In July 1864, Tianjing fell, and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was in turmoil. Li Xiucheng was unfortunately captured during the breakout and became Zeng Guoquan's prisoner. Zeng Guofan rushed to hear the news, and the two former rivals finally met face to face. Zeng Guofan originally wanted to persuade Li Xiucheng to surrender, thinking that he could use this to incorporate the remnants of the Taiping Army and consolidate the fruits of victory. However, unexpectedly, Li Xiucheng said something shocking. He said, "If I surrender, you won't survive." What does this mean exactly? Why would Lee so-cheng say such a thing? What kind of mystery is hidden behind this?
July 19, 1864, a day destined to go down in history. At the head of Tianjing City, the smoke of gunpowder was filled, and the sound of shouting and killing shook the sky. The Qing army, led by Zeng Guoquan, finally broke through the capital of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The once thriving capital is now in shambles. The streets were littered with corpses and buildings burned beyond recognition.
Li Xiucheng, the loyal king of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, was leading the remnants of his army to resist in the city at this time. However, in the face of the fierce attack of the Qing army, they were already unsustainable. Li Xiucheng clearly knew that Tianjing could no longer hold it.
As night fell, Li Xiucheng decided to lead his subordinates to break through. Together with Hong Xiuquan's son, the Young Heavenly King Hong Fu, he took advantage of the cover of night to rush to a gap in the city wall. Just as they were about to rush out of the city, they suddenly encountered Zeng Guoquan's troops.
In the chaos, Hong Fu disappeared, and Li Xiucheng's entourage also scattered and fled in the fierce battle. Li Xiucheng was alone and exhausted, so he had to temporarily hide in a deserted temple nearby.
Just when Li Xiucheng thought he could take a breather for a while, an accident happened. When a group of hooligans heard that Tianjing had fallen, they went up the mountain to loot their belongings. They stumbled upon Li Xiucheng and recognized this important figure in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
Seeing this, Li Xiucheng was in a hurry. He gave the scoundrels what he had left, begging them to hide him. However, these hooligans quarreled over their possessions. One of them, in order to take revenge on his companions, actually ran to the Qing camp to inform.
The news soon reached Zeng Guoquan's ears. Zeng Guoquan immediately sent troops to search for him. Not long after, Li Xiucheng was escorted to the Qing army camp.
Zeng Guoquan looked at the former rival in front of him, and couldn't hide his joy in his heart. He immediately sent people to the Hunan army base camp in Anqing to report this important news to his eldest brother Zeng Guofan.
At the same time, Zeng Guoquan also knows the importance of Li Xiucheng. He ordered Li Xiucheng to be kept under strict guard, and no one was allowed to approach. He knew that Li Xiucheng was not only a major general of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, but also an important person who held a large number of military secrets.
Zeng Guofan was overjoyed when he received his brother's report. He believed that with the fall of Tianjing, the death of Hong Xiuquan, and the capture of Li Xiucheng, the goal of suppressing the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had been basically achieved. He immediately reported this major victory to Emperor Tongzhi Zaichun.
However, Zeng Guofan did not rest on his laurels. He knew that more work needed to be done to completely pacify the remnants of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. He decided to rush to Tianjing in person and interrogate Li Xiucheng in person to obtain more valuable information.
In this way, Li Xiucheng went from a powerful general of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom to a prisoner. His fate seems to have been sealed. However, the course of history is often fraught with dramatic turns. What kind of variables will the meeting between Li Xiucheng and Zeng Guofan bring to this period of history? All this remains to be further revealed.
After Zeng Guofan received the news that Li Xiucheng had been captured, he immediately set off for Tianjing. Along the way, he had a lot of thoughts. This former rival is now a prisoner, but Zeng Guofan is well aware of Li Xiucheng's talent and influence, and he decides to meet Li Xiucheng in person to try to persuade him to surrender.
In late July 1864, Zeng Guofan finally arrived in Tianjing. The city is devastated, and traces of war can be seen everywhere. Zeng Guofan went straight to the place where Li Xiucheng was being held, preparing to engage in a crucial conversation with the former rival.
When Zeng Guofan walked into the room, Li Xiucheng was sitting on a simple wooden chair. Despite being a prisoner, Li Xiucheng still maintained a posture that was neither humble nor arrogant. The two looked at each other, and there was a tense and delicate atmosphere in the air.
Zeng Guofan opened his mouth and said, "Li Xiucheng, we finally met. There was a hint of emotion in his tone, "I didn't expect that we would meet in this way today." Your failure may be due to providence. "
Li Xiucheng listened, but silently lowered his head and did not make a sound.
Zeng Guofan continued: "You are a rare talent, which the old man has to admire. But the will of heaven cannot be violated! Now that you're captured, it's a pity, it's a pity, it's a pity......" Speaking of this, Zeng Guofan paused, as if observing Li Xiucheng's reaction.
Li Xiucheng slowly raised his head and looked directly at Zeng Guofan. His eyes revealed a complex emotion, both the helplessness of defeat and a hint of elusive deep meaning.
Seeing this, Zeng Guofan decided to go straight to the topic. He said: "Li Xiucheng, you are a smart person. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom has failed, Hong Xiuquan is dead, and Tianjing has fallen. Now, do you have anything else to say? "
This sentence is like a sharp sword, straight to the heart of the matter. Zeng Guofan's intentions were obvious, he hoped that Li Xiucheng would recognize the reality and choose to surrender.
However, Lee's reaction was unexpected by Tsang. After pondering for a moment, he said, "My lord, please give me pen and paper." I want to put the whole truth out there. The records in the history of the Kingdom of Heaven have been burned, and if I don't write them down, future generations will not know the process of the Kingdom of Heaven. "
Zeng Guofan was slightly surprised when he heard this request. He didn't expect Li Xiucheng to make such a request. After a brief period of consideration, Zeng Guofan agreed to Li Xiucheng's request. He ordered someone to bring pen and paper and let Li Xiucheng start writing in the cage.
In this way, Li Xiucheng began his "Self-Statement". This document later became an important source for the study of the history of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. However, the content of this "self-statement" has caused many controversies among later scholars.
In the days that followed, Zeng Guofan talked to Li Xiucheng many times. In each conversation, Zeng tried to persuade Li Xiucheng to surrender, hoping to incorporate the remnants of the Taiping army. However, Li Xiucheng's attitude has always been ambiguous, making Zeng Guofan elusive.
In a conversation, Li Xiucheng suddenly said something that shocked Zeng Guofan: "If I surrender, you will definitely not survive." This sentence was like a thunderbolt, which made Zeng Guofan fall into deep thought.
What exactly does this mean? Why would Lee so-cheng say such a thing? What kind of mystery is hidden behind this? These questions kept swirling in Zeng Guofan's mind, making him more cautious about Li Xiucheng.
Over time, the confrontation between Zeng and Li Xiucheng gradually turned into a complex political game. Every conversation between the two is like a piece on a chessboard, full of strategic considerations and deep meanings.
This confrontation involved not only Li Xiucheng's personal fate, but also the fate of the remnants of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and Zeng Guofan's position in the imperial court. The contest between the two characters adds more drama and suspense to this history.
In the many confrontations between Zeng Guofan and Li Xiucheng, the most shocking thing is the sentence that Li Xiucheng said: "If I surrender, you will definitely not survive." This sentence is like a double-edged sword, which not only reveals the complex political situation at that time, but also exposes Li Xiucheng's keen insight into the situation.
The meaning of Li Xiucheng's sentence can be interpreted from multiple angles. First, it reflects Li Xiucheng's deep understanding of the power struggles within the Qing court. Although the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had declined, the power and prestige accumulated by the Zeng Dynasty in the process of quelling the rebellion had grown, which aroused the suspicion of certain forces in the imperial court. Li Xiucheng's words implied that if he surrendered, he would likely be used to attack Zeng Guofan.
Secondly, this sentence also reflects the political wisdom of Li Xiucheng. He clearly realized that his value lay not only in his military talent, but also in his importance as a political bargaining chip. By refusing to surrender, he not only preserved his dignity, but also protected Zeng Guofan to some extent.
Moreover, Li Xiucheng's remarks also reflect his sober analysis of the situation. He realized that even if he surrendered, he would not escape death. Rather than surrender in humiliation, it is better to stand your ground and leave a dignified image for future generations. To a certain extent, this choice is also a reminder and warning to Zeng Guofan.
In the following conversation, Lee further elaborated on his views. He pointed out that although the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom failed, the social contradictions it reflected were not resolved. He believes that if the Qing court fails to reform in time, it will inevitably face greater challenges in the future. These words not only showed Li Xiucheng's foresight, but also made Zeng Guofan fall into deep thought.
Li Xiucheng also talked about his insight into Zeng's situation. He pointed out that in the process of pacifying the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Zeng Guofan not only accumulated huge military power, but also gathered a large number of talents. This situation will cause the imperial court to be vigilant. Li Xiucheng hinted that if he surrendered, it was likely to be used by the imperial court to balance Zeng Guofan, and may even endanger Zeng's life.
These words forced Zeng Guofan to re-examine his situation. He realized that Li Xiucheng had a point. With the victory of the war, his power did grow day by day, which would cause suspicion in the imperial court. If Li Xiucheng surrenders, the imperial court is likely to use him to weaken its own power.
Li Xiucheng's words also revealed his understanding of the reasons for the failure of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. He believes that the defeat of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is not only a military failure, but also a failure of philosophy and governance. He pointed out that corruption and infighting in the later period of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, as well as neglect of people's livelihood, were important reasons for the failure.
This attitude of self-reflection made Zeng Guofan have a complicated respect for Li Xiucheng. He realized that the person in front of him was not only a general with outstanding military talent, but also a politician with foresight and wisdom.
In the conversation that followed, Li Xiucheng also talked about his views on China's future. He believes that China must undergo profound changes, otherwise it will be difficult to meet the challenges of the Western powers. This kind of forward-looking thinking forced Zeng Guofan to reassess Li Xiucheng's value.
However, these remarks by Li Xiucheng also caused trouble for Zeng Guofan. On the one hand, he agrees with many of Lee's views; On the other hand, he could not openly support the views of a rebel general. This kind of ambivalence made Zeng Guofan feel very difficult in dealing with the Li Xiucheng issue.
Li Xiucheng's astonishing words not only affected his own fate, but also had a profound impact on Zeng Guofan. It revealed the complex political situation at the time, and also left many questions for future generations to ponder. This conversation has become one of the most dramatic and profound scenes in this history.
Zeng Guofan faced Li Xiucheng's astonishing words and fell into an unprecedented predicament. As an important minister of the Qing court, he was responsible for pacifying the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom; As a person of insight, he had to admit that what Li Xiucheng said was quite reasonable. This contradictory situation made Zeng Guofan feel very difficult in dealing with the issue of Li Xiucheng.
First of all, Zeng Guofan had to consider the attitude of the imperial court. Although he made great contributions to the pacification of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, he was also well aware that his power had aroused the vigilance of certain forces in the imperial court. If he is too lenient with Lee, he is likely to be seen as sympathetic to the rebels and thus give his political opponents a lull.
Secondly, Zeng Guofan also needs to consider the overall situation. Although the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had failed, its remnants remained. If not handled properly, it is likely to provoke new unrest. As an important general of the Taiping Army, Li Xiucheng's attitude would affect other Taiping Army officers and soldiers. If Li Xiucheng can be persuaded to surrender, it may be able to induce more Taiping soldiers to lay down their arms.
However, Li Xiucheng's sentence "If I surrender, you will definitely not survive" made Zeng Guofan have to rethink this issue. He realized that if Li Xiucheng really surrendered, the imperial court would most likely use him to balance itself. In this case, not only will Li Xiucheng's life be difficult to protect, but his own situation will also become dangerous.
In this complex situation, Zeng Guofan decided to adopt a compromise strategy. He was neither in a hurry to execute Li Xiucheng, nor did he easily accept Li Xiucheng's surrender. Instead, he chose to continue the conversation with Lee so-sung in an attempt to gain more intelligence and insights from him.
In the following days, Zeng Guofan had many long talks with Li Xiucheng. Each conversation touched on the history of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the current state of China, and its future development. These dialogues not only gave Zeng Guofan a deeper understanding of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, but also gave him a new understanding of the problems facing China.
In one conversation, Li Xiucheng mentioned the reasons for the failure of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. He pointed out that corruption and infighting in the later period of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, as well as neglect of people's livelihood, were important reasons for the failure. These views coincide with Zeng Guofan's views. Zeng Guofan realized that Li Xiucheng was not only an excellent military general, but also a far-sighted thinker.
However, these insights of Li Xiucheng also brought new troubles to Zeng Guofan. If you openly agree with Lee so-sung's views, it will undoubtedly give political opponents a chance to attack. But if you completely deny Li Xiucheng's viewpoint, it will be contrary to your own conscience. This contradiction made Zeng Guofan more cautious in dealing with Li Xiucheng's issue.
In the process, Zeng Guofan also faced pressure from other quarters. Some officials of the main war faction insisted on the immediate execution of Li Xiucheng as an example. Other officials, on the other hand, believed that Li Xiucheng should be used to break up the remnants of the Taiping army. These different voices have brought tremendous pressure to Zeng Guofan.
Faced with this situation, Zeng Guofan decided to adopt a delaying strategy. On the one hand, he continued to have a dialogue with Li Xiucheng, trying to obtain more valuable information; On the other hand, he was also waiting for clear instructions from the imperial court. This approach not only avoids the risks that may come with hasty decisions, but also gives yourself more time to think.
During this time, Zeng Guofan also did an important thing. He ordered someone to record the content of his conversation with Li Xiucheng and kept these records secret. These records later became important materials for the study of the history of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
With the passage of time, Zeng Guofan's attitude towards Li Xiucheng also quietly changed. Although he still thinks of Li Xiucheng as a rebel general, he also has to admit that many of Li Xiucheng's views are valuable. This understanding made Zeng Guofan more cautious in dealing with the Li Xiucheng issue.
However, Zeng Guofan also knew very well that this situation could not last long. The imperial court will ask him to deal with Li Xiucheng as soon as possible. This pressure forced Zeng Guofan to speed up the pace of decision-making.
In this complicated situation, Zeng Guofan finally made a difficult decision. This decision is not only related to the fate of Li Xiucheng, but also affects the fate of the remnants of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and also involves Zeng Guofan's own status in the imperial court. This decision marks the end of the months-long confrontation between Zeng Guofan and Li Xiucheng.
After a long period of thinking and weighing, Zeng Guofan finally made the decision to execute Li Xiucheng. This decision marked the end of the final act of the Taiping Rebellion. On August 7, 1864, Li Xiucheng was executed in Yuhuatai, Nanjing. This incident not only ended the months-long confrontation between Zeng Guofan and Li Xiucheng, but also drew an end to the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement.
News of Li Xiucheng's execution soon spread throughout the country. For many, this means the end of more than a decade of war. For Tsang, however, the impact of the decision was far greater than he expected.
First, Li Xiucheng's execution sparked a heated discussion within the imperial court. Some officials felt that Zeng's approach was too hasty and did not make full use of Li Xiucheng to break up the remnants of the Taiping army. Other officials agreed with Tsang's decision as necessary to put down the rebellion. This controversy reflected the disagreement within the imperial court at that time on how to deal with the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom issue.
Secondly, Li Xiucheng's death also sparked various rumors among the people. Some say that Lee so-sung left an astonishing last word before his execution, and some say that he showed extraordinary courage in his final moments. These rumors, although difficult to verify, have affected people's perception of Li Xiucheng for a long time.
What is even more noteworthy is that Li Xiucheng's death had a profound impact on Zeng Guofan himself. After the execution of Li Xiucheng, Zeng Guofan often recalled his conversations with Li Xiucheng. Li Xiucheng's predictions and warnings seem to be becoming reality step by step. This forced Zeng Guofan to rethink his position and decision-making.
In the years that followed, Zeng Guofan mentioned Li Xiucheng many times in his diary. He recorded his evaluation of Li Xiucheng and also expressed his reflection on the decision at that time. These records have become important materials for later generations to study the changes in Zeng Guofan's thoughts.
As time passed, people's evaluation of Lee so-sung also changed. For a long time after the defeat of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Li Xiucheng was officially characterized as a rebel. However, with the deepening of historical research, people began to re-examine the image of Li Xiucheng.
Some historians have pointed out that although Li Xiucheng was a general of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, many of his ideas and insights were forward-looking. His analysis of China's problems, and his proposals for future reforms, may have seemed radical at the time, but they were later validated by historical developments.
Other scholars have focused on the dialogue between Li Xiucheng and Zeng Guofan. They argued that the dialogue not only reflected the problems facing China at the time, but also revealed two different approaches to reform. Li Xiucheng represented a radical idea of change, while Zeng Guofan represented a moderate reformism. The collision of these two ideas has, to a certain extent, foreshadowed China's future development path.
Li Xiucheng's last words have also become a hot spot in later studies. While there is controversy about the exact content of his last words, most scholars believe that Li did express concern about China's future on his deathbed. This apprehension was confirmed in the subsequent historical development.
With the passage of time, Li Xiucheng's image gradually changed among the people. He was no longer just a rebel general, but was seen as a visionary historical figure. In some places, there were even events to commemorate Lee so-sung.
For Zeng Guofan, the decision to execute Li Xiucheng also became a knot in his heart. While this decision was necessary from a political and military point of view, on a personal level, Zeng seemed to feel some kind of regret. This mixed mood was reflected in some of his later behaviors and decisions.
Overall, Li Xiucheng's death marked the end of the Taiping Rebellion, but the reflections and reflections it provoked continue to this day. This historical event not only reflects the problems facing China at the time, but also provides a unique perspective for us to understand the complexity of that era. It reminds us that the development of history is not black and white, but is full of complex contradictions and choices.