ng officer, rejoicing in the innumerable Chinese name of Li, had
attracted Tung Wang's favourable notice, and was by him entrusted with
a small command. It will be more convenient to speak of him by his
subsequent title of Chung Wang, or the "Faithful King." He
distinguished himself in his first enterprise by defeating a large
Imperial army besieging Chinkiang, and in relieving the garrison when
on the point of surrender. But while engaged on this task the
Imperialists closed in on his rear and cut off his retreat back to
Nanking, whither Tien Wang hastily summoned him to return. He
endeavoured to make his way along the northern bank, but was checked
at Loohoo by the ex-Triad Chang Kwoliang, the same who deserted the
Taepings in Kwangsi. Chang had crossed the river to oppose him, and
Chung Wang, hastily conveying his army over the river, fell upon and
destroyed the weakened force that the Imperial general had left there,
under General Chi, who committed suicide. Chang Kwoliang crossed after
him, but only to suffer defeat, and Chung Wang made his way into
Nanking. He then attacked the main Imperial army before its walls,
under the Emperor's generalissimo Heang Yung, and drove it out of its
entrenchments. Heang took his defeat so much to heart that he also
committed suicide, but Chang Kwoliang made a supreme effort to
retrieve the day, and succeeded in retaking all the lost positions,
with the exception of the Yashua Gate of Nanking.

While these events were in progress in the Taeping capital, some
events that must be briefly referred to happened on a different scene.
The Triads, aided by the mob, rose in Shanghai, overcame the Emperor's
officers and garrison, and on 7th September 1853 obtained complete
mastery of the native city. The foreign settlement was placed in a
state of siege, the men-of-war covered the approaches to the
factories, and a volunteer corps was carefully organised and
constantly employed. Then an Imperial army re-appeared on the scene,
and laid siege to Shanghai, but it was conducted with no skill, and
the situation remained unchanged. After twelve months' delay the
French Admiral, Laguerre, decided to help the Imperialists, and he
began to bombard the walls in December 1854. He combined with them in
an assault, and 400 French sailors and the Imperialists attacked the
walls which had been breached. The assault ended disastrously, for the
rebels defended the houses, and at last drove back the assailant