Liu Yongfu led the Black Flag Army to fight against the French army. He was a national hero. Why did he become a thorn in Li Hongzhang's side?

The main reason is that Li Hongzhang has always held a peace-making attitude in the Sino-French war, unwilling or afraid to engage in war with the French army. Liu Yongfu won some victories against the French army, but Li Hongzhang felt that Liu Yongfu had destroyed the strategy of collegiality with the French army. Tell me about this Liu Yongfu, Liu Yongfu, Ziyuan Pavilion, born in 1837, a native of Gusendong Xiaofeng Township, Fangcheng District, Qinzhou, Guangdong Province, which is now Xiaofeng Village, Fulong Township, Fangchenggang City, Guangxi. Liu Yongfu's family was poor since childhood, so he joined the Heaven and Earth Society. Later, he led a pair of troops called "Black Flag Army".

But later, the Black Flag Army was suppressed by Feng Zicai, the governor of Guangxi, and had no choice but to move to Vietnam. After the Black Flag Army arrived in Vietnam, it was invaded by the French army. So Liu Yongfu helped Ruan Shi's dynasty defeat the French army many times, and he was even named the prefect of Sanxuan and the first-class baron. On the eve of the Sino-French War, Tang Jingsong came to Vietnam on behalf of the imperial court and recruited the Black Flag Army. So the black flag army was adapted into the Qing army and joined the team against the French army. Later, Liu Yongfu led the Black Flag Army to cooperate with the Qing army on the western front, and besieged the French army occupying Xuanguang City for three months. The French army in the city almost ran out of ammunition and food.

But in fact, at that time, Li Hongzhang was always the advocate and not the main battle. In 1884, Cixi ordered Li Hongzhang to negotiate with the representative of France, Flouno, and reached the Li Fu Agreement in Tianjin. It stipulates that all Qing troops must withdraw from northern Vietnam. However, the black flag army was born in heaven and earth, and it was not as obedient as other Qing troops at all. The black flag army must resist the French army to the end. In this way, it is impossible to stop the war. So, Liu Yongfu became a thorn in Li Hongzhang's side.

In fact, in Li Hongzhang's view, the resistance law is less military, more destructive and more important.