Chapter 0002 has caused trouble

Qi Shan inquired: "When you led the troops to engage in battle with the bandits, did you ever investigate the identity of the opposing side"

Qi Shan smiled gently as he helped Wu Qigong to his feet, and said in a calm and unhurried manner: "Qigong, you led the troops into battle, defeated the bandits, and restored the prestige of our army. I will write a memorial to commend you for your achievements at the court."

Li Zheng shouted loudly while raising the bird gun in his hand, attracting the attention of the surrounding soldiers. At this moment, Wu Qigong stopped retreating and cast an appreciative glance at Li Zheng. Wu Qigong also understood the principle of striking a drowning dog, and shouted loudly: "The leader of the bandits has been killed, follow me to kill them back, eliminate all the bandits."

Qi Shan glared at Wu Qigong, then turned his gaze to the other generals and said: "Yang Zhengqing has been killed, and Yang Xiuqing is likely to send troops to attack. What are your thoughts, gentlemen?"

In the central military tent, Qishan sat above, his expression grave

Li Zhen was merely a centurion under Wu Qigong, holding a lowly official position. Even after achieving great merit, he remained a minor official, unqualified to participate in discussions in the tent. Qi Shan's request for Wu Qigong to bring him along was likely related to the bandits. Li Zhen even speculated that the identity of the bandits was not ordinary, which had caused a change in Qi Shan's demeanor.

Li Zhen replied: "I am Li Zhen, a centurion."

Wu Qigong's expression was one of great joy as he said, "My lord, isn't it wonderful that Hetu has killed Yang Xiuqing?"

Wu Qigong approached Li Zhen with a cheerful demeanor and asked, "What is your name and what position do you hold?"

Ah!

Li Zhenhuan joyfully said: "It is all due to the general's excellent guidance that we were able to shoot down the leader of the bandits."

This person lacks significant abilities, but their character is relatively good

They did not immediately retaliate; instead, they carefully observed for a moment, confirming that the commander of the Taiping Army had indeed been killed, before changing their expressions. Their previously grim faces transformed into ones filled with vigor, and they charged back with a show of force. From the highest-ranking Qing generals to the most ordinary Qing soldiers, they were all brimming with confidence, in stark contrast to their earlier retreat.

Li Zhen felt a surge of joy in his heart and immediately shouted, "The leader of the bandits has been killed, attack!"

Wu Qigong believed that Qishan was frightened, and hurriedly threw the bloody head to the soldiers, saying: "My lord, the bandits commit all kinds of atrocities; only severe punishment can deter them. I propose that the heads of the bandits be hung at the camp entrance for public display for three days"

Li Zhen observed the changes in Qi Shan's expression and felt a sudden jolt in his heart, sensing an ominous premonition. For Qi Shan's expression was not one of fear, but rather contained a hint of concern.

Yang Xiucheng's biological brother and books

Wu Qigong approached Qi Shan and knelt on one knee to pay his respects

Li Zhen hurriedly bowed and said: "I am Li Zhen, your humble servant, and I pay my respects to you, my lord"

Li Zhen shook his head inwardly; it was truly remarkable that a leading general was unaware of the situation of the opposing side. It is indeed peculiar for such a general to hold a significant position.

Li Zhen felt even more strange listening to Qi Shan's tone

On both sides below, military generals are seated.

Qi Shan glanced at Li Zhen and said, "He is robust and tall, with well-defined facial features, bright and spirited eyes, and an air of fierceness about him. He is a person of talent and can be cultivated further"

Li Zhen, upon hearing this, truly wished he could dig a hole and burrow into it

Wu Qigong shifted his gaze and pointed to Li Zhen beside him, respectfully stating: "My lord, the success in defeating the bandits this time is largely due to the contributions of my subordinate, the centurion Li Zhen. Li Zhen's marksmanship is exceptional; within a hundred paces, he can take the enemy general's head as easily as reaching into a bag. It was precisely because Li Zhen struck the bandit leader in the head with a single shot that we were able to achieve a smooth victory"

Qi Shan raised his hands in a gesture of humility, while Wu Qigong stood up once more.

Wu Qigong nodded slightly and patted Li Zhen's shoulder as a gesture of encouragement Li Zhen knew that he had entered Wu Qigong's line of sight and that as long as he cultivated a good relationship with Wu Qigong, there would be opportunities for promotion and * maps * books It is now the third year of Xianfeng and there are less than three years until the Second Opium War Li Zhen realized that to turn the situation around, he had to create opportunities for himself

Upon hearing the news of the death of the Taiping army's commander, the Qing soldiers quickly came to a halt

Li Zhen did not pursue the Taiping army after their retreat. He killed the main general of the Taiping army, achieving the greatest military merit. Killing some minor soldiers afterward was merely embellishing his accomplishments and served no real purpose

Li Zhen felt a slight fondness for Wu Qigong, who took on the responsibility single-handedly.

There must be something suspicious about this

Li Zhen did not have the qualifications to sit; he quietly stood behind Wu Qigong. Wu Qigong sensed that the atmosphere was off, feeling quite anxious. However, he could not understand why the atmosphere was so tense, given that defeating the Taiping Army aligned with the interests of the Jiangbei Camp and Qi Shan. Wu Qigong's eyes darted around as he tentatively asked, "My lord, is there something the matter?"

The generals in the army shook their heads and sighed, all casting blameful glances at Wu Qigong

Wu Qigong stood up, but immediately knelt down with a thud, expressing his gratitude by saying: "Thank you, my lord, for your cultivation!"

Wu Qigong smiled and said, "You have made significant contributions by shooting the leader of the bandits; I will personally commend you for your achievements."

Qi Shan said in a deep voice: "Settle the soldiers, the captives, and the books, and then bring Li Zhen to the main tent for discussion"

Qi Shan stared at Wu Qigong, his face devoid of joy, and said with a serious expression: "I inform you that the bandit who was killed is named Yang Zhengqing, the biological brother of the bandit leader Yang Xiuqing"

Wu Qigong felt a surge of joy in his heart and commanded, "Come here, bring me the head of the bandit leader."

Wu Qigong's army returned and halfway through, the news was relayed back to the Jiangbei camp, reporting to Qishan

I, Wu Qigong, the humble general, pay my respects to you, esteemed sir

Li Zhen bowed again and offered a humble greeting

Everyone's gaze turned to Wu Qigong, and Li Zhen felt a slight flush on his cheeks. The deceased was Yang Xiuqing's younger brother, and Qi Shan's concerns were evident. With Yang Zhengqing's murder, it was highly likely that Yang Xiuqing would send troops to attack the Jiangbei camp. Qi Shan indeed needed a victory to boost the morale of the troops, but with Yang Zhengqing's death, it would be difficult for Qi Shan to manage the aftermath.

The term "bandit" refers to the Taiping Army

When the army arrived at the entrance of the camp, Li Zhen noticed an elderly man, over fifty years old, standing outside. This person's official attire was distinctly different from that of ordinary soldiers, adorned with an embroidered crane, a garment reserved for high-ranking officials of the first rank. In the entire Jiangbei camp, only the special envoy Qi Shan held the title of a first-rank official, leading Li Zhen to conclude that the elderly man was indeed Qi Shan

Qi Shan suddenly exclaimed, his eyes widening, and a trace of panic flashed across his face

As soon as the words were spoken, the quiet tent immediately became noisy

A bullet took the life of the main general of the Taiping Army

In a single battle, the Taiping Army suffered over 3,600 casualties, with more than 1,600 soldiers captured. However, the Qing soldiers also incurred over 1,800 casualties, which can be described as a significant loss

Wu Qigong's body was stiff, with a smile that seemed forced, and he felt extremely awkward. After finally achieving a great accomplishment, he found himself with a hot potato. Wu Qigong sighed softly in his heart but did not blame Li Zhen. He stood up and said: "My lord, Yang Zhengqing has already been killed. If Yang Xiuqing sends bandits to attack, I will take full responsibility to fend them off."

Wu Qigong led the army in pursuit of the Taiping forces, but soon called off the attack and began to clear the battlefield

The soldiers, having lost their will to fight, turned and fled upon seeing the Qing army charging at them like wolves and tigers

After a brief moment, the soldier brought over the head of the Taiping army's commander. Wu Qigong took the bloody head, waved it in front of Qi Shan, and said with a smile: "My lord, this is the head of the bandit leader, and there is still a blood hole on it"

Wu Qigong shook his head and said, "In response to your inquiry, my lord, I do not know who the other party is"

The main general of the Taiping Army was killed, and the troops immediately fell into disarray