Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

"Ah, this... is this heaven?"

"And what if we all moved our stores online and connected the transmission system to every household? Then, if we bought something online, it would be shipped to us instantly. Wouldn't that be a paradise on earth?"

"Then this is indeed paradise on earth."

“You can even deliver food.”

"The soup will spill if you serve it."

"Just seal it in an insulated bucket. And cars. They still require someone to drive them, which is really too much trouble. We should start with the car keys and make the entire car automatic. Just swipe the badge at the door to enter, swipe again, and the car will drive away automatically."

"That's definitely possible." Shangluo also took a glass of juice. "Any other ideas?"

"And! I think the most important thing! Is the TV! Today's TVs are too troublesome. They can only broadcast the details captured by the camera. I think we should combine the TV and the radio. Place a few Tianyi Guiren in the display mechanism of each small box, and let them listen to the radio. Let them draw the pictures according to the content of the broadcast, and then display them on the screen. In this way, even recorded tapes can be played. And as long as each of us buys a tape home, we can watch movies at home! Watch movies at home!"

"Then why not look at it on Fetion?"

"Because that would burn your brain. Maintaining it for the duration of a full movie, only a Tianyi nobleman could do it. What do you think? Is such a future feasible?"

"It's very feasible. In fact, it doesn't necessarily require magical methods to achieve it; technology can also be used."

"How many years will that take?"

"Based on current technology, it's probably about a hundred years. Maybe shorter."

"Too slow, too slow. If we use magic, we can use it right away, right? I can't wait to watch the movie at home. I must have a little figure of the opera troupe in my TV at home, so that the picture will be clearer."

As he spoke, he looked towards Shangluo and said, "Are we still far away from such a future?"

Shangluo shook his head. "It's not that far, actually. If you want to give it a try, we can make some finished products right away. But if we want to popularize it to every household, our entire society will have to undergo a major transformation. However, it seems that some content can be started in the short term."

"for example?"

"For example, I actually planned to bring in some cars driven by Tianyi nobles before the military exercise. For example, taxis or something."

Chapter 541 Bath

Wearing a bathrobe, Shangluo sat by the heated pool. Since this was a Buddhist temple, intimate contact between men and women was still prohibited. However, due to some traditional Ming Dynasty arts, even though only men were present, some areas seemed a bit "indecent." However, it wasn't a big deal; it was broad daylight.

Sitting on the edge, Shangluo was watching an open-air movie across from the pool. He had tied Qiuqiu to the back of a chair with a rope, swaying slowly in the breeze—a comfortable position for Qiuqiu, akin to being moored. He was also watching a movie.

Sometimes it would turn slightly due to the wind direction, and after observing the surroundings, it would turn its small flippers to turn its gaze back to the position facing the movie screen so that it could continue watching its movie.

There's more than just soy milk here. There's also a lot of food by the pool, with all sorts of snacks and breakfast options available. There's even the same sesame oil mung bean cakes as at Bao'en Temple, which taste just like the ones made by fellow apprentices.

However, there was one snack that made him an exception - there was pan-fried luncheon meat, which was fried on a teppanyaki plate at a small stall next to the pool. Eggs and other items were also fried there.

"So you can eat meat in this temple?"

[Of course, you haven't read the guide book yourself.]

“I really haven’t seen it.”

The guidebook states that Longchang Temple's frequent hosting of distinguished guests makes dining a specialty. Much like the Daxiangguo Temple in the Water Margin, Daxiangguo Temple is also famous for its stewed meat. I haven't studied the Buddhist precepts, but the food is prepared for the guests. While the monks who cook are called "monks," each monk adheres to different precepts. Therefore, serving meat to visiting guests doesn't seem out of line.

"That's really flexible. What a flexible standard."

These temples have long served as tourist attractions. The larger the temple, the more distinguished guests it receives, and they must be treated well. This place, for example, probably receives even more distinguished guests than Bao'en Temple.

"That's true. Bao'en Temple has to maintain its reputation after all. It's the ancestral temple of the Zhu family. At most, they receive tourists there, and they wouldn't even think about seeing meat or fish. But this place is a scenic spot, and the temple is actually on the other side. Whether from the perspective of discipline or management, they provide some catering services to customers, which seems quite normal. The monks in this temple really know how to make money."

[Feels a bit like our Patriarch]

"What does your Patriarch usually do?"

Busy running around officiating weddings. After all, only barbarians would bow down to the church; for the Romans, the church bowed at the emperor's feet. So, the Patriarch's job here is similar to the abbot of Bao'en Temple, though probably a bit busier. Hagia Sophia isn't a monastery, after all; there's no need for seclusion there, so the Patriarch still has a lot of daily duties to attend to.

"Like officiating a wedding for someone, right?"

[There are also celebrations for new shops, new cannons, new warships, etc.]

"That's pretty much the same feeling. Hmm, but do they have any tourist attractions?"

Bathhouses! Yes, bathhouses, exactly the same. I haven't been there, but the Orthodox bathhouses are also very famous. Many large Roman bathhouses are operated by the Orthodox Church, complete with libraries and all sorts of traditional Roman activities. Some Romans would enter in the morning and stay there, enjoying the baths all day long.

"You mean like we are now?"

[Yeah, pretty much. But Roman baths weren't particularly fond of wildness or natural scenery. Roman baths were all in meticulously crafted marble bathhouses, with running water, gold-plated faucets, and frosted marble sinks.]

"It turns out that modern people are very similar in every way."

I took a bite of the luncheon meat. It was indeed grilled well; it wasn't the expensive kind with a lot of graininess. But the starch-to-meat ratio was perfect, giving it a delicate texture and a nice meaty flavor. There was also a fried egg on the side, cooked in a round pan, perfectly round and shaped like the sun.

Best of all, it's free. The Longchang Temple bathhouse doesn't charge extra fees; all expenses are included in the bathing fee. You can eat and drink as much as you want inside, and after eating, you can soak in the baths, and afterward, you can continue eating. There's no need to worry about your wallet.

"Ah, this kind of isolated and relaxing place is really nice." Shangluo leaned back in his chair. "I think if I have the chance in the future, I can come here more often."

Besides the luncheon meat and fried eggs he had just ordered, he had also had some custard buns, radish cake, and sponge cake—all the usual snacks. He had also drunk quite a bit of soda, so his stomach was quite full.

As they were talking, Wen Yuan had already returned from the steaming, his entire body red and steaming.

"Oh, why do you eat so much?" he asked Shangluo.

"Are there any rules here? Calculated by volume?"

"Oh, no, I mean lunch. The best food here is actually lunch and dinner, especially the pork knuckle. Let me tell you, the pork knuckle in the Imperial Kitchen is nothing compared to this. The pork knuckle here is on par with the Jinling Hotel. And—it's free! Eat as much as you want. Ah, things like pork knuckle are really only as good as they are when you can eat as much as you want."

"So this is what you said you wanted to eat before!"

"Yes, yes, there are other things. For example, the fried noodles here are also excellent, and there are also knife-cut noodles and the like. Although they are not very valuable, the craftsmanship here is excellent. Tsk, you are full now, it would be a pity to eat at lunch."

"It's okay, I can refine what's in my stomach. I'll go practice my energy now."

"Do you still have this ability???"

"Heavenly beings, that's what they are like."

"The gods really can do whatever they want. I wish I could be a god one day. Oh, by the way, where's Xiao Han?"

"He's taking a bath on the mountain. He's been taking a bath all the time."

"Well, he will eat. He'll run until he's weak, then soak until he's bloated. When he gets up, he'll feel empty in the stomach, and then he'll eat a lot all at once. And don't drink too much, or you'll feel bloated when you're in the bath."

"It doesn't matter"

"You are a celestial being, right? Tsk. You are so cruel. Being a celestial being is really amazing."

Chapter 542 Imperial College

"Ah~~ Big Brother, I'm telling you, I feel so refreshed. The hot spring water is really therapeutic. It feels like all the fatigue in my body is gone after soaking in it."

While we were eating, Han Xingzhi had already finished soaking the tea.

"Do you think the treatment is effective?"

"Yes, yes. I met an old man who looked very familiar. He came to see me and asked me if I had seen Shangluo. I said no, and then he left. Before leaving, he said that he had also run away from this spring, which felt good."

"Then it seems you're not bathing in the same spring water." He glanced at the balls floating above. That pool of fresh spring water was vomited out from his stomach, and there was at least eight ounces of water in it.

"Brother, do you know that old man?"

"That's not some old man. That's Wen Yuan's grandfather."

"Master Wen? No wonder he looks familiar."

"You didn't recognize him at first?"

"Because Mr. Wen always stands in the crowd, you can never see him. And he never says anything in the newspapers, not a single word. If it weren't for the fact that he's been in the cabinet longer than anyone else, I really wouldn't remember who he is."

"Speaking of which, I've always had a question." He glanced around, and Wen Yuan wasn't there. "If Wen Yuan's grandfather was a cabinet minister, his family doesn't look very wealthy. Aside from the fact that their house is a bit bigger, it's not that big."

"Well, this may be related to the habits of Lord Wen himself. Lord Wen is a man of the imperial court."

"what is that?"

"Tsk, you've been overseas for too long, you don't know this. This is something we learned in junior high. Simply put, Elder Wen has never served as a provincial or county-level official. He's spent his entire life wandering around in the palace guard circle. So he's quite strict with himself. Their faction is known as the Qingliu faction."

"Isn't Qingliu an insult?"

"Yes, at first it was insulting. There was no essential difference between calling someone a Qingliu and calling them a eunuch party. But later on, as the insults grew, the Qingliu no longer counted as an insult. Later, when the North and South parties were reorganized into the East and West wings, the Qingliu were completely isolated. Now the Qingliu is a refuge for those who don't want to participate in the East and West wing struggles, and Elder Wen is their leader."

"Is this group of people powerful?"

"You'd say it's impressive, but not really, because the Qingliu never produces ministers. Even if Elder Wen were to enter the cabinet, he would only be a minister. Minister is the minimum requirement for entering the cabinet. But if you say it's not impressive, then in fact, they are equivalent to retiring within the court, living in seclusion in the city. They continue to work, but don't care about what's happening outside the window."

"Then how did they form the Qingliu Party?"

"So there's no such thing as a Qingliu faction. It's just a basket case. Those who don't want to go to either the East Wing or the West Wing can just say they're Qingliu and hang up a banner of exemption from war. Qingliu has a special set of routes - that's the officials of each department, including assistant ministers, deputy ministers, doctors, and generals of the rank of Zhonglang. But you can't just say you're Qingliu and you're Qingliu. Because assistant ministers and the like are in charge of a specific field, and Wen Ge Lao came from the Imperial College and was specifically in charge of academic affairs. Not everyone who says they're Qingliu will be considered Qingliu."

"You seem to know it very clearly?"

"Because our family is a member of the Jinyiwei Xuanxiu. To make an analogy, we are like the people who read electricity meters at the power supply bureau, repair water pipes at the water bureau, and connect telephone lines at the telecommunications bureau. Since we are on the phone all day long, we know a lot about what is going on. In fact, the Jinyiwei are similar to the Qingliu. Being a Jinyiwei is like committing political suicide. There is no other way out except to become a higher-level Jinyiwei. Yes, big brother."

Han Xingzhi asked, "Later, you are going to the Imperial College, right?"

"Yeah." Shangluo nodded.

“That was a really challenging decision.”

"You're not the first person to tell me that."

"I'm saying something different. Big brother, you're the Heavenly Sovereign appointed by the Dao Ancestor. You transcend all systems. Wherever you go, it shouldn't be you who follows the local customs; instead, others should follow you. The Imperial College is a bustling place with people and events, and you'll meet all kinds of people there. For example, last year when you weren't here, we had several sparring matches with the team led by the Imperial College's affiliated high school. Their captain entered the Imperial College last year."

"Then maybe I should get to know her? Who?"

"Xinjianbo Wangdaisong."

"Wow! Is Xinjianbo still in high school? Then he's Wang Yangming's son."

"Many generations. I don't even know how many generations of grandchildren there are. There are quite a few noble relatives in the Imperial College Affiliated High School. His father gave up his position to him early. He was old enough to retire early. I heard that Wang Daisong is now the chief of the Guayuan. My sister is also in the Guayuan. She said he is a big watermelon man."

"Let me not ask you who your sister is, Guayuan? What is Guayuan?"

"They were the classrooms, or academies, or schools, that managed students at the Imperial College. Zhengyi Hall was for students who were admitted through imperial examinations. Chongzhi Hall was for students who passed the imperial examinations and were honored students. Guangye Hall was for students who paid to get in. Ruxing Hall was for students from Nanyang. Because the names were so confusing, the four schools all had nicknames. Zhengyi Hall, which was full of students who were admitted through imperial examinations, was nicknamed Guayuan."

"Ah, this branch. I know it. Why is it called Guayuan?"

"Because there are so many people from the Xiaoling Guard in Guayuan, and the Xiaoling Guard's big watermelons are so famous, they would give out the extra Xiaoling Guard watermelons to the new students, so it's called Guayuan. The people in Guayuan are called Watermelon People."

"Wait. I'm supposed to be in Chongzhi Hall. This is where all the tribute students and honor students come from. What are they called?"

"Liyuan is full of Litchi people. Because tribute students travel thousands of miles to the capital, just like lychees, they are as precious as lychees."

"Oh my goodness, so they're giving away lychees?"

"How could the students get so many lychees to give away? Lychees are only grown in the south. It was just that at the beginning, someone started calling Zhengyi Hall the Melon Courtyard, and then all the classrooms had their own nicknames."

“The remaining two are.”

"Guangyetang is a paid entry. This group of people don't eat in the cafeteria. They like to go to Qinhuai River to eat fennel beans, so it's called Douyuan. Shuexingtang came from Southeast Asia. Like Guayuan, they actually gave everyone bananas to eat, so it's called Jiaoyuan - they gave us bananas too, right? They especially like to give us all kinds of bananas. Actually, it was originally called Guayuan for fun, but now it seems inexplicable. Even Guayuan themselves don't reject the watermelon logo. But no matter how you think about it, Guayuan is still a bit fun."

“So, is there really watermelon for free now?”

"Yes, this is the culture of the Imperial College. The Melon Courtyard will give large watermelons to all freshmen. If you go, it should be Wang Daisong himself who will give you the watermelon. I will talk to my sister and ask her to help you pick a sweet and big one."

It’s that time of the week again, when I have to catch up on my reading. Please, please ...

Chapter 543 Dining Hall

The movie was almost over and it was time for dinner. The outdoor movies at the swimming pool would be playing all day, but everyone had already started moving towards the cafeteria.

The aroma of meat wafts through the Longchang Temple dining hall. It's one of the few places still directly run by the monks, as seeing the chubby monks serving food is reassuring. Regardless of the food or the spices, they carry trays of food in and out, restocking the food displayed on the tables.

Specialties like the Longchang Temple Pork Knuckle aren't displayed directly, as they're best eaten hot. To get something, you can take your tray to a window on one side of the dining hall, where a monk will scoop a whole pork knuckle from the broth. Other windows also serve noodles, dumplings, and other dishes, all made fresh.

Because the meals are served in the Buddhist temple, there are two very distinctive stalls here.

This stall primarily offers vegetables, but also features imitation meat dishes like "King Kong Huo Fang," specially prepared for pilgrims. The menu is surprisingly comprehensive, with imitation pork knuckle, imitation braised lamb, and even "jumping over the wall"—a truly unique offering. Few places in Yingtian offer such a comprehensive selection of imitation meat dishes.

There's also a vegetarian food stall. It's very small, with only a window, because there aren't many dishes inside. This is the same food the monks in the temple eat, so whether you want to experience it or actually eat it, you can try it here.

"Wow!" Shangluo said as he stood at the entrance of the dining hall. The aroma of the pork elbow was very prominent and unique, and you could smell it right here.

"Hmm, angelica, galangal, and cloves." Shangluo smelled the recipe and said, "Not bad, it tastes better than the ones in the imperial kitchen."

"Where does the Imperial Kitchen get so many spices?" Wen Yuan shook her head. "Those spices the Imperial Kitchen gets are only used to prevent spoilage in cans, and to provide a 'flavor' surprise to those who open the cans before their long shelf life expires. Other than that, tsk tsk tsk. It's hard to put into words."