"A Yanxu Republic!"

The Cover of A Yanxu Republic, featuring the same font as the modern Yanxu Party.

### Followed by

"A Tangxian Republic!" (Banned)

"A Yanxu Republic!" (延续共和！Lit, YanXu GongHe) is the second book in the alternate history series "The Twilights in Autumn" by Jiang Dongyang (pen name Xihua Douren), and is the most moderate, thus it was the first of the series to be removed from official Imperial ban lists. A Yanxu Republic is set during the Huanzhou Warlord Period, though the Warlord period ends far earlier in the novel. In the book, the Yanxu Clique achieves total victory in the Shaozi - Yanxu War, with a successful flanking attack forcing General Xia Gongren to retreat at the Battle of Xinqing, ultimately resulting in Ming Yuqing's army seizing Peikang, forming a Conservative Republic, with Dong Xijiang as President. The book covers the hypothetical existence of the Republic, known as the Grand Republic of Michu, and ends with Michu colonising space in the 1970s, with the Republican flag flying over the moon.

## Synopsis

### Plot

Ming Yuqing leads the first through third Jun Divisions in rebellion against the tyrannical Genzu Baozhen, and is invited by a coalition of businessmen, railway owners and politicians, spearheaded by the prominent local politician Dong Xijiang to unite under the Yanxu Clique, dedicated to moderate Conservatism. Mobilising the peoples of Zhongzhou, the Yanxu advance on Shaotai, starting the Shaozi - Yanxu War, as actually happened. Ming's army met Xia Gongren's forces, who committed themselves to a direct battle over the Xinqing Hills. Unlike in the real timeline, Xia's army was defeated and annihilated after reinforcements led by Zhang Baoli, who were able to lead a cavalry charge against the weakened and tired Shaozi Army. The stragglers were hunt down by Baoli's mechanised infantry, and captured soldiers were enlisted into the Yanxu Army.

Bolstered by this victory, Ming Yuqing and Zhang Baoli advanced on Peikang, and after year long siege of Peikang, Genzu Baozhen was captured by Yanxu forces. Ming Yuqing commanded all remaining members of the Imperial Court to kowtow in surrender before the Yanxu Flag. Following this, Ming and Dong declared that while the Zhi had achieved great glories, the Dynasty could not continue without an Emperor, and it's legacy was being shamed by Baozhen. As such, the Grand Republic of Michu was created, Dong Xijiang was sworn in as President. All members of the Imperial Court were offered consolation benefits, in a transitional system towards making the old Princesses and such regular citizens. In the book, this incites a brief Imperial restoration revolt, which fails due to Puxi Meiyang's effective army reforms. The Emperor was never found, and the cause of Imperial restoration would never completely fade. The new Republic would fight localised conflicts with other Warlords, before pacifying the Yuan rebels. The new Republic was a genuine Democratic system, that valued traditional Michise philosophy and the rule of law, satisfying both radical republicans, and most moderate Monarchists. This stability was aided by the Republic's welcoming of members of the Imperial family as ministers and politicians, as well as never outright denying that restoration was possible. The Republic recognised the rights of minorities, and while it did dissolve the reserved provinces system, it celebrated the cultures of minorities, which seems to protect them.

The Republic went to war with Ninhundland, and was successful, after a brief struggle. This is the shortest section of the book, due to the classified nature of the military movements at the time. In the postwar consensus, the Republic and Cynedryca declared friendship and hosted war crime trials. The book ends with the Michise Republican flag flying over the moon, and the narrator stating that Michu was establishing space colonies.