Chapter 47: Upheaval

In Yaolu, only Zhang Yunze and Yin Qi remained.

In order to understand Yin Qi's true level, Zhang Yunze conducted a comprehensive Q&A and assessment, the results of which left him both surprised and delighted.

What surprised him was that Yin Qi not only had a solid foundation and could recite every medical book he had read, but the other party had not simply memorized them by rote; he had almost completely mastered them.

For any question, Yin Qi could draw inferences about other cases from one instance.

His thinking was active, and his logic was meticulous.

It could be said that such a person was born to study medicine.

In terms of traditional Chinese medicine theory, he had nothing left to teach; he could just let him read books directly.

When Yin Qi finished reading all the medical books in his collection, surpassing him in theory would be no problem at all; what the other party lacked was practical experience, which required his guidance on the side.

Zhang Yunze said, "Yin Qi, from now on, your task is to finish all the medical books in my study. On weekdays, I will take you to Huichuntang. I will see patients, and you will learn by my side."

Yin Qi nodded and said, "No problem. However, Elder Zhang, I have to practice martial arts in the morning, so I can only come in the afternoon."

For him, practicing martial arts was the foundation.

Zhang Yunze was not surprised; he could see Yin Qi's thick Blood Qi, his dragon-like gait and tiger-like steps as he walked, and the power in his swinging arms—it was clear he was a martial artist.

He nodded and said, "Hmm, that is fine."

…………

Time drifted by, and in the blink of an eye, it was September.

During this period, the *People's Newspaper* developed rapidly, and its sales climbed steadily.

Especially after Qiu Jin published several articles on women's rights under the pen name Jianhu, it was like dropping a deep-sea bomb, rapidly detonating public opinion.

Compared to the Vernacular Movement, the women's rights movement simply sounded the horn against feudalism, and even many who originally supported the Vernacular Movement joined the ranks of those opposing women's rights.

But in this great era, China was not lacking in people who looked at the world, nor was it lacking in radical, progressive individuals.

They highly admired Qiu Jin and strongly supported the women's rights movement, believing it had opened up another battlefield against feudalism and was the beginning of the curtain rising on the era.

Consequently, the *People's Newspaper* became a hit once again.

Liang Qichao of the *Times Newspaper* in Shanghai was greatly shocked after reading Qiu Jin's articles, calling her a model for contemporary women, and the very next day, he published an article in the *Times Newspaper* in support.

Influenced by the *People's Newspaper*, Tan Sitong founded the *Hunan Newspaper* in Hunan ahead of schedule.

Seeing that Qiu Jin's articles were filled with the ideas from his *Benevolence*, he was naturally overjoyed, classifying the other party as a Reformist and one of his own supporters.

Thus, he also published articles in the *Hunan Newspaper*, lavishly praising Qiu Jin and her women's rights ideology.

Tan Sitong and Liang Qichao were both key figures in the Hundred Days' Reform, and since they both supported women's rights, the various reform societies across the country naturally followed suit.

And so, almost overnight, the ideology of women's rights swept across the country.

The reason Qiu Jin's articles and the ideology of women's rights could receive such widespread support and influence was mainly because the timing was chosen too well; it was right in the early stages of the Hundred Days' Reform.

Guangxu intended to reform and strengthen the country, and the Westernization Faction also supported reform, so they naturally tacitly allowed the actions of Kang Youwei, Tan Sitong, Liang Qichao, and others, letting them wantonly propagate reformist ideas.

The common people were also fed up with the bullying of foreigners and hoped that the Imperial Court could reform and strengthen the country.

It was under these circumstances that Qiu Jin's women's rights ideology conformed to the trend of the times and received the full support of the Reformists; otherwise, relying solely on the influence of the *People's Newspaper*, it could at most have influenced the Jiang-Zhe region.

In reality, those most affected by the women's rights movement were women, especially young, educated women who had long been fed up with feudal ethics and possessed enough drive, so they one after another took Qiu Jin as their idol.

In many places, women's rights groups were even established.

In fact, the women's rights movement of this era was still very moderate, only demanding the abolition of bad habits like foot-binding, allowing women to receive an Enlightenment education, and pursuing some rights that could be equal to those of men.

But to many men, especially corrupt Confucian scholars, these demands were simply rebellious.

Men are Heaven, and women are Earth; naturally, Heaven has the final say.

So for a time, countless people began to attack the ideology of women's rights, and many great Confucian scholars even cursed Qiu Jin as a Demon woman who was ruining the country and the people, demanding that the Imperial Court arrest her and drown her in a pig cage.

The Shaoxing Prefect also received many letters demanding the investigation of the *People's Newspaper* and the arrest of Qiu Jin, but with the calls for reform growing louder across the country, how could he dare to defy the will of the world?

Thus, he simply feigned illness and stayed out of sight.

……

While the outside world was in turmoil, Yin Qi's life was regular and peaceful.

In the morning he practiced Stance Technique, in the afternoon he studied medicine, and in the evening he practiced his arts and read medical books; of course, there was also the copying of Fiction. His daily schedule was packed tight, simple and fulfilling.

As for the Chen Martial Arts Hall, it had basically stabilized as well.

Unsurprisingly, with nearly five hundred students, it became the largest martial arts hall in Shaoxing Prefecture.

Under Yin Chengtao's daily supervision at the Steam Engine Factory, the equipment installation had been completed, and foreign technicians were training the workers recruited by the Yin Family, while the Yin Family had also opened up the raw material supply chain.

Currently, they were just waiting for Yin Xuan to return to complete the final sales contract.

………

Hangzhou Bay.

The night was quiet, and a steamship was docked on the sea, with the reflection of the star-filled sky beneath the ship.

Suddenly, the night was broken as Yin Xuan rushed onto the deck, screaming in agony.

"Chase him, don't let him run!"

"Kill him!"

"Damn yellow-skinned monkey, he dared to kick and injure me; I will peel his scalp off!"

……

Amidst the shouts, several foreigners rushed onto the deck, among whom was none other than Jason.

Yin Xuan's expression was pained, and he pressed hard against his lower abdomen, but fresh blood continued to seep through his clothes.

There were several other wounds on his body, dripping with blood.

He leaned against the ship's railing, looking at Jason and the others chasing him, filled with immense hatred.

He never imagined that all of this was just a trap, a trap that could bury the Yin Family.

The matter must be told from the beginning:

After leaving Shaoxing Prefecture that day and arriving in Shanghai with Jason, he spent a few days successfully completing the loan procedures and obtaining the loan check, after which it was time for the return journey.

Earlier, he could not sleep, so he wanted to go find Jason to chat.

But who would have known he would stumble upon the other party's conspiracy; the other party had actually brought people from HSBC Bank onto the ship, intending to kill him to swallow the loan, and then go to the Yin Family to press for debt, thereby annexing the Yin Family's assets.

Upon hearing this, Yin Xuan was naturally shocked and furious, and accidentally made a noise, alerting Jason and the others.

Thus, in a desperate struggle, he finally escaped to the deck.

Yin Xuan shouted angrily: "Jason, I originally thought you British were all gentlemen who valued integrity in business, but I never expected that you are not only robbers but also scoundrels, despicable and shameless."

Jason said sinisterly: "That is because you bunch of yellow-skinned monkeys are stupid yourselves; integrity has always been a shackle used to restrain others. As long as it serves my interests, what does it matter if I betray God? I traveled thousands of miles to come here to strike gold; how much money can selling mere equipment make? Annexing the assets of you natives is how to make big money."

Davis of HSBC Bank said impatiently: "Jason, what is there to talk about with this yellow-skinned monkey? Catch him; I want to peel off his scalp as a trophy."

As he spoke, he grinned hideously, and holding his Sword, he strode toward Yin Xuan.

Jason and the others did not just watch either, but followed behind Davis, flanking Yin Xuan from the left and right.

(End of this chapter)