This area is the most famous rebel stronghold of the Adam Cooper dynasty. A large number of former Ming loyalists are hiding out here, including theorists like Edward Hall and William Lee—though both are already dead, their descendants are still around, as are many who revere their reactionary rhetoric that undermined Manchu-Han relations. For example, William Lee’s disciple Richard Morris, who, during the George Washington era, had his coffin exhumed and corpse desecrated alongside William Lee.

There are also plenty of action-oriented types, such as Monk Nathan, who actually raised an army.

There’s even a hidden boss, the infamous Third Prince Jackson—the real Third Prince Jackson. Although Adam Cooper refused to acknowledge his identity in order to kill him, not even a seventy-year-old man with a donkey-kicked brain would dare impersonate someone whose entire family was wiped out.

All these chaotic remnants of the former Ming have gathered around Lake Tai. For instance, Richard Morris is from Huzhou, and Monk Nathan raised his army in Taicang. Others, like the impostor Michael Bolton and Franklin Price, rebelled in the Dalanshan area between Cixi and Shengzhou. Then there’s Edward Hall’s son, the reputed martial arts master Robert Hall, in Yuyao. All in all, there’s no shortage of ragtag forces to recruit; it’s best to make a list and take things step by step.

Although these people aren’t much in terms of fighting power—really, they’re not—but...

But at this point, he didn’t have many people to use anyway. Crossing into this era was like playing on hell mode. The common folk, having just survived an age of carnage and mountains of corpses, were content to gnaw on sweet potatoes and had little interest in rebellion. After all, rebellion meant death, and the bloody massacres of city after city had taught people to keep their heads down.

As for following Comrade Li’s methods...

Don’t kid yourself. Maybe following the Hong cult leader’s approach would work better.

So for now, the only people he could use were those former dynasty loyalists who wanted to restore the Ming. Mainly because this banner was effective and could be put to use immediately. What he needed most was to find a way to build up military strength, because only then could he have enough protection. Otherwise, hiding and running like this wasn’t a long-term solution. There was no way he could resist Adam Cooper’s massive army on his own. Raising the banner of rebellion as quickly as possible was his best bet to avoid ending up at the execution ground.

Any other method would take a long time to build up. He couldn’t just go out on the street, grab someone, and say, “Come rebel with me, you’ll become a legend.” Get real—he’d just be seen as a lunatic!

But as long as he raised the banner of “Oppose the Qing, Restore the Ming,” established a power base, and won a few battles, his glorious feat of spraying Adam Cooper in the face with concentrated sulfuric acid would surely attract followers from all over.

Besides, every founder needs a few partners and sponsors at the start. Just make do for now and wait until the enterprise grows. The game of donning the imperial robe isn’t that hard—so many great predecessors have set examples, how could he not know what to do? Even the Hongwu Emperor had already written the script!

And his first target was Richard Morris.

After nightfall, his sand boat quietly set sail from the reeds, traveling cautiously through the night. With the guidance of the local Ruby, they docked at a small village on the southern shore at dawn. First, they hired a few boatmen—everyone here made a living on the water, so as long as you had money, it was easy to find help. Eric Bennett put on the official robe that Old Brooks had left behind to intimidate them, and the egret badge ensured the boatmen wouldn’t get any bad ideas. Then he sent Little Grace and Emily White, the mother and daughter, along the canal to Hangzhou, while he and Ruby, now dressed in scholar’s robes, hired a small black canopy boat and took another water route to Huzhou.

This area is the quintessential water town, with waterways crisscrossing like a spiderweb. Sitting on the boat, watching the pristine scenery on both banks, everything looked like a painting—except for those ugly braids trailing behind every passerby, which completely ruined the aesthetic. Sighing all the way, they arrived in Huzhou. Finding Richard Morris wasn’t hard; he wasn’t just any old farmer, but a well-known local scholar. After a few inquiries, they found his door.

“Who is Young Master Bennett?”

The middle-aged Richard Morris looked at Eric Bennett in puzzlement.

“Mr. Gengchen, I’ve come here simply out of admiration for your reputation.”

As Eric Bennett spoke, he wiped his head and casually tossed aside the skullcap with its fake braid.

Seeing his hair, neither long nor short, Richard Morris was momentarily stunned. Then something even more shocking happened: he saw this man’s right hand suddenly vanish as he stretched it forward, only to reappear as he pulled it back. But now, there was a strange glass orb in his hand, about the size of a fist, set on a base, with a lifelike little figure inside. When it moved, it looked as if countless snowflakes were swirling—a true marvel of craftsmanship.

“A little trinket, consider it a meeting gift.”

Eric Bennett said calmly.

Dazzled by the cheap snow globe, Richard Morris took a deep breath and said respectfully, “Are you an immortal cultivator, sir?”

“Indeed. My master is Skyler, a peer of Flynn, long resident in Kunlun. This time, he sent me down the mountain to experience the world. Who would have thought that after just a hundred years away, my divine land of China would become a place of dogs and sheep, reeking everywhere of filth and blood. The dignified attire of the Han people now drags this abomination like barbarians, and even worse, they take pride in being slaves. Even the scholars are honored to serve the Tartars, utterly shameless—it’s enough to drive one mad with rage.”