After leaving the institute, Li Wei looked at Annie beside him and gave a wry smile.
"Mixed feelings, right?"
"Yes..."
In response to Li Wei's question, she nodded, overwhelmed with emotion.
"She really reminds me of who I was a long time ago. I thought the same way back then, but... unfortunately, I didn't have the backing she does."
Li Wei did not argue. That was simply the truth. Annie had earned the Queen's trust partly because her research aligned with the Empire's needs, and partly because Li Wei had vouched for her. This gave her considerable political support, but she had to put that support to use.
Annie had to understand that being appointed the Queen's representative was far more than an honorary title.
Many people believed power was dirty, that anything it touched became filthy. In reality, however, power was everywhere. From food, clothing, housing, and transportation to science and entertainment, almost nothing escaped its influence.
The supply and pricing of goods required those in power to coordinate them. The cultural and entertainment industries were no different. Films, television programs, and music that met the requirements were allowed to be released, while those that did not were banned.
Even scientific research was the same. Anyone who thought scholars in their ivory towers lived above worldly concerns was confusing them with immortal cultivators. Reality was exactly as Li Wei had described it: funding was limited, and so was the money allocated to scientific research. That meant scholars from every discipline had to fight tooth and nail over that little pot of funding.
Of course, if money was no object, whether someone wanted to study butterflies or penguins was entirely their own business. But if they depended on funding to survive, they had to work in the direction the state