Yi Bai Er

Yi Bai Er or Bai Er Yi is a Chinese immigrant who was once a military officer of the empire. He served as the 11th Ministro Mariskal of the empire, but his term ended with an abrupt resignation. He now actively participates in civilian and political affairs— running for elections, managing businesses, and writing books.
==Early Life==
Born around the 1830s, not much is known about Bai Er Yi's origins prior to his service in the Philippine islands. He himself recalls very little of his childhood, mentioning that he himself was raised in an adopted family. According to what little he says of his childhood, he apparently grew up in the Guangdong province of China and was the adopted son of a fisherman. When he was 17, he ran away from home- joining his friends in their migration to California after hearing of the opportunities to be found over there during the height of its gold rush. According to his friends and colleagues, he once remarked that he wasn't exactly 'appreciated' in his adopted family.
In his experiences as a miner in California, he remarked of the harsh labor conditions that came with the occupation, though emphasizing that "it was not the worst of the circumstances that came with living there." in a remark regarding his life in America. He further expounded, noting of the harsh treatment he experienced from the locals, which he says further justified his sentiments against westerners.
== Return to Guangdong==
In spite of the harsh conditions and harsh treatment he received while working in the Gold Mountain, Bai Er Yi strived to make California his home. After contracting a mild case of pneumonia as well as being assaulted by European miners whom also stole the contract permits for mining, he decided to finally seek other professions, at one point he worked in a farm, built railways, and then later as a factory worker. During these sporadic and short-term occupations, he was able to not only learn to speak English but as well as earn enough money to finally settle his debts with the merchants that brought him to America. He finally felt that he was able to make a life in America, but this dream soon ended when he became amongst many, a victim of the series of legislations in the country targeted towards people like him, and soon the economic opportunities for him in America had ended.
He scraped just enough finances to return to Guangdong, hoping to be accepted once again by his family but it became apparent that he was neither forgiven nor welcomed any longer. Instead, he decided to be like his father, and became a fisherman, later being hired by merchants due to his valuable skill of being able to speak in English. It was under the tutorship of merchants that he was able to learn reading & writing as well as basic mathematics.
==Trading with the revolutionaries==
Hearing of the revolution occurring in the Philippine Islands down south, Bai Er embarked on a trade venture to export black powder he either stole, bartered or bought from British Soldiers. This attracted the local revolutionaries who needed them for their weapons. The popularity of his exploits proved to be greatly profitable, and soon he established his own company of Chinese and Filipino merchant sailors.
==Capture and Imprisonment by the Spanish==
One day, while on his journey of returning from the Philippine islands during a trade run, Bai Er was suddenly arrested by the Spanish authorities who occupied the islands at the time, being mistaken as an accomplice of the revolutionaries. His vessel, along with the cargo it carried was confiscated and he and his crew then imprisoned.
He would remain imprisoned throughout the war, and was later released when the islands fell under the control of the Callejas. He was never able to recover his ship nor was he ever able to reunite with the crew he was imprisoned with. At the time of his release, he was penniless- all the wealth he worked hard for having somehow disappeared throughout the few years he spent in prison.
==Service in the Army ==
Having lost his entire fortune, Bai Er decided to enlist in the newly restructured Imperial Army. He was one of the oldest to join at the time, enlisting in his early 40s. Fortune seemed to finally smile on him as his age never became an obstacle to his life in the army. His surprising talent in holding a gun guaranteed him a position in the Tiradores, while the skills he gathered throughout his life guaranteed him a position as an officer in the army. His literacy in particular, led him to be a founding member of the Army's propaganda department, while outside his army life- his fluency in English paved the road in his service as a foreign affairs minister.
His notable contribution during the Korean-Dutch East Indies coalition against the empire trampolined his reputation throughout the empire, which apart from securing his entry into the army's high command, he also used to his advantage in entering the empire's political arena- founding the National Expansionist Asiatic People's Party, a political party comprised of his beliefs shaped throughout the many fortunes and even more misfortunes he experienced as an immigrant...
==Personal Life==
Inaugural Speech of Bai Er Yi
Bai Er Yi served as the 11th Ministro Mariskal of the empire, winning the election by a massive margin with promises of implementing various reforms not only in taxation, but as well as the government policies ranging from economic to foreign affairs. He was highly critical of the Empire's embrace of isolationism, and sought to implement a Georgist system of taxation....
Bai Er Yi was also a strong advocate of ending the stratocratic rule of the government, which made him a subject of criticism against those who support the military regime. Aside from this, he was very vocal about his disapproval with whom he considered a political rival; Edsel Diwa, the former Kapitan Heneral of the Army. He allegedly said privately "If we could own guns privately in this empire, I would buy a Dalagita Revolver and shoot that ni-"
Outside of the government, Bai Er Yi is also an author of various notable pieces of literature such as "The Quotations of Heneral General102" which was a manifesto outlining his political agendas, as well as a book on the history of the joint Korean-Dutch East Indies invasion of the empire.
Other books included:
*"Quotations From Ministro Mariskal General102"
*"On Free Will and Determinism 1: Hard Determinism and Incompatibilism"
*"On Free Will and Determinism 2: The 'Freedom' of the Will"
*"For Reference Vol. 1: Philosophy"
*"The Ideal Body is Male"
Bai Er Yi also spent his days as an amateur photographer, having contributed numerous photographs of various historical events in the country's history.
He used to own a vast and comfortable amount of wealth, having once come under the ownership of various business establishments such as La Independencia- once the country's largest publication company, Bahay Ungguyan- a red-district bar, as well as small plantations located in the country as well as in the former colony of Mozambique.
Occasionally he took vacations, resting in his private island named "Nmemba", a small island located off the coasts of Mozambique.
==Controversies==
===== RESIGNATION AND VOLUNTARY EXILE =====
After having one of many political clashes with the Kapitan Heneral Edsel Diwa over a certain administrative policy, Bai Er Yi dared him that if he was to pursue with such policy, then most people including even Bai Er Yi himself should technically be guilty. The Kapitan Heneral accepted this dare and enacted punitive actions against the then-Ministro Mariskal. Bai Er Yi was so offended by this, that he attempted to raise complaints of unlawful actions by the Kapitan Heneral, which received no significant attention. In reaction to this, Bai Er Yi had quit the army as well as resigning from his position in the government, citing that due to the incident, he believed that his role and authority in the empire was pointless, stating: "It appears evermore apparent that I could not, even after being entrusted to it by the people, earn the power to turn the government into anything more than it is right now: a roleplay." He soon left the mainland along with much of his possessions. He briefly retired to his private island in voluntary exile, but has now since returned to active duty in civilian and political affairs.
=== OTHER CONTROVERSIES: ===
*The circumstances of his ownership of Nmemba Island was frequently subjected to much controversy. The island was once used as a military outpost for the contract-hired personnel of the former Viceroyalty of Nuestra Unidad, but in the aftermath of its collapse- the island was auctioned off and eventually fell on the hands of Bai Er. Allegations of housing slaves in the island were frequently thrown around by his detractors.
*His former position as the empire's Head of Propaganda and his ownership of La Independencia often led many to accuse him and his publication house of being the 'Empire's mouthpiece'. Conversely, many also accused Bai Er of doctoring the news presented in the newspapers his company publishes, with many being biased against his political rivals, while him and his 'political allies' were often portrayed in a benevolent light.
*His ownership of Bahay Ungguyan has earned him the ire of many Feminists who see him as a supporter of an industry that exploits women.
*His accumulated wealth as a monopolist and politician at one point has led many to accuse him of corruption.
Category:Characters