Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

"Is this possible? Is it necessary for him to help with this?"

There are two reasons. If Roman law were applied, such unreasonable requests would generally be ignored, as they are entirely personal matters. However, the magistrate is the father and mother of the people. The magistrate of Jiangning County seems to be a sixty-year-old man, old enough to be a grandfather, not a parent. The magistrate's work must be the opposite of the Roman administrators—not "if you can ignore it, then don't," but "if you can, you must intervene." Otherwise, if there is a headache or fever in the county, it can be attributed to the magistrate's own failure to do his job.

"What about the other one?"

Another factor was that everyone on the forum was already preparing to help him, and tabloids were even interviewing him. If everyone had to rely on mutual assistance to resolve this matter, the county government would be humiliated. These two factors combined convinced the magistrate that he would definitely see this matter through.

"So, this is due to both ethical and practical considerations? Good heavens, then the Phaethon incident wasn't that troublesome at all?"

"Yes. Regarding her residency permit, there's no need to go through all that trouble before. Although it's not legal, it's not that difficult for a Roman citizen to stay temporarily in Yujing, and there's no need to go through such lengthy procedures. You just need to go to the county magistrate and file a document."

"Wait. What's the process for this?"

It seems so. You see, ultimately, it comes down to whether this matter infringes upon the legitimate rights and interests of others, and whether it encroaches on public resources is also a factor. Phaethon's case is one of those cases where the process is quite complex, but in reality, it's quite minor. She wasn't a barbarian; she was a Roman citizen, a neighbor's child. The magistrate would probably only want to ask whether her guardian had approved the matter. As long as her guardian approved, then temporarily residing here for six months, or even eight or nine months, would likely be no problem.

Shangluo covered his forehead with his hands. "I feel like sometimes I make mistakes because of my fixed mindset. Even if it's just one county, there's a lot to learn. I'm wondering if we need to adopt more effective methods to deal with those mushroom people. After this incident, it seems we can do some research. Oh, by the way, please save that post for me so I can follow the subsequent progress. Including how the 'hearing' is held, under what circumstances it is held, and who will attend the hearing. These governance-related experiences can all be learned, and this is a very serious matter."

What do you think of?

"No wonder they say the magistrate is the ruler of a county. The magistrate's affairs are a miniature version of the emperor's. The emperor is concerned with the ethics of the world, but he also has to take into account reality. One can imagine what would happen if the murderer of the March 29th case was not executed by the emperor's order..."

[Which knight might kill me? ]

"It's entirely possible. Because if the emperor can't uphold justice, then the martial arts world will have to do it. If the county magistrate doesn't help the unfortunate father solve the problem, then the forum members will come out to help. If... if I, as the creator, don't handle the mushrooms' affairs well. Tsk, it will be very troublesome. Maybe a mushroom knight will run out. Knight, breaking the law with force..."

There is one more chapter. Wait a minute, around one o'clock

Chapter 419 Etiquette

"Mushroom Knight?"

Zhu Xianxun repeated Shangluo's words. It didn't make sense at first, but if you think about it carefully,

"That makes sense. So what you do is just a smaller version of mine? I manage the 'rituals' of such a vast world, and you're going to go off and manage the 'rituals' in that teapot now?"

"Hmm." He placed the khaki-colored snake pill, as heavy as a billiard ball, on Zhu Xianxun's desk. "Let's put the pill here for now."

"That world, while not very powerful, carries valuable information. Just like we said yesterday, whether a single word is in 900-point font or 1-point, its message carries the same message. The value of information is not diminished by the size of the page. So..."

He nodded. "You're able to take this seriously ahead of time, which demonstrates your exceptional foresight and understanding. We must proceed with caution there, otherwise failing to obtain the snake pill might be a minor matter. I'm worried about dragons tampering with this information, finding a way to turn it into power. Even a common man's anger can cause bloodshed. If we fail to properly handle the affairs of that world, and their resentment is concentrated in the heavens, uncontrollable events could occur. What you want to verify now is whether they possess any humanity?"

Shangluo nodded.

"If you can verify it, tell me immediately. And if uncontrollable consequences have already occurred, causing their anger to be directed at you, then don't hesitate, tell me directly, and I will help you deal with the aftermath."

"What if everything goes as planned, they gain the humanity given by the snakes, become complete people, and everything is still under control?"

"Then tell me," Zhu Xianxun replied, "I can still give you some advice on how to govern the world. After all, this is my job. How many years have I been doing this?"

"The fourth year of Shaoping."

"Well, I've been doing this for four years now, so I have a lot of experience! I even handled the 4 case with all my heart."

"Oh~~" Shangluo began to applaud, because it was really amazing to make up your mind to do that.

"But the 40 case isn't over yet. Since you're also going to rule the world, it seems necessary for you to learn. Once you're confirmed, you can sit in on the rest of the case. I have to share some of the inner teachings that I wouldn't normally share with others—why does this always feel strange? Is it a little early for me to say this now? I feel like I won't have the chance to speak of this until I'm . Also, you need to maintain your advantage."

"Do you mean?"

"Don't blindly believe our current system. You mentioned earlier that the county magistrate helped a family that filled out an incorrect invoice dispose of 300 cases of saltine soda. That's certainly a good thing. In fact, this system works fine in most of the country, and it's a good thing most of the time. The whole system is seamlessly integrated, and everyone can seek help from the court. That's a good thing, right? But if you apply your historical knowledge, you'll see that this is essentially the same as what we've done for thousands of years, isn't it? Then why can we build a paradise, while there are cases of county magistrates ruining their families and provincial governors wiping out their families in history?"

"Yes, why?"

"Because we are the masters of the world. We govern by rites, founded on the well-stocked granaries. Full granaries foster the understanding of propriety—this is crucial, the prerequisite for everything. The court's warmth and affection is based on our dominance of the earth. If ever the world were to undergo a drastic change, our golden age would quickly pass. Perhaps we can leave behind myths on par with those of the Three Ancient Dynasties, but without a realistic foundation, without the resources of the entire planet at our disposal, refined and refined rites are out of the question. When rituals and music collapse, law must be relied upon to restore order. During the Warring States Period, whoever reformed the law achieved national prosperity and military strength. I've never heard of anyone enriching and strengthening the country by reciting the Zhou rituals. Can crying from dawn to dusk kill the Qin people? It won't kill them. The harder you cry, the faster the king's crossbows will strike."

"I see." Shangluo finally understood. "So, I still have to solve it according to local conditions?"

"Yes. You have to think clearly first. Are you going to bargain with those mushroom people? Or are you going to build a world of great harmony for them?"

"That's actually a bit difficult to answer. Ultimately, it's safest for me to leave them alone, and they can't blame me anyway. They might worship me at first, but after a while, if I don't care, they'll realize it's useless. But the thing is, I have to go down there regularly to get the snake pills—so if you say I don't care at all, I still do. But if you say I do care, I usually don't care at all. It's just that complicated."

"Yeah," Zhu Xianxun nodded. "I'll probably have to prescribe the right medicine when the time comes. But don't panic, my little cousin from my second uncle's family. Your uncle's family is best at managing people, and they're masters at it. After your investigation is complete, I'll gather the think tanks at the center and devise a plan for you based on your findings."

"When did your family become the uncle family? I said our family is the uncle family."

"You have a problem, right? Do you bow your head when you're under someone's roof?"

"Keep your head down. My eldest cousin is right. You are the oldest."

"Well, we're all family, so I can lend you the Central Intelligence Agency's brain trust. It's free anyway, so it's fine. I'll be right here—" He picked up the snake pill and held it in his hand, "I'll wait here quietly for you to come back, and study the pill by the way. By the way, when will you be back?"

"About an hour."

"Just an hour?"

"The first thing I did when I got there was to close the lid on the can and then speed it up. Because speed is relative and has no effect on them, it's completely unrelated to cause and effect. One day in heaven is one year on earth. I'm in there for 360 seconds, and only one second has passed outside. I'm in there for a day, and only four minutes have passed outside. So an hour includes the time it takes to travel back and forth and start the process. I can't be in there for more than ten minutes."

"That's very convenient. I'll pour you a cup of tea. You like cold tea, right? It will be cold by the time you get back."

He leaned back in his chair. Picking up a magnifying glass, he began to observe the texture on the surface of the Earth Snake Pill. "Let me study this yellow ball, number one. Ah, cultivating immortality makes me happy. I could sit here and study the pill all day long."

Chapter 420 Investigation

Sitting on the sofa in the Lei Department lounge, Shangluo was checking his backpack.

"Water, brought. Rations, brought. Tents, brought. Bicycles, brought. Gasoline, brought. Tables, chairs, and benches, brought."

The only bag he carried with him was the bundle, so he took everything he could.

"Do you want to put this sofa in there too?"

[Alright, alright, it's hard to pack it in. Why don't you bring some barbecue in?]

"Hey, why are you in such a hurry? It's not your birthday today."

[Can I try it? Let's bake something first to see how it tastes.]

"Then I can't go upstairs to the imperial kitchen and bring you some barbecue, can I?"

【.】

"Do you really want it?"

【.】

Five minutes later, Shangluo borrowed a barbecue grill from upstairs. Although it was supposed to be the imperial kitchen, it was actually the Guanglu Temple's workshop. Besides cooking, they also had to prepare everything related to eating, including a barbecue grill.

【Hehehe~ You are such a nice person. 】

"I suspect that if I don't let you eat, you will use cold violence against me."

[Oh my, how is this possible~~]

"But there's no meat for now. I brought some corn. Can we roast some for later?"

"Yeah, sure. I just want something a little more savory right now. Some corn would be fine to start with. And if there were some marshmallows, wow! Real marshmallows! When did you buy them?"

"I asked Phaethon to buy it last time when he was shopping. Mainly because I've never had roasted marshmallows myself, and I wanted to try the flavor. Well, that's it. Let me think about whether there is anything else that's not resolved."

[You only have an hour to go back and forth, what can you miss?]

"There are indeed some things that have been bothering me. Oh, by the way, how are the 300 cases of saltine soda going? Go take a look."

Let me see.

She was silent for a long moment before continuing: [The thread went off track. It seems like after the county government gave a preliminary indication of intent, everyone thought everything was fine. Then, suddenly, someone on the 203rd floor asked a question: If Prime Minister Zhuge Liang was given unlimited salty soda, would the Northern Expedition succeed?]

"Why are we discussing this here too?"

[It's been almost two thousand years, and you still want Zhuge Kongming to win.]

"Of course. If you ask me to send it, then I will definitely do it. Tsk, it's a pity that we can't turn the tide yet. If we can take over Prime Minister Zhuge as the Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty, I think everyone will be happy. Even Emperor Taizu Gao himself, I don't think he would object. Even if I don't trust myself, I will not distrust Prime Minister Zhuge. Oh, by the way, isn't there a simulated philosopher king? And there is also a Pure Land, right? Is this feasible?"

If all plans, including this inspection, go smoothly, it's only a matter of time before Zhuge Wuhou returns. Do you really want him back?

"Of course. We all hope that Prime Minister Zhuge will come back, the one holding the fan, the one holding the big feather fan."

"In that case, you just said you 'felt' that Emperor Taizu Gao, who abolished the Prime Minister, would also want him back? I don't think there's a need for 'felt'. If we go by chronological order, he would have been the one to return before Prime Minister Zhuge Liang did."

"Ah, this." Shangluo hesitated, "This is indeed a difficult decision."

【Don't you and the Emperor agree on this matter?】

"I think this matter needs to be discussed. Because everyone knows that old Taizu Gaohuangdi Yuanzhang is a strong man, so strong that he can't be any stronger. It's hard to say whether the cabinet will be necessary after he returns. So this matter will be discussed again. I think Daozu is not in a hurry to bring his ancestor back when he handed the matter to me."

A buzzing sound of a chime came from not far away.

"See, he really thought so."

I suddenly felt more at ease. The fact that he wasn't stopping us meant it wasn't dangerous at all. Let's go. Well, while it's not a spring or autumn outing, I hope this trip will be as relaxing as a trip to the countryside. It means we don't have to worry about anything and can just enjoy the scenery.

"I hope so."

He also put his backpack into the bag. He was a lazy man, and he didn't want to hold anything in his hands if he could help it.

He stood up from the sofa and stepped into the flaming portal, arriving at his previous location - the island at the beginning.

Nothing here has changed: the same bitter sea, the same green island. It's just that the green beneath my feet seems softer and feels better.

A massive iron wall stretched across the distant horizon. Stretching from east to west, it dominated the entire field of vision, leaving no visible trace of change. Within the wall lay the three continents where the mushroom people lived, the three fertile cursed dates planted by Zazu.

"Hey, wait a minute." Shangluo blinked, "Why are there words on the iron wall?"

He squinted at the wall. He could make out the shape of a one and a ten, stretching across the horizon. He could also vaguely make out a red logo. Only a small portion of it was visible.

"Ah!" He remembered, "The one and ten are the characters for 'chi' in douchi!"

What kind of can did you put in there?

"It's a can of dace with fermented black beans. Don't worry, there's never been dace in that can before. It's a new can. I remember trying to tear off the label, but it was spray-painted on and couldn't be removed."

[I was shocked. I thought it smelled like fermented black beans.]

"It's okay, it's not a big deal." Shangluo waved his hand. "As long as those mushroom people don't fly out to see, they won't be able to see this 'Wall of Fermented Black Beans and Dace'. So what should we do now? Where should we go first?"

According to previous instructions, Apollonia was responsible for finding a place.

[Hold on a minute, someone will be here to pick us up soon.]

As he spoke, a streak of white light flew rapidly towards him from the horizon. As it neared the sky, it split in two, spinning and slowly descending. It was a pair of white gloves, belonging to the heavenly soldiers who had previously attacked the Tower of Babel.

Each white glove is as big as a carpet, enough for Shangluo to lie on. But in order to make Shangluo more comfortable, the two white gloves are put together in a holding position, forming a large "private room".

"Well, thank you both for your hard work." He sat in the gap between the fingers, then closed his hands more tightly and started flying towards the Tower of Babel along the original route.

"Ah~~ That's about it. I'm going to try going out for a walk. When we get there, I'll translate my seed in the tower. Which one should I choose~ Which one should I choose~"

"Hey, didn't you say you don't pinch your face?"

"I'm talking about clothes! Clothes! You're annoying! I can't go without clothes!"

Chapter 421 Spear of Destiny

【arrive. 】

The "unknown number" of layers in the sky-high clouds, an area so high that it is countless, is the base of the Thunder Department in this world.

The flying celestial soldiers shuttled up and down like white doves, heading to higher or lower floors. Outside the floors hung a handwritten sign with the three characters "Nantianmen" written crookedly.

This is the entrance to the "heaven" of this world. Although there are many areas above and below that can be considered heaven, the door is here.

“Who wrote this sign?”

This isn't your handwriting. They can only see your homework, so I removed the three characters "Nantianmen" (Southern Heaven Gate). I'll make a better-looking one later, but I'll just hang this one for now.

"Forget it. Next time, remember to copy Wen Yuan's homework. I have it here too. Hurry and practice before I return it. Or you can just look for the printed version in the textbook like before."

"Alright, alright, let them take note. We'll be ready to go soon, but first, let me see someone."

"Huh? Someone I know is here?"

"It's here." Phaethon said, leaning against the pillar behind the sign of the South Gate of Heaven.

"How did you come?"

"Because she asked me to come. I had a written conversation with her, using the former young general's translation. Let her tell you the specific reason for coming."