The Empire will continue to win

"Please, Lord Shen."

"Brother Liu, please~"

"Please come, Father-in-law."

The group traversed narrow, cramped passages, crossed puddles, passed the windows of several houses, and, under the watchful eyes of dogs and amidst the crowing of roosters, finally arrived at Du Fengzhi's fifth residence in the capital.

The landlord was very good at making the most of limited space; he managed to expand the space by adding two small tile-roofed houses and a small courtyard by the river.

There are two trees in the courtyard, one is an osmanthus tree, and the other is also an osmanthus tree.

The so-called "riverside" was actually a stinking ditch, since the capital city was full of tunnels, not waterways.

The place used to entertain guests was a worn-out wooden table.

Definitely a cramped apartment~

.........

After some polite exchanges, everyone took their seats in turn, their feet on the muddy ground and their heads under the azure sky.

When serving the dishes, Du Fengzhi specially placed a plate of salted duck eggs in front of his son-in-law.

"Old Du, is there some special reason for this?" Tesla asked curiously.

"Yes, our local banquet culture is profound and extensive. For example, there are many rules to follow when eating at a banquet. Duck eggs must be placed in front of the honored guest. If there is fish, the fish head should be facing the honored guest."

"I am deeply grateful for your kindness, Father-in-law," Shen Moqing quickly bowed.

Tesla then pulled out a small notebook from his pocket and wrote it down.

Duck eggs~

Fish head~

礼~

"Everyone, please eat, don't be shy."

Only then did everyone pick up their chopsticks and start eating heartily.

It was nothing more than pork head meat, cucumber salad, fried peanuts, and salted duck eggs bought from a meat shop that could be found anywhere in the capital. Although it was simple, the portions were large and the food was affordable.

Everyone ate with great relish.

It's not easy being a migrant worker in Beijing; you're often financially strapped and struggling to make ends meet.

Shen Moqing suddenly remembered a passage from her graduation thesis:

A city is like a giant steam locomotive, requiring a lot of fuel to operate. Commoners are at best considered as a piece of firewood, while even a scholar who has passed the imperial examinations is nothing more than a lump of coal.

For a moment, everyone sighed with regret.

.........

"My dear son-in-law, although my daughter is not very bright, she is good at understanding things. If she does anything wrong after marriage, you may punish her as you see fit."

"Father-in-law, you jest. Lan'er is the love of my life. To be married to her is enough for me." Shen Moqing then changed the subject, "Brother Liu, why aren't you eating?"

Liu Guangdi, one of the Six Gentlemen of the Hundred Days' Reform, is a historical figure and worth befriending.

"I apologize for my rudeness. I was quite moved to witness Lord Shen nearly slipping just now."

"Sharing joy is worse than enjoying it alone, so why not speak it out?"

Yes, yes.

"Respect is not as good as obedience."

Liu Guangdi stood up, looked at the shabby surroundings, took a deep breath, and recited with passion:

A mountain is not famous for its height, but for the immortals who dwell there. Water is not sacred for its depth, but for the dragons that inhabit it.

This is a humble abode, yet my virtue makes it fragrant. Green moss climbs the steps, and the verdant grass enters the curtains.

Among the guests are learned scholars; among the visitors are no uncultured people. One can play a simple zither and peruse Buddhist scriptures.

There is no noise of stringed instruments to disturb the ears, nor the toil of official documents to weary the body.

Zhuge Liang's thatched cottage in Nanyang, and Ziyun's pavilion in Western Shu.

~

He stopped abruptly at this point.

The scholars and literati understood immediately and recited the last line in unison: "Confucius said: What is there to be ashamed of?"

The recitation is over.

The group looked at each other and burst into laughter. Even in the poorest of lives, joy can be found.

At this moment, all the bitterness of wandering and the resentment of being frustrated vanished.

What's so bad about it?

Even the grandest palaces are nothing special.

Tesla picked up a piece of succulent pork head meat, rolled it a few times in the garlic and vinegar dipping sauce, and then put it in his mouth.

"Fragrant! Gentlemen, today I have truly grasped the essence of Liu Yuxi's 'Inscription on My Humble Abode.' This perfectly illustrates the saying, 'What you learn from books is never enough; you must put it into practice to truly understand.' The culture of our ancestors is profound and extensive; one can never learn it all in a lifetime."

"Although Xiao Te is a foreigner, what he said makes sense. For the sake of truth, let's raise a toast." Zhang Chuanning raised his glass with his thin arm and said this.

"Mr. Zhang, I, Tesla, am already a citizen of the Empire!"

"Yes, yes, the imperial court has regulations that all foreign scholars who pass the imperial examinations shall be granted citizenship of the country and be naturally assimilated, just like us Han Chinese. I will punish myself with three cups."

"You should call me Master Te. A scholar can be addressed as Master, which is in accordance with the regulations of the court." Tesla was very particular; wearing a long gown made him a Master.

Looking at the earnest foreigner, everyone burst into good-natured laughter, as if they were in the Xianheng Hotel in Luzhen.

.........

Shen Moqing wanted to laugh, but she held it in.

He admired Jiang Zi, the first Grand Secretary of the United Empire and one of the Six Saints, to the extreme.

How did they come up with the idea of ​​a global imperial examination system?

To encourage foreign intellectuals to voluntarily study Confucian classics.

However, only a very small number of foreign geniuses who passed the imperial examinations were admitted to the court to serve as officials. The rest of the foreign scholars could only live in cramped places like Nancheng, Daxing, Wanping, and Majuqiao, wasting their lives.

In summary: We will attract talents from all over the world to our capital, but we will not use them; instead, we will secretly abandon them!

This move seems familiar.

Although the United Empire is not militarily strong, its cultural strategy is absolutely first-rate.

.........

After several rounds of drinks, Du, Zhang, Liu, and Ai couldn't help but start talking about the rules and shady dealings of the Ministry of Personnel's selection process. When they got angry, they all cursed it out.

Zhang Chuanning's turn actually came 6 years ago.

Just as he was about to take up his post, his elderly mother suddenly passed away.

There was no other way; the mourning period was a matter of human nature. He wept bitterly, packed his bags, gave up the substantive post of county magistrate that he had just secured, and returned to his hometown to observe three years of mourning.

As the saying goes:

Everything is predestined.

It's not up to us at all.

In the political arena, intelligence is just the threshold; luck is crucial.

Hearing everyone chatting enthusiastically, Du Fengzhi's eyes shone brightly. Shen Moqing couldn't help but interject, asking, "Father-in-law, if things proceed step by step, in which year will you be appointed as a county magistrate?"

"With good luck, it might take three years. With bad luck, it could take seven years."

"Why don't I, your son-in-law, fund things and help you get promoted to an official position sooner, so you can benefit the people?"

Just at this moment~

Lan'er brought over the warmed wine, and stood aside, gazing at the two most important men in her life. She secretly hoped her husband could help her father fulfill his wish.

My father has had such a hard life.

Back in the day, my father was a well-known child prodigy in the surrounding villages.

.........

"No, no!"

"I am always grateful for your kindness, father-in-law, and wish to repay your kindness in raising Lan'er."

"My dear son-in-law, you absolutely mustn't!" Du Fengzhi waved his hands anxiously. "Although I'm not a saint, I'm still a scholar with principles. How could I possibly take your money?"

Everyone looked at each other.

Zhang Chuanning coughed twice and advised, "Brother Du, we've known each other for 10 years. Take my advice. Using connections isn't a stain on your reputation. After all, your intentions are good, and you're trying to benefit the people under your jurisdiction."

Shen Moqing: "Yes, the people need good officials like you."

Old Trump blinked his small eyes, seemingly lost in thought. For a foreigner, these words were still too complex and profound; they required time to ponder them carefully.

Du Fengzhi waved his hands repeatedly:

"The Ministry of Personnel has clearly stated that 10,000 silver dollars is enough to cut in line. Although it's an unofficial practice, it's still a rule, and of course, it's permissible to follow the rules. You've all misunderstood me; that's not what I'm after."

"That is?"