However, in the 200 years since the Qing Dynasty entered the pass, almost all the Bannermen outside the pass had come to the pass. Moreover, they occupied a large amount of land, industries, and wealth inside the pass.
If they retreated outside the pass, they would have to give up what they had already obtained and go back to live a bitter life!
Although there was still Shengjing outside the pass in name, and Shengjing was the capital of the Qing Dynasty.
However, compared to the bustling capital, Shengjing was like a poor and broken small county. There was no comparison between the two.
Moreover, because the Qing court forbade Han people from settling outside the Great Wall, the population outside the Great Wall was very small. Without enough people, the business was very depressed, and all kinds of materials were extremely scarce.
If they went back, most of them would probably be reduced to farming and supporting themselves!
The Eight Banners now were no longer the group of tenacious people who had fought in the snow and ice of the white mountains and black waters, fighting against the harsh weather and fierce beasts.
After two hundred years of living a rich and even extravagant life, the Manchu people had all become useless young masters who did nothing!
Such people would only starve themselves to death if they were expected to go to the mountains and rivers to reclaim wasteland, farm, and hunt to feed themselves!
Therefore, the proposal to move the capital was immediately vehemently opposed by the Banner people.
"Empress Dowager, this servant believes that this matter cannot be done!”
The Gong Prince had a large amount of land and property in the capital and nearby. Once he moved the capital, these things that he couldn't take with him could only be thrown away. If he lost these things, his good days would probably come to an end!
Therefore, he was naturally strongly opposed to the proposal to move the capital.
"That's right, Empress Dowager, you can't do this!”
"Empress Dowager, please reconsider!"
The other officials also stood up and knelt on the ground, pleading.
When Empress Dowager Cixi heard that there was a huge difference in the opinions of her ministers, she couldn't make up her mind and didn't know who to listen to.
"Sister, look at this. What should we do?”
Because it concerned the life and death of the imperial court and herself, Empress Dowager Cixi did not dare to think that she was smart. She honestly asked Empress Dowager Ci 'an for advice.
Empress Dowager Ci 'an closed her eyes and listened to the quarrels of the courtiers. After hearing Empress Dowager Cixi's words, she suddenly opened her eyes!
"Enough!"
"What do you think this place is? A market?”
Empress Dowager Ci 'an scolded angrily. When the officials in the court heard her scolding, they all fell silent out of fear. They all knelt on the ground and did not dare to speak!
Seeing that all the officials had quieted down, Empress Dowager Ci 'an said,"
"We will only know after we fight, Prince Senggrinqin!”
"This servant is here!"
"Where are your troops now?”
"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, this servant's thirty thousand cavalrymen are currently in Guangping. Other than the thirty thousand cavalrymen, there are also fifty thousand infantry. This servant and these eighty thousand men are willing to go through fire and water for the Empress Dowager and the court!”
After hearing that Monk Gleen Qin still had 80,000 soldiers under his command, the ministers felt a little more at ease.
That's right, they still had the monk, Prince Gillinqin, to rely on. It was not like they had no room to retaliate!
As a valiant general on the battlefield, Monk Greenqin had once wiped out hundreds of thousands of Northern Expedition troops led by Li Kaifang and Lin Fengxiang of the Taiping Army. She had made outstanding contributions to the court!
The cavalry under his command could be said to be invincible in the northern plains!
Although the Xiang army was strong, most of them were infantry. Once they entered the northern plains, it would be the cavalry's world!
If the Xiang army tried to use infantry to fight against cavalry, it was simply courting death!
Therefore, many people began to regain their confidence. They felt that they might be able to win this battle!
"En, it's good that you have this intention. I will mobilize the cavalry of the Eight Banners of Menggu to go south and enter the pass to help the emperor. When the time comes, these cavalry will all be under your command.”
"This servant accepts the order!"
Monk Gleeqin accepted Empress Dowager Ci 'an's order expressionlessly. He himself was an ancient man.
Therefore, he was very familiar with the Menggu Cavalry and was very confident that he could control these warriors of the grasslands!
Therefore, Senggrinqin was full of confidence in this battle!
After all, it was just as the other ministers had thought. In the endless plains of the north, cavalry was like a nuclear weapon!
They had a huge advantage when facing infantry, so even if they were not as strong as the joint army of the Xiang and Huai armies, they might still be able to defeat the other party!
"In addition to the troops under the command of Prince Ge Linqin, Gui Liang, I order the troops of Zhili and Lu Province to control the Grand Canal and block the enemy's logistics supply routes to prevent the enemy from going north!”
Ci An was a capable woman after all. She was a southerner and had seen the convenience of water transportation. She also knew that the Grand Canal was the main way for the imperial court to transport grain.
If Zeng Guofan's Xiang Army wanted to rebel, they would definitely use the Grand Canal to transport logistics supplies, especially important grain.
Therefore, the best way to stop the other party from going north was to cut off the Grand Canal.
If necessary, they could even blow up the Grand Canal and make it impossible for the other party to use the waterway.
If the enemy was forced to transport their supplies on land, then the tens of thousands of cavalry under Monk Grinqin would have countless opportunities to attack their supply convoy!
As long as they burned the Xiang Army's rations, no matter how many soldiers Zeng Guofan had, he would starve to death!
"In addition, the Nian Army that is causing trouble in the Huaibei area can also be given the title of king when necessary. Let them fight with the Xiang Army!”
Empress Dowager Ci 'an thought of a vicious plan, which was to recruit the Nian Army, which was a headache for the court, and make them serve as meat shields for the court to exhaust the strength of the Xiang and Huai armies.
In this way, he could buy time for the Imperial Court to prepare for battle while killing two birds with one stone and depleting the Nian and Xiang armies.
When the new army of the imperial court was successfully trained, they would be able to take advantage of the situation to wipe out these two rebel forces in one fell swoop!
At that time, after clearing the two groups of rebel soldiers in the north, the Qing army would be able to move south and destroy the rebel army in the south!
Thinking of the rebel army in the south, Empress Dowager Ci 'an thought of something.
Not long ago, local officials in Fujian and Zhejiang wrote a letter saying that Zuo Zongtang and his Chu army, who had been mistakenly thought to have died in battle, had already led their troops back to Fujian and Zhejiang.
From the looks of it, even if Zuo Zongtang was defeated in the Battle of Sanhe Town, it was not to the point of total annihilation.
According to the previous rules of the imperial court, a defeated general like him would definitely be punished.
However, the imperial court was currently in need of manpower. In the entire south, the only army that the imperial court could rely on was Zuo Zongtang's Chu army.
Therefore, Empress Dowager Ci 'an decided to exempt Zuo Zongtang from punishment and give him a promotion. She wanted him to lead the Chu army to attack the headquarters of the Xiang and Huai armies. She wanted to delay them from behind and slow down their advance, buying more time for the court!
However, Empress Dowager Ci 'an did not know that the current Chu army was no longer the Chu army of the past. Zuo Zongtang was no longer a minister of the Qing court!
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。