Video Editor

While Suning's "constitutional monarchy" and global expansion brought about a leap in national power, they also profoundly impacted the interests of the traditional gentry class.

Land surveys, implementation of commercial taxes, promotion of officials with practical skills, and the de facto restoration of imperial power...

These measures have caused a powerful undercurrent to surge within the empire.

At the heart of this undercurrent was the Donglin Party, primarily composed of Jiangnan literati who championed "pure criticism" and "integrity," with the Donglin Academy in Wuxi serving as their spiritual symbol.

Not daring to openly oppose the Grand Secretary and the constitutional monarchy, they used their extensive network of protégés and former officials, as well as their high standing among scholars, to constantly create public opinion.

Squeezed between the official gazettes, articles would appear that were full of veiled criticisms, accusing "powerful ministers of usurping power and violating ancestral rules," and lamenting "the ruler and father are no longer in charge, and rites and music are in ruins."

In the imperial examination system, they vehemently rejected candidates who were proficient in "new learning" such as physics and mathematics, and advocated the "orthodox path" of those who only knew the classics and poetry.

In local administration, they often outwardly comply but inwardly resist, delaying and hindering policies such as land surveys and the promotion of new-style schools, while secretly protecting the interests of local powerful families.

They placed their hopes on the inner palace, constantly instilling in the growing Emperor Taichang the ideas of "befriending virtuous ministers and keeping away from petty men" and "reclaiming power and revitalizing the court" through various channels. This was also the reason why Emperor Taichang dared to try to resist Su Ning.

The remaining noble forces, including the Duke of England Zhang Weixian, also secretly colluded with the Donglin Party members, forming a loose alliance against Su Ning.

They waited, waiting for an opportunity to bring down Suning in one fell swoop.

Suning had long been aware of the Donglin Party's actions.

His control of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the newly established Internal Security Bureau, like an invisible spider web, permeated the entire court and the country.

Most of the secret gatherings and privately exchanged letters of the Donglin Party members were under his surveillance.

His restraint was not out of fear, but rather because he was waiting for an opportunity to uproot them completely.

December of the first year of the Tianqi reign.

That year, during the shift from grain transport from the Grand Canal to sea transport in Jiangnan, a batch of grain was lost due to a storm.

This was originally a natural disaster, but the Donglin Party members believed they had seized a "handle" against Suning's new policies.

Under the planning of several key figures, a ten-thousand-word petition with strong wording and signed "Loyal and Righteous Scholars of Jiangnan" quietly circulated. It not only criticized the conversion of the Grand Canal to the sea as "wasting money and manpower" and "against the will of Heaven," but also directly accused Su Ning of "deceiving the emperor, occupying the court, and having ulterior motives." It even subtly mentioned that the deaths of Emperors Wanli and Taichang were "suspicious," and called on "loyal and righteous people all over the world to condemn him!"
This lengthy letter crossed the line that Suning could tolerate.

"The time has come." Inside the Prime Minister's residence, Su Ning put down the copy of the ten-thousand-word memorial in his hand, his tone calm, yet carrying a chilling aura.

Overnight, the elite forces of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Internal Security Bureau were mobilized in full force, and according to the pre-prepared list, they took action simultaneously in Yingtian Prefecture, Shuntian Prefecture, Suzhou, Wuxi and other places.

The core leaders of the Donglin Party and key members who actively participated in writing and disseminating petitions were almost entirely wiped out.

They were accused of "forming cliques for personal gain, slandering the government, and plotting rebellion" and were quickly thrown into prison.

The interrogation process was swift and decisive. In less than half a month, dozens of core members of the Donglin Party were publicly executed (beheaded or hanged), their property was confiscated, and their families were exiled to the New World or Southeast Asia.

The scene was so horrific that it terrified the court and the public.

Su Ning, in the name of the Tianqi Emperor, issued the "Edict Prohibiting the Donglin Party," which clearly declared: "The Donglin Party is not a blessing to the nation, but rather a source of political chaos. From this day forward, the Donglin Party is banned, and its doctrines are heretical. Anyone who privately transmits or gathers to discuss them will be punished for treason!"

Upon the issuance of the imperial edict, the Donglin Academy in Wuxi was directly abolished, its buildings were demolished, its steles were smashed, and its land was confiscated.

All lectures and teaching activities related to Donglin Academy were strictly prohibited, and private academies and literary societies were also subject to large-scale investigation and rectification.

This "Donglin Case" was like a thunderstorm, instantly destroying the Donglin Party and its sympathetic forces that had been entrenched in Shilin for decades.

The Duke of England, Zhang Weixian, and his men were so terrified that they completely shut up and dared not make any further moves.

No more public dissent could be heard in the imperial court.

However, Suning knew that killings and bans could only deter people temporarily and could not eradicate the breeding ground for opposition.

To completely transform this empire, we must start from the root—education.

Shortly after dealing with the Donglin Party, a more thorough and far-reaching education reform plan was officially launched by the cabinet.

I. Establish a three-tiered public school system:
Primary School (Elementary Education): "Government-run primary schools" were generally established in various prefectures and counties to implement compulsory education.

Children aged seven and above, regardless of gender, are required to attend school.

The curriculum focuses on literacy, arithmetic, basic physics, geography, and classic texts such as "The Enlightenment of the Ming Dynasty Laws" and "Citizen Instruction," aiming to cultivate citizens with basic cultural literacy and national identity.

Secondary Schools: "Government-run secondary schools" are established at the prefectural level to recruit outstanding primary school graduates.

The curriculum is deepened, adding more in-depth mathematics, physics, chemistry, Chinese and foreign history, geography, and foreign languages ​​(such as Latin and Portuguese) are introduced.

High school graduates can serve as low-level officials or enter specialized technical schools.

Universities: "National Universities" were established in the two capitals of Beijing and the south, as well as in a few central cities (such as Guangzhou and Wuhan).

It is divided into colleges of arts, sciences, engineering, law, business, and medicine, providing specialized education to cultivate high-level talents.

Admission requires passing a rigorous examination.

II. Monopolizing educational power:
Private schools were strictly prohibited: The imperial edict "prohibited all private schools and academies" to prevent "heretical doctrines" from misleading people.

All educational institutions must be government-run, teachers must be nationally certified, and textbooks must be compiled, reviewed, and distributed by the Cabinet Ministry of Education.

This move completely deprived traditional gentry of the channels through which they could spread their ideas and cultivate disciples through private schools.

III. Establish an elite training system:
The Great Ming Political Academy: Established in the capital and Nanjing, it was directly under the cabinet.

This is the cradle of the future bureaucratic system, specifically designed to train senior political officials.

Trainees are selected from outstanding university graduates and promising young officials, and their studies cover law, economics, public administration, and diplomatic strategy.

Grand Secretary Su Ning personally served as the honorary dean and frequently went there to give lectures.

Those who emerge from here will be professional bureaucrats who are completely loyal to the new system and possess modern administrative capabilities.

The Imperial Military Academy of the Ming Dynasty: Established in Tianjin, directly under the Privy Council.

Integrate existing martial arts styles to establish a unified, modern military education system.

The trainees are junior officers and outstanding high school graduates, who study modern military theory, tactical command, weapons operation, logistics management, and map surveying.

Su Ning also serves as honorary president, ensuring absolute ideological unity within the military and absolute loyalty to the chief minister.

This educational reform, accompanied by bloody suppression, had a far more profound impact than the execution of a few Donglin Party members.

The once bustling private academies and family-run schools gradually disappeared, replaced by standardized government-run schools that were ubiquitous in both urban and rural areas.

The children are no longer just reading the Four Books and Five Classics, but also "Introduction to the Study of Things", "Map of the World" and "Citizen's Code".

The "pure criticism" that the Donglin Party members relied on for survival was completely eradicated.

The scholar-official class could no longer interfere in politics through their connections with protégés or former officials, or through their academic reputation; their path to promotion was firmly controlled by the state's selection system.

To stand out from the crowd, one must enter a government-run school to learn "new learning" and ultimately undergo rigorous training at a political or military academy.

Decades later, when a new generation of officials and military officers, raised entirely under the modern education system, filled every level of the Ming Empire, no one remembered the Donglin Party, no one questioned the Grand Secretary's authority, and even the "Emperor" himself became a distant and vague symbol. Su Ning cleared the thorns from the path with steel and fire, and then shaped an entire generation walking that path with pen and books.

This was a silent revolution, without the smoke of gunpowder, yet it truly changed the soul and future of an ancient empire.

……

With internal opposition completely eliminated and the education system fully under control, Suning poured all of the empire's resources into explosive development centered on technology.

The Ming Dynasty, this war and industrial machine that has been completely transformed, began to roar towards the top of the world at an unprecedented speed.

Following the steam engine, the breakthrough in the internal combustion engine turned the "flying iron bird" from a concept into reality.

The Royal Aircraft Manufacturing Bureau, located in Songjiang Prefecture, was the first to build a biplane reconnaissance aircraft. Subsequently, the all-metal monoplane fighter and the massive four-engine strategic bomber "Peng" series took to the skies.

While explorers from other countries were still celebrating the first hot air balloon launch, the Ming Dynasty's air force was already conducting deterrent patrols over every continent.

Traditional sailing warships have long been obsolete.

Steel behemoths powered by oil-fired boilers and steam turbines constituted the invincible fleet of the Ming Dynasty.

From destroyers weighing thousands of tons to the Zhenyuan-class battleships weighing tens of thousands of tons and equipped with giant naval guns, and later the Hongwu-class aircraft carriers (carrying carrier-based aircraft) that were launched first, the Ming Dynasty's naval power spread across all important waterways and naval bases around the world, truly achieving the goal of "wherever the sun and moon shine, wherever rivers flow, all are waters of the Ming Dynasty."

The army has achieved full mechanization.

Diesel-powered tanks and armored vehicles replaced cavalry and infantry formations.

Self-propelled artillery and multiple rocket launchers (named "Divine Fire Flying Crow") provided devastating coverage firepower.

The soldiers were equipped with semi-automatic rifles, submachine guns, and general-purpose machine guns, giving them firepower far exceeding that of any army of the time.

Thanks to the efforts of experienced scientists and engineers, long-range precision strike weapons based on rocket technology were developed and named the "Flying Dragon" series of tactical missiles and the "Dongfeng" series of strategic missiles.

They can carry high-explosive warheads and travel hundreds or even thousands of kilometers to precisely destroy enemy ports, cities, and military fortresses.

The most terrifying deterrent force comes from the Empire's top secret—Project "Dragon's Breath".

Deep in the northwestern desert, a massive mushroom cloud rose into the sky, announcing that the Ming Dynasty had become the first country to master the power of nuclear fission.

Subsequently, the successful test explosion of the hydrogen bomb (thermonuclear weapon) and the combination of missile nuclear warheads gave the Ming Dynasty the "Sword of Damocles" capable of instantly destroying the core of any hostile civilization.

This destructive power ensured "peace under the rule of the Ming Dynasty".

While establishing absolute dominance on Earth, Suning's sights have already been set on the stars and the sea.

The "Royal Space Agency of the Ming Dynasty" was established, bringing together the empire's top scientists.

Large rocket launch sites were established on Hainan Island and in colonies near the equator.

In the tenth year of the Tianqi reign, the first artificial satellite, "Haotianjing," successfully entered Earth orbit and broadcast "The March of the Ming Empire" to the world.

Several years later, the first Ming Dynasty astronaut entered space aboard the "Lingxiao" spacecraft, achieving the first human spacewalk.

Following that, the unmanned probe successfully landed on the moon and brought back lunar soil samples.

The manned lunar landing program, known as the "Chang'e Project," was subsequently launched and successfully achieved, with the Sun, Moon, and Dragon Flag planted on the desolate lunar surface.

Military reconnaissance satellites and early warning satellites have been deployed in geosynchronous orbit.

Experimental orbital bombing platforms and laser defense systems have also begun to be conceived and developed.

Control of the sky, like control of the sea and air, was considered fundamental to imperial security.

……

Faced with an absolute technological gap and devastating deterrence, any form of resistance worldwide appears pale and powerless.

The once ambitious Spanish Armada and the British Royal Navy, under the shadow of the Ming Dynasty's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier battle group and submarine-launched missiles, have been completely reduced to regional forces.

European royalty and heads of state were forced to make regular trips to the capital to "pay homage" and adjust their domestic and foreign policies according to the wishes of the Ming Dynasty.

Their value lies largely in helping the Ming Dynasty manage order within its sphere of influence.

The Ming Dynasty established a global order centered on itself – the "Ming Community".

The common language was Chinese, the common currency was the Ming Yuan, and the common standard was the Ming standard.

From plantations in the Americas to mines in Africa, from pastures in Australia to oil fields in the Middle East, resources from all over the world flowed continuously into the Ming Dynasty and its controlled industrial system, according to the plans formulated by the capital.

Any country or power that attempts to challenge this system will face different levels of punishment, ranging from economic sanctions to "surgical nuclear strikes."

……

As the Ming Dynasty reached its zenith, the Su family also reached the pinnacle of power.

Although Su Ning himself never usurped the throne and became emperor, his authority had long surpassed that of emperors throughout history.

He was revered as "Regent King Wen" and "Father of the Nation," and his portrait was placed alongside the emperor's dragon throne, even receiving greater reverence.

His every instruction was recorded as the "Precious Instructions of the Grand Secretary," which, along with the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty," became a must-read classic for imperial officials.

The Su family members, trained by the political and military academies, are spread across key positions in the empire: the eldest son, Su Chengping, heads the Privy Council; the second son, Su Chengan, controls a vast state-owned industrial and commercial system; and the eldest grandson, Su Jianren, is the chief person in charge of the Mars colonization project.

The Su family's marriage network is also deeply intertwined with the remaining nobles and emerging business giants both domestically and internationally.

The Su family not only wielded supreme political power, but also possessed astonishing wealth.

Through a complex web of trusts and holding companies, the Su family's influence extends to the world's most profitable mines, the most advanced technology patents, and the largest plantations.

The size of their family treasury even surpasses that of the treasuries of many empires during their most prosperous periods in history.

At this time, the Forbidden City was more like a huge museum and ceremonial center.

Emperor Tianqi (Zhu Youxiao) shone brightly in the art of woodworking, and the subsequent Ming emperors thoroughly became symbols of national etiquette.

The Ming emperors resided in a corner of the palace gardens, were supported by the state, and appeared during major celebrations to demonstrate the continuation of the dynasty's legitimacy.

The true centers of power—the Prime Minister's residence and the Imperial Central Government Building—operate day and night, handling government affairs from every corner of the earth and even space colonies.

Inside the panoramic hall on the top floor of the Grand Secretary's residence at Suning Station, gazing at the holographic projection displaying the imperial territory...

That was already an interstellar empire encompassing Earth, a lunar base, and several Martian outposts.

"The world is finally quiet," he murmured to himself, his face expressionless, devoid of joy or sorrow.

The Su family, along with the iron hooves and starships of the Ming Dynasty, deeply imprinted their bloodline and authority on every corner of human history, becoming a veritable world's number one family, spanning the stars.

...(End of chapter)