Everyone dreams of eternity.
Eternal love, eternal vows, eternal rule.
Yet nothing in this world lasts forever, and every end inevitably arrives.
Perhaps people pursue eternity precisely because they understand that it is impossible.
For more than two thousand years since Qin Shi Huang, the title of Son of Heaven had been the pride of those in the Central Plains.
But by the late Qing period, that foundation began to crumble.
The turning point traced back to the war with the British Empire.
Even if Britain had once been dismissed as barbarians, the defeat of the Middle Kingdom at their hands was shocking.
Still, such defeats had precedent.
From the Xiongnu to the Khitan, the Jurchen, and the Mongols, foreign powers had invaded before.
What was unprecedented was the humiliation of territorial concessions.
That humiliation triggered widespread rebellion.
Unable to suppress them, Qing relied on Western powers, losing more influence in the process.
Even then, people endured.
Britain was the strongest nation, and its superiority was undeniable.
Officials who studied abroad returned with the same conclusion.
But then came a greater shock.
The war against the Joseon Japan alliance.
To lose to former tributaries was unthinkable.
Yet it happened.
"Even Joseon has taken our land."
"Were we not the strongest in Asia?"
Resentment grew.
"This is the fault of the Manchu rulers."
"The Han should lead the nation."
Discontent spread, especially in Guangzhou.
Near Hong Kong, it became a hub for dissent.
Students educated there saw the flaws of Qing rule clearly.
Among them was Sun Yat-sen.
"Qing cannot be saved. Only revolution can restore China."
"Revolution is not easy."
Examples were debated.
Communist and anarchist revolutions had failed.
Constitutional monarchy seemed incompatible with Chinese tradition.
"The emperor is the Son of Heaven. How can he be bound by law?"
Even Britain's system was misunderstood.
To many, its ruler still seemed absolute.
"We must find a new path. A nation without emperors or nobles."
"Does such a nation exist?"
"One. The United States."
A democratic republic.
Sun Yat-sen believed this was the answer.
Even if it required alliances or concessions, he would pursue it.
He had already accepted that places like Hong Kong and Taiwan were lost.
To succeed, he needed the support of the Central Plains.
Within him, a new vision formed.
The Republic of China.
"…Disraeli has withdrawn from public duties due to declining health."
As I read the report aloud, the man in the hospital bed smiled faintly.
Benjamin Disraeli.
"You held a party without me."
"I invited you. You could not attend."
"I will recover and join next time."
We spoke lightly.
Yet time weighed heavily.
Others had already passed.
Now he too approached the end.
"Even so, life here is comfortable."
He laughed.
"Meals arrive on time. Care is constant. There is little to complain about."
He picked up a newspaper.
"You even issued a statement wishing for my recovery."
"Of course."
He nodded.
"It is a rare honor."
We spoke of death without fear.
"Everyone knows this day will come."
He read more news.
"Gladstone is still active."
"He worries about you."
"Then let him speak at my funeral."
"Stop talking like that."
He smiled calmly.
"I will leave this world in London, surrounded by respect. That is enough."
Perhaps this is what it means to accept the end.
He then asked me quietly.
"What do you still desire?"
"I have achieved what I wanted. Now I pass it on."
He laughed softly.
"You are still preparing things."
He was not wrong.
I wanted what I built to last.
"Tell me. What is your plan?"
After a long pause, I answered.
"As long as we control the Panama Canal and the Suez Canal, we control global trade. My son will dominate the grain market. Oil in Canada, Alaska, and the Middle East will follow."
He stared in amazement.
"This is beyond anything I imagined."
"It may never be fully realized. But the foundation will remain."
He laughed again.
"I wish I could see it."
"So do I."
We spoke until night fell.
Later, as I returned to Buckingham, a message arrived.
Benjamin Disraeli had passed away.
There is no eternity.
The end always comes.
And yet, people continue to build as if it might last forever.