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

"I wonder what Uncle thinks of the current situation?" Shen Lian asked instead of refuting the other party.

Nie Gongting's lips moved slightly, but he didn't speak.

"Uncle, corrupt officials are rampant in the court these days. Local governors and viceroys are acting independently, and resentment is rising everywhere. The Western powers are even more ambitious and covetous, ready to carve up and enslave us at any moment."

"It's fair to say that the current situation is extremely precarious. Everyone in the court is pretending not to see it, thinking they can just bury their heads in the sand! Heh!" Shen Lian sneered.

"How dare you! How dare you, a mere student studying in the US, question matters of national importance?" Nie Gongting roared, but he had to admit that Shen Lian's words made a lot of sense.

But what good was it knowing that, despite his command of a large army, he couldn't mobilize a single soldier without orders from above?

"Uncle, the Boxer Rebellion is escalating in Zhili and Shandong. Opinions within the court are divided: some advocate for appeasement, some for suppression, and others for support."

"I can say with certainty that without swift and decisive action, they would definitely cause even bigger trouble. Uncle, what do you think the great powers will do then?"

"The great powers have been waiting for a pretext to send troops for a long time. The reason they haven't acted yet is simply because they are not happy about dividing the spoils and are keeping each other in check," Shen Lian said without waiting for a reply.

"What if such a thing happens?"

"Hmph, my Celestial Empire has hundreds of thousands of troops. What do we have to fear from mere foreigners!" Nie Gongting slammed his fist on the table.

"Uncle, you were also personally involved in the First Sino-Japanese War. What happened to our army? At that time, the Beiyang Fleet was known as the sixth largest in the world, but what happened? It was completely wiped out! And these were just the small Japanese devils; they were no match for the Western countries."

To persuade his father-in-law to help him, Shen Lian had to resort to drastic measures, reopening old wounds.

The First Sino-Japanese War can be considered a major battle that marked Nie Gongting's rise to prominence. He risked his life and fought several brilliant battles. However, the retreat of his allies without a fight also put him in danger several times. He knew then that he could not defeat the enemy by relying solely on his own bravery.

Several years had passed, and he was unwilling to bring it up. He could only bury himself in training his troops, hoping to one day avenge his humiliation. Unfortunately, reality dealt him a harsh blow; the court remained peaceful and prosperous, and even his military funds were being cut.

The thought of all this tormented him. He had devoted himself wholeheartedly to the country and the court, risking his life and shedding blood, his body covered in wounds. Unfortunately, the higher-ups still didn't trust him; they only used him when he was useful, and once he was no longer needed, he had to keep a low profile. He lived cautiously in the capital, as if walking on thin ice.

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Nie Gongting stared at Shen Lian with his tiger-like eyes.

"Uncle, I only want to say that chaos is coming. Whether it is to protect our lives and families or to serve the country, we urgently need to command an elite army. I hope you can help me." Shen Lian bowed deeply and said.

Nie Gongting breathed a sigh of relief; he thought Shen Lian was about to say something even more outrageous!

"Given your current status, inheriting the guerrilla rank is already the best outcome. Don't be too ambitious. Go back and train two battalions of men first. Once you've achieved some merit, I'll help you secure a higher military rank." Nie Gongting waved his hand.

Upon hearing this, Shen Lian felt disheartened. It turned out that all his talking had been for nothing!

"Ahem, Father, Zhiyuan. Actually, it's not that it's impossible, it's just..." Nie Xianfan coughed.

"Second brother, what's the plan? Tell me quickly." Shen Lian was overjoyed upon hearing this. Nie Gongting also turned to look at his son.

“Father, we’ve all fallen into a misconception. It’s not only military officers who can lead troops. In fact, civil officials lead troops far more often, and they have more power and are subject to fewer checks and balances.” Nie Xianfan stroked his mustache as he said this.

"And then? Second brother, just say it!" This guy stopped halfway through his sentence, which annoyed Shen Lian. Nie Gongting, on the other hand, looked thoughtful.

"Actually, it's not that complicated to do. Brother Zhiyuan can first donate a Daotai (a high-ranking official position), and then smooth things over to see how to officially appoint them as Taiwu Lindao. However, it may cost quite a bit of money. It's simple to be a candidate Daotai, at most ten thousand taels of silver according to the current market. But if it's an official position, and you have to appoint them as Taiwu Lindao, I don't know how much silver it will cost!"

"If we really appoint a Circuit Intendant, he can not only manage the army, but also the people. A Circuit Intendant has several prefectures and more than ten counties. At that time, let alone five thousand soldiers, if we really know how to manage, supporting ten thousand soldiers would be no problem!"

"Good, good, good! This is great. I hope Second Brother can help me smooth things over. I'm willing to spend any amount of money." Shen Lian was overjoyed upon hearing this. Not only would he have soldiers, but he would also be able to control a territory. Then his plan could be implemented even better.

Nie Gongting snorted coldly, expressing his dissatisfaction with their blatant buying of official positions. However, he did not speak up to stop them.

"Heh! When it comes to these crooked ways, you should go find Lao San. He's more knowledgeable than I am," Nie Xianfan said, shaking his head.

At this moment, the Gaosheng Teahouse on Qianmen Street was bustling with activity, its downstairs seats filled with tea drinkers. This was the most lively teahouse in the capital, frequented by merchants from all over the country and numerous officials traveling to Beijing. People liked to sit here when they had nothing else to do. Of course, it also included many impoverished princes and nobles of the Eight Banners.

Downstairs was quite lively, with many well-dressed Manchu bannermen carrying birdcages and shouting for their waiters. Don't be fooled by their impressive appearance; they were just there for a bowl of cheap liquor, and probably didn't even have a penny in their pockets.

Since the Manchus entered the Central Plains, their population has grown from over two hundred thousand to several million. Princes and nobles are everywhere, while generals and assistant generals are treated worse than dogs. All they have left is their noble status; they have nothing else.

These people were too weak to lift a finger. According to regulations, they couldn't do any other work, so they could only loaf around and wait to die. Therefore, the lower-class Manchus also lived a very miserable life, spending their days doing nothing but cockfighting, dog racing, drinking tea, and watching plays.

The second-floor private room was filled with smoke. Nie Shuping was spouting off a string of boastful words.

"See this? It's called a lighter. You've never seen one before, have you? It'll blow your mind! This is a treasure from America, thousands of miles away. It's one of a kind in the whole country. Day or night, rain or shine, just take it out and see. It lights right away!"

As Nie Shuping spoke, she lit her lighter with a "snap." The newcomer stared in disbelief.

He'd already repeated this line several times, and the people who arrived earlier were getting a little impatient. But they had no choice but to play along, feigning surprise. After all, this kid had something good today! They could only flatter him and try to get an extra cigarette.

"Who is it! Shouting like that here!" Just as Nie Shuping was showing off, a voice came in.