OOC: Strangely enough, today is also the anniversary of the Japanese invasion of China during WWII

Long Live China! Blast the Japanese Imperialists! Not that I have anything against Imperialists, just Imperialism directed towards China
The wars going well. The damn Japanese bastards been pushed back to almost Korea. You notice how the Manchus arent trying to keep news about the war a secret anymore? Thats because were winning.
Why the sudden change? Last we talked around three years ago at the wars beginning you were a thorough Ming loyalist pure and true. In fact, I remember hearing you ranting about the evilness of the Kangxi Emperor and his barbaric ways. I hardly think your change of heart comes after seeing the benevolence of the Emperor
Actually
Oh dont tell me Huang that youve become a loyal and fervent supporter of the Empire, you would sell your own mother if you got a good enough bargain.
Actually, I did consider doing that, selling my mother in law, not my mother that is. There was a very good offer a few years back saying in need of an elderly women whom possessed a grandmotherly and protective attitude She did always say she wanted to live in a nice palace while implying that I wasnt successful enough in life to give her daughter to live in
Where is your mother in law? Is she with your family in Yumen?
Fortunately yes, she with my wife and children went with my second brother in law to Yumen. He, the incompetent civil official and hopeless pauper was murdered in Yumen. Its actually if you ask me a good thing, he couldnt even write his own name without help. Though my wife tells me her mother has been mourning him for weeks already. There are times I cant even believe theyre mother and daughter.
As fascinating as your family problems are, back to the point of you being a loyal and fervent subject of the Empire..?
Ah yes, Ive been thinking about it-
As Japanese soldiers poured into Beijing.
And Ive come to think that life isnt really that bad living under the Manchus. Sure, theyre barbarians from Manchuria, sure these queues are some of the most unattractive things introduced to fashion, and they have absurd styles of clothing. But its just not that bad, can you imagine having this same conversation in Nanjing?
The secret service would have informants eavesdropping on us in minutes. Plus I get this feeling that Im living in an exciting country in an exciting time. All the pageantry and aristocratic feeling Beijing once had is all gone. It doesnt feel like China at all, I feel like Im in some barbarian city. You know that just as well.
If I didnt know that I would have left for the territories under the Ming Emperor a long time ago. Here it seems that things are so carefree. Sure, an Emperor rules us, but its not the same as back south. There, the Emperor seems to blot out the sun. Here, the Emperor is heard but not seen, known of but always at a distance. And frankly I like it this way.
Now that you mention it, I heard rumors from a fellow soldier who heard from a Hui officer that the Emperor is considering after the wars end to establish a Council of some sorts to represent the people. Madness!
Heh, that cant be as mad as whats happening right now. Who would have believed four years ago of a grand alliance between Ming and the Japanese? Just look around you, this is their handiwork.
I guess nothing can stay the same forever
And so they returned to their posts, in a shattered and destroyed Beijing. Like a Phoenix, reading to be reborn more splendid once again