Wang Zhuchao recruited him, and Zeng Guofan wanted to get rid of it
In the last years of the Qing Dynasty, a contest related to the fate of the country was quietly carried out in the camp of the Hunan army. Zeng Guofan recruited 3,000 soldiers to defend against foreign aggression when the nation was in danger, but he did not expect that Wang Qiang, a young general from a scholarly family, would respond to his call with a crowd of 10,000 people.
Wang Qiang's over-recruitment, although full of enthusiasm and ambition, unexpectedly touched Zeng Guofan's vigilance and triggered a duel of power and loyalty.
In the middle of the 19th century, during a period of internal and external difficulties for the Qing Dynasty, the rise of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom triggered great changes in society. In this context, Wang Zhu, whose name is Pushan, is a talented man in Xiangxiang, Hunan, who studied under Luo Zenan, an authority on science, and has shown superhuman intelligence since he was a child.
At the age of 14, he was familiar with the subset of scriptures and history, and was proficient in Confucian classics such as "Spring and Autumn" and "Book of Rites". Under Luo Zenan's education, Wang Zhu not only learned book knowledge, but also paid more attention to character cultivation and independent thinking, and set up a firm ambition of "taking the world as his own responsibility" when he was young.
In the face of the country's crisis, Zeng Guofan was guided by the way of Confucius and Mencius, advocating the rule of virtue and strict discipline. He decided to join the army and organize a militia to resist the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in order to protect the country.
At the same time, Wang Ju was also inspired by Luo Zenan, gave up his original career, chose to abandon literature and martial arts, threw himself into the danger of the country, and fought side by side with Zeng Guofan.
In forming and tempering the new army, Zeng Guofan highlighted his outstanding organizational and leadership skills. He selects soldiers strictly, pays attention to military discipline and rules, and also attaches great importance to the ideological education and moral cultivation of soldiers.
This unique management model made the Hunan army quickly become a powerful army. Wang Ju joined the Hunan army with enthusiasm and loyalty to the country, and he made a name for himself in the army with his profound knowledge and outstanding leadership skills.
His bravery and resourcefulness were proven in many battles, especially in the pursuit of bandits on the border of Guangdong, where he displayed extraordinary military talent.
Although Wang Ju excelled in military affairs, he did not fully gain the approval of Zeng Guofan. Although Zeng Guofan recognized Wang Zhu's talent, he had reservations about the arrogance and conceit in his personality.
The differences between Zeng Guofan and Wang Ju on the concept of military management gradually became more and more obvious over time.
In order to improve the combat effectiveness of the Hunan army, Zeng Guofan ordered Wang Ju to recruit more soldiers. After receiving the order, Wang Ju, with his extraordinary organizational skills and appeal, ran around, mobilized relatives and friends, mobilized villagers, and completed the recruitment task in just a few days, successfully recruiting 10,000 soldiers, more than three times as much as Zeng Guofan originally envisioned.
Zeng Guofan expressed dissatisfaction with Wang's over-fulfillment of tasks, which he believed showed Wang's ability, but also revealed his lack of respect for military orders, and even the possibility of expanding military power without authorization.
He feared that this would lead to instability among the recruits, which in turn would lead to discontent and strife in the army. Although Wang Ju showed outstanding ability, it did not bring him the praise he expected.
Wang Zhu was very indignant about this. He felt that his hard work had been ruthlessly ignored and that his talents and contributions had not been given the credit they deserved. He interpreted Tsang's decision as a question, even a humiliation, of his abilities.
This incident changed the relationship between the two, and Wang Ju began to question the leadership of Zeng Guofan.
Wang's assertion was seen as disrespectful to military orders and showed a tendency towards individual heroism. Tsang emphasized the importance of discipline and uniformity in the armed forces, above individual heroism.
Therefore, he made the decision to reduce the surplus troops, making it clear that "this person cannot stay." Wang's ambition and self-confidence stand in stark contrast to Tsang's cautious and disciplined stance.
This contradiction not only affected their relationship, but also foreshadowed possible problems within the Hunan army in the future.
Wang Ju was indignant and frustrated by Zeng's accusations, believing that his talents and loyalty had been misunderstood and doubted by Zeng, which made him doubt the status and future of his Hunan army.
This mentality gradually influenced his actions and decisions, and he began to show more personal heroism, and some decisions began to contradict Tsang's commanding intentions.
Zeng began to realize that, despite Wang's talent, his personality flaws could have an impact on the unity and effectiveness of the Hunan army. As a result, he began to gradually reduce his dependence on Wang Zhu and devoted himself to finding other generals who were in line with his philosophy.
Wang's position in the Hunan army gradually declined, which made him feel marginalized, which also exacerbated his contradictions with Zeng Guofan. Despite his remarkable courage and military prowess in battle, his personality was alien to Tsang's rigorous command system.
In the end, he chose to leave the Hunan army and join other military forces. Although he still showed outstanding military prowess in later battles, his fate had already diverged from Tsang's fortunes.
In conclusion, two young talents, a brave and decisive young general, and a thoughtful senior commander, each made their own unique choice at a critical moment for the survival of the country.
Wang Ju's over-recruitment is not only a shining light of personal heroism, but also a questioning of traditional military orders; Zeng Guofan's decision showed his adherence to strict military discipline and organizational stability.
These choices not only shaped their respective life paths, but also reflected the contradictions and conflicts of that era. Eventually, their paths diverged, suggesting that in the current of history, even the most prominent figures had to choose between their personal characteristics and the changing times.