The world of film and television starts from the flow of money

Several figures stood on a temporary wooden observation platform erected on one side of the construction site, which offered a panoramic view.

The leader was none other than Shan Wanjing. Three years had not left many marks on her face; instead, the last trace of girlish naiveté had faded, replaced by the composure and valor of a ruler. She wore a practical, moon-white outfit, covered by a light blue cloak, and the Dongming Sword hung at her waist.

Shan Wanjing stood with her hands behind her back, gazing up at the colossal statue that was about to be completed. Her bright eyes held a complex mix of emotions: reverence, longing, the satisfaction of completing a great task, and a touch of melancholy.

"Princess, the final cloud pattern gilding on the southeast corner of the base is complete, and the craftsmen are checking for any omissions."

A middle-aged official dressed in the robes of the Directorate of Works respectfully reported.

"The paving of the square's stone slabs is 90% complete, and it is expected to be fully completed tomorrow."

Another supervisor in charge of civil engineering continued.

"The last batch of gold leaf and painted ore shipped from Yingzhou has been counted and stored, enough for subsequent maintenance."

This is the clerk in charge of supplies.

Shan Wanjing nodded slightly, her gaze still fixed on the stone statue: "Very good. Everyone has worked hard. As the project nears completion, we must strive for perfection and leave no room for carelessness. This statue is no ordinary one; it is a place where people from all over the world can pay homage to the Holy Face of the Alliance Leader and feel the majesty of the Heavenly Dao. Every brick, every stone, every piece of gold, and every color must be perfect."

"We will obey the princess's command!" everyone replied in unison.

A young woman dressed in the uniform of a sword guard stepped forward and whispered, "Princess, the Prefect of Luling, the Magistrate of Ancheng County, and representatives of local elders are waiting outside the camp, asking when we may enter to pay our respects and discuss subsequent sacrificial rites, maintenance, and other matters."

Shan Wanjing then withdrew her gaze and pondered for a moment: "Tell them to wait. I will see them after today's work is finished."

He paused, then asked, "How has the situation been in town lately?"

The female swordsman, who was in charge of local intelligence, answered fluently: "Your Highness, the town is in good order, and the prosperity brought by the construction and pilgrims continues. Thirty-seven more children have enrolled in the primary school. The newly built irrigation canal has already benefited the farmland of five downstream villages. The market's transaction tax has increased by 40% compared to the same period last year. However... recently, the number of outsiders in the town has become increasingly complex. Although no obvious abnormalities have been found, the situation is chaotic, and more people have been assigned to patrol."

"Yes, as expected. The taller the tree, the more the wind will blow. Since this is my master's hometown, it's inevitable that it will attract attention from all sides. We must not let our guard down, whether it's overt or covert surveillance. We must protect the territory and its people, and also lay a trap for those who are waiting."

Shan Wanjing's tone turned cold: "Anyone with ulterior motives, no matter where they come from, will be severely punished according to the alliance's rules."

The swordsman bowed and replied, "Yes!"

Shan Wanjing looked at the majestic stone statue again, her mind filled with countless thoughts.

In the master's plan, Shenglin Town and even the entire Ancheng County of Luling Prefecture are being systematically shaped into an important fulcrum for the Heavenly Dao Alliance in the hinterland south of the Yangtze River, a strategic node with both symbolic significance and practical function.

The construction of the statue itself was a massive economic stimulus. It took three years, involved tens of thousands of craftsmen and laborers, and consumed enormous amounts of stone, wood, metal, paint, gold leaf, and other materials. These demands did not arise out of thin air, nor were they entirely dependent on external input.

Ancheng County and its surrounding mountainous areas naturally possess good-quality granite and limestone deposits. Under the guidance of the local stonework supervision bureau, the local quarrying industry rapidly transformed from primitive manual extraction to organized, large-scale, and semi-professional production. New mining technologies (controlled blasting, lever-operated sliding rail transport) were introduced, which not only improved efficiency but also trained a group of skilled workers. Around stone processing, a series of supporting industries emerged, including stone carving workshops, stone polishing shops, and transportation teams. Previously scattered family carpenters and bricklayers were also organized to participate in shed construction and scaffolding fabrication, forming a preliminary construction industry cluster.

As the fame of the "Hometown of the Alliance Leader" and the "Holy Statue" spread far and wide, admirers, curious people, and even spies from various forces began to flock to this once remote town.

The influx of people brought direct consumer demand, and numerous inns, taverns, teahouses, and restaurants sprang up like mushrooms after rain along the town and the roads leading to the statue site. Initially, these shops were mostly converted from local residents' homes, but later, outside merchants invested and built larger restaurants and warehouses. Incense, candles, paper horses, small handicrafts carved with replicas of holy images, cloth printed with images of the leader or the phrase "The Way Reigns Over the World," and local specialties (such as bamboo ware, tea, and medicinal herbs) all became best-selling items. A service industry market centered on "pilgrimage" and "sightseeing" rapidly formed and flourished.

Based on her master's fragmented words and the instructions from the Xiangyang headquarters, Shan Wanjing consciously guided and cultivated some distinctive industries in the area. For example, taking advantage of the local high-quality clay and the convenient transportation along the Gan River, she supported the establishment of several ceramic kilns combining government and private operation. These kilns not only produced everyday utensils but also experimented with firing commemorative porcelain featuring Tiandao Alliance patterns or sacred images. Sugarcane planting and sugar-making techniques introduced from Lingnan and Yingzhou were also piloted and promoted in suitable hilly areas in the surrounding region, aiming to create new product outputs. These industries not only served local needs but also sold their products to surrounding counties and even further afield via the Gan River trade route, gradually transforming Shenglin Town from a purely consumer-oriented area into an industrial and commercial hub with a certain production capacity.

The construction of water conservancy facilities (such as waterwheels and irrigation canals) directly improved the irrigation guarantee rate of farmland and grain yield. In addition to meeting the needs of the rapidly growing local population, some surplus grain began to enter the market. More importantly, under the guidance of agricultural supervisors, some farmers began to try planting cash crops, such as mulberry and hemp (used in the local nascent textile industry), tea, fruits and vegetables, and the agricultural product structure began to adjust towards higher added value. Regular small markets formed outside the town, not only as trading venues for local agricultural and sideline products, but also attracting goods from surrounding towns and villages to gather and distribute.

To support the construction of the statue and the ensuing surge in people and goods, the originally muddy country roads were widened, their foundations compacted, and paved with gravel, forming a rudimentary road network connecting the town, the statue site, the quarry, the wharf, and the main farmland. The simple wharf on a tributary of the Gan River was also expanded to accommodate larger cargo ships, connecting Shenglin Town with the main channel of the Gan River and even, through Poyang Lake, with the Yangtze River system. This significantly reduced the cost of transporting bulk goods and promoted commercial circulation. Economic prosperity and population concentration inevitably demanded stronger security, and the unique sacred status of this place endowed the military deployment with significance beyond ordinary garrison duty.

A standing army of approximately two thousand men is permanently stationed in and around Shenglin Town. This army is not an ordinary county garrison; its core of five hundred men are elite "Sword Guards" directly under Shan Wanjing's command. They are not only highly skilled in martial arts but also possess near-fanatic loyalty to the Alliance Leader and the Heavenly Dao Alliance, forming the innermost layer of protection for the "Holy Land." The remaining fifteen hundred men are experienced veterans rotated from various armies of the Heavenly Dao Alliance, well-equipped and highly trained. Their presence ensures absolute local security and deters any potential acts of sabotage.

Although Shenglin Town is not a traditionally strategically important frontline location, its location in the middle reaches of the Gan River, connecting Poyang Lake with Lingnan and Fujian, makes it a vital waterway and land transportation hub. After development, it has the potential to become a regional troop deployment hub. The expanded wharf can quickly assemble and transfer troops, and the improved road network facilitates movement to surrounding areas.

In Yi Huwei's plan, if there are any changes in the southeast, such as in Lin Shihong's old territory or even further to Minyue, or if it is necessary to strengthen the connection between Lingnan and the core area of ​​the Central Plains, the troops and well-equipped logistics facilities in Shenglin Town can serve as an important forward base or transit station, enabling rapid response and radiating to several surrounding counties.

Due to the widespread availability of early childhood education in the area, the literacy rate among young adults and their sense of identification with the Heavenly Dao Alliance are far higher than in other regions. Shan Wanjing has been ordered to establish a "Preparatory Military Academy" (Local Bravery Training Institute) here. Physically strong, well-educated, and of good character young people from the local area and surrounding regions will be selected to receive basic military training, cultural education, and ideological indoctrination. These young people, after initial training, can be used as high-quality recruits to supplement various units, with the most outstanding potentially being selected for the "Sword Guard" or other elite ranks. This place is becoming one of the cradles for the Heavenly Dao Alliance's manpower reserves and the training of junior military personnel.

Saintly Town, a melting pot of people from all walks of life, is a natural intelligence hub. Shan Wanjing's "Sword Guards" and Zhu Yuyan's "Shadow" system branch have long been deeply involved here. They are not only responsible for internal security monitoring, but also utilize the complex flow of people to collect intelligence from various parts of the south, and even indirectly through trade routes, regarding the Tang Dynasty, the Turks, the Western Regions, and even more distant regions. This intelligence station is an increasingly important listening post and analytical outpost within the Heavenly Dao Alliance's vast intelligence network.

Dan Wanjing withdrew her gaze from the distance. Her master had sent her here, and overseeing the construction of the stone statue was merely a pretext. The real purpose was to have her personally participate in and promote the implementation of this entire "holy land construction" plan. By endowing an ordinary town with unparalleled spiritual symbolism, the plan would then systematically inject economic vitality, strengthen military presence, cultivate talent, and gather intelligence, all in a targeted manner.

Today, Shenglin Town is no longer merely the "hometown of the Alliance Leader." It is a complex strategic entity integrating emerging economic growth points, regional military support points, intelligence outposts, and talent reserves. Like a "pacemaker" carefully embedded in the massive body of the Heavenly Dao Alliance, it not only beats strongly itself but also continuously radiates its energy and influence throughout the entire Jiangyou region and even the broader southern hinterland through its economic lifeline and military nerves, silently consolidating the Heavenly Dao Alliance's rear.

"Master..."

Her gaze fell upon the statue, and Shan Wanjing silently prayed, "Where are you? Wanjing has completed this task as instructed. The world is about to be thrown into turmoil; when will you return to lead us..."

Three years have passed… Her master has vanished without a trace, only issuing a handful of instructions through extremely secretive channels, ordering her to carry out the "holy land" plan here. She completed it, did it well, but the longing and worry in her heart grow stronger with each passing day. The situation in the world is becoming increasingly tense, war clouds are gathering in the north, and the movements of the Turks are unpredictable. What exactly is her master planning? And where is he?
…………

The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the horizon a magnificent orange-red and golden-purple, draping the majestic statue in a final, glorious cloak before quickly fading and sinking into the bluish-gray twilight.

The bustling noise at the construction site gradually subsided as the craftsmen finished their day's work and packed up their tools to leave. Lights came on one by one, winding along the newly built road that connected the town and the hillside.

Surrounded by several sword guards, Shan Wanjing left the viewing platform and walked along the stone-paved road toward the temporary residence built for her in the town—a mansion located in the northwest corner of the town, adjacent to the military camp, and serving as both an office and a residence.

The mansion is not large in scale, but it is solidly built, with a square layout, white walls and gray tiles. It appears solemn and restrained among the increasingly bustling urban buildings around it.

Along the way, many artisans returning home, vendors packing up their stalls, and even those who had traveled from afar to pay their respects cast reverent and grateful glances at her, bowing respectfully from a distance. Shan Wanjing nodded slightly in response, but her steps did not falter. Three years of experience had long since made her accustomed to such gazes.

At the entrance of the mansion, two sword guards holding halberds stood solemnly. Upon seeing Shan Wanjing, they immediately saluted. She nodded and stepped inside.

Passing through the front courtyard and around the screen wall, one arrives at the inner courtyard where she usually handles official business and rests.

A stream of fresh water was channeled into the courtyard to create a small lotus pond. At this moment, only withered lotus leaves and remnants filled the pond, creating a desolate and charming scene in the deepening night. A few late-blooming osmanthus trees were still releasing their last faint, sweet fragrance.

The main house has three rooms: the middle one is a living room and study, the east side is a bedroom, and the west side is a small armory and meditation room.

Candles had already been lit in the hall. On the desk by the window were piles of documents and drawings that had not yet been reviewed, and on the display cabinet in the corner were porcelain and root carvings given by local officials and elders, as well as several ancient swords that she had collected herself.

Shan Wanjing took off her cloak and casually draped it over the back of her chair. She then took the Dongming sword from her waist and placed it on the sword rack. She walked to her desk but did not sit down immediately. Over the past few days, she had been supervising the completion of the project, meeting with various parties, and handling town affairs and military matters. Although she was not completely exhausted, she had still spent a great deal of energy.

The light in the hall seemed to flicker very slightly.

It wasn't the flickering of candlelight, but rather a feeling as if the space itself was being gently brushed by something invisible. The flow of air became indescribably stagnant and shifting; the temperature seemed to rise by an extremely slight amount, yet it also seemed to remain unchanged.

With her back to the hall, Shan Wanjing's figure suddenly stiffened!
A familiar aura, warm and vast like the spring sunshine, yet ethereal and lofty like the Milky Way, appeared behind her without warning, yet was incredibly real, right up close!
Shan Wanjing suddenly turned around. (End of Chapter)