Master Yuan, start!

Upon hearing this, Ming Ye simply expressed all his concerns: "Chief Instructor, if Korea abolishes feudal systems and establishes counties, wouldn't it first be under the jurisdiction of the Qing court? What will happen to the Korean people's braids then?"

What a big deal Yuan Xiangcheng was dealing with, it turned out to be such a problem.

"Don't worry about this matter. I have already told the central government of the Qing court frankly that the vassal states have their own national conditions. Even if we abolish the vassal states and set up counties, we cannot rashly shave our heads and change our clothes. We must give them time to adapt. It can only be implemented slowly after a generation." When he said this, Yuan Xiangcheng showed a slight smile.

"Mingye, you've always known my ambitions. Will the Qing Dynasty still exist in this world after a generation?"

Mingye also raised the corners of his mouth and started laughing.

The reason why the Qing court agreed to Yuan Shikai's suggestion was ultimately because of its lack of strength.

If the current Manchu Qing Dynasty had the strength it had in the early Qing Dynasty, it would definitely not agree to delay the shaving of hair and changing of clothes, and would want to shave the hair of all Koreans overnight.

However, the current Qing court was strong on the outside but weak on the inside. Wanting Korea to submit was like a boy trying to coax his girlfriend into marriage. He was worried that if he pushed too hard, the girl would not want to marry him, and he was also worried that if he didn't care enough, the marriage would fall through.

...:

...

The singing of Chinese men during the Nanyuan military parade seemed to still echo over the capital, but Courbet and the captured French soldiers had already laid down their weapons one by one in accordance with the treaty and went to Dagukou, Tianjin, intending to board the ship to return home.

Yuan Xiangcheng was also settling various affairs and planned to set off soon.

Just when Yuan Xiangcheng was negotiating with the Ministry of War and planning to get the French 90mm field cannon to the Jiashen Central Army, an acquaintance came to Yuan Xiangcheng's house.

"Brother Kang Youwei from Guangsha, I haven't seen you for a long time. I didn't expect to see you in the capital again. Xiangcheng thought you had already returned to Guangdong."

"Last year, due to the Sino-French War, the imperial court postponed the imperial examination. I was worried that the war in Guangxi would spread to Guangdong, so I did not return home." Kang Youwei had a bitter face, obviously looking like he was worried.

"Weiting, I know you are distressed, but rest assured, the scholars of the capital and the people of the world will never vent their anger on you. You fought the French in the capital and captured the French commander. This is a great achievement. If it weren't for you, the Qing Dynasty might have perished at the hands of the French. Yet, the court signed such a humiliating treaty."

Yuan Xiangcheng thought to himself, I am not depressed at all. Not only did I get promoted and make a fortune, I almost got a wife.

But he couldn't say this to Kang Youwei, so he pondered and said, "Brother Guangsha, this is wrong. Defending our country is a soldier's duty. Now that the war is over, obeying orders is also an official's duty.

I will be leaving for Korea soon. Brother Guangsha, are you willing to go with me and create a grand occasion for Haidong?"

Kang Youwei had no interest in listening to Yuan Xiangcheng's talk about going to Korea. Instead, he revealed his inner plan: "Brother Weiting, I have gathered over a hundred scholars from inside and outside the capital, and am contacting candidates from the southeast. I want to gather the strength of candidates from eighteen provinces to petition the court. I now ask for your signature!"

Yuan Xiangcheng's expression froze, and he thought to himself that history really has its strong inertia, and the petition on the bus has finally arrived.

He said calmly, "The Central Government has its own decision. Even if we, the officials of the court, are dissatisfied, we should not disobey the order." But he changed the subject and replied to Kang Youwei, "However, the people will have their own opinions. I can give you, Brother Guangsha, a hundred taels of silver as a subsidy, but I am sorry that Xiangcheng cannot help you with the joint signature."

Seeing this, Kang Youwei naturally couldn't insist any further and could only chat for a while before bowing and leaving.

Before leaving, Yuan Xiangcheng reminded him, "Brother Guangsha, if things are hopeless, you can come to Korea and seek refuge with me. Xiangcheng will definitely protect you!"

...

Before Yuan Xiangcheng had finished resting, the next day, the Inspector General of Customs, Robert Hart, took someone to Yuan Xiangcheng's residence.

"Sir Yuan, this is William, the head of Far East affairs for Britain's most famous GKN Steel Company." Hurd pointed to a bald man wearing a hat and introduced him to Yuan Xiangcheng.

"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. William." Yuan Xiangcheng went straight to the point.

"Mr. Hurd said that you are interested in establishing some steel industries in North Korea, so you want to seek my help?" William felt the weather was stuffy and took off his hat and said.

"That's right. I discovered a large-scale coal mine near Pyongyang, North Korea, and our Shengjing region, which is close to North Korea, happens to be rich in iron ore resources, so I would like to discuss a deal with you."

"Master Yuan, if I heard correctly, you want to open a steel mill in North Korea, right? Will the North Korean government agree?"

"Don't worry, the North Korean government is a vassal state of our country. I will be leaving for North Korea soon, so I can give you a definite answer."

"If that's the case, it's not impossible. However, building a mine requires a huge amount of money, and I need to report to the London headquarters." William touched his forehead, a little undecided.

"Mr. William, in addition to GKN, I also consulted Carnegie Steel in the United States, and they also gave an optimistic response after exploration. I think, if there is a lack of funds, can the three parties jointly build it?" Yuan Xiangcheng raised his eyebrows and gave his thoughts.

"As for the funds, Mr. William, don't worry. If the coal mine is successfully established, I will fulfill my due responsibilities and pay my share of the principal in full." The nearly one million taels of silver that Yuan Shikai robbed during the Korean coup seemed like a lot.

But even with the Qing government's subsidies, after half a year of training soldiers and purchasing special weapons, more than 9 taels were spent, and nearly half was left.

In the late Qing Dynasty, the capital required to open a coal mine, such as the Kaiping Coal Mine, was nearly 50 taels. If the subsequent construction of the railway was not counted, the cost was only this much.

But Yuan Xiangcheng didn't want to spend all the money at once, so he had to find someone to co-organize it.

But William still seemed undecided. Seeing this, Yuan Xiangcheng could only take out a piece of paper and hand it to William.

"Mr. William, this is the information for the Kaiping Coal Mine. Four years ago, a total investment of 4 taels was made, but last year, they produced nearly 70 tons of coal, earning a profit of one tael per ton at the market price. It will pay off in just a few years." Yuan Xiangcheng paused, then continued in a firm tone, "And I believe coal production will continue to rise. Annual production of one million tons will not be a problem."

In later generations, the Kaiping Coal Mine's annual output was indeed close to 1898 tons in 80. If it had not been seized by the Americans, it would not have been impossible to exceed one million in a few years.

Seeing William's interest, Yuan Xiangcheng announced another important point: "If possible, build a railway connecting Pyongyang and Shengjing. We will also seek help from the British Empire. I think a railway will also be very helpful for transporting ore." Yuan Xiangcheng looked at Hurd, who was acting as an interpreter, and deliberately raised his voice and said:

"Besides, this railway may be extended to Beijing in the future."

After hearing the talk of building a railway, William was finally persuaded, but just as he was about to speak, Hurd's reaction was even greater than William's.

"Sir Yuan, can you guarantee the truth of what you said?" After all, the story of the horse-drawn train on the Tang-Xu Railway happened only three years ago, so Hurd did not quite believe that Yuan Shikai would dare to build a railway to the capital.

"Mr. Hurd, there's an old Chinese saying that goes, 'Everything depends on human effort.' How can you expect success if you don't try?

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If I hadn't tried, I might still be in Lushun, and the French would have captured our emperor long ago." Yuan Xiangcheng made a light joke.

Zero Hed naturally smiled when he heard this. William knew a little Chinese, but he could not understand the long and difficult sentences Yuan Xiangcheng said, so he stood there in a daze.

4 Yuan Xiangcheng added: "I can't guarantee that the railway can be built to Beijing in a short time, but I can ensure that the connection between Pyongyang and Shengjing will not be a problem."

"If so, I will send relevant personnel to explore the Pyongyang coal mine. If confirmed, GKN will be happy to open a coal mine in Pyongyang. We will also be happy to explore and build the railway from Pyongyang to Shengjing." William took out a pen and paper and quickly drafted a memorandum of cooperation.

5. "Happy cooperation!" Yuan Xiangcheng confidently signed his name on the memorandum of cooperation.

4 In the welcoming banquet for Yuan Shikai's return to Korea, all the Koreans, from the king to the three prime ministers and even the officials in Seoul, participated.

The banquet was held in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace, with King Lee Hee seated in the center of the platform, Queen Min sitting on the right, and Yuan Xiangcheng on Lee Hee's left.

The remaining Korean ministers were asked to sit in their chosen seats on the east and west sides according to the traditional rules of the Yangban nobility.

q Korean customs still require separate meals, and since this was a banquet for ministers from a higher country, a rectangular low table was placed in front of each person.

Hundreds of low tables were placed in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace today. Most of the people were seated there, but some seats were still empty.

However, regardless of whether there are people on the seats or not, they are filled with traditional Korean foods such as rice cakes, cold noodles, kelp soup, and fish cakes.

What surprised Yuan Xiangcheng was that there was a bowl of steaming dog meat soup on the table on such a hot day.

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It really opened Yuan Xiangcheng's eyes.

He knew that North Koreans liked to eat dog meat, but eating boiling hot dog meat soup in the hottest days of summer was still a bit beyond his tolerance.

Therefore, Yuan Xiangcheng did not rush to eat meat. Instead, he drank while observing the expressions of everyone at the banquet, while thinking in his mind how to implement the new policy in Korea.

In the battle of the capital, Yuan Shikai's right army suffered a combined loss of 7000% in Tianjin and Incheon towns, but he recruited % of the troops in the capital, so he brought more than troops to the court.

Adding the 4000 troops originally stationed in Incheon, he still had an army of over ten thousand people in North Korea.

Korea had never seen such a large army since the Japanese invasion of Ganghwa, let alone one so heavily armed that it defeated the mighty French army.

So as soon as the news of Yuan Shikai's landing in Incheon spread, the somewhat unstable situation in Korea immediately calmed down.

The article "The winner cedes territory, a shame for a great country" published in the Seoul Sun has not been mentioned anymore in recent days.

A few days ago, the theory of Qing Dynasty's weakness, which was hotly discussed among some nobles in Seoul, also drifted away with the wind like clouds in the sky of North Korea.

However, Yuan Shikai had already received news from his Korean friend, Minister of State Kim Byung-shi, and knew that there were undercurrents within Seoul.

Especially some of the illegitimate nobles in North Korea were a little too eccentric.

The so-called yangban aristocracy is a clan class that lasted from the Goryeo Dynasty to the Joseon Dynasty. The children of the yangban obtained official positions through imperial examinations and nepotism, and also maintained their status through marriage, which was a hereditary system.

Similar to the nobles and literati of the Ming Dynasty, except that the literati could not inherit the title.

Because they were divided into a literary class and a martial arts class, they were combined into two classes.

After the fall of Goryeo, Lee Seong-gye, the founding monarch of the Joseon Dynasty, felt that the expansion of the yangban aristocracy was a burden to the country, so he dismissed some low-level rural officials from the yangban group and called them middlemen.

Therefore, apart from the royal family, the subjects of Korea can be divided into four classes.

The top civil and military nobles of the Yangban class

Middle-class clerks, technical officials, illegitimate children

Ordinary people

Untouchable slaves, servants, etc.

However, after hundreds of years of reproduction, the number of yangban continued to increase, so successive Korean kings had to limit the number of yangban and introduced the so-called "illegitimate imprisonment law."

That is, even among the yangban nobles, only the legitimate sons born to the wife had the opportunity to enter the yangban class, while the sons born to concubines and illegitimate sons could not even take the imperial examinations.

At the same time, in order to ensure the continuation of the noble status of the Yangban class, in addition to the regular imperial examinations, North Korea will also hold "special tests", similar to the "Enke" in the Ming and Qing dynasties. However, this special test is not open to everyone, but is specially tailored for the Yangban class.

Why is it tailor-made? Under the communication conditions in ancient times, "Bie Shi" would often only be notified a few days before the exam.

In this case, the ones who get the news are often the children of the two groups who have internal channels, and ordinary scholars don’t even have time to rush to the examination hall. Besides, it’s not over yet.

During the nearly 600 years of the Joseon Dynasty, the formal imperial examinations were only held 163 times, but there were 581 other examinations.

Therefore, the situation in China's imperial examination system where one "becomes a farmer in the morning and ascends to the emperor's hall in the evening" basically does not exist in Korea.

Just like in the 21st century, when Yuan Xiangcheng was watching luxury car videos on a short video platform, he saw a sentence in the comment section: If you are not born with a car like Rolls-Royce, it will be difficult to own one in this life.

The same is true for non-yangban people in North Korea. If you are not born into the yangban class, it will be difficult for you to become a noble in this life.

But the situation will not stand still, and time is not eternal.

As time progressed, there would always be some nobles whose fortunes declined due to political infighting or the extravagance of their descendants. There would also always be some commoners, even untouchables, who would become wealthy through various means such as business. If one became wealthy, one would always have to have some status.

Just like after the Industrial Revolution, British capitalists demanded political benefits and wanted to have the right to vote.

History is a circle. Hundreds of years ago, wealthy businessmen in North Korea also wanted to seek blessings in terms of status.

In the middle of the Joseon Dynasty, Toyotomi Hideyoshi invaded Korea. The Kingdom of Korea suffered losses from years of war, so it began to think of selling official positions to make money. In addition, the government was not strong enough, so it had to rely on the volunteer army to fight.

Chaos is the ladder.

After a great war, many common people and untouchables obtained aristocratic status through money or military merit and became members of the yangban class.

In the later period, the officials of the Kingdom of Joseon were lazy and negligent in their work, and a large number of registered residents were lost. Some people then forged family genealogies and claimed that they were also descendants of the Yangban class. It was not until the Japanese annexed Korea that they discovered that more than 80% of the population claimed to be descendants of the Yangban class.

This is why the surnames Jin, Li, Park, Cui, Zheng, Jiang, and Yin are so prevalent on the Korean Peninsula in later generations. In the original time and space, the population of Jin, Li, and Park in South Korea even accounted for half of the national population.

Everyone wanted to be a noble, so naturally they would rely on the surnames of the Yangban class. The prevalence of the Yangban class was a testament to this.

In Korea during the late Qing Dynasty, the invasion of Western powers and the expansion of the yangban elite were constantly squeezing the living space of the common people.