166: Chapter 76 A Century-Long Plan

Winter arrived unusually early and with exceptional ferocity.

The sycamore trees outside Jinling City were stripped bare by the northern wind in a single night, their naked branches stretching out into the leaden sky like countless withered palms begging for something.

The surface of the Qinhuai River was covered in a thin layer of ice; occasionally, a few wild ducks would tentatively peck at the edge of the ice, only to retreat and huddle together for warmth.

Pedestrians on the street wrapped their cotton coats tightly around themselves, walking briskly across the bluestone pavement with their necks hunched, the white breath they exhaled forming clouds before being instantly shredded by the cold wind.

Li Ling stood on a patch of yellow earth that had just been leveled, his hands on his hips, his exhaled breath forming a thin mist before him.

He wore a thick, dark gray military overcoat with the collar turned up to cover half his face, but the chill that seeped into his very bones still made him stomp his feet involuntarily.

His military boots struck the frozen mud, producing a dull "thud-thud" sound.

"This godforsaken weather is even colder than when I was testing missiles at the test site in the Northeast in my past life," he muttered to himself, his gaze sweeping across the bustling construction site before him.

This land was located ten miles southeast of Jinling City, backed by Zhongshan Mountain and facing a tributary of the Qinhuai River, covering over a thousand mu.

At this moment, thousands of workers were busy in the cold wind; some were digging foundations, others were hauling bricks and stones, and some were mixing lime mortar.

The sounds of work chants, hammering, and shouting rose and fell, merging into a powerful symphony.

Further away, the skeletal frames of several buildings were already taking shape, rising from the ground.

Although they were still just brick and stone structures, their scale and imposing aura were already awe-inspiring—the tallest building had already reached the third floor, densely wrapped in scaffolding like a suit of armor woven from bamboo and wood.

[Host, the thermometer at the construction site shows minus five degrees, and the workers have been working continuously for six hours. The system suggests that the Host complete the inspection as soon as possible to avoid prolonged exposure to the low-temperature environment. Additionally, the system has detected that your core body temperature is 0.3 degrees lower than normal; staying any longer carries a risk of catching a cold.]

"I am not that delicate," Li Ling replied in his heart, though his gaze did not leave the busy workers.

"Where is Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai? Why hasn't he arrived yet?"

[Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai is currently at the temporary office organizing the appointment documents for the first batch of professors and is expected to arrive in a quarter of an hour. The Host may inspect the construction site on your own—the pouring of the load-bearing walls for the third teaching building was just completed, and the system scan results indicate that the concrete strength meets the standard, allowing for the next phase of construction.]

"Then I'll take a look first."

Li Ling strode forward, heading deeper into the construction site.

The muddy ground underfoot had become firm due to repeated trampling, but there were still occasional soft spots where his military boots would sink into deep pits.

He bypassed several neatly stacked piles of bricks and arrived in front of a building that had already been topped out.

It was a three-story, elongated building with gray brick walls that had just been whitewashed, still emitting the faint smell of a mixture of lime and cement.

The doors and windows had not yet been installed, and the dark openings looked like rows of deep, hollow eyes, casting neat shadows under the winter sun.

"Is this the library?" Li Ling asked in his heart, looking up at the building.

[Yes, Host. According to the plan, this library has a total floor area of 6,000 square meters. The first floor is for the public reading area and periodical room, the second floor is for specialized book storage and self-study areas, and the third floor is for the rare book room and academic conference rooms. The book capacity is designed for one million volumes, with a total shelf length exceeding twenty kilometers. The system suggests increasing investment in the heating system—the winter temperature is too low; if readers do not have sufficient warmth measures indoors, they will be unable to focus on reading.]

"I have already given instructions regarding the heating. Have a batch of boilers and radiators transferred from the Production Base; if that doesn't work, then install underfloor heating. The library is a place for reading, not an ice cellar."

As Li Ling spoke, he reached out and patted the cold brick wall, producing a dull echo.

He turned and continued walking, crossing the main campus road where gravel was being laid, and arrived at a more open area.

The foundation here had been dug deeper than elsewhere, and the reinforced concrete skeleton had already been erected.

Thick load-bearing columns were rooted in the soil like the legs of giants, supporting the weight of the future floors.

"Is this the teaching area?"

[Yes, Host. The main teaching building is planned to be four stories high, with two three-story annexes on either side, arranged in a "Pin" (triangular) layout. The central main building will serve as administrative offices and large lecture halls, while the annexes on both sides will house specialized classrooms and laboratories for various departments. According to the current construction progress, the main building is expected to be topped out in three months, and the annexes in two months. The entire civil engineering project for the campus will take about eight months to complete.]

"Eight months..." Li Ling calculated.

"Then when can the first batch of students enroll?"

[If everything goes smoothly, the first batch of students can enroll in the autumn of next year. But the Host needs to note that campus construction is only the hardware; the preparation of faculty and the curriculum system is equally important. Currently, Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai and Zhang Boling have confirmed the candidates for the first batch of thirty professors and lecturers. More than half of them are specialized talents materialized by the system, and the other half are well-known scholars recruited from various places.]

Li Ling nodded.

Faculty was indeed the top priority.

Having beautiful school buildings and advanced teaching equipment alone was not enough; without qualified teachers, everything would be a castle in the air.

He thought of the professors at the top universities in his past life—they were not just transmitters of knowledge, but also academic leaders and inheritors of the spirit.

A good professor could influence the life trajectory of a generation or even several generations of students.

As he was thinking, footsteps approached from a distance.

He turned to look and saw an elderly man in his early sixties walking quickly toward him, his goatee trembling slightly in the cold wind, and a thin layer of white mist covering the lenses of his round-rimmed glasses.

"Your Majesty! This old subject is late!"

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai hurried to Li Ling, bowed in salute, and panted, "I was organizing the appointment documents just now and was delayed for a while. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."

"Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai, you are too polite."

Li Ling waved his hand, looking him over.

"You are dressed so thinly; aren't you cold?"

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai looked down at his slightly worn cotton robe and smiled.

"It is a bit cold, but my heart is warm. Your Majesty, I just reviewed the campus planning map again at the temporary office, and the more I look at it, the more... the more incredible I find it. I have lived in Qingxia Kingdom for over sixty years and have never seen such an academy—the layout of every building, the direction of every path, and the location of every functional area all seem to have been determined after rigorous refinement. Especially the circular design of the central plaza; I pondered it for a long time before I understood—it is to allow students enough activity space during their spare time without disturbing the quiet of the teaching area. Your Majesty, how did you come up with these things?"

Li Ling smiled.

He couldn't exactly say that he had modified it based on the planning maps of several top universities from his past life.

The design of the central plaza had indeed been borrowed from a European university he had once visited.

"Just random musings," he said, glossing over it.

"Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai, let me ask you—are the candidates for the professors reliable?"

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai pushed up his glasses and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I have vetted them personally. Among this group, five are compilers from the former Qing Imperial Academy, with solid scholarship; seven are new-style talents who returned from studying in the German Empire and Meijian Country, proficient in Western learning; and the remaining twelve are system... oh no, they are new-style scholars selected from various places. Although they do not have high reputations in the academic world, they all possess true talent and learning, and they are young, energetic, and willing to study."

A trace of a smile flashed in Li Ling's eyes.

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai had almost let it slip—those "twelve new-style scholars from the system" were actually experts materialized by the system, but in Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai's understanding, they were ordinary scholars selected from various places.

"That is good."

Li Ling nodded.

"However, I must remind you, Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai—knowledge is dead, but people are alive. I do not want bookworms who only know how to recite, nor do I want old pedants who only know how to talk empty words. I want doers who can work with their hands, think, and dare to innovate. When teaching, take the students to factories, mines, and ports more often, and let them see the true face of this country with their own eyes. Just sitting in a classroom and discussing principles will not save this country."

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai's eyes turned slightly red.

"Your Majesty is absolutely right! When I was compiling books in the Imperial Academy back then, I often lamented—no matter how good the things in books are, they hit walls everywhere when applied to reality. Now Your Majesty has given me this opportunity to combine knowledge with practice, I... I am deeply grateful!"

Li Ling patted his shoulder.

"Alright, enough with the sentimentality. Come, take me to see the temporary classrooms. I heard that the first batch of preparatory students has already started classes?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai wiped the corners of his eyes and led the way, "The one hundred and twenty preparatory students are all elites selected from across the country. They are currently attending classes in a few board rooms next to the construction site. Although the conditions are rudimentary, every one of them is studying diligently."

Li Ling followed Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai through the construction site to a group of temporary classrooms built with wooden boards and felt. Outside the classrooms hung several blackboards, covered in dense formulas and charts written in chalk. He glanced through the window—inside sat dozens of young people, some with their heads down taking notes, some raising their hands to ask questions, and others discussing with each other. On the podium, a middle-aged man in an old suit was speaking in fluent English, his voice clear and steady.

"That is Zhang Boling teaching physics," Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai said in a low voice. "His classes are very popular; every time, there are people squeezing at the door to audit."

Li Ling stood outside the window for a while without going in to disturb them. He noticed a particularly young student sitting in the front row, at most sixteen or seventeen years old, but the notebook in his hand was already filled with dense handwriting, and he was still writing incessantly. That focused expression reminded him of his own days tackling research in the laboratory in his previous life—that state of total immersion, forgetting everything around oneself, is what true learners possess.

"What is that child's name?" Li Ling asked.

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai followed his gaze and looked: "His surname is Lin, his name is Lin Mo, and he is from Zhejiang. It is said that his family were fishermen, both his parents passed away, and he relied on the help of villagers to finish private school. In this selection exam, his mathematics score ranked first, physics ranked third, and although his foundation in foreign languages is weak, he learns extremely fast. Zhang Boling speaks highly of him."

Li Ling nodded and memorized the name. A fisherman's son, parents deceased, relying on charity to study—such a background often implies stronger willpower and deeper desire. He knew that once such a person is given an opportunity, they can unleash astonishing energy.

"I have noted him." Li Ling withdrew his gaze. "Have Zhang Boling cultivate him well. Whatever textbooks or equipment are lacking, have them approved directly by me. Special funding, no need to go through regular channels."

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai was stunned for a moment, then bowed deeply: "Your Majesty is wise! Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty on behalf of these children!"

Li Ling waved his hand: "No need to thank me. I have only done what should be done. Let's go, return to the temporary office; I have a few more things to instruct you on."

Returning to the temporary office, Li Ling sat down by the crude long table and took a neatly folded document from his bosom, spreading it out on the tabletop. It was a handwritten list, the handwriting vigorous and powerful, clearly his own.

"This is the 'Qingxia University Three-Year Development Outline' I have drafted." Li Ling pointed to the first line of text. "The first year, complete campus construction and faculty staffing, and enroll the first batch of three hundred students; the second year, open five colleges—College of Engineering, College of Science, College of Liberal Arts, College of Medicine, and College of Law and Political Science; the third year, launch postgraduate education and begin cultivating our own masters and doctors. I am giving you a three-year deadline. Three years from now, I want to see this school not only have a complete undergraduate education system but also its own academic journals and research teams."

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai picked up the outline, his hands trembling slightly. He read it word by word, reading slower and more carefully as he went on. When he read, "Encourage interdisciplinary research, the College of Engineering and College of Science share laboratories, the College of Medicine and College of Law and Political Science jointly conduct public health legislation projects," his breathing became noticeably more rapid.

"Your Majesty..." He raised his head, his voice somewhat hoarse. "Your humble servant has been teaching and educating in Qingxia Kingdom for over forty years and has seen countless school-running plans, but none can compare to this outline. This... this is no longer just running a school; this is laying out a plan for a hundred years from now!"

Li Ling leaned back in his chair and picked up the coarse porcelain teacup on the table to take a sip. The tea had already gone cold, and a bitter taste spread on the tip of his tongue, but he did not frown.

"Education is the foundation of a century-long plan," he said slowly. "Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai, you have seen the armies of the great powers, seen their warships, and seen their factories. But you have not seen their schools—those things hidden in libraries and laboratories are the true reason for their strength. What I want to do is to move those things over and plant them in the soil of Qingxia Kingdom. In three years, they will sprout; in ten years, they will become trees; in fifty years, they will become a forest. A hundred years from now, when I am no longer in this world, this forest will still be here, and it will continue to grow until it covers the sky and the sun."

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai remained silent for a long time, then slowly stood up and bowed deeply to Li Ling. This bow was deeper than any other time, his waist bent until it was almost parallel to the ground, his goat beard nearly touching the edge of the table.

"Your Majesty." His voice was choked with emotion, carrying an indescribable solemnity. "Although your humble servant is over sixty years old, I am willing to use the remaining heat of my life to guard this forest for Your Majesty."

Li Ling stood up and held his shoulders: "Do not guard it for me; guard it for this country. Guard it for those children who will sit in this forest to study in the future."

Outside the window, the north wind was still howling, sweeping up dust and fallen leaves from the ground, swirling as they flew toward the gray, hazy sky. But in this crude board room, an inexplicable warmth was flowing. That warmth came from belief, from certainty about the future, and from two equally fervent hearts finding resonance in the same endeavor.

That evening, Li Ling returned to the palace and sat in the Imperial Study for a long time. Spread out on the desk in front of him was a copy of the 'Qingxia University Three-Year Development Outline,' and beside it was a 'Study Abroad Affairs Bureau Work Report.' The two documents placed together were like two seeds, seemingly tiny, yet containing the power to change the entire country.

"System." He murmured in his heart, his voice carrying a trace of fatigue, but also a trace of relief.

[Host, the System is here.]

"Tell me, will future generations remember the things I have done?"

The System was silent for two seconds, then replied: [History will not remember every person, but it will remember those who changed it. What the Host is doing is not as simple as building a few buildings or sending out a few hundred students. The Host is constructing a knowledge system for this nation that is capable of self-evolution and self-renewal. Once this system is running, it will be like a perpetual motion machine, constantly generating new ideas, new technologies, and new power. By then, even without the System, this country will have already stood up.]

Li Ling leaned back in his chair, gazing at the dim, yellow palace lantern on the ceiling. The light cast alternating contours of light and shadow on his face, making his expression appear exceptionally profound.

"That is good," he said softly. "I do not need future generations to remember the name Li Ling; I only hope future generations can remember—that there was once a person who, during the darkest time of this country, lit a lamp. Although that lamp was weak, it did not go out. It kept burning until it illuminated everyone."

He stood up and walked to the window, pushing it open. The cold wind poured in, blowing the papers on the desk to rustle, and also blowing away the fatigue on his face. In the distance, the lights of the construction site were still flickering, the orange-red glow appearing exceptionally warm in the darkness of the winter night, like a beating heart, pumping fresh blood into this slumbering, ancient nation. Further away, the outline of the city walls of Jinling City loomed in the night, like a sleeping giant dragon, coiled upon the land.

"System." He gazed at those lights, a faint, almost imperceptible smile on his lips. "Tomorrow, I am going to see that batch of overseas students. How is the selection work going?"

[It has entered the final selection stage; Zhang Boling and Zhao Yuanren are currently conducting interviews with the final candidates. The System suggests the Host personally attend the final selection round—this will not only allow the selected students to feel valued but also allow the Host to more intuitively understand the actual level of this batch of talent. Additionally, the System has monitored that news has arrived from the German Empire—Princess Victoria Louise has personally arranged special quotas at three universities and has made detailed plans for the accommodation and living security of the Qingxia Kingdom overseas students.]

"The princess is indeed dedicated." Li Ling smiled slightly and closed the window. The sound of the wind outside was blocked out, and the temperature in the room rose slightly. He walked back to the table, sat down, picked up a brush, and wrote a few words on a piece of blank letterhead—

"I have acknowledged this; proceed according to the plan."

The ink slowly permeated the paper, as if a promise were slowly solidifying. In the night sky outside the window, stars twinkled between the gaps in the clouds, distant and cold. And that satellite, which had been orbiting, was silently sweeping over this ancient land, taking everything into its view. A new day was about to begin.