Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 269 Virtue, Talent

In 2105 of the Han calendar, Xuan Chong returned from Jianye and went back to the Naval Office. His military rank rose rapidly, as if he were taking an elevator.

He completed the internship as a captain in three months and was transferred to the substantive position of deputy commander (sixth rank), then to lieutenant general (fifth rank), and then to general of the Imperial Guard (fourth rank) – this usually means he can control a destroyer.

To rise to this rank before even reaching adulthood is obvious to everyone; it's clear he's been given a significant promotion by higher authorities.

The reason why this kind of promotion still goes through procedures, moving up level by level, is to grant substantive positions.

Xuan Chong stayed at each level for two months, and immediately participated in a military exercise upon arriving at each post. During the exercise, Xuan Chong learned who was useful.

Note: Only by bringing along a group of chosen cronies when being promoted can one secure a real position; because these cronies will act as a sensory network when the promoted person needs to mobilize the system's resources, understanding the pros and cons of their "policy efforts." In the later stages of the American presidential election, due to the abrupt elections and the lack of die-hard loyalists within the system, the position was essentially vacant.

In the East, if someone is suddenly promoted without causing a stir, it is considered a demotion in disguise.

On the naval dock, Xuan Chong saw his first ship, a 3,000-ton old ironclad warship.

On the deck, the former captain of the warship paced back and forth and introduced to Xuan Chong: "The ion shield is from the previous generation, and its stealth capability is fifty percent."

Xuan Chong had seen the slides. The refitted ship was still a blurry silhouette during initial startup. It would also require the use of ultrasonic waves to generate water mist.

Four hundred meters away, another state-of-the-art ironclad warship, after activating its electromagnetic equipment, had completely merged into the air, leaving only the water ripples at its stern.

After the senior disembarked, Xuan Chong grasped the senior's hands with both hands and presented him with a batch of wild ginseng, saying, "It's a small gift, but the sentiment is deep!"

The senior member didn't mince words, saying that he would still need Xuan Chong's help in the future.

Xuan Chong: "Of course, of course." — In the future, if he receives a "recommendation card" from this old captain, he will have to acknowledge it.

…the era of cutting-edge technology…

Near the port, Xuan Chong was certain that he was still living in the late 19th century; old photographs showed steam trains and mule-drawn carriages running side by side on the streets, and even the car engines were intricately designed like clockwork.

The current level of military capabilities at sea has opened Xuan Chong's eyes; this dimensional electromagnetic technology has taken things to a whole new level!

On Earth, the Tesla phenomenon is uncontrollable—the phenomenon of a point discharge breaking down the atmosphere, resulting in irregularly branching electric shocks. However, in this world, it is possible to distribute electricity evenly in a space, forming an electromagnetic field.

Connection between the phenomena: The existence of "true qi," a type of internal energy that can be cultivated within the human body, is essentially based on the same underlying principle as this technology. In carbon-based life forms, it's "true qi," while in the military and industrial fields, it's "controllable magnetic fields."

Due to unique physical conditions, the trajectory of military technology development differed from that of the previous era. Stealth technology preceded the major breakthrough in aviation technology.

The rules of military operations in this timeline are completely different from those in the previous world. First of all, the airship system has not been replaced by aircraft; on the contrary, there are signs that it is replacing aircraft.

During the first industrial revolution, aviation technology was still in its infancy. Airplanes were still biplanes, and airships were still wooden frames with ordinary rubber skins. However, the carrying capacity of airships meant that they were destined to bring the Tesla field energy phenomenon before airplanes.

Under the influence of the electric field, the danger of electric spark discharge is eliminated, and the safety of hydrogen in the airship is guaranteed.

Meanwhile, at sea, we have entered the era of "magnetic shielding." In current naval battles, both sides' fleets engage in a battle, employing magnetic field stealth techniques to conceal themselves.

In the year 2096 of the Chinese calendar, also known as the Jiawu year, a naval battle took place between northern Assyria and southern Greece.

Because the Turkic ironclad warships were equipped with electromagnetic generators provided by the Han, they gained the upper hand in their confrontation with the Ai Kingdom's navy.

Although Greece also has ironclad warships, namely 8,000-ton heavy cruisers procured from Rheinmetall, which have an advantage in tonnage and armor, they are at a disadvantage in observation and targeting.

During the fifteen-hour naval battle, Ai's repeated cannon fire failed to hit the semi-transparent ships hidden in the mist; meanwhile, the Turkic navy completed a sharp turn in front of the battle line and took them into a T-formation.

The Turkic fleet opened fire with rapid-fire cannons at a distance of 3,000 meters. The shells, loaded with picric acid, ignited the superstructure of the Ai Kingdom, forcing the Ai Kingdom fleet to withdraw from the battlefield.

Since that naval battle, the navies of major world powers have adopted magnetosphere technology as standard equipment and allocated substantial resources to its research. Even older warships have undergone modernization.

In modern warfare, where both sides possess "magnetic stealth" technology, it is often necessary for destroyers to carry magnetic storm emission equipment and approach within ten kilometers of the enemy ship. By scanning the enemy's magnetic field facilities with magnetic storms, a phenomenon known as "autumn" appears, before the battleships finally engage in a duel with their main guns.

Of course, battleships also have electromagnetic storm equipment. When an enemy destroyer is "scouting ahead," the battleship's electromagnetic equipment can also cause an aurora phenomenon in the destroyer's magnetosphere. Consequently, the destroyer formation will be subjected to concentrated fire.

…The electromagnetic countermeasures here are quite fascinating…

Xuan Chong has investigated the current integrated "magnetic storm" and "magnetic shield" equipment.

This device, hidden at the stern of the ship, weighs a full fifteen tons and occupies a mounting position in a main gun turret. The magnetic shield appears to be a Tesla coil mounted on the mast. The magnetic storm device resembles a large iron pot.

Xuan Chong's assessment: Similar to a microwave oven, the iron pot focuses electromagnetic energy to radiate magnetic storms to suppress distant targets.

After Xuan Chong unfolded his stationery box equipment to take measurements, he discovered that the magnetic field of this planet was different from what he had known.

Out of habit, Xuan Chong measured the magnetic field within the planet. He felt as if he had seen a description of "magnetic field" somewhere before, so he raised his hand. The true energy overflowing from his acupoints spread around his body, forming a net that controlled a ball of water.

Modern Chinese physiologists claim that "Heaven and man correspond to each other." Some martial arts manuals require a perfect model for the energy field of the Great Circulation of Qi, and this model is the current model of the magnetic field of heaven and earth.

In their research, every part of the human body corresponds to the heavens; when sitting upright, the Huiyin acupoint corresponds to the South Pole, and the Baihui acupoint on the top of the head corresponds to the North Pole.

Driven by interest, Xuan Chong took out his measuring tools, measuring himself on a microscopic scale while simultaneously extending his reach to the heavens.

Half an hour later, Xuan Chong exclaimed, "It really is symmetrical."

…My captain, my ship…

Xuan Chong boarded the deck of the light cruiser codenamed "Cruiser 032". Its outer layer was iron armor, but its upper deck was made of tung oil wood, a type of wood that is good for making furniture and building materials.

In Jianye, ordinary people only have a few tables to eat at, passed down from generation to generation; but how many tables can this wooden plank make? It can only be said that the navy is a money-devouring beast.

Xuan Chong inspected the warship, which was nearing decommissioning, with the soldiers lined up.

It must be said that this old ship is very well maintained. The deck is very clean and there is no dirt buildup that could cause it to rot. As for the metal turrets, there is some rust on the edges, but the internal mechanisms are coated with oil and are in very good condition.

A review of the nautical log revealed that gunnery and other skills were below average, and even the results for some tactical maneuvers, such as turns, were not ideal.

This is understandable, since gunnery and high-speed navigation are combat subjects that require investment; related training is currently being conducted on new and advanced warships.

The saying "When the cannons roar, gold pours in" is no exaggeration; the Han Dynasty navy has a long history. And a navy with a long history is characterized by having a large number of old-fashioned warships.

Moreover, military development has been very rapid in recent decades. Eighty years ago, the main force was still sailing battleships, ironclad ships only appeared fifty years ago, and the oldest batch of sailing battleships were only retired forty years ago.

In an era of military advancement, to ensure that naval combat capabilities keep pace with the times, funding must be poured into new and advanced warships.

Old-fashioned warships were tasked with patrolling the seas and occasionally fighting pirates; as for firing, they would usually use secondary guns or machine guns to sweep at the pirates, without using the main guns.

Xuan Chong looked the warship over, and the old sailors in their thirties and forties on board were also looking Xuan Chong over.

These seasoned seafarers were initially quite relaxed when they saw their overly young superior. However, after Xuan Chong picked up their joint training results, they couldn't help but feel uneasy, as they didn't know what demands their new boss would make.

Xuan Chong was too young, looking about the same age as the first mate's son. At that age, most people are ambitious. So the sailors on this old ship were afraid something might go wrong.

Half an hour later, Xuan Chong put the combat training results sheet back in the drawer, which relieved the first and second officers on the ship.

Unlike some leaders who, upon taking office, demand "I'm here, I must change your image," Xuan Chong didn't resort to drastic measures. Xuan Chong's internal standard was: if we're going to achieve results, it has to be me (Xuan Chong) and the forty new people I brought who are in charge; there's no need to torment the veteran team.

Xuan Chong tallied the ages of all the crew members and found that veterans over 35 years old made up 70%. In today's major internet companies, this age would be considered for layoffs. So? Change? What kind of change?

In his previous life, Xuan Chong led a military team and presided over military reforms. For an army to undergo reforms, the age of its rank-and-file officers should be kept at around 20, the age of its middle-ranking officers should be kept at around 30, and the age of its senior officers should be kept at around 40.

If someone is over thirty years old at the grassroots level, it means that they haven't seen "blood money" (a promotion) in about ten years since they started working.

Similarly, mid-level section chiefs, once they reach the age of forty and are no longer confused, all know that they cannot be promoted within the system.

In a team where everyone knows they "can't get promoted," leaders can't simply urge their subordinates to enthusiastically participate in change.

Especially now, on a ship, stability is paramount. It's like a programmer taking over a senior programmer's code; the only requirement is that it runs, don't try to be innovative.

…Seeking stability…

In the captain's cabin, Xuan Chong and the veteran crew members had a tea party.

Xuan Chong took out their nautical chart, which was covered with dense pencil markings of key points. After asking, he learned that some were reefs, while others were schools of seafood. Xuan Chong praised the first mates for their creative ideas.

However, just when the first mate thought he had gotten away with it, Xuan Chong banged on the table and said, "It's fine for you to make money, but you can't do it in a way that I, the captain, don't understand."

Xuan Chong was certainly aware that the nautical chart included some smuggling points.

Facing these veterans who were twice his age, Xuan Chong's gaze was very serious: "There is one type of contraband that cannot be touched, because I cannot cover it up."

The first mates immediately abandoned their underestimation and hurriedly assured their new young superior, in the name of Mazu, that they would absolutely not touch this thing. —Xuan Chong's subtext was: As long as I know about your past, I will cover for you and won't betray you.

The biggest worry on the entire ship was how to save their small business, because they weren't sure if they could bring down the new commander; after all, the new commander was young and had a bright future. If it was a blanket ban, everyone would be in trouble.

Xuan Chong accepted the gift package presented by the first mate, saying, "I will keep the items on the ship for now, and we'll discuss it further after we've determined whether your business is in any danger."

Xuan Chong: "We need to communicate more during this time. The people I brought are focused on improving the exercise results, and we need your cooperation. As for your business, if it affects you, I will find a way to make up for it."

Xuan Chong did not say, "You can continue as before, I don't care." You can't say you don't care on a ship. Saying you don't care means you don't want to go into the water and take responsibility. If you really want to control the ship, you have to be responsible for the daily livelihood of the sailors.

In the captain's cabin, Xuan Chong quickly completed his first encounter with the crew.

After Xuan Chong left, the first mate muttered, "Holy crap, is he seventeen? Damn, he's practically an old dragon king."

Second Mate: They're a dragon's offspring, you have to respect them.

…shrimp and crab eat mud…

The first and second officers were interested in those smuggling points not for buying and selling goods, but for "money laundering." The navy's covert transportation sideline business was tacitly approved by higher authorities, and within this "tacitly approved" scope of gray income, some ships, such as the one at the foot of Xuanchong, were secretly laundering "black money" into "gray money."

Ten days later, Xuan Chong used his connections with his naval colleagues to investigate the relationship between those gambling dens and the local high-ranking officials.

Xuan Chong severed ties with two of the high-risk casinos. These two were already backed by corrupt officials and were about to be slaughtered by the local bureaucrats.

Therefore, he also had to distance himself from the situation first. As for the other casinos, Xuan Chong used his connections to ask them to give him more business.

In the world of black and gray industries, the most important thing is to have access to information; Xuan Chong's investigation was something that the original captain of that warship could not find no matter how much money he spent.

Throughout the entire process, Xuan Chong was only responsible for gathering information and only needed to send a few handwritten letters to the province. He didn't spend a penny, but the accounts collected by the ship's crew were 1.3 times more than before.

With the money in hand, the ship's original operating mechanisms were not disrupted.

Xuan Chong led his young team to familiarize themselves with the electromagnetic equipment on the old ship.

Xuan Chong's actions naturally caught the attention of the bigwigs who were watching him.

At the General Headquarters, after confirming that the integration of old and new personnel within the ship was proceeding smoothly, Liu Kehua couldn't help but remark, "This kid does have some ability."

In comparison, Xuan Chong's approach was to "select someone with both virtue and talent".

…From the Marshal's Perspective…

Within the Han Navy, it's not just the Xuanchong cruiser that needs "electromagnetic" conversion. According to the naval leaders, they practically want to equip all their old warships with new equipment to create a new type of combat capability.

There are several technical routes for "electromagnetization" conversion, but personnel training is a significant problem.

You can't expect a group of people who are unqualified in electrical engineering to operate electromagnetic equipment. It's like giving a nuclear submarine to Indians; they'll likely cause a series of disastrous problems.

Old-fashioned warships all used steam engines. Ten years ago, when the Han Dynasty sent its fleet on a circumnavigation of the globe to show off its military might, these old ships were undoubtedly the "stars" of the ship at that time.

Back then, those young people were full of vigor and learned the entire process of operating the steam engine, including adding coal and maintenance; but before they could make any contributions, the military equipment was replaced.

Five years ago, some officials in the Han Dynasty government mentioned the matter of "modifying old warships".

The reason is that older-style warships, lacking stealth capabilities, are extremely vulnerable to being caught by enemy battlecruisers in naval battles, and thus lack survivability.

In the Navy's latest tactical formations, older cruisers do not follow the main fleet. With the increasing sophistication of airship reconnaissance technology in recent years, older fleets may become targets of aggression.

However, the navy encountered numerous obstacles when implementing the "modification of old ships".

Five years ago, the Navy selected a batch of old cruisers; after installing magnetic storm reactors, due to design incompatibility and personnel mismatch, the first batch of old ships frequently suffered fires and various accidents.

The investigation revealed that coordination between the two sides was extremely poor during the conversion of the old ship to new equipment. There was no integration or collaboration between the veteran crew members and the new crew members.
After all, there was an age gap between the two sides. The new crew members demanded that the boiler be kept running 24 hours a day to supply electricity, but the older crew members refused.

The new fleet crew members asked the veteran crew members to learn electromagnetic regulations, but the veteran crew members made excuses and refused.

Narrator: A similar situation occurred in Xuanchong's previous life mining industry. Modern mining safety regulations have a series of devices to ensure safety, but in the eyes of the new safety officers, the old miners would rather raise mice than learn this stuff.

How to integrate new and old personnel without causing conflicts? This is a headache for the leaders of the current Han Navy department.

Funding? If funding can solve the problem, then the funding needs to be a specific amount. Without a clear budget, then we're left with "personnel on each ship manipulating the system," resulting in extremely low efficiency in the use of military funds.

Xuan Chong didn't ask for funding from above. Instead, he directly targeted the illicit profits, seizing upon the "oil theft" activities of the crew; on one hand, he filled the "oil bottles" with oil, and on the other hand, he controlled the oil-absorbing straws. He manipulated the entire ship to cooperate with him.

Xuan Chong got the crew of the old ship to accept the new operating mode without costing the navy a single penny. That's what "talent" is.

While Xuan Chong took the illicit income, he himself did not get a single drop of "dirty oil" on himself; this is virtue.

Liu Kehua investigated and found that Xuan Chong had kept the money in a separate account; this account was used to provide meals for the soldiers when they went ashore. For this Grand Marshal, as long as Xuan Chong didn't take a single penny, he could cover up any irregularities in the operation.

This shows that when Xuan Chong reaches a higher position in the future, he will be able to access "large resources" to get things done.

Liu Kehua: There are many scholars with virtue but no talent, but a special environment is needed to utilize them; there are also people with talent but no virtue, but the risks must be considered when using them. People with both talent and virtue are rare indeed.

He gently placed Xuan Chong's file into a separate drawer, clearly indicating that Xuan Chong had passed some kind of test.

(End of this chapter)