North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 306 Finale
"What should be done with the millions of Manchu and Mongol Eight Banners soldiers?"

This is a rather tricky problem.

Although the fighting capacity of the Manchu and Mongol Eight Banners had long been corrupt and ineffective.

Having ruled China for two hundred years, the Eight Banners descendants, as the ruling class, had long been accustomed to enjoying life's luxuries.

Now that the Qing Dynasty has collapsed, these Manchu bannermen have instantly lost all their means of livelihood.

Having lost their supreme ruling position and all their sources of livelihood, it would be strange if these millions of Manchu bannermen didn't rebel if they gathered together.

Therefore, the fundamental solutions are twofold: first, to solve the livelihood problem of the Eight Banners descendants; and second, to prevent them from forming cliques.

"We have just reclaimed China and will soon launch a nationwide infrastructure construction campaign."

"Railways, roads, municipal facilities, electricity and telegraph, water conservancy projects, various factories...! All of these require a large number of people."

Azu pondered for a moment and said, "Disperse all these millions of Manchu bannermen and forcibly relocate them to various places. Then make them participate in infrastructure construction and contribute their labor to the construction of the new China."

"This is also giving them a way to survive; otherwise, many of these guys who are used to being idle would probably starve to death."

Zuo Zongtang replied, "Understood. I will arrange for these Manchu bannermen to be settled according to the boss's wishes."

Azu continued, "There are a few things to keep in mind when resettling them. First, they should be dispersed, and it is best if each of the Eight Banners does not exceed 10,000 people."

"As long as the forest is big, you'll find all kinds of birds. Although we're not afraid of them inciting a rebellion, it's always a good thing to have less trouble."

"Secondly, the relocation area cannot be too remote. As the saying goes, the emperor is far away and the sky is high. Once the surveillance is lost, who knows what these Eight Banners descendants might do. If they are like their ancestor Wild Boar Skin and go into the deep mountains and forests to fight guerrilla warfare, it will be a real problem."

"Thirdly, equal pay for equal work and equal treatment as citizens. After two hundred years of assimilation, the lifestyles of most of the Eight Banners descendants are no different from those of the Han people. Most Manchus can no longer speak or write Manchu. If we treat them differently and artificially create barriers, we are giving them reasons and excuses to rebel."

"Fourth, necessary monitoring measures should be arranged, and personnel from the Investigation Bureau and the Military Intelligence Bureau should be placed inside and outside the Eight Banners to prevent any changes."

Azu added, "For a tribe whose nation has been destroyed, my treatment of them should be considered quite merciful, right?!"

"If that's the case, and there are still Eight Banners members who want to rebel and cause chaos, then don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Zuo Zongtang nodded: "Don't worry, boss. We will definitely be able to settle these Manchu and Mongol Eight Banners people according to your instructions."

After discussing the Eight Banners issue, Zuo Zongtang continued, "Sir, most of China's territory has now been recovered. In addition, the western part of North America, Panama, Hawaii, and so on, the foundation for the nation's establishment has been laid."

"Now we need you, boss, to personally determine the form of government, the name of the country, the date of its founding, as well as the main institutions, personnel, and so on...!"

In the early days of the nation, everything required Azu's personal decision-making.

Azu had been weighing this issue for a long time.

Now that we've truly reached this stage, it's time to make the final decision.

Azu pondered again and said, "As for the form of government, it seems that only a constitutional monarchy is the right choice at present."

"The name of the nation shall be the Chinese Empire!!!"

"The founding date... well... let's set it for December 1st. We have about two months to prepare."

"The people who should be invited were already invited two or three months ago."

"Those who are meant to come will come. Those who don't want to come, no matter how much time they are given, probably won't come."

Azu continued, "As for the organization, most of it is copied from our system in California."

"The emperor of the empire is not only the head of state, but also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and the head of the organization."

"Under the Emperor, the Imperial Office and the General Headquarters are established to assist the Emperor in handling all affairs. The Investigation Bureau and the Military Intelligence Bureau belong to the Imperial Office and the General Headquarters respectively, and are responsible for internal and external intelligence work, reporting directly to the Emperor."

"An Imperial Cabinet shall be established, with the Prime Minister as its head, and appointed and dismissed directly by the Emperor. In civil matters, the Emperor's opinions shall be submitted to the Cabinet for processing and implementation through the Imperial Office."

"Under the cabinet, various departments and bureaus are set up to be specifically responsible for various aspects of affairs."

"The Cabinet establishes a Ministry of National Defense, which is responsible for military affairs, but not for important military personnel appointments and dismissals or military command."

"The responsibilities of important military personnel appointments and dismissals and military command are handed over to the General Headquarters directly under the Emperor."

Azu added, “In terms of legislation and the judiciary, we will establish the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as the Supreme Court and the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office.”

"Both houses of Congress are elected and are responsible for legislation and overseeing public power. They have the power to impeach the cabinet, but do not participate in the formation of the cabinet."

……

Ah Zu said a lot, and everyone present, including Zuo Zongtang, wrote it down word for word, afraid of missing even a single word.

In conclusion, Azu said, "Let's leave the governance system as it is for now. At the beginning of the nation's founding, there must be many shortcomings and imperfections. We can only adjust and improve it gradually in the future."

Changing the subject, Azu continued, "As for personnel matters, the first Prime Minister should be none other than Mr. Zuo!"

"Ellen and Feng Yunshan will each be your deputies, and the three of you will be the heads of the entire cabinet."

"Because the overseas territories are too vast and too far away, the only way to temporarily control them is to establish a governor's office."

"Our wireless telegraph machine has already been developed in the laboratory and will be ready for practical use in a short period of time."

"With wireless telegraph machines, all our orders can disregard geographical limitations and instantly reach every corner of the empire."

"At that time, it will become a reality for the central government to directly govern every inch of the land. The mission of the Governor-General's Office will then be rendered obsolete."

Azu added, "Shi Dakai will serve as the deputy commander-in-chief of the General Headquarters, in charge of daily operations."

"Feng Zicai will serve as Minister of National Defense, responsible for military affairs and defense industry development."

"As for the Imperial Office, well, my ladies will take turns serving as director and deputy director."

"The Empire's army is temporarily divided into seven war zones and three fleets."

"The mainland is divided into five theater commands: east, south, west, north, and central. North America is divided into two theater commands: north and south."

"The three fleets will maintain their original organization. The Western Pacific Fleet will be renamed the Homeland Fleet, which will need to be strengthened in the future."

"Luo Dagang, Shi Xiangzhen, Li Xiucheng, Chen Yucheng, Robert E. Lee, Walton, and Peng Yulin and Hu Linyi, who recently defected to us, all seem to have the ability and qualifications to serve as a theater commander."

“In North America, I think the selection of governors for each region must be Chinese. In addition to our existing elders, such as Wu Qingfeng, there are also people like Jiang Guolin, Liu Kunyi, and Ye Mingchen. I think they are all capable of serving as governors of a region.”

“These people are deeply influenced by the idea of ​​a unified China and are the least likely to go on to independence. With them serving as governors of North America, I can be basically at ease.”

After listening, Zuo Zongtang couldn't help but ask, "Among the Han officials who surrendered to us during the Manchu Qing dynasty, Zeng Guofan was the foremost... Boss, why don't you mention his name?"

Azu continued to ponder, "Zeng Guofan was capable, but he was too blindly loyal to the Manchus."

"Even though they were forced by circumstances to surrender to us not long ago, they were still somewhat unwilling."

“Even if we were to use this person, it wouldn’t be now. Let’s send him to the University of California for a few years of advanced studies, and then put him in a lower position for a few years to gain experience. After we’ve thoroughly cleansed him of his pedantic air, then we can talk about whether or not to use him.”

In just a few months, the Qing Dynasty collapsed and vanished.

Leaving aside the Manchu officials, many Han officials joined the Restoration Army.

This includes Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Hu Linyi, Peng Yulin, Liu Kunyi, and many other people who have left their mark on history.

In terms of ability, these people are at least quite capable.

But even if these people are to be used, they must be thoroughly brainwashed and trained in a completely new modern system, just like Jiang Guolin and Ye Mingchen, before they can be put to great use.

Jiang Guolin, Ye Mingchen, and others joined the Restoration Army in Guangzhou more than four years ago. After years of indoctrination and training, they have begun to distinguish themselves under Azu and have gradually been given important responsibilities.

In particular, Jiang Guolin was entrusted with an important task after Azu led the army back to the country, and was temporarily appointed as the governor of California.

Ye Mingchen, the former Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, is now behind Jiang Guolin and is temporarily serving as the Governor of Texas.

Even Tao Yu and Wu Yuanyou, the former Guangdong Admiral and Naval Admiral, have become commanders of the Restoration Army and commanders of the Western Pacific Fleet after several years of indoctrination and training.

After giving instructions on important civil and military personnel appointments and removals, Azu continued, "With the founding of the nation imminent, it is time to reward meritorious officials."

"In terms of military and political affairs, a military rank system should be established, from marshals to generals, and then to field officers and lieutenants, a complete set of military ranks should be established."

“Wei Ke, Shi Dakai, Feng Zicai, Feng Yunshan, and you, Mr. Zuo, I think you can be awarded the rank of Marshal.”

“I think Luo Dagang, Shi Xiangzhen, Li Xiucheng, Hong Xuanjiao and others are worthy of being awarded the rank of general.”

"As for Chen Yucheng, Tao Yu, Wu Yuanyou, and others, I think I can award them the rank of general."

"I'll just give you a general idea. As for the specific ranks, you'll need to come up with a concrete plan."

"The principle is to consider the size of one's contributions, seniority within the China-American system, loyalty, and other factors. The higher the rank, the more cautious one needs to be."

Azu continued, "Military contributions are relatively easy to assess. After all, military achievements speak for themselves."

“People like Ellen, who have always worked in civil affairs, are actually more difficult to judge.”

"Although it is called an empire, we cannot follow the system of hereditary nobility."

"Even if a noble title is granted, it is only honorary and can never be inherited."

Ah Zu sighed, "Once it becomes hereditary, it will lead to the solidification of social classes."

"Social classes exist in any era and in any country, and this cannot be denied."

"Class is not necessarily a bad thing. With class, we have the motivation and direction to strive for."

"If we pursue absolute equalization, then society will lose the motivation to strive for progress."

"Social class is not necessarily a bad thing, but class stratification is definitely a bad thing!"

Azu added, "As for honorary titles, they follow the same system as dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, and barons, without granting land or titles of king. They simply provide a certain lifetime allowance based on the title."

"Even if a title is granted, it is not immutable."

"It is easier to conquer a country than to govern it! It is easier to destroy the old than to establish the new!"

"Establishing a nation is only the beginning. More arduous and challenging work lies ahead."

“In the future, those who perform well will have their titles promoted. Those who perform poorly or even commit crimes may have their titles reduced or even be stripped of their titles.”

In fact, none of the main contributors under Azu's command were short of money.

They all have some form of ownership within the Huamei system.

Even the person with the fewest shares can live the life of a millionaire.

Even after the nation's founding, Huamei's main industries, including its gold reserves worth hundreds of billions of dollars, will be nationalized and turned into the national treasury.

However, the remaining less important industries are also quite considerable, and as long as one doesn't squander the fortune, the livelihood of one's descendants will be guaranteed.
-
1857 12 Month 1 Day.

This is an auspicious day; all things will go well.

This day also marks the founding of the Chinese Empire.

In the newly renovated Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City, the Emperor, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, slowly ascended the highest throne, surrounded by a group of empresses, concubines, and civil and military officials.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!!!"

The kneeling ceremony was abolished, and all civil and military officials bowed and clasped their hands in salute, shouting "Long live the Emperor!"

On either side of the palace, envoys from all over the world witnessed this exciting and deeply moving scene.

Besides His Holiness Pope Paul I, who traveled thousands of miles to attend the ceremony in person, there were also Emperor Komei of Japan, King Yi Seung of Korea, King Nguyen Phuc Thi of Vietnam, King Trinh Minh of Siam, King Min Dong of Burma, King Unkham of Luang Prabang, Liu Asheng, the Grand Commander of Lanfang, as well as the Ryukyu Kingdom, the Sultanate of Sulu, the Kingdom of Sikkim, the Kingdom of Bhutan, the Kingdom of Lan Xang...!
Under the deterrence of powerful military force, the heads of state of neighboring countries gathered together, and all nations paid tribute!
Almost all of the Western powers sent envoys to participate in this world-renowned founding ceremony.

Whether it was the great powers that had risen to prominence at different times, such as England, France, Prussia, Austria, the Ottoman Empire, Tsarist Russia, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal, or small and medium-sized countries like Bavaria and Sardinia, they were all on the list of envoys attending the ceremony.

Before the eyes of countless people from all over the world, Azu personally placed the crown on his own head. Then, he personally placed laurel wreaths on the heads of his concubines.

There was no empress; Vivian, Fu Shanxiang, Daisy, Victoria, Youma, and Monica were all granted the title of Imperial Noble Consort.

Vivian, Consort De.

Fu Shanxiang, Consort Shu.

Daisy, the virtuous concubine.

Victoria, Consort Hui.

Youma, Consort Zhuang.

Monica, Li Fei.

……

Following the coronation ceremony, the grandest military parade in history was held atop the most famous city gate.

The three armies lined up in neat formations and marched through the city gates, unleashing a series of unified shouts and cheers.

"Long live the Emperor!!"

Long live China!

"Long live the people...!"

……

The heads of state and envoys of various countries sat on both sides of the city gate and witnessed firsthand the grandeur, might, and solemnity of the Chinese military.

Having witnessed the might of this army firsthand, all the leaders and envoys present were filled with awe and trepidation.

Unbeknownst to many, on this ancient and fertile land, such a vast empire and such a powerful army were born.

How could the great powers that coveted this land not be terrified?!

……

The founding ceremony lasted all day.

At the banquet that followed, Emperor Azu changed into casual clothes and, accompanied by his concubines, personally entertained the heads of state and envoys of various countries in the vast Yuanmingyuan Garden.

When the British and French envoys stepped forward to offer a toast, Azu scrutinized their faces, then turned to look at the magnificent Yuanmingyuan Garden, and suddenly felt a strange sense of temporal and spatial disorientation.

In later history, this magnificent and unparalleled royal garden was destroyed by these two world rogue states.

In this new timeline, I will never allow the same tragedy to happen again, no matter what!
Noticing the newly enthroned emperor's absent-minded expression, the English envoy couldn't help but exclaim, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty...!"

"Uh...!" Azu snapped out of his daze, raised his wine glass, and smiled, "The two envoys from England and France have come from afar, thank you for your hard work!"

"It is our honor to witness this momentous day!" the British and French envoys replied politely.

Even the world's two largest powers must maintain at least a minimum level of respect when facing a strong opponent.

Azu continued with a smile, "It wasn't easy for you to make this trip. Since you're already here, don't rush back. I have a surprise for you!"

"A surprise...?" The two envoys were speechless. "Your Majesty is referring to... the wedding with Princess Sissi? Of course, we will attend; it's one of the reasons we came here!"

The wedding with Sissi was just over twenty days away. The heads of state and envoys of various countries already knew the date, so naturally they were not in a hurry to leave. They would wait until the wedding of the century was over.

Azu smiled and shook his head slightly: "This is common knowledge, so there's nothing to be surprised about. The two envoys should just wait and see!"

The envoys, filled with doubt, could only retreat dejectedly.

……

Following the world-renowned founding ceremony, the entire nation was immersed in the joy and excitement of restoring China.

But an even bigger surprise is yet to come!

Just a few days later, explosive news came from the shores of the South China Sea!
The Restoration Army marches on Hong Kong Island!

Moreover, it's not just Hong Kong Island, but also Macau!

These two territories, which had been forcibly seized by foreigners, were recovered in one fell swoop with lightning speed at the very beginning of the founding of the nation!
The colonial armies and governments of both England and Portugal were completely annihilated overnight!

Hong Kong Island and Macau returned to the motherland overnight!

When the news came, the whole country was in an uproar!
Over the years, the mighty Celestial Empire has had enough of the humiliation inflicted by the great powers.

Finally, on this day, we stood up with our heads held high!
The Chinese people felt a surge of pride and satisfaction.

The English and Portuguese envoys, however, instantly flew into a rage and demanded to reason with the emperor, who had only been on the throne for a few days and was extremely busy.

Unexpectedly, the seemingly kind and approachable emperor had no time to pay them any attention.

After recovering Hong Kong Island and Macau, the Liberation Army did not stop there, but instead headed straight for the South China Sea.

The area surrounding the South China Sea was dominated by Western colonial powers. Spain controlled the Philippine Islands, the Netherlands controlled the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), Britain controlled Singapore, Malacca, Brunei and Lower Myanmar, and France controlled southern Vietnam and Cambodia...!
The crimes committed by these colonizers are too numerous to recount.

Tens of thousands of indigenous people die each year from overwork in coffee, sugarcane, and tobacco plantations, and thousands more die each year from overwork when indigenous people are forced to build churches everywhere.

The Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies beheaded countless rebels to celebrate his birthday.

England shipped the remains of hundreds of thousands of children to Europe to be used as raw materials for the production of phosphate fertilizer.

In the tin mines of England, the break-even point is when the monthly mortality rate of the indigenous people is 7.5%... Almost no indigenous people can survive a year in the mines!
The brutal oppression and exploitation of colonies by Western powers continued for centuries until after World War II, when the rise of the United States and the Soviet Union led to the decline of the old powers, with Britain at the forefront, and finally came to an end.

Now, Azu wants to advance this process by a hundred years!

Escorted by a powerful fleet, the 200,000-strong Restoration Army, fresh from the liberation of their motherland, charged into the colonies of various foreign powers in Southeast Asia like tigers descending from the mountains.

The great powers were wary of this newly established empire.

However, no one expected that the Guangfu Army would arrive so quickly and so fiercely!

Before the domestic situation had fully stabilized, Azu wielded the big stick of force against the Western powers.

……

As the war continued to spread in Southeast Asia, on December 24, 1857, the day before Christmas.

World leaders and ambassadors once again witnessed a world-renowned wedding in the Forbidden City.

This is the day that Azu married Princess Sissi!
At the wedding celebration, which blended Chinese and Western traditions, His Majesty Paul I, with a pleased smile on his face, personally announced that the two were now husband and wife.

At this moment, both Duke and Duchess Joseph shed tears of immense happiness.

From this moment on, Azu also had his seventh wife, who was also the seventh Imperial Noble Consort—Consort Chen.

……

Shortly after the wedding and honeymoon, in March 1858, Azu received the good news that the Restoration Army had liberated the entire Southeast Asia.

From the coast of the South China Sea in the south to the Torres Strait north of Australia, and west to the border between Myanmar and India, the entire region is under the control of the Restoration Army.

The colonial governments and armies of the Western powers were wiped out in just over three months.

Faced with the dramatic changes in the East, the Western powers, who were locked in a fierce battle with Tsarist Russia, had no choice but to begin emergency ceasefire negotiations with the Tsar.

In order to jointly confront the newly rising great empire in the East, the Western powers had no choice but to reluctantly acknowledge the territories that Tsarist Russia had seized and annexed over the years.

After signing the unfair treaty known as the Treaty of Sevastopol, the Western powers immediately began to join forces to form an Eastern Expeditionary Force.

Including its former bitter enemy Tsarist Russia, England, France, Austria, the Ottoman Empire, the Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal formed the new Eight-Nation Alliance. In June 1858, this new Eight-Nation Alliance comprised over two hundred ships and more than six hundred thousand troops in its army and navy.

In September 1858, when this massive army arrived in India, it was joined by more than 9 Indian auxiliary troops.

A powerful expeditionary force of 800,000 men split into several groups and headed straight for Southeast Asia and China.

The first force, mainly composed of the Khalkha regiments from the Indian auxiliary army, led by 4,000 British troops, totaling 30,000 men, marched into southern Tibet, intending to cross the Himalayas and enter western Tibet.

The second force, also mainly composed of Indian auxiliary troops and with 6,000 British troops as its core, totaling 80,000 men, crossed the Rakhine Mountains and invaded northern Burma, threatening the southwestern provinces.

The third force, mainly composed of the British and French fleets, along with a coalition of forces from Spain, Portugal, Austria, and the Ottoman Empire, totaling over 100,000 men, intended to forcibly land in Singapore.

The fourth route, based in Australia, saw 200,000 allied troops cross the Torres Strait and land in the Dutch East Indies.

The fifth force came from the north, from Tsarist Russia. Based in the Kazakh Khanate, over 200,000 Russian troops, fresh from the Crimean War, invaded Xinjiang.

The sixth force, also from the north, was Tsarist Russia. Based in Nerchinsk, 100,000 Russian troops, known as "gray cattle," invaded Northeast China.

Finally, there is another route, from the United States of America across the ocean.

With various countries forming alliances and maneuvering, the United States also realized that this was a golden opportunity to reclaim the entire West.

Despite having just experienced four years of brutal war, the United States still mustered its remaining strength and once again organized an army of 400,000 to launch a major offensive against the Mississippi Line.

……

The seven armies, with their imposing momentum, spread across the north and south of the country, covering almost half of Asia and as far as North America.

This war brought together almost all of the world's major powers.

This battle determined the world order for the next few centuries.

This battle was far more significant and larger in scale than the Eight-Nation Alliance of later generations!

This battle is the decisive battle between East and West!

……

In the six months following the restoration of China, Ah Zu, who had long anticipated the Western counterattack, made ample preparations.

Originally numbering over 500,000, the Restoration Army has grown to 1.3 million after a year of continuous expansion, including the troops stationed in North America.

300,000 in North America, 1 million in the mainland!

To prepare for this decisive battle between East and West, Azu mobilized the entire nation's resources and wisdom.

Edgar Allan Poe was stationed in North America, commanding the North American Army to defend against the American counterattack.

Zuo Zongtang led a western expedition to Xinjiang, tasked with defending against the Russian army in the northwest.

Shi Dakai was stationed in Myanmar, responsible for defending against the allied forces from the southwest and west.

Feng Zicai led an expedition to Singapore to defend against the allied forces from the southeast.

Feng Yuanshan was stationed in East Timor to defend against the coalition forces from Australia.

Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng were stationed in Vladivostok to defend against the invading Russian army in Northeast China.

Meanwhile, Wu Qingfeng, far away in Alaska, was also ready, leading 60,000 troops of the reclamation army, which had been expanded into three divisions, just waiting for Azu's order to cooperate with the North American Legion and attack Canada from the south and the north.

……

In the command headquarters set up in the Yuanmingyuan Grand Fountain, a row of brand-new, strange machines was placed along one side of the wall.

Outside this row of machines, a series of tall antennas stretched out, densely packed, standing on the roof of the Great Waterworks.

The Central Institute for Advanced Study, which was relocated and expanded from the California Institute for Advanced Study, developed a wireless telegraph machine after years of painstaking research under the leadership of Zou Boqi and others.

The newly invented wireless telegraph machine still had significant limitations in transmission distance; even under optimal conditions, the sending and receiving distance did not exceed one thousand kilometers.

If the weather is bad or there are mountain barriers, the distance can be significantly reduced.

Even so, the wireless telegraph machine, which appeared forty years ahead of schedule, was a powerful weapon of the time.

From a prototype with a transmission distance of only two or three kilometers a year ago to thousands of kilometers now, it is a huge leap forward and can now be put into practical use.

For a small country, a transmission distance of thousands of kilometers is more than enough.

But for the behemoth that was the Chinese Empire, a thousand kilometers was far from enough.

To ensure the transmission of military intelligence and orders across the entire region, Azu deployed hundreds of relay stations and relay communication ships throughout the country, on various islands, and even on the vast ocean.

To this end, Azu specially invented and equipped a high-power generator, and established a specialized telecommunications engineering school to train communication talents.

At this moment, the hard work of the past few years has finally come to bear fruit!

Military intelligence from all over Asia and even North America was continuously transmitted to the command headquarters.

With the continuous power supply from the high-powered generator, the row of wireless telegraph machines kept beeping, and the red and green indicator lights kept flashing.

A group of rigorously trained telegraph operators were receiving military intelligence from various locations with great tension, and sending out orders from headquarters in a continuous stream.

All telegrams were in plain text, and at this point in time, only Ah Zu possessed the powerful weapon of wireless telegraphy.

The millions of troops from various countries had no idea that countless intelligence reports and orders were being transmitted silently and constantly around them and above them.

With wireless telegraph, no matter how far apart we are, whether by mountains or seas or halfway around the world, all intelligence and orders can be delivered instantly, no longer hindered by time and space.

With wireless telegraph, Azu had absolute confidence in winning this decisive battle between East and West, whether the battlefield was nearby or thousands of miles away, he could control it as if it were his own arm.

With the help of wireless telegraph, Azu had the confidence to govern this unprecedentedly vast empire!
Although, at present, wireless telegraphy is only assigned to division-level units and provincial-level administrative units.

But at least for now, that's enough.

Within three to five years, wireless telegraphy will be widespread throughout the country and the military.

At that time, the empire's rule will be even more impregnable.

……

With an army of 1.3 million, possessing powerful weaponry and strategic tactics ahead of its time, and aided by wireless telegraphy, the outcome against the newly formed Eight-Nation Alliance, whose forces were almost equal, was without any suspense.

The allied forces suffered heavy casualties and were utterly defeated by the well-prepared Restoration Army.

The eight nations, along with the United States, had a total of 1.2 million troops and hundreds of warships. In the end, only less than 200,000 people and a few dozen ships escaped alive.

In this decisive battle, not even a fraction of the survivors will make it to the end.

The remaining millions of soldiers were either annihilated or captured.

After this battle, the global landscape was instantly turned upside down!

The once invincible Western powers have since lost the resources to contend for global dominance.

The Chinese Empire, which had only been established for a year, deservedly became the hegemon of the East after this battle!

Perhaps, it's not just in the East!
After decisively defeating the new Eight-Nation Alliance and the United States, Azu showed no signs of stopping.

In North America, the Alaskan settlers and Edgar Allan Poe attacked from the north and south respectively, defeating the Canadian colonial army in a rout.

Wu Qingfeng commanded the reclamation army to march south from Alaska and seize the Yukon and Northwest Territories.

Edgar Allan Poe led 100,000 North American troops northward to capture British Columbia and Alberta.

After the two sides joined forces, they marched eastward all the way to Ottawa, Ontario, before finally stopping.

At this point, western and central North America were completely connected.

Seventy percent of the North American territory that originally belonged to the United States and Canada, more than 14 million square kilometers, has become part of the Chinese Empire.

……

In Northeast Asia, the Russian army suffered repeated heavy losses at the hands of the Crimean Restoration Army, losing at least two to three million troops. The empire's military and financial strength were on the verge of collapse.

We must strike while the iron is hot and finish you off. If we don't completely crush Tsarist Russia now, when will we ever get another chance?!
Zuo Zongtang, who was stationed in Xinjiang, led three reorganized armies and attached troops, totaling nearly 200,000 men, after defeating the Russian army in the west, straight into the heart of the Kazakh Khanate and reached the shores of the Caspian Sea.

After capturing the Kazakh Khanate and taking control of most of the Caspian Sea, Zuo Zongtang led his troops northward, heading straight for the Ural Mountains.

After seizing the Caspian Sea and the Ural Mountains, Zuo Zongtang divided Tsarist Russia in two, completely severing all ties between its European and Asian parts.

At the same time, after defeating the Russian eastern army, Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng led an army of 150,000 westward, sweeping away all Russian troops and forces in Siberia.

Annihilate all Russian troops, wipe out all remaining Russian forces, and expel all remaining white people back to the west of the Ural Mountains, leaving none alive.

Thus, Tsarist Russia was stripped of all the Asian lands it had swallowed up over the past two or three centuries.

As a result, the homeland of the Chinese Empire became unprecedentedly vast, far exceeding the Han and Tang dynasties, and also far exceeding the Mongol Yuan dynasty.

……

Meanwhile, the Fung brothers, located in Singapore and East Timor, were also busy.

After completely defeating the new Eight-Nation Alliance, Feng Yunshan led 100,000 restoration troops across the Torres Strait and landed in Australia.

Australia, this arid and barren English colony, was utterly powerless to resist the 100,000-strong liberation army.

In less than five months, Feng Yunshan seized control of the entire country of Australia and, incidentally, also took control of neighboring New Zealand.

Nearly a million white colonists in Australia and New Zealand, along with exiled convicts, were all herded onto ships and thrown onto the South African coast to fend for themselves.

Australia was an excellent source of minerals for the Chinese Empire.

This area not only boasts the world's largest high-quality iron ore deposit, but also ranks among the world's top three in aluminum, lithium, zinc, and gold deposits, as well as abundant uranium, rare earth, and many other minerals.

This is a huge, undeveloped mining area covering more than seven million square kilometers!
New Zealand, on the other hand, boasts some of the world's finest pastures!
From now on, this place will be the source of the empire's wool, beef, and dairy products!
……

Meanwhile, Shi Dakai, who was stationed in Burma, also defeated the British Indian army. Under the direct orders of Azu, he commanded two armies, totaling 120,000 men, to bypass the vast Indian peninsula and head straight for the distant Middle Eastern desert!

At that time, much of the Middle East was still under Ottoman rule.

Although the Ottoman Empire was gradually declining, at this point in time, the sheikhs of the Middle East were at least still under the rule of the Ottoman Sultan.

The sheikhs of the Middle East in this era are not the nouveau riche who wear a cloak on their heads and claim to be the richest people in the world.

Oil and natural gas have not yet been widely used, let alone developed on a large scale.

Middle Eastern sheikhs are still trapped in desert oases, living in tattered sheepskin tents and leading a miserable nomadic life, moving with the tides for water and pasture.

Azu sent Shi Dakai on an expedition to the Middle East with two objectives: one was oil and natural gas, as this would become the future energy core of the empire.

The second target is the Suez Canal, which is even more important and crucial than the Panama Canal!
Compared to India, which is like a cesspool, Azu clearly has a greater appetite for the rich and undeveloped Middle East.

Although the Suez Canal is still in the planning stages, just four years after the French and Egyptian governors signed an agreement to excavate the canal, construction has not yet officially begun.

Construction of the Suez Canal did not begin until April of the following year, 1859, and after ten years of massive engineering work, it officially opened to traffic in 1869.

But this timing is precisely the perfect opportunity to seize control of the Suez Canal!
While oil and natural gas are widely distributed throughout the Middle East, the most concentrated area is actually along the Persian Gulf coast.

For example, Kuwait, the UAE, and the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia and Iran in later generations were all regions richest in oil and natural gas.

Azu's mission for Shi Dakai was to seize the Persian Gulf coast and the Suez Canal region in one fell swoop.

Shi Dakai lived up to expectations and completed the task assigned by His Majesty the Emperor in April 1859, before the Suez Canal construction began.

After seizing the Persian Gulf coast and the Suez Canal region, the empire established the Middle East Governorate here to oversee all Middle Eastern affairs, including oil development and the Suez Canal project.
-
Thus, after ten years, Azu single-handedly built an unprecedented empire, a new empire on which the sun never sets!

The territory belonging to the empire's homeland stretched from the Arctic Ocean in the north to Australia and New Zealand in the south; from Hawaii in the east to the Caspian Sea and the Ural Mountains in the west.

Besides most of Asia, the empire's homeland also encompassed the entirety of Australia!

Beyond the empire's homeland, most of North America was also incorporated into the empire's territory!

Then there was the richest and most important region in the Middle East, which was also under the rule of the empire!
After seizing such a vast territory, Azu began a large-scale emigration program.

After decades of massive immigration, half of the 400 million citizens have moved to the new territories of the empire.

At the same time, the empire also vigorously encouraged its people to have children. Those who had three or more children were not only given birth subsidies, but also had greater land cultivation rights, as well as a series of spiritual and material rewards.

After undergoing the land revolution and the industrial revolution, China became the undisputed superpower on this planet—without exception!

……

When the first rays of dawn of the new century shone on the land of the empire, Azu was already seventy years old!
I have been emperor for forty-three years!

Under his rule, the country is thriving and prosperous!

In the past forty years, the total population has more than doubled, exceeding 1.6 billion, accounting for half of the world's population.

Among them, the descendants of Yan and Huang make up more than 90%, making them the absolute majority ethnic group.

Based on the idea of ​​unification that has been passed down for thousands of years, the possibility of any region splitting up has been eliminated to the greatest extent possible.

With a strong nation and a stable political situation, even the over-seventy-year-old Azu feels physically and mentally exhausted. It's time for the younger generation to shoulder the responsibilities!

Zuo Zongtang, Edgar Allan Poe, as well as Feng Zicai, Feng Yunshan, Vic and Jason, and many other founding heroes of the older generation have all passed away before him.

Even Shi Dakai, who was the same age as Azu, had already stepped down to the second line and handed over the responsibility to the younger generation.

……

Yuanmingyuan, a place of tranquility and peace for all of China.

A gentle breeze in March swept across the azure lake, creating ripples.

"Your Majesty, you are in excellent health and have even better spirits than I do. You can serve for at least another ten years...!"

Shi Dakai, with his full head of white hair, held a glass in his left hand. Inside the glass was the same aged Macallan whisky that the old folks of the Huamei Group loved decades ago.

"Slurp...!" Shi Dakai took a sip of the amber-colored wine with relish, his right hand holding a white chess piece, hesitating for a long time but not putting it on the chessboard.

Perhaps, his mind wasn't even on this game of chess!

Shi Dakai's slightly cloudy eyes lingered on the chessboard for a long time before he sighed and said, "Your Majesty, have you truly made up your mind to step down?"

Ah Zu, with a wine glass in his left hand and a black chess piece in his right, slowly opened his eyes upon hearing this, his eyes still bright and alert.

He smiled faintly as always and said, "I dare say that. Look at this game of chess, all the pieces that were supposed to be placed have already been placed."

"The outcome is already decided, the battle is over, and this remaining endgame is utterly meaningless to us!"

Azu's gaze wasn't on the chessboard, but rather he leisurely looked up at the sky: "This game of chess is just like our lives!"

"The most exciting time is always at the beginning!"

"The most dramatic and exciting part is always the middle game!"

"This remaining game is really not worth playing!"

"At our age, it's time to enjoy our retirement."

"Let the younger generation go out and explore; who knows, they might even make a name for themselves!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Dakai replied, "However, it's not just me; even the 1.6 billion people hope that Your Majesty can steer the ship for a few more years and keep watch for a few more years!"

"As long as you are in your position, the entire nation can feel at ease, and no one will dare to harbor any other thoughts."

"If you weren't here, perhaps...!"

"Hehe!" Azu smiled calmly: "Perhaps, someone will rebel?"

"Isn't that perfect? ​​While I'm still alive, let those with ulterior motives jump out and wipe them all out in one fell swoop. Wouldn't that eliminate future troubles forever?"

Shi Dakai frowned, put down the chess piece in his hand, and said solemnly, "So, Your Majesty had this kind of scheme... You really are shrewd with age!"

Now, only Shi Dakai dared to speak like this in front of Azu.

Azu shook his head: "I didn't originally intend to do this. If this situation really arises, I'll just do it as a matter of convenience!"

"Yue'er is already over forty, not young anymore! If I work for a few more years, my sons might start to feel resentful!"

The "Yue'er" mentioned by Azu is his eldest son, Li Yue, who is his and Fu Shanxiang's first son.

Including Li Yue, Azu has given birth to a total of twelve sons and sixteen daughters over the years. As for grandchildren and great-grandchildren, they are countless, truly a house full of descendants.

All their descendants grew up in the same way as ordinary children, attending regular schools, and after graduation joining the army, factories, or working at the grassroots level to support themselves, without any special privileges.

Including Li Yue, Cheng Cai's children all rose through the ranks from the grassroots level.

After graduating from military academy, Li Yue rose through the ranks from platoon leader to company commander, battalion commander, and regimental commander. He personally fought on the battlefield against the British, Tsarist Russia, and Southeast Asian indigenous peoples.

Even after being transferred to the central government, he did not receive the title of Crown Prince. He was merely a secretary in the Imperial Office, and gradually rose to the position of director, becoming well-versed in all aspects of imperial affairs.

Shi Dakai solemnly said, "Yue'er is a good child. Although he is not as cunning, scheming, and resourceful as you, he has inherited the strengths of both you and Consort Fu. He is intelligent, kind, upright, and adaptable. He will be a wise ruler in the future!"

Azu nodded: "A kind and upright person is not good at starting a business, but he is good enough to protect the land we have built!"

"Let's make it this way!" Azu continued calmly, "On National Day this year, I will hand over this heavy responsibility to Yue'er!"

At this point, Azu suddenly sighed softly, "It's a pity that Mr. Zuo, Ellen, and Mr. Feng didn't live to see this day!"

Thanks to advanced medical technology, Zuo Zongtang lived a few years longer than originally recorded in history, reaching the age of eighty before passing away eight years ago.

Edgar Allan Poe, who was about the same age as Zuo Zongtang, died even earlier, in 1883, at the age of seventy-four.

Feng Yunshan and Feng Zicai also passed away one after another a few years ago.

Today, of the main contributors, only a few, such as Shi Dakai, Chen Yucheng, and Wu Qingfeng, are still alive.

Among them, only the youngest, Chen Yucheng, is still working on the front line. At just over sixty years old, he is now serving as the deputy commander-in-chief.

Even Ah Zu's confidante, Queen Lilith of Hawaii, passed away ten years ago, and Monica also passed away a few years ago!

Ah, life, perhaps, is just like this!

The first half of my life was filled with the joy of meeting and being reborn!
The second half of his life was filled with the sorrow of farewells and partings!
The two players remained silent for a long time before Shi Dakai finally spoke: "To have followed His Majesty and accomplished such a great feat, I believe that Mr. Zuo, Mr. Allen, Mr. Feng, and myself have no regrets in this life!!!"

"Yes, I have no regrets in this life!"

Ah Zu nodded calmly: "What a person seeks in their entire life is nothing more than to have no regrets!"

With that, Azu took Shi Dakai's arm and drifted away into the distance.

"I dare say that, and I'll soon be able to put down the burden on my shoulders!"

"From this day forward, you and I, along with our wives, will travel together!"

"It's time to see the sights of the world we've never seen before!"

My little boat has departed, I'll spend the rest of my life on the rivers and seas!
The whole book is finished!
(End of this chapter)