Anti-Qing: Starting from the Jintian Uprising

Chapter 47: Jintian Uprising
After finalizing these matters, Li Yi began to train his troops.

It’s still the same old rules. First, practice marching in unison, turning left and right, etc.

After the drill training was quite effective, they began to carry out corresponding training such as volley shooting and bayonet charge.

In addition, Li Yi also gathered all the literate people in his camp and prepared to organize a literacy class.

Teach all soldiers in the military to read and write!
Li Yi did not require that everyone of them could read and write, but at least they should be able to understand the achievements recorded in the military merit book.

Li Yi knew that running a literacy class in the military was a bit like taking off pants to fart, and it was not necessary at all.

However, this feeling of educating can really bring people great psychological satisfaction.

……

While Li Yi was obsessed with military training, Xiang Rong also led his troops to the outskirts of Xunzhou City.

Xunzhou prefect Cai Bingwen took the initiative to come forward and greet them from a distance.

"The Admiral has finally arrived. The people of Xunzhou have been waiting for reinforcements for a long time."

"With the admiral here, Xunzhou is safe. With the admiral here, Qingtian is here too!"

Xiang Rong's mouth twitched when he heard that. Thank you, I'm really embarrassed by that!

But he still dismounted, clasped his fists politely towards Cai Bingwen and asked.

"Prefect Cai, what is the current situation in Xunzhou?"

Cai Bingwen smiled bitterly and spoke without blushing or beating his heart.

“The situation is dire.”

"After General Zhou Fengqi was assassinated, the Guizhou soldiers lost control and became chaotic in Xunzhou City. Xunzhou was almost non-existent."

"It is precisely because of this reason that a few days ago, the bandits took this opportunity to attack Xunzhou again. If I hadn't led my men to fight against the bandits, Xunzhou would have fallen into the hands of the bandits."

Although Cai Bingwen was chased all over the city by Li Yi again, he still refused to admit that Xunzhou was lost.

Xiang Rong actually knew the truth, but he was too lazy to expose it because it would do him no good.

He just nodded and said.

"As long as Xunzhou is not lost."

"Thank you, Governor Cai, for recruiting civilians to build camps for the army and prepare wine and meat to reward the army. The army has come from afar to reinforce Xunzhou and needs rewards and rest."

Upon hearing this, Cai Bingwen nodded immediately.

"The army has come from afar to protect the safety of Xunzhou City. This is what they should do."

Xiang Rong heard this and nodded with satisfaction.

Although Li Xingyuan promised to give him benefits, this did not prevent Xiang Rong from making more money from Xunzhou.

However, just as Xiang Rong nodded, Cai Bingwen continued speaking.

"However, Xunzhou City has recently suffered two military disasters, with bandits attacking and rebel soldiers invading, which can be said to be a difficult life for the people."

"I'm afraid that we can't fully supply the army's needs. I hope the admiral will show some mercy and allow the people of Xunzhou to have some time off..."

When Xiang Rong heard this, his expression changed immediately. He looked at Cai Bingwen with a cold brow and spoke.

"I don't care about this!"

"My brothers have come a long way, and we cannot let them come in vain."

"If Magistrate Cai cannot meet my demands, then my brothers will have to take it themselves."

Listening to Xiang Rong's threat, Cai Bingwen's expression kept changing.

In the end, he forced himself to produce a smile that was uglier than crying, and spoke.

"Don't worry, Admiral. I will try my best to raise the funds..."

Xiang Rong saw this and snorted coldly.

"That's pretty much it!"

At the same time Xiang Rong's troops arrived in Xunzhou and set up camp to rest.

Li Xingyuan, the imperial commissioner stationed in Liuzhou, also made new arrangements in response to the situation of suppressing bandits.

He first ordered Xiang Rong's troops to station in Xunzhou to prepare for war, and then ordered Guangxi Governor Zhou Tianjue to lead his troops from Guilin to rescue Liuzhou.

After Xiang Rong and Zhou Tianjue's troops were in place, Li Xingyuan prepared to have them launch an attack at the same time, attacking the Zijing Mountain area from the north and south directions and wiping out the God Worshipping Society.

In addition, he also sent a letter to the Governor-General's Office of Guangdong and Guangxi for help, hoping that Guangzhou could send troops to reinforce the war in Guangxi. If Li Xingyuan did not take action, it would be fine. Once he took action, he planned to completely crush the God Worshipping Society and eliminate the disaster in the bud.

……

January 1851, 1 in the Western calendar, the first year of Emperor Xianfeng’s reign in the Qing Dynasty.

Jintian Village!
Inside and outside Jintian Village, large flags were waving and gongs and drums were beating.

A group of high-ranking members of the God Worshipping Church gathered together, ready to witness this historic moment today.

Li Yi was also standing in the crowd, and like the others, he looked towards a high platform outside Jintian Village.

Hong Xiuquan was wearing a bright yellow robe and a turban on his head. The robe was embroidered with the sun, moon, stars, auspicious clouds and dragons, which looked gorgeous and noble.

Under the gazes of countless people, Hong Xiuquan, standing on a high platform, bowed down to a huge statue of God.

"Your son Xiuquan, worships the Heavenly Father, the Emperor God!"

"Since the Manchus were rampant and causing chaos in China, China, with its vast territory and population, allowed them to do whatever they wanted and was not surprised. Can China still have people? The evil barbarians burned the sky with flames, poisoned the emperor with their lewdness, spread their foul smells throughout the four seas, and their evil spirits were worse than those of the Five Barbarians. Yet the Chinese people bowed their heads and were willing to be their servants. How deplorable! China has no people!"

"Today, your servant Xiuquan wishes to gather the people of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, raise the banner of justice, raise an army of justice, call himself the Heavenly King, establish the name of Taiping, and rise up against the Qing Dynasty."

"I don't seek wealth and glory, but I seek to wipe out the evil spirits and purify the world."

"To establish a heavenly kingdom on earth, relieve the suffering of the people, and bring peace to the world!"

"May God, our Father, bless you!"

Upon seeing this scene, all the high-ranking members of the God Worshipping Society on the high platform bowed down in unison.

"May God, our Father, bless you!"

"May God, our Father, bless you!"

"..."

As the shouts and prayers spread outward, people bowed down like waves of wheat in the wind.

The cries of "May God bless us, our Heavenly Father" resounded throughout Jintian Village.

Several members of the God Worshipping Society carried a large flag, walked to the flagpole stone, and then worked together to raise the flag.

Just at this moment, a breeze blew.

The wind spread out the flag, and the huge word "Taiping" appeared in front of everyone.

"Kill the Qing monsters and live in peace!"

"Long live the Father! Long live the King of Heaven!"

"Kill the Qing monsters and live in peace!"

"Long live the Father! Long live the King of Heaven!"

"..."

Li Yi knelt behind Feng Yunshan, Yang Xiuqing and others, and beside him were powerful figures such as Luo Dagang, Qin Rigang and Hu Yihuang.

Listening to the cheers of everyone around him, his heartbeat accelerated unconsciously.

The feeling of witnessing famous historical scenes and personally participating in them is truly amazing.

Amid the cheers of the crowd, Hong Xiuquan stood up from the ground.

Looking around, Hong Xiuquan said loudly.

"My fellow soldiers, Heavenly Father has given me a response."

"We are sure that our great cause against the Qing dynasty will succeed, and we will surely establish the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth."

"Propagate the order of Heavenly Father and Emperor."

"Appoint Yang Xiuqing as the Left Assistant Military Advisor and Commander of the Central Army."

"Appoint Xiao Chaogui as the Right Military Advisor and Commander of the Front Army."

"Appoint Feng Yunshan as the deputy military advisor of the front line and the commander of the rear army."

"Appoint Wei Changhui as rear guard and deputy military advisor, and commander of the right army."

"Appoint Shi Dakai as the commander of the left army."

"Appreciate this!"

(End of this chapter)