Zeng Zuo and Li were both famous ministers of ZTE, ministers of Westernization, and high-ranking officials in the late Qing Dynasty. They were the three most important political forces among the Han officials in the late Qing Dynasty. The three of them had countless entanglements throughout their lives, admiring, admiring, jealousy, betrayal, and strife, with thousands of ups and downs. Let’s briefly talk about the relationship between the three people.

1. Zeng Guofan and Zuo Zongtang

Zeng Guofan was a man of elegance and wisdom throughout his life, with an open mind, able to recognize and employ people, regardless of past grievances, put the overall situation first, and did not seek personal revenge. He is recognized in Chinese history. The perfect saint, known as the last spiritual leader. Zuo Zongtang, on the other hand, was arrogant, conceited, narrow-minded, and domineering. Although he was promoted by Zeng Guofan and rose to great heights, he immediately established his own business after gaining power, and fell out with Zeng Guofan and was always in trouble. The two were both ministers of the Qing court, and they had been at odds for many years but cherished each other.

Zeng and Zuo are fellows from Hunan. Zeng was one year older than Zuo, had a successful imperial examination, and had a smooth official career. However, Zuo Huaicai was not found, and he failed three times in three general examinations. In anger, he gave up the imperial examination and returned to his hometown to teach. However, Zuo Zongtang's talents had long been known far and wide, and local officials were willing to make friends with him. Tao Shu, the governor of Liangjiang, asked Zuo Zongtang to be his tutor, and they became in-laws. In this way, Zuo Zongtang entered the political circle. Hu Linyi is the son-in-law of the Tao family. Through the Tao family, Zuo Zongtang met Hu Linyi. Through Hu Linyi's connection, Zuo Zongtang became the chief staff officer of two Hunan governors.

2. Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang

The relationship between Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang is quite different. Li Hongzhang regarded himself as a student of Zeng Guofan all his life. He admired Zeng Guofan greatly and inherited Zeng Guofan's mantle.

Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang's father, Li Wen'an, were Jinshi in the same year, so Zeng Guofan was one generation higher than Li Hongzhang. After Li Hongzhang passed the imperial examination, he joined Zeng Guofan as a staff member. The two had the same love as father and son, and Li Hongzhang rose to great heights under Zeng Guofan's guidance.

Li Hongzhang was extremely intelligent and talented. He truly bowed and died in order to extend the life of the Qing Dynasty. In terms of character, he is also versatile and has excellent disciples all over the world. He is not as conceited and domineering as Zuo Zongtang. But there were conflicts between him and his teacher Zeng Guofan.

But Zeng and Li finally reconciled. Later, Zeng Guofan realized that the students were right and moved the camp; Li Hongzhang also found that he could not survive without Zeng Guofan, so he came back. Eventually he inherited Zeng Guofan's mantle, prospered from the Zeng Mansion, and became the first famous minister after Zeng Guofan in the late Qing Dynasty.