Chapter 202: Surrender (Part 2)

As soon as he spoke, Pan Dingxin felt some regret: “I have received great favors from the emperor. How could I, a high-ranking official of the second rank, simply become a traitor?”
Yet as he changed clothes, he thought back to the past: “Since death is inevitable anyway, why not enjoy oneself for a few days?”
He remembered when Li Xiucheng captured Hangzhou, the governor Lin Fuxiang and the military commander Mi Chaoxing fell into the hands of the Taiping Army. Li Xiucheng treated them well, but Lin and Mi remained loyal and refused to become traitors. Li Xiucheng did not force them to stay, giving them a boat and 100 taels of silver to leave. Yet the two were killed by Zuo Zongtang as soon as they left Hangzhou.
Reflecting on this incident, he realized there was no turning back for him: “Even if I don’t surrender and am not killed by the Black Flag Army, I will still be dealt a blow by the Qing Dynasty. Enough! As long as I can kill that scoundrel Chen Jiali, my wish will be fulfilled!”
Having made up his mind, he hurriedly put on his second-rank official robes and bowed respectfully, saying, “I am Pan Dingxin. I hereby request an urgent meeting with Commander Liu Yu to discuss military matters!”
To his surprise, the young officer in front of him, barely twenty years old, smiled and said, “You are Pan Dingxin? Great! I am Liu Yu!”
Pan Dingxin observed carefully. The young officer was very young and handsome, reminding him of two prominent generals of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom—Chen Yucheng and Li Xiucheng. “Indeed, heroes often emerge from youth!”
“Pan, your cooperation is a great honor for me. I’ve already prepared a horse-drawn carriage and guards. All treatments will follow the old Qing regulations!” Liu Yu’s voice was clear. “If you prefer not to work with us, I’ve also prepared a strong horse and 100 taels of silver, allowing you to go wherever you wish.”
Pan Dingxin bowed deeply and said, “When the foreign invaders captured Hangzhou, Lin Fuxiang refused to become a traitor. Li Xiucheng released him to Shanghai, but he was later killed by Zuo Zongtang. This is a clear warning right before our eyes!”
He had hardened his heart. Although becoming a traitor would bring endless troubles, possibly even the punishment of exterminating his entire family, what other choice did he have at this point?
Besides, the Black Flag Army had many advantages over the foreign invaders—experienced soldiers who had defeated the French. Now, even the elite troops in the eastern and western provinces under his command had been defeated by them. From now on, they could advance freely; in defeat, they could declare themselves kings and expand beyond their borders, and in victory, they could compete for control of the Lingnan region.
Liu Yu was also secretly delighted. He never expected a provincial governor to surrender so easily. This was a valuable asset!
After all, as governor, Pan Dingxin was the highest official in Guangxi. Although he came alone, without a single soldier, his title alone was worth an entire infantry regiment, allowing the Black Flag Army to avoid losing over a thousand men.
“It would be perfect if you think so. I’m concerned about national affairs and wish to lead troops to Guilin to discuss matters with the other officials in the province. Having you as a guide would be ideal!”
With three infantry brigades of the Black Flag Army as its core force, numbering 15,000 soldiers, plus Pan Dingxin’s influence, Liu Yu was determined to launch his campaign in Guangxi.
“I have a crucial military matter to inform the general. It concerns the survival of your army.” Since Pan Dingxin had already decided to surrender, he had no reservations: “It’s all due to my ignorance. I may have offended your army’s dignity at this moment!”

“For this campaign in Taiyuan, I’ve agreed with the governor of Yunnan that both provinces will send troops. Although the troops from the Western Province were wiped out by General Yi, at this very moment, 20,000 elite troops from Yunnan are already heading toward Baosheng, encircling the rear of your forces. Please, General Liu, send troops immediately…”
This was something Liu Yu was not aware of beforehand. He immediately shouted at Cai Yunnan, “Is the field telegraph line set up?”
“It’s already set up; we can send messages directly to Baosheng!”
“Good! Order Baosheng to enter combat readiness. Also, send one reinforced battalion from Shanxi and another from Xuan Guang to Baosheng…”
Liu Yu promptly made arrangements. Meanwhile, seeing Pan Dingxin looking uneasy, Cai Yunnan casually said, “Telegrams can be sent thousands of miles in just a few hours—Baosheng will know within two hours!”
Pan Dingxin, who had dealt with Western affairs before, knew what telegraphs were and had used them for communication, but he never expected such an advanced telegraph network to exist even in these remote areas: “Two hours?”
“That’s right!” Liu Yu said proudly. “When I advance into Guangxi this time, I’ll have a company of telegraph operators and two companies of telephone operators. We can set up telegraph lines right outside Guilin City!”
For Pan Dingxin, who was leading troops into battle, all communication relied on messengers on horseback, not to mention the telephones Liu Yu mentioned: “Are those telephones from the West?”
“That’s right! My Black Flag Army already has hundreds of them!”
“Commander Liu, I’m willing to go and persuade my former troops to surrender!”
……
Zhenan Pass.
Wang Debang was on the verge of crying. Once, he had been a great general commanding tens of thousands of troops, but now, after retreating from Vietnam, he had barely a thousand men left, with all their equipment lost.
“Twenty years of effort, and it turns out to be just a dream!” Wang Debang said bitterly to his officers. “Just a dream! I hate Su Yuanchun—so hateful!”
Only upon arriving at Zhenan Pass did these defeated soldiers finally get a chance to rest. But Wang Debang was close to tears. His Chu Army, which once numbered up to thirty battalions, now had fewer than a thousand men. Even after absorbing some other troops, they still numbered only a thousand or so, not to mention having to deal with a deadly enemy like Su Yuanchun.
“General, let’s take in more soldiers here. As for dealing with Su Yuanchun, we can fight it out later!”
“Nonsense!” Wang Debang was very clear-headed. “The Black Flag rebels’ pursuers are coming soon. We must leave now!”
“But… although the Black Flag Army is brave, they can’t be that reckless, right?”
As a famous general of the Chu Army, Wang Debang was quite sensible. “I’ve ordered the local militia groups in Pingxiang to rush to Zhenan Pass for defense. With another thousand troops, we can hold them off while we head to Guilin!”
“Guilin?”
“That’s right, Guilin! I heard Su Yuanchun has also retreated. I don’t want to face him here. Let him defend Zhenan Pass while we go to Guilin!”
In the battle of Taiyuan, the Qing army lost all its elite troops. Even the defenders of Langshan retreated inside the passes in advance, leaving behind no supplies. Now, Wang Debang was eyeing the several thousand troops gathered at Zhenan Pass.
With his reputation, he estimated he could recruit another two thousand men. Combined with his own troops, that would give him four thousand strong. As for Su Yuanchun, he could just let him hold off the Black Flag Army at Zhenan Pass.

All his subordinates understood Wang Debang’s intentions, but they lacked the courage: “Retreating without permission? Isn’t that too reckless?”
“What’s reckless about it! I’m doing this for the benefit of the Great Qing!” Wang Debang wiped away his tears. “With the country in such trouble, it’s time for us to show our loyalty!”
He declared loudly, “I’m going to Guilin to rescue the pillars of the nation and try to turn the situation around!”
“The pillars of the nation!”
“That includes officials like Xu Yanxu and Huang Guilan, who were imprisoned due to slander by the Black Flag rebels!”