Su Ran found himself caught on a two-front battlefield of domestic reform and external threats, bearing unprecedented and immense pressure as if he were squeezed between two towering mountains, where the slightest misstep could crush him utterly. Although his forceful push had driven some progress in the domestic reform process, the resistance from vested interests acted like stubborn iron nails, stubbornly obstructing the deepening of the reforms. From time to time, they stirred up trouble from the shadows, creating various chaotic situations in a vain attempt to bring the wheels of reform to a grinding halt.
Overseas, the remnants of the mysterious faction grew increasingly rampant and arrogant after colluding with pirates. Like greedy wolves, they launched several small-scale, exploratory attacks on the coastal regions of the Qing Empire. Although each attack was successfully repelled by the brave Great Qing Navy, these assaults severely disrupted the peaceful lives of the coastal inhabitants, bringing commercial activity to a standstill and plunging the common people into endless misery.
To break through this difficult predicament of internal and external troubles, Su Ran, after careful deliberation, decided to adopt a dual-track strategy that accounted for both domestic and foreign fronts. Domestically, he knew well that public support was as crucial to the success of reform as a solid foundation is to a towering building. Therefore, he intensified public outreach, let…
Chapter 59