Chapter 159 Zuo Zongtang

Three Kingdoms, Ji Han.

Zhuge Liang fanned himself and shook his head repeatedly, with regret in his eyes.

"The success and failure are both due to the farmers."

"It's not easy for them to get to this point, but in the end, they are just a group of farmers. It's too easy for them to be swayed by interests and power, and even brothers will turn against each other."

Ming dynasty.

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at the words imprinted on the sky, and his hand involuntarily placed on a broken bowl.

He sighed softly, "If he insists on speaking for the people and doesn't go astray, maybe he can really copy the path I have taken."

"Unfortunately, I believed in the wrong religion and took the wrong path."

Great Qin.

Ying Zheng looked at the words appearing on the sky with deep eyes, seeming a little profound.

“Since the hero of the times is not Hong Xiuquan, then who is it?”

The emperors of various dynasties continued to look at the sky.

They have discovered that this is an extremely dark and chaotic era.

But it was also an era in which talented people emerged in large numbers.

It was at this moment that new words appeared on the sky.

【After the opium war, the ambitions of overseas countries began to emerge, and they attempted to further plan for the Central Plains. The Japanese aliens in the East were plotting to take over Taiwan, and Tsarist Russia was ready to make moves in the Western Regions. The Qing court was weak and could not take care of the overall situation.】

[With foreign tribes watching covetously from outside, and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom burning, killing and looting from within, the Qing court was in chaos, and the people were living in misery.]

[When the country was lost, someone was unwilling to see the great country sink, and wanted to save Daxia from collapse and turn the tide. He rose from the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and rose from an aide to prime minister within three years.]

[Later generations called him "the first great man in the past five hundred years" and his colleagues called him "the best in the world today". He carried the coffin and led the troops to conquer one-sixth of the country's territory.]

At this moment, talented and ambitious people from all dynasties looked at the words on the sky with their eyes widened in disbelief.

The greatest man in five hundred years?

The best in the world today?

To recover one sixth of the territory for a great country?
The evaluation is very high, and he deserves it.

Soon, the picture emerged.

At that time, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had not yet begun and Hong Xiuquan was still a farmer.

The only major issue that the court is concerned about today is the opium war after the Battle of Humen.

Lin Zexu, the hero who destroyed opium in Humen, was exiled to Yili.

That night.

A small boat passed through southern Hunan and sailed towards Xingcheng.

The two met.

Sitting at one end of the boat was Lin Zexu, and sitting at the other end was the still unknown Zuo Zongtang.

This was the first time the two met, but they felt they had met too late and talked about major events in the world since ancient times.

"There may be someone who can resist the Southeastern barbarians, but you are the only one who can conquer Xinjiang in the west!"

Lin Zexu, who was already 65 years old, looked at Zuo Zongtang with gentle eyes.

"The world is in chaos and the court is corrupt, but the hope of a great country cannot be destroyed in our generation! In the future, Tsarist Russia will surely become a great threat to the Western Regions!"

"I am old now. I have the ambition to resist the Russian Empire, but I am afraid that I will never achieve it. I have been looking for talents for the country and the court for many years. Now I am handing this important task to you."

Lin Zexu's voice was very soft, very soft, as if he was speaking to Zuo Zongtang, but also as if he was speaking to himself.

The night was slightly cool, and their figures were reflected on the lake.

It's like completing the handover of an era, or like entrusting an orphan to someone else.

At this time, Zuo Zongtang had not yet made a name for himself, but the heavy responsibility of the times weighed on his shoulders like a mountain.

Zuo Zongtang was very silent. He said nothing, but his eyes had become determined.

His spine is straight, like a flag standing tall in this chaotic world.

During the night talk on Xiangjiang River, the two had a quick conversation, but it left behind many historical certainties.

An important night talk that changed the destiny of China!
Heaven will give great responsibilities to this people!
Great Qin.

Ying Zheng stood up from the dragon throne, his eyes filled with unconcealable shock.

"It turns out that the rising figure of this era is not Hong Xiuquan, but this person!"

"Zuo Zongtang!"

Western Han Dynasty.

Liu Che looked deep in the eyes and muttered to himself.

"The inheritance of an era..."

Amid the lightning and thunder, more words appeared.

[In a hopeless dynasty, four famous ministers emerged. They launched a vigorous movement, which opened the eyes of this sleeping great country and made it witness the ever-changing world! ]

Datang.

Li Shimin's eyes were complicated and he fell into deep thought.

For some reason, after watching Lin Zexu and Zuo Zongtang's night conversation on the Xiangjiang River, two words emerged in his mind.

【inherited.】

This word is beautiful. It represents hope and the flame is not extinguished.

The current tragedy and corruption require such people to appear and dispel it.

"Zuo Zongtang..."

Li Shimin murmured Zuo Zongtang's name slowly, as if he was talking to himself, or as if he was talking to the ministers behind him, his voice was very soft.

"The text proves that he will create a stir in the future. Even though he is still in the mountains and has not yet come out, he will be the last pillar of the Qing Dynasty!"

He stared at himself in the bronze mirror, his temples already slightly gray. "Everyone is fearless and brave, and everyone is fighting bravely, facing death. Is the country of the future really so attractive?"

Behind him, Wei Zheng, Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji also felt that the times were changing.

This country is clearly beyond salvation. If it falls into their hands, they may choose to give up.

But there is a group of people who still firmly believe that light will come and darkness will eventually dissipate.

"Your Majesty, glory will eventually be created, and they are all willing to be the steps leading to glory..."

After a long while, Wei Zheng said softly.

……

In fact, it was not just Li Shimin. Ying Zheng, Emperor Wu of Han, and Zhu Yuanzhang were all looking forward to the true heroes of the era to create waves.

At this moment, words appeared on the sky.

[The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was just a small wave in this dark tide. Although it caused some waves, it was not much.]

[But just this little wave is enough. ]

[Because he was a famous official of his generation, he rose to power because of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and Zuo Zongtang's name was well known throughout the court and the country. ]

The picture emerges.

Zuo Zongtang, who was already the governor of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, went south to conquer Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

In just four years, the 49-year-old Zuo Zongtang led his army to sweep across the Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas.

The talents of the generals began to show.

But there was no joy on Zuo Zongtang's face. On the contrary, it looked very serious.

He looked into the distance, not the capital, not the northeast, but the Western Regions.

"Sir, I succeeded...but I never forgot..."

Zuo Zongtang now had an obscure and complicated book about the Western Regions in his hand. It was given to him by Lin Zexu during the Xiangjiang Night Talk.

Now Lin Zexu has passed away, and the once mediocre and lonely scholar has become the Governor-General of Fujian and Zhejiang.

"Sir, you are right. The Western Region will become a great threat in the future, but this will not prevent me from moving forward."

He murmured to himself as he stroked the Western book.

Great Qin.

Ying Zheng looked at the contents on the sky curtain, his face expressionless, he just muttered to himself.

"A true genius will not be buried by the world. He did not break his promise."

Lin Zexu did not make a mistake in choosing the right person. The descendant he chose officially took over his mantle.

Western Han Dynasty.

Liu Che's eyes darkened slightly, and a gleam of light shone in his eyes.

"This person is close to being a monster! But this is not his limit..."

He is very good at reading people.

There are countless people in the world who pursue fame and fortune.

For power.

Leave your name in history!
But he could see that Zuo Zongtang was not like that.

He wants this country to become completely strong!
On the sky curtain, the text still appears.

[In 1865, Yakub Beg raided the Western Regions and established the Khanate. At this time, the remnants of the Taiping Rebellion had not yet been eliminated in the Qing Dynasty, and the Nian Army swept across the entire northern land, a major change that had not happened in three thousand years.]

[In 1871, Tsarist Russia seized the Western Regions and the Western Regions fell. In the same year, Japan attacked Taiwan Island, and both the border and coastal defense were in crisis.]

As this text falls, the picture unfolds.

It was actually in the imperial court.

The ministers were divided into two factions, one was the coastal defense faction headed by Li Hongzhang, and the other was the border defense faction.

"Not an inch of our national territory can be given to others!"

Zuo Zongtang, dressed in the clothes of a minister, roared generously in front of Li Hongzhang, who had much more qualifications and reputation than himself.

As an important official of the country, he argued for the integrity of the country's territory and refused to give in.

"If we give up Xinjiang now, there will be no chance to recover it in the future!"

Li Hongzhang looked at the person arguing in front of him and suddenly fell silent.

Zuo Zongtang's argument worked and Empress Dowager Cixi agreed.

"But the treasury is tight, so I can only give you five million taels of silver."

Zuo Zongtang's face changed and he clenched his fists.

Five million pieces of silver were just a drop in the bucket for the Western Army.

After the court session, Li Hongzhang stopped Zuo Zongtang and asked him how to recover the Western Regions with five million taels.

Zuo Zongtang stared at the scorching sun in the sky and muttered to himself.

"We can't conquer them. This little money is just a drop in the bucket for any war."

He even laughed, turned around and looked at Li Hongzhang and said, "But if we can't recover it, then we won't recover it?"

"Coastal defense is important, but the territorial integrity of our country is more important!"

"I see, a country with complete territory, the future lion will wake up!"

Zuo Zongtang left with a smile.

The scene changed.

It was the back of Zuo Zongtang as he hurriedly left.

He started fundraising.

He sold off his property, moved money around, and borrowed money from everywhere, and finally collected 10 million silver coins.

“It’s all about the nation.”

Looking at the huge army in front of him, Zuo Zongtang personally went to the battlefield and shouted loudly.

“Everything is for the nation!!”

The three armies fought bravely and their shouts of killing shook the sky.

At this moment, emperors and generals of all dynasties all had expressions of horror on their faces.

They were shocked.

"What they shouted was not 'Qing Dynasty'!"

Qing.

The corner of Qianlong's eye twitched and he was very dissatisfied with this scene.

But he still suppressed it.

In the sky, the text continues.

【A wave of "Westernization" swept the court. After Zuo Zongtang, Li Hongzhang also founded the "Westernization Reform" faction. He learned from the foreign army and realized the transformation from cold weapons to foreign guns and cannons. He also expanded the local army and prepared for coastal defense.】

【Studying abroad has become a general trend. 】

[In 1875, the first group of naval students went abroad to study.]

The vast ocean is full of turbulent waves.

One after another, huge ships broke through the surface of the sea and sailed towards the unknown distance.

On the deck of the ship, stood a group of teenagers who were no more than ten years old. They looked into the distance facing the sea breeze, as if they were looking at the unknown destiny of the country.

But his eyes were still deep and full of hope.

Suddenly, a young man said to himself with determination: "I am going to the West, knowing China's strategy for self-strengthening, and I have nothing else to ask for. I will shoulder the future of my country and learn all the science of the West. I will travel 70,000 miles and say goodbye to my motherland, and I will do it with no regrets."

His name was Liu Buchan. When Lin Taizeng and Yan Fu, who were in the same group with him, heard these words, they were all shocked.

On another deck of the ship, a young man was standing quietly.

The sea was rough and the ship was tossed to and fro, just like the great country he was in, which was in turmoil due to the wind and rain.

After standing for a while, Deng Shichang went back.

This time, they have a heavy burden on their shoulders, as they are responsible for the future of this country.

Maybe with giant battleships.

We had foreign guns and cannons.

Is there hope for the country?
The old order is gradually collapsing, and the new order is gradually being established...

Built by them!
"We want to revitalize China. This is what our generation should do!"

At this moment, Liu Buchan, Yan Fu, Deng Shichang and others were filled with pride.

At this moment, you can see the image reflected on the sky.

Emperors of all dynasties held their breath.

The young man was like fire, spreading into this suffocating world.

There was a great passion in my heart, and even the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period resonated with me.

These young people are the hope for the country’s future!

Even if this case is incurable once you get home, you can't just ignore it.

The rise and fall, everyone is responsible.

If there is no way ahead, they will create a path!
[This country has a dark path. Even if someone becomes the backbone of the country, it cannot overcome the weakness of the government.]

【The year was 1876. 】

[They had clearly won the battle, and in just over a year, they had conquered all the territories in the Western Regions except Ili. However, the court that sent people to negotiate signed a "Treaty of Livadia"! ]

Can you imagine this despair?

[Even though they had won the war, they still signed a humiliating treaty. This was a bad habit deeply rooted in the Qing dynasty. They were frightened by the foreign powers!]

[There are corpses everywhere in the wilderness, frozen corpses everywhere, and the eyes of the civilians in the Western Regions are confused. They are obviously part of a great power, but now they have to be vassals of other powers? ]

The temperature of the words was almost cold, and all the dynasties saw was despair.

Then the screen appears.

When Zuo Zongtang learned that the court agreed to sign the Treaty of Livadia with Tsarist Russia, he was furious.

"How foolish! The great China is about to be divided up!"

This year, he is nearly seventy years old.

However, his first reaction was still to fight.

"If we can't negotiate, then we'll fight."

"That was me taking the lead."

The elderly Zuo Zongtang had a calm expression, but in the deepest part of his eyes, anger erupted like a volcano.

The scene changed and there was a bang!
A coffin fell heavily to the ground, splashing up countless dust.

The army in front of him looked at the coffin in shock and confusion.

He said to the three armies: "The journey west to recover Xinjiang is extremely difficult and dangerous. No one is willing to go. I will take on this heavy responsibility alone. This coffin is prepared for myself."

"die on the battlefield!"

He said this from the bottom of his heart, his eyes were red.

At that moment, everyone looked at Zuo Zongtang's eyes.

Throughout his life, he has been fighting for the country's territory, and he will never give up even if he is the only one left.

Don't give in an inch!

"die on the battlefield."

The army also shouted.

……

(End of this chapter)