Chapter 0003: The Unfortunate Zhu Yicheng

Liu Jun's expression changed suddenly, and just as he was about to reprimand, Zhou Zhongliang quickly signaled him to stop. Then, with a friendly demeanor, he asked: "Hehe, according to what you said, is the Great Qing really going to perish?"

Once I have established my reign and become the founding president, it is essential to have a harem. While three thousand beauties may be excessive, I doubt my frail body could withstand such a burden. Even if I were to drink a hundred-year-old ginseng soup every night, it would be too much to bear; if I were to perish, it would not be worth it. However, at least three hundred beauties would be acceptable, and they should not all be from one place. A few from each of the 56 ethnic groups, including Han, Manchu, Hui, and Tibetan, as well as various beauties from the East and West, would make for a reasonable arrangement.

Indeed, as the questioning continued, Zhu Yicheng cautiously responded in his own way a few times. The old man and the advisor's expressions noticeably softened, and their tone and attitude improved significantly compared to the beginning. Not only were his bindings loosened, but they also provided him with a stool to sit on. Encouraged, Zhu Yicheng felt increasingly excited and began to boast to his interlocutors. As he rambled on about international patterns, major trends, nationalism, and other topics, the old man and the advisor exchanged glances, their astonishment mingled with an unmistakable excitement.

The more Zhu Yicheng thought about it, the more delighted he became; the more he pondered, the more excited he felt. However, at that moment, he did not notice that Liu Jun and Zhou Zhongliang had already changed their expressions drastically, especially Liu Jun, who was gritting his teeth as he looked at Zhu Yicheng. The year of Xinhai? Counting on his fingers, wasn't it just twenty-three years later? This rebel actually dared to assert that the Qing Dynasty only had twenty-three years of fortune left. What was even more shocking and infuriating was that this rebel had the audacity to shout out Zhu Yuanzhang's slogan from back in the day. Liu Jun was a scholar; how could he not know that Zhu Yuanzhang's rallying cry when he rose against the Yuan was to expel the Hu people, restore China, establish a new order, and relieve the suffering of the people? This scoundrel was attempting to restore the Ming Dynasty and overthrow the Qing, and yet he was so brazen and arrogant, it was truly audacious!

"Better to ally with friends than to associate with domestic slaves. Is corruption and incompetence a means of selling out the country?" Liu Jun and Zhou Zhongliang listened in confusion. The revered Emperor Kangxi reigned for forty-seven years, having taken the throne at the age of fourteen. He diligently governed, eliminating the threat of the Three Feudatories, reclaiming Taiwan, defeating the Russian Empire, personally leading campaigns against Galdan, promoting agriculture and river management, enhancing irrigation, emphasizing education, compiling classic texts, and governing with diligence and love for the people... Whether in civil or military achievements, he surpasses the emperors of the Qin, Han, Tang, and Song dynasties, and it is not an exaggeration to call him a great emperor of all time. Now, the entire Qing Empire is thriving, with the world paying tribute and nations coming to pay their respects, truly a prosperous era unprecedented in history. Where is the inadequacy that Zhu Yicheng speaks of?

"The Qing Dynasty? This Manchu Qing will inevitably perish sooner or later!" Zhu Yicheng replied without a moment's hesitation

Zhu Yicheng still does not know where he went wrong, nor why everything changed in an instant. Reflecting on everything that has happened before, Zhu Yicheng feels a sense of bewilderment, but there is one thing he is certain of: his current situation does not seem to be very good

Recalling everything that had happened before, Zhu Yicheng had no idea what he had experienced, and even now he still could not figure it out. It was supposed to be a Qingming holiday outing with a few classmates to Yuyao, but halfway there, Zhu Yicheng, who had an upset stomach, went into the woods to relieve himself. To his surprise, when he got up feeling better, everything around him had inexplicably changed. Just as Zhu Yicheng was looking around in confusion, he encountered several individuals dressed in ancient clothing with braided hair. At first, Zhu Yicheng thought it was a film crew shooting a movie, but after looking around, he could not find any hidden cameras. At that moment, the people across from him were initially taken aback upon seeing him, but then they erupted in joy. A burly man at the front, without saying a word, raised his hand towards Zhu Yicheng, and a chain fell from the sky, ensnaring his neck.

"Thief! Thief!" Liu Jun cursed inwardly, at this moment he had already concluded that Zhu Yicheng was indeed the grandson of Zhu San. Unable to contain himself, Liu Jun reached out to grab the confession, but as soon as his hand was raised, he was stopped by Zhou Zhongliang. The cunning Zhou Zhongliang was much more composed than Liu Jun. Although he had also confirmed Zhu Yicheng's identity, the necessary procedures still had to be followed. Taking advantage of Zhu Yicheng's excitement, Zhou Zhongliang presented the confession for him to sign. Zhu Yicheng, in his confusion, did not bother to scrutinize the vertical traditional characters, and simply drew a circle as Zhou Zhongliang instructed. Little did he know that as soon as the pen dropped, the previously amiable Zhou Zhongliang's expression changed in an instant. With a thunderous shout, several fierce-looking bailiffs rushed forward, kicking the dazed Zhu Yicheng, who was lost in a beautiful dream, rolling on the ground. They first gagged him, then swiftly tied him up securely, and directly threw him into the dungeon.

Startled, Zhu Yicheng instinctively struggled as several individuals rushed forward to bind him, gagging him as well. How could Zhu Yicheng, who had just entered the first year of high school, possibly contend with these strong rural men? In the blink of an eye, he was securely tied up. Confused and pulled along, he was taken to a large hall in the city. Having never experienced such a situation before, Zhu Yicheng was dazed for a long time. It was only when he heard a small old man in Qing Dynasty official attire sternly questioning him about his name and surname that Zhu Yicheng instinctively responded.

Zhu Yicheng lay sprawled on a pile of straw emitting a musty odor like a dead dog, and even now, he still could not comprehend what had happened. Just over ten hours ago, he was still a young heartthrob of the 21st century, and in the blink of an eye, he had inexplicably become a prisoner in the Qing Dynasty.

Zhou Zhongliang furrowed his brow slightly, somewhat unclear about the meaning behind Zhu Yicheng's words. However, considering that Zhu Yicheng was the grandson of Zhu San, it was only natural for him to deliberately speak ill of the Great Qing. With this thought in mind, Zhou Zhongliang nodded slightly and continued to smile as he asked, "Then, Young Master Zhu, if our Great Qing were to perish, who could possibly replace it?"

Liu Jun and Zhou Zhongliang in the hall looked utterly dumbfounded, and Zhu Yi felt an indescribable sense of pride in his heart. He was grateful that he had read a lot of online literature, as he still remembered these basic historical facts. Now, with a shake of his body, why weren't the old man and the steward bowing down? Having stunned these two, he could now be considered to have a territory of his own. He planned to follow what he had read in online novels, using gunpowder to melt glass and create inventions to make some money, then recruit people to train soldiers and cultivate the land. By the way, the idea of saving the country through silk stockings might be a viable path, and high-tech solutions like penicillin could also be considered. However, since he wasn't good at chemistry, that might be quite difficult. In any case, when the time comes, having a strong army and becoming a local power is the least he could aim for; if things go well, he might even be able to seize the world and have some fun.

The old man, dressed in the official attire of the Qing Dynasty as seen in movies, resembled some sort of official. After exchanging a few words, Zhu Yicheng, still shaken, gradually calmed down. Stealing glances at the dilapidated and worn-out grand hall and the clearly Qing Dynasty-clad individuals around him, an unfathomable thought suddenly emerged.

It is imperative! Zhu Yicheng exclaimed passionately, "The Qing government has long been rotten to the core. Better to ally with foreign friends than to associate with domestic slaves. Corruption and incompetence, coupled with treasonous actions, have plunged countless sons and daughters of China into dire straits. It would be strange if it did not perish."

"Have I crossed over? Late Qing? Xinhai Revolution? Founding heroes!" Countless melodramatic scenarios from online novels suddenly flooded into Zhu Yicheng's mind. The hot-blooded youth felt a surge of excitement rising from his feet to the top of his head, leaving him inexplicably thrilled. Looking up again at the old man in official robes seated above him, and at the figure standing beside him who seemed to be dressed like a secretary, Zhu Yicheng's mind raced with possibilities, pondering whether he could use the plot twists from web literature to deceive the other party.

What will happen next, Zhu Yicheng cannot predict. Will he be taken out to be executed? The thought of this terrifying outcome makes Zhu Yicheng weep in fear, and he harbors an immense hatred for those who write online literature. To describe it with a lyric, fairy tales (online literature) are all lies! If only he could return to the 21st century, Zhu Yicheng swears he would catch those fabricators and beat them mercilessly.

"This shouldn't be, it's unscientific!" Zhu Yicheng has truly experienced what it means to be tied up in five different ways. After being thrown into the prison and struggling for a long time, the ropes on his body only became tighter. Exhausted, Zhu Yicheng could only lie down and silently shed tears, but he couldn't even cry out. Zhou Zhongliang, fearing that he might speak out of turn, had his mouth tightly gagged. Poor Zhu Yicheng could only emit faint groans.

"Master Zhu, what do you think the future of the Qing Dynasty will be?" Just as Zhu Yicheng was boasting enthusiastically, the secretary suddenly interjected with a question

The Republic of China! Of course, it is the Republic of China! Zhu Yicheng exclaimed with great enthusiasm: "The sound of cannon fire from the Xinhai Revolution shook the entire nation, causing the Qing Dynasty to collapse in response, expelling the Tartars and restoring China..."

County jail, cell number 1A