Deposed? I couldn't be happier! I wouldn't even be a dog to the crown prince.

The first rays of morning sunlight pierced through the thin mist over Chang'an, landing precisely on the massive bronze statue in the main square of the Tang Dynasty Royal Academy of Sciences. Light and shadow flowed slowly between the stark, cold metal lines, bringing to life the deep wrinkles on the old man's face and the gears he gripped tightly in his hand.

Lin Fan, a freshman in the Department of Mechanical Physics, stood frozen before the statue. The heavy reference books he was holding slipped from his arms and landed with a "thud" on the smooth cement floor, raising a fine cloud of dust. Lin Fan, however, was oblivious. His pupils contracted sharply in the morning light, his gaze seemingly fixed on the bronze statue by an invisible magnetic field. In that single second of looking up, a tidal wave of emotions surged within him. Every engraving on the statue, the almost fanatical fervor for truth in the old man's eyes, all transformed into a tangible, oppressive force. Lin Fan's breathing became rapid, his heart pounding wildly in his chest like an overloaded steam engine. He instinctively raised his hands, his ten fingers twitching slightly uncontrollably—a primal, profound reverence for the pioneer who had paved the way for the industrial age. He knew that the owner of this bronze statue was none other than Mo Ju, now the Honorary Lifetime President of the Tang Dynasty Academy of Sciences, revered for all time. That legendary craftsman who, with his calloused hands, single-handedly propelled the Tang Dynasty into the age of steel.

At this very moment, deep within the monitoring room of the Eastern Palace, Li Chengqian leaned lazily back in his leather swivel chair. He gazed at the trembling young student on the holographic screen, a slow, satisfied smile curving his lips. His left eyebrow arched slightly, and his index finger tapped a long, drawn-out rhythm on the rosewood table. Those old buddies who had once toiled through the night with him in the dilapidated blacksmith shop, their skin blackened by the charcoal fire, had finally ascended to the highest altar in this world.

The images on the screen then switched, and a huge virtual globe began to rotate, drawing the view to a distant alien continent.

On the vast plains of the Americas, a colossal combine harvester weighing hundreds of tons roared deafeningly. Its massive metal cutting wheels relentlessly devoured the golden waves of wheat, billowing black smoke from its exhaust pipes into the sky. Several local tribal chiefs, who had been standing on the field ridges, collapsed to their knees in the muddy ground, their faces contorted with extreme terror, their gaping mouths unable to utter a sound. In their minds, this was not a machine at all, but a steel behemoth summoned from hell by Li Ke, the Prince of Wu, revered as a "mining and agriculture tycoon" of the Tang Dynasty. They trembled violently, their foreheads pressed tightly to the ground, unable to muster even the slightest thought of resistance, only utter submission remaining.

In the heart of North America's heavy industry, the towering flames of blast furnaces stained the night a blinding crimson. Arthur, the envoy from Britain, stood before a massive floor-to-ceiling window. A bead of cold sweat slid down his pale temple, across his face taut with despair, and finally landed heavily on the expensive wool carpet. That moment of silence shattered all of Arthur's pride as a European nobleman. Looking at the endless, tireless assembly lines of the arsenals stretching for miles, his mental defenses crumbled instantly. He realized that while his country was still basking in the glory of a few outdated firearms, Li Tai, the King of Wei, known as the "Father of North American Industry," had already built a mechanized army capable of conquering the entire world. Arthur clutched his white-gloved hand to his chest in anguish, as if someone had squeezed his heart.

Watching his brothers achieve great things overseas, Li Chengqian picked up the teacup beside him and took a sip with satisfaction. The scene then shifted again to a solemn parliament hall in Europe.

The air in the hall was heavy and suffocating. Duke Charles's exquisite quill pen lingered at the signature line of the *Basic Constitutional Law of Europe*, unable to fall. In that brief pause, Charles's mind was undergoing a brutal, meat-grinding ordeal. He thought of the vast estates inherited from his ancestors, of the once all-powerful knightly orders. But before Li Zhi, the ninth prince of the Tang Dynasty, seated on the high throne, all of that seemed like a fleeting illusion. Li Zhi simply sat there quietly, toying with a pocket watch in his hand; the crisp ticking of the watch felt like heavy hammer blows striking the depths of Charles's soul. Finally, Charles resignedly closed his eyes, flicked his wrist, and signed his name. He knew that the old era of Europe had been completely ended by this constitutional architect from the East.

"These lads, each one of them did a great job. It wasn't for nothing that I went to all that trouble to kick them out of Chang'an back then." Li Chengqian turned off the holographic screen, stood up, and stretched his slightly stiff limbs.

He strolled leisurely out of the study, through the quiet corridor, and arrived at the heavy vermilion gate of the East Palace. The night was deep, and the autumn wind carried a touch of desolation.

A dim light shone from the simple gatehouse beside the main gate. Xu Xiao, his face covered in wrinkles, sat on the threshold, carrying a small stool. The old man held a pipe in his hand, his rough fingers striking the flint at his waist.

"Sizzle—"

A bright spark suddenly burst forth in the darkness. The light illuminated Xu Xiao's weathered and scarred face. In that brief flash of light, a tall, imposing figure strode quickly from the night. It was Xu Xiao's eldest grandson, Xu Feng, the youngest general in the Tang Dynasty's military. Xu Feng wore a crisp officer's uniform, the medals plastered on his chest clanging crisply in the night. However, this iron-willed general, who commanded a million mechanized troops, showed a flicker of barely concealed awe and apprehension in his eyes when he saw the old man smoking on the doorstep.

Without hesitation, Xu Feng knelt down, his knees slamming heavily onto the bluestone slab. He lowered his head, his breathing becoming extremely shallow, as if he were worshipping an ancient deity. He knew very well that his grandfather was guarding not just a door, but the very core soul of the Tang Dynasty.

"Grandpa, I'm leading my fleet on a long voyage to the Wolf Star Defense Belt tomorrow, so I've come to kowtow and say goodbye." Xu Feng's voice trembled slightly.

Xu Xiao slowly took a drag of his pipe, exhaling a thick cloud of white smoke without even lifting his eyelids. He simply tapped the threshold lightly with the bowl of his pipe.

"Go ahead. Fight well out there and don't tarnish the prestige of our Great Tang. I'll stay here and happily guard the gate for His Highness the Crown Prince. There's no more important job in the world than this."

Standing in the shadows, Li Chengqian watched the interaction between the grandfather and grandson, listening to their words of unwavering loyalty, and a warmth welled up in his heart. Perhaps his greatest achievement in life wasn't building airplanes and cannons, but ensuring that these old comrades and brothers who had accompanied him along the way all received a peaceful and fulfilling end. This magnificent era, because of them, became a living, breathing entity.

He quietly turned and slowly walked along the moonlit cobblestone path towards his bedchamber. A night breeze rustled through the peonies in the courtyard, bringing a tranquil fragrance. He walked to the soft couch in the inner garden, sat down gently, closed his eyes, and savored this rare moment of peace and tranquility. He had done everything he could and should have done in his life; the remaining years were simply for him to squander and enjoy.

A gentle massage suddenly came from his shoulder, and Li Chengqian knew who it was without turning around.