The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 945 Return Date
Long before the parliamentary vote to abolish the imperial system, various vassal states had begun to declare independence one after another, declaring their break from imperial rule—or at least that kind of unified order—the tradition of one country, one emperor, and one voice could no longer adapt to the current state of Qi's development.

By December 1847, twenty-three vassal states and overseas territories, including Liaodong, Korea, Guangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, and Shanxi, had declared their independence from the empire (another twenty-three vassal states claimed to continue supporting Tianxin City and Emperor Liu Xuan). The independents formed a broad alliance known as the "Great Qi United States".

Representatives from the twenty-three regional military governors elected Yuan Chonghuan, a renowned minister of the State of Qi, as the first president of the United States, and the United States adopted a republican system.

In simple terms, the Great Qi Federation is a presidential republic, where the president is the head of state, head of government, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. It operates under a separation of powers system, with the legislative, judicial, and executive branches being independent and mutually checking and balancing. However, among the three branches—executive, legislative, and judicial—the president, who holds significant executive and military power, is at the core.

In a short time, the practice of a figurehead monarchy began to be abandoned by more and more people.

No one cares or is concerned about where the State of Qi will go in the future.

The public generally disliked the old emperor, especially the young people, even though the old emperor's power was waning and he posed no threat to the parliament, and even though the old emperor had consciously relinquished most of his power and only occasionally attended certain ceremonies like a mascot.

In any case, people cannot tolerate the existence of a superior figure.

On a cold winter night in December, the hero statue in the center of Tianxin City was vandalized. The statue depicting the arduous struggle of Emperor Taizu in establishing his dynasty, the Battle of Hunhe, was painted with black paint.

The pigeons in the central park paced anxiously; no one would feed them this winter.

Rumors were flying everywhere, and every day people were leaving the capital in carriages with their families and luggage. These people, who had lost faith in the empire, were doing everything they could to leave this chosen city and go to their distant relatives in the United States, thousands of miles away.

The people's determination to flee was so resolute that they would accept it as long as the imperial system could be abolished and they could fully integrate into Europe, even if the empire really did fall apart as the prophet had predicted.

Tianxin City fell into a deathly silence.

Most of those who wished to remain in the city were filled with anxiety. Although the city was still functioning normally and the Central Guard was still patrolling the city, rumors of war never ceased.

Many people believe that war between the empire and the "Great Qi Union" to the south is inevitable and could break out at any moment.

Those who remained saw the so-called United States as nothing more than a group of rebels. The empire had seen its share of rebellions before; this time they had simply changed their name.

Unlike those around him who were dejected and gloomy, Emperor Liu Xuan was in high spirits and feeling refreshed.

In the old emperor's eyes, the fact that the imperial system, which had lasted for more than two thousand years on this land, was finally going to end in his hands was truly exciting news.

Liu Xuan was sent to London to study by his father when he was five years old. Both of his mentors were native Britons. His experience studying in Europe made Liu Xuan's thinking more free. In dealing with the issue of rebellion, he was completely different from the previous emperors of the Great Qi Dynasty.

To put it more bluntly, if it weren't for Liu Xuan's repeated indulgence, the whole mess of the "Great Qi United Kingdom" wouldn't have happened.

Liu Xuan didn't care about any of that. He realized that he was about to usher in a new era and couldn't help but feel hopeful about the future.

The old emperor issued an edict ordering the convening of councils of all vassal states as soon as possible to discuss the future and destiny of the empire.

Despite most officials opposing the abolition of the imperial system, these remnants of the old regime ultimately compromised in the face of reality.

Before officially deciding the fate of the empire, Liu Xuan made his final trip to the Imperial Ancestral Temple as emperor to pay homage to his venerable ancestors.

"Perhaps this is the last time I will come to the Imperial Ancestral Temple," Liu Xuan muttered to himself.

The old emperor looked around. The ancestral temple was filled with countless memorial tablets, starting with Liu Zhaosun and ending with Liu Kan, then Princess Liu Yufei, followed by a large number of famous ministers and generals. In another world, they would continue to protect the emperor they served.

"You guys should step back first."

The old emperor dismissed his attendants and, after a moment of silence, formally explained to his ancestors everything that had recently happened.

"I intend to follow the will of the people and abolish the imperial system. There will be no more emperors in the Great Qi Dynasty. I will continue to live in Tianxin City as an ordinary person. I wonder if any of my ancestors have any objections?"

Liu Xuan was not good at lying; it was difficult to deceive the living, and even more difficult to deceive the dead. Therefore, he chose to tell all the secrets without holding anything back.

If our ancestors could know this from beyond the grave, they would surely understand Liu Xuan's predicament.

A terrifying silence fell, broken only by the soft crackling of burning incense and candles. "The abolition of the imperial system is the will of all subjects, not the idea of ​​one or two people. I no longer wish to be a lonely ruler, enjoying the glory and disgrace of one family, and incurring the hatred of the world,"

Liu Xuan paused for a moment, then carefully raised the three incense sticks above his head, facing the memorial tablet, and bowed devoutly.

"A thousand fingers pointing at you, you die without illness. The emperor is a tyrant, and those below him are mere petty tyrants. Countless people fight and kill each other to become tyrants, resulting in rivers of blood. I no longer wish to be a tyrant, therefore I have decided to abdicate..."

Liu Xuan spoke eloquently, using rigorous arguments to prove that the imperial system was no longer necessary.

"Most importantly, the Empire's current economic situation can no longer support those dozen or so overseas territories, as well as the high burden of Tianxin City."

“I know this is a difficult decision, but to prevent this land from falling into the vicious cycle of the winner takes all again, I have decided to cut it off from here.”

The old emperor, his face flushed and spitting, tried to evoke the forgiveness of the dead.

"This unworthy descendant hopes that our ancestors can understand and forgive me."

"In the twenty years since I ascended the throne, I have not slept soundly for a single night. I am on guard day and night. The war between Tianxin City and the various vassal states has never stopped. Whether to insist on unification or let the vassal states govern themselves is a question. I have brought this question to the forefront so that more people can see it. Now is the time to resolve all of this."

The incense burner was surrounded by smoke, and Liu Xuan's body was engulfed in the smoke. He waved his hand to gently push away the smoke and continued to talk with his ancestors.

"From the perspective of the honor and disgrace of a single family, the State of Qi was indeed destroyed by my hand. However, I hope that everyone can remember this principle."

After resting for a while, the old emperor continued to reason with his ancestors.

“A peaceful transition is not impossible; at least it can save the lives of the royal family and avoid bloodshed. Moreover, the terms of abdication offered by Parliament are quite generous.”

As a result of repeated consultations and negotiations between the emperor and the parliament, Liu Xuan and his family were granted special permission to remain in the Tianxin City Palace after his abdication.

After the emperor of the Great Qi abdicated, his title remained and was not abolished. The parliament and all his subjects treated him with the same courtesy as foreign monarchs.

Secondly, after the abdication of the Great Qi Emperor, the annual expenditure was four million Qi coins. After the new coins were minted, the expenditure was changed to four million coins, and this fund was allocated by the parliament.

Furthermore, after the emperor abdicates, he temporarily resides in the Forbidden City, and later moves to the Summer Palace. His guards and attendants remain in their positions as usual. After the abdication of the Great Qi emperor, his ancestral temples and mausoleums will be permanently worshipped, and the council will appoint guards to protect them carefully.

The unfinished construction of Liu Xuan's mausoleum, once completed, will continue with the existing ceremonies and rituals. All practical expenses will be covered by the council.

After the emperor of the Great Qi Dynasty abdicated, his original private property had to be strictly protected by law.

·····
Liu Xuan copied all the preferential terms onto a beautiful sheet of Xuan paper with a brush, and then put the paper into the incense burner.

May our ancestors have carefully read and agreed to these terms.

"My power is limited, and this is the best terms I can negotiate."

On the last day of the lunar calendar in the sixteenth year of Tianbao (1847), the Supreme Council announced that starting from the first day of the first month of the seventeenth year of Tianbao (1847), the Qi Kingdom would abolish the imperial system, abolish the obligation of provinces and colonies to pay tribute to the capital, disband the Central Guard Army, abolish the status of Tianxin City as the capital, and abolish all privileges of Tianxin City.

In other words, starting tomorrow, the Great Qi will no longer have an emperor, and the Great Qi Dynasty, which has lasted for more than two hundred years, will officially come to an end. The residents of Tianxin City will no longer enjoy the privileges of being "superior to others," because the Qi Kingdom no longer needs a capital city.

The era of exhausting the wealth of the people to support a single family and a single city has come to an end. The Great Qi established by Liu Zhaosun and the Tianxin City built by his brother-in-law have become history.

Of course, some citizens of Qi believed that the sudden announcement of the abolition of the imperial system was a reckless move and a manifestation of irresponsibility towards the people.

Even setting aside grand visions like democracy and independence, this move will have unimaginable disastrous consequences.

The future development of the situation is unpredictable.

The powerful vassal states continued their rebellions, European countries intervened, and the diehards launched a counterattack, resulting in widespread chaos and economic turmoil. In short, the future was unlikely to be as rosy as the old emperor and the reformers had described.

(End of this chapter)