The Empire will continue to win

Shen Moqing coughed twice to interrupt the arrogant words, then waved his hand and said, "You may all leave."

"Yes."

After the factory security team members left.

"Gu Hongming, please continue."

"After failing the exam, I saw countless impoverished scholars in the southern part of the city and the outskirts of Beijing. They scrimped and saved, renting rooms in large courtyards in the southern part of the city and even Wanping, waiting anxiously for the Ministry of Personnel to select candidates. But how few official positions were there in the country? How many scholars were there? Even if you waited for twenty years, you might not get a substantive post in the countryside. Even if you were lucky enough to pass the imperial examination, what then? Except for the top-ranked candidates, you still had to wait. You had to wait three or five years, and if you were unlucky, you could even have to wait seven years."

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

"What I want to say is that the imperial examination is meaningless; it is merely a tool used by the court to control ambitious individuals and maintain public order."

Inside the prison cell.

A deathly silence.

Shen Moqing was now certain that this person was Gu Hongming, because ordinary people simply couldn't see through this.

.........

"And then?"

"I concealed my identity and entered the gun-operating workshop of Yanshan Heavy Industry's firearms factory through social recruitment. I spent my days working on the lathes, and my life was quite fulfilling. Superintendent, do you still think I'm a spy?"

"You're not a spy, you're a dangerous element."

"You're absolutely right, sir. In this world, clever people are dangerous, honest people are spies, cunning people are good people, and sycophants are honest people. So, sir, you've caught a whole bunch of honest people—no, spies—with just a thin questionnaire!"

Shen Moqing couldn't help but laugh out loud.

A philosopher once said:

Political stance is like a pair of underwear. Everyone has one, except for children. But under normal circumstances, no one sees another person's underwear.

Normal people wouldn't intentionally show it to others.

Normal people wouldn't go and pry into other people's things.

People who like to wear their underwear on the outside are definitely not normal; they're either superhuman or perverts.

Today, I have clearly seen Gu Juren's position.

This is a good thing!

"Gu Hongming, have you ever thought about why this is?"

"I've thought about it."

"explain!"

"It's hard to say, it's difficult to explain."

"I want to make a name for myself in this country. Why don't you come and help me?"

"May I ask, sir, are you seeking wealth? Power? Or truth?"

"It's hard to say, hard to say." Shen Moqing used the same tactic against him, standing up and asking, "Who is the other person being held captive?"

"An honest man."

"Then let's release them together. After that, go do something for me."

"Please give your orders, sir."

"Our factory has three thousand employees. You can categorize them: there are a lot of smart people, a lot of honest people, and a lot of people who are neither smart nor honest."

"Sir, are you ready?"

"Replacing the old with the new".

"Your humble servant obeys."

Thus, Shen Moqing gained another useful person under his command.

There are many kinds of confidants.

For example, those who have gone through life-and-death trials together, those who share the same political ideals, those who are ambitious and want to take advantage of others' power, and those who are closely bound together by kinship, marriage, or teacher-student relationships.

Each of the above types can be used by people, but for different purposes.

.........

noon.

Shen Moqing was inspecting the vicinity of the gun factory and ordered the tall trees near the wall to be cut down when he suddenly saw a young eunuch rushing towards him on horseback in a panic.

"Is it Lord Shen?"

"Indeed, may I ask who you are, sir?"

The young eunuch quickly slid off the saddle and expertly gave a bow.

"Greetings, Lord Shen. I am the junior apprentice of Eunuch An Dehai. You can call me Little Li. The Empress Dowager Cixi has summoned you to the palace. Let's set off immediately."

She is articulate, has delicate features, and possesses rosy lips and white teeth.

Shen Moqing had some vague guesses in her mind, but she still took the initiative to ask, "What is your name, Father-in-law?"

"Li Lianying".

"So it's Eunuch Li. Please wait a moment while I go back to the factory to fetch a horse."

It's called leading a horse, but it's not just about leading a horse.

Before going to see the Empress Dowager, a lot of preparations need to be made.

For example~

Take a shower!

Heavy industrial factories generate a large amount of waste heat from steam, which is used for purposes such as bathhouses and heating.

In front of the bathhouse.

"Lord Shen, what brings you here?"

"You need to bathe and change your clothes. How can you go to see the Empress Dowager all dirty?"

"Then please hurry!"

"Please have a pot of tea, Eunuch Li, it will be ready in a moment."

What's the rush?

Those who achieve great things are never in a hurry. As long as they are not in a hurry, it is others who are in a hurry.

.........

Taking a shower will improve my complexion, eliminate any unpleasant odor, and mask the scent of cosmetics from last night's encounter with the brothel.

Although Shen Moqing comes from a rural area in Jiangsu and is known for his meticulous examinations, he never denies the importance of good looks and a healthy physique for a man's career success.

Is female beauty valuable?

Of course it's valuable.

Male beauty is more valuable!!

Male beauty is a rare commodity in any era. If it is combined with any one of the following: intelligence, martial prowess, family background, or wealth, it can drive countless women crazy!

In the spacious, empty pool~

Shen Moqing was enjoying the hot water all by himself, his eyes closed as he pondered what trouble that old woman in the Forbidden City had encountered.

At 26, Empress Dowager Cixi was indeed an old woman to me when I was 17.

Suddenly~

The curtain was lifted.

Shen Moqing instinctively gripped the revolver that was placed by the pool.

"Lord Shen, you'd better hurry." Li Lianying was startled when he saw the pistol as soon as he entered the room, and said softly.

"Okay, coming right away."

wow~

Shen Moqing slowly walked out of the pool, just as the saying goes: He could outshine Song Yu, was no less than Pan An, and was not Wei Jie.

(Idiom: To be stared at until one dies. The handsome Wei Jie was so beautiful that he was often surrounded by people when he went out. Eventually, there were so many people staring at him that he died from being stared at.)

"Let me help you change your clothes," Li Lianying said anxiously.

"No, Your Excellency is a servant of the Empress Dowager. There is a proper distinction between ruler and subject. How can Your Excellency serve me?" Shen Moqing slowly adjusted his military uniform in front of the mirror.

"My senior brother An personally serves the Empress Dowager; it's not my turn at all." At this time, Li Lianying was just a nobody in the Forbidden City.

He handed over the military cap. "Lord Shen, is this alright?"

"And they even have sidearms!"

One, two, three.

On the right side of the belt, behind the belt, inside the military boot.

Seeing that Little Li was dumbfounded, he explained, "These are turbulent times, and enemy espionage activities are rampant. We must be on guard."

Shen Moqing is gone.

The factory protection team is temporarily under the command of Zhang Zongcang.

The strictest-ever "Temporary Code of Conduct for Employees of Yanshan Heavy Industry Collective Firearms Factory" has been promulgated and posted at the main entrance, where everyone going to and from get off work can see it.

Everyone was gathered together for a thorough cleaning in their assigned areas.

No rules, no standards.

Military factories need to be more disciplined than ordinary factories; otherwise, the weapons they produce will be nothing but garbage.

.........

Starting from Nanyuan, rush along the central axis, pass through Yongdingmen and Zhengyangmen, and you will see the majestic Forbidden City.

As usual.

Register, unload the gun, and inspect.

"Brother Zhang Xun, are you on duty today?"

"Yes, Brother Shen, you look very energetic."

"Let's go to a brothel sometime!"

"..."

At this time, Zhang Xun was quite shy, didn't talk much, and was also quite handsome.

"This Lieutenant Zhang owes a lot of money outside," Li Lianying suddenly said after entering the Forbidden City.

"Aren't the Imperial Guards paid quite a lot each month?"

"It's expensive, but the wedding costs money like water. I heard that Lieutenant Zhang borrowed several hundred silver dollars from a private bank."

"Just pay it back slowly."

Shen Moqing strode quickly and soon arrived at Longzong Gate.

Inside the door.

There is one guardhouse for each of the items.

A wooden sign hangs prominently at the entrance of the west duty room—Telecommunications Department.

Just then, a woman with long legs and a slender waist walked out of the telecommunications office. She was dressed in black hunting clothes and shiny riding boots, and hurried towards the back hall with a telegram in her hand.

Could it be that another great victory has been achieved?