Chapter 737 - Conspiracy on the Flying Cloud

Qian Shuiting began with a measured critique: "I won't comment on the new political structure produced by the General Assembly. It's nothing more than a miniature Saturn Community. The so-called Nine Executive Committee members are simply a replica of the Nine Elders. Superficially, it claims separation of powers, but judicial and legislative authority have still fallen into administrative hands. As for the Senate, that institution is effectively just a nominal supreme power organ—nothing more than a Hand-Raising Academy, a Unanimous Passage Academy."

"The problems run even deeper than that," Zhou Weisen coughed. "The Senate's system has too many qualification restrictions. Executive Committee members can serve eight consecutive years, rest one term, and then continue. Yet Senators must serve one year and then wait three before they can serve again—and they must reside permanently in Lingao, can't travel frequently, and can't be occupied with other duties. Calculate how many are left once you eliminate those Executives and Department Heads, throw out those unwilling to participate in politics, and subtract the establishment's cheering squads. What meaningful constraint can such a body place on those in power?"

Qian Shuixie nodded in agreement. "They speak of separation of powers, but the Head of the Tribunal and the Speaker of the Senate both sit on the Executive Committee—where is the independence? Everything ends up under the Executive Committee's control. When Executives themselves double as judges, who could possibly restrain them?"

"The Dugu Qiuhun incident is a perfect illustration," Zheng Shangjie said. "When you consider the severity—a mere ordinary Senator mobilizing armed forces—if they had actually entered the city, those inside would have suffered catastrophic losses. Yet the trial simply glossed over it. The smell of behind-the-scenes manipulation is unmistakable!"

Qian Shuiting's voice carried a note of weary recognition. "The Dugu Incident, stripped to its essence, is political struggle playing out in the shadows. I've reviewed Ji Xin's materials. Honestly, the truth no longer matters. What matters is that this trend is poisonous. Several Executives are already openly playing power games. If this continues, so-called politics will become a game played exclusively by administrative cadres—they'll use their institutional resources to continuously consolidate their power until ordinary Senators can only sit on the sidelines as the 'soy sauce crowd.'"

"The Executive Committee system must be abolished," Zheng Shangjie declared.

"Not yet," Qian Shuixie raised a restraining hand. "The General Assembly just established and confirmed the Executive Committee system. No obvious failures have appeared yet—they're still 'moving from one victory to another.' If we propose abolition now, no one will take us seriously. We might end up 'alienating ourselves from the people' before accomplishing anything."

Everyone except Miss Mendoza released a collective sigh. Though the discussion was conducted in English, the slang-laden conversation left her grasping at fragments. All she understood was that her abductors harbored deep dissatisfaction with this Transmigrator regime.

"I believe we need guns to feel truly secure," Zhou Weisen said. "At least Lin Chuanqing proposed the Right to Bear Arms this time, and it was finally added to the basic rights of Transmigrators. Otherwise, I would have insisted on enshrining this right in the Constitution no matter what!"

"This demonstrates the importance of shared cultural background," Qian Shuiting nodded. "Although we aim to integrate with the larger group, in many matters—especially conceptual ones—the divergence between us 'Sea Turtles' and the domestic contingent remains substantial."

"Having guns is a 'now' proposition," Qian Shuixie said. "Who knows about a few years hence? Once the situation stabilizes, won't they manufacture some pretext to confiscate them? And setting aside everything else, industry remains under administrative control. If they cut off ammunition supply, even a machine gun becomes a paperweight."

"Which is precisely why that's insufficient," Zhou Weisen said. "We should learn from the British system and implement a vassalage or patronage system within the army. Indigenous officers could belong to individual Senators. That way, every Senator would control a portion of the indigenous military force..."

"Impossible. Your proposal would be shot down the instant it surfaced," Qian Shuiting shook his head. "Suppressing it would be child's play—just one label of 'turning back the wheel of history' and it's finished."

Zhou Weisen tried again: "Then let every Transmigrator participate in regular military training as reserve officers, with militia reserves assigned to each of us. If someone attempts to use the army for suppression, we take our men and fight back."

"That would be total chaos!" Ai Beibei exclaimed with genuine alarm. "This 'everyone having private soldiers' notion troubles me deeply. It could easily become a tool for mutual destruction. Can you guarantee that these private forces would only protect legitimate rights? What if someone uses them for a coup? Strengthening army oversight is necessary, but this private soldier arrangement would be anything but beneficial. The long-term dangers far outweigh any advantage."

Qian Shuiting considered this carefully. "The issue is primarily one of degree. My instinct is that a few hundred militia, even thoroughly equipped, couldn't defeat organized indigenous troops. Rebellion via a handful of militia would be nearly impossible—but if pushed to desperation, such forces could at least raise the operational cost of army suppression, thereby reducing its likelihood. We could limit both the quantity and quality of these temporary private soldiers..."

"But if they can't resist at all, what use do Senators have for such private soldiers except to attack each other?" Ai Beibei pressed her opposition to her husband's proposal. "A hundred or two hundred militia with Minié rifles—the regular army simply drags cannons over, fires a few volleys, and it's finished. What cost does that actually increase?" She shook her head firmly. "We mustn't end up like the Polish Republic! The Senate becomes mere decoration while nobles do whatever they please, tearing the country apart—we are, ultimately, one group!"

Upon reflection, the others found her reasoning sound. Managing private soldiers was a complex undertaking. Even if the Senate passed such a measure, a disgruntled administrative system possessed countless means of retaliation. Senators varied greatly in capability and moral fiber. If a few Senators' private soldiers caused incidents or engaged in "Real Life PK" even once or twice, the resulting scandal would splash back—not only would the private soldier system fail, but its proponents might be ruined alongside it.

Ai Beibei continued: "I think you're all being somewhat extreme, viewing everything through too dark a lens. We're in the founding stage of this state. Didn't we agree during our discussions to promote political reform subtly and gradually? Proposing a private soldier system that so aggressively protects personal interests is far too radical."

Zhou Weisen reconsidered and acknowledged: "Sister-in-law has a point. This matter requires patience. Army oversight should begin with strengthening 'Nationalization'—a principle all Senators can endorse. Once we don that mantle, absolutely no one will dare oppose it."

"Regarding Army Nationalization, we should contribute to the operational details. What nationalization means in practice—how to limit personal influence on the military, protocols for army mobilization and deployment, weapons control—all have precedents to follow. If I put forward well-considered proposals on these specifics, the chance of passage is considerably higher."

"Our base is too small. We don't have enough votes." Though Ai Beibei and Zhou Weisen had both been elected, surveying the entire Senate revealed their foundation to be pitifully narrow. As a political faction, the North American Branch's influence amounted to nearly zero.

Qian Shuiting pondered at length before speaking: "Since no one else is pulling this lever, and we've recognized the need, we must act. Our North American Branch harbors no private ambitions. We simply want to help the group establish or adopt organizational models, management practices, and laws that we believe are more sound. Transforming a minority opinion—even if correct—into majority consensus is a long and arduous process. We must exert our utmost effort while remaining grounded in reality, advancing our concepts incrementally." He paused, his voice taking on added gravity. "We are engaged in politics now, and politics is the lifeblood of politicians. Everyone must understand this clearly: we want a reasonable system, but for others, we are threatening their political survival. This means that our conceptual struggle, however constructive in intent, may become exceedingly cruel."

He hadn't realized he was delivering a political manifesto.

The others nodded solemnly. Miss Mendoza's eyes widened; something in this manifesto made her sense a disturbing undercurrent.

"Politics has no honesty to speak of, so we must emphasize strategy and prepare to counter the other side's various intrigues—even if they remain comrades within our same group. As for forming a sworn clique, we already have one. What we need now is to expand our core, our base, our allies, and our sympathizers as broadly as possible."

"Our base is too small," Zhou Weisen reiterated. Strictly speaking, the North American Branch counted only those present as its true core.

"Which is precisely why we're too detached from the masses," Qian Shuiting said. "This Flying Cloud yacht is too comfortable—it's become our insular little nest. Haven't you noticed that no one ever visits the Flying Cloud?"

"True enough, but we've never invited anyone either. Everyone's been too busy."

"From now on, this must change," Qian Shuiting declared. "We must venture out and bring people in, making friends widely. Moreover, we shouldn't appear so distinctive. We ought to relinquish the Flying Cloud and move ashore to live. This boat draws too much attention; as long as we inhabit it, we appear even more conspicuous—too detached from the collective."

"That's hard to part with."

"Indeed, where would I live if we donated the boat?" The women remained reluctant.

"Bathing would become inconvenient—we'd have to use public bathhouses. I'm really not accustomed to bathing in public."

"Have Duoduo sleep in a dormitory?" Ai Beibei couldn't bear the thought of her child suffering. "The dorms are all prefabricated houses."

"And what about cooking?" Miss Mendoza interjected. "I see they all eat in cafeterias." All three women shared a keen interest in cooking.

"What about our equipment? We still need storage space—we can't just put it in the dorms." Qian Shuixie couldn't bear parting with the treasures in the hold.

"Then lease the usage rights. That way, perhaps someday we can still use it."

"Don't speak nonsense. Whether defecting or being driven away, neither appeals to me."

The suggestion to hand over the Flying Cloud ended inconclusively. However, everyone unanimously agreed to utilize the yacht for other purposes to expand the North American Group's influence.

"The foreigners among us should hold concepts relatively aligned with ours. Although they're Senators now, they occupy marginalized roles within the group and should be easily brought into our fold. That represents a meaningful number of votes," Qian Shuixie calculated. "Salina and Xue Ziliang are possibilities. And Pan Pan."

The group began tallying potential allies. Those with study abroad experience or overseas living backgrounds became primary targets for expanding their base.

"I think Lin Chuanqing is a good prospect, and Chen Sigen as well. Both enjoy sailing and firearms, understand the domestic situation, and have lived in the US for extended periods. They should count as part of our base. Bringing them in would be more valuable than a few foreigners—everyone harbors instinctive distrust of foreigners, who can bite back easily. Foreigners cannot be our core force, only allies," Qian Shuiting said. "Quite a few extreme nationalists sit in the Senate. If we associate too closely with foreigners, they'll attack us relentlessly. It would become a weapon against us."

The silent majority without official positions represented their key engagement priority. Particularly the street activists who briefly emerged during the Maid Revolution required cultivation—they had already begun to coalesce into a recognizable force.

"We aren't the 'Universal Values Faction' in the broad sense—at least not presently—but we can cooperate with that broader faction. The key lies in identifying the right issues. The extreme left and extreme right may both be dissatisfied with the current administration; we can form strategic alliances with them. But we and the extremists will inevitably clash eventually."

"We can't get too close to the extremists," Zhou Weisen frowned. "From my broad observation of surrounding Senators, most are pragmatists who actually hold extremists in contempt."

"Sister-in-law, hasn't Du Wen always wanted to recruit you into the Women's Federation? I think you should join," Qian Shuixie slapped his thigh. "You're a woman—joining the Women's Federation is completely natural. There are dozens of female Senators. If they can be unified, that's also a significant voting bloc."

"We must emphasize strategy, proposing only relatively realistic, specific demands each time."

The group refined their expansion focus and guiding principles through further discussion.

Zhou Weisen offered: "If certain individuals are deemed obstacles to achieving our goals, we'll work to neutralize their influence. Currently, Ma Jia and his Law Society are the dominant force maintaining the status quo. We should launch a legal struggle against them, curb their influence, strive to establish an independent judge system, and work to elect people we consider more credible—or our sympathizers—as judges. This would promote judicial independence and objectively separate power from the Executive Committee and Tribunal representatives."

Qian Shuiting counseled patience: "Master, you're moving too quickly. Those objectives can't be our opening gambit—the Executive Committee crowd will immediately divine our intentions. At the outset, we can only make small moves to avoid provoking a fierce counterattack. First, let's fight to change the rules governing Senators. Otherwise, one year of service produces minimal policy influence, and waiting three years afterward means no continuity in anything accomplished. This point must be addressed quickly."

Everyone voiced their agreement.

"Secondly, at this stage, let's avoid substantive confrontations—" Qian Shuiting paused, gathering his thoughts. "This year, we'll use building up the Senate's authority as our entry point. We must constantly remind Senators through every avenue that the Senate is the highest authority. We'll use the Senate to create friction on numerous small matters—frequently holding inquiries and hearings, seizing every opportunity to put administrative cadres on the defensive. Let them develop a respectful attitude toward the Senate, understanding that it isn't a rubber stamp to be dismissed easily. Simultaneously, we'll remind the bystander Senators of how much authority they actually possess. No one dislikes having power, correct? This approach will certainly attract support from many Senators."

Zhou Weisen nodded approvingly: "You're right. As long as they haven't secured official positions, Senators will definitely want their voices to carry greater weight!"

"Additionally, we need to seize power ourselves," Qian Shuiting continued. "Master, if you can extract yourself from the laboratory—once your vaccine shows some promise—at least transition to the industrial sector. Only then will you command more resources. 'Those who labor with their minds govern others; those who labor with their strength are governed by others'—that ancient saying still holds truth."

"That's difficult in the short term," Zhou Weisen shrugged. "Besides, the Transmigrator Group consists entirely of large State-Owned Enterprises. Where exactly is this industrial sector?"

"Now that I think about it, I could go to work at Guangzhou Station," Zheng Shangjie said. "Si Kaide asked my opinion a few days ago; he mentioned Guangzhou Station needs someone who understands marketing and internal management to oversee the backend of the Purple Tower."

"Go! Absolutely go," Qian Shuixie urged. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"If I go to Guangzhou, I'll be leaving you here to chase girls?"

"I guarantee I won't chase girls—besides, none of the girls here interest me..."

Qian Shuiting recognized this as an exceptional opportunity to penetrate the industrial and commercial sector. Guangzhou Station's position was anything but trivial. Joining to hold an important position there would represent a significant elevation in status.

Moreover, he contemplated the recent joint efforts between Guangzhou Station and Leizhou Station to lobby the Dispatch Group—their coordinated momentum had effectively made them an emerging interest group. The Dispatch Group could harness resources from both Lingao and the Ming simultaneously. In the current environment, personal danger remained low while potential benefits were enormous. If they exploited the group's lax oversight to engage in private dealings with various parties, it was entirely feasible. In the long run, they could very well create a situation of "the tail wagging the dog."

Viewed from this angle, the Executive Committee was actually preparing to insert agents into Guangzhou Station! Qian Shuiting felt a surge of excitement. With Zheng Shangjie entering the Guangzhou Station system as their own "sand," she could well occupy a prominent position there later.

Zhou Weisen spoke deliberately: "I'd rather you two not be separated, but this is genuinely a valuable opportunity! If sister-in-law can go, it will be enormously beneficial for the future!"

"I have no objection! Full support," Qian Shuixie declared. "Little Jie was saying she was bored to death locally. She originally wanted to work at the cooperative. Guangzhou Station is far superior to any cooperative."

"Very well, then I'll go!" Zheng Shangjie wasn't one to hesitate. Traveling to Guangzhou to conduct "Big Business" suited her temperament far better than remaining in Lingao to run some cooperative.

(End of Chapter)