Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang, two feudal officials who shocked China in the late Qing Dynasty, and they both had a "money bag" behind them, which provided them with a steady stream of economic support.
Li Hongzhang has received Sheng Xuanhuai's strong support, both in terms of official position and benefits. So, what kind of help did Zuo Zongtang get from Hu Xueyan?
During the Taiping War, in the first month of the first year of Tongzhi (1862), Zuo Zongtang received an edict from the imperial court and was appointed governor of Zhejiang. In order to perform his duties smoothly, he asked the imperial court to appoint Wang Ruonong and Hu Xueyan as the persons in charge of food and wages.
According to the analysis of historical data, Zuo Zongtang and Hu Xueyan have not met at this time. The reason why Zuo Zongtang recommended Hu Xueyan was because he had listened to the opinions of Wang Youling, the former governor of Zhejiang, and knew Hu Xueyan's financial resources and influence in Zhejiang.
He hoped to take this opportunity to get help from Hu Xueyan and to curry favor with Hu Xueyan. At that time, Hu Xueyan already had the official position of "Alternate Daotai" (Zheng Sipin), which was given to him by Wang Youling.
For Hu Xueyan, what he lacks is not money, but fame. After Zuo Zongtang served as the governor of Zhejiang, he found that Hu Xueyan handled affairs in an orderly manner, and the tasks assigned to him could be successfully completed.
Relying on his abundant financial resources, Hu Xueyan solved Zuo Zongtang's worries again and again, and provided a steady stream of military salary support for the front-line soldiers.
Zuo Zongtang's trust and dependence gave Hu Xueyan a stage to show his talents. From official to private affairs, Zuo Zongtang's trust in Hu Xueyan is increasing day by day. In the third year of Tongzhi, Zuo Zongtang's niece came from afar, and Hu Xueyan helped take care of it;After Zuo Zongtang pacified Zhejiang, Hu Xueyan was rewardedAfter Zuo Zongtang was promoted to the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, he even asked to bring Hu Xueyan to Fujian to assist in the procurement of arms and rations, and Hu Xueyan was promoted again.
From being promoted from an envoy to a political envoy, Hu Xueyan's official position has been greatly improved, which also shows Zuo Zongtang's trust and appreciation of Hu Xueyan.
The good situation in Fujian and Guangdong has transferred Zuo Zongtang's prestige to the skyrocket, and his status is on a par with Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang. In September of the tenth year of Tongzhi (1871), Zuo Zongtang played again and asked for a reward for meritorious personnel, which affirmed Hu Xueyan's contribution and hoped that the imperial court could reward Hu Xueyan with a good canon.
However, the imperial court rejected his request, and the officials replied that according to the official practice of the Qing Dynasty, Hu Xueyan was not qualified to be awarded the title of Zhengyipin. Hu Xueyan was not born in the imperial examination, and he had no military exploits, he was just a businessman, and the court stipulated that the highest rank of this kind of people could only be the rank of political envoy.
However, Zuo Zongtang did not give up, he served as the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu in the eleventh year of Tongzhi, successfully cleared the rebellion in the northwest, and relieved the great trouble in the northwest for the imperial court. Soon after, Zuo Zongtang presented the "Shaanxi Province Purging Contribution to the Merger of the Case Reward Fold", which listed Hu Xueyan as the first merit, and asked the imperial court to reward Hu Xueyan with a good product.
This time, his wish finally came true, and Hu Xueyan's official rank reached the peak of his career.
Hu Xueyan rose through the ranks of officialdom, won many rewards from the imperial court, and was even personally received by the Empress Dowager Cixi. In addition to assisting Zuo Zongtang in handling food and salary, he also performed well in disaster relief, and made generous donations many times to solve problems for victims across the country.
Zuo Zongtang and Tongzhi played the imperial court for 12 years, asked for merit for Hu Xueyan, and asked Emperor Tongzhi to give Hu Xueyan's mother a royal pen plaque as a reward. Li Hongzhang, who was the governor of Zhili at the time, also wrote a letter praising Hu Xueyan for his kindness and donation of huge sums of money to the disaster area in Tianjin.
The performance of the two governors was valued by Emperor Tongzhi, and finally gave Hu Xueyan's mother the plaque of "Mianshan Chengrong", which is still hanging in the former residence of Hu Xueyan in Hangzhou.
It is a pity that when Emperor Tongzhi wrote the word "Cheng", he mistakenly wrote it as "Cheng".
Zuo Zongtang attaches great importance to Hu Xueyan, but Hu Xueyan's ending is regrettable, because of the monopoly of the raw silk market, which led to the destruction of his family. There is a deep political meaning hidden behind it, on the surface, it is a duel between Hu Xueyan and Sheng Xuanhuai, but in fact it is a contest between Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang.
Unfortunately, Zuo Zongtang lost to Li Hongzhang in this duel, and Hu Xueyan became a victim of politics. The relationship between Zuo Zongtang and Hu Xueyan can be described as "success and Xiao He".