Usurping the Qing Dynasty: My first love was Cixi

Chapter 18 Su Yi’s gorgeous performance!

After Zhang Yuzhao was shocked, he couldn't help but feel angry and funny.

Su Yi actually competed with him on tactics and strategic vision? The battle of Jiujiang was a sure win, but you, Su Yi, actually said that it would be a huge defeat?

How stupid? !

He, Zhang Yuzhao, was a close aide of Zeng Guofan, and part of the layout of the Battle of Jiujiang was his handiwork.

Who knows better than him?

Who can be more confident than him?

And what does Su Yi mean next to Zeng Guofan? The chicken and dog ascended to heaven, the object of despise by everyone, and Zhang Yuzhao are completely different in terms of literary, Taoist and military strategies.

Zhang Yuzhao's more important task when he came to the capital this time was to make a name for himself in the Battle of Jiujiang, in addition to participating in the provincial examination and joint examination.

Sushun's side, Zaiyuan's side, and even the emperor have heard it many times.

He is also full of absolute confidence, even certainty, in the Battle of Jiujiang.

The battle of Jiujiang must be won, which is the consensus of the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty.

Zhang Yuzhao has repeated relevant arguments countless times, but he doesn't mind repeating them again.

"Your Excellency Su Yi, I have a few questions to ask you."

Su Yi said: "Please!"

"First question, how does Jiujiang City compare with Wuchang City?"

Su Yi said: "Wuchang City is ten times more important and several times bigger than Jiujiang City. The city wall is several times taller and stronger, and it is several times easier to defend and harder to attack."

Zhang Yuzhao said: "Wuchang City is bigger, stronger and more difficult to defeat. But we defeated it. Jiujiang City is smaller and weaker. Why can't we defeat it?"

Everyone nodded, this was almost a consensus.

"This is my first win!"

Zhang Yuzhao continued to ask: "Then I would like to ask Your Excellency Su Yi your second question. You personally participated in the Battle of Tianjia Town. How many naval forces were rebellious in this battle? How many naval forces were in our Qing army? How many were rebellious? How does the total military strength compare with the total strength of our Qing army?”

Su Yi said: "In the battle of Tianjia Town, the Taiping Army was about four times the Hunan Army, and the Taiping Navy was ten times more powerful than the Hunan Army. At that time, our army only had ten gunboats and some speedboats, while the Taiping Army had Four hundred warships."

As soon as these words came out, the whole audience was secretly shocked. None of them expected that in the battle in Tianjia Town, the strength of the two sides would be so disparate. In this case, Zeng Guofan actually won. He defeated the many with less, how powerful it was.

The Battle of Tianjia Town was forced by the emperor. Zeng Guofan really didn't want to fight at that time, and he was completely unsure because the Taiping Army was too strong at the time.

The result was a complete victory and the world was shocked!

Zhang Yuzhao said: "Then what was the outcome of the battle in Tianjia Town?"

Su Yi said: "The Hunan Army won a great victory."

"It was me, the Qing Dynasty, who won a great victory!" Zhang Yuzhao said: "So this time in the Battle of Jiujiang, our army has 35,000 people. Do you know how many people rebelled?"

Su Yi said: "About 15,000 to 17,000."

Zhang Yuzhao said: "Yes, our army is twice as powerful as the rebels. Do you know how many times the navy of our army is rebelled?"

Su Yi said: "In the Battle of Tianjia Town, the Hunan Army captured the main force of the Taiping Navy. Now the main force of the Hunan Army's navy has nearly 200 long dragons, fast crabs, and light boats. The Taiping Army has lost the main force of the navy, which is not enough for you." one third."

Su Yi kept talking about the Hunan Army, which Zhang Yuzhao thought was a cheap stratagem to alienate, but he was too lazy to correct it.

Looking across the audience, and finally staring at Su Yi, Zhang Yuzhao sneered: "In the battle of Tianjia Town, our army only had a quarter of the opponent's rebellion, and the navy only had one-tenth of the opponent's, but it won a complete victory. Now our army It’s twice as powerful as Fa Ni, and the navy is four times as powerful as Fa Ni, but you think you can’t win?”

Everyone present nodded, feeling that this battle must be won, and fully agreed with Zhang Yuzhao's judgment, including Prince Hui and Chong En.

Even Emperor Xianfeng felt that the Hunan Army would win this battle.

Zhang Yuzhao continued: "This is the second victory I am talking about. Next, I ask the third question. Who was the guard of Wuchang that day and what was his official position? And who is the guard who rebelled in Jiujiang today? What is it? Official position?"

Su Yi said: "Wuchang Guardsman Shi Fengkui is the elder brother of Yi Wang Shi Dakai. He was named Guozong by Hong Xiuquan the year before last and later took charge of the Governor-General's Office of the Puppet Heavenly Kingdom. Jiujiang Guardsman Lin Qirong is the twelve right guards of the Puppet Taiping Heavenly Kingdom."

Zhang Yuzhao said: "Who has a higher status, Lin Qirong or Shi Fengkui? Who is more famous?"

Su Yi said: "Of course Shi Fengkui is far greater than Lin Qirong."

Zhang Yuzhao said: "In this case, we won the attack on Wuchang City guarded by Shi Fengkui that day, but you actually think that Jiujiang City guarded by Lin Qirong cannot be defeated? This is the third victory I am talking about."

"From the geographical advantages, to the army, to the navy, to the generals, our army has the upper hand in everything. It used to be a huge victory when it was at a huge disadvantage, but now it can't win?"

Then, Zhang Yuzhao took out a map and unfolded it: "Masters, please see, Tianjia Town is the last barrier in Jiujiang. And Jiujiang City is the largest barrier in the west of the capital city."

He pointed at the Yangzhou area and said: "This is my Jiangbei camp of the Qing Dynasty."

Then, he pointed to the east of Nanjing and said: "This is my Jiangnan camp of the Qing Dynasty."

"The north and south of Tianjing, the rebel capital, have been surrounded. Once we capture Jiujiang, we can go east along the Yangtze River, attack Anqing first, and then seize Tianjing, the rebel capital, to completely wipe out the rebellion."

"So the Battle of Jiujiang is extremely important and is related to the fate of our country, the Qing Dynasty. But the Battle of Jiujiang must be won!"

"This is not only my will, but also the will of tens of thousands of soldiers on the front line, and the will of all the adults in the Manchu Dynasty. It is also the supreme will of His Majesty the Emperor." Zhang Yuzhao said in a cold voice: "I don't know, Su Ye said that he was actually rebellious. Going by the general trend, saying that the battle of Jiujiang will be defeated, do you know what your psychology is, or are you just pretending to be sensational? "

These words were heart-breaking, and he wanted to kill Su Yi at every turn.

Everyone present also reprimanded, and Prince Hui even wanted to give a direct order to expel Su Yi to prevent him from being embarrassed again.

Su Yi said: "Zhang Yuzhao, are you finished?"

Zhang Yuzhao said: "That's it."

Su Yi said: "Then can I say it?"

"please!"

Su Yi said: "First of all, after the victory in the Battle of Tianjia Town, Zeng Guofan's Hunan Army was extremely arrogant and arrogant. After a big battle, they should have recuperated and replenished the army. After the military strength became strong, they surrounded Jiujiang City for encirclement and reinforcements. . But you transferred all the troops to attack Jiujiang, a city that is ten times more important, and only have 2,000 people to defend it. This is the biggest mistake."

"Yes, Shi Fengkui's status and reputation are greater than Lin Qirong's. But that's only because he is Shi Dakai's elder brother. Although Lin Qirong's status is lower, he and Zeng Tianyang have experienced hundreds of battles and won eight out of ten. Your pride and complacency have caused you to lose your correct assessment of the enemy. This is the second biggest mistake."

"Not long ago, there should have been a battle report. Was it the so-called victory at Hukou?" Su Yi said.

Zhang Yuzhao said: "Your Excellency Su Yi is very well-informed. Yes, not long ago, Zeng Gong led the navy to win the great victory at Hukou. The rebellious puppet king Shi Dakai led an army to support Jiujiang City, but his navy was unable to fight. We have lost the mouth of the lake and are leading the remaining troops to flee to Poyang Lake. Our army has sent General Xiao Jieshan to lead more than a hundred warships to rush into Poyang Lake to hunt down the remaining troops of Shi Dakai."

"Foolish, stupid!!" Su Yi shouted: "This is obviously Shi Dakai's plan to feign defeat and lure the enemy deeper. Zeng Guofan was fooled by his sharp command and was fooled again. How many times has the Taiping Army used the same trick, and how many times have you been fooled? "

"The main force of your navy is indeed powerful, with the most advanced Western artillery. You have two hundred ships, dozens of which are mainly Changlong and Kuai Crab battleships. These are large battleships. Because they have advanced artillery, they are suitable for long-range cannons. Boom. There are more than a hundred sampans and speedboats, which are good at close combat and are responsible for guarding the main ships. "

"Now Shi Dakai is pretending to be defeated, and he has blocked the mouth of the lake where Poyang Lake and the Yangtze River meet, and filled it with earth so that the big ships can't pass. You are so blinded by the so-called victory that you despise the navy divisions and let the long dragon and the fast river pass. Crab and other large main artillery warships stayed in the Yangtze River, allowing more than a hundred sampans and speedboats to rush into Poyang Lake to pursue Shi Dakai."

"Shi Dakai not only wants to lure the enemy deep, but also wants to separate the main force of your navy. The only result is that the more than one hundred sampan speedboats led by Xiao Jieshan will be completely destroyed, and then Shi Dakai will lead the navy from Poyang Lake breaks out.”

"The main gunboats of your Hunan Army's navy are unable to move flexibly because of their huge hulls, and are unable to engage in close combat. And after more than a hundred speedboats and sampans led by Xiao Jieshan were all annihilated, your large warships in the Yangtze River lost their protection. They will all be wiped out by Shi Dakai's ships, your navy will suffer an unprecedented defeat, and you will lose control of the entire Yangtze River."

"Then, tens of thousands of people led by Shi Dakai will attack Hubei fiercely. At that time, the entire Hubei will be exposed to Shi Dakai's soldiers, and Wuxue, Wuchang, and Hankou will all fall."

"And when the time comes, the main force of the Qing army surrounding Jiujiang will also become a lone army and will also suffer a disastrous defeat."

"When Shi Dakai pretended to be defeated at the entrance of Hukou, if Zeng Guofan still had sense, he should not have pursued into Poyang Lake and still guarded the Yangtze River. From the moment he ordered Xiao Jieshan to enter Poyang Lake, the outcome of failure was already doomed. "

"You have been making mistakes from beginning to end in this battle."

"Being arrogant and underestimating the enemy is the first mistake."

"Eagerly besieging Jiujiang and ignoring the more important defense of Wuchang City is the second biggest mistake."

"Zhongshida launched a plan to lure the enemy deeper and let the speedboat and sampan troops enter Poyang Lake. This was the third mistake."

"As long as you make one less of these three mistakes, you won't be defeated. But if you make all three mistakes, how can you not be defeated?"

"So this is my judgment. The battle of Jiujiang will be defeated. The main force of the Hunan Navy will be destroyed. All the important towns such as Wuchang, Guangji, and Hankou will be lost. Half of Hubei will fall. I won the previous victories. Everything must be vomited back.”

Su Yi not only judged that the Hunan Army would be defeated, but also explained clearly every detail, every step and reason for the defeat.