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

A cafe in East London.

The stinky Thames River flows by.

Several well-dressed gentlemen were drinking coffee and reading newspapers.

"Oh my God, this Cambridge graduate, Mr. Newton, actually said that last year's fire was interesting!!"

"He's a real beast."

"He is a true demon."

"He's definitely going to hell."

The gentlemen all shook their heads.

Last year's sudden fire claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people.

Half of London was reduced to ruins, and even the most cold-blooded textile capitalists wept. And this damned Newton actually clapped and cheered! What kind of person is he?

Public opinion was in an uproar.

Almost everyone unanimously cursed Newton with anger.

After verifying that the submitted letter was not forged, Scotland Yard officers promptly arrested Newton and imprisoned him alongside thieves, robbers, swindlers, and deserters.

The arrogant Cambridge University Council could not withstand the immense external pressure and announced the expulsion of Newton from his fellowship and the revocation of his degree.

Overnight.

Newton's name is infamous and known to everyone.

To be given the title of:
"A beast from Lincolnshire," "A devil who graduated from Cambridge," "A scientist with a wolf in sheep's clothing," "A traitor who took money from Paris," "A dog without any humanity," "A treacherous minister who appears only once every 300 years."

The Londoners, with their limited language skills, really did their best to come up with so many titles.

……

pier.

Professor Barrow, disguised, gazed at his former star pupil.

“Dear Newton, this country can no longer tolerate you. The London black market has a bounty of 200 pounds for your life. Go away, go far away, and never come back.”

"Teacher, I've been wronged."

“I know, I’ve read your submission. There is a strong possibility that there is a connection between the Great Fire of London and the disappearance of the plague. But that’s not important. What’s important is that you have angered the public.”

"But I'm a scientist!!"

"When faced with matters of principle, we should not discuss science."

Newton burst into tears.

Professor Barrow glanced around and whispered, "Where are you planning to go? Paris? Or St. Petersburg? I suggest you go to St. Petersburg!"

"Teacher, I want to go to the United Empire to participate in the imperial examination."

Half an hour later~
Newton spent 10 pounds to buy a ticket and boarded the somewhat old merchant ship "Candide" as an illiterate man.

on board.

He was driven around like a dog by the rude captain every day, scrubbing the deck and cleaning the toilets.

In his spare time, he would always find a quiet corner, take out half of the "Doctrine of the Mean" from his pocket, and prepare for the imperial examination.

After the Honest Man miraculously sailed through the turbulent Cape Strait, all the crew members cheered with relief at surviving the ordeal.

Amidst the cheers, Newton, vomiting to the point of near death, pulled out a small knife and, with trembling hands, carved four Chinese characters on the mast: "Abandon theory for politics."

……

Tens of thousands of miles away.

Miyun Infant Care Center.

It might be more appropriate to call it a Spartan training camp.

Over the years, more than 10,000 children in the inner city have been abandoned due to doubts about their lineage. Apart from a few dozen who were adopted by the Church of Our Lady, the rest were taken in by the Prime Minister and placed in Miyun for upbringing.

They receive loyalty education and military training from a young age.

Completely sealed!

The instructors are rotated every six months to ensure a detached relationship between superiors and subordinates.

The reveille sounded.

Everyone quickly scrambled up from their makeshift straw beds, donned leather armor, slung knives over their shoulders, strapped on bows and arrows, and grabbed spears as they rushed out of the house.

"gather!"

"Loyal Guard First Company, assembled!"

"The Third Company of the Loyal Guard is assembled!"

After everyone finished counting off, the instructor glanced at the hourglass next to him.

"Quick assembly, very good. Next up is the 20-mile armed cross-country run, begin!"

"Yes."

The various squadrons sprang into action.

Midway through a run~
Two-pound solid shot occasionally whizzed overhead, interspersed with the sounds of gunfire, but everyone ignored it and continued running.

got used to!
After cross-country running comes light mounted archery.

Arrows like thunder and lightning, horses like lightning, men like dragons—this was a truly elite army.

……

During lunchtime, men and women are separated into different rooms.

The instructor roared:
"All rise."

"Salute to the Grand Secretary."

Everyone stood up in unison, knelt on one knee, and shouted to the portrait of the prime minister pasted at the top of the wall: "Loyalty!"

The second step.

The instructor opened "Chiang Kai-shek's Teachings".

Everyone shouted in unison:

Seven lives dedicated to serving the country, eight directions under one sky.

To conquer the vast ocean and spread national prestige to all corners of the world.

~
There are a total of 9 Jiang Xun (Jiang Xi's teachings).

third step.

The instructor roared loudly.

"Look at the future world, it will surely be our world."

Everyone answered in unison: "Always ready."

"Let's eat!"

Everyone buried their heads in their food and ate heartily. The food wasn't fancy, but the portions were generous. Large bowls of braised noodles and large bowls of freshly steamed mixed flour buns were eaten with a dish of chili, wild onion, and garlic sauce.

……

The afternoon is break time.

Spartan warriors also need to be scientific. If they train all day long, all year round, even the strongest warriors will break down.

Everyone can move freely within a radius of 5 li.

The strong young men and beautiful young women exchanged glances, their desires stirring, but deterred by the presence of the military police, they dared not cross the line.

The best age, the best training.

The air above Miyun is always filled with the smell of hormones.

However, human instincts are difficult to suppress. Even with the strictest military discipline, there are still people who risk their lives to charge into battle for love.

late at night.

The patrolling military police rushed into the stables.

"stop!"

The next second, a man and a woman jumped out from the pile of hay in the corner. The boy was very skilled and knocked down two military policemen in one move.

A piercing whistle rang out, and more military police rushed out.

Facing the dark muzzles of guns all around, the fierce young man who charged for love slowly knelt down, burying his head in his hands.

Punch and kick.

Then he was detained.

According to military discipline, he would be executed in public.

The next morning.

Good news spread throughout the military camp.

"The Prime Minister is coming to visit everyone!"

Everyone cheered. The Grand Secretary visited every six months, and each time he would bestow upon them abundant wine, meat, and weapons. From childhood, they had been instilled with the idea that the Grand Secretary was their father!
……

Noon three days later.

Banners fluttered and drums thundered.

Inside the camp.

With the assistance of their instructors, the Grand Secretary's guards reconfirmed the safety arrangements for receiving the emperor.

"All personnel, listen to my command."

"Put down your weapons!"

Soon, the ground was littered with crossbows, spears, and lances.

"Ten steps forward!"

"All personnel, disarm!"

Leather armor and helmets were scattered all over the ground.

"Ten steps forward!"

"Work in pairs and conduct your own inspections. No weapons may be brought when welcoming the Grand Secretary; otherwise, you will be subject to military law."

After all that, I can finally relax.

……

Half an hour later.

Banners appeared faintly in the distance.

The lookout peeked out and shouted:
"The Grand Secretary has arrived!"

Everyone cheered excitedly and rushed out of the military camp, running towards the chief minister.

Jiang Qingyun, clad in golden armor, mounted his horse and suddenly accelerated. His well-trained guards did not follow, but deliberately kept their distance.

What follows is the prime minister's moment of glory.

The boys ran wildly. The Grand Secretary galloped away on his horse.

Go both ways!

A loving father and a filial son!

loyalty!!
"The Grand Secretary~"

"Father~"

The teenagers crowded around, cheering, and many shed tears of excitement.

Once the situation was stable and there was no risk of stampede, Jiang Qingyun dismounted and mingled with the boys.

He had a kind and gentle face, and was very approachable. He frequently stroked the rough faces of the children around him.

"Is the training hard?"

"It's not hard."

“There are many enemies outside now, and they are always trying to cause trouble. You must be prepared to suppress these insects.”

"We are willing to fight and die to defend Confucius and Mencius!"

……

Surrounded by children, Jiang Qingyun frequently burst into hearty laughter.

His personal charm speaks for itself.

in the afternoon.

Jiang Qingyun watched the equestrian performance, where a squadron of cotton-armored cavalrymen crossed trenches, charged through fire, shot arrows at moving targets, and chopped off straw figures with swords.

We also watched a shooting demonstration. A company of lightly armed musketeers marched in perfect unison and loaded their weapons at lightning speed, giving them a distinctly lobster-like appearance.

Well-trained!

We are capable of winning battles!

After that, he attended a class on cultural theory.

All the children can read, but they don't know calligraphy.

The children can recite dozens of Confucian maxims, Mencius maxims, and Chiang Kai-shek maxims, but they have never read the Four Books and Five Classics.

The children can do simple arithmetic, but not calculus.

Today's lesson is "Chiang Kai-shek Hunts a Tiger".

When the Grand Secretary inspected Chengdu, he saw that the local people kept their doors closed during the day, and the streets were deserted like a ghost town. He asked his entourage, "Why is this?"

The attendant replied, "The war has been ongoing, too many people have died, and the tiger problem is too serious."

As they were talking, a fierce tiger with piercing eyes leaped into the city gate, its roar echoing throughout the city.

The Grand Secretary was furious and drew a 13-stone bow to shoot at him.

The tiger is dead!

When the locals weighed it, the tiger carcass was found to weigh 800 jin (approximately 400 catties).

The following day, the chief minister led a team into the mountains and killed a total of 1122 tigers and 223 cubs. The chief minister alone killed 230 tigers and broke 7 bowstrings.

From then on, tiger attacks disappeared around Chengdu, and the people lived in peace and contentment.

Red paper fell from the sky inside the Wuhou Temple.

The Emperor said:

In terms of strategy, you and I are equally matched.

In terms of martial prowess, I am far inferior to you.

Signed, Zhuge Kongming.

The children looked at them with awe. How could they, who trained in military affairs every day, not know what a 13-stone bow was?
The moment the arrow was released, mountains collapsed and the earth cracked.

Jiang Qingyun remained calm and composed.
……

dinner time.

Jiang Qingyun shared joy with the people.

He picked up a freshly steamed white bun from the bowl on the table, dipped it in a sauce made of wild onions, garlic, chili, and soy sauce, and took a bite.

Hey, it smells pretty good.

I picked up another mouthful of braised noodles.

A mouthful of braised noodles, a mouthful of steamed bun.

Jiang Qingyun thought to himself: "My fellow Henan natives are living quite well. Their food is just as good as braised sea cucumber with scallions."

I was munching on it when suddenly...
A young girl in a short-sleeved shirt and shorts rushed to the door, shouting, "Prime Minister, save me!"

The next second, he was pinned down by the guards.

"Let her go!"

The Grand Secretary, with a gentle expression, sized up the girl who was crying out for justice. She was strong, with full arms, and her brows seemed to be furrowed. He then signaled to the guards to let go.

"what's your name?"

"My name is Sula."

"how old are you?"

"12."

"what happened to you?"

"Please, Grand Secretary, spare Kim Soon. I am willing to die in his place."

An instructor whispered the story, and Jiang Qingyun, lost in thought, put down the steamed bun in his hand and casually glanced around at everyone present.

The children's eyes were filled with longing.

Jiang Qingyun was not surprised by this; perhaps now was the best time to change things.

……

Silence~
A terrifying silence~
When everyone despaired and thought that Su Lajin Shun was doomed, Jiang Qingyun stood up.

"I created the United Empire so that people all over the world could live happy and free lives. Why create barriers between men and women now?"

"I hereby declare that from this day forward, there is freedom of love, freedom of movement, and freedom of mining."

"Anyone who dares to stop me, I'll kill them."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Immediately, it was as if mountains collapsed and the earth split open, as if mountains roared and the sea surged.

"Long live!!"

Everyone roared at the top of their lungs and stomped their feet frantically.

Instantly, the roof cracked.

Soon, cheers resounded throughout the military camp, and the capital city felt a faint tremor.

That night.

All the young men were moved by the Prime Minister's magnanimity, and many secretly vowed that they would only fight to the death for the Prime Minister in this lifetime!

No sleep for one night.

Gunfire raged across Miyun.

Jiang Qingyun politely declined the suggestion to sleep with several Manchu women, as such a thing could easily damage his image in the Miyun Army, and it was absolutely unacceptable.

The next day.

He left quietly.

At breakfast.

Everyone was told: "The Grand Secretary has returned to the capital. He specifically instructed that everyone be given two fried eggs for breakfast today to supplement their nutrition."

……

After the Grand Secretary left, someone sent him a calligraphy scroll that read: "Young people should have youth."

Change has begun.

Five days each month, men and women can stay in the same camp.

However, one rule remains: daily military training will never be relaxed, and anyone who fails to meet the training standards will be punished with a beating.

The tens of thousands of abandoned babies taken in were constantly eliminated through brutal training, with only 4000 surviving.

The training of Spartan warriors must not be interrupted.

Freedom of love~
They were born to continue being Spartans.

To prevent genetic problems, Jiang Qingyun ordered the military governor of Heilongjiang to capture 200 Solon youths each year and present them to the emperor, regardless of gender, and send them to Miyun.

The goal is to inject fresh blood and improve genes.

Anyone who has ever owned a hunting dog knows that pedigree is very important, and training can hardly overcome the advantage of pedigree.

Infantry combat, mounted combat, shooting, assassination, swimming, rowing~
Training day after day.

This army is trained and equipped to the highest standards in the empire.

Out of concern that it would turn into a Westernization movement, Jiang Qingyun did not allow the United Empire to embark on industrialization, but he did not neglect technological reserves, and allocated funds and personnel to conduct research on the technologies that needed to be studied.

We will only conduct research, reserve, and pilot programs; we will never implement it on a large scale.

The flintlock muskets used by this army in Miyun were even more sophisticated than those used by the Baoding New Army! However, this orphan army was not equipped with heavy weapons, not even a single firearm weighing more than 1 pound.

Chiang Kai-shek, the chief minister, always kept a secret about his dogs.

……

Beijing.

A meeting of all 36 members of the Cabinet.

Inside the hall, Jiang Qingyun's voice was loud and passionate.

"The United Empire should be open, free, and inclusive. From this day forward, in accordance with the teachings of Confucius and Mencius, I intend to abolish all restrictions and grant the greatest freedom to the hundreds of millions of people of the Empire."

Zhou Shao frowned.

"Prime Minister, I have a suggestion."

"Speak~"

"Love is free, but marriage still requires parental consent. Excessive freedom may jeopardize the foundation of the empire."

“Zhou Shao is right, let’s add it.”

"The Grand Secretary is wise."

Spring of 1668.

The United Empire issued Decree No. 312, also known as the "Decree on the Consistency of Power and Responsibility," the most crucial of which stipulated that the people had the responsibility to pay taxes and the right to recommend local worthies.

The United Empire issued Decree No. 313, also known as the "Freedom Decree," lifting restrictions on 95 items, covering various fields such as migration, romance, clothing, trade, mining, and culture. (End of Chapter)