Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

"Oh, you can give yourself internship credits in the Thunder Department."

"Can it still be like this? It's okay then, it's okay."

"But," Li Yi reminded him, "the internship credits at the Imperial College are part of the 'Six Ministries' process. As the name suggests, you can't just stay in one department. Credits from one department are useless. You have to apply to be an intern in other departments and accumulate credits in multiple departments."

"Is it that difficult? How do you calculate it?"

"In theory, the more, the better. There's a conversion factor here. The more departments you work in, the higher your score. Your score for six months in the Ministry of Rites is far less than one month in each of the six departments. These scores are directly factored into your grades. If you just grade yourself, it probably won't be enough."

"Are students from the Imperial College so troublesome?"

"After all, there's no tuition. That's what it means to have no tuition. Not only is there no tuition, but there's also an allowance of two taels per month. So it's normal to work a little harder. Others want this blessing but don't have it yet."

"Why is our court surrounded by sieges? A group of people are forced to hold their heads down and enjoy the blessings, while many others want them but don't have any yet."

"Because each of us has our own blessings. Whether it's a training academy, a teaching school, or the Imperial College, each has its own blessings. Although it may not make you completely satisfied, it's ultimately a good path - saying, 'Do you want this blessing?' is probably just a waste of time. You have to be full before you can feel full. It's like saying, 'My family keeps urging me to go back and inherit the family business, and I just want to work hard outside for a few years, but why is it so difficult?'"

"Ah," Shangluo nodded. "Happiness is determined by comparison with others, right? Because we are all relatively happy, we are not happy in comparison. So the happier I am, the less happy I am?"

"It depends on who you compare yourself to. Being born in the capital is a great blessing in itself. Outside, you'd just be a tributary state—just like when it rains, you sit in a warm house eating roasted sweet potatoes, listening to the cold raindrops tapping on the glass. When you're sitting in a car, think about the people under it, and you won't think the tea you're drinking today has a bit of an earthy smell."

"That's true. It's a bit troublesome, so be it. But if I have to apply at every department, then I'll have to queue, right?"

"Well, this is the most crucial point," Li Yi smiled. "Even though every department can give the same points, the tasks you have to perform and the things you learn are completely different. The Tongzhengsi is very sought-after because you have direct access to confidential information from the central government, can directly meet with the emperor, and can directly receive first-hand approval of memorials. Although there is a lot of work, at least every day is very fulfilling, and it is not an exaggeration to mark it with gold on your resume. Therefore, the interview and approval process are also very complicated."

“Is there anything bad about it?”

"Yes. The Yuheng Department is not very good. Because there are so many things to do, and they are very troublesome, they often have to travel to all kinds of remote places. Due to limited funds, train tickets can only be reimbursed for second-class seats. The best are the Tongzhengsi, other confidential departments, and the Six Ministries Headquarters. The Nine Ministers' Offices like the Guanglu Temple are second. Although the power is not high, the professionalism is very strong. Being recognized by the Nine Ministers' Offices means that your professional quality is recognized. There is a list inside the Imperial College. You can check it out yourself."

"It sounds like you are very familiar with General Li?"

"Because I served in the Jinyiwei and was admitted to the Jinyiwei. I can be considered your senior."

"So Jinyiwei can also do internships?"

"Yes, the Jinyiwei's interviews are always open, but the number of people they accept is entirely up to the Jinyiwei themselves. I didn't know this at the time, but later I found out that they recruit interns based on their aptitude. Shang Tianjun, why don't you give it a try? That's already secured two people. The Tongzhengsi (Ministerial Affairs Bureau) deals with the Emperor, so you just need to tell His Majesty. I think Shang Tianjun can put together a very good resume."

"Yeah." Shangluo nodded. His resume was still very important to him. This was his last chance to level up before the server shutdown. To put it bluntly, it was similar to the last imperial examination in his hometown in 1904. If he wanted to achieve "honor" through normal means, this was his only chance, as the evaluation system would be changed later.

After ascending, the resumes of the six departments of Li, Hu, Li, Bing, Xing, and Gong will become "exclusive collections", and will be out of print achievements. Later achievement party will have no chance to grind them.

Zhu Xianxun often lamented that he had reached the pinnacle of his life too early, losing the opportunity to prove himself—a bad thing for him, as the throne would eventually be his. As the heir to the throne, he could have done many things, including eating stinky tofu on the street and riding his road bike. But after being suddenly placed on the throne, he was unable to do anything.

Although Daozu had entrusted Shangluo with "heavenly" affairs, he also knew that sooner or later he would have to interact with more people. When the Thunder Department consisted of only a few people, he could build relationships with everyone one by one. But if the Thunder Department had tens of thousands of people, he would have to establish indirect connections through "stories," and a resume was a good example of such a story.

"I feel like we can start preparing in advance. Are we going as a freshman?"

"That's right, go as a freshman. Since one of your classes requires internships, you should apply immediately after you enroll. If you apply to the same department, there will usually be an advisor to lead the team, and you'll all return together after class. However, it's generally not recommended for freshmen to apply to core departments, including the Yuheng Department, and highly specialized departments like the Jiuqing Yamen. You can't let interns do work at the Dali Temple or the Taichang Temple. One is responsible for killing people, and the other is responsible for sacrifices. If something goes wrong with them, it will cause a big uproar."

"So what should I apply for?"

"The Huangce Library is always short of people. I recommend you go there at least once to experience what it's like to support the two capitals and thirteen provinces. Oh?" His eyes lit up. "The Lei Department is quite famous. Many social engineering professionals are willing to apply for internships there. I'll ask someone I know to come over and approve it."

Shangluo took a look at his phone and saw that the applicant was "Xingsi".

"Why does this name sound familiar?"

"Han Xingsi, this is Xiao Han's sister you know. She'll be here to talk to you soon. Just sit down and have a drink."

Chapter 559 Social Engineering

Han Xingsi, Han Xingzhi's sister, was sitting right in front of him. She had just trotted over, her face still red, fearing that the internship position would be taken by someone else.

[It seems that in places you don't know, grades are still very important to others. By the way, Xiao Han's sister looks a lot like him.]

"I hope these two are equally dedicated. But judging by their posture, they are indeed very dedicated."

[Why would you want to apply to the Imperial College if you're so dedicated? Isn't it said to be very cost-effective?]

Shangluo asked directly.

"Because I don't have to take exams," Han Xingsi covered his forehead. "My family helped me get a place in the Imperial College. I didn't like taking exams, and I thought I had made a great deal at first. But after I got in, I found that the credits required for graduation were piled up like a mountain, forcing me to become more diligent. I was too lazy to apply for internships in my freshman year, and now I'm cramming in my junior year."

"Yes, it feels right, this is the taste of Xiao Han."

"So, Lord Shang Tian, give me three days and I can give you a feasibility report. After the report is out, I can help you get it sorted out within one to three months."

"So fast?"

"Because your process is accelerated 365 times, it's as fast as rice breeding in Hainan."

"Um, what are you going to do? I'm really curious about how social engineering works."

"First of all, the most important aspect of social engineering is investigation. I can't give you a clear answer until I've completed the investigation. However, I've heard a lot about that place from Han Xingzhi before, so I have a general understanding. I believe there's a fundamental problem with your little world."

"Ah, please speak." Shangluo listened carefully. This was the opinion of a professional.

"The fundamental problem is this—you're constantly faced with the ethical dilemma of 'interference or non-interference,' because any interference on your part will bring about karmic feedback. You worry that continuing this way will increase society's failure rate, leading to an uncontrollable situation. You think this way because you haven't yet achieved one thing: there are no children of destiny in that world."

"Child of Destiny?"

"There's someone who can represent everyone. This is crucial, because human consciousness is limited, while the causal relationships within a world are infinite. As a finite being, you can't possibly shoulder the burden of infinite causal relationships. So, what you should do now is find a Child of Fortune in that world—someone who can truly connect with everyone, truly represent them. Then, make this person the Lord of the State, who will bear the brunt of the nation's misfortunes, and make this person the King of the World, who will bear the brunt of the nation's misfortunes. This way, you'll have sealed the entire world, and from now on, you'll only have to deal with this 'Child of Fortune'."

"So that's how it is? I was thinking before whether I should start with myself and divide myself into several godheads to take care of them separately."

"Yes, that's the right approach. But we need to put it aside. The most urgent task is to find a monarch who can unify everyone's opinions. Over the past few hundred years, the imperial court has launched countless 'righteous wars' in the name of righteousness, including wars against entire regions. Their sole purpose is to restore order within a nation, or even a group of nations, to make them accessible, communicative, and negotiable. To enable them to bear the 'Mandate of Heaven' of that nation. Whether the decision rests with one person or the consensus of all, we judge solely on benevolence or not."

"Wait, what does ren mean here? Why is it ren and not xian?"

"Benevolence means loving others. As the name suggests, we choose those who 'love others.' We don't care whether they are loyal or not, whether they are kings, chiefs, or prime ministers. We don't care whether they are completely loyal to the court. Because their loyalty is meaningless. Only when they govern their country with love can the emperor's decree be proven to be 'righteous' and prove our destiny. As for whether they are virtuous or not, that is equally meaningless. Sometimes they have no say in whether they are virtuous or not."

"Ah, is this how the imperial court governs the world?"

"Yes, this is how the world is governed. We are not concerned with the inflows and outflows of the accounts. We are concerned with the integrity and perfection of the Mandate of Heaven. But at the same time—"

She emphasized, "At the same time, our governance will not lose sight of the interests of the region due to ritualization, nor will it lose the essence of ritual due to considerations of the region's interests. Our governance of the world relies on establishing, maintaining, and enforcing rituals. Only rituals can maintain the balance between heaven's will and the human heart. Therefore, Lord Shang Tian, what I want to investigate and plan is how to establish an effective set of 'rituals' in that world. This is social engineering, and social engineering is the study and formulation of 'rituals'."

"By the way, is social engineering a part of the philosophy of humanity or the philosophy of rationality?"

"Yes, both. We use the tools of both the philosophy of benevolence and the philosophy of reason. Because it's inseparable from ethical research and data-based evidence, it's an interdisciplinary subject and a prominent discipline. We truly have many societies that need reform and oversight to ensure peace and prosperity. This is also to minimize the need for the Royal Army to be deployed. If the Royal Army is deployed, it would be a dereliction of duty on our part, as it would indicate a breakdown in rituals and music in a certain area, necessitating the deployment of the Royal Army to restore order."

"Ah!! I found the right person! I knew I had found the right person. This is the kind of professional help I need. But what about the Foundation Establishment Pill?"

"Boiled eggs? What boiled eggs? Oh, Foundation Establishment Pill? What is that?"

Shangluo and Li Yi looked at each other and told her about the snake pill.

"Ah," Han Xingsi shook his head. "This is the most complicated part of actual practice. I can understand that the court is sometimes like this too. Firstly, there can't be a 'spherical country in a vacuum' for us to govern. Secondly, the court does have some interests that must be addressed. So, we still have to deal with each case individually."

"Is there a play?"

"Generally speaking, as long as the problem is thoroughly investigated, there's always a solution. Before we investigate, I can't guarantee anything. So, I might need to apply for funds for the investigation. Mainly travel expenses. Does the Ministry of Thunder have any funding?"

"Yes, but the trip is actually free. We've got a little extra money in there. Can you do it by yourself?"

"Well, I can handle the investigation alone. It'll mainly be observing the typical characteristics of that world. After the report is issued, I'll provide advice on the next steps, including the resources needed for further research and investigation, as well as the development potential of that world. Snake Pill, right? I'll also focus on that."

Chapter 560 Feasibility Report

Finally, I went over some precautions with Han Xingsi and the matter was settled.

"Is it over?"

"Well, it's done. Leave the rest to me. Where is the entrance to your cave?"

"Wait. When are you coming?"

"I have to go back tonight to prepare and pack my travel supplies. I'll leave at noon tomorrow."

[Wow! So fast? Really quick and decisive! I thought it would take at least a few days to get everything ready. Tomorrow? Then I have to start preparing now. Wow, tomorrow at noon doesn't seem like it will be in time. I'll have to work overtime. Okay, have her come tomorrow at noon, and I'll send someone to pick her up.]

"Okay," Shangluo said to Han Xingsi, "No problem. Tomorrow at noon, then. The entrance to the cave is in the basement of the imperial kitchen. It's the one with the Thunder Department sign hanging on the door. I'll send you the specific address and instructions via Feixin now. Please check it out."

"Hmm." Han Xingsi took out the sign and took a look at it. "Good boy, you guys hid it well! Will there be any trouble hiding under the imperial kitchen? Will it explode?"

"Ah, where do others usually hide?"

"It's not a matter of 'hiding' for others. Others' caves cannot be moved. Only you, Lord Shang Tian, can carry the Mountain, River, State Map with you."

Li Yi, standing by, nodded and said, "Indeed, it took quite a bit of effort to move the cave heaven from the ship in. It was the first time we had undertaken such a large-scale cave heaven renovation. We even suspected that the noise was the cause of the mad dragon. Lord Shang Tian, your Shanhe Shejitu is a portable cave heaven that you can carry around. It's incredibly convenient. This is quite counterintuitive."

"Why?" Shangluo asked.

"Generally speaking, the more stable and complete a cave heaven is, the more difficult it is to transform," Li Yi replied. "And Cave Heaven No. 1029... Ah, that's your cave heaven, Lord Shang Tianjun. We have it numbered 1029 in the archives. So sometimes I wonder if it was the power of the Mountain and River State Map that created such a complete cave heaven, or if that world was already there and the Mountain and River State Map simply opened a door."

"I think it's the former," Shangluo replied. "No. 1029, I'll call it that for now. Cave Heaven No. 1029 has grown step by step under the observation of many people, and every step has a clear basis."

"In other words, it was you, Shang Tianjun, who brought it up single-handedly, right? That's another possibility. Shang Tianjun, do you know what we often mean by 'complete'?"

"I'm not really sure. I've always heard there are caves and other things elsewhere."

"The situation is this: I'll borrow a phrase from Mr. Yangming. All other caves and heavens are like this: 'Before you see the flower, it and you are both in silence. When you see it, its color suddenly becomes clear, and you know it's not outside your mind.'"

"Are all the other caves in the heart?"

"That's right. In other words, all other caves will return to silence along with the mind, but your cave, Lord Shang Tian, is probably a free and useful world outside the mind. To make an analogy, it's like a phonograph and a radio. As long as the phonograph is plugged in, it will play the music on the disc. If you unplug the power cord, all the operating processes of the phonograph will stop and it will return to silence. But if it's a radio, unplugging the power cord will only stop listening, and the program playback will not be affected by the radio."

"So that's the case. Then what exactly is this 'power source'?"

"It's the possession of a cave heaven. If it's a cave, then the layout of the cave is very important. If it's a mirror, then it must not be broken, otherwise the world will collapse with it. But in your cave heaven, they seem to have been able to break free from the 'umbilical cord'."

"Is that so? I haven't disconnected yet. Are they safe?"

"Because dragons were born. Dragons aren't just powerful; their birth signifies that world has its roots. By the way," he said, glancing at Han Xingsi. "Mr. Han, when you're on the investigation team, you might want to consider the existence of dragons. That world is vast, and finding solutions to problems is difficult. But if we use dragons as a medium and a guideline, we should be able to find a good solution."

"Ah, you mean to let the dragon decide who is the Child of Destiny? That's a very good idea—ah, yes, yes, indeed. The best Child of Destiny is one that is truly decided by destiny, not by us. The more one shares the fate of that world, the more they can represent that world. Ah, now we have a preliminary idea. Shangluo, do you want to listen to it?"

"Okay, okay, tell me."

"To put it simply, and in accordance with your previous arrangements, Lord Shang Tian, we can allow those guilty dragons to choose their own 'envoys', who can fully represent themselves. Because dragons can fully represent their race, the chosen 'envoys' are naturally the Sons of Fortune. We only need to communicate with the Sons of Fortune chosen by the dragons themselves. How the dragons choose is their own business and has nothing to do with us. We only need to communicate with them."

"Oh! That makes perfect sense. The division of responsibilities is crystal clear. We, as superiors, don't force that world to do anything; we merely suggest that world's 'Son of Fortune' act accordingly. As for whether or not the Dragon-chosen Son of Fortune obeys us, that's entirely up to them. Also, since they were chosen by the Dragon, it has absolutely nothing to do with us. This way, all our karma will be wiped out!"

"That's right. That's exactly how it is. A true 'Son of Fortune' can bear the stigma and misfortune of the country and become the master of the country and the king of the world. In the past, the most troublesome part was finding a way to establish legitimacy. Now the most difficult part has been solved. What remains are some technical details." Han Xingsi said confidently:

"I think the feasibility report should go smoothly. Once my report is out, you, Shang Tianjun, can prepare to connect with their 'functional components'. For example, what do you want?"

"A machine that boils eggs. I want to be able to have boiled eggs every morning."

"Okay." Han Xingsi nodded. "I'll pay special attention to it. And according to the list you just gave me, there are also TVs, dishwashers, washing machines? And what about the computer host? I'll try them one by one. It shouldn't be difficult to achieve functionality. Wait for my report tomorrow afternoon."

"So fast?"

"Because one day in heaven is one year on earth. I'll be inside for about ten to twenty minutes at most, so I'll be out in three or four days. You just wait outside, and the report will be available immediately."

I'll take a break after updating today. I was a bit busy last week, so I'll catch up on some sleep.

Chapter 561 Jusu No. 0

"Well" in the morning, Shangluo was having breakfast, "It would be great if the egg boiler could be installed now."

"What do you say over there?" Phaethon asked, "If you can install an egg boiler, I can have some in the morning."

"They said we need to conduct on-site inspections to know. Now we have an idea - it's a big benefit. They already have a 'dragon' to represent them. So we don't need to select the son of luck, we just need to respect the dragon's choice. . This is a good start. Sister Han said that this will improve the reliability of the system, because there must be a cause and an effect, and the cause of plunder will inevitably lead to the effect of resistance. If it operates normally, it is okay, but in order to ensure power, Mustard Seed World must It’s accelerated, and any problems will be magnified after acceleration.”

"Ah, it makes sense. Take the dynasty cycle as an example. On the outside, there is a big cycle of hundreds of years, and the small cycle is decades. But inside, it is sped up 365 times. According to this ratio, it is a major overhaul once a year, which lasts several months. After a minor repair, various minor failures may occur one after another. The reliability is too low and is not suitable for military use. So what does the highest reliability look like?"

"World No. 135 on the Lianshan is the most stable. Because not only are we not fighting the cause and effect of that world, we are still fighting the wind and snow with the residents of World No. 135. Although the efficiency is not the highest, the reliability is very high. , in a 10-year cycle, there won’t be any major failures, just regular maintenance. We may occasionally have to send some materials over for replenishment.”

"By the way, can it be cured over there? I mean the snowstorm on World 135 on the Lianshan."

"Well, I'm afraid it's not that easy. I didn't ask in detail, but it is said that it is a kind of 'cave paradise' to a certain extent. It is born like this. Unless they move - but they don't seem to be so willing to move now. The court gave The Jusu they provided turned into a world engine, a 'perpetual motion machine'. Their civilization developed quite prosperously in the heavy snow. When I went to get popsicles, they even set off fireworks to welcome me. In addition, , they also have channels to contact the outside world directly.”

"So, like a tributary state?"

"Yes." Shangluo nodded, "The same goes for the imperial court's attitude towards tributary countries - the imperial court will indeed bring civilization and modernization to everyone. But what the imperial court wants to bring is modernization that adapts to local conditions, so that every place It has been properly developed. World No. 135 is in a very ideal state. Their cooperation with the imperial court is 'exchanging goods for goods, and both parties are happy.' Both parties feel that they are not losing money. The premise of all this is that they really have the goods."

"Oh, that's right." Phaethon suddenly thought, "I've always been curious - where did Jusu come from?"

"I asked specifically about this: Jusu fuel is produced in several mustard worlds. They are No. 0, No. 92 and No. 95 worlds."

"Is there any bad taste in this naming?"

"No. No. 0, No. 0 Mustard Seed World was created for the purpose of making acetonite. No. 92 and No. 95, maybe they do have some evil intentions. It is said that No. 98 is under construction. The heavy ashes on the Lianshan , produced from the No. 0 Mustard Seed World. The high-energy arsenic of supersonic aircraft such as the White Star is produced by No. 95. It is said that No. 98 will produce some special arsenic. No. 92 is generally used as weapons, and other The place."

"Then what number did the Xuantan Tiger burn before?"