The Empire will continue to win

Chapter 84 The Spokesperson Who Won Too Much

Shen Moqing nodded, raised his right hand, and swore in public: "I, Shen Moqing, spokesperson for the Forbidden City, swear on royal honor that every word I say today is true and can withstand the test of history."

"May I ask, what is the ownership of Fengtian City?"

There was indeed a trap.

But Shen Moqing remained calm: "Since July, our army has achieved one great victory after another. Under the secret planning of the Empress Dowager of the Western Palace, our army voluntarily abandoned Fengtian. This was a victorious retreat, designed to lure the enemy deep into our territory, encircle them, and then annihilate them. We will see everything next spring."

Putiya: "You're lying! It wasn't you who voluntarily gave it up; it was the Eastern Sang monkeys—sorry, it was the Eastern Sang army that captured Fengtian."

Hahahaha.

The room was immediately filled with cheerful laughter.

Well, while everyone dislikes the arrogant United Empire, they despise the despicable Eastern Empire even more.

The only victim at the scene, Komura Jutaro, had a face as black as ink!

Baka!

Arrogant whites, and a united empire even more arrogant than whites.

Behind the scenes.

Weng Tonghe stroked his beard and smiled, exclaiming how delightful it was. He was a Confucian nationalist who fairly discriminated against all foreigners.

Shen Moqing laughed as well: "Judging from their height, the people of Dongsang do indeed look a lot like monkeys."

Komura Jutaro, who had been humiliated once again, slowly got up. Even standing, he was still several centimeters shorter than Putia Miyako next to him.

"Please take a look, everyone."

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he pulled a roll of black-and-white photographs from his pocket. The photographs showed a group of excited East Asian army soldiers planting the Rising Sun Flag atop the city walls of Fengtian.

Xiaocun: "As everyone knows, photos can't be faked."

"My country was indeed very poor, but after the Cultural Revolution, it developed rapidly in all aspects. More importantly, the Yamato people—"

We never lie. From Busan to Fengtian, our army paid the price of over 3 men. In other words, all cities south of Fengtian are now in our hands.

"In addition to photos, we welcome all ministers to take a cruise ship to Liaodong for on-site inspection."

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

It's true, it must be true.

Shen Moqing noticed that Komura Jutaro spoke fluent English, not Japanese. This indicated that he was a cautious diplomat, fearing problems during the translation process.

Ultimately, the English translation of the Japanese text is up to our translator.

Komura Jutaro was beaming with pride, and even showed the audience numerous photos taken by war correspondents in Busan, Beijing, the Yalu River, Jiuliancheng, Fenghuangcheng, and even Fengtian and Liaoyang.

Every photo has a landmark, and every picture tells the story.

As a result, the reporters present could no longer sit still and all got up to look at the photos.

Only Pan Zuyin, the editor-in-chief of the "Capital Daily," remained steadfast and unwavering, refusing to be swayed by any rhetoric from the enemy. He truly deserved to be called the mouthpiece of the central government.

-

This kind of comrade should be promoted!

"What should we do?" Deling asked in a low voice.

Shen Moqing then noticed that the interpreter's temples were soaked with sweat, and his chest was heaving noticeably. "I, the spokesperson, am not nervous, so why is a mere interpreter so nervous?"

"Don't be nervous, let me test you~"

At this moment, an Imperial Guard officer strode up from behind the curtain to Shen Moqing's side and whispered, "The Empress Dowager is asking you whether you intend to use force to clear the area?"

"Which empress dowager?"

"The Queen Mother of the West."

"Please tell the Empress Dowager that the Empire can win without the use of force."

"Yes."

At this moment, the Lucia Empire's envoy, Putiame, actually stood up on a chair and waved his arms excitedly: "Gentlemen, quiet! Quiet!"

Then, pointing at Shen Moqing, she said, "Look at him, he's a morally corrupt hypocrite!"

Moral defamation?

Personal attack?

Shen Moqing thought to himself, "These are all tricks I learned back in my undergraduate days. Soon, I'll show you the power of a twenty-year debater."

The first debater, also known as the first speaker, is a key member of the school's debate team.

"Minister Putiya, as I said, our national strategy is to proactively abandon towns to preserve our fighting strength in order to annihilate the invading enemy forces. What is your opinion on this?"

"My God, what kind of idiotic commander would devise such an absurd strategy? And isn't the empire that's willing to adopt this strategy nearing its demise?"

You're finished.

Little polar bear.

Shen Moqing turned her head: "Where's the recorder?"

"We're here." Two officials from the Ministry of Rites stood up from the corner.

"Journalists, have you all taken notes?"

-

"Yes." The reporters were completely bewildered. How could they not take notes? Every word you said today has been transcribed.

"Minister Putiyami, have you heard of Marshal Kutuzov?"

"Of course!"

Seeing the little bear's face suddenly turn pale, Shen Moqing decisively stepped down from the podium, pointed at his nose, and shouted sternly, "Back then, Napoleon led an army of over 60 to attack your country. His military might was unstoppable. It was your Marshal Kutuzov who decisively led his army to retreat, even abandoning Moscow. I don't need to elaborate on the outcome of that war, do I? Without Kutuzov, you Slavs would all be speaking French and eating baguettes by now."

"I'm asking you, was Kutuzov a mentally challenged commander?"

"I ask you, is His Majesty the Tsar mentally challenged?"

"Please answer me!!"

Poor Putiya was sweating profusely, head bowed, not daring to utter a sound.

Shen Dabian persisted, brandishing his fist: "Minister Putiya, according to you, your country must be nearing its end, right? How many years do you think it will be? Three? Five?"

"Are you dissatisfied with Kutuzov, or with His Majesty the Tsar?"

"I have reason to suspect you are not a genuine Slav. You, Putiame, are a descendant of Tatars and Kumyks. You are a traitor who has infiltrated the St. Petersburg circle!"

The audience was silent.

Only the great debater's howling echoed throughout the hall.

Behind the scenes.

Empress Dowager Cixi: "Who is Kutuzov?"

Emperor Xuanwu: "He was a very powerful marshal, a true military genius."

Putyamei stood motionless, like a statue. His face was as white as Siberian snow, and his sweat flowed like the Don River.

The crowd looked at him with pity.

Elgin: "He's finished."

-

Gro: "That's right."

As a diplomat, Puttiyah lost not only her own face, but also the face of her country. Therefore, Puttiyah's diplomatic career was completely over.

The lightest punishment is exile.

The most serious consequence is imprisonment.

The Tsar will not let him go.

Shen Moqing wasn't about to let him off the hook either, waving her arms: "Has the *Capital Daily* arrived yet?"

"I am Pan Zuyin, the editor-in-chief of the Capital Daily."

Wow, another historical figure.

Pan Zuyin, middle-aged, plump, with a long beard, is refined and cultured, but also sharp-tongued and unforgiving, especially after receiving a considerable fee for his writing, when he utters a series of witty remarks.

"Editor-in-Chief Pan, once you return to the office, immediately organize a team of capable personnel to produce a special report on Marshal Kutuzov."

"not enough!"

Weng Tonghe, the Vice Minister of Rites, strode out from behind the curtain, his voice booming: "Send a telegram to St. Petersburg in the name of the court, asking His Majesty the Tsar whether Kutuzov was truly great or not. Did his envoy intend to deny our greatness, or to deny our own greatness?"

Alright~

One fatal blow to the throat!

Although traditional literati like Weng Tonghe were incompetent at everything, they were quite adept at attacking people.

Thump~

Putiya was so scolded that she foamed at the mouth, convulsed, and collapsed onto the carpet.

"Quickly, get him to the Imperial Hospital for emergency treatment. He is guilty, but not guilty enough to warrant death."

Shen Moqing was also startled. Damn it, if a foreign envoy died in the Forbidden City, there would be a lot of trouble afterwards.

Behind the scenes.

Emperor Xuanwu exclaimed excitedly, "Mother, Shen Moqing has brought glory to the country again. We should reward him with something!"

"Um.

""

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Empress Dowager Cixi's confidence in Shen Yingjing grew significantly, and she secretly plotted to find an opportunity to rekindle their relationship. With the nation in peril, there must be no estrangement between the emperor and his ministers; they must be harmonious, open to each other, and share resources.

However, through the one-way glass, she noticed that Shen Moqing's face was gradually turning red and sweat was beading on his forehead.

broken!

It's all my fault.

That imperial wine was spiked; judging by the time, the effects of the drug had kicked in.

At this moment, Shen Moqing also sensed something was wrong. His riding breeches were tight, as if he had an urge to break free from his cocoon, but he didn't think much of it, assuming it was just youth.

Finish this quickly and then head home.

"Gentlemen, do you have any more questions?"

Gros, the minister of the Third Frankish Republic, had a stern face, while Elgin, the minister of the Kingdom of Britain, smiled, but neither of them believed Shen Moqing's sophistry.

Diplomats are not easily fooled.

The Prussian envoy, Cettel, was a soldier and an honest man.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

He actually believed it, and in full view of everyone, he asked, "Lieutenant Shen, if it doesn't involve secrecy, could you explain your strategy in detail?"

"sure."

Shen Moqing struggled to shift his attention from the translator's towering hill, composed himself, and began to speak eloquently: "If you had asked me two months ago, I would have kept it strictly confidential. But now, I can reveal it to the public. Yes, we are playing a grand game, and the player is our esteemed Empress Dowager of the Western Palace. By choosing the harsh winter, constantly feigning defeats and retreating, we are luring more Eastern Sang army divisions into the heart of Liaodong, and then—"

Extend your right palm, make a fist in the air, and clench it tightly.

Empress Dowager Cixi, who was peeping from behind the scenes on the second floor, trembled as if she had been pinched from a distance.

"Catch them all in one fell swoop!!"

Shen Moqing spoke with great enthusiasm, his face flushed. Everyone assumed he was just too excited, but only he knew that he was actually feeling a surge of emotion.

The interpreter, Der Ling, spoke in a trembling voice.

Oh my god~

It turns out the imperial court was playing a grand game. The Empress Dowager was too composed; she kept everyone in the dark and caused everyone to worry for nothing.

Emperor Xuanwu's pupils dilated in shock: "Mother, is what he said true?"

Empress Dowager Cixi swallowed hard and said with difficulty, "It's fake."

"Fake??"

"He had good intentions, to silence public opinion, to save face for the court, and to protect your throne, my son."

Emperor Xuanwu was unable to calm down for a long time.

I've never seen anything like this before!

Damn it~

Inside the venue.

Everyone turned to look at Komura Jutaro. A clown?

The village chief was trembling with anger. Pointing at Shen Moqing, he roared in fluent Mandarin:

-

"The Korean garrison, the Sixth Division of Fengtian, the Jilin Mixed Brigade, and the Heilongjiang cavalry have all been almost completely wiped out by our army."

"Bragging is pointless. Time will tell. Defeat is defeat, no matter how eloquently you speak, you can't win!!"

"You will become a laughingstock of the whole world!!"

He panicked.

But in the political arena, patience is the deciding factor.

Whoever gets impatient loses.

Komura Jutaro was born into a feudal lord family. Although he received a comprehensive education from a young age and could even speak fluent English, he was ultimately limited by the times and never experienced the power of Ying Jing.

Shen Moqing didn't want to pay any attention to him. He walked to Derling's side and whispered in her fair ear, "Tell them that the United Empire is planning to send a large task force to launch a military strike against the area surrounding Kyoto."

"The code name for this operation is Tsunami."

"Yes."

As she whispered, warm breath entered her ear, making Der Ling blush and her heart race, feeling a tingling sensation. But then she thought, this is a serious diplomatic occasion, so she must be overthinking it.

As Der Ling translated each sentence, everyone in the hall was stunned.

Diplomats were shocked, and journalists wrote furiously.

Elgin frowned.

Damn it~

Reverse, and then reverse again.

What is the truth?

The struggles in this godforsaken place, East Asia, are too intense.

Perhaps I should hire a learned Confucian scholar to help me better understand the spirit of Confucianism, Elgin thought.

The person most deeply shocked at the scene was Komura Jutaro. Was the task force heading to the Seto Inland Sea real or fake?

Intuition is false.

-

But what if it's true?

Kyoto is the emperor's residence, sacred and inviolable. If it were attacked, or even if the surrounding area were attacked, the responsibility would be unbearable.

"Lieutenant Shen, why are you telling me this?"

"That's true confidence!"

Looking at the sweating boy, Shen Moqing casually put on a show, and unexpectedly, the effect was astonishing, with everyone pondering his words repeatedly.

The United States Minister to the Republic of America, William Leigh, stood up excitedly: "It must be said that the actions of the United Empire demonstrate the demeanor of a great power. Here, on behalf of Washington, I strongly condemn the shameless actions of the Eastern Slander army. Undeclared war is a serious violation of international law."

"Doesn't your practice of keeping slaves violate international law?"

"We have faced this problem and resolved it." Levi shrugged. Indeed, President Lincoln even paid the ultimate price for it.

Shen Moqing decided to add another bargaining chip to completely crush the boy's mentality.

"Minister Komura, haven't you ever considered why your predecessor, Minister Noda, committed suicide in his residence at the very beginning of the war?"

"Noda has been misled by your newspapers; he really thinks you won the Battle of Busan."

"No, it was Minister Noda who opposed the war."

"Noda is a proponent of war!!!"

"That's right. That's why he was so ashamed, because he didn't want to live to see his country defeated."

Shen Moqing quickly ended the press conference, unafraid of verbal sparring, mainly because he couldn't hold back any longer: "Gentlemen, the press conference is now adjourned."

"Excuse me~"

Pushing aside the numerous Chinese and foreign reporters who were surrounding and blocking her way, Shen Moqing bent over and returned to the back room, where she drank two bowls of cold tea.

Da Da Da~

The interpreter, Der Ling, came over, her signature tall riding boots clattering on the floor tiles, her high bun tucked under her military cap.

-

Stand at attention with your legs together and salute.

Shen Moqing then remembered that she had a military rank, a corporal in the army.

"Is there something you need?"

"Lord Shen, the Empress Dowager requests your presence at the ball."

"What kind of dance?"

"The diplomatic ball held in the palace—while we were having our meeting just now, the ministers' wives had already gone to the Forbidden City's grand stage."

"Is the Empress Dowager going too?"

"The Empress Dowager never goes to those kinds of occasions."

Are you going?

"I...I have to go back to my shift," Der Ling said with a regretful expression.

Where did you learn your foreign language?

"My father was a diplomat, and my mother was an independent writer for the London press. I was born and raised in the West, and only returned to Beijing with my father when I was twelve years old, so I know a few foreign languages."

"I see."

You have to learn a foreign language!

but not now.

Shen Moqing quickly sent the mixed-race girl away, fearing that his inner demons might flare up and he might do something outrageous in the Forbidden City.

The grand stage.

Located in the northwest corner of the Forbidden City, on the west side of the Imperial Garden, it was originally a place where members of the royal family would watch operas.

As soon as I got nearby, I heard bursts of boisterous laughter coming from inside.

A decadent Western woman~

decadent capitalism~

Shen Moqing cursed inwardly, put his hand into the pocket of his riding breeches to adjust its position, and then walked proudly toward the dance floor.

Two Imperial Guards standing at the entrance to the dance floor opened the door.

The moment you step inside, the feeling of spring washes over you.

-

Beneath the dome, the lights shone brightly.

A huge crystal chandelier hangs upside down, shimmering with a mesmerizing light. It is said that the chandelier cost as much as 20,000 silver dollars.

On the left is a female band.

A violinist in a strapless dress, a guzheng player in a thin silk Han-style skirt, and a pianist in a Rococo-style long dress, together performed "Voices of Spring Waltz".

The middle area is the dance floor.

To the accompaniment of elegant music, officers of the Imperial Guard in bright red uniforms, diplomats in tailcoats, and ladies in Western-style dresses walked off the stage hand in hand.

Men and women embraced each other, dancing a joyful waltz.

To the right is a long dining table.

A variety of drinks and fine food are readily available.

Suddenly~

"Bonjour~ May I ask if you could be my dance partner tonight?" A mature and voluptuous woman approached her.

She walked in gracefully, with a smile and a humble tone.

Shen Moqing turned her head and looked her up and down. She wore a thin white gauze shawl, a sky-blue V-neck floor-length satin dress, and a string of gray pearl necklace around her snow-white, high neck.

Blonde hair and blue eyes.

Plump and tall.

He also speaks fluent French.

Clearly, she was a beautiful foreign noblewoman.

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