The Empire will continue to win

After a while.

Weng Tonghe: "Brother Moqing, your words are profound."

"I just said it offhand."

"No, at first glance it seems like a joke, but upon closer examination it has a profound meaning. Confidence is confidence. If the whole nation is confident, then it is equivalent to a great increase in national confidence. A great increase in national confidence is... is..." At this point, the Imperial Tutor suddenly stopped.

"win?"

"Yes, we'll win!!"

Weng Tonghe paced excitedly back and forth in the hall. Suddenly, he rushed towards Shen Moqing, shaking his shoulders repeatedly, and exclaimed excitedly, "Ying Xue! It's Ying Xue! Hahahaha~"

then.

The Imperial Guards standing guard outside the Wuying Hall watched as the usually composed Imperial Tutor rushed out of the palace and ran wildly.

There was no other way; Weng Tonghe was simply too excited. He had no other thoughts but to get back to his study as quickly as possible and write down the inspiration surging in his heart.

Write a book, establish a biography, start a sect!

Following pre-Qin Confucianism, Han Dynasty classical studies, Wei-Jin metaphysics, Song Dynasty Neo-Confucianism, and Ming-Qing Neo-Confucianism, the Imperial Ying School was born!

A hundred years from now, I will be remembered in history like Dong Zhongshu, Zhu Xi, and Wang Yangming, and will be admired by countless people in later generations.

.........

Shen Moqing's feelings were complicated. She never expected that she would inadvertently inspire Weng Tonghe.

Putting aside practical matters, the old man is undoubtedly a great scholar, and certainly no less accomplished than his superiors in the National Political Theory Office of Danguo. Given time, he will most likely be able to summarize a set of theories on winning.

Is this a good thing?

Is it a bad thing or not?

Let us wait and see.

Drinking tea, going to the toilet, drinking tea, going to the toilet, and when the urine was clear as water, the dead eunuch An Dehai finally arrived late.

"Lord Shen, the Empress Dowager has summoned you."

"Lead the way."

In the vast, white square, the two walked one after the other, their footsteps crunching through the snow.

Sudden.

A fluffy little head appeared on the yellow glazed tile to the side and front.

meow~

It's that Jianzhou cat again.

Tilting his head, with an arrogant look in his eyes, he looked down at Shen Moqing.

The cat's inner monologue goes something like this: "Human, if you beg me, I'll jump down and let you pet me. Otherwise, I won't pay any attention to you."

Unfortunately, while cats may seem affectionate, people lack the desire to pet them.

With her mind preoccupied, Shen Moqing had no interest in teasing a proud cat. She walked away without noticing that the Jianzhou cat standing on the wall was in a foul mood.

.........

"Lord Shen, this servant would like to remind you that you are still young and have a bright future ahead of you. Don't shoot yourself in the foot."

An Dehai suddenly stopped and turned around, muttering to himself.

Damn it, you dead eunuch!

A rule of conduct in officialdom: Don't easily make enemies. If you must make enemies, either eliminate them in one fell swoop or suppress them steadily; otherwise, the consequences will be endless.

*Slap!* A resounding slap across the face.

Shen Moqing suddenly struck, slapping Xiao Anzi so hard that he fell headfirst into a snowdrift.

Above their heads, the Jianzhou cat, which had been tracking them all the way along the palace wall, was so frightened that its tail stood on end and its eyes widened like copper bells.

"Why did you hit me?" An Dehai climbed out of the snowdrift, both angry and furious, looking around.

"What were you trying to say just now?"

"I...I...I just wanted to kindly remind you not to have any improper thoughts about the Empress Dowager Cixi. You...you...you, she is the Empress Dowager!!"

"Who sent you, your dog? What are your intentions?"

"You're talking nonsense! No one in this world is more loyal to the Empress Dowager than me!! I, An Dehai, was born a servant of the Empress Dowager, and I will die a servant of the Empress Dowager." An Dehai roared, clenching his fists.

slap~

He got slapped again.

Shen Moqing simply grabbed the eunuch by the collar and slammed his back against the palace wall.

thump.

The impact was dull.

The Jianzhou cat on its head was so frightened that it turned and ran away, fearing that it would be captured by the orcs.

"If you are a loyal subject, why would you harm your master? If these scandalous rumors spread, what will people think of the Empress Dowager? That she is corrupting the harem? That she is imitating Wu Zetian?"

"I...I had absolutely no intention of harming my master."

at this time.

Two eunuchs came from behind, saw this scene, and were both shocked. They dropped what they were holding and rushed over.

"Grandpa Hai~"

"What are you yelling about? We're arm wrestling with Lord Shen."

"Grandpa Hai, what happened to your face?"

"I applied wax because it was cold."

So the two eunuchs tucked their tails between their legs and left dejectedly.

.........

Shen Moqing released An Dehai and lowered his voice:

"The Empress Dowager is in a difficult situation right now. Jingren Palace is hindering her, and Prince Gong is not very obedient. At this critical juncture, how dare you accuse the Empress Dowager of having an affair with a subordinate? Are you handing a knife to your political enemies?"

"Do you have them or not?"

"No." Shen Moqing was also helpless.

"Then swear to God!"

"I, Shen Moqing, swear to heaven that I have never spoken ill of the Empress Dowager to this day."

"Vulgar! So vulgar!" Andehai was in agony. "How could such crude language, used between ignorant men and women, be used on the most noble woman in the empire?"

.........

"Eunuch An, do you know you almost caused a disaster? If the Empress Dowager falls, we who are all in this together will be doomed."

"It was a moment of confusion on my part."

"Don't worry, I'll keep it a secret."

We arrived at the Gate of Nourishing the Mind.

"Shall we go?"

"This servant will not go in for now; this servant still needs to go to the Imperial Household Department." An Dehai covered his swollen face and hurriedly left. He was not lying; his master had indeed given him instructions beforehand.

Shen Moqing could only enter alone.

After walking only a dozen steps, he noticed a very strange phenomenon: the surroundings were extremely quiet.

What about people?

What about those hordes of eunuchs and palace maids?

As he walked along the trellis, a familiar figure finally emerged from behind the grape trellis.

"Lord Shen, the Empress Dowager is in Yanxi Hall." It was that same old nanny from last time. Without a doubt, this Granny Wang must be the Empress Dowager's most trusted confidante.

"Is it Yanxi Hall or the front hall?"

"It's Yanxi Hall. Today happens to be the Minor Cold solar term, and His Majesty has been in meetings all day in the Golden Palace. His hands and feet are cold, so Yanxi Hall is warmer."

"Thank you, Granny Wang. Please keep this for your tea." Shen Moqing handed over a gold coin without revealing his feelings. If history had only one color, it would surely be the color of gold.

Granny Wang skillfully tucked the money into her sleeve, her kind face saying, "Today is payday in the palace. The servants from Yangxin Hall have all gone to the Imperial Household Department to collect their wages and charcoal. I have to go and keep an eye on things outside Longzong Gate."

"It's so cold outside, can you handle it, Granny?"

"I'll only stand here for a quarter of an hour at most. There's also a hand warmer bestowed by the Empress Dowager, so I won't get cold." After saying this, Granny Wang bowed and gracefully left.

Shen Moqing seemed to understand something.

Wang Qianniang seemed to be implying something.

What do you mean today is the servants' payday? What do you mean it's warm inside Yanxi Hall? What do you mean it's empty for at most half an hour?

.........

After passing the front hall, we entered the rear hall.

Looking around, there was indeed no one there.

Shen Moqing deliberately coughed twice, then quickened his pace and moved to Yanxi Hall with practiced ease.

When we arrived, we found the doors and windows tightly shut, and the glass windows were opaque, so we couldn't see inside.

Tap lightly twice.

"Come in~"

The voice was languid; it was the Empress Dowager!

creak~

Unexpectedly, the door hinge also gave a winning call.

Shen Moqing turned around and closed the door, even locking it with a wooden bolt. Wang Qianniang was right; the room was indeed warm.

Etiquette must not be abandoned.

Pushing down mountains of gold and pillars of jade.

"This humble servant greets Your Majesty, wishing Your Majesty eternal youth."

I looked up and was stunned.

.........

[Following instructions from higher authorities, this book will be available for purchase tomorrow at 2:00 PM. Tomorrow morning, Xiaoxiaosheng will write a launch message.]