On the fifth day of A Great Nation's serialization, the fictional dynasty within the story had already prospered for over a millennium.
Yet rather than showing any signs of decline, it had reached yet another golden pinnacle.
That year, several vassal states—ambitious and covetous—joined forces to declare war against the central dynasty. With the threat looming and the court in turmoil, the reclusive and enigmatic Imperial Preceptor suddenly unveiled a devastating new weapon. The dynasty's armies had scarcely made a move before the enemy states collapsed in swift defeat, terrified into surrendering en masse, offering up their nations in complete submission.
"Isn't this just like what happened before the siege of Tian Sheng, when the Seven Kingdoms joined hands against us?"
On the way back from court, before even finishing the latest chapter, several officials were already slapping their thighs in excitement.
No wonder the story's dynasty had always felt uncannily similar to Tian Sheng.
Today's plot developments confirmed it.
Surely the one who penned this piece had drawn inspiration directly from Tian Sheng itself.
And who else could that mysterious Imperial Preceptor be, if not Her Highness the Crown Princess?
At this rate, if the tale continued along this trajectory, the dynasty would soon expand without end, culminating in true unification of the realm.
The ministers, thoroughly enthralled, eagerly turned the page.
But the next turn brought a surprising shift. The Emperor and Crown Prince, aware that their rapid territorial expansion had outpaced their ability to govern, recognized the growing hardship faced by the newly conquered populace. If left unchecked, rebellion and unrest would be inevitable.
To ensure the dynasty's lasting peace and true stability, the Emperor chose to slow their pace. He would consolidate power, govern well the lands already won, and only after securing the hearts of the people, consider further conquest.
"A wise decision indeed."
Liu Daren stroked his beard and gave a thoughtful nod.
"Relentless expansion inevitably leads to chaos. If the people are left to suffer, their resentment will ferment unrest. Distance from the capital only compounds the problem. Sooner or later, misrule would take root, and lands once won would slip away again."
"Quite right," agreed Du Daren with a solemn nod.
The two had grown especially fond of A Great Nation. Reading alone brought little satisfaction. As their residences were not far from each other, the previous day they had reached an unspoken agreement—after court, they would share a carriage home, reading the latest chapter together while engaging in spirited discussion.
"The author is no ordinary talent," Liu Daren said, "Some of those policy suggestions were impressively grounded. I would wager this person is preparing to sit for next spring's imperial examination."
"That would explain why none of the agents I sent managed to learn anything about him. A scholar on the cusp of the spring exam would naturally keep a low profile."
"If that is indeed the case, I daresay with such skill, he shall surely earn his place among the ranks of the honored."
"Indeed! When that day comes, I shall personally seek him out. Liu Daren, would you join me?"
"Of course. I too am eager to lay eyes on the man who penned such brilliance."
They lavished praise on the first half of the chapter, faces aglow with admiration as they eagerly continued reading.
But as the narrative progressed, their smiles began to fade.
In the story, an official named Zhen Xiang discovered that the Imperial Preceptor's success in creating such powerful weapons stemmed from a private, obsessive study of a mysterious discipline called "chemistry."
Even more astonishing, the ground-breaking inventions that had fueled the dynasty's recent surge had all originated from another field known as "physics."
Driven by this revelation, Zhen Xiang stayed up through the night drafting an exhaustive memorial. In it, he argued for the vital importance of physics and chemistry to the future of the dynasty, and ultimately proposed that mathematics, physics, and chemistry be added as formal subjects in the imperial examinations.
"Utter nonsense!"
Liu Daren exploded in fury the moment he read those lines.
All earlier praise for the author, whom he had moments ago deemed a rising star of the spring exams, was immediately forgotten. He slammed the Capital Weekly down on the seat beside him, his beard trembling with indignation.
"Complete and utter nonsense! Is this how one governs a nation? Was Tian Sheng—no, was this dynasty not already mighty without such trivialities? The imperial examination is the sacred means through which we select worthy talents to serve the court. How could we allow it to be polluted with such absurd subjects?"
"We spoke too soon," Du Daren sneered, his own expression darkening. "Clearly this fellow knows he lacks the scholarship to place in the examinations and now seeks to forge a different path with these crooked ideas."
"Another petty scholar of low birth, no doubt. His knowledge shallow, but his ambitions boundless. To think he believes a mere ink brush in hand is enough to shake a thousand years of established custom. Utterly deluded! I shan't read another word of his writing!"
"No. I will continue to read."
Liu Daren's voice was cold and clipped.
"I want to see just how far this madman dares to go."
As it happened, the latest installment ended precisely at the point where the fictional court official submitted his memorial.
What had once been a beloved feature among the court—A Great Nation—now found itself condemned overnight, its author the target of scorn and censure from every corner of the palace.
Yet anger alone could not deter curiosity. With the finale just two days away, and the sixth day's edition of the Capital Weekly already in hand, the ministers once more—albeit with sour faces—flipped to the latest chapter.
"Utter nonsense! Is this how one governs a nation? Was Tian Sheng—no, was this dynasty not already mighty without such trivialities? The imperial examination is the sacred means through which we select worthy talents to serve the court. How could we allow it to be polluted with such absurd subjects?"
"His knowledge shallow, but his ambitions boundless. To think he believes a mere ink brush in hand is enough to shake a thousand years of established custom. Utterly deluded!"
The sixth chapter opened with an outcry from various fictional ministers, all vehemently opposing Zhen Xiang's proposal.
Liu Daren, whose fury had simmered all day, finally found a sliver of vindication in the text.
"At least the author has some sense. He knows this idea is unacceptable."
Du Daren stared at the page, his lips pressed into a thin line.
The words were familiar. Too familiar.
Hadn't he and Liu Daren said these exact lines just the day before?
Could it be that, without realizing it, they had become characters within the very tale they were reading?
The sense of immersion was disturbingly strong.
And yet something about it left him uneasy.
Without a word, Du Daren continued reading.
Within the story, the entire court raged against Zhen Xiang. Some were so incensed they even wished to petition the Emperor to have Zhen Xiang punished.
Though Zhen Xiang bore the pressure with stoic resolve and held out for as long as he could, he remained a lone voice against the tide. In the end, his protests were drowned out.