The anti-Qing movement began with the looting of the Eight-Nation Alliance.

Summer of 1950! South China Sea!

A fleet sailed on the sea. Leading the fleet was a luxury cruise ship weighing tens of thousands of tons, flanked by two escort ships of several thousand tons each, tightly protecting the cruise ship within a few hundred meters to its left and right.

"Your Majesty! Marshal of the Army, Marquis Zhang Tieniu of Weiyuan, has come to greet you and requests to board the ship," a guard officer reported to Shen Lian.

"Hey! That Tie Niu, I told him not to come pick me up!" Shen Lian shook his head.

"Let him come up!" Shen Lian said helplessly.

"Your humble servant Zhang Tieniu greets Your Majesty!" A moment later, Zhang Tieniu, dressed in the uniform of an Imperial Army Marshal and holding a gilded scepter, entered and knelt before Shen Lian with a thud.

"Hey, hey! Get up quickly! I abolished the kneeling ceremony a long time ago, why are you still kneeling!" Shen Lian waved his hand.

"Hehe! It's been so many years since I've seen Your Majesty, I can't contain my emotions!" Zhang Tieniu scratched his head.

"You! Without an imperial edict, you dare to leave your post. The censors will impeach you again!"

"His Majesty is on a tour of the South China Sea, how dare I not come to protect him? Let them impeach me if they want! I'm used to it anyway. Hehe!"

"Tie Niu, I have already abdicated! You really don't need to be so attentive." Shen Lian waved his hand.

"Your Majesty!" Zhang Tieniu knelt down once again.

"Your Majesty did not consider me lowly, but promoted me from a lowly soldier to the Imperial Marshal and bestowed upon me the title of Marquis. I could not repay Your Majesty's great kindness even if I were to die! I only wish that my descendants would serve the royal family as slaves and servants."

"Although His Majesty has abdicated, who in this world dares to disrespect him? Our empire's five million soldiers will never allow it!"

Zhang Tieniu's words were firm and resolute, and with each word, a palpable killing intent swept over the cabin, causing the temperature to drop several degrees, and the guards beside him to feel a chill run down their spines.

This is the imposing presence of a veteran general who has traversed Southeast Asia, conquered dozens of countries, and whose hands have taken more than a million lives.

"Alright! Alright! Get up! You're already in your seventies or eighties, and your temper is getting worse and worse!" Shen Lian waved his hand.

"Tie Niu is here! Quickly try my freshly made chilled plum juice, it'll cool you down!" The two had only been sitting for a short while when Xiao Yue'er came out, supported by a palace maid.

"Your humble servant pays respects to Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine! I dare not, I dare not!" Zhang Tieniu hurriedly rose and bowed.

Although Xiao Yue'er was only a Noble Consort, the Empress had died young, and she had managed the inner palace for over twenty years, serving as a model of virtue for the nation. She was deeply loved by the court officials and the common people. Zhang Tieniu dared not neglect her in the slightest.

"Go ahead and drink! It's rare for me to see you. Zhan'er and the others have caused you a lot of trouble over the years, and I haven't been able to thank you in person!" Xiao Yue'er said with a slight smile.

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Zhang Tieniu accepted the plum juice with trepidation.

"The Second Prince and his companions are all outstanding individuals, exceptionally intelligent, considerate of their subordinates, and exemplary in their conduct. Your Majesty, please rest assured!"

"I know my own son perfectly well. He's intelligent, but as for setting a good example..." Xiao Yue'er shook her head with a wry smile.

"Hey! Everyone has their flaws! Zhan'er and the others haven't done anything outrageous, why are you so worried!" Shen Lian reached out and took a shawl, draping it over Xiao Yue'er's shoulders.

"You're not very healthy, and the sea winds are strong, so you should wear more clothes!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Xiao Yue'er smiled sweetly.

Most of Shen Lian's old concubines have passed away, and only Xiao Yue'er is still by his side.

What's remarkable is that even after decades of marriage, His Majesty still treats her the same way he did back then. This brings Xiao Yue'er immense comfort.

"How are you, Tie Niu! I remember you're older than me, aren't you? You suffered serious injuries before, is your body still holding up? It's time for you to retire and enjoy your retirement!"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty! I have already submitted my resignation to the court, but the Emperor has not yet approved it. I will just finish this last shift!" Zhang Tieniu said with a smile.

If an emperor from another dynasty had said this, his subordinates would have thought that the emperor was suspicious of them and wanted to strip them of their military power. But Zhang Tieniu knew that this meant His Majesty truly cared about him.

"Great! Come back to Beijing soon. There aren't many old brothers left. Sometimes I can't even find someone to talk to. Sigh!"

The group chatted casually as the fleet continued south.

"Long live! Long live! Long live!" The fleet arrived in Singapore, the headquarters of the Southern Theater Command. Deafening shouts echoed across the dock.

"Your Majesty, look how much the soldiers and the people love and respect you!" Lai Fu said excitedly from the side.

Shen Lian and Xiao Yue'er stood on the ship's side, smiling and waving down.

Shen Lian was also filled with excitement. The empire he had built stretched north to the Arctic Ocean, encompassing the entirety of Siberia. South to the Pacific Ocean, it included Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Its territory extends west to the entire Ili River Valley in Central Asia and east to the Hawaiian Islands.

This was the largest empire in history, with a land area of ​​over 50 million square kilometers.

Shen Lian deserves the cheers and love of the people!

Shen Lian and his family stayed in Singapore for three days before setting off for Australia. His more than fifty children, and countless grandchildren and great-grandchildren, were all waiting for him there.

All of Shen Lian's sons were enfeoffed in these overseas territories.

The largest kingdom was the Nan'ao Kingdom, ruled by his eldest son, Shen Zhan. As his first son with Xiao Yue'er, he was also deeply loved.

His abilities are even greater than those of Crown Prince Shen Junze, but there's nothing he can do about it, since he's born out of wedlock!

To compensate him, Shen Lian bestowed upon him almost half of Australia's land.

After reuniting with his family in Australia, Shen Lian's last stop was the Maldives. However, he has now changed it to Shenlong Island. This is a private retreat he created himself, where he stays for two months every year.

(The End)

Although I'm reluctant to say goodbye, there's nothing I can do! I'm so sorry everyone, I have to end this abruptly!

I'm planning to start a new book. One title is "I Am Cheng Ji, a Very Capable Practitioner!" Another idea is to write about the Three Kingdoms period, unifying the world with the Prime Minister! Which theme do you all think is better?