The Empire will continue to win

Chapter 98 The Little Emperor Reveals His True Feelings

Gun factories are outwardly relaxed but inwardly tightly controlled.

Yuan Weiting and Duolonga, dressed in blue factory uniforms, carrying levered rifles and revolvers, stood like two guardian generals on either side of the gate.

They watched as one horse-drawn carriage after another drove into the factory area.

"Old Yuan, something's off about you."

"What's wrong?"

"You've never seemed this enthusiastic before, what's gotten into you today?"

Yuan Weiting looked at the honest yet fierce Duolonga, smiled, and thought to himself, "Choosing a side is the shortcut to promotion. You country bumpkin don't understand."

Gun bolt workshop.

"This is none of your business. Keep the machine tools running."

So the workers lowered their heads and continued processing the parts, ignoring Ding Baozhen, who was wearing a red robe, as if he were invisible.

To everyone's surprise, Mo Qing accompanied his political rival, Ding Baozhen, on a tour of several workshops. Everywhere they went, they witnessed scientific management and the efficient use of machinery.

The machine roared, but the ground was clean and orderly.

Ding Baozhen was shocked.

Getting promoted is difficult.

This has always been the case.

Those who scheme and flatter find it difficult to get promoted. How much more difficult is it for an honest official who is incorruptible and refuses to bribe or give gifts?

Therefore, throughout history, all honest officials who have enjoyed successful careers have possessed first-rate skills, vision, and abilities.

After inspecting several workshops, Lao Ding found that the gun factory was well-managed, the people were at ease, and the processes were scientific. The more he looked, the more alarmed he became.

Finished product workshop.

Old Ding even picked up a finished rifle and repeatedly simulated the actions of unloading, loading, and firing, then turned to look at Shen Moqing with a complicated expression.

It's as if it's asking: What exactly are you? What do you want to do?

The more I can't understand something, the more I want to figure it out.

When the two men arrived at the busiest bullet workshop, Gu Hongming finally appeared, his eyes gleaming: "Governor, Supervisor, everyone's here. We can begin the meeting."

Shen Moqing smiled and gestured for Ding Baozhen to go first.

"Let's go."

The two walked steadily, one in front of the other.

Suddenly~

Ding Baozhen slowed his pace and asked in a low voice, "Why?"

Shen Moqing understood the meaning behind his words, and even sensed that he was trying to save face for her, but she firmly shook her head and said nothing.

The factory office building.

The meeting room on the second floor.

Beneath the plaque that reads "Political integrity and social harmony".

"With Governor Ding here, our group has a pillar of support."

"In my opinion, that bastard Shen Moqing should have been arrested and shot long ago. How could he possibly have independent financial accounting? Does this gun factory belong to the royal family or to the Shen family?"

"Yeah, the group is supposed to be one family. If he goes independent, what will we eat in the future?"

"Completely wicked."

"I think he's a traitor."

The crowd was filled with righteous indignation; they were all managers at Yanshan Heavy Industry Group, "equivalent to the fifth rank." "Equivalent to the fifth rank" was an internal term specifically referring to managers earning a monthly salary of 500 silver dollars or more.

The management of Yanshan Heavy Industry enjoys very generous compensation.

These parasites gossiped without restraint, wishing they could skin Shen Moqing alive and devour his flesh.

"The Imperial Appointment of Ding Baozhen, Governor of Shandong and Assistant Minister of Yanshan Heavy Industry Group, has arrived!"

"Gun factory supervisor Shen Moqing has arrived!"

Everyone tensed up and immediately sat up straight, waiting for the formalities of officialdom to pass before launching a verbal and written attack on Lao Shen, knocking him to the ground, and then the court would be filled with upright officials.

Ding Baozhen walked ahead with a leisurely, measured gait, exuding an imposing official air.

Is the government clean and the people harmonious?

-

This plaque is rather strange.

But he didn't think much of it and walked all the way to the head of the conference room. He lifted his robe, sat down gracefully, coughed twice, and was about to speak when Shen Moqing blocked his view.

It's good to have a meeting.

This is perfect for capturing them all at once!

Shen Moqing stood in front of Ding Baozhen, looking down at the crowd, hands on her hips, speaking eloquently: "You traitors, collaborators..."

"Insects, traitors!!"

After saying that, he drew his gun and fired, bang bang bang.

Dust settled on the ceiling.

At the meeting, everyone scattered in panic, running for their lives.

Some people were filled with regret. Damn it, just a few months ago, in this very conference room, Shen Moqing went on a killing spree against a group of people. How could they have forgotten?

Ding Baozhen roared, "Are you plotting a rebellion?", but his voice was drowned out by the noise.

dong dong dong~

Amidst the clamor of footsteps, the long-waiting constables from the Ministry of Justice rushed upstairs, skillfully twisting each person behind their back, binding their hands, and arresting them one by one.

Ding Baozhen was horrified. He stood up and looked downstairs, where he saw armed militiamen everywhere. He also heard sporadic gunfire in the distance, and knew without a doubt that his own guards were putting up a fierce resistance.

Long-planned.

This has been planned for a long time.

"Are you plotting a rebellion?"

What the hell are you talking about? Can't you use a new word?

Shen Moqing looked up at the plaque that read "Political Integrity and Harmony," fired three more shots at the ceiling, casually blew the smoke from the gun barrels, and leisurely went downstairs.

downstairs.

The constables bound the traitors, collaborators, and national traitors to their feet, gagged them, stuffed them into carriages, and took them to the Ministry of Justice for interrogation.

Arrest them first, then interrogate them – that's the right way to go.

-

When it comes to handling cases, the Ministry of Criminal Justice is the expert.

From this moment on, the alliance between torture artist Yu Xian and political enthusiast Shen Moqing in the officialdom was officially established; joining forces to arrest people was a pledge of loyalty!

Without a pledge of allegiance, how can there be trust?

How can we be allies without a foundation of trust?

"So, was this a premeditated mutiny?"

Behind me~

Ding Baozhen went downstairs alone, her voice trembling slightly.

"Change your mother's head! The soldiers on the front lines are expending enormous amounts of guns and ammunition, and the military factories dare not stop production for a moment. At this critical juncture, you come here to stir up internal strife? Old Ding, are you a traitor to the country or a collaborator with the Han people?"

Shen Moqing grabbed Ding Baozhen's collar and shoved him backward.

Old Ding took two steps back, but did not fall.

Yoho~

Surprisingly, Empress Dowager An did not drain its coffers.

Not far away, Miao Peilin and Wang Wu led their men to deal with the 50-man governor's guard, killing and wounding one person each on the spot, and disarming them all.

However~

Chen Guorui, the guard captain lying in the infirmary, was very alert. As soon as he heard the gunshot, he dashed barefoot out the window.

"Grab him."

At first, the militia did not fire.

Only when they realized the guy was running incredibly fast and was not far from the wall did they hastily fire their guns.

But it's too late.

Amidst the hail of bullets, Chen Guorui moved with the agility of a cat, leaping out of the wall and pinning his coat against shards of glass.

He became the only one to slip through the net.

Two minutes later.

Wang Shizhen, Yuan Weiting, Shen Lian and others rushed to the scene upon hearing the news.

"I'll take a few cavalrymen and chase after him, and kill this son of a bitch." Yuan Weiting was the most enthusiastic. He was a gambler, and once he decided on a bet, he would go all in.

Although Shen Lian sensed something was off about his cousin's behavior, there was nothing he could do. They were from the same family, so they shared both good times and bad. If his cousin really wanted to rebel, he would have to bite the bullet and follow him.

Wang Shizhen, pale and sweating profusely, realized he had been drawn into a massive political conspiracy. The militia and military training were all a deceptive facade.

Supervisor Shen is clearly planning a mutiny!

Ding ding ding~

The bell tolled throughout the factory area.

"Emergency assembly! Emergency assembly!" Miao Peilin shouted as he rode his horse around the factory.

There had been more than a dozen emergency assembly drills before this, so it wasn't anything special.

Each workshop immediately ceased production, quickly assembled, and then lined up to drive to the warehouse entrance to collect a leather belt, a rifle, and fifty rounds of ammunition.

There were even a few mountain guns.

More than 3500 militiamen are enough for a small matter.

But it was only because the First Army Division was not stationed there that if the First Army Division suddenly came over, 3500 rabble would not be enough to fill Li Shaoquan's teeth.

Kill Professor Shen within half an hour and end the battle completely.

After half an hour.

"Are you plotting a rebellion?" Ding Baozhen asked again in a low voice.

"Old Ding, you can go now."

"Aren't you going to kill me as a sacrifice to the flag?"

"I'm not a traitor! Everything I did was for the empire and the nation. I hope you'll behave yourself in the future, and not be used as a pawn, or be condemned by posterity as a traitor who brought disaster to the country. Now, you can go to the Forbidden City to file a complaint."

That being said, the guards were detained.

Ding Baozhen, covered in dust and dirt, had only taken three steps.

"Wait a minute."

"Old Ding, you are a gentleman, and so am I. I have a question for you. You don't have to answer, but don't lie. Did you come to the capital without authorization, or were you sent by imperial decree?"

"Naturally, I am here on imperial orders to enter the capital."

"Whose orders were you acting on?"

Ding Baozhen remained silent.

Shen Moqing had a vague idea in his mind. It seemed that the internal struggle in the Forbidden City was becoming increasingly fierce, and the struggle between the two palaces was approaching a fever pitch.

The bigger the waves, the more expensive the fish.

The more tense the external situation becomes, the more we need to fight internally.

Watching the infighting, righteous people would certainly be filled with righteous indignation, but a political science professor wouldn't.

Because such cases are numerous in political books, and when tracing their motives, they are not all due to base human nature or the struggle for power and profit; sometimes they are even for the sake of saving the country.

"Shen Moqing, I also want to ask you a question. You don't have to answer, but don't lie."

"Ask away."

"Are you plotting a rebellion?"

"This humble servant has no intention of rebelling. At this critical juncture, if a mutiny were to occur in the capital, the Liaodong front would suffer a crushing defeat, and our country would perish within three months. In any case, we cannot become traitors to our nation."

Ding Baozhen remained silent, climbed onto his warhorse, and headed out of the gun factory towards Yongding Gate.

The capital city appears calm on the surface, but undercurrents are surging.

"Shen Lian".

"exist."

"Take thirty men and go into the city unarmed to guard our house. Gather them in the inner courtyard. If anyone trespasses, shoot them dead, no matter who they are."

"unarmed?"

"Go and search under my bed. I'll give you an idea of ​​what you'll find, but there are at least a hundred or two hundred guns."

"Where are the bullets?"

"There are also three to five thousand of them under my bed."

-

"Brother Qing, can you tell me what's going on? I don't want to be completely clueless about the situation. Don't worry, I'll definitely listen to you."

Shen Moqing looked at his anxious cousin and patted him on the shoulder with a smile: "Brother, don't be nervous. I'm prepared for anything. The infighting in the Forbidden City is getting more and more intense, and it's spreading to the court. The coup three years ago shouldn't be repeated, but it's better to be safe than sorry."

"Then be careful, I'm leaving."

Shen Lian solemnly cupped his hands in greeting and hurriedly left.

Shen Moqing thought to himself, if it were Empress Dowager Cixi who was going to launch a coup, she would have notified him in advance. If it were Empress Dowager An who was going to launch a coup, then Ding Baozhen should have only brought his guards into the capital, thus alerting the enemy.

Prince Gong, you don't have that kind of egg.

Emperor Xuanwu was too young and lacked the necessary intelligence.

Yuqing Palace.

"Your Majesty, it's time for class."

"I just returned from Jingren Palace, Master. What lessons are we having today?"

-

Weng Tonghe smelled the perfume on the young emperor's clothes and felt a deep sense of worry, but dared not show it openly.

The emperor and his ministers took their seats and the lesson began.

"Your Majesty, today is a discussion of current affairs and policy."

It is known that in the past century, a large number of Han Chinese have migrated to the islands and countries of Southeast Asia, possibly exceeding 20 million. They maintain close ties with their relatives in China, and correspondence, trade, and intermarriage are common.

In October, several Southeast Asian groups jointly wrote to Liu Kunyi, the governor of Guangdong. The letter stated that overseas Chinese were eager to support the imperial court, and that they had raised funds and prepared their own food to support the court. They also intended to attack and plunder any ships flying the flag of Dong Sang.

They hoped the imperial court could sell them some guns, ammunition, warships, and cannons.

"Your Majesty, please answer the question."

Emperor Xuanwu pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "I think this matter should be viewed from two perspectives."

It is certainly good that the Han Chinese in Southeast Asia were willing to help with the war, but their motivation was not necessarily patriotism.

The 20 million Han Chinese who gathered in Southeast Asia were a force to be reckoned with.

When Ma Yun usurped the throne, armed forces from various provinces rallied to fight him. The Ming Zheng Kingdom spearheaded the organization of a naval force in the South China Sea to fight the rebellion, and even directly participated in the siege of Tianjin.

This is definitely not a good omen!

This is something to be wary of!

Later, my grandfather and father spent more than twenty years crushing the shipbuilding industry of the Ming Zheng Dynasty without bloodshed and dismantling their navy.

Although I am young, I dare not forget your teachings. The principles for dealing with overseas Han Chinese are as follows: First, utilize them appropriately; second, be strictly wary.

The Royal Asset Management Group is proposed to act as intermediary to sell some old rifles and bullets to the Southeast Asian region at cost price, but warships and artillery, and even 200-ton patrol boats, are strictly prohibited.

"His Majesty is a sage ruler for all ages."

Weng Tonghe praised that, as a conservative Confucian scholar, he had no good feelings towards the Southeast Asian compatriots who went overseas to make a living.

But when he looked up and saw the faint traces of makeup on Emperor Xuanwu's cheek, he hesitated to speak.

"Master, what's wrong?"

"Your Majesty, I have something to say, but I'm not sure if I should."

"In my heart, my teacher is both a mentor and a father."

Wow ~

Weng Tonghe was so moved that he almost cried. He got up from his seat, knelt down.

"Your Majesty is gradually distancing himself from the Hall of Mental Cultivation and growing closer to the Jingren Palace. I fear..."

Emperor Xuanwu looked at his anxious and earnest teacher, and suddenly smiled. Weng Tonghe was taken aback, sensing a hint of something strange about the emperor's smile.

Three parts hardship, four parts pride.

"I understand what you mean, Master. But you don't understand my thoughts."

"Please enlighten us, Your Majesty."

"You must have heard about the incident at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, right?"

"Yes."

Not long ago, Emperor Xuanwu, Empress Dowager An, and Prince Gong stormed into the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Empress Dowager Cixi was alarmed and worried that she would be isolated by the three parties, so she took the initiative to share power with her son.

"Master, I can't wait any longer!"

Weng Tonghe was greatly alarmed.

"With the late Emperor gone, the two empress dowagers are ruling from behind the curtain. The Empress Dowager and my stepmother are in their prime. If we continue to wait step by step, when will I ever be able to assume personal rule?"

"The emperor is 16 years old, and it is rightful for him to assume personal rule."

"Is Master trying to comfort me?"

Before Weng Tonghe could answer, Emperor Xuanwu continued, "My mother was born into the Jiang family. She was power-hungry, ruthless, and had a faction that permeated the court. When I was 16, she was only 30."

At her age, would she be willing to relinquish the imperial power to me?

If one's own mother is like this, what about a stepmother?

The two palaces are birds of a feather.

Whenever the night is deep and quiet, I ponder the moon.

Over time, I figured it out. I deliberately got closer to Jingren Palace and befriended Empress Dowager An. During casual conversations, I revealed some secrets of Yangxin Hall, causing the two mothers to quarrel.

Only by letting them fight each other will I have an opportunity. The incident at the Hall of Mental Cultivation last time is the best proof of that, isn't it?

'

At this moment, Emperor Xuanwu resembled a young wolf, his eyes gleaming with a desire for imperial power.

As Weng Tong looked at the young emperor's fierce face, his heart sank. He realized that he had seriously underestimated this student all along, always thinking that he was impatient and naive.

Looking back now, it seems that only impatience was real.

As if possessing mind-reading abilities, Emperor Xuanwu coldly asked, "Does Master think I am a man of deep cunning?"

"No! Your Majesty truly deserves to be called the Son of Heaven. Your imperial wisdom and strategic acumen are self-taught. How gratifying I am!" With that, he knelt down, tears streaming down his face.

"Please rise, Master." Emperor Xuanwu's tone was exceptionally gentle.

Anyone can betray imperial power, but the Imperial Tutor will not.

For the emperor, the teacher-student relationship was the most stable relationship.

The Imperial Tutor could never betray his students!! Unless he wants to be nailed to the pillar of shame for ten thousand years, more clownish than a clown, more traitorous than a traitor.

Emperor Xuanwu's expression was slightly somber: "Master, I want to say a few words from the bottom of my heart to you."

-

There are no fathers and sons in the imperial family, and no kinship in the royal family; this has been the case since ancient times.

In the past, Wu Zetian first deposed Emperor Zhongzong Li Xian, and then Emperor Ruizong Li Dan. She was scheming and held onto imperial power until her death.

Master, you are well-read.

You say, throughout history, aren't there enough examples of hens crowing at dawn and women ruling?

Weng Tonghe was sweating profusely.

The young emperor gritted his teeth: "Throughout history, there have been countless puppet emperors, yet they all had only one mother, while I have two! Former Emperor, why didn't you follow Emperor Wu's example and take them both away with you?!"