You can't only love the Qing Dynasty when you're eating the fruits of others' labor.

The old gentleman sighed.

"The bad news is that Prince Yanping has fallen seriously ill and is unable to recover."

Everyone was shocked.

This is really terrible news.

"Everyone, please be quiet."

“We can’t wait any longer. We must take advantage of the fact that those people are still in the dark and start an uprising ahead of time. The new Governor-General of Liangjiang is the Grand Secretary’s brother-in-law and a staunch supporter of Chiang Kai-shek. There is absolutely no possibility that he will defect. Therefore, we cannot achieve a breakthrough in Jiangning. We have already sent people to actively make contact, hoping to achieve a breakthrough in Jiangxi.”

……

After intense discussion, everyone agreed that once someone takes the plunge, a second and a third will soon follow, like a domino effect.

The key was to instigate a certain province to be the first to declare its opposition to Chiang Kai-shek.

Nanchang.

More than 2 people camped outside the city, creating a noisy and bustling atmosphere every day. At first glance, it seemed even more terrifying than when Wu Sangui's rebel army besieged the city.

The city gates were tightly closed, but the guards continued their patrols.

Inside the city.

The residence of Wang Fuchen, the Green Camp admiral.

"This junior pays his respects to Lord Wang."

"Who are you?"

"Who I am is not important. What is important is that you, General, are not far from being imprisoned."

"Huh, pretending to be a ghost."

"General, you are known as the Little Lü Bu, aren't you worried?"

"You audacious scoundrel, daring to mock this official, you've got nothing but your head!"

Wang Fuchen drew his sword.

The lobbyist remained calm, meeting Wang Fuchen's fierce gaze.

"General, from last year to this year, the number of people opposing Chiang Kai-shek has been increasing, with gentry joining in one after another, while the government has remained collectively silent. Do you know why?"

Wang Fuchen scoffed:
"That's because the central government hasn't given any instructions yet. If there were an order from above, I would lead my cavalry out of the city and charge, and all those people outside the city would have to jump into the Gan River."

"Why is our Chief Minister Chiang, who is usually decisive and ruthless, so indecisive this time?"

Wang Fuchen suddenly became speechless.

Yes, that's definitely not logical.

The lobbyist instantly noticed the hesitation in Wang Fuchen's eyes and secretly rejoiced.

"Because the capital city of Zhili was unstable, Chief Minister Jiang was too busy to take care of himself, and his decrees could not leave the Forbidden City."

How do you know?

"Scholars of the world are all one family, and people in the capital have been sending us messages."

Wang Fuchen remained silent.

The lobbyist added fuel to the fire.

"The Grand Secretary's actions are perverse and unorthodox, drawing widespread discontent from discerning people across the land. Now, all that's missing is someone to step forward and raise their voice. If you, General, were to publicly declare a break with the central government, the impact would be no less than that of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, and all the provinces would follow suit. At that time, you would be a model for rebuilding the empire, no less important than Guo Ziyi."

After he finished speaking, he waited quietly.

After a while~
Wang Fuchen spoke up.

"Let me think about it again."

"I urge the General to reconsider."

……

at the same time.

Jinsha and Xiamen are now home to a large number of warships.

The ancients knew that the sea conditions in the Taiwan Strait were terrible, with only a little over a month of calm a year. If one did not seize this window of opportunity and attempted to cross the sea at other times, seven out of ten ships would sink.

Despite his illness, Prince Zheng Sen of Yanping stood on the flagship's deck.

"The barbarians have seized my land, killed my people, and destroyed my traditions. This is intolerable! Issue my order: the entire army shall set sail for Chihkan City."

"Long live!"

Tens of thousands of sailors cheered in unison, a thunderous roar.

On the shore~
Liu Rushi, dressed in men's clothing, was also moved to tears.

A familiar scene, a familiar feeling.

Many years ago, she also followed Qian Qianyi, the Minister of Rites of the Hongguang regime, in swearing an oath to resist the Qing in Jiangning City. What an unforgettable memory that was!

"Miss, are you crying?"

The maid handed over a handkerchief.

One after another, warships in the harbor weighed anchor, raised their sails, and headed east.

A small boat slowly approached the shore.

Crown Prince Zheng Jing and Minister of Works Feng Xifan arrived together.

"Madam, these are letters written by the Prince of Yanping himself, one for you and one for the Grand Secretary."

Is he alright?

Zheng Jing quickly replied, "Thank you for your concern, Madam. My father is in good health."

"This humble servant wishes Your Highness swift success."

"Thank you, Madam."

Zheng Jing and Feng Xifan bowed and returned to the fleet.

One and a half hours later~
Looking at the empty harbor, Liu Rushi opened the envelope and saw that the words were somber and the handwriting weak. She couldn't help but burst into tears.

"Da Mu, he doesn't have long to live."

"Miss, shall we return to the capital?"

"I'm not going back. I'm too old. I'll buy a courtyard house by West Lake and live out my remaining years there."

……

Jiangning.

The crowds gathering outside the city are growing larger and larger, roughly estimated to be over 4.

The proportion of thugs and ruffians increased rapidly.

The proportion of minor officials and clerks is also increasing.

Even many ordinary people who like to take advantage of small things have joined the ranks of those who "have food to eat every day".

Within a mere 20 years, the gentry of the south were first slaughtered by the Qing army and then suppressed by the Grand Secretary. They finally woke up and stopped being misers, instead throwing all their money into a coup.

Holding onto money is useless!

It's only useful if you rise to power yourself!
Outside the west city wall.

They perform opera every day.

Outside the east city wall.

Barbecue every day.

Outside the city, the air was thick with smoke and fumes.

Conflicts between the crowds and nearby villages are becoming increasingly frequent.

……

The tenth day of April.

Noon.

The sound of drums in Jiangning shook the heavens.

Curious, everyone looked over and saw two banners hanging from the crenellations of the city wall all the way to the ground, with a line of eye-catching characters written on them.

On the left—April 11th, the city gates opened, and the special imperial examination was held at the Jiangning Examination Hall.

On the right—those who entered the Imperial Examination Hall were obedient citizens, while those who did not were rioters.

Everyone was in an uproar.

Dawn the next day.

The gates of Jiangning, which had been closed for a month, suddenly opened.

Seeing the once impassable barrier transformed into a thoroughfare, the crowd was collectively dumbfounded and at a loss for what to do.

Suddenly someone shouted.

"Go into the city, rob money and women!"

This shout seemed to open Pandora's box. Everyone rushed onto the suspension bridge as if they had gone mad, with people constantly being pushed into the water and trampled.

Those who entered the city collectively turned into thugs!

Kicking down doors, robbing, and even arson.

All troops in Jiangning City were ordered to abandon the city walls and instead retreat to defend various government offices, granaries, and the examination hall within the city.

Governor's Palace.

The acting Governor-General of Liangjiang, fully armed, waited silently for the Grand Secretary to lead his army into the city.

Two days ago.

He received the letter and acted accordingly.

……

It is 20 li south of Yanziji Wharf.

The 15,000-strong army that marched south from the capital was making final preparations for its attack.

"Remove armor!"

"Leave the firearms behind!"

"Put on the identification tape!"

To suppress the rioters, the soldiers did not need to wear armor, as heavy armor would only affect the speed of their sword swings. However, the soldiers were required to tie strips of cloth bearing the inscription "Seven Lives for the Country" to their foreheads for easy identification.

Inside the tent, Jiang Qingyun, full of enthusiasm, was explaining the essence of Neo-Confucianism to Huang Zongxi.

"I have studied the Doctrine of the Mean for 28 years, and I believe it to be the ultimate truth."

There are roughly two levels.

"The first level is 'moderation without deviation, and constancy without change.' This means that one should not deviate from one's goals and principles in life, which is very difficult to achieve in reality. Therefore, the sage said: 'The virtue of moderation is indeed supreme! It has been rare among the people for a long time.'"

"The second layer refers to moderation and peace. People need to maintain moderation and peace; we cannot lose them. By maintaining a respectful or awe-inspiring heart, moderation and peace can be preserved, and people's health can be guaranteed."

“An empire is made up of countless individuals.”

"Therefore, the Doctrine of the Mean is precisely the great principle of the empire. We must be upright, peaceful, resolute, and..."

The Grand Secretary's long speech was abruptly interrupted. "Report! The entire army is ready. Please give your instructions, Grand Secretary."

Jiang Qingyun glanced at Huang Zongxi with lingering interest.

"Although heretics keep calling for moderation, the truth is quite the opposite. They have never been moderate; they always go to extremes."

"Well, the military situation is urgent, we'll talk about it next time."

……

Outside the account.

6000 Banner Guard archer cavalry, 3000 Zhili lance cavalry, and 6000 New Army saber cavalry.

Everyone is lightly equipped.

The queue was neat and orderly.

The swords and spears were gleaming.

Morale is high.

Jiang Qingyun rode his horse to the front of the battle and drew his sword.

"In order to defend the United Empire and the fundamentalist Confucianism, I will lead you to quell the chaos and protect the Dharma. This is a sacred and great undertaking."

"Listen up, everyone! Kill as many as you can before sunset. Sheath your weapons at sunset, or you will be court-martialed."

"Anyone running amok in Jiang Street can be killed. Do you all understand?"

"Long live! Long live!"

The soldiers roared like a surging tide.

"set off!"

With the Grand Secretary's sword pointing the way, 15000 cavalrymen thundered toward Jiangning.

……

At this time, Jiangning was in complete chaos.

Every street was crammed with chaotic crowds.

Some people were busy running and cheering, some were busy breaking and robbing, some wanted to enter the government office, and some involuntarily walked into the examination hall.

It has been proven that it is difficult for people to remain calm in a group.

Let's take the present as an example.

The local thugs who usually cowered at the sight of yamen runners actually dared to overturn the stone lions at the entrance of the governor's mansion.

This white-collar worker, who usually bowed to the county's instructors, dared to kick the gate of the Governor-General's Mansion of Liangjiang.

This is a very amazing phenomenon.

Commonly known as a mob.

In the courtyard.

The soldiers looked at each other, momentarily unable to tell who was an officer and who was a bandit.

No one dared to give the order until the acting governor-general Jiang Bei walked out of the hall.

"What are you all standing there for? Fire the arrows!"

"As ordered."

A group of archers climbed the ladders up the wall and fired arrows at the dense crowd outside, which resembled a zombie siege. They didn't need to aim; they just fired randomly.

The blood brought some calm back to the crowd.

Dozens of corpses lay in front of the governor's mansion, and finally no one dared to bang on the door anymore.

……

The examination hall was a key point of defense.

In addition to 300 Shaanxi-Gansu Green Standard Army soldiers equipped with matchlock guns and spears, two tiger-squatting cannons were also brought in.

Several people in long robes came into view. They dared not approach, yet were unwilling to leave.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?"

"Sir, we are here to take the special examination."

"come in!"

The group, with their buttocks tucked between their legs, passed through the fully armed military formation and entered the examination hall, where they were immediately given a warm welcome.

A minor official quickly stood up.

"My lords, please register here."

"No, no, we are all commoners."

"Now that you've entered this door, you're no longer a commoner. Congratulations, esteemed sirs."

Faced with the official's flattery, the crowd was instantly overjoyed, as if drunk, and walked unsteadily into the narrow examination room of the examination hall.

"When does the exam begin?"

"No rush, gentlemen, please calm down first."

……

The gate of Gongyuan.

A dense, dark crowd approached.

The officer drew his sword and roared.

"Back off!"

"We'd rather die than retreat!"

One side remained unmoved, while the other was aggressive; the standoff was intense, and the atmosphere was extremely tense.

Suddenly, the tiger-squatting cannon went off!
As soon as the cannon fired, the matchlock guns followed suit.

The scene instantly turned into a living hell.

Within a short span of half an hour, no one was left standing in front of the courtyard gate.

A dozen soldiers used their spears to stab the corpses one by one at the scene.

……

The cavalry have finally entered the city!
The flag guards fired arrows repeatedly, and the crowd screamed in agony.

"Run."

Many people's minds went blank, their legs went weak, and they knelt down on the spot, but it was too late.

The flag guards were like killing machines, pressing forward relentlessly along the bluestone-paved street. Soon, the cavalrymen at the front were all red-haired, like demons.

The new army was not to be outdone.

They slashed left and right.

There were countless rioters in front of the horse's head; they couldn't be cut down, they simply couldn't be cut down.

……

The cavalry entered the city through the Jubao Gate in the south. They suppressed the enemy in an orderly, scientific, and cautious manner, applying the principle of moderation to the extreme.

The screams in the city grew louder and louder.

Everyone was running north, and soon a frenzied stampede ensued. The mob was first trampled by their own people, and then by the hooves of horses.

The streets were piled high with corpses, and rivers of blood flowed.

The innocent people of Jiangning hid in their homes, feeling both relieved and terrified as they listened to the screams outside. At that moment, no one dared to go out.

Just as the Prime Minister had predicted, those running around in the streets were rioters.

Half an hour later!
There are not many rioters left in the city.

North City.

Jinchuan Gate was blocked by countless rioters.

Everyone wanted to get out of the city gate, and as they crowded together, a landslide dam was formed.

Many people trapped inside the barbican were coughing up blood; clearly, their ribs had been broken.

Those behind, unable to squeeze through the city gate and hearing the thunderous hoofbeats behind them, were driven by their survival instincts to climb onto the crowd and trample on heads to escape.

The scene was terrible.

Many more people fell into the moat.

……

outside the city.

The summit of Zijin Mountain.

Jiang Qingyun looked down at the blood-red battlefield below, his heart surging with emotion. That's how politics is: either don't do it at all, or do it thoroughly.

Especially when one firmly believes in the greater good.

After this battle, the empire will enjoy peace and prosperity.

"Prime Minister, I've arrived."

Huang Zongxi was old and had great difficulty climbing.

"Old Huang, I've suddenly gained a lot of insights into the Doctrine of the Mean. How about we have a late-night discussion at Purple Mountain tonight?"

"It's what you wish for."

The guards quickly set up their tents.

They also hunted several rabbits on the mountain for the prime minister's dinner.

"Prime Minister, how do you intend to end this?"

“Following the example of Jiangning today, this should be extended to other places. Afterward, a nationwide proclamation should be issued to actively hunt down the organizers. Whether they are officials, gentry, or scholars, all of them should be exiled to Southeast Asia with their families.”

"Not kill?"

"No more killing, we've killed enough. Old Huang, you don't look too good?"

"Please forgive me, Grand Secretary, I am old."

"Why don't you go back to your hometown to recuperate?"

"No, I want to keep going, until the day I die." Huang Zongxi drank a cup of warm wine. "Being able to follow the Grand Secretary and witness history is enough for me in this life."

"Now, I can really unleash my full potential."

"Dividing the land?"

"Yes, the gentry of the entire empire are almost gone. Their land will be distributed equally among the landless peasants, and their gold and silver will be collected by the Ministry of Revenue. One whale falls, and all things come to life. The empire will be great again."

"Prime Minister, I have a concern."

"speak."

"As a result, up to 7% of official positions in various regions may be vacant. With government offices nearly paralyzed, how will taxes and corvée labor be collected?" (End of Chapter)