Just as Great Qing was moving forward steadily under Su Ran's visionary leadership, with all its endeavors flourishing and thriving like the midday sun, an undercurrent began to quietly surge once more beneath the calm surface. Like distant, rumbling thunder before a violent storm, it faintly portended an impending crisis.
I. The International Dimension: Joint Containment by Established Powers
On the international stage, the vigorous rise of Great Qing resembled a dazzling new star, arousing deep apprehension among certain established powers. For a long time, these nations had firmly held the dominant position in international affairs, enjoying various privileges and bountiful profits like giant crocodiles entrenched at the apex of the international order. Yet Great Qing's rapid development acted as a formidable force that ruthlessly shattered the balance of the existing international framework, making them genuinely feel an unprecedented threat as though their hegemonic status were tottering. Consequently, these scheming powers began to collude in secret. Like weavers of conspiracy, they meticulously plotted how to effectively curb the momentum of Great Qing's development, attempting to strangle the light of this rising star in its cradle.
Chapter 128