Everyone knew that Zhu Jinsong, the Emperor of Great Ming, was not joking.
All the processes and methods for rebellion were detailed in the "Great Ming Newspaper" and the history and governance books of the Ming County and Prefectural Schools. The books even meticulously analyzed the methods of all successful rebellions in history, the reasons for their failures, and the measures and impacts of various dynasties' officialdom and governance.
As for the universities of Great Ming, they implemented a strict entry and exit system. History and governance were compulsory subjects, and students who did not study diligently or accumulate sufficient credits found it difficult to graduate normally. Failure to graduate normally meant retaking the courses the following year, and failing the retake three times would result in the revocation of their university enrollment, commonly known as expulsion.
To put it this way, as long as one diligently completed all the courses of the Great Ming County and Prefectural Schools and graduated successfully, any student from a prefectural school or above could carry out a rebellion with considerable competence, let alone those who graduated from universities.
However, when the regime permitted the common people to rebel, the people did not rebel. But when the regime did not wish the common people to rebel, there were endless rebels wanting to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming.
From the fiftieth year of Qianlong, the day Great Ming was officially founded, there had been many corrupt officials in various regions of Great Ming who were apprehended by the common people and sent to the capital. It was not uncommon for two villages to mobilize hundreds of people for a fierce brawl resulting in heavy casualties. Yet, there was not a single rebellion.
And this was precisely what the old dog Qianlong could not comprehend.
Was there really no one who wanted to be emperor?
It was impossible. There were so many rebels who wanted to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming; did they truly not want to be emperor for themselves?
The traitor surnamed Zhu had already made the methods of rebellion public!
Zhu Jinsong, with a smile, said to the astonished and uncertain old dog Qianlong, "Do you understand now? I once said that whoever holds the common people in their heart will be held aloft by the people, and whoever opposes the common people will absolutely not have a good end!"
Old dog Qianlong's face turned from green to white, then he suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood, rolled his eyes, and fainted.
This made Zhu Jinsong extremely anxious. He quickly shouted, "Quick, call a doctor! He mustn't die at this moment!"
How could old dog Qianlong die at this time? He hadn't reached the capital yet, nor the execution ground. He hadn't seen Ji Xiaolan of Iron Teeth and Bronze Gums. How could the travel-loving old dog Qianlong die like this on the way back to the capital?
Fortunately, old dog Qianlong's vitality was very tenacious.
Perhaps it was in line with the saying that good people don't live long, but calamities last for a thousand years. Old dog Qianlong didn't even wait for a doctor to arrive. He simply pinched his philtrum and woke up.
Zhu Jinsong was finally relieved and turned to chat with the old farmers and Wu Mancang.
"Have the village children all enrolled in the community schools? Are the community schools free? I have issued decrees to the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Poverty, requiring every child to eat two eggs every day. Is anyone secretly embezzling?"
"I thought about giving milk to the children, but some children couldn't tolerate it, so I gave up on that later."
"Studying is a good thing. Children who have studied can work, become officials, engage in business, join the army, or farm. There are many paths. Do you want your children to be blind as you are, to have sweat drop like beans, and to scratch for food in the fields?"
"I'll see who dares to prevent their children from studying! Letting children leave school early to help the family with work? Which scoundrel dares to say such nonsense? Let me tell you, you must not delay the children's studies."
"From the day I led the second and third brothers to rebel, I told them that Great Ming could be poor in everything else, even the emperor could be poor, but we cannot be poor when it comes to the children's education."
"The national treasury collects ten million taels of silver annually, and I am willing to allocate ten million taels for education. Why? Because children are the future of Great Ming. In the final analysis, this Great Ming belongs to me, but it also belongs to everyone under heaven, to us. The future belongs to these children; they are the future of Great Ming."
"If this generation of children is stronger than the barbarians' generation, Great Ming will be stronger than the barbarians by one generation. If the next generation of children is also stronger than the barbarians' next generation, Great Ming will be stronger by two generations. This is a very simple principle."
"The officials of the Qing Dynasty say that letting children work in the fields early helps the family solve difficulties and not letting children study is because they are afraid. They are afraid that the Han people under heaven will drive them away if they read books. It's not for your true benefit."
"But what am I afraid of? I am not afraid. If all the common people under heaven want to rebel against me, it means I have done wrong, the Great Ming court has done wrong, and it is deserved for Great Ming to perish."
"It's good to want to run workshops, and it's good to want to get rich. I hope you all get rich. If all the common people under heaven get rich and can have fish and meat for every meal, won't my life be even better? Wouldn't I rinse my mouth with bird's nest?"
"What do I eat now? Sigh, my meal consists of four dishes, one meat, two semi-meat and semi-vegetable, plus one vegetable, and a soup. The staple food is similar to what you eat, either steamed buns, noodles, or rice."
"I certainly can't eat it all alone, so I eat it with the Empress and two noble consorts. Three people eat four dishes and a soup. This life is also very pleasant."
"What about a hundred dishes? What kind of emperor lives like that? Isn't that a prodigal? What kind of fortune can withstand such extravagance?"
"What about girls? Aren't girls children? If you educate your daughters well, won't textile workshops and the like eagerly hire them? However, I'll tell you in advance, no more foot binding for girls from now on. The Qing Dynasty promotes this, but Great Ming does not. If nothing else, the palace maids, as well as the Empress and the noble consorts, none of them have bound feet."
"Of course, there must still be imperial selections. I am still young, not yet thirty years old. Old dog Qianlong was selecting imperial consorts at over seventy, so I must select twice before I am thirty-five. But if you bind your daughter's feet, there will be no chance."
The slowly waking old dog Qianlong watched Zhu Jinsong boasting, while the old farmers nodded in agreement, as if every word Zhu Jinsong said was the truth. Some even praised their own daughters. In the past, when old dog Qianlong went to Jiangnan, many local gentry and officials wanted to gain favor by offering their daughters, but ordinary peasant girls were kept well hidden.
This made old dog Qianlong quite displeased.
However, as time gradually approached evening, children returning from community schools in the village also came to play at the village entrance. Many older children were earnestly listening to Zhu Jinsong's boasting, and some even expressed a desire to see the army.
What was going on?
Old dog Qianlong knew very well what the Qing army was like, and he knew the saying that armies pass like a comb. The common people always treated the Qing army with the attitude of avoiding snakes and fierce beasts.
Why was it the complete opposite with the surname Zhu?
Zhu Jinsong did not refuse these children's requests. Instead, he smiled, put his arm around a little one, and instructed Ke Zhiming, "Go and call a hundred Imperial Guards. Tell the Empress and the two noble consorts to come as well, and have them prepare special 'secret weapons' for these 'child soldiers' to distribute to the soldiers for 'defeating the enemy'."
Ke Zhiming truly obeyed the order and left, seemingly unconcerned about the safety of Zhu Jinsong, the Emperor of Great Ming.
This made old dog Qianlong even more displeased.
After Ke Zhiming left, Zhu Jinsong smiled and said to the child soldiers, "Here, you want to see the army, and I am fulfilling your wish. But I also have a wish, can you fulfill it for me?"
A bold child tentatively asked, "What is the Emperor's wish?"
Zhu Jinsong said with a grin, "I hope you will be filial to your parents at home and study hard in the classroom, both for yourselves and for the future of Great Ming."
These children, who were not very old, didn't quite understand Zhu Jinsong's words. However, their thoughts were simple: since the emperor had fulfilled their wish, they should grant the emperor something in return. This was fair.
Moreover, in their dawning understanding, these children vaguely knew that Zhu Jinsong was acting in their best interest.
Then, smiles became more frequent on the children's faces, and their boldness increased. Their gazes towards Zhu Jinsong carried a hint of affection and admiration.
This scene made old dog Qianlong displeased again.
Old dog Qianlong had only ever seen heads bowed low to the earth, and only ever seen looks of reverence or only fear, not respect. When had he ever seen such looks that made people feel comfortable at first sight?
Just as old dog Qianlong wished for Zhu Jinsong to explode on the spot, Ke Zhiming, who had rushed away, returned with the Empress, the two noble consorts, and a hundred fully armed Imperial Guard cavalry.
Still some distance from the village entrance, the Empress and the two noble consorts reined in their horses, then dismounted with the hundred Imperial Guards and walked smiling towards Zhu Jinsong.
Upon seeing the Empress, Zhu Jinsong smiled and asked, "Have you prepared the secret weapons I asked you to prepare?"
Empress Li smiled and nodded, shaking the bag in her hand. She said with a smile, "They are all here, and some have been distributed to the soldiers."
When she reached Zhu Jinsong, Empress Li opened the bag in her hand and said to the children with a smile, "Come quickly, there are candies here. Hurry up and share them."
However, the children's gazes were not attracted by the word "candy." Instead, they all looked at the Imperial Guards.
Candy?
Only young children and girls like candy. Real men like swords, spears, and halberds!
These young men, with an average age of less than ten years old, looked at the Imperial Guards with envy. They wanted to touch the warhorses and the armor on the Imperial Guards, but facing the orderly military formation, they were ultimately a little timid.
Zhu Jinsong laughed heartily, stood up, and shouted to the hundred Imperial Guards, "Listen to my command! Disband on the spot now! I order you to use the candies in your hands to defeat these child soldiers!"
Upon hearing Zhu Jinsong's order, the child soldiers were no longer afraid. Instead, they rushed forward in a swarm. Some looked up at the tall and mighty warhorses, while others wanted to tentatively touch the armor on the Imperial Guards.
This, in turn, made the elite soldiers, the bloodthirsty killers selected from various armies, begin to feel nervous. Some fumbled to take out candies, while others fumbled to hug the children.
The only similarity was that these killers had smiles on their faces, and the children were not afraid of them. Many children, after receiving candies, immediately stuffed them into the soldiers' mouths.
Old dog Qianlong was almost driven mad.
You're showing me this?
Damn it!
After cursing silently for a long time, old dog Qianlong suddenly laughed and said to Zhu Jinsong, "Don't get too proud. You must know that without authority, there is no awe; without awe, people's hearts are easily disturbed. Today you are thriving, but how do you know this won't be a disaster in the future?"