alternatehistory.com

There is a legend that after the Taiping Rebellion that one of the Qing Dynasty generals was presented a yellow robe (the same robe that Hong wore) and a note saying "now what" - he proceeded to eat both the robe and the note swallowing them. Yet the general was realistic to realize that he could do the "now what", but was too loyal to do so.

----------------
Let us say, he does go through with the "now what" and tries to stage a coup - could he be successful? What would the western powers say? Could he modernize the nation?
Top