"Therefore, how many in the Hongmen are unaware of the slogan, 'Red flags fluttering, heroes are recruited,' and the 'Overseas Emperor, come to restore the Ming Dynasty'? And this 'Ming Gong' happens to meet the criteria of an overseas emperor. In addition..."
Soon, as Lin Yang listened, he learned about this Emperor Zhu. It was said that he first appeared in England (presumably because he ran out of money when he traveled through time, so he ended up in England). Later, with his excellent surgical skills, he became a first-rate doctor.
Later, through treating the British royal family, he became acquainted with Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. With their support, he came to restore his country.
Of course, the Queen of England had no good intentions either. Her aim was to have Zhu Jishi destabilize the Qing Dynasty so that she could profit from it (this was the root cause of the two Opium Wars).
Otherwise, our Great Qing Dynasty could earn millions or even tens of millions of pounds every year just from tea alone, which is something that the British capitalists simply cannot tolerate.
Now, with the support of the British Empire, the de facto world's leading power, Zhu Jishi successfully established Borneo as his base. At the same time, he established the Whampoa Military Academy in Hong Kong to train elite troops.
At the same time, he also established the Hongmen Daming Mountain Hall under the guise of an overseas emperor, declared himself the hall master, and recruited heroes from all over the world.
“He made his first fortune through medical skills and selling medicine, and now he has directly monopolized trade between the Qing Dynasty and Western countries. So this overseas emperor is not short of money,” Shi A said.
Indeed, he was not only not short of money, but compared to other rebels, this Emperor Zhu was incredibly wealthy.
"Moreover, by establishing a military academy and controlling the army under the guise of teachers and students, a crack force can be trained. It is estimated that the day the crack force is completed will be the day Guangzhou is completely captured. Moreover, with Borneo occupied, there will be enough food. With money, food, and soldiers, and having also gathered many impoverished scholars under his command, this Emperor Zhu has truly been preparing for a long time," Lin Yang said calmly.
In fact, the most difficult part of a rebellion is the initial stage. Once you get through the toughest initial period, the advantage will snowball and grow bigger and bigger.
“But this person rebelled with the help of foreign enemies, isn’t that a bit…” Shi A stammered.
He originally wanted to say that Zhu Datianzi's actions constituted treason, were those of a traitor, and were those of recognizing a thief as one's father.
The problem is, on second thought, that the Han people of today are not the masters of the country. The masters of the country are the Manchus. Therefore, there is no question of treason or collaborators.
As for the matter of recognizing a thief as one's father, that depends on Zhu Jishi's final methods. If Zhu Jishi succeeds, none of this will matter. Since ancient times, the successful are never blamed. Therefore, after thinking it over, Shi A said nothing more.
"Heh, this kind of court is simply deserving of everyone's wrath. As the saying goes, if the ruler treats his ministers like his own hands and feet, then the ministers will treat the ruler like their own heart and soul; if the ruler treats his ministers like dogs and horses, then the ministers will treat the ruler like a fellow countryman; if the ruler treats his ministers like dirt and weeds, then the ministers will treat the ruler like an enemy."
"In this Manchu court, how are Han people treated any different from pigs and dogs? We'd rather not have such a court. As for the shady things that happen during a rebellion, that's perfectly normal," Lin Yang advised.
Think about history. When Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan, rebelled, didn't he acknowledge the enemy as his father and even send them silver and beautiful women? In the end, didn't he even borrow two thousand cavalry from the Turks? And yet, who says Li Yuan was a traitor?
Even Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of the Republic of China, relied on Japanese support to repeatedly rebel against the Qing Dynasty. If the Qing Dynasty hadn't fallen, this would certainly have been treason! He would definitely have been a collaborator!
Therefore, as long as Emperor Zhu succeeds, nothing else matters. Because history is written by the victors.
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Chapter Thirty-One: The King's Vanguard
With a snap, accompanied by the sound of the gavel, the old man concluded: "Therefore, Lord Ming now truly has a strong and powerful army. Once Guangzhou is captured, the tide will be turned."
After saying this, the old man cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, marking the end of his storytelling session. He then left.
At the same time, the man in brocade robes went directly to Lin Yang's table, holding a pot of fine wine, and started talking to him as if they were old friends.
"I'm a rough man named Zheng Hong, and I'm currently a branch leader of the Hongmen Daming Mountain Hall. I heard that you three are also righteous anti-Qing figures, so I came to recruit you. If you have any ideas, you can tell me. Of course, if you don't want to, that's fine too. Anyway, we're all fighting against the Qing." Zheng Hong patted his chest and introduced himself.
"Haha, isn't this Marquis Yanping? Your ancestor was the King of Yanping back then, a true descendant of heroes. Let me toast you first." With that, Lin Yang slowly drank a cup.
Then, information about this person came to mind. His name was Zheng Hong, and he was in charge of various affairs in the martial arts world. Previously, he was one of the leaders of the Hongmen (Triads), and later he joined Zhu Jishi, being granted the title of Marquis of Yanping.
In terms of strength, he was a third-grade grandmaster. In Guangzhou, he could practically do whatever he wanted. Now, he was personally recruiting Lin Yang and his companions, showing his utmost sincerity. Therefore, after a few bottles of wine, Lin Yang and his friends were chatting animatedly.
"Haha, the Marquis of Yanping has come here in person, which shows his sincerity. But even if he opposes the Qing, why must he pledge allegiance to you, my lord?" Lin Yang asked.
"Haha, you brothers are all smart men. I think you'll understand as soon as I explain. If you analyze it carefully, after the four great bandits of this dynasty, it's not hard to find that, apart from my lord, the other three all have fatal flaws." Zheng Hong slowly poured himself a glass of wine and then said seriously.
"I'd like to hear the details," Lin Yang said.
"Let's start with that living saint, Wei Ze. To be honest, he is truly selfless and great. No one can deny that. Even I, his brother, admire his integrity."
"Especially that great ambition to smash the old feudal world and establish a society where everyone is equal and harmonious is very fascinating."
"But the problem is that the reality of this world is very cruel. There are many petty people and fools. You could even say that the whole world is Wei Ze's enemy."
"He wanted communism, harmony, selflessness, equality for all, and to be a saint among men. But the problem is, others didn't want that. The gentry didn't want it, the scholars didn't want it, and even we rebels didn't want it in our hearts."
"Isn't the whole point of starting a rebellion to get rich and powerful? Isn't it all about having noble titles and fiefdoms for generations to come? But Wei Ze is different. He wholeheartedly serves the people and doesn't take any extra benefits. How are others supposed to survive in this situation?"
"Oh, risking the extermination of nine generations of one's family to start a rebellion, only to be given some money and a big red flower as a gesture of goodwill after the success—who would be willing to do that? Therefore, given a choice, almost no one would associate with him. This has nothing to do with character; it's simply human nature," Zheng Hong slowly analyzed. As he spoke, he appeared quite agitated, his face flushed red.
Hearing Zheng Hong's words, Lin Yang couldn't help but sigh.
Was Weize wrong?
It doesn't exist in essence.
Was Weize a great man?
This person is selfless, strict with himself, and truly does what he says without the slightest slack. In terms of personal character, he is almost a perfect person.
The question is, in feudal society, was it really feasible to implement communism, which claimed equality for all?
Lin Yang thought for a moment, then had to shake his head. Human nature is selfish; who isn't? Who wouldn't want to gain more benefits? Could that ideal of a utopian society really be realized in such a backward feudal era?
“Yes, if what you say is true, then this person is indeed an extraordinary individual. No emperor, no nobles, no superior beings, everyone is equal—how is that possible? Unless, unless everyone is a saint.” Shi A shook his head and said.
Just as Zheng Hong said, although this person's ideal is great, it is fraught with difficulties and its feasibility is very low.
"So, besides this living saint, weren't there also Chen Ming, the restorer of the Han dynasty, and Hong Xiuquan, the incarnation of God? What about them?" Cai Yan suddenly asked.
The silvery voice captivated Zheng Hong, causing him to lose himself in the moment. Then, somewhat embarrassed, he turned away, drank several cups of wine, and said, "This Chen Ming, the restorer of the Han dynasty, is called the restorer of the Han dynasty because he raised the banner of overthrowing the Qing and restoring the Han dynasty at the very beginning of his uprising."
"Moreover, and more importantly, this young man is the first in the world to raise the banner of rebellion. His current momentum is also the strongest. He has countless elite troops under his command. The various Green Standard Army units of the imperial court have been completely defeated by the Chen family army, which he has only recently trained."
"In terms of strength, they are even stronger than my lord. In terms of army, the Chen family army is one of the strongest in the world. In terms of territory, they are the largest among all rebel groups in the world today," Zheng Hong said with some admiration.