Chapter 0002: An Oath to Live and Die with Kunming

After a night of plotting, Ma Jixiang finally devised a persuasive argument to convince the Emperor to relocate to western Yunnan, yet His Majesty unexpectedly decided to remain in Kunming. What does this mean?

Li Dingguo is a very proud person; if he himself believes that Kunming cannot be defended, then the difficulty is naturally evident

After he initially went to Europe for his studies, he remained there after graduation, expending considerable effort to collect firearms from the Prussian period from various parts of Europe, which he then exhibited to his European friends

Then there was a tingling sensation, and when I opened my eyes again, I was already in the sleeping chamber

After careful consideration, Zhu Youlang walked to the imperial desk, clenched the jade seal tightly in both hands, and heavily pressed it onto a sheet of white paper

After pondering for a moment, Li Dingguo stated in a deep voice

When Zhu Youlang spoke these words with great passion, it reignited a glimmer of hope among the already disheartened ministers.

A night without conversation

Since the emperor has decided to remain in Kunming, he naturally cannot abandon the emperor and leave

He casually picked up an old antique grenade, twirling it in the palm of his hand

Your Majesty, it is not permissible

In the past, Zhu Youlang would certainly not have believed such things, but now that time travel, an inexplicable phenomenon, has occurred, what else is impossible

There are nearly one thousand Prussian firearms and artillery pieces in total, along with a portion of accompanying ammunition. Unfortunately, many of these antiques have rusted due to the passage of several hundred years

Could it be that...

Since Your Majesty has long been prepared, I vow to follow you until death

As the museum director, he is intimately familiar with each and every item in the collection

Zhu Youlang not only gasped in shock

However, Zhu Youlang confidently said: "The King of Jin may not know that I sent someone to purchase a batch of Western firearms a year ago. I have been reluctant to use these firearms until now, but the time has come to employ them."

What surprised him even more was that the grenade he had touched actually appeared with him in the sleeping quarters

After a long while, he finally reopened his eyes, and the scene before him left him utterly astonished

... ...

The next morning, Zhu Youlang announced at the grand court that he had decided to remain in Kunming and would no longer relocate the place of residence.

Zhu Youlang observed carefully and could not help but take a deep breath in astonishment; how could this hand grenade become so shiny, it looked as if it had just been manufactured.

It appears that Ma Jixiang acted for the sake of Yongli, but in reality, he was merely afraid of death and unwilling to fight.

At that moment, the familiar white light reappeared, and Zhu Youlang took a deep breath and closed his eyes

This is simply a powerful weapon

Majixiang, seeing that the Emperor had lost his composure, could no longer contain himself. He stepped forward and cried out, "Your Majesty, your precious body cannot be placed in danger. The capital of Yunnan can no longer be retained!"

The Ming Dynasty is left with only Yunnan and Sichuan, and it has reached a point where every inch of land must be fiercely contested

Zhu Youlang originally believed that simply fleeing was not a solution, and now he is even less inclined to leave

Certainly, such a question could not possibly be raised by Li Dingguo in the court, as that would undermine the authority of the sovereign and father figure

Li Dingguo was taken aback. The Emperor sent someone to purchase a batch of Western firearms? How was he unaware of this matter?

Zhu Youlang's expression instantly darkened

Hiss

Ma Xiongfeng echoed, "Elder brother, you have already fulfilled your duty as a subject. Now the emperor is leading everyone down a path to destruction; you cannot stand by and do nothing."

Zhu Youlang was overjoyed, as if he had grasped a lifeline

If Zhu Youlang is not mistaken, all the antiques he has touched will follow him to the Yongli era after he affixes his jade seal. In that case, doesn't that mean he has acquired a warehouse full of firearms

After the court session, the commander of the Jinyiwei, Marquis Ma Jixiang, who was left embarrassed by the emperor's reprimand, convened his brother Ma Xiongfeng and his son-in-law Yang Zai to discuss countermeasures

His guess was not mistaken; this jade seal truly serves as a medium connecting the museum and the Yongli era in time and space

Your Majesty, please think carefully. Currently, Guizhou has fallen, and Kunming is truly not a place to stay for long.

In an instant, the entire court was in an uproar

But how could he suddenly appear here? Could it be because of that jade seal?

Majixiang lamented, "I do not know what slanderous words Your Majesty has believed, to the extent that you have decided to remain in Kunming; this is simply a path to self-destruction"

Unintentionally, Zhu Youlang caught a glimpse of the jade seal on the imperial desk, and for a moment, he felt a surge of desire.

Even within his heart, there was a sense of joy. The usually timid and weak emperor finally displayed the courage befitting a sovereign this time

Is this still the old antique he is familiar with

Could it be that these old objects have transformed into new ones through time and space travel

According to this theory, the old artifacts that were originally displayed in the museum have now transformed into firearms that can be used directly

This is simply a gift bestowed upon him by the heavens

This place is familiar to him beyond measure, as it is clearly the private Prussian Arms Museum that he has dedicated half of his life to establishing

Since he has come, he might as well enjoy the experience of sealing with this imperial jade seal for a moment

Zhu Youlang recalled the blinding white light, firmly convinced that this was the reason

Upon hearing this, Ma Jixiang's expression changed as he said: "What do you mean by this?"

Since Yang has brought the matter to this point, he straightforwardly stated: "The Emperor of the Qing Dynasty is destined by heaven. I have heard that all subjects who submit to the Qing can retain their titles. Did not the old Taishan see that Sun Kewang was granted a noble title by the Qing court? If the old Taishan were to submit, he could at least secure a marquisate. While Kunming has yet to fall, it would be wise for the old Taishan to proactively reach out to the Qing generals. When the Qing army attacks the city, if the old Taishan were to open a city gate to welcome the Qing forces, would that not be a great achievement?"

Zhu Youlang conceived a bold idea in his heart

It seems that this jade seal should serve as a medium, allowing him to enter the space of the museum

Even the usually composed Li Dingguo was somewhat flustered

... ...

He is no longer the weak and incompetent emperor who could not distinguish between loyalty and treachery; Ma Jixiang is indeed a notorious traitor recorded in the annals of sycophants. Unfortunately, the Yongli Emperor continued to trust him, first appointing him as the commander of the Jinyiwei, and later even promoting him directly to the position of Prime Minister of the Cabinet

In that case, you esteemed ministers need not prepare for the relocation to Shu any longer. I have made up my mind and vow to coexist with Kunming City until death!

At that moment, the jade seal emitted a blinding white light, and Zhu Youlang instinctively closed his eyes

With these guns and cannons, it is by no means a difficult task to defend Kunming

Majixiang shook his head and said, "What can I do? You have seen the intention of Prince Jin; he is standing on the side of the Emperor. Although I am the commander of the Jinyiwei and hold the Emperor's personal troops, can I still defy the imperial edict?"

I have made my decision; do you, Minister Ma, wish to defy the imperial decree

The number of firearms is sufficient, and although the quantity of ammunition is limited, it is adequate for the defense of the city

He once read a science fiction novel that discussed the distortion of time and space, in which the same object undergoes changes in its newness and oldness as it travels through time and space.

He is in a display room filled with countless old items, all of which are firearms from the 18th and 19th centuries of the Kingdom of Prussia

In an instant, Ma Jixiang's complexion turned pale; he truly could not comprehend how the once weak and ineffectual ruler had suddenly become so decisive, even subtly exhibiting the legacy of the Second Ancestor.

The Yongli Emperor was the object of his loyalty, and he shared a relationship of mutual honor and disgrace with the emperor

To verify this conjecture, Zhu Youlang once again sealed it with the imperial jade seal

Perhaps this time they can truly rise from the ashes after facing death

Yang coldly smiled and said: "In this world, there is not just one emperor. Now, the remnants of the Ming dynasty are confined to a small territory; its downfall is only a matter of time. Why doesn't Old Taishan make plans early?"