Chapter 97: Closed‑off Isolation, Signing the Disgraceful, Humiliating Nanjing Treaty

Qianlong caused a technological break in the nation, while the West is undergoing an industrial revolution with steam engines roaring.

Yet the Qing dynasty is immersed in the illusion of the "Kang‑Qian Prosperity", missing the last chance to catch up with world trends.

When British warships were already equipped with cannons, the Qing army was still using cold weapons.

This directly led, half a century later, to the Opium War, where China was forced to open its doors and sign the disgraceful, humiliating Nanjing Treaty.

"Opium War? The Nanjing Treaty?"

Emperors and ministers of various dynasties chew on these words steeped in humiliation.

Ying Zheng roared with anger: "Forced to open the gates and sign a treaty—how can this be!"

"My Chinese realm cannot tolerate foreign coercion; that my descendants are so powerless is intolerable. Were I the ruler, I would unleash a nation‑toppling army, scour the courts and sweep their nests, destroy their state, and wipe out their line!"

Liu Che, likewise burning with anger, said: "Loss of sovereignty and national humiliation—an extraordinary disgrace!"

"What is the purpose of the future court, where are the generals, where are the soldiers, that they let foreigners come to the gate to sign a treaty."

"If I have such unfilial descendants, I will personally strangle them to prevent further disgrace to my ancestors."

Li Shimin trembled with anger: "Kang‑Qian Prosperity, an illusion! What an illusion!"

"Leaning on the ancestors' record of merit, feasting on old capital, while ignoring and deaf to the world's upheavals!"

"In the end using swords and flesh to confront the enemy's iron ships and sharp cannons—this is not merely folly, it is stupidity, it is crime, a crime against the people of the world!"

He looked toward the prince's generals,

"If the future is thus, what meaning is there in us today expanding borders and striving for governance?"

Li Jing, Qin Qiong, Wei Chi Gong and other commanders also wore iron‑blue faces; as soldiers, they most deeply felt that helplessness and humiliation.

Zhao Kuangyin sighed and shook his head: "The way of civil and military affairs is a balance of tension and relaxation."

"Emphasizing literature over martial might may pacify the interior, but it is far from repelling the outside. This Qing dynasty seems to have gone astray."

Zhu Yuanzhang could no longer shout, only panting heavily, said to Zhu Biao and Zhu Di:

"Did you see? Did you see? This is the fate of the spineless, bloodless! Being forced to the gate to sign a treasonous treaty!"

"Our old Zhu family would rather die in battle than endure this humiliation; we will engrave it into our very marrow!"

Zhu Di clasped his fists heavily: "Father Emperor, rest assured, your son has recorded this, and will never let future descendants suffer this extraordinary disgrace!"

Qing dynasty, during the reign of Qianlong.

The Forbidden City, Hall of Mental Cultivation.

In his sixties, the Qianlong Emperor Hongli, who boasts of being the "Ten‑Complete Elder", at this moment is proudly admiring the tributes of precious treasures from across the lands.

Suddenly, golden light burst across the sky, and the familiar celestial curtain unfolded again.

Qianlong first felt joy, thinking perhaps another appraisal of the eternal emperor is coming?

My achievements are enough to shine in the annals of history, perhaps…

However, when the big characters "Tenth on the List of Foolish Emperors — Emperor Qianlong" appeared, Qianlong's smile froze instantly, as if slapped hard; his face turned from red to white to blue.

"Scoundrel! Insolent!!"

Qianlong sprang up, hurled the Jade Ruyi in his hand to the ground, smashing it to pieces.

"I am the Ten‑Complete Elder, the emperor for all ages! I founded the Ten‑Complete martial arts and created the Kang‑Qian Prosperity!"

"Who dares to defame me as a foolish emperor?! This celestial curtain, this curtain is a monster, a demon!"

He Shen, frightened, fell to his knees beside him, his flesh trembling wildly,

"Your Majesty, calm your anger! Your Majesty, calm your anger!"

"This must be an illusion created by someone with ulterior motives, slandering the holy hearing; Your Majesty's civil and military achievements span ages, how could you be a foolish emperor?"

Other ministers also knelt, shouting for the emperor to calm his anger, yet many felt a storm raging within.

The celestial curtain previously listed the eternal emperor, vivid before the eyes; now this foolish‑emperor list… could it be real?

His Majesty… truly a prodigal? Secluding the nation? Refusing British trade? This…

Qianlong could not listen, he pointed at the curtain, trembling with rage, and shouted profanities:

"Demon words deceive the masses, all are demonic! I am rich across the four seas, the nation's power is supreme; that tiny England, what right does it have to trade with the Celestial Empire?"

"I do not see him, I give him face; whatever industrial revolution, strange tricks, cannot compare with our millennial civilization of the Celestial Empire!"

"Loss of sovereignty and national humiliation? Nonsense! My Great Qing iron cavalry is unrivaled under heaven!"

The more he cursed, the more agitated he became, spitting furiously,

"And those who say I squander the treasury? When I went south six times, it was to inspect river works, gauge the people's condition; building the Old Summer Palace was to display the Celestial Empire's grandeur!"

"The money I spend is money that ought to be spent; the savings of the Kang and Yong generations were meant for me, weren't they? Do I need you future‑born people to point fingers at me?!"

"And He Shen!"

Qianlong, in his fury, even pointed at He Shen,

"He Shen is my capable minister! An official!"

"He helps me manage internal affairs, everything in order; what do you know, a bunch of petty men jealous of talent!"

He Shen knelt on the ground, bitter in his heart:

"Your Majesty, you curse the curtain, just curse the curtain; why bring up a servant!"

"Now the whole world knows I am a great corrupt official, although… it seems I didn't say anything wrong."

Just as Qianlong pointed at the curtain, cursing most passionately and righteously,

"Boom—!!!"

A blinding silver thunderbolt, without warning, ripped down from the curtain, striking the gold brick three feet in front of Qianlong's face with perfect precision.

Bang!

A deafening blast rang out, smoke billowed, and fragments of stone splattered.

When everyone recovered, they saw before Emperor Qianlong a huge pit the size of a millstone, several feet deep, its rim blackened, still hissing with blue smoke.

Inside the Hall of Nurturing the Heart, deathly silence reigned.

Qianlong stood frozen on the spot, his hand still pointing at the sky curtain, the anger and arrogance on his face still set, but his eyes were already filled with boundless terror.

He had just even felt the scorching and destructive aura of the thunder brushing past his nose.

His leg gave way, and Qianlong let out a "Goo‑dong" sound, collapsing onto the ground, the hem of his dragon robe faintly spreading wet stains.

"Protect… protect the throne…"

A ho‑ho sound came from his throat, yet he could not utter a single complete sentence.

He Shen and the other ministers were even more terrified, their souls scattered, crouching on the ground trembling, daring not to lift their heads.

The might of that heavenly thunder was within arm's reach; had it been a bit stronger… they dared not imagine.

The sky curtain still hung high, and a cold voice continued to sound emotionlessly,

as if the warning thunder just now had been uttered casually:

【Fault Two: Profligate excess, the "spendthrift" who emptied the treasury

Behind Qianlong's "Ten Perfect Martial Arts" lies massive fiscal consumption.

He toured the south six times, built Yuanmingyuan, and lived in extreme extravagance.

Qianlong squandered the 80,000,000 taels of silver accumulated over the Kangxi and Yongzheng reigns, leaving only 2,000,000 taels in the treasury, plunging finances into crisis.

Feeding corrupt officials: he favored the great corrupt He Shen, leading to bureaucratic decay, rampant official corruption, and a populace unable to survive.】

Emperors of various dynasties, watching the live broadcast of Qianlong being struck by lightning and paralyzed, first were stunned, then erupted into earth‑shaking laughter.

"Hahaha! Well struck, wonderfully struck!"

Liu Bang laughed so hard he leaned forward and backward, slapping the table,

"Let you speak, keep speaking!"

"Why stop speaking, wet your pants, and still think you can be emperor with that courage? I'm dying of laughter!"

Lv Zhi, rarely smiling, shook her head.

Ying Zheng snorted coldly, "Spewing reckless words, desecrating the heavenly mandate, deserved this divine punishment. Yet… perhaps it's too lenient on him."

He was even more concerned with the details, "80,000,000 taels of silver squandered, only 2,000,000 left? This fellow truly deserves death!"

How much did Great Qin earn in a year? Such prodigality is unheard of.

Liu Che inhaled a cold gasp,

"Six tours south? Building palaces? 80,000,000 taels… I fight the Xiongnu, raising war funds is already hard, yet he squanders so!"

"And that He Shen, the great corrupt official? Favoring corrupt officials, harming the people, this is a sign of a doomed state!"

Li Shimin was anguished,

"The downfall of Emperor Yang of Sui is a close warning! Profligate excess, overtaxing the people, will inevitably lead to rebellion across the land!"

"This Qianlong, utterly fails to learn the lesson, and that He Shen must also be a treacherous minister."

"A foolish emperor paired with a treacherous minister—how could the realm not collapse?"