Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

Driving a tank is impressive enough, but combining it with infantry and tank coordination is incredibly challenging. It's hard to see outside from inside a tank, and if everyone drives tanks, the most they can do is play bumper cars, knocking a few wheels off. If there were infantry running around the tanks, parents wouldn't be comfortable letting their children play with them.

"Come to think of it, how do you fire a tank? Do you fire training rounds?" Shangluo hasn't practiced it yet.

"No. We're firing simulated rounds." Wen Yuan became excited when she heard this. "Actually, our tanks don't have real shells in them. They're filled with compressed air. We use the compressed air to drop the paint bullets, and then score based on where the paint hits. We use the onboard radio to tell the tanks whether to withdraw from the battle."

"Then someone needs to identify it?"

"Yes, there were people from the director's crew. They were adults, professionals, so they would stand in the middle of the battle zone and use binoculars to observe each other's bullets. Well, there were also cases where they would occasionally get covered in paint in the face. If they hit the director's crew, they would be kicked out immediately and scolded."

"Eh??? Such a fun thing, why isn't your team full of people?"

"Because there are always people who passed the exam early and didn't have to take the unified exam like us. The one in our team was finally recruited by the aviation school. What can I do? I have to recruit you."

"Why don't you two go ashore early?" Zhu Xianxin, who was watching from the side, couldn't stand it any longer. "You and Lu Liang have clearly already locked onto the Jinyiwei, why do you still care about what the aviation school does?"

"I want to fly the Imperial Guard's plane!" Wen Yuan said solemnly, "I also want to be recruited by the aviation school!"

"Recruiting air warrior pilots is not on the same level as other recruits."

"I know, I'm trying."

"Ah, then keep going." Zhu Xianxi shook his head, "You still have to work harder."

"Are the requirements to be a Qigong pilot very high?" Shangluo asked him.

"Theoretically, there's no need to do that. They're all airplanes anyway," Zhu Xianxun replied. "But this isn't a pass-through exam, it's a selection exam. We only recruit a few people every year. As you probably know, each Qigong pilot's plane is unique. Each one has to spend a huge amount of money to customize a dedicated fighter jet to suit the cultivator's individual circumstances. In other words, it's actually a magical weapon, more like a flying sword. And the technology used isn't limited to science, it also includes metaphysics."

"I see! Have you considered adding a leg?"

"Add legs?" Zhu Xianxi pondered for a moment. "Well, adding a decorative element wouldn't be a problem. But legs are just decorative, and we all know that. A weapon that can maximize personal combat power, capable of attacking and retreating at will, in our time, would be a fighter jet. Of course, in the future, adding two legs wouldn't be a problem."

He looked at Shangluo and said, "I've seen your robots over there. The big robots in Second Uncle's house are quite impressive, but the names are a bit strange. For example, Xin'anzhou. When I first saw it, I thought it was produced somewhere in Xin'anjiang. It turns out it's a transliteration."

"Ah, this." Shangluo lowered his voice and whispered a few words in his ear.

"Fake? Cartoon???"

"Uh-huh."

"How does that look like the real thing?"

"Maybe there are so many people who like it, so it seems very real."

"That Luan Bird space battleship and the meson circulation generator on the Xuannv fighter can't be cartoons too, right? Really?! Then what is that thing I built???"

"Wait, you made it for him?" Shangluo was completely stunned.

"Yes, it's a meson circulation generator. Use this to levitate the fighter. Isn't the word 'meson circulation generator' clearly written on it?"

“It’s really made!”

"We're planning to use it when we go to the moon. Because the problem of lunar dust contamination is difficult to solve, we plan to use some special propulsion methods when we go to the moon. Wow, I've read a lot of technologies in the heavenly book, and it seems that many of them are from cartoons? I was wondering why some of them are quite reliable, while some of them are impossible to come up with no matter how hard we try. For example, Mega particles are impossible to find. After all the trouble, only Torch Element is reliable. Wait."

He grabbed the storm gun next to him and said, "I'm losing my confidence. This isn't a cartoon, is it?"

"That's not it. Intermediate-power rifles are used, but we prefer smaller calibers. 5.56mm."

"Can a 5.56 hit someone to death?" Wen Yuan asked puzzledly. "Athletes can catch it, right?"

"The physiques of our two sides are different. No matter how much we train, we can't withstand bullets! No matter how much we train, the sliding tackle tiger will die."

"Eh? Can't even kill a tiger?" Wen Yuan looked at his fist. "I think I still have some confidence."

"That's true," Zhu Xianxun thought for a moment. "There are many animals in the Imperial Garden that can be cared for personally, like pandas. Zhu Ling also takes care of the pandas personally because the pandas can't beat her. They can't be defeated by just rubbing their paws or pinching their faces. Are your tactics the same?"

Chapter 483: Renxue and Neo-Confucianism

"What do you mean by the same?"

"It's the artillery," Zhu Xianxun replied. "Ever since the Jiajing period, when Marshal Qi was still around, we've felt that firearms are useless. On the battlefield, artillery is still the solution. Instead of sending a dozen guns to the battlefield, it's better to send a cannon that can fire shotgun shells at rifle range. A single cannon can match the range of dozens of guns. In the end, the infantry was still using the three-barreled muskets made by the Ministry of Works, and the remaining funds were used to purchase various large and small infantry cannons. So, in the year of Renchen, we had a great time bombing the Japanese pirates. The Japanese pirates fired a lot of guns, and their guns were indeed sophisticated, but a single shot still knocked down a large number of them. Then the cavalry charged and they were defeated."

"That's true," Shangluo pondered. "Is this considered a tradition? I also feel that rifles are sufficient. With that kind of money, it's better to buy a few cannons. Oh, and if you really want to learn, I do have a suggestion. Have you considered truck-mounted guns? They've been getting rave reviews."

"Truck gun? What's that? The information I get from you is too mixed, sometimes it's hard to distinguish the main points. Some of the information is very important, but because of the short length, it's hard to collect."

"Let's first align the nouns for the truck gun. A truck is a vehicle that hauls goods."

"So what does a truck-mounted cannon do?" Zhu Xianxun thought for a moment. "So, is it just a cannon mounted on a truck?"

"Yes. Then you integrate fire control, automatic hoeing, digital gun calibration, and the like, and then integrate the shell loading function, and then..."

He explained.

"Wow! Brilliant!" Zhu Xianxun slapped his thigh. "This way, an entire firepower unit is integrated into one vehicle, and accompanying soldiers can also be transported in the same cockpit. This way, it only takes a few minutes to deploy firepower and advance with the front line. Brilliant! Why didn't I think of this? What else?"

"And the Bobcat?"

"What's that?"

"It's a small six-wheeled vehicle mounted on other vehicles. It can carry baggage and heavy infantry weapons and move along with the infantry."

"You mean the car camp?"

"Yes, that's what I mean."

"So, can we use a small vehicle like that to carry rapid-fire cannons, howitzers, heavy machine guns, and so on, and install all kinds of functions on the vehicle?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Because that's what a chariot camp is. But this seems to be closer to Yu Dayou's chariot camp—of course, I'm just making an analogy, the details are definitely different." Zhu Xianxi pondered, "But we really are alike. It's easy to think of the same thing. It's true that people of the same family are alike. It's really a treasure to have an auspicious sign come. Ah, Shangluo."

"Well, please tell me."

"How about this." He looked Shangluo in the eye. "After our entire nation is free, the Royal Army will definitely conduct a military reform to adapt to the Celestial Army's new fighting style. I was thinking, since you're many years ahead of us, why don't we take your advice into consideration during the military reform?"

"Huh? Is that appropriate?"

"In theory, it's not suitable. But if you pass the imperial examination, then it would be very suitable. Even if you don't pass, it won't matter. You can still serve as an advisor. But if you pass the imperial examination, then it's a different story. If you pass the imperial examination, you will be an insider of the court, and the cabinet will revolve around you."

Shangluo pondered for a moment: "Examination for the Jinshi degree. What is the test for then?"

"Actually, you should be asking how the Hui exam is conducted. Jinshi candidates are only tested on a few policy essays, and I'm the chief examiner. After they're finished, I interview them one by one. I'll select the top three candidates, and let other examiners handle the rest. After all, they've already reached the Jinshi level, and what I want to see may not be reflected in the paper. So the Hui exam a few days before the Jinshi exam is what you should worry about, because the Palace Examination only determines the ranking, and those who participate in the ranking are selected by the Hui exam."

"Although it definitely goes without saying, I'll ask anyway. Is it difficult?"

"The Imperial Examination is the final stage of the Republic. If you pass it, you're a winner. The Palace Examination merely calculates your points, determining whether you rank high, medium, or low. Therefore, the Imperial Examination is the true finale, the penultimate stage. We have two subjects: Benevolence and Principle. Benevolence is about cultivating oneself, managing one's family, and bringing peace to the world. It requires writing eight-part essays. Principle is about exploring the principles of nature, even destiny, and requires advanced mathematics."

"Good boy, I don't know any of this. Is it too late to learn the eight-legged essay now?"

"There's still time. It's just a question format. If you don't follow the eight-part essay, you won't be graded. On the contrary, the policy essays in the palace examination require free expression, which is more difficult, so it's more like an interview than a written test. Of course, if you can do advanced mathematics, that's fine. And then in the policy essays in the palace examination, you'll also have to demonstrate your Neo-Confucian background. For example, if they ask you about agricultural affairs, which are about how people influence the climate, the key elements are land, capital, and labor. Just give me a practical explanation of land, capital, and labor. Give me historical examples from the perspective of benevolence, or do some calculations from the perspective of Neo-Confucianism. Either is fine, I understand them anyway. It's an interview, so just make sense."

“It does seem a bit difficult.”

"You're still young, don't rush. But I advise you to hurry up if you want to take the exam. Do you know the best way to block someone's career?"

Shangluo shook his head.

Zhu Xianxun thought for a moment and said, "Let me explain it this way. 'Dream of the Red Chamber' is a great book you have over there, but we don't have it here. In it, why does Jia Zheng always urge Jia Baoyu to take the imperial examination, when he doesn't take it himself? Because Jia Zheng already holds an official position in the Ministry of Works, a position bestowed by the imperial court."

"Ah!" Shangluo understood. "So if the court appoints him an official position, he won't be able to take the imperial examination, right?"

"Right—because how could someone who's already an official take the imperial examination again? The best solution isn't to prevent him from taking the exam, but to give him an official position. He'll never be able to take the imperial examination again, and his family background will be incorruptible. For you, your family background isn't really an issue. After all, I haven't taken the imperial examination either. However, there are some things you can only do now. Once you've passed this period, once you become the Prime Minister of Heaven, or even a higher position, it will be impossible for you to take the imperial examination again—if you fail, you'll have to return to inherit the great cause of the Dao Ancestor."

"It's true. Putting aside other things, if everyone around me has had this experience and I haven't, it would be hard to convince others. Taking a step back, if I couldn't even pass the imperial examination, it would be hard to convince others either."

"So I'm truly thinking about you from a long-term perspective." Zhu Xianxun looked at him. "If possible, I'd also like to take the exam anonymously while I'm still young, but it's a pity that the succession is so fast. There are also people like the mighty General Zhu Shou, who created a second pseudonym to kill people. That's what it means to be ambitious. If you're interested, you can work harder when you enter the Imperial College. I look forward to interviewing you in person in the main hall and then inviting you to the court. So, between the School of Benevolence and the School of Principle, which one do you plan to choose?"

Chapter 484 Imperial Examination

"Hey, you're back. Did everything go well today?"

Shangluo gave a thumbs up and sat on the sofa: "What about you?"

"It's going pretty well. But the store manager said the competition is about to start, so we should stock up a little. We might be very busy on the day of the competition. Do you want some water?"

"Oh, you don't have to get it for me. I see you're quite busy, just take a rest."

"Normally I wouldn't get it for you, but you look very tired, don't you?"

"Because I just found out I still have to take the imperial examination. Damn, the modern imperial examination, how do I even take it?"

From Zhu Xianxun's mouth, he roughly understood what the modern imperial examination was like - in essence, it was an enhanced version of the citizenship examination, and it was authentic.

Moreover, the later part of the Jinshi examination is not the most troublesome part. The most troublesome part is the Juren examination.

The examination for the Juren degree required examinations on rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics, the classic six arts for a gentleman.

Li means etiquette and rituals. Not only do we have to memorize the Book of Rites and various rules and regulations, but we also have to assess our manners.

Music requires an understanding of rhythm. This doesn't necessarily mean being able to play an instrument, but it does require an understanding of music theory.

Archery involves shooting at targets. Charioteering involves driving a chariot. These two skills are combined into one exam, testing both archery on foot and from a chariot. While the requirements aren't very high, and like the etiquette exam, it's mainly about going through the motions, you still have to learn how to shoot from a chariot.

As for calligraphy and advanced mathematics, there is no need to explain, as they are also taught in school.

"Holy crap! The most ridiculous thing is why do we have to test archery from a chariot? Is this some kind of performance art? This wasn't even tested in the 'ancient times,' so why now?"

"Oh, that's right. Rome also has an exam."

"You guys are taking the test too?"

"We have this exam out of practical need. We have real car races at the Circus Maximus in Constantinople, horse-drawn. It's considered a traditional Roman sport. The four parties competing in Constantinople are the Red, White, Blue, and Green parties, each sponsored by the four factions of the Senate. If pushed to the limit, fights would break out in the circus, and if a few senators weren't killed, it meant the tempers weren't strong enough that year."

“Why do I feel like I’ve heard this somewhere before?”

"Ha, you said the commander of the Imperial Guard was beaten to death? No, no, no, you guys are just too good-tempered. Although we beat them often, we only killed a few people. We really beat them to death. When we were pushed to the limit, we even picked up the emperor's throne and smashed it on people. It was so lively! You guys are still too civilized."

"That's true. Rome is still the best at fighting. But from what I hear, it seems like you can do it?"

"Why are you asking me this?" Phaethon looked at him. "Aren't you a celestial being?"

"Yes, I am a celestial being, and I have reached the foundation-building stage. But it's not me who's running away, it's the horse! How do I know where the horse wants to run? Even racehorses sometimes kick their butts and don't want to run. Do you know how to drive a carriage?"

"Know a little bit."

"Oh! That's good! Will you teach me later?"

"Probably not. Roman chariots are different from yours. Roman chariots are much smaller than yours. The carriage is just a small frame, without even any armor. Your chariots and horses are all armored, which is completely different. Besides, do you know why the chariot races in Constantinople are so exciting? The highlight of the race is the 'reasonable collision', to see which driver and horse is more aggressive. The way of playing is different from yours. You are just doing it for fun."

"That's alright. I figured building a cart shouldn't be too difficult, since the horses pulling it are all covered in armor and can't run very fast. But gathering all six arts of a gentleman at once is a bit of a hassle."

"Which of these are you sure about?"

"About one and a half. Advanced mathematics and the like. The exam for the Juren exam is at the level of a university liberal arts student, so it's not too difficult. It's mainly just a few math formulas and a bit of math history. I can pass that easily. Etiquette is easy too. I've memorized the Book of Rites, and I can practice my manners when the time comes. It's not a big problem. It's music theory, archery, charioteering, and calligraphy that I really haven't learned."

Phaethon thought for a moment and said, "Calligraphy, that's the only one. The others are easy to learn because they won't be tested too deeply. Only calligraphy, I'm afraid, will really need to be tested in detail. And it's the only one that's really difficult to learn."

"Yeah," Shangluo nodded. He probably understood why he did this.

These seemingly unnecessary exams actually tested basic athletic ability. The imperial examination wasn't a passing grade, but a selective one. While unfair, students lacking athletic prowess were barred from further examination. Appearance and demeanor were assessed for physical fitness. The imperial examination for the Jinshi degree was even more focused on personal rapport. There's even a rumor that the most "perfect" appearance was chosen from among the top three candidates.

"I have indeed confirmed this with my senior brother."

"Has it been confirmed? Tanhua is really the best."

"Yes, the third place winner really has to be good-looking—choose from the second place. In fact, the political treatment of the first and second places is almost the same, with almost no difference. The three people in the first place are more for ceremonial functions. The third place winner and the second place winner have to pick flowers at the 'Apricot Garden First Feast' reception held in the palace. In the past, a blind date with the princess would have been arranged. But Zhu Ling is the younger sister, the eldest princess, not the princess, so it's optional. Zhu Ling has no interest, so we didn't do it. After all, a blind date is just a formality, just leaving contact information and having a meal."

"That sounds really... very..." She searched for adjectives. "Very bright? I always feel like these things are all shiny and sparkly."

"You've discovered the most important thing. Senior Brother meant that passing the imperial examinations and achieving a good score are things for young people; doing them when you're older won't be the right thing to do. He hopes that I'll complete the appropriate tasks at the appropriate age, because once I enter the celestial realm, all my current achievements will be lost!"

"Ah! So that's how it is!" Phaethon finally understood. "Just like when Rome sinks into the spirit world, the winner of the last chariot race in Constantinople will keep the trophy forever, right? This is simply the finale."

"Yes, that's exactly why. So, before all the honors and achievements become extinct, he wants me to get them all by the right age. Including the car race that starts the day after tomorrow—but we don't know the question yet. Wen Yuan shook my hand and said 'take care.' He already knows the question, and he thinks it's terrifying. Someone has given him orders not to say a word. I just glanced at his Fetion card, and his name is grayed out. I guess even Captain Lu confiscated it."

Chapter 485 Mark

"Ah, you guys, when will we know the questions?"

"The earliest would be tomorrow afternoon. But I really don't want to receive the questions so early tomorrow afternoon, because we're given a day to solve them, which means they're going to be very difficult. Never mind, I've done everything I can anyway. I even tried phlogiston stealth, and when I jumped out, I jumped into the shooting range. It was really unreliable. But it was also a gain - we found that the unity of heaven and earth is still useful. Because that acceleration can't speed up the vehicle, it can only speed up my personal reaction. I'm thinking, I can bring a few bottles with me and use them when I want to overtake. You don't have to put this stealth suit in the washing machine for me, I'll wash it myself later."

"Hmm, you've been working hard. Do you want me to bring you lunch tomorrow?"

"Yes. You're going to work at the McDonald's below the stadium tomorrow at noon, right? When the time comes, just give me an order and have our team's lunch delivered. I'll pay for it. We probably won't have time to eat at noon, so McDonald's is faster—it's convenient for you to work there, so you don't have to wait in line. There will definitely be a lot of people at that time, so lunch will depend on you. Oh, you don't have to prepare my portion, I'll eat at the store. I guess I have an event around then."

"what activity?"