After giving his instructions, Engineer Jiang hurriedly left.

The assistant carefully moved the box to a corner of the archives, took a photo as proof, and then quickly followed after it.

Just then, the office phone rang, and the assistant had to run back to answer it.

"Hello, this is the Space Administration... What, the documents are with you... Chu Anguo has already been here and did leave some documents, which I have already sent to the archives... What, okay, I'll bring them over right away."

The assistant was stunned by Chief Engineer Yang's urgent urging from the other end of the line. The phrase "Those documents are confidential, they are real" kept echoing in his mind. He ran towards the archives while calling Engineer Jiang.

The other end answered quickly, but the tone was annoyed: "What is it now that you have to call me now?"

"Engineer Jiang, Chief Engineer Yang just asked me to quickly deliver the box that Leader Chu Anguo sent over, saying it contains classified documents, and it's true. I'll head over now."

It wasn't that he hadn't reminded him; after the assistant finished speaking, he rushed to the archives, afraid that the suitcase had been moved elsewhere.

Here, Chief Engineer Yang referred to the documents as confidential, which meant they far exceeded the level of any currently classified documents. If Chief Engineer Yang hadn't arrived a little late, he wouldn't have missed Chu Anguo, leading to this blunder.

But he was the one who delivered the items to the archives, so he bore a huge responsibility.

After hanging up the phone, Engineer Jiang was filled with doubt and still couldn't quite believe it, but he still put down his work and rushed to Chief Engineer Yang's office.

When he arrived, his assistant was already there, along with several other engineers and academicians.

Everyone was so focused on the documents in the suitcase that no one noticed his arrival. They were usually quite humorous in their serious work, but they had never been so solemn before.

He walked over and picked up one of the documents to read. He immediately noticed something unusual about it: it said "Federal"...

The more he looked, the more surprised and shocked he became.

This is actually a complete set of scientific research data from a certain country on a space station, spanning over a hundred years. It includes various difficulties encountered in the project and their solutions.

Calling it a historically significant manual for building a space base, or even a space city, wouldn't be an exaggeration.

An hour passed, and no one spoke; everyone was holding the documents and began testing the feasibility of certain small aspects mentioned in them.

Two hours passed, and still no one spoke; all they did was record data and make phone calls to arrange new experimental data and experimental sites.

It wasn't until lunchtime, when the assistant reminded everyone, that they were jolted awake from their reverie.

Chief Engineer Yang, the highest-ranking leader of the entire space agency, looked at the people present, then at Engineer Jiang, "You, I told you to be more patient. You are... Although there was no accident this time, it is still a major mistake on your part, and you will inevitably receive a reprimand."

“I accept criticism, but I also want to work on this space city project…” Engineer Jiang was very anxious; realizing this project was their lifelong dream.

He can't miss it.

"We'll discuss this later. Let's hold an emergency meeting immediately; we need to shift our focus. Also, the staff involved in this project won't be able to go home for the next few years, so please think carefully before signing up. That's all for now. Let's go eat."

After Chief Engineer Yang finished speaking, he kicked everyone out and hurriedly called Chu Anguo again.

The others left reluctantly, none of them going to lunch first. Instead, they all went back to their offices to print out their applications, hoping to get ahead of the others.

……

In the Great Dynasty, in Kyoto, inside the imperial palace.

The morning court session usually starts at 5-7 AM, but now it's already past 11 AM and it's still not over. All the officials are present in the court, standing on both sides, but there's a deathly silence.

On the dragon throne, the emperor held a pot of wine in his right hand and a beautiful woman in his left, enjoying himself immensely.

He tilted his head back and, with the help of the beautiful woman, drank half a pot of wine before speaking, "What, is it so difficult to deal with Shen Qingyan?"

The emperor, though not angry, exuded an imposing aura. His eyes were filled with murderous intent as he swept his gaze over everyone. All the officials knelt down, bowing their heads and kowtowing, saying, "Your Majesty, we humbly await your holy words."

Several officials looked at each other, each wanting to step forward and offer their opinions, but were restrained by those around them.

The emperor spoke casually, pointing at someone at random, and asked, "What do you people from the Censorate say?"

"Since Your Majesty has asked about this old minister, then this old minister will dare to offer his advice. Although Shen Qingyan has made meritorious contributions to disaster relief, the disaster relief is still incomplete, and the people are already spreading rumors that he is the celestial star of literature sent down to our Great Huang Dynasty. They say that as long as he is alive, the country will prosper and the nation will survive. This is simply nonsense."

After bowing, the senior official from the Censorate stood up, his tone righteous and awe-inspiring.

"Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the king; on the shores of the land, all people are subjects of the king. Only Your Majesty is the one who represents whether the dynasty is prosperous or not. Shen Qingyan is also raising a private army. This move must be an attempt to rebel. In my humble opinion, it would be better to summon Shen Qingyan back to the capital before the rumors spread widely, and to put him on trial together with Chen Yanxu."

"Your Majesty, I believe that Shen Qingyan and Chen Yanxu have committed capital crimes by raising private armies, proposing unorthodox policy reforms, sowing discord between the royal family and the people, and openly defying the royal regulations passed down through generations. The evidence is conclusive. However, considering their disaster relief efforts, their families may be spared the death penalty. But Shen Qingyan should be executed. I beg Your Majesty's judgment!"

"Your Excellencies are right. The Emperor's majesty cannot be violated. Shen Qingyan has committed insubordination. We beg Your Majesty to grant him death!"

……

With a few people taking the lead, almost all the officials knelt down and begged, and only then did the emperor show a satisfied expression.

He smashed the wine pot in his hand, and it shattered into pieces on the ground. "Hahaha, very well, then let it be as you all say. Summon Shen Qingyan back to the capital to be tried by the Dali Temple together with Chen Yanxu. After confirming that he has signed the petition, he will be executed in the autumn. Court adjourned!"

After speaking, the emperor, accompanied by his concubine, rose to leave. The ministers stood up, all smiles.

One of the elders couldn't hold back any longer and suddenly stood up. "Your Majesty! Shen Qingyan is clearly a hero of disaster relief. He only suggested that men and women sit in the same seats. What's wrong with that? Why do you ignore it..."

"Stop talking, or we won't be able to protect ourselves. Let's go." An old man grabbed him and hurriedly knelt down to beg the emperor for mercy, but before he could finish speaking, the old man spoke again.

"Leave? How can we leave? If we yield today, and tomorrow, we'll have to yield every day. With treacherous ministers controlling the government, when will this world see the light? The country will cease to exist. Is this what we scholars came to serve in the court for? You may be afraid, but I am not!"

The old man shouted, pointing at the officials and powerful families present, his laughter both desolate and sorrowful, yet also frank and resolute.

"Shen Qingyan will surely overturn this world, and the people will surely overturn this world too. Your Majesty, I will plead with you even if it costs me my life. We will never back down an inch!"

After shouting those resounding words, the old man rushed straight towards a pillar in the main hall. With a thud, he fell backward, blood gushing out.

The adults behind him hesitated, their eyes filled with tears, their fists clenched.

The emperor, however, paid no attention, merely glancing at it with disgust, and ordered, "To threaten the emperor with death? What a joke! Drag him to the mass grave and let the wolves devour him. Do not allow him to be buried!"

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