I watched Er Chuang’s short video, and everything went numb!

【When it comes to Zuo Zongtang, people inevitably compare him with Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang. 】

【Later generations said that among these three people, Zeng Guofan knew how to behave, Li Hongzhang knew how to be an official, but Zuo Zongtang knew how to do things the best. 】

【Therefore, he is also known as "the first doer in the late Qing Dynasty". 】

……

Daqin plane.

Qin Shihuang nodded slightly.

Compared with being a good person and being an official, he preferred officials who knew how to do things.

More people who do things in the court are most beneficial to the country and the people.

……

【Compared with the other two, who were in power at the age of about 30, Zuo Zongtang did seem "shabby". 】

【But it can also be said that he was a typical example of late bloomers. 】

[Zuo Zongtang was a gifted man. He passed the provincial examination at the age of 20, which shows that he was very smart. 】

[But after that, his development was beyond people's expectations. 】

[Zuo Zongtang went to the capital three times to take the imperial examination, but failed every time. He suddenly fell from a top student to a poor student. 】

…

"This..."

Many ancient people in all dynasties were very surprised.

Then.

Many ancient people speculated in their hearts:

"Did he offend the dignitaries in the court?"

It's no wonder they had such speculations.

Because similar things are common in various feudal dynasties in ancient China.

For example, Wen Tingjun, the "King of Guns" in the Tang Dynasty that they saw in the previous video, could help others take the exam successfully, but he himself could not pass the exam.

It was because he offended the powerful.

However, this time, the guesses of these ancients were not correct.

……

[What is going on? ]

[In fact, it is all because Zuo Zongtang loves reading too much. ]

……

"?"

Many ancient people in the past dynasties were puzzled.

Shouldn't this love of reading be more helpful in passing the imperial examination?

How come it led to his failure in the imperial examination?

With doubts, these ancient people continued to look at the giant screen in the sky.

……

[What he read was not the Four Books and Five Classics that ordinary scholars read to cope with the imperial examination, but books on geography, military affairs, economy, water conservancy and other aspects of practical use. 】

【In the eyes of outsiders at that time, these were some unorthodox and hopeless things, but Zuo Zongtang plunged into them and studied them carefully. 】

……

“So that’s it.”

Many ancient people in the past dynasties suddenly realized it.

This is equivalent to spending all your time reading miscellaneous books, which will naturally delay the imperial examination.

……

【It doesn’t matter if he can’t pass the imperial examination, he will become a tutor for others, and he will be indifferent to being so poor that he can only be a son-in-law. 】

【Zuo Zongtang even compared himself to Zhuge Liang, and firmly believed that he would be able to achieve great things one day. 】

【But he waited for decades, until he was forty, his talent attracted others' attention, and he became a staff member of the Hunan governor. 】

【From then on, he made great achievements, his career soared, and he eventually became an important official of the Qing Dynasty. 】

……

"He started his career at the age of forty?!"

Many ancient people in the past dynasties were quite shocked.

In ancient China, this age was definitely considered to be more than half of his life.

Although people in later generations did not specifically mention Zuo Zongtang's achievements, he started his career at this age and eventually became an important official of the court, which shows that Zuo Zongtang was indeed extraordinary.

……

【After understanding Zuo Zongtang's personal experience, let's take a look at the matter of conquering Xinjiang Province. 】

【In fact, Li Hongzhang suggested giving up Xinjiang Province, and he also had his reasons. 】

【Because at that time, China not only had major problems in the frontiers of the provinces, but also had major problems in the coastal defense line near the treasure island. 】

【The Japanese country at that time had already pointed fingers at the treasure island area and openly sent troops to invade the local area. 】

【Which is more important, coastal defense or border defense? 】

【The answer is beyond doubt, both are necessary. 】

【Because China cannot lose any land! 】

【But such a simple question, in the late Qing Dynasty, was a difficult problem that was debated endlessly. 】

【The Qing Dynasty at that time had already lost land and paid compensation, and was in turmoil and scarred. 】

【Every powerful country wanted to get a piece of the pie and step on it. 】

……

“Ah!”

Many ancient people in all dynasties sighed in their hearts.

The Chinese people in that period of the late Qing Dynasty were really humiliated!

It can be said that everyone bullied them.

……

The plane of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.

Liu Che snorted coldly:

"Incompetent waste!"

It was a disgrace for the Chinese Dynasty to be bullied by Western countries.

……

The plane of Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty.

A fierce look flashed in Zhu Di's eyes.

After the Ming Dynasty started the industrial revolution, he would let those Western countries know what the Eastern powers were? !

No.

There were no powers, only one power, and that was his Ming Dynasty!

……

【Faced with the situation that Yakub Beg split the provinces, the Japanese threatened the treasure island, and the frontier defense and coastal defense were simultaneously facing the crisis of foreign invasion, the Qing government at that time was no longer able to conquer everywhere. 】

【So, the coastal defense faction headed by Li Hongzhang advocated following the advice of the British Empire, recognizing the fait accompli of Yakub Beg's occupation of Xinjiang Province, and using all their strength to consolidate coastal defense, which actually meant giving up Xinjiang Province. 】

……

"Stupid!"

In the dimension of Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly.

The British Empire secretly supported Yakub Beg, and it is conceivable that they had no good intentions in making this suggestion..

Li Hongzhang and others actually accepted this suggestion, which can only be said to be extremely stupid.

"Or, did this person secretly receive money from the British Empire to say this?"

A thought emerged in Zhu Yuanzhang's mind.

……

[But Zuo Zongtang did not think so. He felt that the Treasure Island region could not be lost, and the vast Xinjiang region could not be lost. ]

[What few people know is that Zuo Zongtang realized the special geography of the Western Regions and that Tsarist Russia would seriously threaten Xinjiang and bring great harm to Xinjiang very early. ]

[So, when he was 20 years old and took the imperial examination, he proposed to set up provinces and military farms in Xinjiang, strengthen governance and border defense, and resist foreign invasion. ]

[It's a pity that no one took his words to heart at that time. ]

……

A huge high-definition map of China appeared again on the high-altitude giant screen.

The plane of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty.

Li Shimin nodded slightly.

This man has a good strategic vision.

Without the barrier of the Western Regions, China's northwest gate would be open, and the security of the Central Plains would be difficult to guarantee.

This is also an important reason why he wanted to establish the Anxi Protectorate in the Western Regions.

Especially in later generations.

The mobility of the army has been greatly enhanced, and the strategic buffer zone of the large area of ​​the Western Regions is even more important for China's internal security.

If the Western Regions are lost, China's northwest gate will be wide open, facing the enemy's swords and guns, and it will be difficult to build an effective buffer defense line.

……

[Zuo Zongtang strongly advocated sending troops to recover Xinjiang Province, which caused an uproar in the court. ]

[Because the Qing government has been scared by foreign countries, and behind Yakub Beg is the support of Tsarist Russia and the British Empire. 】

【At the same time, the cowardice of the Qing government made the situation in Xinjiang worse and worse. Yakub Beg continued to occupy Xinjiang's land, and Xinjiang was in danger of being completely separated from China. 】

……

The Yongzheng plane of the Qing Dynasty.

Emperor Yongzheng cursed:

"Waste!"

It was really embarrassing for him that the Qing Dynasty had become so cowardly and incompetent.

……

【After Zuo Zongtang spoke, he had a fierce debate with Li Hongzhang. 】

【Under Li Hongzhang's instigation and instigation, "the theory of the uselessness of the border", "the theory of the loss outweighs the gain", and "the theory of the defeat of the troops" were all over the place. 】

……

"This man is really a disaster for the country and the people!"

Many ancient people in the past dynasties cursed Li Hongzhang in their hearts.

……

[Amidst the clamor for stopping the troops and withdrawing the military pay and opposing the Western Expedition, Zuo Zongtang did not sit still and wait for death. He argued with reason. ]

[In response to the "Xinjiang Province is useless" theory, Zuo Zongtang emphasized that the country's territory should not be given up, not to mention that there was an old saying that the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains had eight rich cities and eight poor cities, and the products were rich, so the invaders should not be allowed to occupy them. ]

[As for the "military defeat" theory, whether Xinjiang Province could be recovered,Zuo Zongtang's opinion was: "Don't worry about the strength of the enemy, but ask yourself whether the government army is really strong or not?" He was full of confidence in recovering Xinjiang Province. 】

[Zuo Zongtang's proposal was also supported by some people. With his efforts, the Qing court finally decided to adopt a national defense policy that emphasized both coastal defense and frontier defense. 】

[In 1875, the Qing court appointed Zuo Zongtang as the imperial commissioner to supervise the military affairs of Xinjiang Province. 】

The barrage flew out:

"Fortunately, there is Zuo Gong, otherwise, if Xinjiang Province is lost, it will not be easy to get it back in the future."

"If Xinjiang Province was really abandoned completely at that time, it would be a big trouble."

"..."

Looking at the huge screen in the sky.

Many ancient people in the past dynasties had the same idea.

Fortunately, there was Zuo Zongtang's argument, otherwise the land of Xinjiang Province would have fallen into the hands of foreign enemies.

……

[As the ancients said, food and grass must go before the troops move. ]

[The first problem Zuo Zongtang faced was: where would the military pay for the Western Expedition come from? ]

[The imperial court could only take out three million taels, which was far from enough for the army to go out. ]

[So Zuo Zongtang found the red-topped businessman Hu Xueyan and entrusted him to borrow money from the bank of the British Empire. ]

[At first, the loan negotiations were not smooth. Due to the British Empire government's support for Yakub Beg's policy, the banks of the British Empire did not have much willingness to lend. ]

[As a last resort, Zuo Zongtang could only promise high interest rates and raised more than 18 million taels of silver in the form of usury. ]

[This was also a point that he was criticized for in the future, and he also called himself a sinner because of this. ]

……

The plane of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.

Liu Che was slightly surprised.

What is there to criticize about this?

It is not necessary to be particular about small matters when achieving great things. As long as Xinjiang can be recovered, it is worth spending any amount of money.

Moreover, this is not just a matter of money.

Borrowing so much money from the British Bank, the interests of both parties are tied together.

When Zuo Zongtang recovered Xinjiang, if the British government wanted to intervene with troops, these big banks in the British Bank would definitely stop it.

In capitalist countries like the British Bank, big banks and other financial industry giants have a strong influence on the government.

Based on the above analysis, Liu Che did not think there was anything wrong with Zuo Zongtang borrowing high-interest loans from the British Bank.

The only question at that time might be whether Zuo Zongtang could recover Xinjiang?

If he did, then Zuo Zongtang would be successful and would be praised by people in later generations.

But if he failed, then for Zuo Zongtang, it would be a disaster.

Not only would he be punished by the Qing court at that time, but he would also be cursed for eternity.

Therefore, Liu Che felt that Zuo Zongtang was courageous to make the decision to borrow high-interest loans at that time.

Of course.

It is also possible that Zuo Zongtang was confident in himself.

……

[After solving the problem of military pay,In 1876, the 64-year-old Zuo Zongtang led the army to the battle, and his outstanding military talent was further demonstrated. 】

[Zuo Zongtang used Urumqi as the frontier base and formulated the marching strategy of "first south and then north, slow advance and fast battle". 】

[That is, concentrate superior forces, first annihilate the relatively weak invading army in the south, boost morale, and then gather strength to march north. 】

[In just over a year, Zuo Zongtang recovered all the territories of Xinjiang Province except Yili, and made an unprecedented contribution. 】

……

"Really amazing!"

Many ancient people in all dynasties admired in their hearts.

This is really capable of doing practical things, not just talking big.

Among them, many emperors in all dynasties also admired Zuo Zongtang very much.

This is also normal.

How many emperors don't like such a loyal and capable minister?

……

【However, the matter is far from over. 】

【Zuo Zongtang only recovered the territory of Xinjiang Province except Ili, and Ili was still in the hands of Tsarist Russia. 】

【Tsarist Russia, which loves its land as its life, will never easily spit out the fat meat in its mouth. 】

【But Zuo Zongtang was not easy to mess with. He began to frequently write to the court to take back Ili. 】

【So in October 1878, the Qing government sent envoy Chonghou to Russia for negotiations. 】

【Who knew that envoy Chonghou was weak and incompetent, and he made the decision on his own and signed the humiliating Treaty of Livadia. 】

【Not only did he agree to give Ili to Tsarist Russia, but he even asked for a compensation of 5 million. 】

……

"Traitorous dog thief!"

Many ancient people from all dynasties were immediately furious.

This man named Chonghou is definitely a traitor!

……

The plane of Taizu of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly.

If this kind of traitor who brought disaster to the country and the people were placed in the Ming Dynasty, he would definitely kill all his clans!

……

[As soon as this matter was reported, Zuo Zongtang was furious: "Did the war go to waste? This negotiation is invalid and must be renegotiated!"]

[Under Zuo Zongtang's argument, Chonghou was convicted and imprisoned, and the Qing government sent envoys to negotiate again.]

[Seeing that its plan failed, the Russian Empire sent warships to the east and reinforced its troops in Yili.]

[Zuo Zongtang did not show any weakness and made the strongest counterattack: leading troops to the expedition. 】

[This year, Zuo Zongtang was already 68 years old and was suffering from illness. He even started coughing up blood while talking during a meeting. 】

[But if he wanted to take back Yili, he had to go on an expedition. 】

[What to do? Zuo Zongtang had someone carry a coffin behind him and embarked on the most heroic journey of his life. 】

[He felt that he would probably not come back alive this time, so he wrote a letter home: "The journey to the west is extremely difficult and everyone is afraid to go. I am the only one who can bear it. I also want to suffer all the hardships, leave some blessings for my children and grandchildren, and leave some examples in the world..."]

……

"What a loyal and brave man!"

Many ancient people from all dynasties were moved and admired him in their hearts.

"It's a pity that such a hero was born in the humiliating era of the late Qing Dynasty."

Many ancient people felt sorry for Zuo Zongtang in their hearts.

They felt that with Zuo Zongtang's ability and character, if he met a wise ruler, he might be able to achieve greater achievements.

……

[Zuo Zongtang's actions shocked Tsarist Russia. ]

[After difficult negotiations, the Qing Dynasty and Tsarist Russia signed the Sino-Russian Ili Treaty in 1881. ]

[Although this treaty was also an unequal treaty, it had safeguarded the country's rights and interests to the greatest extent compared to the agreement signed by Chonghou before, and recovered the nine cities of Ili and the area around Tekes. ]

[After that, Xinjiang Province was re-established with government agencies and became an inseparable piece of land of China. 】

[The strategic significance of Zuo Zongtang's recovery of Xinjiang Province also had a huge impact on future generations. 】

The barrage flew out:

"Zuo Gong's contribution is indeed enormous!"

"A historian once said: 'After Emperor Taizong of Tang, the person who made the greatest contribution to the country's territorial sovereignty should be Zuo Zongtang.'"

"..."

Many ancient people in all dynasties agreed with the evaluation of later generations in the barrage.

Conquering Xinjiang Province, Zuo Zongtang did make great contributions to China.

……

[Zuo Zongtang made countless contributions throughout his life, but left regrets before his death. 】

[In 1885, Zuo Zongtang was ordered to resist the Kingdom of Gallic Chicken. Just after a great victory, the rear ordered a withdrawal. 】

[In the end, Li Hongzhang actually signed a humiliating treaty with the Kingdom of Gallic Chicken again. 】

【From then on, China lost its suzerainty over Jiaozhi, and the Gallic Chicken Kingdom easily annexed Jiaozhi, and China's southwest gate was wide open. 】

……

"The evil traitor who brought disaster to the country!"

Some ancient people from all dynasties once again cursed.

However, more ancient people knew that the real corrupt and incompetent traitor was actually the late Qing government. .