Only after the crowd began questioning him about the lamp did Ji Menghan suddenly snap back to his senses.
"Oh—right!" he exclaimed, slapping his forehead. "I almost forgot the main event!"
Everyone stared at him.
"The air pressure experiment was just something I stumbled upon while researching my lamp," Ji Menghan said hurriedly. "That wasn't the focus at all. The real focus… is the lamp itself!"
The crowd exchanged blank looks.
Ji Menghan waved his hand decisively. "Students! Quickly—bring out what we prepared earlier!"
A group of graduate students immediately scurried off, moving with suspicious enthusiasm. They disappeared into an adjacent room, and a moment later returned—dragging behind them a long electrical wire.
Only then did everyone realize that the wire had already been routed here in advance, cleverly hidden in the room.
Along with the wire, they carried out a strange object.
It was round, transparent, and resembled a glass bottle. Inside it were thin, unfamiliar carbon filaments, twisted and arranged in a way no one present had ever seen before.
The graduate students placed the object carefully onto a table and connected the wire.
Ji Menghan straightened, his face glowing with excitement.
"This," he announced, "is my invention!"
The crowd stared at it.
They still understood absolutely nothing.
Ji Menghan had clearly anticipated this. He didn't bother explaining further. Instead, he walked over, found a switch attached to the wire, and pressed it down with a soft click.
Instantly—
The carbon filaments inside the glass bottle flared to life.
A brilliant white light flooded outward, illuminating the entire intersection as bright as day.
"—!"
The crowd gasped in unison.
"Wow!!!"
Ji Menghan threw his head back and laughed. "I call it the electric lamp!"
"It doesn't need oil. It doesn't need a flame. As long as you connect the wire, you can use it anywhere!"
Although the villagers had no idea how it worked, they were instantly convinced of its value.
It was brighter than any oil lamp.
Cleaner.
More convenient.
Xu Dafu reached out and slapped Ji Menghan's father on the shoulder, his eyes shining.
"Old friend! Your Ji family truly has an heir to its craft," he said with feeling. "To create such a lamp… this time, the Dao Xuan Tianzun Special Prize is practically guaranteed!"
Ji Menghan's father laughed until his face turned red.
"My son… my son has truly brought honor to the Ji family! Hahahahaha!"
At that moment, the Village Chief squeezed his way through the crowd, raising a hand.
"How much is one of these lamps?" he asked loudly. "Actually—never mind the price. Come install one in my house immediately!"
"I want one too!"
"And me!"
The wealthiest households of Gao Family Village began shouting all at once, afraid they'd be left behind.
Ji Menghan waved his hands awkwardly. "Not so fast! Not so fast… I'm still planning to set up an electric lamp factory. Mass production will take time, so please don't rush."
A few days later—
Construction began on the Ji-style Electric Lamp Factory.
Ji Menghan used the large silver ingot he had received from the Dao Xuan Tianzun Special Prize as startup capital. He purchased an empty plot of land, erected factory buildings, commissioned specialized glass bottles from a glassworks, hired workers to produce the carbon filaments, and even constructed a large number of vacuum-manufacturing machines to evacuate the air from the bottles.
Once everything was in order, Ji Menghan returned to Thirty-Two Middle School to continue his studies and research, leaving the lamp factory in his father's care.
For the first time in many years, Ji Menghan's father walked with his head held high.
At last, he felt he had truly caught up to Xu Dafu.
It seemed that following Xing Honglang from Xi'an to Gao Family Village all those years ago had not been a mistake after all.
Early one morning.
A solemn-looking man arrived at Gao Family Village.
It was Shi Kefa.
His expression was heavy as he stepped off the train, moving slowly, deliberately. He surveyed the bustling, vibrant Gao Family Village, its factories humming and people flowing like a living organism.
Then, without lingering, he turned and began walking toward Thirty-Two Middle School.
"Hey! Isn't that Master Shi?"
A voice called out from the roadside.
"Master Shi, from Shi Kefa's Legal Enlightenment!"
Someone waved enthusiastically. "I love watching your program!"
Shi Kefa forced a smile. "I'm glad it's of help."
The passerby tilted their head. "Huh? Master Shi, you don't look very well."
Shi Kefa let out a small, awkward laugh. "No, no… I'm fine."
He waved farewell and continued on his way.
When he reached the school gates, the gatekeeper recognized him immediately.
"Master Shi?" the man exclaimed. "Good heavens, I never thought I'd meet someone from the mirror in person! Could you sign an autograph for me? My child adores your program!"
Shi Kefa signed without complaint.
The gatekeeper beamed. "Master Shi, what brings you all the way from Xi'an to Thirty-Two Middle School?"
A self-conscious smile crept onto Shi Kefa's face.
"Well… to be honest…" He hesitated. "I came here to… learn."
Saying it aloud felt unexpectedly difficult.
A man of his age, coming to a school to study—it was deeply embarrassing.
The gatekeeper froze for a moment. "Master Shi, you're joking. You're already a learned man."
Shi Kefa sighed. He knew there was no point explaining further. He simply shook his head and walked inside, heading straight for the principal's office.
He knocked.
Principal Wang opened the door—and was stunned.
"Master Shi?"
Shi Kefa didn't waste words. "Principal Wang, does Thirty-Two Middle School still accept students? I wish to study here—to learn practical skills."
Principal Wang jumped in surprise. "Master Shi, are you serious?"
Shi Kefa nodded.
"After watching A Minor Soldier of the Daling River Border Army, I became obsessed with serving the nation," he said quietly. "But the more I thought about it, the more I realized… I don't actually know how to help."
His face flushed faintly.
"I'm useless at civil administration. I'm no good at military strategy. All the things coming out of Gao Family Village—improving grain yields, boosting commerce, enhancing military equipment—I understand none of it."
Principal Wang nodded slowly. "I see."
"I only worry," Shi Kefa continued, "that my age might disqualify me."
Principal Wang smiled. "On that point, Master Shi can rest assured. Since the school's founding, Dao Xuan Tianzun laid down a rule: regardless of age, as long as one wishes to learn, this school will accept them."
Shi Kefa's eyes lit up. "Truly?"
"Of course."
Shi Kefa hesitated, then asked carefully, "Then… I shouldn't need to start from the lowest grade, should I? I wish to study knowledge directly useful for governing the world."
Principal Wang stroked his beard. "Such subjects are usually handled by our graduate students."
Shi Kefa took a deep breath. "Then may I enroll directly into graduate studies?"
Principal Wang coughed lightly.
"That… is not entirely my decision," he said. "Dao Xuan Tianzun personally oversees this school. No matter who you are, the rules must be followed. Violating a divine decree would be—"
Shi Kefa shuddered.
Violating an imperial edict was one thing.
Violating a decree of Dao Xuan Tianzun was something else entirely.
"I will naturally follow the rules," Shi Kefa said solemnly. "What are they?"
Principal Wang swiftly produced a thick stack of papers and placed them on the desk.
"Entrance examinations," he said. "Whichever level you pass determines where you may study."
Shi Kefa didn't hesitate.
He extended his hand.
"Bring me the graduate entrance exam."