sbdcsierra Chapter 158: Nianqin is helpless; Fuheng and Yue Zhongqi surrender
Chapter 158: Nianqin is helpless; Fuheng and Yue Zhongqi surrender
At the same time, he ordered Bandi to stay in the garrison to assist Zhang Guangsi.
Bandi knew that it was difficult for him to influence Zhang Guangsi, so he suggested that Emperor Qianlong send an important official who was "familiar with the situation and had more insight than Zhang Guangsi" to go to the front line to take care of the situation.
Emperor Qianlong decided to send Grand Secretary and Grand Councilor Nianqin as the general manager to command the war at the Jinchuan front.
On the third day of June in the thirteenth year of Qianlong's reign, Nianqin rushed to the Menuo military camp in Xiaojinchuan where Zhang Guangsi was stationed.
The next day, Zhang Guangsi left Meno and went to the Kasa military camp.
It can be seen that Neqin and Zhang Guangsi did not carefully discuss the strategy to defeat the enemy.
On June 6, the 13th year of Qianlong's reign, Nianqin also rushed to Kasa. After inspecting the terrain of Xiling and other places together with Zhang Guangsi, they decided to concentrate superior forces to break through the Serli Ridge of Xiling and directly attack the old nest of Dajinchuan, Guaer Cliff.
On June 14, Acting General Ren Ju, Deputy General Tang Kaizhong, and Lieutenant General Mai Guoliang divided their troops into three groups and attacked Xiling.
As a result, Mai Guoliang and Ren Ju were killed in battle, and Tang Kaizhong was seriously injured.
After this disastrous defeat, Nianqin's arrogance was crushed.
Nianqin was helpless against the Dajinchuan and dared not talk about attacking again. He listened to Zhang Guangsi's orders in everything and no longer took charge of military affairs. When the battle came, he hid in the tent and gave orders from afar. Naturally, he was ridiculed and his military prestige was damaged day by day.
In the intercalary seventh month of the thirteenth year of the Qianlong reign, Emperor Qianlong received memorials from two people, Neqin and Zhang Guangsi, which expressed his left-leaning views.
Nianqin's reports were inconsistent, showing that he had no strategy and was in a state of confusion. He also pushed all the responsibility for the waste of troops and money onto Zhang Guangsi. As a general, he seemed to have no responsibility at all, because "it was difficult to work with the governor."
On the eighth day of the eighth month, Emperor Qianlong received two memorials from Yue Zhongqi accusing Zhang Guangsi.
Emperor Qianlong was completely disappointed with Nianqin and Zhang Guangsi.
On the tenth day of September, Emperor Qianlong summoned Neqin and Zhang Guangsi to Beijing to discuss the matter in person. The Governor-General of Sichuan and Shaanxi ordered Fu Erdan to take charge of the seal affairs temporarily, and all matters concerning the offensive would be coordinated with Yue Zhongqi as soon as possible.
On the 13th, he ordered Shangshu Ban Di to go to the military camp and handle military affairs with Fu and Yue.
After a year of efforts by Zhang Guangsi and Neqin, all was in vain.
Therefore, on October 6, the 13th year of Qianlong's reign, Emperor Qianlong promoted Fuheng from assistant minister to minister.
On the ninth day, he was appointed as the Grand Secretary of Baohe Hall and concurrently the Minister of Revenue.
In order to cooperate with Fuheng's expedition, Emperor Qianlong decided to increase troops, add artillery, and allocate funds.
An imperial edict was issued to dispatch an additional 35,000 Manchu and Han officers and soldiers from Shaanxi, Gansu, Yunnan, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, the capital, and the Northeast, adding to the existing Han and native soldiers, totaling 60,000; in addition to casting a number of bronze cannons in Jinchuan, he also ordered the transportation of very powerful sky-rocketing cannons, nine-section cannons, Weiyuan cannons, etc. from the capital; he also ordered the Guangchusi to prepare 100,000 taels of silver and send personnel to transport it to the Jinchuan military camp, and ordered Fuheng to bring 20 flower feathers and 50 blue feathers to reward the officers and soldiers when he arrived at the camp. 4 million taels of silver were allocated from the Ministry of Revenue treasury and various provinces for military supplies.
On the third day of the eleventh month, Grand Secretary Fu Heng set out on his campaign, traveling day and night, covering 200, sometimes even over 300, miles a day. He arrived at the Kasa camp on the 21st of the twelfth month, where he beheaded Liang Erji of Xiaojinchuan, Akou, the traitor Wang Qiu, and his wife, and then replaced Liang Erji's younger brother Xiao Langsu with the commander of the territorial troops.
He immediately reported to Emperor Qianlong the battle plan of abandoning the battle fortress and destroying the bandits' lair.
On December 15th, upon learning that the chieftains of Dajinchuan, Shaluoben and Langka, had surrendered, Emperor Qianlong immediately issued instructions for the offensive against Jinchuan: "All troops must arrive in Jinchuan before February of next year (the 14th year of the Qianlong reign); Dangba is the main route to Lewuwei, so Fuheng should advance directly from Dangba, and the defense of Kasa will be handed over to Fuerdan."