The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 989 Whose Future Belongs?
The stone steps of Nanmu Divine City gleamed with a bluish-gray light in the morning sun, appearing exceptionally sacred and solemn. The ninety-nine steps symbolized the heavenly ritual of "returning to oneness." Luo Yaoguo stood with his hands behind his back at the highest point, the hem of his bright yellow dragon robe gently lifted by the mountain breeze, revealing a dark robe underneath. He squinted, watching three black dots slowly moving along the mountain path—those were Hong Tiangui's honor guard, the black, red, and yellow dragon flags fluttering at the forefront particularly dazzling in the morning sun.

"Your Highness, Emperor Hong's army has reached the mountainside," Wu Chaoyue reported in a low voice, holding an ivory tablet. This Minister of Foreign Affairs had specially changed into a brand-new Heavenly Kingdom civil official's robe today, looking every bit the high-ranking official.

Luo Yaoguo did not answer, but squinted and looked at Hong Xiuquan's "prodigy" from afar—a hero created by the times! However, for the sake of the stability of the "Warsaw Pact system", he could not let him continue to grow wildly.

Although the American empire may grow to the size of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, allowing it to become the undisputed "number two" in the Warsaw Pact would also cause instability or even collapse of the system from within—there are precedents for this, no, there are precedents.

In the later NATO system, including those countries that weren't officially part of NATO but still belonged to the same camp, which was next to the US? Britain? They were far inferior to "Little Britain"! France? Not much better than "Little Britain," a partner in a completely different league from the US. Germany? No, that was just a shadow of Germany, utterly insignificant compared to America! "Little Britain"? It briefly rallied, but was subsequently rendered powerless. As for those Western European powers trying to unite and form the EU, let's not even mention them!

In short, within the NATO system, the United States has a precipitous lead, and there is no second-in-command below it!
On the other hand, who's the boss and who's the second in Russia? Well, they're both! So, things fell apart!

What a lesson!
Therefore, there could not be such a powerful country in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's "Warsaw Pact system"!

By this time, Luo Yaoguo could clearly see Hong Tiangui's sixteen-person dragon palanquin—its pure gold roof gleamed in the morning light, even more magnificent than when it came to pay tribute three years ago. Further away, Yang Chengtian's Korean entourage resembled a moving ball of yellow cotton, while Nanmu Gaozi's white-robed priests' procession looked like a winding white snake.

"Quite the spectacle," Luo Xinzhong murmured behind his father. The second son of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's prime minister was dressed in a dark green army general's uniform, the gilded command sword at his waist swaying gently as he leaned forward.

Luo Yaoguo suddenly chuckled, "Back when his father, Hong Tianwang, ascended to heaven, his procession was far more elaborate. He was carried in a sedan chair by sixty-four men—a sedan chair fit for a three-bedroom apartment!" Turning around, he instructed his men, "Prepare to welcome the guests. Remember—" His voice suddenly lowered, "Have the priests raise the volume of the chanting of Chapter Seven of the True Covenant."

As Hong Tiangui's imperial carriage finally came to a stop at the foot of the steps, a deafening chanting suddenly resounded through Nanmu Valley. The three hundred priests chanted the seventh chapter of the True Covenant, which contained the passage about "the Father punishing the usurper," and the loud sound echoed back and forth in the valley.

When Hong Tiangui lifted the sedan curtain, the muscles in his face twitched almost imperceptibly. Today, he had specially worn the "Heavenly King's Robe" passed down from his father—a bright yellow satin embroidered with dozens of densely packed dragons! At his waist hung the "Heavenly Father's Demon-Slaying Sword," a legacy from his father, Hong Xiuquan. But when he looked up and saw Luo Yaoguo high above him, he suddenly felt that his attire still resembled that of an actor—this was clearly the most authentic "Heavenly King's Robe," so why did it look so bad?
"Ninth Uncle." Hong Tiangui clasped his hands in greeting, deliberately letting the scabbard strike the sedan chair shaft to make a crisp sound. "It's been three years since we last met, and you look even more radiant than before."

Luo Yaoguo slowly walked down the steps, his boots crushing a few fallen cherry blossoms. He reached out and grasped Hong Tiangui's wrist, and the two walked together into the "Nanmu Divine City".

"Your imperial bearing has certainly impressed your Ninth Uncle," Luo Yaoguo said with a smile, his gaze sweeping over the guards behind the imperial carriage, who were equipped with new-style repeating rifles. "I've heard that the United States of America is about to launch another round of mobilization!"

Hong Tiangui's pupils contracted.

The United States of America now far surpasses the American Empire in population and industry! The reason this country has been at a disadvantage in the wars of the past few years is mainly due to its ruthless nature; it has consistently aligned itself with Britain in the Pacific against the Taiping Rebellion, vying for naval power and attempting to encircle and subjugate the American Empire. And now…
Inside the council hall of Nanmu Divine City, a sand table measuring three zhang long and two zhang wide almost filled the entire floor. The North American terrain on the sand table was accurate down to the direction of each mountain range, and even the distribution areas of major crops were marked with different colored sand.

Hong Tiangui stood before the "American Empire," his eyes fixed on the red ribbon across southern North America on the sand table—the US-Mexico border line that Luo Yaoguo had just personally laid out. On either side of the sand table, Yang Chengtian was constantly wiping sweat with a silk handkerchief, while Nanmu Gaozi stared down at the tips of his wooden clogs, as if they held some priceless treasure.

“According to the latest statistics,” Luo Yaoguo tapped Mexico City lightly with his gilded baton, “of Mexico’s eleven million people, Indigenous people make up 60% and people of mixed race make up 30%.” His baton swept across virtual estates, “and the arable land controlled by these estate owners is more than the developed land currently in the American Empire.”

Hong Tiangui placed his hand on the edge of the sand table. The sharp edges of the sandalwood left deep marks on his palm. He knew, of course, what these figures meant—if the "United States-Mexico Union" were forcibly pushed through, the existing Chinese in the American Empire would immediately become a minority.

“Uncle Jiu is overthinking it,” Hong Tiangui suddenly laughed. “We’re already implementing the Integration Order, which stipulates that any citizen who passes the language test can obtain full citizenship. Now every Mexican is working hard to learn English or Chinese. Moreover, hundreds of thousands, even millions, of people immigrate from East Asia to North America every year. The future belongs to us!”

Luo Yaoguo didn't reply, but instead gave Wu Chaoyue a wink. The Minister of Foreign Affairs immediately produced a gold-embossed booklet: "According to statistics from the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's consulate in Mexico, Mexico's population has doubled in the past 50 years, even amidst years of war and extreme economic inequality." "Uncle Jiu, Mexicans joining the United States is the will of the people!" Hong Tiangui frowned. "99% of Mexicans want to be Americans!"

Luo Yaoguo suddenly took out a plaque that read "Kingdom of America" ​​and gently placed it in Mexico City: "Then let's establish a Kingdom of America, with my nephew serving as king. In that case, wouldn't all Mexicans become Americans?"
A sharp "crack" came from across the sand table—Yang Chengtian had accidentally crushed the teacup in his hand. The Korean king never imagined Luo Yaoguo possessed such an imagination.
Luo Yaoguo continued, "The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom can also send agricultural association advisory groups to help straighten out local land relations. As long as the land is distributed properly, the United States will definitely become wealthy!"

Hong Tiangui's gaze swept across the small red flags representing the power of the manor owners on the sand table, and he suddenly noticed that most of them were planted within the territory of the "Kingdom of America" ​​that Luo Yaoguo had just demarcated. The veins on his forehead bulged and then subsided, finally turning into a long sigh: "Since Uncle Jiu has considered things so thoroughly, I will naturally follow suit."

The lights of the banquet illuminated the paper windows of Nanmu Divine City. Hong Tiangui stood alone on the west terrace, clutching a newly received secret letter in his hand. Only he could decipher the coded message on the letter—the United States of America was conducting a new round of mobilization and was brewing a new offensive.

It seems that the intelligence agencies of the American Empire are not much worse than the intelligence bureau of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom!

"Your Majesty has a fine taste." Nanmu Takako appeared like a ghost at the corner of the corridor. Tonight, she had changed out of her priest's robes and was wearing a moon-white Tang-style dress, the gold hairpin in her hair gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

Hong Tiangui quickly stuffed the secret letter into his sleeve: "Isn't Your Highness going to have tea with His Highness Prince Wu?"

"The Prince is playing chess with King Yang." Gao Zi leaned against the vermilion railing, his gaze fixed on the dark mountains in the distance. "I heard that His Majesty agreed too readily, which made the Prince suspicious."

A sudden gust of mountain wind blew out several lanterns on the terrace. In the darkness, Hong Tiangui's voice carried a metallic chill: "Tell Prime Minister Luo that the American Empire will strictly abide by the agreement." He paused deliberately, "Just like the Japanese Empire has done all these years."

Gao Zi snapped her fan shut. She knew what Hong Tiangui was implying—the Shinto Shrine's attempt to unify Japan was "going it alone," and Luo Yaoguo ultimately approved Gao Zi's actions.

“Speaking of which,” Hong Tiangui suddenly changed the subject, “Uncle Jiu allocated the best land in Central America to Japan. Is the High Priest satisfied?”

Gao Zi gently waved her round fan, the four ink characters "Feng Lin Huo Shan" appearing and disappearing on the fan surface: "The blood of 100,000 soldiers of the Shinto Palace must be accounted for." She suddenly lowered her voice, "However, the western section of the Nicaragua Canal can be jointly managed by the United States and Japan."

Hong Tiangui turned his head sharply. In the moonlight, he saw a strange smile curl at the corner of Gao Zi's lips—this woman was implying that Japan would not completely block America's access to the Atlantic!

Meanwhile, inside the East Warm Pavilion of the Divine City, Luo Yaoguo was placing a black jade chess piece on the chessboard. "Xinzhong," he suddenly spoke, addressing Luo Xinzhong, who stood beside him, "next year you will personally lead the team to Mexico. As for the selection of the Farmers' Association members, I will have Ma Baocai arrange it."

Yang Chengtian's hand, holding the white chess piece, trembled slightly—it seemed King Luo Wu was determined to turn Mexico, no, the United States of America, into an independent nation!

"Your Highness!" A guard suddenly rushed in. "We just received an urgent report that Grand Duchess Natalia has arrived in Japan, saying she brought a personal letter from the Tsar!"

The chess piece in Luo Yaoguo's hand landed with a "thud" on the chessboard. He looked out the window—unbeknownst to him, a blood moon had already climbed into the night sky above Nanmu Valley.

(End of this chapter)