Certainly! Here's the rewritten version of the article with added details while maintaining the original meaning:
During the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, the Manchu politician Zhao Erxun offered his assessment of Zeng Guofan in the \"Draft History of Qing\":
\"Zeng's achievements stemmed from his scholarly pursuits and adept use of ritual principles. His sincerity was sufficient to impress the masses. In military and administrative affairs, he pursued practicality above all else. His plans for national affairs, rarely proven wrong, earned him comparisons to Zhuge Liang of the Han Dynasty, Pei Du of the Tang Dynasty, and Wang Yangming of the Ming Dynasty. His greatness knows no bounds!\"
Comparing Zeng Guofan to Zhuge Liang, Pei Du, and Wang Yangming was indeed a lofty praise.
However, why did the people of Hubei and Hunan call Zeng Guofan \"Zeng Tixing\" and the people of southern Anhui call him \"Chong Guohui\"? Describing Zeng Guofan as turning bones into ashes vividly depicts the brutality of the massacre in Anqing during his rule.
01 Anqing Defense Battle
Anqing, the foremost city in southern Anhui, had been the provincial capital for nearly two centuries, strategically located on the Yangtze River, making it crucial for transporting strategic materials and controlling grain-producing areas.
Anqing, known as the \"First Feudal Lord of the Yangtze River for Ten Thousand Miles,\" sat astride the Yangtze, controlling vital shipping routes and playing a pivotal role in logistical strategies and agricultural production control.
In the summer of 1860, the Xiang Army besieged Anqing. It wasn't until September 5, 1861, that the Xiang Army dug tunnels and detonated explosives, breaching the northern gate of Anqing, leading to its fall.
During the year-long siege, Zeng Guofan adopted a strategy of \"siege and intercept,\" successfully thwarting two relief efforts by Chen Yucheng, the Ying King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The defense of Anqing marked a crucial turning point in the Taiping Rebellion.
02 Massacre of Surrendering Troops
While besieging Anqing, Zeng Guofan stationed a large force near Tongcheng, where Li Yucheng's relief army was stationed. There was a crucial connection between them: Chigangling. Chen Yucheng arranged for 4,000 troops in four camps to defend the area. Under continuous attack from Zeng Guofan's forces, three camps comprising 3,000 troops surrendered, with only Liu Yulin's camp swearing to fight to the death.
Upon learning of the surrender, Zeng Guofan instructed his younger brother Zeng Guoquan to execute all surrendered troops.
\"I have not received a letter from my brother today, I do not know the specific situation of Liu Yulin's camp, have they all surrendered?\"
After learning that all the surrendering soldiers had been killed, Zeng Guofan wrote in his diary:
Baochengang and Cheng'er's outside town,
湖北 and remained troops of had been Dominion in could able ranks.Capture
