Guan Zhuofan rushed to Kunshan urgently, although he had something to do, but he was not as urgent as a spark. He left, of course, for another reason.

"Shijie, I'll leave it to you here." Before leaving, he called Ding Shijie and Daniel Zhang to Mudu and secretly instructed, "The good dramas in Suzhou City, one after another, we Xuanjun just watch, don't jump on the stage to perform." ”

"Yes." Ding Shijie thought to himself, the show is naturally about long-haired infighting, but one after another, what is it? I can't ask more, "Boss, will Gao Yongkuan surrender?" ”

"Fraud or non-fraud, who knows, anyway, everything is presided over by Li Futai. If Gao Yongkuan opens the city, just enter, if there is a long hair to vote, just contain, in short, everything is guarded, don't steal the limelight of the Huai army. ”

Robbing the limelight of the Huaijun was originally the thing Daniel Zhang was most happy to do, but now that the boss said no, he muttered a little unwillingly, until Guan Zhuofan glared at him fiercely, and he was honest. Guan Zhuofan finished explaining this matter, and was escorted by a battalion of horses sent by Daniel Zhang and set off for Kunshan.

From Suzhou to Kunshan, I walked for half a day on a 60-mile road, and as soon as I entered the county seat, I first went to the telegraph room.

This telegram was sent to Zhao Jingxian, asking him to see how Bai Qiwen and Liu Yulin's injuries were recovering.

Both of them were wounded in the Battle of Shanghai - when the Xuan army counterattacked Nanhui County, Bai Qiwen led his troops to fight for the earthen fortress outside the city, and was pierced into the left rib by a spear. Liu Yulin's injury was during the attack on the Chuansha Hall where Li Rongfa was guarding. Lead the death squad to seize the city. The body was wounded by four wounds. He also lost his left hand.

Fortunately, there is the church hospital in the concession, which has been carefully treated and slowly recovered, and after more than half a year, although it cannot be said that it has recovered as usual, it is no longer a major problem.

Since there is no big problem, then Guan Zhuofan is welcome, and it is a day later. The second telegram was sent, asking Bai Qiwen and Liu Yulin to be escorted by the Xianzi Regiment stationed in Shanghai to report to him in Kunshan.

This time, Zhao Jingxian was puzzled - although the injury was not a big deal, after all, he was not in a good position, so he was in such a hurry to transfer them, why? However, he could no longer send a telegram to ask questions, so he had to pass on the order.

Bai Qiwen and Liu Yulin themselves were very happy. With a sentry from the Xianzi group, he set off from Shanghai the next day. They were all in the ranks. I have been bored in the hospital for a long time in the past six months, and now I finally have such an opportunity, which is naturally exciting, although I am in a hurry, my spirit is becoming more and more vigorous.

Just when Guan Zhuofan was transferring people by telegram, in the Huai army camp in the north of Suzhou, Li Hongzhang was pondering on his forehead. Since Li Zhaoqing reported that Guan Zhuofan had left Suzhou, he still hasn't said a word.

Can a young man in his twenties really be smart and alert to such an extent? He pondered in disbelief.

Gao Yongkuan's surrender and dedication to the city is a great thing, but after reading the letter written to him by Guan Zhuofan and seeing Gao Yongkuan on Yangcheng Lake in person, he has already made up his mind: Gao Yongkuan, these eight people, must be killed!

Surrender is surrender, and the conditions put forward are too harsh -- 40,000 surrendered troops should be divided into half of the city to defend, possess four gates, and train 20 battalions, these are already unacceptable, and as for asking for eight real shortages, it is even more fantastical! Don't say that you and Guan Zhuofan can't give it, even if it is Prince Gong of the Two Palaces, he doesn't have the ability to find eight vacancies to place them at once.

But with such conditions, Guan Zhuofan wrote it in a letter and sent it to himself. However, when he was going to do it, he went to Kunshan again, so that the reputation of "killing and surrendering" should not be borne by himself?

"No, no," Li Hongzhang finally spoke, shook his head, and said to himself, "If he can predict the prophet and guess that I am going to kill Gao Yongkuan, and deliberately avoid it, then he will be too smart." ”

"Second brother, do you mean Guan Yixuan?" Li Zhaoqing asked puzzledly, "I don't think he can hide from this matter -- his letter to us, in black and white, is clear, this is not a mountain of evidence in an ironclad case?" If it is said that he has to be responsible, it is naturally he and his second brother who share it! ”

"Iron case like a mountain?" Li Hongzhang smiled slightly bitterly, "In people's letters, it is nothing more than relaying Gao Yongkuan's words, affirming that 'don't dare to be self-dictatorated, please Futai is the master'!" Hehe, Futai is in charge, and the credit has to be shared with half of the fantai. ”

"Why do you want to give him half of it?" Li Zhaoqing was not convinced, "Since the second brother is in charge, then the credit for winning Suzhou should naturally belong to us." ”

"In the end, he first approached Gao Yongkuan." Li Hongzhang shook his head and said, "This is going to use what you just said, people have this letter, it is really written in black and white, and the iron case is like a mountain, who can take the credit from him?" ”

Li Zhaoqing opened his mouth, and couldn't think of words to argue.

"Forget it, these are all stubbles, don't worry about it." Li Hongzhang's eyes shot out a cold light, "You go and pass my order, and order Gordon to lead the Changsheng army to move to ...... Xinyang, simply go farther. Chuan Cheng Xueqi, Liu Mingchuan, Guo Songlin, come to the big tent to listen to the order! ”

*

*

Tan Shaoguang's head has been sent by Wu Guiwen and Zhang Dazhou to the Huaijun camp. Among the eight gates of Suzhou, there are four gates wide open, and the two armies of Xuanhuai enter the city from the north and south respectively, draw a dividing line in the east city, divide the east city into two, and garrison them respectively.

Xicheng is still entrenched by 40,000 Taiping troops, the banner remains the same, the uniform color remains the same, and there is no appearance of surrendering troops at all. Under such strict barriers, the city of Suzhou was divided into two halves, and the atmosphere was tense and strange.

On the morning of the eighth day, Cheng Xueqi came, entered Xicheng, found Gao Yongkuan, and said that he was overjoyed.

"Second brother, there is already news, the real shortage of the eight of you has been decided!" The two of them burned incense and worshipped the handle, and Cheng Xueqi was six years older and was the eldest brother. "You are the chief soldier of Fuyang Town, Wang Anjun is the chief soldier of Nangan Town, in short, everyone is not in vain!"

Gao Yongkuan has been looking forward to it for many days, this joy is not trivial, but he feels that life is proud, nothing more than this, and immediately passed on the good news, and Xicheng was thunderous.

"Big brother, it's all thanks to your care, brother can have today!" Gao Yongkuanzhi said proudly, "How can I thank you?" ”

"My brother, what do you say thank you for?" Cheng Xueqi had a happy look on his face, and said with a smile, "The messenger who announced the decree will arrive at noon today, Futai said, set up an incense case in my camp to welcome the messenger." Call them all up, and let's go! ”

So Gao Yongkuan, Wang Anjun, Wu Guiwen, Zhou Wenjia, Wang Youwei, Fan Qifa, Zhang Dazhou, Wang Huaiwu, a total of eight people, with a guard of 1,500 people, followed Cheng Xueqi to the Kaizi camp in the north of the city. As soon as I entered the camp gate, I saw Li Hongzhang with a spring breeze on his face, standing at the door to greet him.

"Greetings to Lord Zhongcheng!" Gao Yongkuan realized that he was already an official of the imperial court, and hurriedly took out the etiquette that he had practiced.

"Don't dare to be, General Gao Bing, please get up," Li Hongzhang said with a smile, "You are the head town of Zhejiang, I don't dare to accept your courtesy." ”

Fuyang General Soldier is a subordinate officer of Zhejiang, Li Hongzhang said this, Gao Yongkuan had no doubt in his heart, and the group followed Li Hongzhang to the big tent set up at the back of the camp, only to see that the incense case had been placed, and on the other side of the big tent, a large round table was also set up, and the cups were complete, presumably for the sake of catching the wind for the Qin Mission.

What is tempting is that on a long case next to the incense case, there are eight sets of brand-new second-grade official uniforms neatly arranged, and on each set of official uniforms, there is a big hat, and the flowering coral top beads inlaid on the hat are white and dazzling. The eight people were originally pretending to be reserved, and they didn't want Lord Futai to look down on it, but at this moment, they couldn't help but peek at the top one, and their hearts were itching.

"Let's sit down and have tea first." Li Hongzhang pressed his hands and invited eight people to join Cheng Xueqi, and sat at the round table with him. Li Hongzhang's eloquence was excellent, and he talked and laughed freely, gradually relieving the nervous and shy mood of the eight people. While he was talking, an errand ran in from outside the big tent and knelt down to say goodbye.

"The Qin Cha has arrived at the camp gate, please go and greet Lord Zhongcheng!"

"Oh, so fast." Li Hongzhang stood up happily, "A few people, please wait here, Fang Zhong, you also go with me to greet you." ”

Cheng Xueqi agreed, got up with a smile, hugged Gao Yongkuan a few times, and went out with Li Hongzhang. The remaining eight of the "Nine Tai Sui" were restless, thinking about what kind of etiquette they should take to greet them when the Qin messenger came in for a while.

Who knows that Li Hongzhang has gone, and there has been no news for a long time. After a long while, I heard a crowd of footsteps outside the tent. The eight people hurriedly stood up, but saw the curtain at the door of the big tent open a corner, and a person came in to take a look, and then retracted again.

The eight were very strange - is this too undignified? Then I saw the curtain move again, and a bright red tasseled spear stretched out.

*

(Two more sent, ask for a ticket, xiexie~)

*(To be continued......)