▁Secretary ▁to ▁the ▁Grand ▁Secret ariat ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁and ▁elev ated ▁to ▁" Second ▁Class ▁Mar quis ▁Ke j ing " ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 8 . ▁ ▁Later ▁life ▁and ▁death ▁Zu o ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁Grand ▁Council , ▁the ▁cabinet ▁of ▁the ▁Q ing ▁Empire ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 0 . ▁Une asy ▁with ▁b ureau cr atic ▁politics , ▁Zu o ▁asked ▁to ▁be ▁rel ieved ▁of ▁his ▁duties ▁and ▁was ▁appointed ▁Vic ero y ▁of ▁Li ang ji ang ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 1 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 4 , ▁upon ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁S ino - F rench ▁War , ▁Zu o ▁received ▁his ▁fourth ▁and ▁last ▁commission ▁as ▁commander - in - ch ief ▁and ▁Imperial ▁Commission er ▁of ▁the ▁military ▁and ▁Ins pect or - General ▁over see ing ▁coast al ▁def ences ▁in ▁F uj ian ▁Province . ▁ ▁Leg acy ▁ ▁Zu o ▁was ▁adm ired ▁by ▁many ▁gener als ▁who ▁came ▁after ▁him . ▁During ▁the ▁Republican ▁era , ▁the ▁Ku om int ang ▁general ▁B ai ▁Ch ong xi ▁wanted ▁to ▁recon quer ▁X in ji ang ▁for ▁the ▁National ist ▁government , ▁in ▁Zu o ' s ▁style , ▁and ▁exp elled ▁Russian ▁influence ▁from ▁the ▁area . ▁Zu o ▁was ▁also ▁referred ▁to ▁by ▁Ku om int ang ▁general ▁Ma ▁Zh ong ying ▁( a ▁desc endant ▁of ▁a ▁Sal ar ▁noble ) ▁as