Chapter 81 Duel
Chapter 81 Duel
The Jiangsu Governor's residence is Suzhou.
However, now that Suzhou was occupied by the Taiping Army, Xue Huan wandered to Shanghai.
Just now, he was inspecting the calligraphy and painting bureau he founded not far away.
The money for this organization was provided by the government, and its purpose was very noble - to purchase rare antiques and paintings that had flowed out of Suzhou, which was occupied by the Guangdong bandits, from people of various suspicious identities, and to carry out rescue protection for precious cultural relics that had been lost to the public.
Of course, it would be most appropriate for these precious cultural relics to be maintained and cared for personally by the governor.
In the memorial Zeng Guofan submitted to him, there was an accusation that Xue Huan "stayed in Shanghai, unable to do anything, while officials were busy competing with each other and indulging in antiques." This was referring to this incident.
What? The Taiping Army attacked Shanghai hundreds of times a year, and you still had time to protect cultural relics?
Xue Huan doesn't think he did anything wrong in protecting the cultural relics. Zeng Bohan, you are talking without any hesitation and you don't understand Shanghai at all.
If you ask me to counterattack Suzhou, I have to defeat Li Xiucheng.
Who said I didn't fight against the Guangdong bandits? Didn't I deal with foreigners every day and even ordered Wu Xu and Yang Fang to build a foreign rifle team?
Every time the Guangdong bandits came to attack, wasn’t it the friendly fleet I contacted that drove them back?
The Jiangnan camp is gone. How can I keep Shanghai without the help of foreigners and relying only on those unreliable Chaoyong mercenaries and Feng Zicai who made a living by selling powerful pills?
This governor was ordered to be in charge of liaising with the five ports for trade. Is it that easy to make friends with foreigners? Giving them some rare curios as gifts is much more effective than just giving them silver.
Xue is a person who understands taste and has a bottom line.
The treasures given away are not high-quality ones, and may even be fakes, used to fool foreigners.
I personally keep the rare and precious books, inscriptions, calligraphy and paintings, and plan to print them out at my own expense in the future to prevent the loss of our ancestors' things. Xue is absolutely worthy of the title of the saint's disciple.
Although it seemed that I did nothing, the fact that I saved Shanghai from Li Xiucheng's crazy attack was a victory.
The emperor understands me. Look, so many people, including Zeng Guofan, have impeached me, but I am still sitting here firmly.
People are complicated. Although Lord Xue himself was not good at fighting, he did his best to save Shanghai and greatly restrained Li Xiucheng's power.
Moreover, within the scope of his ability, he still argued with the foreigners in a moderate manner and tried his best to safeguard the interests of the court. He was not as bad as Zeng Guofan said.
Xue Huan served as the acting Governor-General of Liangjiang. Zeng Guofan took over the position of Governor-General of Liangjiang from him. The purpose of impeaching and suppressing him was not so simple.
He was sorting out antiques and cultural relics in a nearby calligraphy and painting bureau when he received a report from his personal guard that a group of foreign riflemen seemed to be about to fight with someone not far away, so he hurried over to stop them.
Seeing that both parties preparing for a fight recognized his authority and that he should be able to suppress them, Lord Xue nodded with satisfaction.
"We are all the imperial army, we should unite and fight against the Guangdong bandits. You are fighting each other and even came to the concession to embarrass the Qing Dynasty. How disgraceful! Disband immediately!"
Shao Quanzhong snickered, his expression serious, and stood at attention again, "I will follow your orders, sir."
He turned around and waved, "Let's go!"
"Wait!"
Yang Fang waved his hand, and the foreign rifle team raised their guns again, pointing them at Shao Quanzhong and his gang to prevent them from escaping.
He turned around and explained to Xue Huan, "Sir, Shao Quanzhong led the Huai Army's Zhongzi Battalion to fight the foreign rifle team first. I endured the humiliation and spent money to redeem the prisoners. I have done my best.
But this bandit bastard shot and killed on the spot the messenger sent by our foreign rifle team to pay the ransom. How could this be tolerated?
If I fail to punish the murderer of Bo Da'an, the foreign soldiers will not obey. Even if they do not mutiniate, they will not help in fighting the Guangdong bandits.
I am only thinking about the court, and I just want to take him to the French Concession to let him be tried by a friendly country. Killing someone means paying with one's life, isn't that the law of nature?"
This - Lord Xue stroked his beard. The foreign rifle team was under his command. If he did not take charge of the foreign rifle team and allowed them to be bullied, it would really hurt their morale.
But the Huai Army was under the command of Qiao Songnian, who was a favorite of the emperor. He himself had no control over the Salt Transport Office directly under the imperial court, and killing someone's godson would be a big trouble.
Lord Xue began to smooth things over and looked at Shao Quanzhong kindly, "Yuting, if you give me some face, I will trouble you to go to the French Concession.
I still have some face in front of the foreigners. I guarantee with my future that you will not be sentenced by the French. At most you will have to pay some money. I will pay for it. What do you think?"
Before Shao Quanzhong responded, Yang Fang quit.
What? He went to the French Concession but was not sentenced? The fine was still paid by Mr. Xue, so my trouble was in vain?
On the surface, he respected Lord Xue, but in fact, Wu Xu and his two local tyrants in Shanghai controlled all the gentry and wealthy people who had taken refuge in Shanghai.
If Lord Xue wants to get money in Shanghai, he has to rely on two local bosses, so he has a say in front of Lord Xue.
He took a half step forward and said, "Master Xue, if I do this, I will not be able to explain to the foreign soldiers under my command."
He turned around and shouted, "Shandaan, step out!"
A French soldier who looked very similar to Bodaan stood up. He had the rank of second lieutenant and should be a small leader of the foreign rifle team.
"Sir, Shao Quanzhong killed Boda'an under the pretext of blood revenge. Boda'an's brother refused to accept the decision. If you can take blood revenge, so can we.
The foreign riflemen I brought with me today are all French soldiers who want to help Bodaan with revenge.
If they saw that Butcher Shao killed the French and escaped from Shanghai so easily without being punished, they would definitely make a fuss and protest.
Therefore, I boldly suggest that we do not interfere in this matter and let Shao Quanzhong and the French solve it themselves."
Lord Xue glared at Yang Fang with dissatisfaction. If the French soldiers could handle it themselves, they would still have to fight. By then, wouldn't the British and Qiao Songnian come to settle accounts with me, the boss of the foreign rifle team?
However, most of the British and French veterans had returned to their home countries. These hired veterans were very valuable, and it was very difficult to replace them. They began to scratch their heads.
Shao Quanzhong didn't want to go to the French Concession to accept that shitty trial at all.
Mr. Shao is a man of reputation and being put on trial would be too embarrassing. If he were to go to jail in Shanghai, it would be a stain on his life.
Yang Fang thought the trial and retaliation were too light, while Shao Ye thought it was too heavy.
Seeing that Xue Huan was unable to suppress the foreign soldiers, Shao Quanzhong sneered and stood at attention again towards Xue Huan, "I appreciate your kindness, sir. There is no need to go through so much trouble."
He turned back and stared at Yang Fang, "Don't you want revenge? Master Shao, I'll take over. Come on! I agree with your suggestion. We should solve it ourselves with the French."
Shao Quanzhong walked towards Shan Daan who was standing out of the line, stretched out his index finger, and tapped Shan Daan's chest, "Are you the brother of that bastard Bo Daan?
Want to avenge your brother? Sure, that's manly.
Master Shao, I will satisfy you and give you a chance to take revenge. We will do it in your Western way."
Shao Quanzhong stared at Shan Da'an, "Let's have a fair duel in front of Master Xue. Life and death are up to fate. Do you dare? If you have the guts, go and take Master Shao's life!"
He took out a white glove from his pocket and threw it at Shandaan's face.
(End of this chapter)