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

“Nephew, please sit down! We’re not strangers, really. Your father-in-law, Gongting, is a brother who went through thick and thin with me. We fought the Japanese together in Korea.”

"If it weren't for Brother Gongting leading the troops to cover me, I might have died in Korea and never returned. Haha! Gongting's fame spread far and wide because of this battle, and he rose rapidly through the ranks. I'm so envious!"

"Now that Gongting has such a promising and talented son-in-law as you, I am truly happy for him!"

It must be said that Yuan Xiangcheng was very adept at dealing with people; if Shen Lian hadn't known his background, he would have been fooled by his gentle words.

"My father-in-law also instructed me before I came that I must come and pay my respects to my uncle and humbly listen to his teachings." Shen Lian seized the opportunity.

His father-in-law did indeed have close ties with the Yuan family, having served under Yuan Jiasan, Yuan Xiangcheng's great-uncle, when he joined the army. Although he later joined the Huai Army, the two also shared a friendship forged in the bloody battles of Korea.

Last year, Ronglu established the Wuwei Army, and the two were colleagues. However, they disagreed on the issue of the Boxers; Yuan Shikai was a staunch advocate of suppression, while Nie Gongting expressed sympathy.

This was also the main reason why Yuan Xiangcheng was sent to Shandong as governor; he was there to suppress the Boxers.

However, Shen Lian knew that the relationship between his father-in-law and this fat man was not as good as outsiders imagined.

Well, to put it simply, his father-in-law was a typical soldier, and extremely loyal to the court. Yuan Shikai, on the other hand, had many more ulterior motives. It's not surprising that the two couldn't see eye to eye.

"Haha! Nephew, there's no need for such formalities. Our families are not only old friends, but Brother Gongting and I are also sworn brothers. Your arrival in Shandong is perfect timing. If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to come to me!"

"I heard the imperial court has granted you permission to train 5,000 new troops. Would you like your uncle to help you assign some instructors?" Yuan Xiangcheng asked with concern.

"Thank you for your concern, Uncle. Before I came, my father-in-law had already selected some instructors for me in the Armed Forces. I also studied military affairs in the United States for a few years, so I can give it a try. I will definitely ask for your help if there are any shortcomings."

Shen Lian was too busy guarding against him to dare let him send anyone; that old guy was a master at winning people over. What if his own troops were led astray by him?

Besides, I definitely need to follow the methods of later generations when it comes to training troops, and I don't want him to find out.

"Yes! It would be even better if Brother Gongting sent someone. The Wuwei Army is one of the most elite armies of the imperial court." Although Yuan Xiangcheng was a little disappointed, he still said sincerely. Although his new army was better equipped and trained more hard, it still couldn't compare with Nie Gongting's army in terms of combat experience.

As Shen Lian walked out of the governor's office, he glanced back and thought to himself, "I hope we won't be enemies in the future!" Although this man was severely reviled in later generations, he was still a remarkable figure to have reached that position, and Shen Lian still held him in some respect.

Next, Shen Lian visited the Provincial Treasurer and the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner. He didn't expect them to offer any support; he just hoped they wouldn't cause him any trouble.

The next day, Shen Lian led his men to Linqing, where he planned to build his main base. In Jinan, everything he did was under surveillance; Linqing was far more convenient.

Upon hearing that Shen Lian had returned, all the officials, from the prefect to the county magistrate, went to the city gate to welcome him.

"Greetings, Your Excellency!" As Shen Lian stepped down from the carriage, officials of all ranks bowed in greeting.

Shen Lian quickly walked to his father, Shen Hu, and bowed, saying, "Father, your son is back!"

"Good, good!" Shen Hu's eyes were filled with tears. He hadn't expected his son to be so capable. It was truly a blessing from their ancestors! He had only gone to the capital and returned as a Daotai (a high-ranking official). Although he himself held the rank of a second-grade general, it was far less prestigious than Shen Lian's fourth-grade position as Daotai.

"Get up, all of you! Go back to your respective residences and come back to the General's Mansion in two days." Shen Lian waved his hand. The officials all took their leave.

"Dad, let's go back!" Shen Lian took his father's hand. Seeing his father's energetic appearance, it seemed that the medicine he had given him was effective, and for the time being, there shouldn't be any major problems.

At the entrance of the General's Mansion, Uncle Fu led the crowd, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the general. Lian'er, holding her mother's hand, stood on tiptoe to peer into the distance.

"They're here! They're here! Master, the young master is back!" A few moments later, a line of carriages slowly approached from afar.

The carriage stopped in front of the general's mansion. Shen Lian got out first, and then helped his father down.

"Welcome back to the manor, young master!" Uncle Fu led the group of people to kneel down and pay their respects.

"Get up, all of you, get up!" Shen Lian waved his hand. He then went over and helped Yue'er down. Then the group walked into the mansion.

After entering and sitting down, Shen Lian first introduced Ye Zhennan to his family. The other two advisors were still in Jinan Prefecture handling miscellaneous matters.

"My son is still young and has no experience in officialdom. I'll have to ask Mr. Ye to take good care of him from now on." Shen Hu himself had a secretary, so he knew how much a good secretary could help his son. He thought to himself how thoughtful his in-laws were.

"General, you're too kind. I will certainly do my utmost to assist you." Ye Zhennan was very satisfied with Shen Hu's attitude. Even a high-ranking advisor like him had his own dignity; if the Shen family treated him badly, he would simply turn around and leave. He wouldn't be afraid of having nowhere to go.

Shen Lian mentioned the important things, then gave his father-in-law and mother-in-law to his father and aunt, and returned his younger sister's gifts to them. This made everyone in the family happy.

Nie Xiaoqian also gave each of them a beautiful gift, including Yue'er. This girl is truly thoughtful.

"Uncle Fu, how's the matter I asked you to handle?" After finishing the miscellaneous matters, Shen Lian couldn't wait to ask about the important matter.

"Young master, several factory buildings outside the city have already been completed. The rest are still under construction. We've also received 20,000 catties of tobacco leaves, which have all been stored in the warehouse."

"Two hundred cigarette rolling machines have been manufactured. For now, I've recruited one hundred people. They've been learning for a while and are fully capable of operating them."

"We also made several hundred lighter casings. I'll show them to you later, young master, to see if they're suitable!"

"Good, good! Thank you for your hard work, Uncle Fu!" Seeing that things were progressing, Shen Lian was very satisfied.

Although he's not short of money now, he can't keep going to the modern world to smuggle pearls all the time! His factories not only make a lot of money, but more importantly, they create many jobs, revitalizing the economy of Linqing.

If ordinary people have jobs, they will have money to eat and will no longer rebel. And with these businesses as cover, he can make his wealth appear legitimate.

"Uncle Fu, you might have to work a little harder. Little Tiger and his men will be arriving soon with two thousand horses. We need to find a place to settle them in first."

"Also, I'm about to recruit a large number of soldiers. How are the preparations for the barracks going?"

Shen Lian didn't have anyone to handle these matters for the time being, so he could only leave them to Uncle Fu.