Imperial Elite

Chapter 4 Imperial Elite
Joe had thought he would receive a medal, but he never imagined he would receive one for this reason.

Joe envisioned that he would receive the medal because of his intelligence and vision that was ahead of his time.

The most important thing is one's own intelligence and wisdom; having a vision that is ahead of its time is just a small advantage.

Joe felt that with his vision that was a hundred years ahead of its time, and standing on the shoulders of giants, he should be able to get into the research institute of the engineering department, right?
If the officials above had any sense, they wouldn't have made me fill in all those lines again, right?
It's obvious that no kind-hearted family would send a technician to fill in the lines.

No one with a sound mind would do that.

When Major General Parker pinned the medal to Joe's chest and announced that he was being awarded the Medal of Distinguished Conduct for his bravery on the battlefield, Joe broke down.

Although in Bonitania, medals are a very useful thing, obtaining a medal not only automatically grants you permanent access to the bar to show off.

Some recipients of high-ranking medals also receive a substantial annual pension as a lasting expression of gratitude from the Bonitania government for their contributions.

The Medal of Distinguished Conduct that Joe received is precisely the gatekeeper of such a high-level medal.

The recipient of this medal receives an annual pension of £5, which is basically equivalent to receiving two months' salary of a poor soldier without doing anything.

But now, standing ramrod straight for the reporters to take pictures, Joe couldn't understand why he had received a medal for such a question. This bewildering situation—two years of research went unnoticed, but one wrong move made the world aware of it—made Joe begin to reflect on whether he had made a mistake before.

Perhaps the Bonitania Empire didn't care about its inventions at all; they had mountains of gold and silver that they could never spend.
The death of one person is a tragedy, but the death of 100,000 people is just a statistic, so the men don't care?

Although this strange situation was somewhat unsettling, Joe managed to hold back and maintain his composure, still sporting a professional smile for the camera.

After all, there was a huge crowd of reporters surrounding the scene, and having already experienced what journalism was all about, Joe really didn't dare to say anything out of line at the medal award ceremony.

Of course, not daring to speak recklessly doesn't mean Joe won't speak.

After the awarding of medals, when taking a group photo with Major General Parker, he was asked by reporters what he wanted to say to the people of Bonitania.

Joe acted as if he were receiving an Oscar, thanking everyone he could in front of the reporters' cameras.

First, thank your parents for their education, then thank your boss for investing in you, then thank the king for his kindness which you can never repay, and then recount the small contributions you have made to repay the king's kindness.

The reporters, who had initially looked somewhat tired when Joe thanked his parents, immediately perked up when he began to recount his small contributions.

Even Major General Parker looked at Joe with some surprise. After all, these days, let alone capitalists with some wealth, even college graduates can become second lieutenants after enlisting in the army.

How could a self-made capitalist only become a corporal? Even if he didn't bribe the recruiting officer, it shouldn't be that low.

When Qiao listed his inventions, pointing to the loose-leaf pages in the reporter's notebook and the safety pin on his clothes, he said that he invented these things, and that the helmet on the soldier's head next to him was also his invention.

The reporter and Parker initially thought that this guy must have been drunk before he came, how could he make up such a thing?

If you could really come up with these inventions, the officials upstairs aren't idiots; they wouldn't let someone like you fill in the gaps.

Major General Parker even glanced at the lieutenant colonel who had brought Joe, his eyes filled with deep doubt, as if asking, 'When you brought him here, didn't you notice if he was drunk?'

The lieutenant colonel looked innocent. "When I saw him in the car, he seemed perfectly normal. He just slept as soon as he got in, and I didn't see him drink."

But soon, both Major General Parker and the reporters began to think that Joe might not be bragging.

Generally speaking, people who boast will not reveal their patent number or the date of their patent application.

They even know the patent number and application date, so it doesn't seem fake.

But how could someone with such talent end up as an engineer on the front lines?
However, this was just a brief field medal award ceremony, and the reporters were eager to write their articles and send them back to the rear. So after Joe finished speaking, before the reporters could ask any more questions, Major General Parker announced that the medal award ceremony was over and everyone could leave.

It was only then that Joe realized the medal's greatest purpose: it allowed him to sleep in a house with a roof.

Since arriving at the front lines, Joe has not slept anywhere with a roof.

Waking up every day with dew on her face was not a pleasant experience for Joe.

Although the division headquarters was fully occupied and there were no extra beds for Qiao, being able to sleep on the sofa was already a luxury for Qiao at the moment.

As for leaving the front lines by inventing something, after receiving a medal for outstanding conduct, Joe basically gave up.

The officials would rather be awarded medals for this than be forced to leave the front lines because of their invention.

What does this show? It shows that the officials above don't care about themselves at all.

Since that's the case, there's no point in talking to these insects anymore. Why don't we hurry up and run away? Are we going to wait to be loyal to the king?

Lying on the sofa in the division headquarters, Joe drifted off to sleep.

In his dream, Joe saw his friend again.

As before, his friend had new scars on his face.

However, his old friend was clearly not concerned about the scars on his face, and excitedly showed them off to Joe as soon as they met.

Just now, a Hellfire Wyvern wiped out a platoon and a damn Lemanustank, and I, who had just been promoted to sergeant, took care of that thing in one charge with just an explosive spear and a bag of molten bombs.

The old friend clenched his right fist, pointed his thumb at his face, and asked Joe with a proud look, "Am I awesome or not?"

Clearly, what Joe saw while he was asleep in the car was his old friend's highlight moment, but unfortunately the journey was too short for Joe to witness the whole thing.

The last time Joe saw someone charge at a dragon on horseback was when he was watching the TV series "A Song of Ice and Fire," but the difference was that the person in the show failed, while Joe's old friend succeeded.

Seeing his excited old friend, Qiao Jingpei gave him a thumbs up and said, "Brother, you're awesome!"

The old friend chuckled and then asked Joe, "How was your day? You said yesterday that you were going to fight the Somme today. It's pretty good that you survived."

Hearing his old friend ask this question, Joe scratched his head a little embarrassedly and began to tell his old friend about his experience that day.

"Not bad, I guess I survived the battlefield..."

As Joe recounted the story, the smile on his old friend's face, who had just been boasting about taking down a hell dragon, gradually froze.

After waking up on the sofa in the division headquarters the next morning, Joe had already figured out what he should do next.

Although his old friend was disgusted by Joe's luck, or as he put it, his 'honor thief' behavior, Joe tearfully pleaded, "Brother, save me, I don't want to fight this damn war anymore."

An old friend, still clinging to the belief that Heaven cherishes life, pointed Joe in the right direction.

The next time Joe was to go to the front lines, he would lead those rascals forward a short distance, then find a way to escape the officers' supervision and hide in a shell crater. When the stretcher team was almost there after the battle, he would shoot himself in the leg.

Make sure the muzzle is some distance from your thigh to prevent gunpowder burn marks from appearing on your pants, which would reveal that you fired the shot yourself.

However, this approach is very risky; if a shot hits a major artery, the person could die.

However, Joe felt that if he stayed on the battlefield, his own men would definitely be lost.

As long as they can retreat to the rear to recuperate, those officials in the Army Ministry may be abstract, but surely the doctors in the field hospitals won't be abstract too?
Then I can just spend some money to buy a certificate that I'm not fit to serve, and then I can get out of this stupid war.
After chatting with his old friend about his situation and listening to his friend boast about how he had managed to hold off the attacks of those evil creatures by rallying his remaining troops after defeating the Hell Dragon, Joe woke up from his sleep.

The first thing Qiao thought about after waking up was how to get back to the front lines. Qiao was now eager to get himself a certificate proving he was unfit for service.

Although Joe arrived by car, he certainly wouldn't be able to get a ride back.

After Joe woke up, the division headquarters was bustling with activity, as if they were about to welcome the king's inspection. At such a moment, Joe certainly shouldn't disturb the division commander and other senior officers.

However, walking back is unlikely, since the division headquarters is quite a distance from the front line, and walking back would be too far.

Just as Joe was pondering how to get back, the bigwigs of London were starting their day with coffee and newspapers, just like always.

Even His Majesty King George would read the newspapers at breakfast time to see what the people were thinking.

Picking up the ironed newspaper, His Majesty George saw today's headline: the valiant Imperial Army had launched a massive offensive on the Somme. His Majesty had known of the expeditionary force's preparations for a major offensive for months.

Even last night, His Majesty King George learned from the Prime Minister that the first day of the attack had gone very poorly, with the expeditionary force suffering heavy casualties and making little progress.

Seeing the newspaper reporters boasting about the expeditionary force's heroic performance on the first day of the offensive, even though shamelessness is a basic quality for a politician.

Moreover, His Majesty George understood that it was necessary to stabilize morale during wartime and to make the people believe that they were winning, so that they would support the war effort. Therefore, it was understandable that he would slightly embellish the situation on the front lines.

However, compared to the Prime Minister's report last night, this battle report still made His Majesty George somewhat embarrassed.

However, just as His Majesty George was somewhat embarrassed and about to look away, he saw a report on the front page second headline entitled "Heroes of Our Time".

Although His Majesty George had long been aware of these journalists' habits.

In order to attract attention and boost newspaper sales, these reporters like to use exaggerated headlines, claiming they have business in the ministry even when they go downstairs to buy cigarettes, and that they have connections in the institute even when they go to the toilet.

But putting this kind of article on the front page as the second headline shouldn't be considered clickbait, right?

The article was short, and His Majesty George quickly finished reading it. After putting it down, His Majesty George was lost in thought.

That can't be right. How could I not know that the empire has such a talented person?

Presumably because the film from the front lines was still on its way back, and because the newspapers wanted to prove they weren't just making things up, they attached several of Joe's patent certificates to demonstrate that this guy named Joe Harrison was indeed an inventor.

If the previous inventions like binders were insignificant, then inventions like helmets and machine gun synchronizers were of great help in warfare.

The steel helmet alone saved countless young men's lives, enough to earn Harrison a medal for outstanding conduct, not to mention that this guy later invented the machine gun synchronizer.

Why did such a talented person end up working as an engineer on the front lines instead of at the Royal Aircraft Research Institute or the Wartime Industrial Research Committee?
How come a gentleman like this, who is skilled in drawing and inventing, and also capable of taking up arms and seizing trenches, and who even owned property before the war, is now only a corporal?
What is the Army doing?!

This kind of thing even made it into the newspapers and was seen by others. Doesn't that just make others laugh at Bonitania for burying talent?
No, although the royal family cannot interfere in political affairs, I have to take charge of this matter.

His Majesty George put down his newspaper, picked up the phone, and expertly dialed the War Department's number, wanting to ask what was going on.

Before receiving the call from His Majesty King George, Secretary of War David was also reading the newspaper.

Secretary of War David was very pleased with the newspaper reports, which not only downplayed the losses of the expeditionary force but also reported on the heroic actions of Corporal Harrison.

While using a title like "Hero of Our Time" for a corporal is a bit of an overstatement.

But it's a good thing that it can boost the nation's confidence in the war. And the fact that such a wealthy gentleman has gone to the front lines only further demonstrates the unity of Bonitania.

When he saw this, War Secretary David was in a good mood.

But when he answered the call from the King, the Secretary of the Army's initial excitement immediately sank.

Yes, how could someone with businesses who even donated medical teams to the army be just a corporal? There's something wrong here.

Although he realized there was a problem, the Minister of the Army dared not say it aloud.

If you don't acknowledge the problem, then there's no problem; but if you do acknowledge the problem, then you'll have to take responsibility.

So, after reassuring His Majesty the King by saying, "We'll investigate this matter immediately," the Minister of the Army, who had just hung up the phone, immediately picked up the phone again and dialed the Director of the Human Resources and Recruiting Department.

"Hello? It's me, David. Come here for a second. What have you been up to? You've gotten the palace into a panic!"

Soon after the Director of the Human Resources and Recruiting Department felt the pressure, the investigation continued.

Before afternoon tea, the matter finally circled around in the Army and reached the Officer Selection Committee responsible for appointing ranks.

After things got to this point, the secretary to the director of the Human Resources and Recruitment Department, who was responsible for figuring out what exactly happened, finally understood the reason behind it.

The main reason for this is that a lieutenant colonel on the committee has recently been talking about illicit love. He has developed a forbidden relationship with a teenage girl, and it is likely that this secret relationship will not have a future.

So the lieutenant colonel wanted to make amends to the noblewoman, who happened to be obsessed with the latest fashion item: white feathers.

These girls with white feathers were furious with Joe, who not only had no shame but also dared to talk back to them. Now that they had this opportunity, they naturally hoped that the lieutenant colonel could teach Joe a little lesson.

The lieutenant colonel would naturally not refuse such a small request.

And so Joe became a corporal.

The lieutenant colonel didn't even try to hide it; he had already boasted about it over afternoon tea with other committee members over the past year.

Now, in response to the investigation, the lieutenant colonel not only showed no fear, but also calmly stated that not only should this matter not be investigated, but that he had done nothing wrong.

Without these girls, their recruitment process wouldn't have gone so smoothly. And who is Joe? He's a nouveau riche who resists recruitment and has no sense of honor. How can such a person be made into a glorious officer?

Oh, he's now a combat hero being honored in the newspapers...

Doesn't this further prove the correctness of sending him to the combat troops? This shows my keen eye for talent and my ability to appoint the right person to the right position.

The secretary neither confirmed nor denied the lieutenant colonel's words, but the extra 20 pounds in his pocket when he left the committee told him that the lieutenant colonel was not as correct as he claimed.

Although the reason why Joe was a corporal has been clarified, there is still a question: why did Joe produce those inventions after that?

He was still in the combat unit and had not been transferred to the research team in the rear.

The officer selection committee was completely unaware of this issue.

After running around again, the secretary finally found the answer in the military supplies invention department.

The head of the military invention department said that they had reviewed Joe's file. This person only received primary school education and then worked in a factory tightening screws. How could such a person have come up with inventions that even professional engineers in the rear could not make?
Considering his status as a factory owner, it's clear he spent money to evade responsibility by leaving the combat ranks and infiltrating a research institution. They've seen far too many people like him.

What?! You're saying he might actually have created these patents?!
impossible! Absolutely impossible!
After these departments investigated the situation, the secretary returned to the Department of Manpower and Recruiting with his findings, and the director of the Department of Manpower and Recruiting then reported the matter to the Minister of the Army.

As the Minister of War looked at the report, he felt that the few hairs on his head might be about to leave him prematurely.

Although the report has been embellished to some extent, its content is basically that Joe's current situation is his own choice and has nothing to do with anyone else. However, as a professional politician, the Secretary of the Army still managed to discern the words "passing the buck" between the lines.

This report certainly can't just be submitted like this. If I can see it, His Majesty can see it too. If His Majesty can see it, the Prime Minister can see it too. If the Prime Minister understands it, then the gentlemen of the Senate can understand it too.

While the gentlemen of the House of Lords are unlikely to make things difficult for the Army over a nouveau riche, it's hard to say whether the Navy's scoundrels will secretly remember this incident and later impeach the Army.

If this material is submitted like this, it will be the army that loses face. Although we are still in the midst of a major war, if things are done this way, do we still want the military funding in the future?

Even setting aside military spending, if this matter comes to light, how will recruitment efforts be carried out in the future?

Sigh... My subordinates are incompetent, so I have to do this myself.

So when His Majesty George saw the report again, Joe's image had been embellished by War Secretary David, transforming him from a gentleman with some military achievements into a pillar of the empire devoted to serving his country.

Not only did he donate a medical team to the army, but as a pillar of the empire, he disdained to use money to obtain a position in the army like others, and instead sought a suitable position for himself in the army through his own abilities.

His exceptional talent in engineering led him to become a combat engineer.

As for why someone with his talent wasn't transferred to the Military Supplies Invention Department, it's because Joe never replied to their letters. Perhaps Joe thought the front lines needed him more.

After reading the report, His Majesty George felt that Joe Harrison was the epitome of the Imperial elite. If everyone in the Empire acted like Joe, would the Empire have fallen into such a predicament?

No! I must do something to avoid discouraging such a brave man. A medal for outstanding conduct is hardly enough to reflect Joe's contributions, but bestowing a title seems a bit too much. Perhaps we should start by creating a completely new medal.

Let Joe be the first recipient of the medal!
Meanwhile, Joe, huddled in the trench, was unaware that His Majesty the King had decided to create a brand new medal in his honor.

Furthermore, his image in the minds of those gentlemen above him had basically become that of a man eight feet tall and eight feet in waist circumference, who would pant like a bull at the mere mention of the word Teutonic, a born war maniac who was cruel and cunning during the day and cunning and cruel at night, or rather, an imperial elite.

Even if he knew, all Joe wanted to say to His Majesty the Emperor was that medals were unimportant; all he wanted was for two machine guns to be brought in, and it would be even better if the artillerymen could provide another round of support!
Trapped in the trenches, Joe felt nothing but regret, deep regret. Why the hell had he hitched a ride back to the front lines on a supply wagon?
(End of this chapter)