C1 Qian Empire

In the bustling capital of the Qian Empire, Gao Shaoyi observed the throngs of people clad in long robes and mandarin jackets, compelling him to confront the stark reality before him.

After a deep sleep, he awoke with a flood of memories from a past life. Over the course of three days, he transitioned from initial shock to gradual acceptance, integrating these recollections into his current existence.

In his former life, he was a military academy student in his twenties on Earth. Now, he found himself in a world reminiscent of China's Qing Dynasty, uncertain of even the planet he inhabited.

This world had recently emerged from its second industrial revolution and was on the cusp of an electrification era.

Once the mightiest empire on the globe, the Qian Empire boasted unmatched economic and military prowess. But due to an inept ruler and a corrupt court, it had been in decline for the past century.

Emperor Yongde, who had reigned for over forty years, was notably ineffectual in governance. His tenure marked the most rapid decline of the empire's power.

At the time of his coronation, the Qian Empire spanned thirteen million square kilometers with a population of four hundred million. Forty years later, to sustain his lavish lifestyle, a quarter of the empire's territory had been either ceded or leased out. Foreign troops were stationed throughout the nation, including the capital.

Some powerful Governors and Grand Coordinators, bolstered by foreign backing, had withdrawn their support from the Imperial Court. Their domains had essentially become independent states within the nation, plunging the common folk into dire straits.

In Gao Shaoyi's estimation, the Qian Empire didn't even measure up to the Qing Dynasty, which at least maintained the semblance of Chinese rulership until the end.

For over a decade, the Qian Empire had grappled with regions beyond its control. These Grand Coordinators and Governors-general blatantly disregarded imperial edicts, operating solely by their own rules.

The empire was rife with strife, both from within and without.

"Marquis, might you reconsider the sale of our ancestral estate?" The old butler's voice cut through Gao Shaoyi's reverie, prompting his attention.

Upon hearing his name, Gao Shaoyi let out a sigh. While others might wish for the downfall of the Qian Empire, he certainly did not share that sentiment. The reigning emperor was his maternal uncle, and his mother was none other than the emperor's sister, the Twelfth Princess. As a third-grade Marquis within the Qian Empire, Gao Shaoyi held a distinguished position.

Yet, with his parents deceased and his family's fortunes dwindled, he found himself in dire straits. For over twenty years, he had pursued nothing but pleasure, neglecting any meaningful pursuits. Within two years of his parents' passing, he was forced to contemplate selling the family's ancestral home. Without it, he would have nothing left but the Marquis Mansion.

"What's there to even think about? Do you expect me to head to the border with empty pockets?" Gao Shaoyi declared before promptly signing his name. He sold the Marquis Mansion's courtyard for three thousand imperial silver coins, leaving the old butler to sigh in resignation, knowing his young master was bound for the borderlands.

The Qian Empire mandated that all aristocratic sons undergo three years of training at the border upon reaching the age of twenty. With his departure imminent, Gao Shaoyi had to prepare. But his need for imperial silver coins extended beyond mere travel provisions.

Most crucially, he sought to activate a mysterious system that had appeared in his mind upon the awakening of his memories. The system required two thousand imperial silver coins to unlock, a significant sum considering the monthly living expenses for an average family of four amounted to just two coins.

Gao Shaoyi's poverty left him with no choice but to part with the valuable courtyard. The Qian Empire faced increasing threats of invasion from rival empires, and he knew better than to rely on the Imperial Court for protection.

Furthermore, with only a month before his departure to the border, he was well aware that the capital city's situation was marginally better. The Governor-general and Grand Coordinator were notorious for their disdain towards imperial relatives dispatched from the capital. Many such relatives met their ends in clandestine assassinations.

Survival was Gao Shaoyi's priority, and unlocking the system was the first step to ensuring it.

He was indifferent to the specifics of the system. All that mattered to Gao Shaoyi was that having it meant an increased chance of survival. Without it, taking an official post on the frontier would be a death sentence.

"Deposit two thousand imperial silver coins to activate the Power Weapon Exchange System."

Seated in his carriage, Gao Shaoyi watched as a new interface materialized in his mind, brimming with an arsenal of weapons.

Mauser Model98.

MG34 GPMG.

DP light machine gun.

American M224 60mm mortar.

The system offered a veritable armory! With access to such resources, Gao Shaoyi's future was sure to shine brightly, and the Qian Empire would no longer endure disgrace.

Only if Gao Shaoyi were a fool would he fail to seize the transformative potential of the system. Filled with fervor, he dreamed of expanding the empire's borders and safeguarding his homeland, ensuring his people would never face oppression again.

The system turned what once seemed impossible into reality. He would exact vengeance on those who had wronged him!

But for now, he couldn't redeem all the weapons at once. They could only be unlocked with the system's unique merit points.

Merit points could be acquired in two ways: by defeating enemies or by exchanging imperial silver coins—one coin for one point.

As Gao Shaoyi perused the system, a squad of patrolling soldiers passed by, drawing his gaze.

"Are those their weapons?"

He noticed many of the soldiers had rifles slung over their shoulders, which appeared to be the kind that fired paper cartridges. In terms of range and accuracy, the 98K outclassed them.

The 98K could hold five rounds at once, whereas these rifles could only chamber a single round. Against an enemy armed with 98Ks, these soldiers would be at a severe disadvantage.

"Marquis, this is the latest rifle design in the world, procured at great expense by the Imperial Court from the Windsar Empire. Each rifle costs 120 imperial silver coins. Rumor has it that only a select few elite units in the West are equipped with these rifles."

The old butler was somewhat baffled by Gao Shaoyi's interest in the rifles. After all, his usual curiosities lay in who had the most melodious bird calls or which household boasted the most beautiful women.

120 imperial silver coins? That's outrageous!

Gao Shaoyi flipped back to the previous page in the system. Every weapon listed there was already unlocked. Only those weapons that were three decades ahead of this world's technology required a fee to unlock. As for the weapons currently existing in this world, he could exchange any of them at a moment's notice, provided he had the blueprint.

To acquire a rifle like the ones the soldiers were equipped with, it would only cost him ten merit points. The realization hit Gao Shaoyi like a thunderbolt. If he exchanged a large number of these rifles from the system and sold them, he could make a fortune!

Unlocking the Mauser 98K demanded a whopping 200,000 imperial silver coins. A number he had previously considered astronomical now seemed trivial. Most of the world's armies were still armed with fusees, with only a select few elite units carrying rifles. The 98K was so advanced they hadn't even drafted blueprints for it yet.

"Marquis, there's trouble! You must come home quickly—the young lady has returned!"

Gao Shaoyi hadn't even reached his residence when the servant came running to him with the news.

"What happened?" Gao Shaoyi inquired, his voice laced with urgency. Since the death of his parents, his sister was his sole remaining kin. She was older by a few years and had married the Tiger General, Lee Mingshan. Over the years, she had been a pillar of support for him, enduring no small amount of criticism from her mother-in-law.

"It appears her husband has sent her back, intending to divorce her."

Upon hearing this, Gao Shaoyi was seething with anger. In this day and age, a woman who was divorced was ruined for life. In the past, he had been powerless to confront Lee Mingshan, which had led to his sister's suffering.

But now, with the system at his disposal, how could he allow his only sister to face such disgrace? Lee Mingshan had secured his position through the influence of Gao Shaoyi's father, and now he dared to divorce his sister? Gao Shaoyi was determined to mete out a fitting punishment.