The Last Imperial Tutor Is a Spy

Alternate-world history: 1. **The Beihuang Empire (expansionists):** It follows the doctrine of “living space” and sees the Dayuan Dynasty as a prize to be swallowed, so it can claim its warm lands, abundant resources, and access to the sea. 2. **The Dayuan Dynasty (defenders of the status quo):** Conservative and reformist factions are locked in fierce internal conflict. From abroad, it faces Beihuang's military threat and Xilu's economic and cultural infiltration, leaving it on the brink of collapse. 3. **The Xilu Federation (architects of a new order):** It seeks to prevent Beihuang from gaining unchecked dominance and hopes to reshape Dayuan into a semi-colonial ally and market suited to its global trade system. Identity one: Imperial tutor of Dayuan. Duty: advise the ruler and safeguard the dynasty. Identity two: Beihuang's “hidden dragon.” Mission: foment civil unrest in Dayuan, bringing ruin to the country and its people. Identity three: Xilu's “beacon.” Mission: dismember Dayuan and bring it into the Federation's trade system. Every day, I pull off one high-wire act after another. In the morning, I tell the young emperor, “Remember, those who are not of our kind will never share our hearts.” At noon, I tell the Beihuang envoy, “Rest assured, the plan to destroy Dayuan is entirely under control.” (smiles) In the evening, I tell my Xilu contact, “The seeds of a color revolution have been sown.” (raises an eyebrow) They all think they are the ones moving the pieces, while I'm just a pawn crossing the river. They don't know I have a “civilization database” in my mind, recording the rise and fall of countless empires. And the boy I taught is no longer the child who used to cry over nightmares.