[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-technology-invades-the-modern-world":3,"chapter-technology-invades-the-modern-world-technology-invades-the-modern-world-chapter-44":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Technology Invades the Modern World",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2269528,4430,"Chapter 44: The Gift Delivered in Advance","technology-invades-the-modern-world-chapter-44",44,"\u003Cp>Government House, 1960\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Victoria Crown Room on the second floor of the west wing of Government House blended Gothic pointed arches with Eastern upturned eaves, fully embodying Hong Kong’s character.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran entered the banquet hall at the Governor’s invitation, gazing at the oil portraits on the walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Governor smiled and introduced: “Professor Lin, this portrait of King George VI’s coronation was presented to Government House by the Prince of Wales in 1911; the frame is crafted from Chaozhou gold-lacquered wood carving.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Mandarin was imperfect, but his vocabulary was surprisingly complete—Lin Ran thought, though the man had hosted countless guests here; these phrases were merely basic to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“King George VI was indeed a distinguished man,” Lin Ran complimented.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know much history, but he remembered Louis XIV.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran feared the man might say, “King George VI was beheaded,” that uniquely future-Chinese black humor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“King George VI was the father of the reigning Queen and served in the Royal Air Force.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>White marble from Jharkhand, India, formed rose patterns underfoot, with pure tin lines—extracted from Malaysian tin mines—embedded along the seams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suspended from the ceiling was a late-Victorian brass-gilt chandelier; before its 1948 conversion to electric light, it had been gas-powered, the glass shades still bearing the etched inscription “Lancashire Gas Co. 1889.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the corner stood a cloisonné Western-style palace lantern, a gift from Empress Dowager Cixi to Governor Henry Arthur Blake in 1902.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(These specific details are drawn from “Government House Reception Records.”)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Lin Ran didn’t know where these items originated, he still felt the vast colonial accumulation of England’s past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning his thoughts to 2020, he realized America was the same—so he felt compelled to find some truth inside himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, what he intended to do this time was a major undertaking—a truly significant one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The major undertaking he planned was truly significant; it would completely reshape all future structures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire timeline would be rendered unrecognizable by his actions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the 2020 timeline, countless sci-fi works had shown the immense power of the butterfly effect—any casual action could profoundly alter the future timeline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, in Chinese web novels, there was the theory of karmic convergence: no matter how much a time-traveler or reincarnator changed things, the outcome would always be pulled back into a reasonable range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran didn’t know which theory was right, nor could he judge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But whether or not it caused a butterfly effect, Lin Ran knew deeply that he couldn’t come to 1960 without acting; since he had to act, had to influence this timeline, why not act bigger, make the impact more drastic?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before coming to Xiangjiang, Lin Ran had held this purpose firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The main goal of establishing contact with Huaguo was to leave behind a spark of Western science for Huaguo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The purpose of coming to Xiangjiang was to deliver a groundbreaking gift to the Xiangjiang shipping magnates of this era.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Aizhou and Dong Haoyun, mentioned earlier, were shipping kings of this era.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Aizhou’s grandson was Xu Jinheng, who married Li Jiaxin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Haoyun’s son was even more famous: the renowned Mr. Dong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the future, the world’s shipping king, Yu Kwok-kaung, was then just a minor player with a few ships, unable to enter Government House.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran intended to deliver them a gift that would establish sea power as superior to land power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The emergence of this gift would transform the global order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Rust Belt would emerge at least twenty years early; economic globalization within the American system officially began today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could strengthen America’s power at NASA, but drastically lowering shipping costs would cause Wall Street’s big sharks to actively drain America dry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a truly earth-shattering change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow stains ten thousand lights; bell chimes shape Buddha niches\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Departing, I drink feasts beneath dust\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How can my youthful face change without seeing the shrine’s former brilliance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet I awaken, watching from the sidelines.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the specially invited Gu Zhengqiu performed a song, the guests erupted in applause; Lin Ran joined in with light clapping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next, let us invite Sir Robert Brown to represent Queen Victoria in awarding Professor Lin the Order of the British Empire, in recognition of his outstanding achievements in mathematics.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Applause thundered; guests in tailored suits and refined makeup smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Huiling sat beside her father, Li Fushu, clapping vigorously until her hands turned red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Fushu’s status was unquestionably high enough to attend this event—he was a triple member of Xiangjiang’s Municipal, Legislative, and Executive Councils, unprecedented in Xiangjiang’s history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clapped gently, wondering internally if the rumors might hold some truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Li Fushu’s level, he could receive news from London; his “rumors” weren’t street gossip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He instantly recognized Lin Ran’s suit as custom-tailored by Savile Row’s master tailors—the favorite of J.P. Morgan Sr.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Li Fushu, this was proof of deep ties to the Morgan family; Dongyayinhang was famous, but compared to Morgan, it was like Xiangjiang compared to America.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remember to behave well—if you earn Professor Lin’s favor, I won’t arrange your marriage for you,” Li Fushu whispered to his daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the award ceremony, the banquet officially began, and guests and hosts alike enjoyed themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Professor Lin, I am Li Fushu, Chairman of Dongyayinhang; this is my daughter, Li Huiling—she’s your fan, and insisted I bring her to meet you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the guests, Li Fushu was among the first to meet Lin Ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran studied the man, recalling Dongyayinhang’s information; the fact that he remained unshaken in Xiangjiang suggested real ability—building goodwill was always wise, and Li Huiling did possess some beauty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Li, hello. Miss Li, hello,” Lin Ran shook hands with both.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When shaking Li Huiling’s hand, Lin Ran felt her grip tighten noticeably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Professor Lin, the Governor clearly holds you in high regard,” Li Guofu said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran pulled out the Order of the British Empire from his pocket and gestured: “Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guofu, eager to display his local authority, added: “It’s not just the medal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tapped the table lightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The removable rosewood inlaid mother-of-pearl banquet table in the Victoria Crown Room was custom-made by Jardine Matheson in 1860; it can be assembled into a U-shape for 36 guests or an E-shape for 72.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, to welcome Professor Lin and considering your appreciation for traditional Chinese culture, it has been arranged into a Taiji Bagua pattern for the first time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran ran his hand over the rosewood table, saying: “Thank you, Governor. Coming to Xiangjiang, I’ve deeply felt the warmth of its people. Xiangjiang is a fine place—I hope to visit often in the future.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lin Ran knew well—he probably wouldn’t be able to come next year, so he had to get everything done in this one visit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, Lin Ran knew very well that he probably wouldn’t be able to come next year, so he had to get everything done in this one trip.\u003C\u002Fp>",1157,"2026-06-19T21:37:46.551Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","461cf16a4fe5b3abad0605b457318c26b2fe3b6f367d881137438bb5ef4e4379","technology-invades-the-modern-world-chapter-45","technology-invades-the-modern-world-chapter-43",162,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ftechnology-invades-the-modern-world-cover.jpg"]