Chapter 1: On the Way Home

Although I have returned from studying abroad, I am somewhat different from you, sir. I have just graduated from the Munich Army Officer Academy.

At that moment, a sudden question emerged from behind: "Aren't you afraid that such words might bring about your own demise?" The accent carried a strong Cantonese tone.

His name is Wu Shaoting. He graduated from the Munich Army Officer Academy a year ago and interned for more than half a year with the Macedonian Army Group. It was only two months ago that he boarded this cruise ship returning to his homeland from the United Kingdom

The high temperatures near the equator are gradually improving, as the subtropical early spring sea breeze from the north blows in, warm and comfortable

The Strait of Malacca was traversed three days ago, and the "Buckingham" oil tanker is currently navigating the waters of the Spratly Islands

There is no need to elaborate; these uprisings were all failures. The defeats of the Pingliang and Huizhou uprisings even caused significant losses for the revolutionaries, with many elite members of the Tongmenghui sacrificing their lives in the cause.

The young man, upon hearing Wu Shaoting's words, once again fell into a serious expression, and he slowly let out a sigh

Oh? Is that so? The young man's expression immediately relaxed, but he knew that Wu Shaoting had more to say, so he did not rush to express his own opinion

Sun Yat-sen dedicated his entire life to revolution, yet he spent his life amidst failures. Even though the Xinhai Revolution was successful, it cannot be strictly said to be solely his achievement. During the Xinhai Revolution, Sun Yat-sen was still abroad and was completely unaware of the uprisings occurring domestically. His only contribution was his deeply resonant revolutionary theory, which facilitated the practical aspects of this revolution

Although the Qing government issued strict orders to "keep the hair but not the head," after the indemnities of the First Sino-Japanese War and the Boxer Rebellion, the already weakened central imperial authority became increasingly ineffective due to corruption. Local powers and the concessions established by foreign powers in China have evidently become breeding grounds for resistance against this strict order. Among students studying abroad, nine out of ten would cut off their braids.

Certainly, these uprisings were not necessarily all personally planned and organized by Sun Yat-sen; rather, his name is used to refer to the revolutionary forces led by him

The young man pondered for a moment and smiled, saying: "From your accent, it seems that you are also from Guangdong, young master"

Indeed, Wu Shaoting has traveled back to the late Qing Dynasty. The current date is March 3, 1908

The reason he is currently troubled is merely due to his concerns about China in 1908 and his own future prospects

I see. The young man nodded in realization

Wu Shaoting gazed at the dim sunset on the horizon and couldn't help but let out a sigh. Suddenly, a phrase came to his mind, and he murmured it aloud: "The revolution has not yet succeeded, comrades must continue to strive! Alas!"

Sir, in my view, Sun Yat-sen can be regarded as a great figure of this era. Great men and heroes can sometimes be compared, yet there are distinctions between the two. He smiled faintly and said, "To speak a heart-wrenching truth, I am willing to regard Sun Yat-sen as a pioneer of the revolution, to follow his principles and spirit, and to use his principles and spirit as the criteria for my struggle"

This is easy to understand; the study of military science is of great significance. If, after mastering it, one cannot be of use to the nation, what purpose does it serve to have learned it

In 1907, just last year, the Qing government expressed concern over this increasingly severe issue and once again issued a strict order prohibiting the unauthorized cutting of queues. However, this order was akin to a worthless promissory note, which only caused a brief stir before quickly fading into silence.

The young man was somewhat taken aback and sighed, "So it turns out you are the descendant of the great hero Wu! I am truly honored."

I beg your pardon for my offense, but I believe that Mr. Sun cannot be considered a hero

However, I do not dare to commend Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary actions. While I was in Germany, I kept a close eye on the news from my homeland, including the Pingliang-Li uprising two years ago, last year's Huanggang uprising, Huizhou uprising, and the Qinlian-Fangcheng uprising. Wu Shaoting recounted all the uprisings of the Tongmenghui prior to 1908 that he was aware of in one breath

Wu Shaoting replied: "My ancestral home is in Anhui. I moved to Jiangxi with my parents, and in my youth, I was admitted to the Guangzhou Army Primary School, thus I lived alone in Guangzhou for several years. Later, thanks to the recommendation of my uncle Wu Changqing's former subordinates, I crossed the ocean to Germany for further studies"

Wu Shaoting sighed, reined in his emotions, and said with a hint of melancholy: "I have long wanted to cut it off; the barbarian's corruption of the spirit of our Han men is a vile thing. What purpose does it serve to keep it? Unfortunately, I have my own difficulties, unlike you students who have studied abroad and are so open-minded; otherwise, I would not have kept it until today."

The young man wore an enigmatic smile at the corner of his mouth, staring intently at Wu Shaoting before him

Anyone who has read a bit of history knows that the shocking Xinhai Revolution and the more than twenty years of warlord chaos are about to unfold across the land of China. As a time traveler, what can one truly do before the onset of such turmoil?

In the late Qing Dynasty, many Chinese individuals sought ways to enrich the nation and strengthen its people by studying abroad. In addition to attending conventional academic universities, military academies were also quite popular. However, unlike academic universities, which have both government-funded and self-funded students, military academies only have government-funded students

Wu Shaoting chuckled self-deprecatingly, saying: "A hero is not always a hero; I am not one to seek fame and reputation. Alas, this era truly needs someone to turn the tide!"

This matter has already passed four months, and he has certainly adapted to this identity. During his last internship assessment in Germany, he achieved exceptionally outstanding results by utilizing his 21st-century military qualities. At this moment, a Browning M1904 pistol, awarded by Captain Philip, is still stored in the luggage compartment of the cabin.

The young man, with a changed expression, coldly said: "If Sun Yat-sen cannot be considered a hero, then I truly do not know who in the world can be called a hero!"

Although the long journey is nearing its end and the air at this moment is quite pleasant, a young man in his twenties still wears a look of sorrow by the railing of the second-class deck of the "Buckingham"

The young man nodded thoughtfully, and after a moment of silence, he said: "What Young Master Wu said is absolutely correct; the great responsibility of revitalizing China is one that we must not shirk. It is a pity that there are too few heroes among us; apart from Mr. Sun Yat-sen of the Tongmenghui, it is hard to find another person of his caliber in the world!"

Wu Shaoting had never believed in the concept of time travel. As a special forces soldier in the twenty-first century, he rarely even browsed through such online novels, let alone imagine that such a miraculous event would happen to him.

Oh? So, young master, you are not a student studying abroad anymore?" the young man asked curiously

Although he has great respect for Sun Yat-sen, he does not consider Sun Yat-sen to be a heroic figure on the same level as - Tu - Shu

Wu Shaoting glanced at the other party, smiled lightly, and said: "If my previous words could lead to my demise, then wouldn't you, sir, be equally at risk of disaster, having cut off your braid?"

He paused for a moment and added: "Just three days ago, this ship was docked in Malaya (at that time, Malaysia had not yet been established), and the dockworkers were still spreading rumors that Mr. Sun personally led a rebellion at Zhenan Pass at the end of last year. So many uprisings, such a long time, but what has been the result?"

Wu Shaoting sighed, saying: "Since the Opium War, our great nation has been plagued by internal strife and external threats. Is there any seven-foot man who does not wish to seek a way out and strive for national salvation? If we do not fight for our cause, we will inevitably become slaves of a fallen nation. It is precisely for this reason that I express the sentiment that 'the revolution has not yet succeeded.'"

These words are not fabricated by Wu Shaoting, but are entirely derived from the memories of this body

However, Young Master Wu, you must understand that revolution is a difficult and arduous exploration. No one knows how long this path is or how long it will take to traverse. Yet, we cannot allow these uncertainties to halt our progress. As you have said, in recent years, the party has repeatedly risen in revolt and repeatedly failed, but I believe that each failure is a form of accumulation. He insisted, though his tone was not one of argument, but rather of resignation. As you have said, in recent years, the party has repeatedly risen in revolt and repeatedly failed, but I believe that each failure is a form of accumulation. He insisted, though his tone was not one of argument, but rather of resignation

The young man, upon hearing this, gradually developed a favorable impression and could not help but say, "Young Master Wu truly has great ambitions"

What is even more surprising is that there is a rather ridiculous braid on top of one's head

Moreover, students returning from academic universities abroad are not necessarily required to report to the authorities, so these students can cut their braids without significant consequences upon returning home. However, graduates from military academies are all assigned positions by the government, and if they cut their braids, even if they do not face life-threatening consequences, it will still affect their career prospects

Wu Shaoting did not react with anger towards the youth; he was well aware of the greatness of Sun Yat-sen in the hearts of these young intellectuals during this period, akin to a lighthouse in the darkness, serving as a mentor for their life beliefs

Wu Shaoting was slightly taken aback and quickly turned around to look. He saw a young man in a long gown standing behind him, wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses. The young man was quite thin, around thirty years old, and it was unclear when he had appeared.

He only remembers being hit in the chest by a stray bullet during a live-fire exercise four months ago, which was not a big deal since he was wearing a bulletproof vest weighing twelve pounds. However, upon waking up, he found himself in a dormitory of a military barracks in Munich, having his soul inhabit the body of a person with the same name.

Since the failure of the Wuxu Reform, many young intellectuals in China began to secretly cut off their queues, especially in the southern provinces where the Qing government had little control. In addition to students, even soldiers of the new army formed by the Qing government cut off their troublesome queues to facilitate wearing the new-style military hats.

When he initially learned of his blood relation to Wu Changqing, he was equally astonished and secretly grateful to fate for not being unkind to him, as it allowed him to enjoy the status of being a descendant of a renowned general. However, he gradually came to realize that this identity provided him with only one benefit: the recommendation for government-funded study abroad in Germany; beyond that, it offered him nothing at all

The young man did not offer any rebuttal; instead, he burst into laughter and said, "What surprises me is this young master, who speaks of expelling the Tartars while still bearing the remnants of the Tartars on his head. Is this not a contradiction in itself?"