The Winds of 1898: Building a Warlord Empire in the Nanyang

If the liberation of the Chinese is not accompanied by the liberation of the indigenous people from their struggle against the landlords and compradors, then with the support of imperialism, 100,000 Chinese simply cannot win. Historically, it has always been foreigners supporting the indigenous people while they themselves massacre the Chinese.

At this point in time, the only option is to cling tightly to the United States. After World War I, the goal is to reach a Chinese population of 2 million. Too high a number would make the Americans uneasy, potentially turning them into a US-controlled colony. Then, a small amount of basic industry should be developed.

No cheat codes, a bad start, it's tough...

The section on Zheng Xiaoxu was a bit rough around the edges; it was handled poorly. Zheng Xiaoxu's real stain was 1924. It doesn't hold true in your novel, it doesn't make sense chronologically. You dismissed him with a single sentence, even saying his writing didn't match his character. The handling was too careless.

It was utterly impossible for the protagonist to confront the United States. At that time, the United States wanted to join the ranks of the great powers and had even spent money to buy the Philippines. If it could not effectively occupy the Philippines, the United States would suffer enormous losses.

This book is great, why are there so few reviews? I almost missed it. So far, it doesn't seem to have any major flaws, the pacing is good, and it's not a mindless wish-fulfillment novel. The only problem is that the timeline is too late; the great powers have already divided up the world, making it too difficult to find a foothold. The only issue is the numerous romantic entanglements with women, but a harem isn't really a major flaw; everyone has their own preferences.

First they attacked Spain, then the natives; the establishment of autonomous regions was just a prelude to revolt against the Americans. They even coveted French coal mines. If they only repaid the principal and interest on loans from Japan, they'd eventually renege on their promises. And the Qing dynasty? They were labeled traitors simply for writing books… Are you a second Empress Dowager Cixi? You should also declare war on every single nation!

Now that the war is over and you have territory, hurry up and start a large-scale immigration campaign. Once you've built your dreadnoughts and submarines, you can establish a nation. Without a large enough population, you won't even be qualified to be a powerful force.

Will the protagonist later become a king or even an emperor? As long as the country is in a peaceful and prosperous era, the Chinese people will not care whether the ruler is an emperor or not. Of course, once a republic is established, one cannot go against the tide of the times.

It's readable; the plot is engaging and immersive. However, its lack of plausibility is a major flaw, as historical novels demand a high level of detail. The protagonist's combat prowess and some plot points are written too hastily, feeling unrealistic. More groundwork and improved immersion would have made it much better.