The Empire will continue to win

Chapter 105 The Headquarters Launches a Public Opinion War

Grand Theater, Square.

Snowflakes fluttered down, and the wind howled. The army and militiamen on guard duty were all dressed in white.

The delegates gradually dispersed.

Outside the venue, some delegates who had just arrived from out of town were filled with regret, beating their chests and wailing. Missing out could very well be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Article 3 of the Imperial Charter explicitly states:

The Grand Council symbolizes the highest sanctity of the empire. All matters voted on by the Grand Council have the highest legal force, and no citizen should disobey them. Openly defying the decisions of the Grand Council will be considered an act of treason.

However, there is a restriction that at least 800 delegates must be present to vote for the document to take effect.

The entire empire has more than 3000 representatives, of whom 1000 are in the capital and the remaining 2000 are scattered in various provinces and industries.

Travel expenses to Beijing for the meeting are the responsibility of the traveler.

A civilized empire operates according to the rules.

That night, the Shen couple didn't copy the charter for nothing.

So-called political contests are mainly struggles within the rules, even if those rules are absurd like those in Kafka's style, everyone should try their best to abide by them.

Avoid going abroad unless absolutely necessary.

Avoid violence unless absolutely necessary.

Do not rebel unless absolutely necessary.

If absolutely necessary, it would be best to wipe out everyone connected to the higher-ups, along with their entire clans, in one fell swoop, then live a secluded life and build a large fortified stronghold.

The main entrance.

"Fellow journalists, please come here to collect your materials."

Tall and charming conference staff held up wooden signs written in various languages, smiling and chatting as they led Chinese and foreign journalists into a room on one side.

"Ladies and gentlemen, each of you may receive a copy of the Empress Dowager's speech and a souvenir. Thank you for your support."

Despite the freezing weather outside, the event staff still smiled sweetly, their thin, form-fitting light blue Confucian-style cheongsams looking particularly tempting.

-

Cheongsams are also categorized.

The Ministry of Rites stipulated:

A Confucian-style cheongsam must have a slit no higher than 20 centimeters above the knee and must be printed with one or two famous quotes from sages. It can only be used for formal reception occasions.

Commercial cheongsams don't matter, even if they're up to your armpit.

"Thanks."

Russell took the documents and souvenirs without giving them much thought and left in a hurry. As a foreign correspondent for The Times, he had to go home and rush to finish his article before queuing at the Beijing Telegraph Office.

The telegram would travel through Eurasia and take many detours before finally reaching London.

note:

Although the construction of transoceanic telegraph lines was booming in various countries during this era, there was no transoceanic telegraph between the United Empire and the East Sands Islands, and they were in a state of disconnection.

This indirectly led to the fact that when the East Asian Minister saw the newspapers about the great victory, he decisively committed seppuku.

A dressing room in the Grand Theater.

dong dong dong~

"Who?"

"Empress Dowager, Emperor, Prince, and all other lords, this servant has come to convey a message from my master." The royal family members were stunned. Holy crap, they hadn't even gone to their door yet, and they had already arrived.

Although she was a servant, Prince Gong stepped forward quickly and said in a gentle tone, "Please speak, Granny Wang."

The Empress Dowager said:

Beans are boiled with beanstalks as fuel, and the beans weep in the pot.

We are all born of the same root, why are we so eager to harm each other?

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment after hearing this.

Cao Zhi's "Seven Steps Poem"?

Empress Dowager Cixi clearly wanted to tell everyone that although there were disagreements, she would not go to extremes. She still cherished the old blood ties and did not want to see her own flesh and blood kill each other.

Great.

The room remained silent for a good ten seconds.

Emperor Xuanwu: "Wang Mama, please tell my mother that I will always remember her teachings."

Empress Dowager An: "What my sister says is true. At this critical juncture, we cannot fight among ourselves. Otherwise, if the country falls, we will all go to the executioner's block together."

Prince Gong: "Even though brothers may quarrel within the family, they unite to resist foreign aggression. The Empress Dowager's noble character is something I admire to the point of prostration."

Weng Tonghe: "Yes, yes, behind closed doors, even if the royal family members fight amongst themselves, there must be a bottom line. They should fight without breaking apart. This is beneficial for everyone."

Everyone took turns expressing their opinions.

The end of one war is the beginning of the next.

Starting a war is much easier than ending one.

The same principle applies if we replace war with court intrigue.

The end of one palace intrigue is the beginning of the next.

It is much easier to start a palace intrigue than to end one.

-

Although Shen Moqing may not be a magnanimous person, he is very politically astute. Right now is definitely not the time to press the enemy to their death. He should seek common ground while reserving differences and unite against external threats.

After transmigrating, he gradually discovered that the United Empire was very similar to a modern version of the late Han Dynasty, both strong and weak.

The Han Dynasty, which was nearly 2000 years ago, was also quite strange.

To barbarian tribes, the Han Dynasty was too powerful. But to good people who longed for peace and prosperity, the Han Dynasty was too weak.

Palace intrigue should be stopped when it's done.

At this critical juncture, if another mutiny were to occur in the capital, regardless of who wins or loses, the Liaodong campaign would collapse.

For the sake of the nation, we must endure it! The professor finally persuaded the Empress Dowager.

As the saying goes:

You hold your head high, and I open my heart.

Six years of melancholy, all blown away in a single day.

After a period of quiet contemplation, the 26-year-old Empress Dowager Cixi's feelings can be summarized in 16 characters: Pure Qi rises, turbid desires descend, Yin and Yang are in balance, and there is moderation, righteousness, benevolence, and harmony.

Her phoenix eyes, soft and alluring, stared at the professor's strong, bare back.

"Mo Qing, why don't you come to the Hall of Mental Cultivation every day from now on?"

"That would be inappropriate; I fear it would damage the Empress Dowager's reputation."

Professor Shen resolutely refused. "Are you kidding me? You're the only tree in the Forbidden City, but I can celebrate Arbor Day every day outside."

"What's wrong with that? Anyone who dares to gossip behind my back, I, in the name of the Supreme Commander, will exile their entire family to Vladivostok to build the railway!!"

Empress Dowager Cixi's face turned pale with anger, and her eyebrows stood on end.

"Your Majesty, the time is not yet ripe. Although we have temporarily persuaded the representatives of the provinces, this support will not last. First and foremost, we must win."

"Alright~ Come to the headquarters to assist me." The Empress Dowager Cixi was, after all, a political creature, and was actually persuaded.

"We need to get rid of one person first."

"Who?"

"Gui Liang, the father-in-law of Prince Gong and the current assistant minister of the Purple Royal Asset Management Group."

While slowly straightening his shirt, Shen Moqing said, "Killing him would not only cut off one of Prince Gong's arms, but also reduce the obstacles in the war."

We are alone. Apart from Zhili, our greatest reliance is on the royal enterprises: railways, shipping, mining, and military industry. As long as we can unite these royal enterprises, victory will surely be ours.

19

"It's time to give Xiao Liu a warning."

Through the mirror, Shen Moqing caught a glimpse of a hint of suspicion flashing in phoenix eyes, but it vanished in an instant.

That night.

Russell, a young special correspondent for The Times in Beijing, is writing a news report.

"We must admit that although the United Empire's military performance on the Liaodong battlefield was quite poor, this young Empress Dowager, who loves to wear military uniforms, delivered an inspiring speech in both the upper and lower houses of parliament. She is an ambitious female politician, but not necessarily as enlightened as she appears."

Suddenly, the pen ran out of ink.

So he got up to look for ink, and in the process he saw the souvenir, a long, narrow box. Could it be a fountain pen inside?

-

Open~

A small, exquisite gold pen immediately catches the eye.

It's not a gold-plated pen.

The pen has a pure gold case, a pure gold nib, and even a small ruby ​​inlaid on the top of the cap, which shines brightly under the light.

Rotate the pen casing, and you'll find four neatly engraved characters on one side: "The Uncrowned King".

"0h, my god~"

Russell was both surprised and delighted, and when he tried writing, he found it to be very fluent.

This is a gold pen with practical value. It is a bit heavy, but holding it in your hand will not hinder you from speaking out for justice.

Russell admired the gift repeatedly; he was very pleased with it and his goodwill toward the United Empire increased.

So the previous paragraph was changed to: "~We must admit that although the United Empire's military performance on the Liaodong battlefield was unsatisfactory, this young Empress Dowager, who loves to wear military uniforms, delivered an inspiring speech in both the Upper and Lower Houses. She is an ambitious female politician who prides herself on being politically enlightened, but remains to be seen~"

After making the revisions, he frowned and reverted to the first version of the text.

But what happens next?

Will my attitude unconsciously shift because of this gold pen?

Russell even wondered how the Times, known for its neutral stance, would report on the conference, given its focus on the lower-tier markets.

Many years ago, a little story circulated among the people.

It is said that one year, the Ministry of Light Industry, on a whim, sent a letter to the top 3 universities, asking them to make a stool.

So~

Here are the reactions from all sides.

Qing: Immediately dispatch two outstanding students to the United States to investigate stools.

North: Why should I be the stool?

Dan: Call all the newspapers and let the whole country know that I, Dan, am about to make a stool.

-

Jiao: This is the stool I made (then takes out the finished products, one with three legs, one with four legs, and one with five legs. 20 years later, the same requirements apply).

Qing: Immediately dispatch one hundred outstanding students and their families to the United States to investigate stools.

North: Why should I be the stool?

Dan: Inform all websites so that people all over the country know that I, Dan, am about to make a stool with international advanced standards.

Jiao: Our independently developed stools. (Purchased online, the original logo was manually ground off, and then our own logo was printed on.)

Of course, this little story is not intended to satirize any particular school, but rather to reflect, to some extent, the mainstream character traits of students in various schools.

No one understands journalism better than Professor Shen.

The gold pen was an expensive luxury item that was urgently ordered from the Jubao Pavilion in Liulichang, with each pen costing as much as 200 silver dollars.

With golden pens in their hands and the Empress Dowager on their minds, Chinese and foreign journalists must have felt warm and fuzzy, and the words they wrote would surely be overflowing with sweetness and grace.

-

Jinling Daily: "This is a good start"

Yangcheng Daily: Why wasn't the Empress Dowager Cixi panicking?

The Beijing Daily: "Just 200 Days to Make the United Empire Even Greater!"

Wuchang Daily: "The Dongsang Islands are about to become a barren wasteland"

Jiangnan Entertainment News: Exclusive Reveal: Why Did Empress Dowager Cixi Have the Surname Jiang?

Guangzhou Entertainment News: "Rare! What's so special about the cheongsams worn by these glamorous event hostesses?"

The principle of a gold pen.

Wuying Hall.

The location is the same, but the name has changed.

The words "Forbidden City Frontline Command" on the wooden sign have been painted over and replaced with "Special Operations Headquarters," or simply "Headquarters."

Empress Dowager Cixi personally assumed the supreme command of the headquarters. Her first act was to summon Empress Dowager An, Prince Gong, Emperor Xuanwu, and a group of civil and military officials—

The minister was kicked out of the headquarters.

However, Shen Moqing believed that in these 200 days, the so-called supreme commander's personal prestige was about the same as that of President Chang, who was good at micromanagement and pajama-clad cross-country running.

The various feudal lords dared not openly oppose them; they would listen to their opinions on minor matters, consider the circumstances on medium matters, but not necessarily on major matters.

at this time.

A side room on one side of the main camp.

Shen Moqing stood in front of the blackboard and addressed the group of people below with great enthusiasm: "Gentlemen, the position of public opinion is extremely important. If we don't seize it, the enemy will. You are all the mouthpieces of the central government and have received great favor from the Emperor. Next, you must use your pens to actively cooperate with the military offensive of the headquarters."

Speaking of it.

The four female reporters sitting below looked shy.

Professor Shen took it all in, his anger flaring. "Damn it, the country's become like this, what are you all blushing for?! If you push me too far, I'll send all of you students, regardless of whether you're arts or sciences, to fill in the gaps in your application materials."

"Gentlemen, a pen is worth three thousand breech-loading guns; the significance of the news war is no less than that of the main battlefield."

I hereby announce that, effective immediately, the "Imperial Press Censorship Regulations" are hereby officially promulgated. Specific details will be discussed later.

In short, from now on, every report you submit will first be reviewed by Editor-in-Chief Pan Zuyin. Only after Editor-in-Chief Pan deems it acceptable will it be sent to me.

Pan Zuyin then stood up; he was both the editor-in-chief of the newspaper and a principal of the Ministry of Rites.

"Don't worry, Lord Shen, all of my colleagues at the Beijing newspaper are mentally sound. But our southern counterparts may not be so. They're all focused on money and profit, and I'm worried they won't be able to control their pens."

The crowd laughed.

The four beauties lowered their heads and blushed again.

Shen Moqing waved his hand: "I have already made arrangements for this matter. The South is not a lawless place, and the Imperial Press Censorship Regulations will not let any person of despicable character go unpunished."

"Okay~"

Pan Zuyin was excited and stood up to applaud enthusiastically.

A wave of applause erupted in the hall.

When they heard that their colleagues in the south were going to be in trouble, everyone applauded enthusiastically.

Especially one of the four beauties, but a reclusive female reporter who sat alone in the front row wearing glasses.

She wore a Western-style grey tweed suit skirt, over which she wore a white silk blouse with a stand-up collar and pearl lace trim; her features were exquisite.

With rosy lips and white teeth, he looked like a great intellectual.

Professor Shen couldn't help but take a second look.

After the meeting.

Pan Zuyin, the middle-aged, balding, and unremarkable-looking editor-in-chief, but with exceptional writing skills, quietly arrived.

"Lord Shen, I would like to report a situation to you privately."

"Please sit down, and have some tea."

"No, no, I wouldn't dare."

"I, Shen, have the utmost respect for intellectuals."

"Nowadays, there are very few people in the capital who respect knowledge as much as you do. The world is going to the dogs, and people's hearts are no longer what they used to be." Pan Zuyin said with a smile, carefully taking a seat and only sitting on a small part of the chair, showing utmost respect.

"I have always believed that the role of newspapers has been severely underestimated."

-

Shen Moqing suddenly stood up, walked to the window, looked at the Golden Palace, and said with his hands behind his back, "How should we unite the people? Through decrees? The army? Money? Benevolence? No, none of those are right. It should be stories. Nothing in this world is more powerful than a compelling story, and the people need compelling stories."

"Lord Shen, your words are profound."

"yes."

Shen Moqing was anything but modest. "Damn it," he said, "in my past life, I spent 25 years doing political theory research, I'm well-versed in both Chinese and Western learning, and I've written a slew of books. Tell me, is there anyone who thinks they're more profound than me?"

Have!

My contemporaries, who are more insightful than I am, are lying in coffins, their portraits hanging on the wall.

"Editor-in-Chief Pan, please just tell me your request."

"It's like this, thanks to the trust of the imperial court, our newspaper has been entrusted with such an important mission. My colleagues are overjoyed and eager to get started, but we are hampered by the small size of our premises. The entire newspaper office consists of only three small buildings, four rows of bungalows, and two warehouses, which seriously affects our performance."

"you mean?"

"Could the imperial court expand our newspaper office a bit? We'd like to have a small garden where everyone can take a stroll, hold literary gatherings, and dance the waltz in their spare time, which would greatly enhance their creative inspiration."

Shen Moqing looked at Pan Zuyin, who had a hopeful expression on his face.

Are there any vacant lots nearby?

"No, land in the capital is incredibly valuable, and our newspaper office is located in a prime area. To the east is Lord Guiliang's residence, to the west is the market, to the north is Shichahai Lake, and to the south is..."

"Editor-in-Chief Pan, the next issue of the Beijing Daily will have an article on the front page titled 'Gu Liang, the Corrupt Official.'"

"ah?"

"Your newspaper wants to expand, right? I can't exactly fill in Shichahai Lake, can I?"

So, you're going to kill a high-ranking official of the first rank in the imperial court?

Pan Zuyin's head was buzzing.

outside the window.

Der Ling, the telegraph clerk of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, walked under the red wall, still wearing her signature black tight-fitting hunting outfit paired with high boots. She walked with her eyes straight ahead, head held high and chest out, using her hips to propel her steps, just like walking a catwalk.

The Jianzhou cat followed behind, equally proud and arrogant.

The Forbidden City is truly an interesting place.

Full of charm.