The soldiers of the First Field Division of the Chinese Army shouted and charged, and their momentum was as if they were overwhelming.

"Brothers, hurry up!"

"Kill!"

The shouts of killing are shocking.

Xuan Jianzhang held up the telescope and was amused: "There are no ones anymore, why are they shouting so loudly?"

Chief of Staff smiled and said, "Brothers, be happy."

Yi Li was going to go to bed, but the Chinese army didn't attack for a long time, so he couldn't hold on, but now he has command. Moreover, this battle was moved at his suggestion, so he was embarrassed to go to bed.

Yi Li was embarrassed to leave, and Prince Chun could only accompany him.

The two princes fell asleep on the staff's table. At this moment, they were awakened when they heard the explosion and shouts of killing.

"How is it? How is it?"

The two of them came over with their sleepy eyes.

Xuan Jianzhang laughed, "The two princes will go to bed. I told you that I don't have to worry. Our First Field Division of the Chinese Army, even if only cavalry is dispatched, will still win."

Yi Li nodded, took a telescope and looked at it, "It seems that Zuo Zongtang has already escaped."

Xuan Jianzhang smiled and said, "We are all people from all directions, and we only leave them a way to the west."

Prince Chun yawned and said, "Teacher Xuan, have you won? If you win, I will go to bed. Don't you have to hurry up today, right?"

Yi Li smiled and didn't say anything.

Xuan Jianzhang smiled and said, "If you are rushing to the road, you have to ask the Prince of Ji. I am only responsible for executing the orders. Now, everything is up to the Prince of Ji."

Yi Li smiled and said, "Teacher Xuan, don't be so polite. I just suggest you, if you have a big idea, you should ask Teacher Xuan to take it."

Xuan Jianzhang said seriously: "Prince, I'm really not polite. This is the president's order. The president's order is more imperial than the imperial edict. Any order from the president will be willing to complete with passion."

Seeing Xuan Jianzhang's serious look, Yi Li nodded and said, "Teacher Xuan, take Baoji, let's go to the city to rest? Don't drive Zuo Zongtang too urgently. If we don't drive him, he will negotiate with Dong Fuxiang. If we drive too urgently, he will turn against Dong Fuxiang. In my opinion, if Zuo Zongtang and Dong Fuxiang turn against each other, Dong Fuxiang may not necessarily fight back. But if Zuo Zongtang and Dong Fuxiang negotiate, it will easily make Dong Fuxiang angry."

Xuan Jianzhang did not like Yi Li to analyze people's hearts as much as Yi Li, and said with a smile: "Whether you arrange it with the Prince of Li, Prince of Li said he would rest. The person came and sent an order, we went to the city to rest. Now, there is no power from Zuo Zongtang in the whole of Shaanxi. I reported to the President's Secretariat and said that Zuo Zongtang's remaining troops had all fled to Gansu."

"Yes, the division seat." A guard saluted.

Yi Li himself was actually worried about himself. If he talked casually, and Xuan Jianzhang would not listen, then he would not have much responsibility. Now the First Field Division of the Chinese Army has used his suggestions as an order, which would have to scare him. Who knows what will happen after Zuo Zongtang enters Gansu?

It depends on Dong Fuxiang now. Yi Li was really afraid that Dong Fuxiang would turn against him again and ran with Zuo Zongtang.

Zuo Zongtang fled to Tianshui City with more than 2,000 cavalry overnight. He had no choice but to do anything. Dong Fuxiang did not respond for a long time, and none of the people he sent came back.

Although Zuo Zongtang himself knew that Dong Fuxiang would definitely not let him go, there was nothing he could do now.

On the third day, just as the Chinese Army's First Field Division rested for three days and slowly began to move towards Tianshui City, Zuo Zongtang's troops arrived at the important road outside the city of Tianshui City.

Here are the checkpoints where Dong Fuxiang sent heavy troops to conservatively.

"Let your General Dong Fuxiang come out to see General Zuo!" A Zuo Zongtang's personal guard stepped forward and shouted loudly to the sentry.

"Okay, wait a moment." The sentry agreed and immediately went to report to the battalion officer.

The camp officials did not dare to neglect and hurried to the city to repay them.

There are a thousand people in this defensive checkpoint sent by Dong Fuxiang. If Zuo Zongtang insists on leading troops to rush over, it is not impossible. It is more troublesome. At least more than half of the troops will be lost. Zuo Zongtang still wants to meet Dong Fuxiang. At least Dong Fuxiang will not disregard his old master. This is Zuo Zongtang's idea.

The key point is that Dong Fuxiang placed a brigade of thousands of people in and outside the city, supporting each other. If he wanted to attack for a strong force, the losses of half of the people might not be able to pass.

Dong Fuxiang heard that Zuo Zongtang's army had arrived. Although there had been a long time ago that the horses had already reported the itinerary of Zuo Zongtang's army, Dong Fuxiang was still surprised. He hoped that Zuo Zongtang would not come, but Zuo Zongtang still came, "I just said that I was sick and could not go to see him outside the city."

The camp officer had no choice but to come back and tell Zuo Zongtang that Dong Fuxiang was sick.

Zuo Zongtang and Liu Jintang were both furious. Dong Fuxiang surrendered to them. They hugged Dong Fuxiang's life! They were ungrateful!

"What a villain." Liu Jintang cursed softly.

Zuo Zongtang waved his hand, "Stop talking."

Zuo Zongtang said to the official in the camp: "You go and tell Dong Fuxiang again, I, Zuo Zongtang, come to the city alone to visit me!"

"Master General?" Liu Jintang said worriedly, "You can't take such a big risk. At worst, you can rush over. If you enter the city alone, Dong Fuxiang will definitely imprison the Master General and ask for rewards."

Zuo Zongtang sighed and said, "Don't say anything more, what does my life and death count alone? If I can make my brothers sacrifice their lives less now, why not take away the head of my Zuo Zongtang?"

Liu Jintang sighed, "Master, don't go, I'll go!"

Zuo Zongtang glanced at Liu Jintang and shook his head, "It's not impossible for you to go, but you are too tough. I'm afraid that after you go, I will immediately question Dong Fuxiang. At that time, it will be a big deal. Dong Fuxiang's character is not bad, so I'd better go there myself."

"Master, I promise you that I will never! I can kowtow to him, Dong Fuxiang, right?" Liu Jintang knelt down to Zuo Zongtang. No matter how dissatisfied, these iron-boned generals still know how to be grateful and know how to repay kindness.

Liu Jintang's father Liu Hourong joined the Hunan Army and was shot dead by the Taiping Army in Yuezhou (now Yueyang).

From the purpose of "appointing his father's revenge", Liu Jintang joined Liu Hourong's troops at the age of 15. After that, he followed his uncle Liu Songshan to fight in Jiangxi, Anhui, Shaanxi and other places, participating in the suppression of the Taiping Army and the Nian Army, and earning merits to Taoist ranks and becoming a young general who rose up in the old Hunan Army.

Under the influence of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Uprising, Hui people in Shaanxi, Gansu and other places held uprisings one after another, and the Qing army was defeated repeatedly.

In 1867 (the sixth year of Tongzhi), the Qing court appointed Zuo Zongtang as the imperial envoy to supervise the military affairs of Shaanxi and Gansu and led troops to suppress the Huimin uprising army.

In June 1869, the Qing army's military front pointed directly at Jinjibao, an important base of the Gansu Rebel Army.

Zuo Zongtang took Liu Songshan’s old Hunan Army as the main force and launched a fierce attack on the Jinjibao area.

Due to the active defense and combat of the Hui Rebel Army, the Qing army's food transportation was not continued and progressed slowly.

On February 14, 187o, Liu Songshan, the commander of the old Hunan Army, was shot dead by the rebel army, and the morale of the Qing army was greatly reduced.

In order to cope with the crisis, Zuo Zongtang appointed Liu Jintang, who was the prime minister of the old Xiang army at that time, and proposed two plans for his choice: "stay" and "retreat the garrison". Liu Jintang judged the situation and believed that "stay" and "retreat the garrison" were not desirable, and insisted on continuing to attack. He suggested to Zuo Zongtang: "Our army goes deep and lacks food and does not fight hard, and the thief will take advantage of me. Lingzhou is lost in the morning and evening, and the overall situation will be unsupported" (He Weipu: "Book of Liu Xiang's Divination History", page 3), "We must kill our strength, and then the army can be fully equipped." This opinion was agreed by Zuo Zongtang.

According to the recommendation of the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, the Qing court ordered Liu Jintang to take over the old Hunan Army left by his uncle. He was only 26 years old this year. Ma Hualong surrendered under Liu Jintang's fierce attack, and Liu Jintang also obtained the position of Yunqiwei for his military achievements. More than a year later, he captured Xining and Suzhou (now Jiuquan) and was assigned to act as Xining Road, Gansu.

In order to inspire morale, Liu Jintang summoned the generals to inspire: When our military achievements were achieved, we were unfortunately going to be defeated. You are all veterans who have followed my uncle for many years. Do you have the heart to stop the army? After unifying the thoughts of the generals, he placed Liu Songshan's coffin in the military camp, aroused everyone's revenge and continued to attack the Jinji Fort area. At the beginning of the following year, Ma Hualong, the leader of the Hui Muslim Army, occupied Jinji Fort.

Liu Jintang is a son of the old Hunan Army supported by Zuo Zongtang, and the relationship between the two is very deep.

Zuo Zongtang helped Liu Jintang up, "Don't do this, Jintang, since you insist on going, you can go, okay?"

Liu Jintang stood up with red eyes and bowed deeply to Zuo Zongtang, "I know that this time the relationship is important. If Dong Fuxiang doesn't let us go, even if he rushes over, he will still be caught up and eaten by the Hua army chasing behind him because of his great weakening of strength! So, our Chu army will take a look at this."

Zuo Zongtang nodded and said, "It may not be possible that we can go back and fight with the Chinese army to have fun! If we can win, I think Dong Fuxiang should not make things difficult for us anymore."

Liu Jintang's eyes lit up, "Master, then let's turn around? Fight with them. Dong Fuxiang is so arrogant. To be honest, I really don't want to see this person."

Zuo Zongtang sighed, "You don't understand that if we fight against the Chinese army, even if we win, there will definitely be less than 500 people left. Such a little power will not be welcomed anywhere. Moreover, the remaining brothers of our current life are old brothers who have experienced many battles. As long as they can be brought to a safe place to accumulate strength again, these two thousand people can instantly become 20,000 people!"

Liu Jintang nodded. It is easy to recruit soldiers, but the key is that these middle-level generals who lead soldiers are all wealth. "Master, I understand, I will go to the city now!"

Zuo Zongtang said to Liu Jintang's camp official: "We General Liu will go back with you, do you think you can?"
Chapter completed!