Year 26 of the Guangxu Dynasty, the Year of the Gengzi according to the lunar calendar.
This was an important year in China's history. The Gengzi Reparations, as we later came to know it, happened in this year. In the history of the late Qing Dynasty, there were many reparations for defeat, but only the Gengzi Reparations "had a name" and was often mentioned alone.
This was because it was the largest reparation in China's history. Even with China's resources, it had to be paid in 39 years.
But before that tragedy happened, the backbone of the Qing Dynasty, after being trampled on several times, still stood stubbornly. In the hearts of those in power, it was still the great China, the Celestial Empire.
After experiencing the Opium War and the Sino-Japanese Naval War, this colossus in the Far East could be said to have suddenly awakened, but the bloated and corrupt feudal system hindered its strides to catch up, causing it to stagger forward.
Capital, Li Mansion.
In this place where the rich and powerful gathered, the Li Mansion, which had once produced an assistant minister of the Ministry of Works, after several generations of decline, had finally turned to prosperity.
The head of the family, Li Qiyun, was a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Works' Yuheng Department for Purging Officials. He was a world-famous craftsman. His eldest son, Li Rufeng, had surpassed his father, becoming the commander of the Vanguard at a young age. His martial arts skills were the best in the capital, and his future was limitless.
In the middle of June, the pomegranate flowers in the courtyard were in full bloom, bright red. Together with the other coquettish flowers in the flowerbed, they decorated the garden with the spring scenery.
Li Rufeng, dressed in military uniform, had not yet had time to change into casual clothes when he was summoned to the study by his father.
Pushing open the door to the study, Li Qiyun leaned back on a large sandalwood chair, his head lowered, looking at the table in a daze.
Li Qiyun had a long beard, his face like jade, and he exuded a natural majesty. When he was young, he was famous for his handsome appearance in the family. Now that he was middle-aged, his charm did not diminish, and his appearance was first class.
Li Rufeng called his father twice, his tone gradually becoming heavier.
Li Qiyun seemed to have just reacted. He let out a soft "ah" and raised his head. "Ru Feng, you're here."
Li Rufeng sat down and said with a frown, "Father, why did you call me? You look worried."
"Dong dong!"
Li Qiyun knocked on the desk twice and pushed the blueprint over. "See for yourself."
Puzzled, Li Rufeng unfolded the blueprint and saw countless complicated runes carved on it. There were many types of runes. Other than Daoism and Buddhism, there were no less than seven sects that he could recognize.
After looking at it for a while, he was sure that it was a formation.
At the end of the blueprint were four words: National Weapon, Divine Creation Art.
"This is …" Li Rufeng was a little uncertain.
"Unparalleled Fighting Soul," Li Qiyun said.
"Haven't they given up yet? Li Zhongtang agreed? "Li Rufeng's eyes widened.
Unparalleled Fighting Soul Project!
It was a project that the imperial court had been planning for forty years.
The story began with the first Opium War. That was the first time the Qing Dynasty was blasted open. Although there were firearms at that time, it was still an era of cold weapons. Suddenly, they were attacked by a group of foreign devils with guns and cannons.
From then on, this empire, which had once conquered the world on horseback and was famous for its military strength, realized that it had fallen behind.
How could an agricultural civilization surpass an industrial civilization?
The country needed to save itself, but how? There were two voices at that time:
First, learn from the West. It was the instinct of the weak to learn from the strong.
Second, the Pantheon Palace.
Due to the limitations of the times, the people did not know that industrial civilization was the real way out for human civilization. Moreover, they considered themselves as the Celestial Empire for hundreds of years and looked down on the foreigners unreasonably.
Thus, the Pantheon Palace became the Qing court's choice to save itself.
However, the Pantheon Palace was ultimately an illusory legend. After the entire country chased after a phantom that did not exist, the diehards were disheartened.
The Westernization Movement began.
However, the diehards did not give up. If they could not find the Pantheon Palace, they would create their own invincible "weapons". Thus, the Unparalleled Fighting Soul Project was born.
This project had to be stopped in the end due to many obstacles.
First of all, Li Zhongtang, who was an extremely high official, dismissed it as a crooked sect with strange tricks. He said that the rise of a country was not a matter of one person or one thing, but tens of thousands of people.
Other than the throne, most of the Qing court's power was in the hands of the Han people. The diehards had no choice but to avoid them.
Secondly, the Unparalleled Fighting Soul Project lacked two core "objects". One was an ultimate treasure, and the other was an ultimate person.
The Qing court was no longer as prosperous as it was at the beginning. After the chaos of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, there was no ultimate way in the world of bloodline descendants.
The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom directly destroyed the destiny of the Qing Dynasty. In the history of China, such a rebellion was extremely rare.
Li Zhongtang's memorial described the situation in Jiangsu after the war:
"Chasu Province is densely populated. Most of them have a village every half a mile and a town every three miles. Smoke from kitchen chimneys and chickens and dogs can hear each other. Today, it is flat and barren. There are no residents for several miles, and there are no residents for twenty or thirty miles. There are broken walls and dilapidated walls, lonely and weak. Only one or two out of a hundred people survive, but they are all pale and moaning and dying. "
The disaster was obvious.
However, after the defeat of the Sino-Japanese War and the annihilation of the Beiyang Navy, this self-saving movement of the dynasty was declared a failure.
For the Westernization Faction, who longed to save themselves, it was a disaster. Many people were disheartened and many had white hair overnight.
"Now, the Western countries are watching covetously. The Boxers are too big to get rid of. With internal and external troubles, the Unparalleled Fighting Soul Project has been secretly restarted." Li Qiyun picked up his teacup and put it down. He was not even in the mood to drink tea. "Today, the Minister secretly gave me the blueprint and the Empress Dowager's oral order."
"What did the Empress Dowager say?"
"The country has nurtured warriors for a hundred years. If every warrior dares to die, how can it be difficult to reduce the fierceness of the country?"
Li Rufeng's body swayed. He held on to the corner of the table and gritted his teeth. "The court is full of officials and generals. The women are muddle-headed and tyrannical."
"Shut up!" Li Qiyun slammed the table angrily.
"Father, what will you do? What will the Li family do? "Li Rufeng said agitatedly.
The Li family was a family of refining weapons that had been passed down for hundreds of years. There were many skilled craftsmen in the family. They were proficient in magic tools, firearms, and cold weapons. Li Qiyun was also known as the "Lu Ban of the present age".
The Li family was one of the core forces when the Unparalleled Fighting Souls project was drawn up.
Firstly, the family was declining day by day. Li Qiyun's father was eager to revive the family, so he recommended himself to his son's liking. The reason why Li Qiyun was able to succeed in his official career was because of this layer of connections.
Secondly, as a family of refining weapons, the Li family couldn't avoid it.
But the Unparalleled Fighting Souls project was a dead end. So many capable people were helpless. How could the Li family do it?
These years, the Empress Dowager had become more and more temperamental. She was violent and cruel.
"The Empress Dowager has agreed to take out the Black Water Spirit Pearl," Li Qiyun said suddenly.
Li Rufeng was stunned. After a long while, he shook his head. "Even so, where are we going to find them an Extreme Dao? Moreover, this formation might not work. It's like crossing the river by feeling the stones. Even if there are Extreme Dao masters, they won't be willing to take the risk. "
"This is why I came to you." Li Qiyun looked at his eldest son.
Li Rufeng was the strongest in the Li family. Not only in the Li family, but in the entire Northern Bloodline World, he was an expert among experts. The eldest son of the Li family, Li Rufeng, had been heard of by everyone in the Bloodline World.
Because of this, an exception was made for him to be promoted to the commander of the Vanguard Battalion.
The father and son looked at each other for a long time.
Li Rufeng shook his head bitterly. "I'm not even half a step into Extreme Dao."
"Your uncle and I will inject energy into you and forcefully raise your cultivation to half a step into Extreme Dao. Then, with the strengthening ability of the Li family, the Black Water Spirit Pearl, and the formation …" Li Qiyun didn't continue. He was silent for a long time, his eyes red. "Rufeng, I've let you down. If you're not willing, I can report this to Li Zhongtang. "
There were many people who opposed the Unparalleled Fighting Souls project. In the Qing Dynasty, even the Empress Dowager couldn't act arbitrarily, so she could only give oral orders.
Li Rufeng thought about it and accepted his fate. "That way, the Li family won't have a good ending, and we'll offend those people. Moreover, it might not fail. "
However, could a single Extreme Dao really turn the tide?
"You don't need to return to the battalion for now. Stay at home … Accompany Wanru and Ling 'er."
"Okay."
Li Rufeng was newly married the year before and had a son the next year. He could already walk and speak.
After leaving the study, he turned into the backyard, but he didn't go to see his wife and son. Instead, he went to another courtyard.
As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, a gunshot rang out. Li Rufeng's hair stood on end. His body instinctively reacted faster than his consciousness, and he dodged the attack.
"Boom!"
The wall behind him collapsed.
In the courtyard, a young girl in a cheongsam stood there. Her left hand was on her waist, and her right hand was holding a Mauser repeating rifle.
This was currently the most advanced rifle in the world.
The girl giggled. "Little thief, you trespassed into my courtyard. Are you trying to steal silver or rape me?"
That kind of pure charm that only belonged to a young girl rushed over.
Without waiting for Li Rufeng to speak, she giggled and said, "Don't get silver, but I can give you sex. What do you think of this girl?"
She used her mouth to point at her personal maid, Ruyi.
The maid, who was about the same age as the young miss, suddenly blushed. She lowered her head and looked at the tips of her shoes.
"Your personal maid will be part of your dowry in the future. Big brother, I don't want to offend my future brother-in-law in advance. " After Li Rufeng finished speaking, he angrily stepped forward and knocked her on her head. "Stupid girl, you want to shoot your own big brother?"
"Father said that the country is currently suffering from internal and external problems. Big brother is also the commander of the Assault Battalion. I have to tell you to be vigilant at all times. "The little girl was eloquent and had a glib tongue.
Li Rufeng took the Mauser rifle and used his enhanced ability to fire a shot at the courtyard wall. The bullet exploded a big hole the size of the mouth of a bowl.
Looking at how his sister just destroyed half of the wall with a shot …
Li Rufeng shook his head. "Shameful, shameful."
The girl tiptoed and raised her hand. Her sleeves slid down, revealing her snow-white wrist. She touched Li Rufeng's head. "You've made some progress. You are worth teaching."
Li Rufeng's face darkened. He scolded her. "Go go go. An elder brother is like a father. You are becoming more and more unruly."
The girl puffed up her face like a bun. "An elder brother is like a father, but he always asks his little sister for advice on abilities. Aren't you ashamed?"
。 Sogou
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