Chapter 685-Monarch Enters the Court
Translator: ryangohsf
Editor: Nora
Luckily, Liu Mo's timely appearance helped Ouyang Shuo out of that pickle.
"Lord!" Liu Mo bowed, greeting Ouyang Shuo enthusiastically.
When Ouyang Shuo saw Liu Mo, he smiled. Naturally, he knew the reason behind Liu Mo’s excitement. The matter about the steam engine had spread throughout the China region, even someone like Liu Mo who locked himself up for research had heard the news.
However, till now, the relevant technical manual had not been sent over to the No. 7 Research Institute.
"Let's go over to your headquarters."
Ouyang Shuo dismounted and proceeded side by side with Liu Mo.
As they had to stick to the territory industrialization proposition, the No. 7 Research Institute had relentlessly expanded during this half a year. Now, they had become a machine with over thousands of researchers.
The headquarters where research took place had also been expanded.
Around the headquarters, five to six large research labs stood; these labs included material research labs, experimental labs, and machine research labs.
The ones leading the research labs were all top experts in their fields in real life.
The reason the No. 7 Research Institute could become a technological center and research brain was because everyone here was easily professor or doctor grade. In fact, no less than 20 were academicians in real life.
Just as they walked into the research center, Liu Mo started to mutter, "Steam engine! Steam engine!"
Toward such a technology crazy fellow, Ouyang Shuo was helpless and directly passed both technical manuals to him, “Take a look!"
Liu Mo acted like he had obtained a treasure, and he started flipping through the manuals on the spot, totally not caring about Ouyang Shuo. Luckily, his assistant was alert and quickly gave the Lord a cup of hot tea.
"Why is there a sewing machine?" Liu Mo suddenly opened his mouth; his tone showed a hint of despise.
As a thermal weapons expert, he was interested in the steam engine because it could push the development of the steelmaking industry. It could quicken the design of machinery to hasten thermal weapons research.
"Why a sewing machine? An old antique with no use at all."
Ouyang Shuo had a ‘I knew this was going to happen expression.’ He solemnly said, “I'm telling you now, you must put in as much effort into this as the steam engine."
The sewing machine did not attract Liu Mo at all.
But from Ouyang Shuo's perspective, it was an item that could generate endless profits.
"Okay!" Liu Mo gave an extremely forced reply.
His time was exceedingly precious. Asking him to split up his time was harder than ascending the heavens.
When Ouyang Shuo saw this situation, he gritted his teeth, “How about this, when you all push the sewing machine to large scale production, I'll give you all 500 thousand gold?"
"Really?" When Liu Mo heard these words, he jumped.
"I do not tell lies!"
"Great. Two months. In at most two months, there will be results." Liu Mo promised.
Ouyang Shuo nodded, standing up and entering the courtyard outside the hall. Peng! Peng! Peng! He quickly took out a few massive items, including one steam engine, one sewing machine, and two Spanish cannons.
Luckily, his storage bag had huge capacity. Otherwise, he could not bring back all these items.
"This is the steam engine prototype." Liu Mo followed Ouyang Shuo, his eyes lighting up.
"That's right. There's also that." Ouyang Shuo pointed at one of the cannons, “That's a Spanish Cannon; it might give you some inspiration for the new cannons you are designing."
Liu Mo walked up and performed a close inspection of the Spanish cannon.
Following which, Liu Mo took out stationary, ruler, microscope, hammer, pencil, notebook, and other items that Ouyang Shuo did not recognize.
It truly felt like his storage bag held everything in it.
Following which, Liu Mo asked people to take out cutting tools; it seemed like he wanted to directly break apart the Spanish Cannon.
"Wait, wait."
Ouyang Shuo called him, taking out a thick book once more, “Take a look at this."
Liu Mo took a look, “What's this? Atlantis Mimicry Flying Device Crafting Technical Manual? The legendary Atlantis technology?"
"Research it and see if you can craft it." Ouyang Shuo nodded.
Looking at the book, Liu Mo fell into a trance.
In comparison, the cannons were unable to attract his attention. One had to say, Ouyang Shuo had brought him surprise after surprise.
"This is really difficult!"
After a short while, Liu Mo said, his eyes burning with fire.
The more difficult the challenge, the more exciting it was for him.
"Take your time." Seeing that it was already late, Ouyang Shuo took out one last item; it was an exquisite wooden box. He passed it to Liu Mo and prepared to leave.
"What technique is this?" Liu Mo was curious.
Ouyang Shuo sighed, “This is not a technique. It's a gift I brought for your parents."
Ouyang Shuo had heard that Liu Mo had put too much effort into research. The situation was like the one previously in real life; he did not bother about his parents.
From Song Jia’s words, this god brother had not returned home in two months.
Liu Mo held the wooden box, his whole body freezing up.
Ouyang Shuo did not say anything, patting his shoulder, “Although research is important, if you have time, you still need to accompany your parents. They miss you a lot."
After he said that, Ouyang Shuo left.
Leaving Liu Mo alone with the wooden box, standing dazed in the courtyard.
8th mont,h 23rd day, Shanhai City Wuji Palace.
Ouyang Shuo woke up early and finished his morning training. Song Jia had also woken up and prepared the warm water for his bath. After bathing, Song Jia brought over the coronation uniform for him to change.
"No, bring the armor over." Ouyang Shuo shook his head.
"Today is your first court assembly, but you're wearing the martial attire?" Song Jia could not understand.
"That's right!"
Ouyang Shuo needed to send a signal to the outside world that Shanhai City was ruling the country with martial and using martial to set up their country.
Three days after he returned, Ouyang Shuo upgrade to Duke seemed to only have a one-time reward from the imperial city. Even the way his subordinates called him did not change.
However, the truth was not so simple.
Compared to Marquis, Duke was a level higher and was a qualitative change.
During the Spring and Autumn Warring States Period, even a Lord of a country might not have been a Duke. Especially during the Spring and Autumn Period where people like Qiheng Duke, Songrang Duke, and Puwen Duke were all called Duke.
Of course, the middle words were only added in after their death.
Their true identities should be Song Duke, Queen Duke, Pu Duke, and the like.
Only after the end of the Spring and Autumn Period were the strong Lords started to be called kings, for example Chu Zhuang King who was the Chu King. At the end of the Warring States, the Qin and Qi states even had emperors.
In China, the knowledge behind how to call their ruler had passed.
Hence, they needed to be changed at such an important occasion.
Based on ancient traditions, after Ouyang Shuo became a Duke, the people would start calling him Monarch. When he established a country, he would be called King.
As for emperor, and imperial Lord, that would have to wait till they reached the emperor dynasty and the imperial dynasty.
Everything had its rules.
At the same time, all military and administrative meetings would be called court assemblies.
As such, today was the 1st court assembly in Shanhai City’s history and held deep meaning.
On such a day, everything he did would be read into by the officials. Ouyang Shuo wearing the martial attire was obviously to send out a signal.
……
At 8 AM, the high-ranking civil servants all gathered in the main hall.
During the previous meetings, the directors had seats in the main hall, where they could cross their legs and sit. In front of them were a few tables with fruits and drinks on it.
The current main hall, apart from the Lord's throne that was high above, the rest was empty. The Culture Division officials made use of these two days to properly arrange the new main hall.
During the meeting, apart from Ouyang Shuo, the others had to stand.
This was the prestige of the Lord, even Ouyang Shuo himself could not change it and had to follow the rules. Luckily, such court meetings did not need to be held every day.
Normally, they would be held twice every month.
Usually, Ouyang Shuo would deal with administrative matters in the reading room so the officials did not need to always stand.
Just at this moment, Secretary Bai Nanpu announced, “The monarch has arrived!"
Ouyang Shuo wore martial attire with the Chixiao Sword by his waist; he held the emperor seal as he slowly walked into the main hall. He stood in front of the table, his expression exceedingly solemn.
"Greetings, Monarch!"
All of a sudden, within the hall, hundreds of officials bowed in unison. They followed the most traditional form of respect, folding their hands in and bowing.
With Ouyang Shuo's way of thinking, he naturally could not get used to the Ming Dynasty kneeling and bowing rituals.
Old people felt that kneeling was only for the gods and the emperor did not have that right; ancient emperors loved the people; naturally, they could not accept the people kneeling to them.
Especially in the Qing Dynasty, where if one treated the ministers as slaves, it was a huge insult to their own character.
To a modern person like Ouyang Shuo, he could not accept it all the more. Asking Xiao He, Fan Li, and the other ministers to kneel was a humiliation to them.
Qin Shihuang and Hanwu Emperor did not believe in this either.
"Officials, please rise!"
Ouyang Shuo calmly proclaimed. As he had not established a country yet, he could not call them ministers yet.
"Thank you, my Lord!"
They all got up. Upon seeing the Lord in martial attire, their eyes narrowed.
Du Ruhui, Huo Qubing, and the other military officials were all excited. On the other hand, Xiao He and the other civil servants were shocked.
His action contained deep meaning.
Luckily Xiao He, Fan Li, and Wei Yang, these three heads, were not pure civil servants strictly speaking. They were all rounded and were not what the Confucians from the latter ages could compare to.
Furthermore, this was the wilderness, a time that could not be compared to the Warring States Period.
Ruling the country peacefully was not practical.
Ouyang Shuo walked toward his seat, looking around and saying, “Today's court assembly, we will first discuss a matter."