such as the chief soldier, deputy general, Canyou, chief commander, etc., lined up to greet them by roll call.Imperial envoy Yu nodded with a smile, and when he looked at him coldly, he was surprised to see Yu mentioning the platform.After getting off the sedan chair, he asked Xie Zhentai, "Isn't Yu Titai here yet?"

Xie Zhentai said: "Yu Buyun sent Wu Bian here, and he wants to tell you about Jieshuai."

Then Tiyuan Wubian came up to salute Qian'er, and replied, "Jie Shuai'an is called by the military gate. Today, I swear to be a master. The military gate originally wanted to come, but because of the Bailu Festival these few days, my leg had a problem and I couldn't salute. , the special agent marked down and said handsomely."

Imperial Envoy Yu was very uncomfortable, and he said to the crowd: "It's because I'm an oath teacher, but because I'm sick. I know the real god, and I can't afford to be worshiped by Yu Junmen."

Everyone dared not answer.Imperial envoy Yu asked if all the sacrifices had been made?The Chinese military officers are all ready.Envoy Yu said, "Tell them to set up the display, and let's worship God and swear an oath."

For a while, he said, "All the sacrifices have been set up, please ask the commander-in-chief to offer incense and worship God."

Imperial envoy Yu said to the crowd: "Let's go up to the palace."

The imperial envoy Yu took the lead, followed by the Zhenxie Canyou and others.Walking to the main hall, I saw three large wooden shelves lined up horizontally, on which were all cattle, sheep, and pigs. Yuqin almost lit incense candles, offered wine, and respectfully knelt down to the statue. According to the grade, stand in a row.Imperial envoy Yu knelt down, and everyone knelt down, and suddenly the room was filled with darkness.Imperial envoy Yu took out the oath and read aloud: July 21, Daoguang?On that day, the imperial envoys of the governor of Liangjiang and the generals of the civil and military forces punished animals and sprinkled wine, and swore to the god of the Queen of Heaven, saying: Zhejiang Ocean, with Haizhen as the key point, and Dinghai hanging overseas alone, is not a place to defend.Zhenhai is in danger, and it will be shocking. The few left today make an appointment with the soldiers, and dare not use retreat as a word to take a step away from Zhenhai County;Knowing that there are those who do not want to die, they will be punished according to the canon, and they will be killed by the gods.

I swear.After recitation, kowtow and sprinkle wine.After hearing the oath, everyone was terrified.Xie Chaoen and Huang Yanzhong, the general soldiers of Wolf Mountain, Wang Zongbin and Xie Tianpei, the commander-in-chief of the guard Wang Wanlong, Lin Geng and Wu Tingjiang, the foreign committee members, were five or six people who were loyal and sincere. Hatred.

The sacrificial offering is over, and each returns to the camp.Imperial envoy Yu was very unhappy.Muyou met and asked why?Imperial envoy Yu said: "Foreign warships, the red flag is displayed for war, and the white flag is displayed for war.

I saw a white flag hanging on the Zhaobao Mountain guarded by Yu Titai, and I couldn't figure him out, so I made an oath to see him.As expected, he had two minds, and when he was about to sacrifice, he said that he had a leg problem, so there was no need to ask about things after that. "

When I returned to the camp, I was studying Taoism and Jing, and suddenly I saw the word "Liufang" engraved on the stone beside the Panchi. I couldn't help but beat my heart, and said: "In case of any misfortune, please tell my old family that it is in this pond." It's time to collect my body.

"All the friends in the curtain gave good words of comfort, and Yuqin sent a little relief.

That night, the drums from the ruined gates were passed on to report the military situation, saying that "Ge, Zheng, and Wang three townsmen smashed the British army in Dinghai, smashed the masts of the British ships, wiped out three thousand Western soldiers, and captured two foreign generals alive." Members, the British soldiers were defeated according to the situation, and they all retreated out of the mouth."

After hearing this letter, Zhenpeng Wenwu went to Xingyuan to celebrate.Imperial envoy Yu was not overjoyed, and when everyone saw it, they were all surprised.

If you want to know how depressed imperial envoy Yu is, let's listen to the next chapter.

(End of this chapter)