Chapter 1

Qianlong 51st year (1786).

On the 27th day of the 11th lunar month, due to the magistrate of Taiwan Prefecture and the Taiwan Dao official Sun Jingsui's crackdown on the Heaven and Earth Society, he arrested the uncles of Lin Shuangwen, the leader of the Heaven and Earth Society. Lin Shuangwen then led his troops to break into the prison and rebel, claiming that fifty thousand people responded to his call.

On the 29th day of the 11th lunar month, they captured Changhua, killed the magistrate of Taiwan, Sun Jingsui, and occupied the Changhua County government office, proclaiming himself "Alliance Leader and Great Marshal" and establishing the era name Shun Tian.

On the 1st day of the 12th lunar month, Wang Zuo and Li Tong in the northern region also led their followers to respond, killing the vice magistrate of Danshui and attacking the new city of Hsinchu...

~~

"Miss, Miss, wake up quickly!"

Zheng Xuan yan groggily opened her eyes. She didn't know how long she had been unconscious, but she saw Xiao Xi kneeling beside her, shaking her shoulders, her face tear-streaked, and repeatedly calling out.

As the dizziness subsided, Zheng Xuan yan looked around.

A few decapitated bodies were piled up beside a large rock in the forest, covered by weeds and branches.

There was also a group of strangely dressed people, wearing brownish-red vests over plain white clothes, with tattoos on their faces, and wearing headbands or feathers. They were strong and muscular, with thick body hair, giving an indescribable sense of terror, as if they were wild people from the deep mountains.

They gathered around the stones in the forest, muttering to each other in a language that no one could understand.

"Where is Mr. Zhou?" Zheng Xuan yan asked, somewhat frightened.

She was very vague about what had happened before, only vaguely remembering that she had landed in Hsinchu and was on her way to Changhua when she encountered a civilian uprising. They had fled deep into the mountains.

But the bandits still pursued them, and after a series of battles, they had no choice but to follow Mr. Zhou's shout: "Charge into the Han-Aborigine boundary line!" The carriage then jolted violently, making her dizzy, and after a final violent shake, she lost consciousness.

Especially when she touched her forehead, she could still feel the pain, confirming that she had been knocked out.

Xiao Xi, with tears in her eyes, still showing fear, said shakily, "They... they brought us into the deep mountains and were killed by the wild people, who... took their heads... sniff... Miss, we are going to die... what should we do!"

Seeing Xiao Xi crying with tears streaming down her face, Zheng Xuan yan felt a deep sense of helplessness, sighing at the unpredictability of fate and the whims of destiny.

She sighed, "The flowers of spring have faded, too soon. Alas, the morning rain... sigh... such is fate..." Two tears rolled down her pale cheeks, a sign of her委屈 (grievance).

She could only express her resignation in this way.

She had been sold by her family for a good price to marry a high-ranking official as a concubine. Originally, as a Manchu woman, she should have entered the palace to be selected as a concubine, but the emperor was old and had not held the selection for eight years, giving others the opportunity.

Especially for Manchu women, they had become objects of division in the political arena.

A concubine had no status and was bound to be bullied and beaten, as the song of the Manchu women who married into other families goes: "Cabbage leaves, yellow on the ground, my mother tells me not to be sad. I drank my mother's milk when I was young, and now I serve another's mother. They eat noodles, I drink soup; they raise pigs, I mix the feed; they kill pigs, I hold the legs; they eat meat, I lick the bones. Sticks beat me, and every word curses my mother."

Now, her situation was even more tragic. She had just arrived on the island and encountered a civilian uprising, fleeing to the wilderness and being ambushed by "wild people." Her life was now in the hands of others, and she might become someone's slave, truly a case of misfortunes never coming singly.

Xiao Xi, who understood nothing, cried and said, "Miss... sniff... at this moment, why are you still reciting poetry..."

Zheng Xuan yan wiped away her tears and looked at her helplessly, "Do you have any good ideas?"

"No... sniff... Xiao Xi is so stupid, what can I do?" Xiao Xi wiped her eyes and cutely sniffed.

The "wild people" saw the two women, one sighing and the other crying, and found it annoying, wishing they could just end it all with a single blow.

But they held back, not making a move.

Suddenly.

They heard the sound of hooves from a distance, the sound of galloping horses, and the movement of figures, seemingly a cavalry unit.

The first to appear was a man dressed in strange clothing, riding a horse.

A gray-blue coat wrapped around a small shirt, and loose-fitting long pants with exposed pockets, unlike the "wild people's" attire, but strangely attractive.

He had a clear and handsome face, with sharp features and a piercing gaze, giving an aura of aloofness and even a touch of heroism.

Most notably, his hairstyle was unique, with a long ponytail at the back and short hair around it, very different from the queue of the Qing people.

At this moment, the man's face showed some displeasure, making one want to ask what was wrong.

He noticed someone looking at him with fear and curiosity and followed their gaze, seeing Zheng Xuan yan and Xiao Xi lying on the ground, dirty and disheveled.

At this moment, Zheng Xuan yan, though covered in mud, still exuded an elegant aura, with clear eyes and a delicate face, even a touch of delicate beauty, reminiscent of Lin Daiyu, making one think: What a beauty!

As for the little maid, he simply ignored her.

The young man turned to the "wild people" and said in standard Mandarin, "Dugli, are these all the people you mentioned?"

Zheng Xuan yan and Xiao Xi were confused by this familiar and pure Beijing dialect, wondering how it could appear in such a remote place.

"Do you want more? These are the people our clan worked hard to capture. There were a few strong men, but they were not obedient, so we killed them..." Dugli, one of the "wild people," said disdainfully in a strange Mandarin.

"Fine, two people then. What do you want in exchange?" The young man glanced at Zheng Xuan yan and Xiao Xi, feeling somewhat depressed.

"One person for two bags of salt, four bags for a woman. These two have delicate skin, so three bags for each. The information you want for two bags of salt." Dugli gestured with his fingers.

Three bags of salt for delicate skin?

A noblewoman being sold like a pig, and even being evaluated for strength?

Delicate skin was a sign of delicacy, and Xiao Xi, whose brain seemed to be short-circuited, felt that her mistress was being sold cheaply, as if she were being insulted. She loudly defended, "Why is Miss only worth three bags of salt? Are we not women?"

Zheng Xuan yan tugged at her clothes, suppressing her voice, "Xiao Xi, be quiet!" She was afraid that Xiao Xi's rash actions would anger them and looked at Zheng Xuan with fear.

But Xiao Xi persisted, "Miss, you are a Manchu woman and should not be sold so cheaply."

In her eyes, Manchu women were born noble and should not be belittled. Cheap things were not durable, and the same logic applied to people. A woman worth three bags of salt would not be valued after being bought.

Everyone looked at her, especially her unique way of thinking, making them want to comment. Finally, Dugli said, "We won't buy this woman. My knife can't hold back."

Zheng Xuan yan, hearing this, was even more panicked, shielding Xiao Xi and threatening the man, "Young sir, if you don't buy her, I won't let you have me either!"

Her tone was very firm, unlike the noblewomen he had seen before, who would sacrifice their servants to save themselves. This was unusual.

Has the world changed?

The man looked at her for a while. He had seen noblewomen who would not even dare to breathe in his presence, willing to sacrifice their servants to save themselves. Now, it was the opposite, which was rare.

After staring for a while, he asked calmly, "You have spirit. What is your name?"

"Zheng... Xuan... Yan!" Zheng Xuan yan said each word clearly, staring at him and preparing for the last moment of her life.

"Are you from the Han Three Banners?"

"Yes!"

Zheng Xuan yan gritted her teeth and nodded, but the man's face showed surprise.

It was not his fault for being surprised.

The man had originally thought Zheng Xuan yan was Manchu or Mongolian, but she turned out to be a descendant of Zheng Keshuang, the grandson of Zheng Chenggong, from a hundred years ago.

He was somewhat familiar with this history.

At that time, Zheng Keshuang was forced to surrender to the Qing, a dark chapter in the Zheng family's history, but it was understandable to save the clan.

First, they faced a formidable opponent, Shi Lang; second, after Zheng Chenggong's death, internal power struggles were severe, and the army was disunited, with no heart for further fighting.

They eventually surrendered to the Qing, were incorporated into the Han Banners, and lived in the capital.

In fact, after Zheng Chenggong's death, the entire family was in disarray, with some supporting surrender to the Qing, others remaining loyal to Zheng Chenggong, and refusing to surrender. This led to internal conflicts, with some surrendering, others fighting to the death, and some hiding in the mountains, while others crossed the sea to Southeast Asia.

One branch fled to the Lanyang Plain, also known as Gāmālán, which is now known as Yilan County.

He himself was from that branch, but it had been over a hundred years since the main family, and no one knew how many generations had passed. At the rate of one generation every sixteen years, it was probably around eight or nine generations, and the bloodline had been diluted. Only the surname remained.

"Do you know my name?" the man asked calmly.

Zheng Xuan yan shook her head, feeling curious, as if there was some connection, but still held Xiao Xi tightly.

"Zheng Xuan, a descendant of Zheng Chenggong."

His voice was very calm.

After saying this, he turned to Dugli and said, "This girl too, for four bags of salt."

"Seven bags of salt. This pig looks like she wants to be killed. If it weren't for the salt, she would be dead already," Dugli said dejectedly.

"You really know how to do business. Fine, let's make the deal." Zheng Xuan threw twelve bags of salt over.

Dugli and his clan caught them nimbly, opened them, and seeing the white salt inside, smiled and said to Zheng Xuan, "You're a good man!"

"Tell me the news from the western mountains."

Dugli had his clan put away the salt and said, "The Han people are in turmoil, white clothes fighting blue clothes and red hats, killing all the way to Jilong. That's Saisiyat territory, unfamiliar, so we didn't see the outcome."

After saying this, he stood up and led his clan into the forest.

"Damn, this is called news?" Zheng Xuan said angrily.

Dugli waved his hand and said casually, "Take good care of my sister. Next time, I want to trade for a gun..."

"Ah, a wasted trip." Zheng Xuan shook his head and returned, looking at the two women on the ground, "Fortunately, you encountered a matrilineal society of the Atayal people, or you would have become someone's breeding slave."

Then he asked, "Can you ride a horse?"

At this moment, Xiao Xi was already terrified, sitting on the ground, pale-faced, and would have wet herself if she hadn't gone a day and a night without food or drink.

Zheng Xuan yan quickly answered, "Yes!"

~~

Manchu women can ride horses? Manchu women really can ride horses!

Zheng Xuan stared blankly at Zheng Xuan yan, who was sitting stiffly on the horse, one hand holding the reins, while her maid clung to her tightly. They were like two wooden statues, not moving at all, letting the horse go down the mountain freely?

And with their eyes closed?

Is this what they call automatic driving?

Zheng Xuan was speechless. It seemed that the Eight Banners in the capital had become quite degenerate, with even the women not knowing how to ride horses, a traditional skill for Manchu people, regardless of age or gender.

However, this was a good omen. The Eight Banners had become useless, and the entire Qianlong era had a half-dead army.

At this moment, Zheng Xuan yan was extremely nervous.

Her previous resignation and acceptance of her fate had disappeared, and now her biggest challenge was how to ride the horse well. The slope below was steep, with loose rocks falling, making her very afraid. She gripped the reins tightly, sweating profusely.

It wasn't that she didn't want to move, but she was too scared to, her legs trembling.

She had ridden a horse once or twice, but her family had stopped her, instead teaching her a lot of etiquette and rules, even hiring a lady-in-waiting.

"A noblewoman, why did you leave your home to come here? For a winter outing?"

Zheng Xuan, unable to bear the two idiots, grabbed their reins, rode his own horse, and led their horses down the mountain.

"To be a concubine." Zheng Xuan yan answered briefly.

She still maintained a hostile attitude towards the man named "Zheng Xuan," as his identity was still unknown. Especially his hairstyle, without the familiar queue, made him seem not a Qing person, possibly a bandit from somewhere.

"Manchu women becoming concubines, unheard of. Don't you have to enter the palace to be selected as a concubine?" Zheng Xuan asked suspiciously.

"Someone tampered with things." Zheng Xuan yan answered briefly.

This explanation made Zheng Xuan understand.

The Qing Dynasty was a unique era where money could buy anything.

In the Qing Dynasty, a concubine was not a person but the private property of the man, similar to a slave, not registered in the official records, and not protected by Qing law, strictly speaking, not part of the family.

As long as you had money, it was not a big deal for a Manchu woman to become a concubine. With money, all laws were just scraps of paper, and this was all due to Heshen's sin silver system and the corrupt practices in the Qing bureaucracy.

"To whom?"

"Sun Jingsui."

"Ah, that fat pig. Are you married? If you are, you will have to remain a widow."

"Do you know him? What happened to him?"

"Taiwan Prefecture and Dao official, who doesn't know? But he has already been killed, it seems last month. Your information is outdated."

Zheng Xuan's words were somewhat insincere, as he did not know the exact details. However, he knew some history of the Lin Shuangwen uprising, where Sun Jingsui was the first to be sacrificed.

Looking at Zheng Xuan yan, he saw her face relax, and she closed her mouth, indicating she did not want to marry Sun Jingsui.

"Alas... it's a pity. Even a minor official can manipulate affairs in the capital, showing how corrupt the Qianlong era has become." Zheng Xuan muttered to himself.

It was now the 51st year of Qianlong, 1786. Emperor Qianlong, the great old man, Aisin Gioro Hongli, was 76 years old, nearing his goal of a perfect life, and this period was known as the Qianlong Prosperity.

Of course, the world was also undergoing a great transformation.

In the 13th year of Qianlong (1748), Montesquieu published the famous "The Spirit of the Laws"; in the 20th year, the Prussian Kant published "A General History of Nature and Theory of the Heavens," explaining the formation of the solar system with the nebular hypothesis.

In the 22nd year, the British defeated the French and became the largest colonizer in India.

In the 30th year, the British Hargreaves invented the spinning jenny, ushering in a new era of textile production.

In the 48th year, the United States was founded.

In the 50th year, Watt invented the universal steam engine, marking the beginning of the steam age.

Comparing the development of world civilization in the 18th century, the Qianlong era was a time of survival without development, a so-called "hungry prosperity."

The powerful empire was entering its twilight years.

Especially with Heshen in power, the sin silver system, and the opium smuggled by the British, the entire Qing bureaucracy was rapidly decaying. Many governors and provincial administrators openly banned opium while secretly using it, and the army was no different.

After the great old man's death, his descendants squandered the family fortune, leading to two wars, the destruction of the Summer Palace, the loss of Taiwan, Outer Mongolia, and Northeast China, causing heart-wrenching pain.

However, these were not the things Zheng Xuan needed to think about now.

The Lin Shuangwen uprising would eventually affect the entire island, with fleeing soldiers entering Taitung to burn, kill, and plunder, threatening his base in Gāmālán, now known as Yilan.

Now, it was impossible for Zheng Xuan to remain safe in the chaos.

In ten years, the Qing would completely rule Taiwan, exploiting the people, followed by the greedy Japanese eyeing the island and sending troops to seize it, taking away Ryukyu, and leading to endless turmoil and war.

Zheng Xuan and his family would face a catastrophic disaster.

To escape to Southeast Asia was impossible, as it was already under Dutch and Spanish control. He had no place to retreat, forced into a corner.

Rather than being cornered, it was better to fight. The Qing had taken his life, and only by rebelling and raising an army could his family survive.

As the great man said, "The future is bright, the path is winding... discard illusions, prepare for battle!"

Who will rule this vast land?

Otherwise, he would not be able to live up to his former name: "Jianguo" (Founding Nation)

(1) In the 61st year of Kangxi (1722), the Han-Aborigine