You can't only love the Qing Dynasty when you're eating the fruits of others' labor.

1669.
The first batch of candidates for the global imperial examinations finally arrived in the capital, mainly from Korea, Japan, and Ryukyu.

Being near the water tower means you get the moon first.
The first batch of more than 200 candidates who participated in the global imperial examination were mostly from wealthy families, including many from official and noble backgrounds.

This is not surprising, because in any era, studying abroad requires a large sum of money, which is difficult for ordinary families to afford.

"Paying homage to the saint~"

In the courtyard, three identical statues of Confucius, Mencius, and Chiang Kai-shek stand in a row.

Choi Jin, a descendant of a declining Yangban family in Goryeo, had been well-versed in Confucian classics since childhood, and he was very confused at this moment.

Confucius is a household name.

Mencius is very famous.

Who the hell is Jiang Zi?
After kneeling and bowing, he asked the Ministry of Rites official beside him in a low voice.

"May I ask this gentleman, my knowledge is lacking, and I do not know which ancient sage Jiang Zi is?"

"He is the current Grand Secretary."

"Oh, it's the current sage."

Cui Zhen was instantly startled by his own rude behavior and quickly stepped forward to bow twice more to the statue of Chiang Kai-shek.

……

As the first global imperial examination, it had a high acceptance rate, with 100 out of more than 200 candidates being accepted, most of whom came from Goryeo (Korea).

Outside of the empire, the Goryeo Kingdom had the deepest understanding of Confucianism, firstly because of its proximity and secondly because of its long-standing cultural influence.

The Goryeo Kingdom, also known as Little Flower Kingdom.

The day of the announcement arrived.

Cui Zhen, gazing at her name prominently displayed on the honor roll, couldn't help but recite:
In the past, there was no way to boast, and now there is no limit to thinking.

The spring breeze is proud of horseshoe disease, seeing Chang'an flowers in one day.

When he got to the most emotional part, he couldn't help but burst into tears.

What is it like for a Goryeo person to serve as an official in the capital of a superior country?
Bring glory to your ancestors!
Returning home in glory!

The family's hope!

Mitsui Takada, the son of a Japanese merchant, was filled with envy. He had failed the exam and decided to stay and do business while preparing for the next one.

Congratulations, Brother Cui.

"You'll have another chance next time, so don't be discouraged and give up. Mitsui-kun, remember, of all things, only studying is noble."

"Hay."

……

inner city.

The three schools are lined up in a row.

These were: the Imperial College, the Accelerated School for New Confucian Teachers, and the Preparatory School for Foreign Bureaucrats.

The first institution to cultivate scholars from our own country.

The second accelerated training program for private tutors.

The third is the Joint Fleet.

At the preparatory school for foreign bureaucrats, a young official from the Ministry of Rites strode confidently into the classroom.

Everyone stood up in unison.

"Please sit down. Gentlemen, please listen carefully. You are, after all, foreigners. Your language, Confucianism, customs and traditions may not be to your liking. If you were to hastily assume official positions, it would only make you a laughingstock and disgrace the court."

"Therefore, we need to learn here the way of governing in a superior country."

“From today onwards, you will have 8 classes every day.”

"Starting with Chinese language and calligraphy, you will gradually advance. There will be exams every month, and your exam results will determine your future official rank."

"Furthermore, from this day forward, abandon your bird language, bird clothes, and bird customs. Always remember that you are a proud disciple of Confucianism and a noble prospective bureaucrat of the empire."

"Did you all understand?"
Everyone bowed in unison.

"Listen clearly."

"Confucius and Mencius have been passed down for 3000 years and spread to more than ten countries. Their teachings are inevitably subject to omissions and alterations. What I want to tell you is that what you have learned before may not be orthodox learning, but may very well be unorthodox. From now on, everything shall be based on the Confucian teachings of the Imperial Ministry of Rites."

"Yes."

Although the person in charge spoke arrogantly, no one present felt humiliated.

Compared to the brilliant and long-standing culture of the superior country, our own country's things are indeed nothing to boast about.

……

The first thing after school starts is class assignment.

The 100 admitted students were divided into two classes according to their family backgrounds: those from lower backgrounds were placed in the class on the left, and those from higher backgrounds were placed in the class on the right.

The classroom on the left.

A disciple of Huang Zongxi carefully wrote a line on the blackboard: What are the characteristics of an ideal kingdom?
"Ladies and gentlemen, Chief Minister Chiang has devoted himself to studying the teachings of the sages for 37 years and has written the famous masterpiece on governance, 'Chiang's Instructions.' Please turn to Volume Two."

A rustling sound~
"The first element is to appoint a large number of ministers who are familiar with the fundamentalist Confucian doctrines."

After speaking, the professor observed the reactions of the crowd, who were generally bewildered and unresponsive.

He thought to himself, these commoners really lack political awareness and can't understand the underlying meaning.

"The second factor was the large-scale expulsion or killing of heretics who rejected fundamentalist Confucian doctrines."

A slight commotion arose in the classroom.

The professor observed the crowd's reactions again; they ranged from excitement and agitation to fear, anticipation, and schadenfreude.

The classroom on the right.

The lessons were also taught by a disciple of Huang Zongxi.

When he finished explaining the first element, the students below reacted with unusual excitement.

"The Grand Secretary is wise."

"The culture of our superior nation is profound and extensive, truly wonderful!"

"Only today do I realize that I have wasted my time studying. Fortunately, I have come to the country and come into contact with the purest Confucianism."

The professor nodded slightly.

Sure enough, students from yangban, daimyo, and samurai families are different; they have a keen political sense.

……

The next day.

The classroom on the right.

Classic Case Study – How to correctly view the relationship between the Yi royal family and local powerful clans, using the Goryeo Kingdom as an example?
The professor spoke with great passion and enthusiasm.

The students listened intently.

In the corner, a teaching assistant was responsible for observing and recording the micro-expressions of all the students, one file per student.

Day again.

Open discussion class – Taking the Goryeo Kingdom as an example, how should we view the struggle between the meritorious officials and the literati?

The students shared their opinions, which boiled down to one sentence: Replace them all! Replace them with our own people!

Goryeo, small Chinese flower.

It truly lives up to its reputation.

After three months of theoretical courses, the practical component began. The classes on the left were assigned to intern at the Baoding Military Academy, while the classes on the right were assigned to intern at the Censorate.

……

Baoding Military Academy.

As soon as the cadets put down their bedding, they plunged into the intense military academy life.

I went for a run in the early morning, fully equipped with protective gear.

In the morning, we had musket shooting lessons and sword fighting lessons.

In the afternoon, command courses for battalion-level (500 people) and below.

In the evening, I watched a play, specifically "The Grand Secretary's Private Visit."

Everyone was deeply grateful to be classmates with the top scholars from the two imperial examinations of the capital, to be able to fight alongside them, and to have a limitless future ahead of them.

Evening~
While writing a letter home under an oil lamp, a Japanese student excitedly wrote in Chinese characters: "Father, I am now a citizen of the Tang Dynasty."

Censorate.

The sons of officials and nobles from Japan, Korea, and Ryukyu collectively transformed into imperial censors, either on official business, studying case files, or cooperating in the trial of cases.

Choi Jin was always the first to arrive and the last to leave.

As a descendant of the Yangban class, he mastered the essence of the Censorate's work without any formal instruction: to arrest despicable officials and gentry in various places in the name of justice and restore a bright and just world for the common people.

He served as a clerk.

They handle a large number of case files and listen to a large number of testimonies every day.

After two months, Choi Jin felt she had learned a lot and wished she could stand on Gyeongbokgung Palace and press her hand against Changbaeksan Mountain.

With a sharp weapon in the body, the murderous heart starts from the beginning.

Human nature is like this.

……

Just half a year.

The first batch of foreign prospective bureaucrats has graduated.

The graduation ceremony was low-key but of high standard.

Because the Grand Secretary himself has come!
"Greetings, Principal."

The students, dressed in the robes of officials from the upper kingdom, all knelt down on both knees.

"Flat body."

Jiang Qingyun presented the top three students with graduation certificates and letters of appointment in a friendly manner as encouragement.

"Unify the world, and all nations will pay tribute! The United Empire will inherit the legacy of the glorious Tang Dynasty, and will widely recruit talents from all countries, regardless of nationality or skin color. Anyone with talent can enter the court to serve as an official."

"Long live!"

The students were moved to tears.

All of them were granted the title of seventh-rank civil official and temporarily served in the Censorate, awaiting appointment.

...At the cabinet meeting.

Minister of Personnel Feng Shuan: "Grand Secretary, when will the appointments be arranged?"

Jiang Qingyun waved his hand: "Old Feng, the Ministry of Personnel will first arrange for a few of the highest-scoring people to serve as officials in the Six Ministries. After a few months, give them leave to return home to visit their families. Remember, give them plenty of travel expenses and send more soldiers to create an atmosphere of returning home in glory."

"Does the Grand Secretary mean he wants to attract more people to take the imperial examinations?"

"Yes."

"Prime Minister, where are the graduates going?"

"After graduation, we will each return to our hometowns."

"what?"

"After completing their studies, they should return to their homeland to serve their country. If they don't have this awareness, then they are heretics of Confucianism."

Everyone laughed.
Jiang Qingyun smiled too.

Schools are special places.

Although there was no gunfire, it was an important battlefield.

Today, talented individuals from various countries are coming to China at their own expense to participate in the imperial examinations, and then receive systematic education in foreign preparatory bureaucratic schools. Their intention is no less than that of launching a joint fleet.

The Combined Fleet is not a navy.

The Combined Fleet is a gleaming "Confucian behemoth" that sails across land and sea, delivering powerful ideological bombs along the way.

……

Guangzhou Port.

White sails dot the horizon.

More than 10 foreign merchant ships entered the port every day, making it a trade miracle of the 17th century.

"Watch your step."

"finally reached."

Looking at the huge sign at the port—"Once you're here, you're an Imperial citizen!"

Lord Niu was moved to tears. After going through countless hardships, he finally arrived at the East that he had been longing for. But where was the imperial examination?
An interpreter, with his hands behind his back, spoke fluently in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish.

"disinfect!"

"Register!"

"Then line up and pick up a copy of the 'Guidelines for Foreigners Visiting China'."

17th-century sailors were dirtier than the country latrines; they couldn't leave the dock without being disinfected.

During registration.

Newton meticulously wrote in calligraphy, though the stroke order was reversed and some strokes were missing, it was still legible.

The interpreter next to him noticed.

"You speak Chinese, kid?"

"Yes, sir, I know a little bit of Chinese."

"What did you do before?"

"I studied physics and the relationship between Confucianism and Mencius at the Imperial College in London."

"Did London also have an Imperial College?"

"Yes, although the names are different, their status is the same."

"Oh my, a foreign scholar." The interpreter's eyes widened as he looked him up and down. "Come with me."

……

Highly skilled personnel can use the fast track.

This has always been the case.
Because Newton insisted that he was a student at the Imperial Academy who studied the connection between Confucianism and physics, the officials receiving him dared not neglect him and recommended him to Shang Zhixin, the governor of Guangdong.

"I have long admired Niu Hanlin."

"May Your Highness live a long and prosperous life."

"No, no, Niu Hanlin, you've overstepped your bounds. If you weren't a foreigner, your head would already be on the ground."

Newton was terrified and broke out in a cold sweat.

Shang Zhixin coughed twice.

"Well, since you are a foreign scholar, I will give you 10 days to write an article. If you write it well, I will send someone to take you to the capital."

"Yes."

Newton was as if he had been granted a pardon.

In order to get ahead, he only slept for one hour a day, and devoured the latest Confucian books with great thirst, frantically absorbing knowledge.

To the lowly clerk at the post station, he actually believed that this was a diligent foreign scholar who had passed the imperial examination.

Confucius, Mencius, and Chiang Kai-shek.
In order to quickly establish himself, the notoriously arrogant Newton gritted his teeth and simply changed the order, placing Jiang Zi first in the article as the first sage.

He locked himself in his room and pondered for seven days, and a magnificent article was born.

……

First came the saints, then came the light.

If Jiang Ziya had not been born, the world would have remained in darkness forever.

First came Chiang Kai-shek, then came Kwangtung.

The term "light" has two meanings.

The first layer is the light of nature.

When I was in London, I once used a prism to analyze light and saw that it dispersed into seven colors: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and violet. This is in line with the saying in the I Ching: "The Taiji generates the two polarities, and the two polarities generate the four phenomena."

All things are derived from the two energies of Yin and Yang, just as white light contains seven colors and manifests myriad colors.

The second layer is the light of civilization.

They ate raw meat and drank blood, their lives were dull and lifeless.

Dynasties changed, and the era faded into obscurity.

3000 years of history has been nothing but petty squabbles and scheming, until Chiang Kai-shek suddenly appeared, and the eyes of hundreds of millions of ordinary people finally saw light.

Investigating things is like analyzing light.

The pursuit of knowledge is like measuring light.

Virtue shines like a spotlight.

I love the truth, but I love the light of the First Holy Spirit even more.

I, Isaac Newton, Hypotheses non fingo, sed veritates (I do not fabricate hypotheses, but discover truths).

A tribute to Jiang Zi, the only sage of both the East and the West!

……

Jiang Qingyun read it three times in a row and couldn't help but sigh that smart people learn everything so quickly.

Lord Bull has arrived.

The empire has a brighter future.

This person is skilled in both literature and science, capable of physics, invention, and even manipulating others; he is truly adept at it. Once things settle down, he may become a suitable successor.

“This man is very talented. Order Guangdong to send troops to escort him to the capital.”

"Yes."

Upon receiving the cabinet's official document, Shang Zhixin dared not delay and immediately dispatched 50 elite soldiers to escort him along the way, and also gifted him two maids to warm his feet.

"Your Excellency, I have another request."

"please say."

"Could you send me a complete set of Confucian classics?"

"can."

"Could you also send me a set of Tang and Song dynasty poems?"

"can."

"Could you also send me a set of Ming and Qing dynasty novels?"

Shang Zhixin took a deep breath.

"Someone is coming."

"The end will be here."

“Buy up the biggest bookstore in Guangzhou and pack up all the books to give to Mr. Niu.”

"Yes."

An hour later, Newton set off with thousands of books.

Lu Lu reads a book in a carriage.

On the waterway, he read a book in the cabin.

During the day, I read books in the sunlight.

I read by candlelight at night.

……

Newton transformed himself into a parched sponge, desperately absorbing Confucian culture.

Being able to read ten lines at a glance is a source of pride for ordinary people.

A photographic memory is merely the threshold of genius.

During his three-month journey, Newton devoured thousands of books, which changed his entire appearance, making him more moderate and peaceful.

Tongzhou.

Upon landing, Newton, surrounded by guards, entered a clothing store.

"Shopkeeper, pick out a few clothes for me."

"The shopkeeper?"

The shopkeeper finally woke up from his dream.

"What are your requirements, sir?"

"The clothes should be of good quality, simple in appearance, and of moderate overall style. Most importantly, they should make the wearer resemble a learned and benevolent scholar." (End of Chapter)