I dressed as a commissary on the front line of the Opium War. When I opened my eyes, I saw the imperial envoy worshiping the fox fairy.
The British naval guns were already aimed at Humen.
I threw away my account book and spent the night drawing out the "Modern Artillery Training Manual" and "Instructions for the Preparation of Homemade Nitroglycerin".
While Yijing was still dreaming about recruiting "heavenly soldiers", the five hundred local warriors I led had already used improved mountain-splitting cannons to sink the British vanguard ship.
When the emperor's edict of commendation arrived, I was in the midst of a public trial of my superior who had deducted military pay.
"Sir," I murmured to myself in the direction of the Forbidden City, "times have changed."
