=================================================
When Hong Xiuquan, a well respected Hakka civilian, overheard the conversation between two other Hakka civilians, Feng Yunshan and his brother-in-law Xiao Chaogui in May of 1842, which concerned a plan to overthrow Daoguang Emperor and create a Chinese Republic, due to the decrease in the prestige of the Army due to the Opium war and the corruption of the government, due to the Emperor planning on shifting enormous amounts of money towards the Western nations, and his displeasure with what he referred to as "dinner guest generals." When Xiuquan heard of the plan, he went to his wife Lai Xiying, who, unknowingly to Xiuquan, was part of the plan, and quickly told her to forget about it. Xiuquan then turned to the notoriously republicist's, who had close ties to the empire, and the concerns found their way to the Emperor, but not before Xiuquan and Xiao Chaogui were charged for breach of duty and treason. Xiuquan was imprisoned in Beiping, while Chaogui escaped to Tibet, where he got into contact with a member of the Grand Assembly, Yang Xiuqing, who publicly announced the, as of then, quiet escapades of the Grand Army. The Army moved quickly, arresting Zeng Guofan and Sengge Rinchen the next day, and after torture, which included nearly a dozen of the highest ranking generals and admirals of the Empire. They were hanged after a trial. Xiuquan was released and, along with Chaogui, exonerated, and both would eventually reach high ranks in the Army. Then, in 1844, Xiuquan, his fallowers, and family formed the OCU(Organization of Chinese Unionists) in Guanzhou. It was a organization that supported republicism and unionism, Xiuquan became the leader and President of the OCU and made his brother-in-law Chaogui Vice-President, the OCU even had political parties. But the OCU of cource focused on military, Yang Xiuqing became Chief of the army and Zuo Zongtang became the Head-General of the army.
"Join the OCU!".
A poster premoting the OCU and its Political parties.
In 1846, the OCU started the first operation. The Foshan plot, it was disregarded in 1843 as a minor blip, especially due to the weakening of the overseas navy during the Opium war. Still, the concern remained throughout the Empire over the apathy demonstrated towards the plot by the general public, it had the the Emperor himself not cracked down on the event, the State Ministry, and far less the Defense Ministry, would have been reluctant to act. The Foshan Plot was also noted for its delicate yet advanced manipulation of the union-like political structure, especially within the Hong Kongese ministries. When Xiuquan failed to do this plot, he would use this failed plot not only as a model, but as an assurance that the elite cared more about their position than the integrity of the Qing Imperial government as a whole.
