Chapter 007: The official recommends a person

The officials exchanged glances, uncertain of how the governor was actually considering the matter

As he spoke, his gaze swept restlessly over the group of officials. Those officials who had just been speaking confidently now lowered their heads one by one, unwilling to utter another word, fearing that the magistrate would call upon them.

It would be better to send a military force to reinforce Hanyang; even if Hanyang is lost, at least the lord can provide an explanation to the court. It is not that we are unwilling to obey orders, but the Long-haired rebels are exceedingly fierce!

What is Xiang Rong? Merely a general who has faced repeated defeats. He has been dismissed by the court twice and exiled to Xinjiang. If it were not for the strong recommendation of the esteemed envoy, Lord Sai Shang'a, and the grace of the Emperor, it is likely that your esteemed Lord Xiang Rong would now be farming in Xinjiang

Many people are speculating in their hearts that perhaps this military officer encountered the solitary long-haired rear general Lai Guangwei on his way, which is why he took advantage of the situation

Chang Dachun listened and believed it to be true, frequently nodding and repeatedly saying

Currently, the bandit forces are formidable. If they capture Yuezhou, they will inevitably divide their troops into land and naval forces. The land troops will certainly advance directly towards Wuchang, first attacking locations such as Boyu Mountain, Hongshan, Xiaogui Mountain, and Zijing Mountain, in order to cut off any reinforcements to Wuchang.

This is a trivial matter, not worth mentioning. There is no need for the esteemed official to take it so seriously. Shuangfu merely relies on the Emperor's great authority, and his subordinates follow orders, achieving success by mere chance.

There was a person whose official rank was low, yet he was braver than the three armies. When the lord of Shuangjunmen was besieged by three thousand bandits, he remained calm in the face of danger. While the lord of Shuangjunmen executed the treacherous bandit Lai Zhai, this individual personally killed more than ten rebels. If this person could be promoted despite his rank, he would surely be able to resolve the crisis in Hanyang

Chang Dachun nodded repeatedly: "This statement is indeed true; I think the same way. However, the commanding officer leading the team must be a valiant and capable general..."

The Double Army Gate has just entered Wuchang, and the deeds of slaying the rebellious bandits are known throughout the city, especially that Zhang Zhen under the Double Army Gate, a young hero; when he does not act, it is one thing, but when he does, he can surely make the bandits flee at the sound of his name

Xiang Rong? Xiang Rong! Shuang Fu laughed twice, displaying a look of disdain on his face

The military gate was originally under the command of the governor of Jiangnan. It was through my earnest petitions to the Emperor that the military gate was retained in Hubei. It seems that heaven is destined to assist me in achieving success; Hubei is fortunate, and Wuchang is fortunate!

Looking at the various officials who also find it incredible, Shuangfu feels quite pleased with himself

What? The military gate actually defeated over three thousand of the Long Hair with just two hundred men?

"Scoundrel, audacious!" Shuangfu, filled with rage, stood up and rebuked, "It was merely a sudden outbreak of banditry, and our Great Qing was unprepared. Now, with His Majesty personally overseeing the matter, our soldiers are devoted, united in purpose, and we can eliminate the bandits in no time!"

However, these individuals have also guessed incorrectly; this pair of blessings has never seen any long hair at all

Unless there are unforeseen circumstances with the waterways, the landing will undoubtedly occur at Parrot Island, launching a fierce assault on Hanyang, with the aim of encircling Wuchang by both water and land routes. If Wuchang stands alone as a solitary city, how can it be defended?

"Your Excellency, I would like to recommend someone!" Liang Xingyuan said, slightly bowing and glancing at Shuangfu.

Chang Dachun sighed, seemingly somewhat relieved

"Military Gate!" Liang Xingyuan stepped forward and said: "Lord Xiangrong has led over ten thousand troops to pursue the bandits and will arrive shortly. As long as we hold Wuchang and Hanyang, we can certainly form a pincer attack against the Longhairs! I predict that as long as we can hold out until Lord Xiangrong arrives, the bandits will surely be defeated"

It is not necessarily required to hold steadfastly

Moreover, since the spontaneous banditry began, what victories have we, the Great Qing, not achieved?

Both of you have valid points. Wuchang must be defended, and Hanyang also needs to be saved; otherwise, losing Hanyang would not be good for the court to explain. However, the military strength in Wuchang is limited, so we must consider this carefully

The aura of double blessings made him grit his teeth in anger, wishing he could draw a knife and cleave this person on the spot, but in the presence of the governor, he could only forcefully swallow his rage for the time being

What does the military commander mean by this? Although Commander Xiang has previously suffered a setback against bandits, he has also achieved remarkable military accomplishments, having executed over 2,000 bandits. When the bandits attacked Wuchang, all units hesitated and did not advance, but only Commander Xiang urged the soldiers to march day and night to support Wuchang. He is indeed a pillar of our Great Qing, a support that holds up the sky, not to mention...

At present, the military forces in Wuchang are insufficient to defend the city, how can we further assist Hanyang? Dividing our troops in this manner plays directly into the hands of the Long-haired rebels. I believe that this plan proposed by Governor Liang is absolutely unfeasible

The Governor of Hubei wore an expression of disbelief, his lips even trembling slightly: "It is said that the Longma are incredibly fierce, yet before the military commander has even arrived in Wuchang, they have already displayed their might. Chang Dachun will undoubtedly report to the court to commend the military commander for his achievements"

However, the governor Chang Dachun was a peacemaker, and he hurriedly intervened to stop the two, displaying a look of distress

This person is Zhang Zhen, the chief of external affairs under the command of Shuangjunmen! Liang Xingyuan cast a cold glance at Shuangfu

One is indeed placing a tall hat directly upon one's own head; if one were to speak out, it would only risk displeasing the governor. However, in the future, as long as there is an opportunity, one will certainly not let this person go

Shuangfu let out a disdainful cold snort

At this point, this governor also spoke somewhat indiscreetly

Chang Dachun is an honest man, and it sounds quite credible, yet those officials from Hubei each discreetly curled their lips.

I believe that it is necessary to dispatch a military force and assign a capable officer to rush to Hanyang under the cover of night, in order to sever the two routes of communication for the rebels. Given that Wuchang and Hanyang are mutually supportive, this is the only way to potentially alleviate the difficulties faced by Wuchang

It can be said that winning battles is quite common, but for 200 people to decisively defeat 3,000 is indeed highly questionable

The officials below burst into laughter, and Liang Xingyuan's face turned bright red

Shuangfu's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately knew who Liang Xingyuan was referring to; this was clearly intended to make him look bad

Since there is such a young hero, it is a fortunate event for both Wuchang and our court. Sir Admiral, please quickly invite that young hero here to discuss matters. I wish to meet this remarkable figure in person and see what kind of charismatic individual he truly is

At this moment, the Governor Liang Xingyuan said

The noise grew louder here, and Zhang Zhen, who was standing at the door waiting for the summons, heard it clearly. He felt quite unconvinced in his heart, thinking that Xiang Rong was far more capable than your Shuangfu Admiral. Even the combined strength of the two Shuangfu might not necessarily be a match for Xiang Rong!

Some officials below have already begun to chuckle secretly; a minor foreign minister has, in Liang Xingyuan's words, become a rare young hero, both in heaven and on earth. This is clearly a satire on Shuangfu's inflated military achievements.

Liang Xingyuan also realized that he had misspoken and did not dare to argue with Shuangfu any further, blushing as he stepped aside

Yet Chang Dachun was still somewhat bewildered: "Are there such talents under the command of the Admiral? I wonder who it is?"

Mingshan understands best what the governor is thinking, and hurriedly said

The governor Ming Shan, however, was not as confident as the Grand Governor, and said: "Although the military leaders are heroes, our troops will certainly strive to defend the city. However, the garrison in Wuchang consists of only a little over 3,000 men. Additionally, the reinforcements from Hunan, led by generals Chang Lu and Wang Jinxiu, number over 1,000, along with the militia, bringing the total defending force to just over 10,000. It will be quite challenging to hold Wuchang under such circumstances"