The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 885 April Countercurrent
The new emperor, who was less than six years old, ascended the throne, and many state affairs had to be handled by the cabinet.

As the regent appointed by the late emperor, Kang Guangxu was a veteran of three dynasties and the prime minister of the cabinet, so he naturally held all the power.

However, as the North American colonization got out of control, Kang Guangxu felt increasingly overwhelmed by the complex situation.

One evening in early February of the first year of Jingyan, Kang Guangxu finished his day's government affairs as usual, and came out of the Cabinet Office exhausted. He hurriedly got on a carriage, and accompanied by several guards, he rushed home in the twilight.

The carriage went eastward through half of Tianxin City and went straight to the Prime Minister's residence.

The housekeeper of the Kang Mansion had been waiting at the gate for a long time. When he saw the carriage slowly stop next to the stone lions, he hurried forward to greet it.

"Master, why are you back so late today? Have you had dinner?"

Kang Guangxu stepped down from the carriage with the help of the guards, brushed off the nonexistent dust on his body, stroked his beard and sighed:
"Go back to the house first, don't talk about eating."

The housekeeper was surprised and asked, "Master, what's going on?"

Kang Guangxu stopped talking, walked in front with a cane, his head drooped, and panting.

The old butler hurried to catch up, but heard the Prime Minister sighing in front:

"What a troubled time, what a troubled time!"

When Kang Guangxu walked into the living room, a maid had already come forward to help him take off his official uniform and change into casual clothes.

Kang Guangxu sat down in the official hat chair, picked up the teacup beside him and drank it all in one gulp, but there was only half a cup of tea in the cup.

The old Prime Minister said angrily, "I'm so thirsty, but you still don't pour me some tea! You're becoming even more unruly! Are you trying to bully me?"

The maids were so frightened that they trembled and dared not move. The butler winked and waved his hand for everyone to leave, and then filled Kang Guangxu's cup of tea.

"Master, those fake foreigners outside are impeaching you again?"

Kang Guangxu shook his head and said, "I have never done anything illegal, so why should I be afraid? Nowadays, everyone is talking about the law. They have studied abroad, so I am not ignorant of the law!"

He sighed deeply, his face showing an expression of disappointment.

"It's not the scholars who are causing trouble..."

"That is?"

Kang Guangxu lowered his voice and said, "Some soldiers of the Central Guard have been misled by newspapers and novels and have become increasingly unbridled. They are clamoring for more troops to be sent to North America, for war with Britain, and for the destruction of Japan... Anyone who opposes the Great Qi will be eliminated."

The butler opened his eyes wide, with an incredible expression on his face. After a moment, he said angrily:
"These days, these booksellers and newspaper merchants, for a few copper coins, either write about wild lewdness or murder and national destruction, to mislead people!"

"Master, if I remember correctly, soldiers cannot participate in government affairs. The late emperor established a list of countries that were not to be conquered, and it was strictly forbidden to expand borders at will... Didn't these soldiers burn several cabinet ministers on the scaffold? They deserve to be killed!"

Yes.

Kang Guangxu shook his head helplessly.

These soldiers want to burn the cabinet on a rack.

~~~~~~~~~
In the first year of Jingyan, the domestic situation in Da Qi was quite complicated.

First of all, Europeans were very dissatisfied with Qi's expansion on the west coast of North America.

The Kingdom of Britain, the Kingdom of France, and the Dutch Republic all sent notes to the cabinet, strongly demanding that Tianxin City abide by the Yalta Agreement and immediately stop its expansion on the west coast.

Several kings urged the relevant departments of Qi State not to go further and further down the wrong path, and not to shoot themselves in the foot, which would ultimately be counterproductive.

The people of Qi felt that these words were quite familiar, but they could not remember where they had heard them.

Kang Guangxu was quite dissatisfied with the growing war sentiment in the country.

On behalf of the young emperor, he personally apologized to the envoys of various countries, actively compensated the Spaniards for their losses, and claimed that he would severely punish Jiang Bailing and his pioneering group.

The old prime minister held a press conference for journalists from various countries in Tianxin City, once again emphasizing Da Qi’s diplomatic strategy of “no hegemony, no war, and peaceful and friendly development.”

However, more and more soldiers, misled by past propaganda, showed deep hatred when facing a country thousands of kilometers away from them and which had nothing to do with them.

Hatred cannot last forever, but the government condones and even tolerates this hatred.

Kang Guangxu knew that he had to take action, otherwise Da Qi would soon be dragged into the black hole of this inexplicable hatred.

If you want to change public opinion, you must first regulate newspapers.

Kang Guangxu decided to start by regulating newspapers. In the first month of the first year of the Jingyan reign (1722), in view of the chaotic and disorderly public opinion and the rising tide of war, the Regent Cabinet issued the "Provisional Newspaper Law of the United Kingdom of Great Qi and Korea and Annan" (hereinafter referred to as the Newspaper Law).
The "Newspaper Law" has four rules, the purpose of which is to calm down those fanatical people.

Specific contents include:

(1) Publishing newspapers and periodicals must go through registration procedures

(2) Those who spread rumors and incite people to harm the constitutional monarchy system shall be punished.
(3) Those who “make false investigations and defame individuals” shall be punished
(4) “Defaming and attacking neighboring countries, advocating war, and inciting aggression” should be punished
However, at this time, the idea of domestic expansion and border expansion was unprecedentedly high, especially among the lower-level military and civilians. Many people believed in remarks such as "use Qi's sword to open up land for Qi's plow."

The report was immediately opposed by the lower-level military and civilians.

Representatives of the veterans' group also demanded the repeal of the Newspaper Law.

Some people who claimed to be patriots ran to the streets of Tianxin City, smashing, looting and burning.

All pressure is directed at the cabinet.

The cabinet remained unmoved, and Kang Guangxu was prepared to fight to the end. He would not cancel the decree, nor would he bow to these warmongering forces.

In March of the first year of Jingyan, the wave of opposition to the cabinet's control of public opinion grew stronger and stronger.

On March 18, opponents organized a rally, and a procession of thousands of people marched through Chang'an Avenue and directly to the North Gate Central Guard Army headquarters.

Angry people distributed leaflets to the imperial guards guarding the capital, calling on the soldiers to "bravely shoulder their responsibilities", overthrow the cabinet and punish the treacherous ministers around the young emperor.
Fortunately, at the critical moment, Nian Gengyao led his troops to suppress the budding rebellion.

Zhang Tingyu suggested that the cabinet issue regulations to warn all newspapers and magazines that advocate war and call for territorial expansion.

Those who should be arrested should be arrested, and those who should be killed should be killed!

The cabinet decisively rejected the proposal.

Because citizens of Qi have freedom of speech and publication, the government cannot ban newspapers without reason, let alone infringe on citizens' freedom of speech.

"I only want to suppress these warmongering traitors. Forget about talking about freedom of speech!"

Kang Guangxu disagreed, saying, "How can the laws of the country be easily changed? Even vicious people should have their freedom as long as they have not been deprived of political power."

Zhang Tingyu looked at the intelligence minister Shen Jimin again. Shen Jimin said helplessly, "If the intelligence department arrests someone without a criminal record, I will be impeached..."

Impeachment, impeachment. Since the decentralization of power, officials from all regions have become more independent. As long as there is any disturbance in Tianxin City, they will impeach.

As the Prime Minister of Qi, Zhang Tingyu was second only to the emperor, but now he had to humble himself and get entangled with the cabinet officials.

Both Emperor Taizong and the previous emperor had vigorously promoted the new policies, and he himself was able to come to power because of his support for the new policies.

It is naturally impossible to ask Zhang Tingyu to take the lead in violating the new policy now.

Sometimes Zhang Tingyu thought that it might be a good thing if he could go back to the time of Taizu.

Life and death are all in my hands.

Why bother with these stupid men and women?

Unfortunately, times have changed.

On a turbulent night in April, the soldiers stationed at the north gate of Tianxin City suddenly mutinied.

One hundred soldiers, carrying muskets and cannons, gathered together with their companions and marched towards the palace in a mighty force.

To everyone's surprise, this group of soldiers had a smooth journey.

The Minister of Revenue stood at the gate of the yamen and asked cautiously:

"Comrades, what's going on?"

The soldiers shouted in unison: "Kill Kang Guangxu and save the Great Qi!"

In the words of the soldiers, they did this to punish traitors to the country.

What is a traitor? In the eyes of these soldiers, anyone who does not support the use of military force in North America and the expansion of the empire is a traitor.

One of the representatives is the current Prime Minister, Kang Guangxu, a veteran of three dynasties!

As for the young emperor Liu Fan, he has now been deceived by these traitors. Only we, the loyal and brave soldiers, can save Da Qi.

(End of this chapter)