A Romantic Detective in the Qing Dynasty [Complete] - 7

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Chapter 45 My confidante,

Fei'er, said, "We just ordered all the equipment we were going to use for patent applications, and your head housekeeper was sweating bullets, saying with concern, 'How much will this cost? We need that money to start the company!' I told her that once the factory is up and running, money will be pouring into your pockets, but she didn't believe me. So I gave her an example of penicillin and streptomycin, and she immediately grabbed me, insisting on starting her own pharmaceutical factory to produce penicillin and streptomycin."

Hearing this, I had an inspiration: "Okay, you immediately apply for patents with the Ministry of Finance, with the US and UK patent offices, and publish a notice worldwide: Longhua Pharmaceutical Factory of Longhua Group has discovered highly effective antibiotics penicillin and streptomycin for treating tuberculosis, scarlet fever, diphtheria, meningitis, gonorrhea, syphilis, septicemia, and other diseases! You check it out..." "Are there any other special medicines we can produce? We'll apply for patents for them all! They'll all be produced by Zhen'er's Longhua Pharmaceutical Factory! We'll make sure the whole world buys our medicine. Zhen'er will also open a big hospital. People can come to our hospital for treatment. If they're poor, a dose of medicine will cost a few copper coins; if they're rich, a few taels of silver; and if we sell it abroad, a dose will cost ten taels of silver!"

Fei'er was stunned for a moment, but immediately hugged me and said, "A world pharmaceutical trust has been born!"

Zhen'er asked in confusion, "What does 'trust' mean?"

I knew I couldn't explain it clearly in a few words, so I said, "It means a big boss. My Zhen'er is going to be a big boss! A big boss of a pharmaceutical factory!"

Zhen'er hugged me and said coquettishly, "Isn't she just making money for the Long family? What kind of boss am I? The boss is for my husband!" Oh no, Zhen'er and Fei'er have gone astray too; they've even changed how they address me!

Of course I wouldn't let her, so I grabbed her and gave her a good slap on her little bottom, making her giggle. Fei'er, annoyed, said, "Is that hitting or massaging? Why are you making her so excited?"

I didn't say anything, just grabbed her and gave her another slap, making her scream and howl, "My husband's going to kill me to cover it up! Zhen'er, come save your sister! Ouch, my bottom's split in eight!" After she'd had her fill of fussing

, Fei'er said, "The Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Bureau's production capacity is pretty good. I helped them redesign their production process, and I believe it will be even better. However, if they want to manufacture Katyusha, Scud missiles, and new shipborne artillery, they'll need to streamline things and add a lot of equipment. But now..." "One good thing is that their machine tools are quite good; they can produce all the equipment themselves. The key issue now is that we're running out of steel! We need to find a way to rebuild Anshan Iron and Steel!"

I nodded. "I'll have to find you guys work again! Shouldn't you hurry up and recruit a batch of students to train a group of Chinese scientists?"

Fei'er said, "When I get back, I'll talk to Sister Xie about setting up a complete primary, middle, and university system in Beijing, and even Tsinghua and Peking University!"

That evening, Fei'er said she would stay in Tianjin for a few more days to design the warship production dock at the Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Bureau and the production lines for Katyusha and Scud missiles, so they could start producing equipment immediately and prepare for production! This would require Yan'er to come over as well; only she understands weaponry and equipment! She said, "We need to hurry up and replace the army's weapons and equipment. The First Sino-Japanese War is only a few years away. Right now, only three places—this place, the Jiangnan Arsenal in Shanghai, and the Fujian Shipbuilding Bureau—have the capacity to produce warships. Based on their manufacturing capacity, it will take at least three full years to produce one ship. Assuming one factory has two docks, that means we can only produce six warships by the time of the First Sino-Japanese War. And this has to start immediately; every second counts!"

I nodded, "Time waits for no one! We have to hurry! We should also find time to go and check on those two factories!"

Fei'er said, "Let's..." "Once this factory is on track, we'll go to Shanghai. We'll

be running around all over the place for the next six months!" I thought, since Li Hongzhang and Weng Tonghe are busy in Beijing, a few days in Tianjin wouldn't be a problem. So I asked, "How many days will you be staying in Tianjin?"

Fei'er thought for a moment and said, "This time it'll be half a month! I'll have to come back again after a while!"

I exclaimed in surprise, "That long? Don't you care about home?"

Fei'er said, "Sister Yan can stay here for a shorter time. She can leave once she has the designs ready. I think a week should be enough! I have to stay a few more days to reorganize the team." "Let's get everything in order, streamline the production line, guide them on how to process the equipment, and then come back after a while to guide them on installation and trial production! Half a month is fast enough, it's only because I'm in charge today. With someone else, it would take at least a year or two!"

I pinched her face and said, "Why is it so thick? Even a swift runner might not be able to penetrate it."

She punched me: "You won't admit it? Try it on someone else!"

Just then, the young scholar ran over and said, "Prince Qing Yikuang is here, he's requesting an audience outside!" I quickly let him into the front hall.

(Kill Prince Dun...) The presence of the branch intimidated all the hereditary princes. Prince Qing, Yikuang, had completely lost his former arrogance upon entering. Seeing me, he hurriedly knelt and shouted, "Long live the Emperor!" I pulled him up and said, "Uncle, why such a grand ceremony? Come and sit down! Why did you come here?"

Yikuang didn't sit down but instead bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your great favor." I said, "The Ministry of Construction is crucial to the nation's economic lifeline and the future of the country. I hope you will dedicate yourself wholeheartedly and not try to profit from your position. If I discover anyone seeking personal gain, my spear will not discriminate! Uncle, you won't bring shame to our Aisin Gioro family, will you?"

Yikuang trembled and immediately said, "I will remember this." I said, "The nation is currently facing internal and external difficulties; it is the time for the nation to strengthen itself. I hope you will understand my good intentions and do a good job in the Ministry of Construction. I thank you in advance!"

Yikuang hurriedly said, "I will certainly do my best." I asked him, "Has the money borrowed from Japan for railway construction arrived yet?" He said, "

Zhan Tianyou urged them on, and now five million has arrived. We are speeding up the surveying of the railway route. Zhan Tianyou said that the Beijing-Jinan section can start construction in three months. He said that His Majesty's requirement of four years for completion is a bit tight, but we can still ensure completion if we work hard!"

I nodded. Four years was the bottom line I set for the Sino-Japanese War. I wanted to get the transportation from Shanghai to Beijing completed before the war, making it easier for me to mobilize troops and transport supplies! I knew Yikuang was definitely here for the match factory, but since he didn't say anything, I deliberately avoided the topic.

He took a few sips of tea before tentatively asking, "Does His Majesty still stand by his promise regarding the match factory?"

I laughed, "How could I not stand by my word? I've been waiting for my uncle to come and discuss this! I heard that the Empress Dowager ordered all the equipment for you yesterday. If you don't hurry, someone else will snatch it away!" He immediately

took out a silver note and said, "How could I not do it? It's just that I'm a bit short on money. I just borrowed enough yesterday!" "Here, this is 600,000 taels of silver. Fifty taels is for the patent fee, and this 100,000 is for the Empress to help me purchase equipment and materials. I've already chosen a factory site, and I'd also like her to help me see if it's suitable!"

I immediately had the young scholar summon Fei'er. She held the silver notes and smiled, saying, "Since you trust me, Uncle, I'll save you some money. Take this 50,000 taels back as working capital. We'll help you get the materials and equipment tomorrow, and I guarantee you can start production in a month and a half."

Yi Kuang immediately bowed and said, "Thank you, Empress Fei!" The next day, Fei'er had the Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Plant start processing equipment for him and also helped Prince Qing, Yi Kuang, purchase timber and chemical raw materials, allowing Prince Qing to return to Beijing with the goods.

Fei'er then went back to the Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Plant and got busy. Seeing that there was nothing for me and Zhen'er to do, I said goodbye to Fei'er, and drove off with Zhen'er, Jie'er (who was to be given to Sheng Bao), and a few guards to Korea.

Upon entering North Korea, we encountered a cavalry sent by Sheng Bao to greet us. I then learned that it was Fei'er who had sent a telegram to Sheng Bao. The leader of the cavalry said that our military academy was opening tomorrow, and both the King of Korea and Queen Min were attending; Sheng Bao couldn't leave.

I was overjoyed and quickly said, "Let's hurry and attend his ceremony tomorrow morning!"

The general seemed a bit hesitant, so I patted the car and said, "It's alright, my car is fast. You guys follow behind slowly, I'll take off first!" With that, I started the car and drove off.

Li Xianglin and I didn't stop driving, and by nightfall, the car had entered Hancheng. Just as we entered the city gate, we saw Sheng Bao, dressed in a green military academy uniform, riding up to us with great spirit.

I stopped the car and said, "Jie'er, your General Sheng has come to pick us up!"

Jie'er blushed and leaned forward to look at Sheng Bao, her eyes practically glued to him. Zhen'er smiled and asked, "How is it? Satisfied?"

Jie'er nodded repeatedly. I smiled and said, "This is something I specially saved for you, take a good look!"

Jie'er then snuggled into Zhen'er's arms, not daring to look up for a long time, but still giggling.

I opened the car window. Sheng Bao greeted me, and upon seeing Zhen'er, he hurriedly said, "Sheng Bao greets Consort Zhen!"

Consort Zhen smiled and said, "General Sheng, why don't you greet Madam Sheng?"

Sheng Bao was taken aback, and quickly said, "Greetings, Madam Sheng!"

Jie'er blushed and whispered, "Greetings, General, your concubine Jie'er greets your husband!"

Sheng Bao was taken aback again. I opened the car door and jumped out, pulling him aside and saying, "What are you staring at? This is the beautiful wife that Consort Zhen and I have brought for you. Take a good look!"

As I spoke, Jie'er got out of the car, swaying her hips slightly as she gave Sheng Bao a deep bow: "Your concubine Jie'er greets your husband..." "Greetings!" Sheng Bao's face flushed red as he stared blankly at the beautiful Jie'er. After a long while, he remembered to pull Jie'er to kneel on the ground: "Your Majesty and Your Highness thank you for your great kindness!"

I said, "Don't treat Jie'er as a burden. Jie'er is a prized disciple of the Jade Maiden Sect. Her lightness skill and martial arts are both superb, and she is very familiar with military books and strategies. She will definitely be a good assistant to you. I hope you will cherish her and take good care of her!"

Sheng Bao hurriedly kowtowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for bestowing upon me a confidante!" He then added that the King of Joseon and Queen Min were already waiting to greet him outside the palace. I hurriedly said, "Then let's hurry up and go, don't keep them waiting!"

Sure enough, we were greeted in front of the palace by King Gojong of Joseon and the beautiful Queen Min Ja-young. While introducing Zhen'er and me to the King and Queen, Sheng Bao muttered a complaint to Li Xianglin, "Don't you know Joseon is in turmoil? Why didn't you advise His Majesty?"

I waved my hand and said, "I was in a hurry to see Sister Min, so I rushed off. Don't blame others!"

Queen Min's face flushed instantly. She lowered her head, fiddling with her skirt, and secretly glanced at me sideways with her pretty eyes. She pursed her lips and smiled slightly.

I was stunned. I saw her graceful, curvaceous figure, her delicate face with its bright, sparkling eyes, her jade-like nose and arched eyebrows, her slightly upturned lips, all radiating a spring breeze and sunshine—truly a beauty beyond compare!

Seeing me staring at her blankly, she lowered her head even further and softly said in melodious Chinese, "Your Majesty, I, Min Ciying, humbly welcome Your Majesty's visit to our country!"

I blushed at her expression and quickly smiled, saying, "I was so captivated by your beauty, I forgot to ask how you were doing!"

I called her "sister" because I knew she was over thirty, but she looked only in her twenties.

I took Li Xi's hand, and under the protection of Sheng Bao's guards, we entered the palace's reception hall.

In the reception room prepared for me, Consort Jin led Consort Min into the inner room, leaving only Li Xi, an elderly translator, and me. Everyone else withdrew.

Looking at Li Xi's sickly and listless appearance, I felt that Consort Min's marriage to him was truly a sacrifice.

Li Xi didn't understand any Chinese, so our conversation was entirely translated by the translator.

After exchanging a few polite words, I said, "Although the Qing Dynasty and Korea are tributary states, the two countries have always been interdependent. Therefore, I am very concerned about Korea's security. This trip to Korea is to assist in strengthening its defenses."

Li Xi hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, thank you!"

After chatting for a while, Sheng Bao came to call us for dinner. Li Xi couldn't hold his liquor and only drank two cups before being helped away. Zhen'er also excused herself from the table, leaving only Min Ciying and me in the room.

Min Ciying raised her cup and said, "I was deeply moved when I received Your Majesty's letter. Knowing that Your Majesty still thinks of me from thousands of miles away, I often feel like crying. I wish I could fly to Your Majesty's side to thank you in person! Today, seeing Your Majesty's face, I am even more excited and unable to contain myself. I can only offer Your Majesty a cup here, wishing Your Majesty great success in governing the Qing Dynasty and bringing peace and prosperity to the country! Restoring the glory of the Han and Tang dynasties, so that I may have someone to rely on!" As she spoke, she sat down next to me with her wine cup, raised it in front of me, and looked at me with burning eyes.

Avoiding her gaze, I absentmindedly said, "China and Korea are as close as lips and teeth. If my sister is in trouble, of course I must help her!"

Queen Min smiled faintly, "Your Majesty, I dare not accept such praise. Although I am a few years older, my vision is short-sighted, and my governance is ineffective, causing turmoil in the country and making it almost impossible for us to protect ourselves. Fortunately, Your Majesty sent General Sheng to suppress the rebels and help my lord formulate policies to pacify the people, which has eased the situation somewhat. As for that Yi Kwan, although I do not know why his power was reduced, I have already dismissed him from his post. I have also reassigned some of his followers and stripped them of their power."

I said, "I have only recently assumed personal rule, and many things need to be rearranged. But I must come to see you, Queen Min. Firstly, the Japanese have coveted Korea for a long time, and Korea is a great power..." "As a vassal state of the Qing Dynasty, the Great Qing has an obligation to protect it. I have come here to investigate how to keep Japanese influence out of the country and ensure the safety of Korea! Secondly, I am worried about my sister's safety and want to help her strengthen security measures and improve her self-protection capabilities."

Queen Min smiled slightly: "Your Majesty, you are mistaken! I know that Your Majesty's beloved consorts have improved their skills through three cultivation sessions with Your Majesty. Consort Zhen used to be weak and powerless, but now she has profound martial arts skills and is more than capable of protecting herself. I am of humble appearance and hardly meet Your Majesty's approval. Moreover, I am already a withered flower and a fallen willow, and it is difficult for me to even serve Your Majesty. How can I practice three cultivation sessions with Your Majesty? How can I improve my self-protection capabilities? Your Majesty, were you just trying to comfort me?" As she spoke, tears streamed down her face. She drank the wine in one gulp and buried her face in the table, sobbing.

My head swelled up instantly. No wonder Zhen'er ran away; it was her fault. Looking at Consort Min's trembling body, I didn't know what to do. I could only say, "Sister, you're drunk. Go back and rest!"

She suddenly sat up, grabbing my hand and saying, "Does Your Majesty intend to watch me die a violent death sooner or later?"

My heart skipped a beat: "What she said is true. She was hacked to death by several thugs. Now that I'm here, am I supposed to let her die like that?" I drew the pistol I'd brought from that world and handed it to her, saying, "Sister, this gun is my beloved possession. Give it to me today. It'll be perfect for self-defense! It's fast and easy to carry. You can keep it!"

She gripped my hand tightly, saying, "Does Your Majesty really consider me your sister?"

Looking at her blushing face, my blood boiled, and I... She suddenly stood up, and I hurriedly used my internal energy to subdue the troublemaker, saying, "My heart is sincere, and only heaven and earth can bear witness to this!"

Her face flushed red, she released my hand, took a step back, and then suddenly pounced on me, tightly hugging my waist, looking up at me and saying, "Then let me practice the Three Cultivation Method with my brother, so that I can have Zhenmei's martial arts, the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, and the ability to react instantly to defeat the enemy!"

I was stunned for a moment, and after a long while, I said, "Then we need to consummate our marriage!"

She suddenly stood up and kissed me on the cheek, saying, "Sister knows, sister wants this consummate marriage!! Actually, when I fought with Li Gang, I was never afraid of death, but after receiving my brother's letter, I was really afraid of dying. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to see my brother before I died, afraid that I wouldn't be able to kiss my good brother before I died, and even more afraid that I wouldn't receive my good brother's love before I died!"

I struggled to say, "But sister is a princess! You're still my confidante!"

She stood on tiptoe, wrapped her arms around my head, and kissed my face like a chick pecking at rice. Tears streamed down her beautiful face, and she murmured, "Sister wasn't anyone's princess before. If you love me, brother, I'll truly be your beloved princess for life!"

I was numb, standing there motionless, while that mischievous thing stuck its head up high!

I reached out and hugged Min Ciying, just about to pick her up, when Li Xianglin's voice rang out from outside: "Your Majesty, there's an urgent telegram from Beijing. Consort Zhen wants you to bring Consort Min there immediately!"

Chapter Forty-Six: What is Love?

I was stunned, and hurriedly let go, trying to leave Consort Min's body, but she held me tightly, refusing to let go. Helpless, I could only reach out and take her arm, and we walked out of the dining room together, heading towards my bedroom. Her four little maids followed us from a distance.

All the way, Consort Min rested her head on my shoulder, her fragrant body pressed against me, making my erection constantly stick out of my pants—it was incredibly embarrassing! I whispered, "Sister Min, your little maid is still behind us, don't let the Li family know!"

She squeezed my hand and said, "Those are all from my Min family, they know what to do!"

Entering the inner room, Consort Zhen knelt on the ground, kowtowing and saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive my sins!"

I curiously helped her up, asking, "Zhen'er, what's wrong today? The telegram, let me see it!"

Zhen'er stood up and saw Consort Min and me tightly linked arms, chuckled, and said happily, "The telegram is there, but Zhen'er has already dealt with it, just waiting for Your Majesty's approval! The telegram is from Lord Li, saying the Japanese have invited the Qing Dynasty's Beiyang Fleet warships to visit Japan. Zhen'er thinks he wants to probe our capabilities, and I said, 'Go, let them...'" "Now we'll send our best warships. Ostensibly, it's a show of force, but actually, it's a show of weakness. We'll let them see our less advanced warships and make them underestimate us. Then, when our advanced warships make their move, we'll overwhelm them and catch them completely off guard!"

I said happily, "Zhen'er is so clever! I grant your permission!"

Zhen'er replied, "Zhen'er is still not clever, and incredibly stupid! Zhen'er still didn't expect that Sister Min has already conquered Brother! I knelt before His Majesty just now, intending to plead for Sister Min, but I didn't expect that you had already reached a tacit agreement. Wasn't I too foolish? I underestimated Sister Min's charm and overestimated His Majesty's composure. I'm really quite stupid!" She laughed as she spoke. Consort Min blushed and snuggled into my arms. I smiled and said, "You still have the nerve to laugh? It's all your fault for embarrassing me!"

Zhen'er hurriedly took out a crumpled letter and gave it to me. Consort Min tried to snatch the letter, but I blocked her with my hand. She was so ashamed that she buried her face in my arms again. A small hand traced circles on my chest, murmuring, "Ying'er is so pathetic, she's made you all laugh at her!" Zhen'er

said seriously, "Sister is wrong, it's not a joke, it's that I'm moved by your true feelings! What is love in this world that makes people willing to die for it! Sister loves your heart, brother, even before seeing him, she loves his heart. How could I not be moved?"

I opened the letter, and it was the one I had written to her. There were traces of tears on it, and my words were circled and marked. Next to it were passionate little love poems written in tiny characters, such as "My love is deep and tender, our hearts are connected across mountains and rivers," and "I dream of following my brother through countless dangers, and when I wake up, my pillow is wet with tears." As I read, tears streamed down my face. I hugged Min Ciying tightly, saying excitedly, "My letter contained little meaning, yet you repaid me with boundless affection. Sister Min, I've let my dear sister down!"

Min Ciying quickly covered my mouth with her small hand, saying, "No, brother, don't talk nonsense. Ying'er is going to give herself to Wansui, so Ying'er will belong to Wansui. Wansui's four beloved wives all entered your family before Ying'er. Ying'er was the last, so Ying'er is the youngest. They are all Ying'er's sisters, and Ying'er will be Wansui's little sister from now on! Ying'er heard that after marrying brother, one will become younger and younger. Then, my sister and I won't be able to tell who is older or younger, and I can be my brother's sister without any worries! I understand what you just said! Ying'er has heard many sweet words over the years, but who..." Some people truly care about me, others love my looks, others love my power. When danger comes, they all stay far away, afraid of getting involved! Only my brother truly cares about me! I held my brother's letter and cried a thousand times, ten thousand times. I carried it with me during the day and tucked it into my undergarment at night. It was my secret, my warm jade, the treasure I entrusted my dreams to! Just now, I took out my handkerchief and it fell out, and Zhen Niangniang found it. She had sworn not to tell anyone about this letter, but now—"

Zhen'er immediately said, "Brother is no ordinary person, he is our lover!"

I kissed her little face: "Brother is no ordinary person, brother is your husband!"

After saying that, my big mouth pressed against her little lips, capturing her little lip and sweetly sucking on it.

The passionate kiss made us forget everything, and gradually we lost control. We frantically tore at each other's clothes, and in a moment we were both naked.

My penis was now even more magnificent. She grabbed it, squeezed it, and said shyly, "Brother's is so big! Ying'er is so happy!" As she spoke, she positioned it against her vulva and whispered, "Brother, be gentle with Ying'er. Ying'er is still a virgin!"

I could no longer control myself. I thrust my hips forward, and with a soft "plop," Ying'er trembled, clinging tightly to me, her fingers digging into my flesh. Tears streamed down her face. I looked down at our joined genitals and saw a trickle of blood flowing from her pubic hair!

I was stunned: "She's Li Xi's princess consort, how can she really be a virgin?"

But I didn't have time to think about those things now. I carried her to the bed, still joined together.

I stuck out my tongue and licked away the tears on her face, softly asking, "Does it still hurt?"

She smiled and said, "Pain is a woman's happiness. Ying'er has had so many dreams, and finally I have my brother. This pain is so sweet, so blissful! Brother, move! Let Ying'er feel the pain, savor this blissful taste! Savor the happiness of being a woman!"

Of course, I was happy to obey. In a sudden downpour, my hot semen shot into her honeypot!

I froze, stunned. "Oh no, you're pregnant! They know—" I tried to get up, but she held me tightly. "Don't worry, Ying'er will arrange everything! On the day the baby is born, Ying'er will give the whole country a three-day holiday to celebrate! Ying'er has already decided, Ying'er's child will be named Min Huailong, the child of Brother Long that Ying'er is carrying! Ying'er will give birth to Brother's child! Ying'er will hand over this empire to Brother's child, to Brother! This empire cannot be coveted by others again!"

I asked her curiously, "You and Li Xi have been married for so many years, how come you're still a virgin?"

She blushed and said, "He's sick, he can't have sex at all, and his thing ..." "He's tiny, a good-for-nothing. Otherwise, he wouldn't let me make all the decisions. He's just a figurehead now!"

I sighed, "Sister, your life is so hard!"

She laughed, "Isn't this even better? It's perfect for your brother to preserve your little sister's body."

After a pause, she noticed that my penis had become even more impressive, and said, "Queen Zhen, shall we have a third cultivation session? Ying'er really needs to improve her self-protection abilities. Ying'er must raise her husband's child and nurture him into a wise ruler, so that Joseon and China can remain friendly for generations to come!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhen'er appeared in front of us. She had just slipped away, but she hadn't dared to go far, afraid that someone would come and block my union with Queen Min! She arranged for the four maids and closed the door tightly before entering the room with peace of mind.

That night, having just tasted the pleasure, Queen Min repeatedly demanded more, and by dawn, all her meridians were open. She then fell into a sweet sleep, holding me close.

When I awoke, it was already broad daylight. Queen Min insisted on another round of "three cultivations," and even made me send my semen into her little honey pot. She said, "Brother, this time you're here, Young-er must conceive your child, so that Young-er has something to hold onto, so that Young-er always feels that you're by my side!"

That day, Queen Min accompanied me on a tour of the palace for half the day. I gave Queen Min and Seong-bo some instructions, and they both nodded repeatedly. Seong-bo immediately set about making the arrangements.

Seong-bo's young wife, like Queen Min, looked even more radiant after the previous night's nourishment. Seeing Seong-bo leave, the little maid hurriedly ran after him, took his hand, and followed him with a smile.

Queen Min looked at the two of them with envy, clicking her tongue and saying, "To be able to whisper sweet nothings to the one you love and be together all the time, it's truly a blessing!" Then she whispered, "Brother, Ying'er doesn't want to be this wretched queen anymore, come back to Beijing with you!"

I was startled and hurriedly said, "That won't do! We can only be husband and wife in secret. If word gets out, it will ruin the relationship between China and North Korea! You can visit me when you go to China, and besides, I can come too! When we have a plane, I'll give you one first. You can come whenever you miss me!"

Her eyes were filled with tears as she nodded and said, "It seems Ying'er can only be your lover for life!"

At ten o'clock was the opening ceremony of the military academy, and Min'er and Lee Hee also attended the ceremony. She sat next to Lee Hee, looking at me with resentment, as if she were sitting on pins and needles, feeling extremely uncomfortable! I was really scared now, afraid that she would show her dislike for Lee Hee, which would be troublesome!

I saw that Sheng Bao had indeed recruited mostly Koreans, including a hundred female soldiers. He said that Queen Min had chosen them herself and that they were guards trained for Queen Min!

After the ceremony, I looked at his training syllabus, which was basically a copy of East Point Military Academy. I happily said, "Let's do it this way. This military academy will only have 1,800 people. This is public knowledge, we can show it to others, and we can publicize it. You also need to find a mountainous area and secretly train more than 30,000 troops. This must not be known to outsiders. They will be very useful in four years! Let them farm while they train, train them into an iron army, an army that can fight in the freezing cold! The army's expenses will be partially covered by production, and I will add more from the military budget. Make sure the soldiers are well-fed and healthy, so they can fight the Japanese devils!"

The next day, I drove to the towering mountains of Shangganling in central China and spent the day there. I didn't want Queen Min to go, but she said with tears in her eyes, "No, I must keep seeing my brother across the border until I can no longer see his shadow before I can come back! This is my wish, so please don't object, brother!"

I couldn't say anything more, so I let her sit in the car.

She nestled in my arms, one small hand tucked inside my clothes, touching my nipple.

Zhen'er said seriously, "Sister is wrong. It's not a joke; I'm moved by your true feelings! What is love in this world that makes people willing to die for it? Sister loves your heart, brother. You haven't even seen him, yet you love his heart. How could I not be moved?"

I opened the letter; it was the one I had written to her. There were traces of tears on it, and my words were circled and marked. Next to it were passionate little love poems written in tiny characters, such as "Deeply in love, tenderly affectionate, our hearts are connected across mountains and rivers," and "In my dreams, I follow my brother through countless dangers; when I wake, my pillow is wet with tears." As I read, tears streamed down my face. I hugged Min Ciying tightly, saying excitedly, "My letter contained little meaning, yet you repaid me with boundless affection. Sister Min, I've let my dear sister down!"

Min Ciying quickly covered my mouth with her small hand, saying, "No, brother, don't talk nonsense. Ying'er is going to give herself to Wansui, so Ying'er will belong to Wansui. Wansui's four beloved wives all entered your family before Ying'er. Ying'er was the last, so Ying'er is the youngest. They are all Ying'er's sisters, and Ying'er will be Wansui's little sister from now on! Ying'er heard that after marrying brother, one will become younger and younger. Then, my sister and I won't be able to tell who is older or younger, and I can be my brother's sister without any worries! I understand what you just said! Ying'er has heard many sweet words over the years, but who..." Some people truly care about me, others love my looks, others love my power. When danger comes, they all stay far away, afraid of getting involved! Only my brother truly cares about me! I held my brother's letter and cried a thousand times, ten thousand times. I carried it with me during the day and tucked it into my undergarment at night. It was my secret, my warm jade, the treasure I entrusted my dreams to! Just now, I took out my handkerchief and it fell out, and Zhen Niangniang found it. She had sworn not to tell anyone about this letter, but now—"

Zhen'er immediately said, "Brother is no ordinary person, he is our lover!"

I kissed her little face: "Brother is no ordinary person, brother is your husband!"

After saying that, my big mouth pressed against her little lips, capturing her little lip and sweetly sucking on it.

The passionate kiss made us forget everything, and gradually we lost control. We frantically tore at each other's clothes, and in a moment we were both naked.

My penis was now even more magnificent. She grabbed it, squeezed it, and said shyly, "Brother's is so big! Ying'er is so happy!" As she spoke, she positioned it against her vulva and whispered, "Brother, be gentle with Ying'er. Ying'er is still a virgin!"

I could no longer control myself. I thrust my hips forward, and with a soft "plop," Ying'er trembled, clinging tightly to me, her fingers digging into my flesh. Tears streamed down her face. I looked down at our joined genitals and saw a trickle of blood flowing from her pubic hair!

I was stunned: "She's Li Xi's princess consort, how can she really be a virgin?"

But I didn't have time to think about those things now. I carried her to the bed, still joined together.

I stuck out my tongue and licked away the tears on her face, softly asking, "Does it still hurt?"

She smiled and said, "Pain is a woman's happiness. Ying'er has had so many dreams, and finally I have my brother. This pain is so sweet, so blissful! Brother, move! Let Ying'er feel the pain, savor this blissful taste! Savor the happiness of being a woman!"

Of course, I was happy to obey. In a sudden downpour, my hot semen shot into her honeypot!

I froze, stunned. "Oh no, you're pregnant! They know—" I tried to get up, but she held me tightly. "Don't worry, Ying'er will arrange everything! On the day the baby is born, Ying'er will give the whole country a three-day holiday to celebrate! Ying'er has already decided, Ying'er's child will be named Min Huailong, the child of Brother Long that Ying'er is carrying! Ying'er will give birth to Brother's child! Ying'er will hand over this empire to Brother's child, to Brother! This empire cannot be coveted by others again!"

I asked her curiously, "You and Li Xi have been married for so many years, how come you're still a virgin?"

She blushed and said, "He's sick, he can't have sex at all, and his thing ..." "He's tiny, a good-for-nothing. Otherwise, he wouldn't let me make all the decisions. He's just a figurehead now!"

I sighed, "Sister, your life is so hard!"

She laughed, "Isn't this even better? It's perfect for your brother to preserve your little sister's body."

After a pause, she noticed that my penis had become even more impressive, and said, "Queen Zhen, shall we have a third cultivation session? Ying'er really needs to improve her self-protection abilities. Ying'er must raise her husband's child and nurture him into a wise ruler, so that Joseon and China can remain friendly for generations to come!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhen'er appeared in front of us. She had just slipped away, but she hadn't dared to go far, afraid that someone would come and block my union with Queen Min! She arranged for the four maids and closed the door tightly before entering the room with peace of mind.

That night, having just tasted the pleasure, Queen Min repeatedly demanded more, and by dawn, all her meridians were open. She then fell into a sweet sleep, holding me close.

When I awoke, it was already broad daylight. Queen Min insisted on another round of "three cultivations," and even made me send my semen into her little honey pot. She said, "Brother, this time you're here, Young-er must conceive your child, so that Young-er has something to hold onto, so that Young-er always feels that you're by my side!"

That day, Queen Min accompanied me on a tour of the palace for half the day. I gave Queen Min and Seong-bo some instructions, and they both nodded repeatedly. Seong-bo immediately set about making the arrangements.

Seong-bo's young wife, like Queen Min, looked even more radiant after the previous night's nourishment. Seeing Seong-bo leave, the little maid hurriedly ran after him, took his hand, and followed him with a smile.

Queen Min looked at the two of them with envy, clicking her tongue and saying, "To be able to whisper sweet nothings to the one you love and be together all the time, it's truly a blessing!" Then she whispered, "Brother, Ying'er doesn't want to be this wretched queen anymore, come back to Beijing with you!"

I was startled and hurriedly said, "That won't do! We can only be husband and wife in secret. If word gets out, it will ruin the relationship between China and North Korea! You can visit me when you go to China, and besides, I can come too! When we have a plane, I'll give you one first. You can come whenever you miss me!"

Her eyes were filled with tears as she nodded and said, "It seems Ying'er can only be your lover for life!"

At ten o'clock was the opening ceremony of the military academy, and Min'er and Lee Hee also attended the ceremony. She sat next to Lee Hee, looking at me with resentment, as if she were sitting on pins and needles, feeling extremely uncomfortable! I was really scared now, afraid that she would show her dislike for Lee Hee, which would be troublesome!

I saw that Sheng Bao had indeed recruited mostly Koreans, including a hundred female soldiers. He said that Queen Min had chosen them herself and that they were guards trained for Queen Min!

After the ceremony, I looked at his training syllabus, which was basically a copy of East Point Military Academy. I happily said, "Let's do it this way. This military academy will only have 1,800 people. This is public knowledge, we can show it to others, and we can publicize it. You also need to find a mountainous area and secretly train more than 30,000 troops. This must not be known to outsiders. They will be very useful in four years! Let them farm while they train, train them into an iron army, an army that can fight in the freezing cold! The army's expenses will be partially covered by production, and I will add more from the military budget. Make sure the soldiers are well-fed and healthy, so they can fight the Japanese devils!"

The next day, I drove to the towering mountains of Shangganling in central China and spent the day there. I didn't want Queen Min to go, but she said with tears in her eyes, "No, I must keep seeing my brother across the border until I can no longer see his shadow before I can come back! This is my wish, so please don't object, brother!"

I couldn't say anything more, so I let her sit in the car.

In the afternoon, we arrived at Shangganling. I looked at this famous mountain range that withstood the relentless bombing by the American devils in the 1950s. Here, mountains are connected to mountains, ridges are stacked upon ridges, and mist hangs in the air. The roads are winding and meandering, making it an ideal place for ambushes and defenses. No wonder the famous general Qin Jiwei fought here to demonstrate military might and national prestige, and also rose to the pinnacle of world military history!

Zhen'er, Shengbao, Minfei, and I climbed several hills. I excitedly told Shengbao, "You should establish the secret military academy here. I'll also have Li Gang send some men. You clear the main road, occupy both sides, and build fortifications that can withstand heavy artillery bombardment!" Then I explained in detail what kind of tunnels we should build and where we should build them. Minfei stared at me with her big, blinking eyes and said, "Will the Japanese really come?"

I couldn't be too explicit, so I just said, "The Japanese are determined to conquer Korea; there will definitely be a battle. Let's prepare their graves early so we won't be caught off guard!"

That day, we moved into the Summer Palace in Pyongyang. Zhen'er and I... After the three rounds of repairs, I said to Ying'er, "You should move the entire Min family here. Seoul is too close to Japan and too far from China. If something happens, I can't fly here immediately! I'll send some more troops here, and I can guarantee that Pyongyang won't be occupied by the Japanese! But Seoul might be occupied by the Japanese for a few days, and it's very likely that the city will be massacred by rioters!"

Queen Min nodded obediently, "Ying'er will listen to her brother. I'll mainly live in Pyongyang, close to my brother. When I'm happy, I'll go see my brother!"

I told her to strengthen the construction of Pyongyang's city walls and build a gun repair shop in Pyongyang, both repairing guns and producing bullets, making it Korea's rear base for the war against Japan!

Queen Min wrote it all down. Queen Min

felt that Pyongyang's population was too small, so I decided to demobilize 100,000 Green Standard Army soldiers and settle them all in Pyongyang, helping them find ways to make a living, allocating land for them on the outskirts of the city, and opening several factories in the city, turning Pyongyang into a new city.

On the morning of the fourth day, we arrived at the Yalu River. Queen Min was weeping, her face streaked with tears, clinging to me tightly. I could only comfort her, saying, "In a few days, you can take people to the Qing Dynasty to learn about factory management! Then we can be together again!"

She continued to cry, but this time she stopped clinging to me. Instead, she grabbed my arm, pulled up my shirt, and bit me hard, making me jump up. "Are you crazy? You've bitten off a piece of flesh!"

She released her bite, looking at the oval-shaped teeth mark, and murmured, "Brother now has Ying'er's mark on him. When brother sees it, he'll remember Ying'er! Ying'er can't go with brother, so let this mark go with brother!"

I was truly at a loss for words, but I still held her tightly in my arms, kissing her rosy cheeks, and said tenderly, "Take good care of yourself, and consult with Sheng Bao if anything happens!"

Sheng Bao then came over and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, Sheng Bao will definitely protect Queen Min!"

The boy wasn't stupid; he had already figured out the relationship between me and Queen Min and was calling her "Queen" beforehand!

After the car crossed the Yalu River, I looked back and saw Queen Min still on horseback, gazing longingly at our car. Tears welled up in my eyes again: "Ah, Queen Min, my wife, take care!"

Our car didn't go straight back to Tianjin. After stopping for half a day at Li Gang's headquarters, we headed towards Anda in Heilongjiang. It was still a reed marshland. We trudged through the snow, guided by the jade pendant in my arms, and found a spot where my precious jade burned brightly. We decided to build a major oil field there in the spring to solve our car's fuel problem.

Next, we went to the Chengde Mountain Resort and visited the imperial palaces and gardens.

That evening, Zhen'er and I stayed in the palace prepared for the emperor.

As I undressed, I suddenly felt that the Xuanyuan Jade was burning hot. I said in surprise, "What treasure could there be in this room? Why is my jade burning?" As soon as

I said this, Zhen'er sniffed and said, "It smells of gold and silver, right in that corner of the room!"

I closed the door, and Zhen'er and I searched for a long time with lamps, and we actually found a secret cave. Entering the cave, we were met with a pungent, musty smell, so we had to retreat. We left the cave entrance open for a long time, until after midnight, when the smell subsided considerably. Zhen'er and I went into the cave with lamps and discovered a vault containing over a hundred large chests of gold and silver. The chests were covered in a thick layer of dust, indicating they had been there for hundreds of years.

I suddenly remembered that in Jin Yong's *The Deer and the Cauldron*, it was said that the gold and silver looted by the Manchus when they entered the Central Plains in the early Qing Dynasty were buried under Mount Luding in the Outer Khingan Mountains. It turned out that Master Jin was also speculating. I know that the Manchus have always believed their ancestral home was the Jinzhou area of Liaoning, where Nurhaci rose to power. Their treasures should also have been stored there; the vast amount of wealth looted by the Manchus when they entered the Central Plains was buried in this imperial palace. This was likely a backup plan prepared by Emperor Taizong (Huang Taiji). He built a secret cave, hid the gold and silver, and cruelly killed all those who knew about it, intending to pass it down to future generations. However, he was suddenly killed by Dorgon, and this secret has remained unknown ever since.

I searched for a long time and actually found a document written on silk. It was entirely in Manchu, which I couldn't read. Zhen'er took it and looked at it. She said it was a message from Huang Taiji to his children and grandchildren. Huang Taiji said that the area inside the Great Wall belonged to the Han people. If the national policy was correct, the Manchus might be able to gain a foothold if they entered the Great Wall; if the policy was wrong, they might be quickly driven out by the Han people. At that time, we should hold onto this land where the dragon rose, and with the gold and silver we have now, we can maintain a division of power between the Han people inside and outside the Great Wall, thus ensuring that our Manchu lineage is not wiped out.

I was extremely excited. After thinking about it, I decided to give half of the money to Zhen'er to manage, to open oil mines, build large ships, train the navy, and build Anshan Iron and Steel, laying a foundation for the country's revitalization in the Northeast. The other half would still be given to Zhen'er to start our own family company, which would both contribute to the country's revitalization and lay an everlasting foundation for the Long family!

As soon as I expressed my opinion, Zhen'er hugged me and kissed me passionately, excitedly saying, "The Long family is going to become a great trust!"

After we came out, we sealed the cave entrance back to its original state. As I left, I specifically said, "This is where I visited Consort Zhen. I bestow this entire palace upon Consort Zhen. You are to guard it well and not let anyone else set foot here. Anyone who disobeys will have their entire family executed!"

The official immediately kowtowed and said, "We will obey Your Majesty's orders!"

Then we drove back to Tianjin. When we entered the guesthouse and saw the people inside, I was stunned!

Chapter Forty-Seven:

Sitting in the room, talking enthusiastically with Fei'er, was none other than Min Ciying.

Seeing me, Ying'er rushed into my arms like a whirlwind, bursting into tears. I was startled and quickly asked, "What happened in Korea?"

Ying'er sobbed, "Since you left, I've missed you so much I can't sleep, I can't eat, I can't stand or sit still! You rascal, are you trying to kill me?"

I sighed, "Sigh, I thought something had happened in Korea. Why did you abandon the country and run here?"

Ying'er wiped her tears and said, "I came with over a hundred people, to learn from the Qing Dynasty! I've already issued an edict at home, entrusting General Sheng to assist Li Xi and manage the government!" I slapped her

little bottom angrily and said, "You're so spineless! You've only been gone a few days and you're already making such a fuss. Aren't you afraid your sister Fei will laugh at you? Sit down and talk properly! Is this how an iron lady acts?"

She stayed nestled in my arms, one of her little hands inside my clothes, touching my nipple.

She wiped away her tears and chuckled, "It's all your fault! I can't think about anything else now, all I want is to be with you, to be caressed by you. Sister Fei, isn't Ying'er being a bit pathetic? But I just can't control myself!"

Fei'er laughed, "Same here, I've been a bit dazed these past few days too. Come on, give me half of him, I need to enjoy my husband's caresses too!"

She then snuggled into my arms, hugging my neck and kissing me endlessly, saying, "Sister Zhen, you've had enough these past few days, let's have him tonight!"

Fei'er's work was basically finished, and we returned to Beijing after a day in Tianjin.

Li Hongzhang, Weng Tonghe, and Zhang Zhidong came to see me at the Hall of Mental Cultivation. I listened to their work report; the eight military regions had all been successfully taken over, and things were basically normal in various places. The Ministry of the Interior had completed the imperial examinations, and except for eleven ministers who were not assigned positions due to reports of corruption, most had been assigned to their respective ministries. The Ministry of Security is currently investigating the eleven individuals, and the results are expected soon. The announcement of convening a parliament, passing a constitution, and implementing a constitutional monarchy has been proclaimed nationwide. Although some officials have expressed their opinions, seeing His Majesty's strong resolve, they dared not speak out. Construction of the Beijing-Shanghai Railway has begun, but the current problem is that trains can only reach Tongpu. I also consider that building a Yangtze River bridge at this time is not realistic; we lack both the mature technology and the necessary steel. Since even Zhan Tianyou dares not act rashly, it's better to rely on ferries to cross the river for the time being. The work of building the Party is progressing steadily. Currently, 2,700 members have been recruited in the army and military academies. The commanders of the eight military regions have all joined the Party and submitted their applications. Of the nine ministers, only Prince Chun and Prince Qing have not joined; we haven't contacted them. We heard they are planning to establish a revival party, primarily composed of Manchus. The other ministers have all joined the Chinese Democratic Revolutionary Party. Because of the ministers, branches were quickly established in their ministries, leading to a surge in applications from officials. We now have a total of 4,300 members!

I was delighted to hear this and said with a smile, “Good, you all did a great job while I was away. I recently went to North Korea and helped them smooth out some relations and deploy our troops. The results were excellent. Queen Min of North Korea has brought over a hundred people to our country to learn from our experience. Premier Li, please take some time to receive them. She has become sworn sisters with Consort Zhen. She will stay in the palace with her four bodyguards, and the rest can stay at the state guesthouse! She is quite interested in Premier Li’s Westernization Movement, so Premier Li, please arrange for someone to accompany her to visit the place properly. If North Korea’s economy recovers, social unrest will be reduced, which will benefit us!”

Then I told them about my plans to mine oil in Anda to solve the problem of fuel consumption for our suddenly increasing number of cars, to build a steel company near Fengtian to produce steel for shipbuilding, to move the Fuzhou Shipyard and Fuzhou Naval Academy to Weihaiwei, to establish a secret East China Sea Fleet in Weihaiwei, and to establish an East Point Naval Academy to train Chinese naval officers. I said, "This will cost a lot of money. I have decided that Consort Zhen will establish a Longhua Company, and I will raise the funds to complete these four tasks. I have already handed over all my savings over the years to Consort Zhen. The company will open soon. I hope you can understand my good intentions!"

All three said, "Let's use the money from the national treasury!"

I said, "I am doing this to set an example for the people in developing industry and commerce. Premier Li has experience and can also raise funds to do something! But don't use your power to seek personal gain for your company!"

Li Hongzhang hurriedly said, "After Lan'er and I got married, we separated from our children. The foreign affairs originally managed by the Beiyang Army have been handed over to the state. I only have a little money left from friends. Even if I recover it all, I will only have two or three hundred thousand taels. I'm afraid it's not enough to do anything!"

I said, "Then let Empress Fei help you find a project. I hope that you can all take the lead in developing industry and commerce and create a wave of enthusiasm for industry and commerce in our country!"

Fei returned to Beijing and immediately helped Prince Qing's factory install equipment and organized some women with no livelihood to paste matchboxes.

Sure enough, within a month she produced her first batch of matches, which she named "Ace Matches."

Prince Qing, Yikuang, was anxious to organize people to sell them on the streets, but Fei'er stopped him: "Don't sell them yet. First, send people to deliver a pack to each of the princes and ministers, let them try it out!" Yikuang immediately became anxious: "Gifts? I bought these for five or six hundred thousand taels of silver. If I just give them away like this, I won't even see the money go down the drain. What's in it for me?"

Fei'er smiled: "Don't you understand the principle of giving before receiving? Listen to me, give them away!" Then she took out another thousand taels of silver to place an advertisement for "

The Messenger of Light - Ace Matches" in Tan Sitong's newly established Jinghua Daily.

To attract customers, she also had several general stores owned by Prince Qing (Yi Kuang) offer a free box of matches with every purchase.

This pained Prince Qing to the point of tears, but he dared not disobey the Empress's decree, so he had to swallow his pride and continue sending out matches, giving them away, and spending money.

On the fourth day, Fei'er ordered Prince Qing to stop sending out matches and opened two Ace Matches specialty stores simultaneously outside Qianmen and Chaoyangmen.

After five days of operation, not a single pack of matches had been sold. Prince Qing, in desperation, went to Fei'er in tears to complain. Fei'er smiled and said, "Go back and see how things are now?"

Prince Qing shook his head: "What else can happen? I'm ruined. There's still 100,000 taels of silver here that I borrowed from Li Hongzhang!" He's not lending anymore, saying he needs the money to start his own factory, and he wants it back in two months.

Fei'er laughed, "I guarantee Uncle will pay it back promptly! If Uncle doesn't believe me, let's make a bet!"

Yi Kuang looked at Fei'er with disbelief: "Alright, I'll trust Your Majesty one more time." Just then, Yi Kuang's servant rushed over, sweating profusely, saying, "Your Highness, something terrible has happened! Both shops are surrounded and about to be overturned!" Yi Kuang turned pale with fright and hurriedly tried to run away, but Fei'er stopped him: "Wait!" She turned back and asked the servant, "You servant, you can't even speak clearly. What exactly happened? Explain yourself slowly." The servant then said, "But everyone on the street wants to buy matches, and the shops don't have that many in stock!"

Yi Kuang kicked him angrily: "Then why didn't you tell Fourth Brother to send some? What are you shouting about here? Go tell Fourth Brother right now!" The servant hurriedly ran away.

Fei'er smiled: "Well, go back and see if you can find some people to help with some money?"

Yi Kuang smiled and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty." After saying that, he hurriedly left.

Yikuang's match business was booming. He paid back the money he owed Li Hongzhang that very month, and with Fei'er's help, he opened several match factories in Tianjin, Shenyang, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Within two years, he became China's Match King.

That's a story for later, of course, but his meteoric rise made several hereditary princes envious. They collectively approached Fei'er, demanding to buy a patent as well.

Fei'er smiled: "You've come at the right time. I have a highly profitable project, but none of you can afford it alone; it requires several of you to work together! I wonder if you can work together?"

"How do we work together?" the Eighth Prince asked.

"Your shares will be based on the amount of money you invest, and you'll receive dividends according to your share! For example, if the total investment is 30 million taels of silver, and you invest 6 million taels, that's 20% of the shares. When we make 10 million taels, you'll receive 2 million taels!"

The princes' eyes widened: "So much silver?"

"This is my friend's patent. It took dozens of people decades of research to develop it. Why would they sell it for less? I'm only doing this out of courtesy, so I can give you a lower price, but it'll still be 20 million. The remaining 10 million is for you to use to set up your factory! It's a lot, but the profits are huge. I guarantee you'll break even in three years, and then you can just sit back and enjoy the profits! And it'll grow bigger and bigger; in ten years you'll probably all be billionaires!"

Prince Chun said, "Don't try to fool us. What kind of project is so hot?"

Fei'er said, "Glass production!" She picked up a foreign wine bottle and said, "This is it!"

Ninth Prince... "This piece of junk costs so much money? In our Qing Dynasty, we drink from gourds, who would spend so much money on this thing to hold wine!"

Fei'er laughed. "You're an amateur, aren't you? You might not like this bottle now, but once good wine and beer come out, you'll be making a fortune! Let's not worry about that for now. Look at our windows, they're all made of paper, which is neither sturdy nor light-blocking. With this glass, they're both transparent and sturdy. If you build it, every household will buy it, every family will need it, and nobody can live without it. What are you waiting for if not to make money?"

Prince Chun: "You're not lying to us?"

“Would I even lie to my father? Prince Qing said the same thing at first, but why isn’t he saying it now? His project was small, only bringing in 100,000 or 200,000 taels of silver a year. Yours is a big project, easily bringing in tens of millions of taels a year! If you’ve discussed it and want to proceed, come to me. I’ll reserve it for you for another ten days. After ten days, I’ll give it to someone else. Several nouveau riche have come to me several times, but I haven’t been willing to give it to them!” Fei’er finished speaking and walked towards the back hall.

Prince Chun hurriedly stopped her: “Empress Fei, don’t go. We’re going to proceed with it. How long will it take to start construction?”

“About half a year. We’ll need more than a thousand workers. We need to recruit some people to train them now!” Fei’er stopped and said.

The Eighth Prince said: “Alright, we’ll proceed with it. We’ll go back and raise the money now. We’ll come to you when we have enough!”

After seeing off the several princes, Fei’er and Zhen’er started running around to discuss the pharmaceutical factory.

They converted the house outside Huanghua Gate, which had been confiscated from Li Lianying, into the Longhua Pharmaceutical Factory. I selected 450 agile soldiers from the military academy and 250 clever palace maids from the palace, assigning them to Zhen'er. Zhen'er led this group for several months, not only setting up the Longhua Group outside Qianmen Gate but also producing the first batch of penicillin and streptomycin. After comprehensive testing, all met quality standards.

Fei'er immediately announced to the world: The Longhua Pharmaceutical Factory of the Qing Dynasty has discovered and successfully developed penicillin and streptomycin, highly effective antibiotics for treating tuberculosis, scarlet fever, diphtheria, meningitis, gonorrhea, syphilis, and septicemia. These are now in mass production and clinical application.

This news immediately caused a sensation worldwide. Tuberculosis, scarlet fever, diphtheria, meningitis, gonorrhea, syphilis, and septicemia were all currently incurable diseases in the world. Had the Chinese conquered them? Could they?

As fate would have it, a British prince suffered a horse-riding accident in Hong Kong, contracting sepsis and becoming critically ill. Hearing that Longhua Hospital, owned by the Longhua Group, could treat him, he was immediately transferred to Longhua Hospital in Beijing. After

a month-long hospital stay, he miraculously returned to Hong Kong, full of life. The news spread like wildfire, and pharmaceutical companies from all over the world flocked to Longhua to order this miraculous Qinglianmeisu. Zhen'er ordered it at twenty taels of silver per vial, and a course of treatment typically required ten vials, totaling two hundred taels. Yet, the world still went on a buying spree at Longhua. Following this, Longhua Pharmaceutical Factory launched a series of highly effective medicines for treating liver disease, heart disease, stomach ailments, colds, and fractures, and Zhen'er's wealth flowed in like a never-ending river.

Subsequently, Zhen'er's technology company began selling patents for various technological projects. Although the prices were astonishingly high, those who bought them indeed made a fortune, especially with the example of Prince Qing. Who wouldn't believe it?

While everyone was scrambling for patents, Longhua Petroleum Company was operating in Northeast China, and the Longhua Oilfield, a large oil field being developed in Longhua, began producing oil. Then, the Longhua Petrochemical Plant began manufacturing gasoline, diesel, and synthetic fiber cloth.

Several hereditary princes' glass factories also went into production as scheduled. Initially, nobody recognized the value of their glass windows, but by the third year, the lives of urban and rural residents had improved, and installing glass windows became fashionable. The princes' incomes skyrocketed, making them overjoyed and constantly singing songs of celebration to Fei'er.

With her abundant funds, Zhen'er established the Longhua Steel Company near Shengjing, the Longhua Aircraft Manufacturing Plant in Shengjing, the Longhua Automobile City in Changchun, the Longhua Chemical Group, the Pyongyang Textile Factory, the Pyongyang Garment Factory, and the Pyongyang Machinery Manufacturing Plant in Pyongyang, and the East Point Naval Academy in Weihaiwei. She also sent people to buy nearly a hundred miles of land in Weihaiwei, relocating all the residents and blockading the sea, turning it into the Longhua Maritime Amusement Park.

In April 1891, I ordered a special imperial examination, which was met with great enthusiasm. After selection, 2,500 candidates were recruited, with 500 assigned to the East Point Naval Academy in Lushun and 2,000 to the Naval Academy in Weihaiwei. After three years of training, these individuals later became the backbone of the Chinese navy's ability to bury the Japanese fleet.

Simultaneously with the surge in industrial and commercial activity, I instructed Li Hongzhang to promptly implement a series of policies to support industry and commerce, resulting in a significant increase in national industry and commerce. National tax revenue also increased rapidly, and the national treasury became more abundant. I immediately initiated land reform.

I didn't implement land reform all at once; I first imposed mandatory rent and interest reductions and levied heavy taxes on land lessees, causing landlords of all sizes to weep and wail, as they could no longer profit from renting land. Many abandoned their land. Subsequently, the State Council issued a proclamation that all land nationwide would be nationalized for compensation, with the state paying two taels of silver per mu (approximately 0.16 acres). This was like finding a straw in the ocean for the landlords, who immediately went to the county government to sell their land. In less than three months, the state had acquired all the land in the country, and then leased it to each peasant household for cultivation. The peasants paid rent to the state in the autumn with their harvest. In this way, the peasants' rent was reduced by more than half, which greatly increased their enthusiasm for production. Grain production increased by nearly double, and the state's granaries were quickly filled. The money used to buy the land gradually returned to Yan Jingming's treasury.

Those landowners, having received a large sum of money for land redemption in one go, immediately went to the city to buy patents and start projects. (Ha, most of the money for buying land was borrowed from the money from selling patents; otherwise, such a large sum of money would have truly terrified me.) They shifted from relying on land rentals for a living to developing industry and commerce, enabling the country to begin its transformation from a purely agricultural economy.

By the end of 1893, the lives of farmers began to improve, and the Chinese economy showed signs of taking off.

Loans borrowed from Japan gradually arrived, and Zhan Tianyou led Chinese engineers to design and construct the railway themselves, achieving full completion by July 1893. Economic connections between the north and south of China were rapidly established, and my troop movements became much more efficient!

I immediately requested a loan of 30 million taels of silver from Japan, but the bank refused to lend it, even pressuring me to repay the loan early. I knew the Japanese government was preparing to take action against China.

From February 21st to 28th, 1894, the Qing Dynasty convened its first National Assembly, with 2,315 delegates representing 26 provinces, eleven political parties, 840,000 soldiers, 415 million people, and 280 million voters.

Following the election, the Chinese Democratic Revolutionary Party won 98 out of 120 seats in the assembly, the Restoration Party won six seats, the Peasants' and Workers' Party won four, the Democratic Socialist Party won three, the Women's Salvation Association won three, and the remaining six seats were won by prominent figures in society.

The assembly also passed the first constitution of the Qing Empire, declaring equality among all ethnic groups.

The Chinese Democratic Revolutionary Party gained the power to form a cabinet, and its list of proposed cabinet members was reviewed by Emperor Guangxu, who then issued an edict approving the cabinet headed by Li Hongzhang.

China had begun its transition to a constitutional monarchy.

However, the shadow of the Sino-Japanese War was growing ever stronger, and both countries' war machines were already in operation. Both sides were making intensive preparations for war.

1894 was the Year of the Wood Horse in the Chinese lunar calendar. In February, the Donghak Peasant Revolution launched a peasant uprising in Jeolla Province in the south, which quickly spread and became unstoppable. By June 1, the Donghak Peasant Revolution had captured Jeonju, the capital of Jeolla Province, and their advance was close to Seoul, causing shockwaves throughout the capital. By June 3, King Gojong (Yi Hee) requested Chinese military intervention. Sheng Bao immediately sent me a telegram.

I deliberately dispatched 1,500 of Sheng Bao's men, who had already retreated to the Yalu River, to Seoul and informed the Japanese government of this decision. On June 7, the Japanese acting minister to China sent a note to the Zongli Yamen (Foreign Ministry), declaring that Japan would send troops to Korea in accordance with the Treaty of Tianjin. On the same day, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs replied to Wang Fengzao, the Qing Dynasty's minister to Japan: "Your note contains the phrase 'protecting a tributary state,' but the Imperial Government has never recognized Korea as a tributary state of China." The two sides debated fiercely over the term "tributary state." Li Hongzhang's attitude was firm. He telegraphed Wang Fengzao, the Qing Dynasty's minister to Japan, stating, "The 'precedent of protecting tributary states' mentioned in the document is evidenced by past events and is known to all countries. Even if Japan does not recognize Korea as a tributary state, we will follow our own laws and cannot arbitrarily disrupt this precedent. Therefore, regardless of Japan's recognition, it is difficult to make any changes."

Chinese troops, totaling 1,500 men, crossed the sea in three batches, arriving in Asan, Korea, between 6 PM on June 6th and June 25th. Simultaneously, the Beiyang Fleet's Chaoyong warship was dispatched for protection, and the Yangwei warship in Incheon was ordered to proceed to Asan, while the Jiyuan and Pingyuan warships remained anchored in Incheon.

On June 7th, Wang Fengzao urgently telegraphed Li Hongzhang, informing him that the Japanese minister to Korea, ōtori, was leading troops aboard the warship Yaeyama to Korea. On June 8th, Japanese troops began their deployment, and from June 10th onwards, Japanese troop transport ships arrived in Korea in succession. The ships Yamato, Tsukushi, and Akagi also anchored at Incheon Port, and a motorboat was dispatched to scout Asan. By the 16th, the Japanese Navy had deployed a total of eight ships—Matsushima, Yoshino, Chiyoda, Yaeyama, Tsukushi, Yamato, Takao, and Akagi—carrying 8,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry, and 3,000 artillerymen, which flooded into Seoul. Queen Min immediately demanded that the Japanese withdraw from Korea, and Wang Fengzao, the Qing Dynasty's minister to Japan, also proposed a joint withdrawal. Japan then proposed the 'Korean Internal Affairs Reform Plan,' a joint reform of Korean internal affairs by both countries. This not only disregarded the sovereignty of the Korean government but also denied the traditional tributary relationship between Korea and the Qing Dynasty, and was therefore resolutely rejected by both the Korean and Qing governments.

Prior to this, I had already secretly transported Li Gang's three armies and a cadet army from the East Point Military Academy to Korea, where they mysteriously disappeared south of Pyongyang.

On June 4th, I received a secret report from Moriharu. The first thing I saw was four large characters: "The Japanese have gone mad!"

Part Two: The Great East Asian War, Episode Three, Chapter

One: The Japanese Have Gone Mad.

In 1893, Japan's aggressive military expansion plunged the country into a severe economic crisis, putting the political fate of the Ito Hirobumi cabinet in jeopardy. It was a situation where either the entire cabinet would resign or the parliament would be dissolved. When news of the Chinese army's deployment arrived, he jumped for joy. He could shift his focus; the domestic political crisis had to give way to the conquest of the Qing army! He quickly passed a resolution to send troops to Korea, selecting elite divisions to be stationed there. Due to the Japanese army's repeated successes, public sentiment at home was in high spirits, and no one was paying attention to attacking his cabinet anymore! Ito was secretly pleased with himself, but unexpectedly, on June 11th, under pressure from various parties, Ootori proactively visited Moriharu, wanting to negotiate the withdrawal of troops. This infuriated Ito Hirobumi. He immediately called Otori, berated him, and instructed him to delay the withdrawal while the government devised a plan. When negotiations resumed on the 15th, Otori presented two reasons for postponing the withdrawal: First, Japan had deployed so many troops and spent so much money to resolve the Korean issue; returning home without accomplishing anything would be extremely undignified, and the government would struggle to provide a reasonable explanation to the public, potentially jeopardizing the cabinet's leadership; second, the Japanese military distrusted China, fearing deception, and wanted to observe China's movements further. While Otori

was spouting nonsense, Prime Minister Ito and Foreign Minister Mutsu, frustrated and exhausted in their small room, finally devised a solution. On the 16th, Mutsu telegraphed Wang Fengzao, proposing two solutions: first, China and Japan should jointly send troops to suppress the Donghak Peasant Revolution, and then consider withdrawing troops after the situation calmed down; second, after the rebellion was quelled, China and Japan should jointly assist Korea in implementing domestic reforms, and then consider withdrawing troops after the reforms were on the right track. This was both a pretext for refusing to withdraw troops and an unreasonable demand for equal political participation with China. Wang Fengzao rejected this on the spot, believing that neither China nor Japan should interfere in Korean affairs. Li Hongzhang also instructed Sheng Bao to "rebut their threats with reason and not be intimidated." On the 17th, Li Hongzhang, in a meeting with the Japanese minister to the Qing Dynasty, stated that "international affairs are governed solely by treaties and international law. When Japan concluded its treaty with Korea, it considered Korea an independent country. However, the proposal put forward by Mr. Mutsu is utterly incomprehensible," therefore, he absolutely could not agree to Minister Mutsu's idea, and if Japan insisted on forcing its way in, there was no other way but to resort to force.

On June 21, Chinese Premier Li Hongzhang telegraphed Wang Fengzao in response to Japan: "First, the Korean rebellion has been quelled, and there is no need for Chinese and Japanese troops to suppress it. The idea of a joint attack by the two countries is unnecessary, and this matter is beyond discussion. Second, although the Japanese side's proposed post-war arrangements are well-intentioned, they are extremely difficult to implement! This matter is purely a problem of Korea itself, and neither China nor Japan has the right to interfere. It can only be resolved by Korea itself. China does not interfere in its internal affairs, and Japan, which has always recognized Korea's autonomy, has even less right to interfere in its internal affairs. Third, the withdrawal of troops after the rebellion has been settled long ago. The treaty signed by the two countries in 1895 is still in effect; how can it be said to be invalid? There is absolutely no room for further discussion at this time." His words were righteous and forceful.

But Japan was no longer the obedient nation of yesterday. Japan, tightening its belt and engaging in militaristic expansion, aimed to defeat the Chinese army and extend Japanese influence into China. This was not something Li Hongzhang could easily control. Years later, Japan allocated 60% of its national revenue to developing its navy and army. Starting in 1893, Emperor Meiji decided to allocate 300,000 yen annually from his own court budget and one-tenth of the salaries of civil and military officials to supplement shipbuilding costs. The entire nation was in high spirits, striving to surpass China and preparing for a war that would gamble with the fate of the nation. In 1890, the Beiyang Fleet had seven warships over 2,000 tons, totaling over 27,000 tons; while the Japanese Navy had only five warships over 2,000 tons, totaling over 17,000 tons. In 1892, Japan completed its ten-year military expansion plan, which had begun in 1885, ahead of schedule. By this year, Japan had built an army with 63,000 regular soldiers and 230,000 reservists, and a navy with a displacement of 72,000 tons. Although it still lagged behind China in overall strength, it had surpassed the Beiyang Fleet. If Japan could eliminate the Beiyang Fleet, it would win the entire war! They had thoroughly examined the two best warships of the Beiyang Fleet through invitations. Now, Japanese warships, in terms of speed and the sophistication of their artillery, far surpassed those two outdated warships. They had established an overwhelming advantage, so what did they have to fear from China? With this confidence, they spoke with exceptional arrogance and acted with exceptional recklessness! On June 21, the Japanese Imperial Conference decided to continue sending a second batch of troops to Korea and to independently promote domestic reforms in the Korean government. On the 22nd, the Japanese army replied to Wang Fengzao, stating firmly that in order to protect Japanese interests in Korea and prevent future unrest, "we absolutely cannot withdraw our troops currently stationed in Korea."

Sheng Bao finished reporting the situation in the official gazette and concluded, "The Japanese devils have gone mad! Shouldn't we attack them? I've already prepared the stick to beat the mad dog!"

I leaned back in my chair, holding Min Ciying, who was sitting in my lap, and asked, "Ying'er, do you think the Japanese are really that crazy right now?"

Ying'er was watching her son, Li Huailong, running around with his toy car. She was stunned by my question, but being incredibly clever, she immediately understood what I meant: "It depends. In terms of their current atrocities in Korea, they've already gone mad enough; they should be killed! But in terms of my husband's grand plan to annihilate the enemy's main force, they're far from being crazy enough. They only have a little over 10,000 troops in Korea now. Even if we wipe them all out, it would only be one-fifth of their army, not enough to seriously harm them." "His tendons can't be touched, his bones are far from our goal!"

I was delighted to hear this and hugged her tightly, kissing her rosy cheeks repeatedly. "My Ying'er is so clever. Japan is a country of tigers and wolves. If we don't cut off one of its legs or one of its arms, it won't know pain. Since we've already let it in, let's let more of it in so we can eat our fill! Let it make it feel pain, so it will always remember that China and Korea are masters they shouldn't mess with!"

Little Huailong immediately protested, abandoning the car and jumping over, grabbing my arm and shouting, "Daddy's biased! He only loves Mommy, why doesn't he love Huailong too! Huailong wants Daddy to kiss him too!"

The little guy grew up almost entirely in China, and he already knew that I was his real father. According to Min Ciying, he insisted that the child take my surname, or at least her surname, Min, but I still persuaded him to take the surname Li, like Li Xi. We argued for a long time before she finally agreed with tears in her eyes. Now this child is named Li Huailong, and has been officially designated as the Crown Prince of Korea. The child is a bit older now and has protested himself. I had to use a lot of persuasion to calm the little rascal down, but he said, "When I become king, I'll change it back!"

Now I had no choice but to hug him, kiss him, then kiss Ying'er, but he still pouted and said, "Daddy's still biased. He kisses Mommy for so long, but not Huailong for so short!"

Sigh, this little devil! Luckily, his four older brothers, Huaizhen, Huaixing, Huaizhong, and Huaihua, came and dragged him to catch crickets, finally freeing me!

Sigh, what's so good about having many wives? Five little rascals at once, clinging to you as soon as they get home, making you both laugh and cry! These five wives are incredibly prolific! After a few years of rest, they're all pregnant again, with Ying'er's belly the highest, looking like she's about to give birth to a little rascal. It scares me so much that every night I gently stroke their bellies and pray, "Goddess of Fertility, please give me a few flowers! I'll give you a pig's head weighing eight pounds eight jiao!" As soon as the

little devil left, I immediately had Li Xianglin send a telegram to Sheng Bao: "The donkey hasn't gone completely mad yet, so you should remain discreet and let it run wild, just observe its performance!"

However, Japan, facing China, is like a stick trying to fight a wolf—timid and hesitant. I told it to perform, but it hesitated and dared not act rashly.

It turns out that Japan still had reservations at the time: the reasons for sending troops were insufficient, and they hadn't fully grasped the attitudes of the major powers after the war began. In early July, when Ootori heard rumors that the Chinese army was preparing to march on Seoul, he panicked and prepared to use force to stop the Qing army from entering Seoul. Japanese Foreign Minister Mutsu, alarmed, hastily telegraphed back, "Force must not be used. Britain is currently mediating between the two countries; force should not be used unless absolutely necessary."

Britain already held an absolute advantage in trade with China and did not want other countries to share in its profits. Russia's expansion to the southwest faced resistance from Britain and France, and it pinned its hopes on Northeast China, beginning construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway in 1891, its spearhead aimed at China, Japan, and Korea. Therefore, both Britain and Russia were very concerned about the Sino-Japanese dispute and did not want Japan to gain too much benefit in China. Li Hongzhang also advocated using the contradictions between various countries to contain Japan through diplomatic means—a policy of "using barbarians to control barbarians." Given the vast disparity in strength between China and other countries, this was a desperate measure to maintain peace and buy time for self-development; his intentions were truly commendable. Unfortunately, he still doesn't know about my plan! However, I'm happy to let him orchestrate it, letting reality teach those who harbor illusions about foreign powers a lesson—it's not necessarily a bad move, especially since it can also instill arrogance in the Japanese!

Li Hongzhang appealed to both Russia and Britain for mediation. Both countries, considering their own interests, warned Japan. However, Japan was prepared. On one hand, it assured both countries that the conflict would not affect their interests in China and that Japan had no intention of seizing their interests. On the other hand, it used both soft and hard tactics, saying that if the other side insisted on intervention, "Japan will fight to the death, even if it turns the whole country into scorched earth, and will fight them to the bitter end for generations to come!" Britain and Russia were genuinely frightened by this. Their initial intention in speaking up for China was to gain some advantage; they didn't want to offend such a rogue. Thus, both countries lost any enthusiasm for mediation. Russia, in particular, remembering the recent setbacks it suffered at the hands of Zuo Zongtang in Xinjiang, felt it necessary to use the Japanese army to weaken the Qing Dynasty's power, otherwise, it would be difficult to fight China in the future.

Seeing the softening of Britain and Russia's attitude, in June 1894, a second batch of 5,000 Japanese naval and land troops landed at Incheon, Korea.

On July 3, ōtori Keisuke formally presented a domestic reform program to the Korean Foreign Minister. The entire North Korean government, from civil to military officials, was opposed to the proposal, but dared not openly object to Japan. They were forced to establish a "Reform Investigation Committee" in an attempt to appease Japan and evade responsibility. ōtori saw through this tactic and on July 10th submitted a concrete implementation plan to the North Korean "Reform Investigation Committee," demanding a clear response

within a specified timeframe and emphasizing that they would take strong measures if the plan was rejected. Simultaneously, they ordered their troops to move towards Seoul, seemingly prepared to wage war if the proposal was not accepted. Forced into a corner, the North Korean government replied: "Your proposal violates the peaceful principles of autonomy and equality between Japan and North Korea. If accepted, other countries will inevitably make arbitrary demands, which would damage the dignity of North Korea's independence and autonomy. We cannot express our opinion! Furthermore, since your country ignores our opinions and insists on stationing troops in our country, thus incurring the dissatisfaction of our people, we hope that your country will withdraw its troops immediately!"

Meanwhile, negotiations between China and Japan, ostensibly conducted under British auspices, were also taking place. Foreign Minister Zeng Jize held two meetings with Japanese representative Komura Jutaro, with China insisting that both countries withdraw their troops simultaneously before discussing the Korean issue. Komura, however, arrogantly believed this demonstrated a lack of sincerity from the Qing government and stormed out of the meeting. Upon learning the news, Foreign Minister Mutsu was delighted, saying, "The failure of this arbitration gives our country more freedom in future actions, which is cause for celebration." After consulting with Itō, Mutsu instructed Komura to send a note to the Qing government on July 14: "I have recently heard that the British Minister in Beijing, out of consideration for good relations, very much hopes that Japan and Qing can reconcile and will make efforts to mediate. However, the Qing government still only advocates withdrawing its troops, and there is no basis for our government's intentions. In conclusion, the Qing government is deliberately causing trouble. Is this not a good thing? If any unforeseen changes occur as a result, our government will not bear any responsibility!"

On July 19, ōtori Keisuke made four strong demands to the Korean government:

1. Japan should build its own military telephone line between Seoul and Busan; 2. Korea should immediately build barracks for the Japanese army in accordance with the Japan-Korea Treaty; 3. The Qing troops stationed in Asan have no legitimate reason for their deployment and should be ordered to withdraw immediately; 4. All treaties and agreements between China and Korea that conflict with Korean independence should be abolished.

These four conditions were also rejected by the Korean government.

In the early morning of July 23, Japanese troops entered Seoul, firing guns and cannons aggressively. General ōtori personally led a regiment to surround Gyeongbokgung Palace, launching an attack with gunfire and artillery. Although the Korean soldiers defending the palace fought back fiercely, they were ultimately outnumbered and overrun by the Japanese. The Japanese captured the king, arrested all members of the Yi family, and, under duress, established a pro-Japanese government.

On July 25, the pro-Japanese Korean government announced the abrogation of all previous treaties with the Qing government, declared the Chinese army's presence in Korea illegal, and authorized the Japanese to expel the Qing troops in Korea.

The tensions between China and Japan were now at their peak!

Seeing that the time was almost ripe, I immediately said to Li Xianglin, "Summon Consort Ying, we're going to Pyongyang! Have Empress Yan also come, and have her draft a statement protesting the Japanese army's detention of members of the Li family, to be published to the world immediately!"

Yan'er and Ying'er both came. Yan'er quickly drafted the statement, had Ying'er review it, and finding no problems, immediately sent it to Zeng Jize and Tan Sitong for publication through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and newspapers. I then summoned Li Hongzhang, Weng Tonghe, and Zhang Zhidong. I instructed Li Hongzhang to manage the country with Empress Yan and Empress Fei, and instructed Zhang Zhidong to quickly arrange coastal defenses and the deployment of the Beiyang Fleet. I then took Consort Min and Li Bingheng and rushed to Pyongyang overnight.

On July 28th, Queen Min arrived in Pyongyang, North Korea, accompanied by Lee Hwai-ryong. A grand welcoming ceremony was held for her. At the ceremony, Queen Min, weeping bitterly, delivered a strongly worded speech, saying, "The Japanese invaders have invaded our country and abducted my husband and family. This is a serious violation of international law and a great insult to the Korean people. We, the Korean people, are a peace-loving nation, but we will never allow foreign barbarians to trample on our sovereignty. We will defend our country with our lives and blood, drive out the Japanese devils, and rescue my husband and family!" She also declared that the current pro-Japanese government was a traitorous government despised by the Korean people, and that the Korean people did not recognize it! She simultaneously issued arrest warrants and kill orders, listing the heads of the Japanese army and key members of the pro-Japanese government! She called upon the Korean people to kill these murderers and traitors!

Amidst thunderous cheers, the five-year-old Crown Prince uttered two sentences: "The Japanese invaders are the common enemy of the Korean people, and we must wipe them out!"

Following the welcoming ceremony, Min Ja-young and the Crown Prince held a grand military parade. Nearly ten thousand Korean soldiers and tens of thousands of militiamen stood in neat formations, chanting slogans like "Down with the Japanese invaders!" and "Eliminate the traitors!" as they were reviewed by Min Ja-young and the Crown Prince.

In recent years, thanks to Min Ja-young's people-friendly policies, coupled with the promotion of industry and commerce, the people of Pyongyang had benefited considerably, and the local population remained relatively stable. The Donghak Party had no market there, and the Japanese found it even more difficult to establish a foothold. Furthermore, the presence of 100,000 demobilized Chinese Green Standard Army soldiers provided a stable base of operations, making it a relatively secure stronghold for Min Ja-young.

This infuriated the Japanese. Chief of the General Staff Yamagata Aritomo immediately decided to send another 4,000 Japanese troops to Korea, preparing to advance on Pyongyang, eliminate this Iron Lady, completely resolve the Korean issue, and remove the obstacle to their invasion of China!

Damn it, they've gone to such lengths to send only 4,000 suicide bombers! No, we have to provoke him again, let Sheng Bao provoke him a little more! I immediately telegraphed the order: "If the donkey doesn't jump, stab him in the belly!"

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