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While the northern part of the Qing Empire groaned in the flames of civil war and the south was restless with secret plots, Su Ning had quietly crossed the smoke of war and stepped into the land of Qilu—Shandong.

The choice of Shandong was by no means accidental.

This land suffered many disasters in the early Qing Dynasty. Years of natural disasters, heavy corvée labor, and the collapse of the central government and the disorder of local order caused a large number of farmers to lose their land, become refugees, and struggle on the brink of death.

On the roads, one could see emaciated people begging for food with their families in tow, and in the wilderness, the corpses of the starving dead were not uncommon.

It is precisely this extreme hardship and despair that provides the most fertile ground for ambitious people.

The historically famous "Going to the Northeast" migration wave was rooted in the survival pressures of this region.

What Suning is interested in is this huge population base and the disorderly environment.

He needs people, a large number of people who are dissatisfied with the status quo, eager for change, and easy to control.

Instead of choosing the bustling but swarming capital, they turned their attention to the mountainous and remote countryside of southwestern and central Shandong, where displaced people gathered and government control was relatively weak.

He established his first stronghold in a secluded valley that was easy to defend and difficult to attack.

The industrial space was activated, and massive amounts of resources began to flow out continuously.

Mountains of grain, bundles of cloth, gleaming silver dollars, and all sorts of seemingly "strange" tools and materials were quickly sorted out.

Suning's slogan is simple and direct...

"We're recruiting workers to reclaim wasteland, providing food and lodging, and paying wages monthly!"

For refugees struggling on the brink of death, this was undoubtedly a savior from heaven.

The news spread like wildfire among the refugees, and countless desperate young adults, and even some with their families, flocked to Suning's "recruitment points" with their last hope.

The selection process was naturally conducted in secret.

Suning prefers to select young adults who are strong, have simple backgrounds, and have no ties after their families have been destroyed.

The selected participants were taken deep into the valley, where they were surprised to find not only enough food to fill their stomachs and simple barracks to shelter them from the wind and rain, but also "discipline" and "training" that they had never imagined.

Their trainers were not ordinary instructors, but a group of taciturn, precise, and emotionless "people"...

These are AI robots that Suning brought out from industrial spaces!
These robots are programmed into the most demanding instructor mode; they are tireless, absolutely fair, and utterly merciless.

Starting with the most basic skills of standing, walking, and turning, they used an almost cruel method to hone the collective consciousness and obedience of these unruly migrants.

Weighted cross-country running, obstacle courses, endurance training... constantly challenging their physical limits.

It's not just about slashing; it's about breaking down movements, power generation techniques, and team coordination, systematically instilling the art of killing.

Using sand table and simulation, simple concepts such as the three-on-three system, flanking maneuver, and coordinated firepower are taught.

During training breaks, the robot conducts the simplest form of propaganda...

"To have enough to eat, to wear warm clothes, and to no longer be oppressed," "To follow Mr. Su and create a new order."

The entire valley has become a secluded, highly efficient military training camp.

By day, there are deafening slogans and the cold commands of robot instructors; by night, there are weary snores and a faint hope for the future under the campfire.

Suning operates behind the scenes, controlling everything through monitoring and data analysis.

He was not only training soldiers, but also building a loyal and efficient war machine that was entirely his own.

The refugees were initially afraid and confused by the robot instructors, but under the combined effect of being well-fed and disciplined, they gradually got used to them and even began to worship those "impartial" instructors, and regarded "Mr. Su," who provided all of this, as a god.

The land of Qilu remains in chaos, with various forces either observing from the sidelines or fighting each other for immediate gains.

Unbeknownst to anyone, deep within this land scarred by suffering, a hidden dragon is secretly gathering the power to tear apart the old world.

Su Ning stood high in the valley, looking down at the bustling training scene below, his eyes cold and deep.

When this force emerges from the valley, it will inevitably bring about an even more thorough upheaval to this already chaotic world.

Since history can be changed, I will definitely not miss this opportunity. It is now a pipe dream for the Qing Dynasty to return to the Northeast in disgrace.

……

The collapse of the empire was inevitable.

In the capital region, the elite troops of the two Yellow Banners fought fiercely, with rivers of blood flowing. The two factions of Ao Bai and Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang were locked in a stalemate over the blood-stained crown. In the south, the Three Feudatories were preparing for war, and the banner of rebellion was about to rise. Outside the Great Wall, the Divine Dragon Sect was stirring up trouble. The Heaven and Earth Society, the Mu Prince's Mansion, and the Zheng family of Taiwan were also stirring up trouble everywhere.

The entire Qing Dynasty was like a dilapidated house with drafts coming from all sides, groaning under the weight of its burdens as it teetered on the brink of collapse.

In these turbulent times, the civil and military officials of Shandong were already filled with anxiety and harboring their own thoughts.

Some are worried about their future and lives, some are secretly colluding with various forces to find a way out, and some have even begun to plan how to seize personal gain in this chaos.

As for the occasional gatherings of "vagrants" or "wealthy households recruiting workers" in the localities, in their eyes, as long as they did not raise the banner of bandits or rebels or storm the prefectural government, they were merely minor ailments, and they had neither the time nor the energy to investigate them thoroughly.

Su Ning precisely seized this chaotic window of opportunity, allowing his "recruitment project" to grow and develop quietly and stealthily, like vines in the dark, with the tacit approval or even disregard of the government.

However, Suning knew that there was a limit to its purely covert development, and without official recognition, it was easy to be labeled as a "bandit" and be targeted for suppression once it attracted attention.

He had to find a legitimate "shell" for his power.

Internal reorganization and organizational reform.

Inside the valley base, he did not lower his guard due to the government's laxity; on the contrary, he further strengthened the management and control over the "workers."

Suning completely abandoned the loose organization of battalions and outposts common in this era, and strongly promoted a military structure that is extremely unfamiliar and rigorous to the present day: army, division, brigade, regiment, battalion, company, platoon, squad!

Each level clearly defines the command hierarchy, troop deployment, and scope of responsibilities.

A squad leader commands ten men, a platoon leader oversees three squads, a company commander commands three platoons… the hierarchy is progressive, with clear responsibilities and authority. This organizational model, derived from later generations, greatly improved command efficiency and troop cohesion, enabling these former refugees to exhibit a highly disciplined demeanor unlike any army of any other era.

At the same time, a rigorous monitoring system and a personality cult centered on "Mr. Su" ensured the absolute loyalty of this team.

External infiltration, money paves the way.

At the same time, Suning launched another key plan – bribery and infiltration.

He took advantage of the almost unlimited reserves of materials and precious metals in the industrial space, carefully selected targets, and launched a fierce "silver bullet" offensive against officials at all levels in Shandong who held real power, especially Green Standard Army generals.

From the prefects and magistrates in charge of civil affairs, to the garrison commanders and brigade generals who controlled military power, and even the advisors in the governor's office, all received generous "tribute" from this mysterious "Master Su" or "Young Master Su".

Gifts were not limited to gold and silver; they included exquisite peep shows, luxurious woolen fabrics, and even panaceas—truly catering to the recipient's tastes and always proving effective.

With the lubrication of money and interests, any obstacles that might have existed melt away.

Not only did Su Ning successfully acquire more legal land deeds and business licenses for his "workshops" and "estates," but more importantly, he spent a lot of money to buy a real garrison officer position registered in the Green Camp from a fallen military officer who was eager to cash out and run away!
This move was a stroke of genius. With this official title, Su Ning instantly transformed from a "local tycoon" into a "court official."

The "workers" under his command could then be transformed into "local militia," "local militia," or even "soldiers" incorporated into his organization! Training soldiers, stockpiling weapons, and building fortifications all became legitimate.

When Su Ning, dressed in the uniform of a garrison officer and escorted by a team of well-equipped "servants," appeared before the "workers" in the valley, the shock he brought was unparalleled.

Those "workers" who might have had some ulterior motives before, seeing that even the imperial court had acknowledged "Mr. Su's" status, felt even more awe and respect.

Following "Lord Su" not only meant food and survival, but also a future in officialdom!

Thus, a strange scene emerged on this chaotic land of Shandong: on one side was the government, overwhelmed and at a loss, and on the other side was "Commander Su," who held legitimate military power, recruited soldiers on a large scale, and trained them in a way that was completely different from the times.

Taking advantage of the chaos in the empire and the corruption of the bureaucracy, Su Ning successfully cloaked his power in a veneer of legitimacy, allowing him to accumulate strength more openly and legitimately.

Chaos became their best camouflage and incubator.

……

As time went on, the civil war in the Qing Dynasty not only did not subside, but instead spread wildly to every corner of the empire like an out-of-control wildfire.

The Tibetan local forces, who had always maintained a distant relationship with the Qing court, immediately severed official ties with the Qing government upon seeing the turmoil in the Central Plains, closing themselves off and becoming an independent kingdom.

On the northwestern frontier, the Dzungar cavalry became restless again, frequently raiding the border and probing the Qing court's already weakened defenses.

In the land beyond the Great Wall, where dragons rose to power, not only was Hong Antong of the Divine Dragon Sect causing trouble, but the Russian devils in the north also sensed an opportunity. Cossack cavalry, like wolves and tigers, continued to invade southward, encroaching on large swathes of land in the Heilongjiang River basin.

The south was shaken to its core. Wu Sangui, the Prince of Pingxi, finally dropped his last pretense and joined forces with Shang Kexi, the Prince of Pingnan, and Geng Jingzhong, the Prince of Jingnan, to launch a rebellion!

However, these three cunning and ruthless warlords did not raise the banner of "overthrowing the Qing and restoring the Ming," but rather, ironically...

"Purge the court of corrupt officials, execute Oboi, and avenge Emperor Kangxi!"

This move was extremely ruthless!
They packaged themselves as loyal and patriotic "righteous troops," shifting all blame onto Ao Bai, who already bore the infamy of regicide. They not only attempted to occupy the moral high ground but also aimed to win over Han officials and Green Standard Army generals who still harbored some illusions about the Qing court but were dissatisfied with Ao Bai.

This plunged the entire Manchu Qing dynasty's ruling system into cognitive confusion and logical paradoxes.

Those loyal to Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and the imperial family naturally viewed the Three Feudatories as traitors and rebels; while Aobai's faction accused the Three Feudatories of using the situation as an excuse to rebel; and many more local officials and generals were completely bewildered...

The emperor is dead, and the capital is in chaos. Rebels fighting under the banner of "avenging the emperor" and powerful ministers fighting to "protect the new emperor" are at odds. Whom should they be loyal to?
Who can represent the Qing Dynasty?

The central authority has been completely destroyed!

With government orders unable to leave the Forbidden City, governors and generals in various regions either held their own armies, remained bewildered and watched, or were forced to choose sides, plunging the entire empire into an unprecedented, top-down state of anarchy.

The devastation of war, the power vacuum, and the resulting chain of disasters ultimately weighed heavily on the most vulnerable people.

Exorbitant taxes and levies continued to increase, bandits and soldiers were rampant, natural disasters persisted, and countless farmers lost their homes and became refugees.

On the roads, crowds of refugees streamed in and out, corpses of the starved littered the fields, and tragedies of people exchanging their own children to eat occurred frequently.

The entire land of China seemed to have returned to the darkest period of the late Ming Dynasty, with widespread suffering and misery.

In stark contrast, Suning's influence in Shandong is expanding at an astonishing rate.

The chaos in the empire provided him with the perfect cover and an inexhaustible source of soldiers.

The official title of "Commander Su" and the slogan of "recruiting workers to reclaim wasteland and protect the people" attracted refugees from all directions who could not survive in the chaotic world like a magnet.

Suning's valley base has expanded from a secret training camp into a vast base controlling several surrounding states and counties, possessing a complete defense system and rudimentary military production.

The army under his command was no longer the group of emaciated refugees he once commanded.

Under the rigorous and efficient training of AI robots, and with an organizational structure and ample logistical support that are ahead of their time, they have been transformed into a disciplined, disciplined, and tactical force with tactical thinking far ahead of its time.

Its disciplined military bearing, efficient mobilization capabilities, and fearless fighting spirit alone were enough to crush any old-style army of equal size in this era.

Su Ning stood in front of the sand table of his base, on which the chaotic state of the world was clearly marked.

His gaze was calm and profound, no longer content with merely protecting himself or stirring up trouble.

"Let it be chaotic! The more chaotic the better." Su Ning muttered to himself, his finger lightly tapping the Shandong position on the sand table, and then slowly moving it outwards.

"When the old order collapses completely, the new order will be established. It is time for me to set the new rules for this game of chess in China."

The hidden dragon is no longer content to remain hidden deep in the valley.

Its claws have been honed to sharpness, waiting only for the opportune moment to take flight and carve its own mark upon this shattered land.

Once the Qing dynasty had exhausted its strength due to the chaos of the world, it would raise the red banner of "Expelling the Tartars and Rebuilding China".

...(End of chapter)