North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 244 The Seven Thousand Years Old King of the South

Because he was about the same age as Shi Dakai and had a very good relationship with him, Wu Qingfeng also had a lot of knowledge about the Taiping Army.

The three main figures in the Taiping Army were Hong Mouren, Feng Yunshan, and Yang Xiuqing. These three were considered the core of the Taiping Army.

Before the Taiping Rebellion, Feng Yunshan played an even greater role than Hong Xiuqing and Yang Xiuqing.

The name "God Worshipping Society" was given by Feng Yunshan.

Initially, only Feng Yunshan and a certain Mr. Hong came to Guangxi to preach.

While Mr. Hong, fearing hardship and fatigue, returned to Guangdong to enjoy the comforts of his wife and children, only Mr. Feng Yunshan persisted in missionary work in Guangxi, eventually opening up new avenues for progress.

Then, Mr. Hong returned to Guangxi from Guangdong and reaped the benefits...!
Feng Yunshan was the most learned and farsighted person in the entire Taiping Army. He was the de facto organizer of the Taiping Army and the chief administrator of its military and political systems.

In later generations, Feng Yunshan was praised as "the first person in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in terms of loyalty, courage, talent, wisdom, and character!"
In the original history, Feng Yunshan's death foreshadowed the rapid decline and disintegration of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

It is no exaggeration to say that the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's demise began with the death of Feng Yunshan.

However, in this timeline, due to the butterfly effect of penicillin and Shi Dakai, Wu Qingfeng, and others, Feng Yunshan did not die from an infection caused by gunshot wounds.

Instead, Shi Xiangzhen risked his life to send him to Hong Kong, to Wu Qingfeng.

Because of this, Feng Yunshan was spared from death!

……

When they heard Wu Qingfeng call out the name "Feng Yunshan," Shi Xiangzhen and several other Taiping soldiers showed expressions of extreme tension.

But Feng Yunshan, who had narrowly escaped death, simply nodded: "That's right, I am Feng Yunshan! The third son of the Heavenly Father, the Southern King of the Taiping Army, the Seven Thousand Years Old..."

"Was my life saved by Mr. Wu?"

Wu Qingfeng nodded slightly: "The fact that the Southern King was able to survive is not solely due to my efforts!"

"If it weren't for Brother Shi escorting you all the way to Hong Kong, if it weren't for the other doctors and nurses at the church hospital, if it weren't for Nan Wang's own strong will... I could only do my bit!"

"Thank you so much, Mr. Wu, for saving my life!" Feng Yunshan said weakly. "Now that Mr. Wu knows my identity, if you wish to offer me up to the Qing demons, I will accept it without hesitation and have no objection!"

“King of the South…!” Shi Xiangzhen said quickly.

Feng Yunshan waved his hand weakly, interrupting Shi Xiangzhen.

Wu Qingfeng laughed and said, "Shi Dakai and I are like brothers. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call us sworn brothers."

"Furthermore, I have absolutely no goodwill towards the Qing court, so why would I hand over the Prince of the South to them for punishment?"

Wu Qingfeng continued, "King Nan, you are still recovering from serious injuries and have just woken up. You should take good care of yourself."

"Don't worry, I will arrange everything for you!"

After saying that, Wu Qingfeng bowed slightly to Feng Yunshan, then turned and left the ward.

Only a few Taiping soldiers, including Feng Yunshan and Shi Xiangzhen, remained in the ward.

While Feng Yunshan was resting with his eyes closed, Shi Xiangzhen told him everything that had happened during his coma.

……

After half a month of recuperation, Feng Yunshan's injuries gradually improved.

During this period, Shi Xiangzhen stayed by his bedside every step of the way, and Wu Qingfeng also came every day to check on his injuries and personally changed his dressings.

Only after Feng Yunshan's injuries had completely stabilized did Wu Qingfeng have a proper talk with him.

“King Nan, your injuries are too severe and have been delayed for too long, which has damaged your vital energy.”

Sitting by the hospital bed, Wu Qingfeng bluntly said, "Even after I recover, I'm afraid I'll never be able to follow the Taiping Army in their campaigns again."

Upon hearing this, Feng Yunshan's face showed no change. He simply said, "It's already a stroke of luck that I've survived. As for what will happen in the future, let's talk about that after I recover."

Wu Qingfeng continued, "To fully recover, it will take at least a year and a half of careful recuperation."

"This is a foreign hospital in Hong Kong. Although I have tried everything I can, the Southern King has been staying here for so long that I'm afraid the news will leak out sooner or later."

Feng Yunshan asked, "So, what does Mr. Wu mean...?"

Wu Qingfeng said, "Our California fleet will soon return to California on the other side of the ocean."

"I wonder if, while recuperating, the Prince of the South would be interested in traveling to the other side of the ocean to truly broaden his horizons and see the world?"

"Truly open your eyes to see the world...!"

Feng Yunshan pondered these words and said, "Mr. Wu, was it because of these words that Shi Dakai went overseas?"

Wu Qingfeng thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Shi Dakai left the God Worshipping Society and went overseas to see the world. This is only one of the reasons!"

Feng Yunshan said in a deep voice, "I would like to hear the details!"

Wu Qingfeng said, "Shi Dakai told me personally that the real reason he went overseas was because... he realized that the God Worshipping Society's methods could not save China! Nor could they save the poor people of the world!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Yunshan's brows immediately furrowed.

Wu Qingfeng continued bluntly: "King Nan, you are a well-read man, so you must know that the so-called second or third son of the Heavenly Father is nothing more than a means to fool the masses and make it easier to manipulate them!"

“You…!” Feng Yunshan raised an eyebrow, his face showing extreme displeasure. Wu Qingfeng continued, “My boss, who was also the first governor of California, once wrote to Shi Dakai in a letter, ‘Throughout history, has anyone ever succeeded in starting a rebellion using such foolish tricks?’”

"Whether it was the Five Pecks of Rice sect, the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the Maitreya sect, or the White Lotus sect... they all failed at the last hurdle, and their bodies and reputations were ruined!"

"Moreover, the world today is no longer the world you, the Southern King, perceive it to be!"

"Science is becoming increasingly advanced, and the world is progressing rapidly! Those tricks to fool the people may deceive some people for a period of time, but they cannot fool all people all the time!"

Wu Qingfeng said, "In my opinion, the scheme that Hong and the Southern King came up with is so inferior and stupid as to be laughable!"

"The reason your system can still be so popular is simply because the Qing government has exploited the Han people too much. Countless poor people have no way to survive and have no choice but to follow you in rebellion!"

"It doesn't matter whether you call it the God Worshipping Society, the Mazu Worshipping Society, or the Guanyin Worshipping Society... As long as someone rises up in rebellion, countless people will follow and join the uprising."

Upon hearing this, Feng Yunshan fell silent.

A scholar like him, with a clear mind, was well aware that what Hong and he had been working on was crudely made and utterly ridiculous.

However, the Qing government's cruel exploitation had driven countless people to the point where they had no choice but to rebel.

As Wu Qingfeng said, it doesn't matter what you worship; as long as someone rises up in rebellion, there will be a large following.

It was precisely because they believed this that Feng Yunshan and others ultimately took the risk and embarked on the irreversible path of rebellion.

Wu Qingfeng continued, "According to my boss's prediction, your Taiping Army will gain power in a short period of time, and may even shake the Qing Dynasty's rule."

"Perhaps you will seize half the country, or even set your sights on the capital city where the Qing court is located."

“But…!” Wu Qingfeng’s tone shifted abruptly: “My boss predicts that you will definitely fail, and fail utterly!”

Feng Yunshan asked in a deep voice, "Why? Why would your boss say that?"

Wu Qingfeng replied, "My boss said it's because you were wrong from the very beginning, completely wrong. Of course, you will ultimately fail completely!"

“My boss once said that no one has ever succeeded in starting a rebellion by relying on religion to fool the people!”

"It's like building a house. If the foundation is crooked from the very beginning, the higher and faster the house is built, the faster it will eventually collapse."

“My boss said that you will not ultimately be defeated by the Qing Dynasty, but by your own people, and by the very foundation of your beliefs!”

Wu Qingfeng continued, "In the end, the Taiping Army is nothing more than a rabble gathered together by a set of self-deceiving, crudely made fallacies and heresies!"

What do mobs fear most?

Feng Yunshan couldn't help but press, "What are you afraid of? Are you afraid of losing the battle?"

"Of course not!" Wu Qingfeng shook his head and said, "China has plenty of everything, but it has a large population, and even more poor people who have no way to make a living."

"What's the big deal about losing a battle? Even if a bunch of people die, there will be even more poor people who will come to you!"

"Li Zicheng, the rebel leader at the end of the Ming Dynasty, suffered defeat after defeat. When he hid in the Shangluo Mountains, he was left with only eighteen horsemen, but he still managed to destroy the Ming Dynasty."

“Li Zicheng…!” Feng Yunshan seemed to understand something, repeatedly chewing on these words.

“That’s right!” Wu Qingfeng continued, “Li Zicheng’s life story is a reflection of the Taiping Army’s future!”

"However, the situation of your Taiping army is far worse than that of Li Zicheng back then!"

"The Qing dynasty's rule is now far more stable and powerful than that of the Chongzhen era at the end of the Ming dynasty. Moreover, it does not have a powerful external enemy like the Later Jin."

Wu Qingfeng continued his analysis: "After Li Zicheng was defeated in Beijing, the people's hearts were scattered in the face of wealth and glory!"

It is easy to share poverty and hardship, but difficult to share wealth and honor!

Wu Qingfeng sighed, "Li Zicheng died here, and the Taiping Army will also die here in the future!"

“Your Taiping army lacks a clear and truly convincing program, and you lack a core belief that can unite everyone as one. Sooner or later, your morale will be low, and you will be fighting for fame and fortune, falling into internal strife and infighting.”

"That's why my boss said long ago that you would all perish here sooner or later!"

"You can't save China, much less save the countless poor people!"

“My boss also said that the way to save China and countless poor people lies in the West, not in the East.”

"To succeed, one must go out and see the real world before one can even begin to seek a path to save the nation and its people!"

Wu Qingfeng continued, "Shi Dakai was one step ahead of you; he had already gone out and seen the real world!"

"Now, Shi Dakai is a general commanding tens of thousands of people!"

"It is no exaggeration to say that the troops Shi Dakai alone commands are enough to slaughter your entire Taiping Army!"

Before this, Feng Yunshan had been listening quietly and thinking.

But when he heard those words, Feng Yunshan showed an expression of disbelief for the first time.

"Mr. Wu, I find it extremely hard to believe what you're saying!"

"You must know, our Taiping army already numbers over 100,000 people...!"

Wu Qingfeng smiled faintly: "If you don't believe me, just see for yourself!"

(End of this chapter)