Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 323 Grand Festival
In November 2113, researchers within the Protectorate made an even more exciting discovery during their experiments. The "Wa" sent by the Dragon Group could communicate with the "Forest Consciousness" and the "Grassland Consciousness."

This kind of ecological awareness doesn't involve much human emotion in communication; it simply conveys a few basic meanings: "kill" (referring to the Orks), "coexistence" (expressing the relationship with humans), and "join forces" (humans should not destroy nature, and nature will reward them).

As for humans, what about building relationships? Bargaining? This forest-like, grassland-like mentality hasn't evolved to the point where it can understand the complexities of human society.

Nuwa knew what the forest consciousness and the grassland consciousness possessed, and she also knew what humanity needed now. She began to select for humanity the ecological weapons that humanity needed to expand in this war.

The character "娲" (Wa) is a middleman with a lot of room for manipulation, but upon first seeing Xuan Chong, she was as if struck by lightning. Then she made a complete 180-degree turn, becoming willing to cooperate with humanity.

Thus, the researchers of the Protectorate discovered that when the trees and grasses chosen by "Wa" encountered the spores of Ork, their grass seeds and tree bud structures would exhibit aggressive behavior in response.

In the experiment, regardless of size, any tree whose seeds had come into contact with the seeds would be parasitized and grow within eight to fifteen days.

If Ork is not operated on during this process, he will undoubtedly die in the experiment. Within his flesh, veins of grass roots will spread along his blood vessels and muscles. Ork's immune system will be blocked by the defense system of his cell walls.

If the Orcs undergo surgery, even the slightest incomplete removal will cause the parasite to revive within months. This parasitism is similar to the stubborn Orc parasites of the past, now having met its nemesis.

The "surgical removal" here can only be done by hand; the "I think" method that has always worked for us won't be effective.

The "waaagh!" force field, which can directly interfere with the interior of industrial products and perform physical operations, is like a ghost that cannot touch a physical object when it touches the parasite inside the product, so it cannot be easily removed.

After it was confirmed that the Orks were parasitized and developed into individual parasites, researchers in the Han Dynasty began to be wary of the impact of this existence on humanity.

The results showed that these seeds did not exhibit any abnormal parasitic effects on any native Earth species, such as monkeys, tigers, wild boars, and were eventually tested on humans. As long as the previous desensitization was completed, the mutated plants would not exhibit malignant parasitism on native Earth life.

In comparative experiments on other animals, including humans, these parasitic seeds of the Oak Dragon appeared to be eliminated by the animals' internal immune systems after accidentally entering their bodies, but Xuan Chong felt that this was more like surrendering.

Because if these parasitic seeds exhibit even a tenth of the parasitic ability found in Orks, native life forms like humans, with their small bodies, would be unable to withstand them.

The Lin Group's research members believe that the entity behind the mutated seeds may be the "Heavenly Consciousness" that we have revered since ancient times. Only in this way can we explain why these seeds have no motive to kill the creatures on Earth.

In the spring of 2114, three airships set sail, each fully loaded with glass containers containing new plant seedlings. The first flew to the western mountains of the Qian River to conduct field experiments, the second flew to Yandu to report on the situation, and the third flew south to provide technical support as requested by the Honke Rin Group in the south.

When the parasitic grass seeds were being sown, Xuan Chong issued an order for the transport corps responsible for transportation to send a large amount of supplies to the assembly point in the Dalie River basin.

During this process, due to the sowing of grass seeds, no more mushrooms sprouted in the area. This was a true occupation; the "waaagh!" force field that had been rampant on this land a year ago was gradually fading.

However, after requesting relevant information, Yandu also sowed seeds in April. But these seeds did not effectively contain the Ok. It seemed as if they were lacking crucial "nutrients".

Lin Zhu then contacted Xuan Chong again to inquire why the sowing on the southern route was not effective.

…Before the conversation, both sides were actually well aware of the situation…

In the communication, Lin Zhu said: Although you have done a very good job, at present only you have achieved success, which makes outsiders think that you are hiding your achievements.

Xuan Chong looked at this senior who had been speaking the truth to him, and he also spoke the truth.

Xuan Chong: It's not that I want to keep things to myself, but there are some uncertainties, so I dare not say.

Lin Zhu's gaze sharpened slightly, clearly intrigued, and he said bluntly: "Don't hold back."

Xuan Chong: After each battle with the Orks, especially when I eliminate the Ork leader, I feel a sense of "satisfaction"; and now, as I sow the seeds, that "satisfaction" can be transformed into a sense of groundedness.

Immediately after speaking, the lord's voice became urgent: Why didn't you speak?
Xuan Chong was half-seriously stunned, because Lin Zhu definitely knew about the relevant research, and that the equipment he had here came from him, so why was he pretending not to know? Oh, this must be an act.

Then Xuan Chong tearfully revealed the truth: because, because hearing Oak's "shout" (waaagh!) was already extremely unusual. The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits; one should not speak of things one is unsure of.

Without mutual trust, there's no way to offer reminders...

Xuan Chong can hear Ork's "waaagh!" and use it to formulate tactical plans.

When seeking cooperation, he encountered sarcastic remarks from people in the south, such as "barbarians can hear the language of beasts." —Li Guang's faction also made sarcastic remarks about Wei Qing.

Xuan Chong thought to himself: It's not that I'm petty. I wanted to help you, and you talked badly about me behind my back? If I were to still try to get close to you despite your "criticism," wouldn't I become a sycophant?

As for what hinders the "big picture," the experience from the past tells me that the "big picture" cannot be maintained by individuals "sacrificing their own interests." The more you sacrifice your own interests, the more space you give the other party to "act recklessly."

We need to make the higher-ups realize as soon as possible who is disregarding the overall situation and who is letting emotions get in the way when doing things, bringing uncertainties and negative factors to the group's overall execution.

It's fair to say that sowing seeds in the south was ineffective, to the point that now the Lin ruler has come to speak with him, and this conversation has been overheard by the Emperor. Xuan Chong was fully aware of this. He needed to deliver a decisive blow to those who were talking nonsense at this crucial moment.

Lin Zhu glanced at Xuan Chong, and with his cultivation, he clearly knew Xuan Chong's situation. He thought to himself that Xuan Chong was indeed educated; when it came to scheming, his mind was extremely vicious.

A gentleman who is usually modest and courteous may suddenly find himself kicking someone when they're down at a crucial moment when a conflict erupts—this is a basic skill for scholars.

Those privileged sons of officials in the Ministry of War who rose through the ranks thanks to their family connections clearly lacked the necessary skills. All the bad things they said about Xuan Chong behind his back were less effective than the single sentence Xuan Chong uttered at the crucial moment. —The Prince couldn't help but sigh: One still needs to study.

The higher one's position, the more limited their energy becomes. They have no time to manage trivial matters and only care about the main contradictions. Only matters involving the "main contradictions" will be addressed as a priority.

The scholar's ability to "govern the country, regulate the family, and bring peace to the world" is precisely an ability to understand how to analyze contradictions. This ability can be applied to doing things. For example, Xuan Chong handled countless contradictions, large and small, very well, from the Western Regions Military Governor to the Hanbei Protectorate.

Similarly, this ability can be used to protect oneself; Xuan Chong immediately saw through the urgent matter facing the court.

…Scholars have many thoughts…

The ruler of the unicorn did not expose Xuan Chong's ulterior motives, but instead rebuked him lightly: "Have you become dull-witted from reading too much? The Master said, 'I do not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits,' but that was for scholars to establish their minds and conduct. The Analects also said, 'Respect the spirits and gods, but keep them at a distance.' What are you? You are a dragon-powered one, a chief priest, bestowed by Heaven and Earth, and protected by spirits and gods. You cannot keep them at a distance."

Lin Zhu interpreted Xuan Chong's failure to report as a sign of mental stagnation in his studies; then he asked Xuan Chong to explain in detail what he had sensed from heaven and earth.

Xuan Chong's detailed description finally connected the phenomena of "defeating Orcs to obtain the Waaagh! Force Field" and "seeds being able to be fertilized".

In the spring of 2114, the Protectorate's battle reports indicated a continuous pursuit southward; judging from the decline in weaponry among the Orks operating in the south, the Ork forces had suffered heavy losses in this battle.

Therefore, the "spirit seeds" sown in this round grew very vigorously in the north, becoming a forbidden zone for the Orks.

Meanwhile, on the southern defense line, everyone was focused on defense, hoping to contain the enemy by sowing seeds. They clearly hadn't grasped the mechanism of "sacrifice," so their efforts were in vain.

The sowing of grass seeds in the south consumed a large amount of the imperial court's resources.

Of course, even if the Ministry of War knew about the "mechanism," it would still be a waste, because the person in charge of the Ministry of War had a rift with him (Xuan Chong), and would be skeptical about the matter, unable to fully cooperate, and might even deliberately hinder it. The Emperor stared at Xuan Chong: This is why you deliberately insist on personally appearing in every battle!

Xuan Chong nodded and said: Yes.

After making up his mind, Lin Zhu then asked: "Liu Yi and the others didn't go with you, so his condition remains the same? (Is that why their abilities haven't improved as rapidly as yours?)"
Xuan Chong paused for a moment: I don't know.

However, the Lin Lord already had a plan. —The essence of the current Han Dragon Power users is that of ancient "shamans," who communicate with spirits and deities, but must conform to the principles of "sacrifice." Xuan Chong's current situation conforms to "sacrifice"—he used the blood of the Orks to complete the ritual, thus receiving the protection of Heaven and Earth (planetary consciousness).

…“Reprimand” is “protection”…

After hanging up the phone with Xuan Chong, Lin Zhu began negotiating terms with the Emperor.

"The Heaven-sent agent should not easily send others to share the spoils!" This was the condition that the Lin Lord used to persuade the Emperor after explaining the cause and effect.

In other words, don't be clever and send the rest of the Dragon Group to Xuanchong to take over the decapitation mission after the war, attempting to obtain waaagh! The Heavenly Dao is like a program; it can run, but the core isn't just replacing a piece of code. There's a series of corresponding sacrificial steps preceding it.

For example, Xuan Chong established himself locally, relocated a large number of people, regulated water and soil, and was devoted to the land. All of these actions were influenced by divine blessings. Once a process is already running smoothly, it shouldn't be drastically altered. One should go with the flow.

As for the situation on the southern route, the Dragon Group needs to refer to the experience on the northern route and independently establish a similar mechanism.

…the value of victory…

Between October 2113 and the southern offensive of Beihai Lake in 2114, three major events occurred in Dongtu. First, the Beiyang United Coal and Iron Group was formally established, with the original Dongtu Steel Plant as its backbone, and introduced the latest steelmaking technology from the south.

The group used the large iron ore belt at Shihu Ridge in Beihai, under the jurisdiction of the Protectorate, as its raw material source, supplying iron sand. Dongtu's factory was designed to be the first super-large steel plant with an annual production capacity of up to four million tons. Such steel production would leap to the top three in present-day Han Dynasty.

Of course, the real reason why such a large steel plant could be built was not because of iron ore and coal resources, but because of its proximity to consumer markets.

The Protectorate has now acquired land north of Xingguo Ridge along the Dalie River to Beihu (Baikal). Strategic deployment and border settlement require extensive infrastructure and future maintenance. Therefore, building factories near the coast would allow for direct supply to the Protectorate.

A massive tunnel traversing the Xingguo Ridge is being built using tunnel boring machines with futuristic technology! — This tunnel doesn't exist in the Qinling Mountains.

Because dragon power cannot be used recklessly; misuse will lead to a backlash and weakening of dragon power. But opening up the North Xingguo Ridge is fine now! This is because it is absolutely permitted by the Heavenly Dao, and the "Grand Sacrifice" process has already been completed. Following this process and adding to it will only bring benefits.

In the necessary procedures of a sacrificial ceremony, there must be a "chief officiant," "offerings," and "participants in the ceremony." — In modern society, the "chief officiant" and "offerings" have already been mentioned, while the element of "participants in the ceremony" is equivalent to having many people settle in a certain place and then regularly participate in the ceremony each week (such as raising the flag).

Essentially, there are two key elements: 1. Drive out the orc forces and guide the people to live here. 2. Use the Orc's Jingguan blood sacrifice to unleash the power of the "planetary consciousness."

To translate: Firstly, it guides many people to participate in the sacrificial ceremony to ensure its stability; secondly, it's about the "Ga Le Ok Waaagh!" scene, where human and planetary consciousness share the spoils 30/70.

As long as a Dragon Power user meets these two conditions, the Dragon Power ability can be displayed without restriction, just like the many powerful beings during the "Investiture of the Gods".

Returning to the present, Xuan Chong does not consider these supernatural phenomena.

As an outsider from another world, I don't understand. Of course, I don't need to understand, because this is a math class. You see, the history teacher from last class didn't teach math, physics, or chemistry. And math class definitely won't cover politics, history, or geography.

Xie Ming, as a former student, offered this advice: Basically, as long as you act according to the fundamental values ​​of the student's time and space, there shouldn't be any major problems. — Xie Ming himself is working on abstract concepts, and apparently, things have gone wrong.

However, in this lesson, matters involving mathematical calculations must be given top priority, such as current economics, and the Protectorate General facing the Han Dynasty's ulterior motives in its investment.

Xuan Chong cannot simply accept that "all of this is the price that the Han Dynasty paid to solve the northern problem." Instead, he must consider the issue of repaying the debt. "Borrowing" may bring temporary smooth sailing, but if one cannot achieve self-reliance, "once the borrowed east wind stops, one will fall flat on one's face."

In order to unify the northern economic zone, Xuanchong is quietly building up the standards for heavy industry in the northern region. For example, in the processing of ore in the Heiqiu River basin, all ore is processed according to the standards of Beiyang Steel Plant. Even the super-large containers in the newly built port adopt the port interface newly planned by Dongtu, which is a unified standard, just like data cable interfaces.

To maximize cost advantages and prepare for future price wars in heavy industrial machinery sectors such as steel. — Xuan Chong is gradually making plans.

The second major event occurred while Xuan Chong was on a military campaign in the north. Su Ming was successfully promoted to Grand Secretary. He was only 28 years old this year, and his early fame meant that he would have to mentor more and more people as he grew older, which would eventually make him a prominent figure in the scholarly world.

The ranking of Grand Secretaries was based on the region's development, and there's no doubt that his promotion was due to the progress of Dongtu in recent years. His rise foreshadows Xuan Chong's future success in passing the imperial examination.

Xuan Chong currently holds a military position in the Hanbei Protectorate and cannot occupy a civil official's promotion post. Furthermore, Xuan Chong is largely responsible for advancing the civil administration system in Su Ming.

…As for the third thing…

When summer arrived, Xuan Chong returned to Dongtu and announced the new rules for the succession of the "Kingship".

With his staff in the Protectorate General listening, Xuan Chong announced to his family that starting with his generation, the succession to the title of prince would be based on an evaluation system.
If the father has already abdicated, the successor, upon reaching adulthood at twenty, cannot immediately assume the throne. Instead, he must undergo a public evaluation of his merits and demerits. If he truly has merit and receives the approval of eighty percent of the people, then he can inherit the royal title, but not the temporary title. Of course, this is very difficult; what merits or demerits could a twenty-year-old possibly have? Unless war breaks out and he carries a bomb on the front lines, earning a first-class merit.

At thirty, one is elected; if the vote rate reaches 60%, another election can be held. If the standard for succession is not met, the election is postponed. At forty, one is no longer confused; another election is held, with a vote rate of 40%. At fifty, one knows one's destiny; a vote rate of 30% is required. As for sixty, a vote rate of 20% is required.

Of course, posthumous honors can be bestowed upon him.

According to the rites and laws of the Han Dynasty, a "king" was required in the northernmost part of the dynasty to guard the borders and stabilize the people's hearts. This involves the concept of "ultimate responsibility" in Eastern political culture. Eastern political culture differs from that of the West.

In the East, only high-ranking figures within the established social hierarchy are entitled to give speeches. If the content of a speech cannot be realized, no matter how high one's status, one will be condemned to death. In contrast, speeches in the West begin with the common people; the audience is there for entertainment, and if the promises cannot be fulfilled, that's no problem (Indians, in particular, love to make grand pronouncements, which is exactly the case).
Due to cultural differences, it is absolutely impossible for the East to have a "figurehead monarch," because in the East, the monarchy originated with Yu the Great.

The story of Yu the Great controlling the floods illustrates that the monarch's responsibility is unlimited; losses caused by natural disasters such as floods and droughts are attributed to the monarch's moral failings. The Rong and Di peoples' claim that "natural disasters are accidents, you should pray for your own good fortune" is simply not valid in the East.

This is the ideological imprint of the Chinese people: the monarch, as the representative of the regime, must be virtuous; without virtue, one is unworthy to establish a regime. Conversely, a regime must have a virtuous ultimate leader.

In the vast and sparsely populated Dongtu and even Hanbei, where there is a lack of unity and consensus, and various natural disasters, the desire to maintain the Han system, rather than some kind of religious system, requires a "ruler".

A figurehead emperor? No responsibility, power returned to the people, only enjoying sustenance? If the Qing emperors wanted to play this game, they would soon be driven out of the Forbidden City.

When a monarch is necessary, the monarch cannot be "absent-minded." The people cannot accept the monarch's graceful disappearance during times of national mourning.

Xuan Chong: Due to the actual needs of the people of the various Xia states, the Han rulers in the northern Han region did not refuse to inherit the throne, but rather succeeded to the throne slowly and in a planned manner. They only succeeded after gaining the approval of the people.

This is a different system from the "figurehead monarchy" of the present Mediterranean civilization, namely the "deferred monarchy".

It can be said that with Xuan Chong's system in place, future monarchs of the Eastern Tu Kingdom, if they did not achieve military merit or loyal governance in their youth when the country was not in peril, might only be granted the title of monarch after their death. (As for when the country was in peril, as long as one was of age, one had to succeed to the throne; if there was no direct descendant, a collateral descendant would succeed.)

After Xuan Chong handed the plan, which he had started himself, to his father, his father, who was playing with his grandson in the south, replied with one sentence: "Whatever makes you happy."

(End of this chapter)