Qin Renhuang just became an immortal, and you told me this is the prehistoric time

Moreover, they had long heard of the diverse scenery in different parts of the Qin Dynasty and had long yearned to visit them. Now that they were able to leave the palace by imperial decree, they could not only relax but also share the burden for His Majesty and enhance the prestige of the royal family. It was a wonderful thing that brought them many benefits!

Just then, a respectful announcement came from outside the pavilion.

"Your Majesty, Grand Secretary Wang Guan, Ministers Li Si and Zhang Juzheng, Generals Wang Jian and Yang Duanhe, and Minister of the Imperial Treasury Liu Bang are requesting an audience outside the garden."

"Summon them to the mountain."

Ying Shaoyang put down his teacup and gave the instructions.

The imperial concubines immediately obeyed the orders. Empress Lü, Qu Ruo, Jing Rou, and Zhao Shan tidied their appearance and stood solemnly behind Ying Shaoyang to show that the Inner Study was one with His Majesty.

The other concubines bowed silently and withdrew, returning to their respective palaces.

Chu Yi had already directed the imperial guards to bring over several chairs and place them on one side of the pavilion. Soon, Wang Guan, Li Si, Zhang Juzheng, Wang Jian, Yang Duanhe, Liu Bang, and other important ministers of the Qin Dynasty, led by eunuchs, quickly walked up the stone steps.

As soon as they entered the pavilion, before they could even pay their respects, their eyes were immediately drawn to the plates of spiritual fruits placed on the stone table.

The spiritual fruits came in various shapes and sizes, some like burning flames and others like condensed ice crystals, all exuding astonishing spiritual energy. Just smelling them made one feel refreshed and invigorated, and one's internal cultivation techniques seemed to begin to circulate on their own.

"What amazing spiritual energy!"

Several high-ranking officials were secretly alarmed, knowing that this must be a rare treasure that His Majesty had brought back from another world.

They dared not be negligent. First, they secretly circulated their cultivation techniques and absorbed a trace of the dissipated spiritual energy. They felt that their cultivation had made a slight but imperceptible improvement. Only then did they all bow and pay their respects to Ying Shaoyang.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you!"

"Stand up and sit down."

Ying Shaoyang waved his hand casually.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The group took their seats in order, their backs ramrod straight, and no one dared to relax in the slightest when facing Ying Shaoyang.

Grand Secretary Wang Guan spoke first, his expression grave, and reported.

"Your Majesty, according to statistics from various places, all the people who migrated from the Sui Dynasty have entered the territory of our Great Qin, and like the people of the Song Dynasty were settled before, they are mainly scattered in various counties along the Yangtze River."

He paused, his face showing even more worry, and continued.

"However, this old minister recently conducted a thorough investigation of the household registers and discovered a hidden worry that I must report to Your Majesty. The total population of our Great Qin now exceeds 400 million, but... the number of people in the main Central Plains region is still less than 100 million! Your Majesty, the capital Xianyang is located in Qin territory and is the core of the north."

If this continues, the population of the south will swell, while the north will remain relatively sparsely populated. This is... a path to disaster!

He took a deep breath, his voice heavy.

"In the present Qin Dynasty, most of the people are concentrated in the south. The combined population of Shu, Guizhou, Yunnan, and the southern prefectures alone exceeds 300 million! The population of the northern prefectures is less than that of a single corner of the south!"
The political and military core of our Great Qin Dynasty is located in the north, while the population of the south is several times that of the north. Over time, resentment and discontent will inevitably arise in the south, potentially posing a significant threat to the long-term stability and security of the nation!

Wang Guan raised his head, a hint of lingering fear in his eyes.

"It was only because of the incident of Zhang Dun intercepting people in Shu that this old minister began to pay close attention to the population of various places. I was shocked to find out what I was doing! Of the people who were relocated several times, eight or nine out of ten chose to stay in the south. Those who were willing to settle in the north were one in a hundred! Your Majesty!"

Li Si, Zhang Juzheng, and other cabinet ministers nodded in agreement, their faces showing concern, clearly indicating that they had reached a consensus on this issue.

Upon hearing this, Ying Shaoyang's previously calm face revealed a hint of surprise.

He knew that the population in the south might be larger, but he did not expect the gap to be so huge, resulting in an extreme imbalance between the north and the south.

He leaned forward slightly, looked at Wang Guan and the others, and asked the crucial question.

"Oh? Is that so? I'd like to hear why the people are rushing to migrate south, but are unwilling to live in the northern lands of my Great Qin. Have you investigated the reasons behind this?"

His gaze sharpened, clearly recognizing the gravity of the problem and determined to find its root cause and completely resolve this potential threat to the nation's foundation—a threat stemming from population distribution. The atmosphere in the pavilion instantly turned serious.

The four concubines standing behind Ying Shaoyang—Lü Zhi, Qu Ruo, Jing Rou, and Zhao Shan—also showed expressions of doubt and contemplation.

The continued growth of the population in Daqin was a good thing. Previously, officials were busy receiving and settling the massive influx of people and ensuring that they could live and work in peace and contentment. They did not pay much attention to where the people specifically chose to settle down.

Now that Grand Secretary Wang Guan has raised this issue so sharply, the responsibility for subsequent coordination and resolution undoubtedly falls on the shoulders of the Inner Study, which they are in charge of.

Seeing that His Majesty valued this matter, Wang Guan's spirits lifted, and he quickly explained the reasons he and the cabinet had analyzed.

"Your Majesty, after careful analysis with Minister Li and Minister Zhang, this old minister believes that the primary reason lies in 'land'!"

He explained in detail.

"Your Majesty, the scale of our Great Qin's military farms has exceeded 20 million, and most of them are young and strong men who practice martial arts. Their physical strength far exceeds that of ordinary farmers, and the amount of new land they can cultivate every day is extremely considerable."

In order to attract migrants to settle down as soon as possible, the imperial court issued a policy that all households that settled in the newly established military settlements in the south could receive a certain amount of land according to the number of people in their household, and taxes would be reduced or exempted for the first three years.

Such favorable conditions were incredibly attractive to people who had endured war and longed for their own land! Not only were the newly relocated people from the Sui Dynasty drawn to the area, but many former inhabitants of the six states who had migrated there earlier were also drawn south in search of more land.

He paused, a hint of helplessness on his face.

"Furthermore, there is a severe shortage of agricultural tools, especially metal ones! Even though His Majesty is incredibly resourceful and often brings back massive amounts of gold and iron, most of them are prioritized for distribution to the military farms in various regions to ensure the efficiency of military farming."

The pace of crafting agricultural tools could not keep up with the sudden surge in demand for land reclamation. In the warmer south, many areas could even manage with wooden or bone tools, but the north was frigid and the soil much harder; without sophisticated metal tools, land reclamation became significantly more difficult! This was a major factor contributing to people's reluctance to migrate north.

As soon as Wang Guan finished speaking, Liu Bang, the Minister of the Imperial Household, immediately stepped forward and bowed.

"Your Majesty! This is the duty of the Imperial Household Department! Upon my return, I will immediately transfer most of the slaves currently building roads to various mines to increase mining efforts! At the same time, I will unite with the legions to smelt and forge farm tools from the surrounding areas!"
Your Majesty, I assure you that I will resolve the shortage of metal agricultural tools as soon as possible, and will not allow such a trivial matter to hinder national policy!

Although he spoke eloquently, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, indicating that he knew the project was massive and fraught with difficulties, but he had to express his opinion at this moment.

Ying Shaoyang tapped his fingers lightly on the table, pondered for a moment, and then gave his instructions.

"The military and the cabinet should immediately work together to calculate how long it would take to settle some of the military troops from the south and send them north to cultivate new fields on a large scale in the northern counties, including their resettlement, food and wages, and the amount of land that can be cultivated, to reach a scale that would attract people to voluntarily go north."

He looked at Wang Guan, Li Si, Zhang Juzheng, as well as Wang Jian, Yang Duanhe, and others.

"This method may not show immediate results, but in the long run, with the military colonies leading the way, a large amount of ready-made, fertile land can be opened up in the north. With the support of policy guidance, the population imbalance between the north and the south can be gradually improved." Upon hearing this, the three cabinet members were overjoyed and bowed to Ying Shaoyang in unison.

"Your Majesty is wise! We had also thought of this before, but the military colonies are nominally under the jurisdiction of the military cabinet. Since it involves the mobilization of a large army, no one dared to make a suggestion on their own. Now that Your Majesty has given your approval, this matter will surely be accomplished!"

They had long wanted to utilize this massive production force, but were hesitant to speak up due to the boundaries between military and political authorities.

Ying Shaoyang nodded slightly and added.

"In addition, people may also be willing to migrate south because the climate in the south is mild and the life is more comfortable, plus some people are reluctant to leave their homeland."

He changed the subject and looked at the military and cabinet members.

"The military colonists should not focus solely on land reclamation. If reclamation is too rapid, resulting in idle land, it would be a waste. The Cabinet and the Military Council can jointly discuss and, during the off-season or when necessary, draw some of the military colonists to participate in other projects that require a large amount of manpower, such as water conservancy, city walls, and roads."

Upon hearing this, Wang Jian and Yang Duanhe of the Military Council frowned almost imperceptibly. Although the main duty of the Tuntian Army was land reclamation, they were, after all, military personnel. Their large-scale participation in civilian projects seemed somewhat... However, Wang Guan, Li Si, and Zhang Juzheng of the Cabinet lit up and readily agreed.

"Your Majesty, we obey! We will certainly discuss the matter thoroughly with the Military Council and allocate manpower appropriately!"

At this moment, cabinet minister Li Si stepped forward and raised a rather thorny question.

"Your Majesty, there is another matter that requires your decision. It concerns the resettlement of Li Yuan, Li Jiancheng, and Li Shimin, father and son. During this migration, the Li family surrendered in the name of subjects of the Sui Dynasty. They did not raise the banner of 'Tang,' nor did they collude with the Turks or establish a so-called 'Great Tang.'"

However... historical records show that two of the three men, father and sons, ascended to the throne and successfully rebelled.

His reputation is immense, and how to handle his situation is quite a thorny issue. Improper handling could lead to trouble or public criticism.

Upon hearing this, Ying Shaoyang recalled the famous "Li Tang" opening combination and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Hahaha...Li Yuan and his son? Interesting!"

He suppressed his smile, a playful glint in his eyes, and said...

"If the Li family has already rebelled, I will simply grant them a title and keep them under control. They won't be able to cause any trouble."

But they haven't rebelled yet, so I can't just pin something that didn't happen on them and convict them of it, can I? Besides, Li Yuan's daughter, Li Xiuning, is already in the palace, and Li Shimin's future empress, Changsun Wan'er, is currently a palace maid.

It is understandable that the cabinet would be unable to act before the Emperor's stance was clear.

After a moment's thought, he made his decision.

"How about this, Li Yuan, after all, was once a powerful warlord, so let's give him the position of prefectural governor and let him make his mark in the local area. Li Jiancheng, let him be the magistrate of any county in the land. As for Li Shimin..."

A hint of consideration flashed in Ying Shaoyang's eyes.

"He was sent to the Imperial Guard and appointed as a military captain."

He explained to Lü Zhi and the others behind him, as well as to the officials in the pavilion.

"In my opinion, Li Shimin is indeed a man of exceptional military talent, but his political acumen and skills are perhaps inferior to those of his son and his future daughter-in-law. Placing him in the army might allow him to achieve more, rather than worrying too much about local affairs or the court."

This arrangement not only provided a way out for the Li family, but also dispersed and placed their key figures, especially placing the ambitious Li Shimin in the disciplined Imperial Guard, which can be described as a painstaking effort.

After dealing with the Li family's affairs, Ying Shaoyang turned his gaze to Wang Jian, Yang Duanhe, and Liu Bang, the Minister of the Imperial Household Department, a faint smile appearing on his lips as he leisurely spoke.

"Surely you ministers have come all together not just to absorb some spiritual energy from heaven and earth in this palace?"

He knew perfectly well that these powerful ministers had come together for something even more important. All eyes in the pavilion once again focused on Wang Jian, Yang Duanhe, and Liu Bang.

General Wang Jian of the Military Academy was the first to step forward. He reported the news with a calm expression and a loud voice.

"Your Majesty, the Military Academy has completed the preliminary list of meritorious generals and soldiers who participated in the expedition against the Sui Dynasty. The detailed list will be submitted to the Imperial Study soon for Your Majesty and the Empress to review."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the pavilion, including the four imperial concubines behind Ying Shaoyang, couldn't help but smile. Who didn't know that the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were the true heroes of this campaign against the Sui Dynasty?

They swiftly cleared all obstacles ahead of time, leaving the main Qin army with almost nothing to do but receive and maintain order when they arrived. They had hardly fought any real hard battles or fierce fights. At this point, the military cabinet's submission of the list of meritorious soldiers did indeed seem somewhat... "formalistic."

However, Wang Jian remained expressionless, as if he were stating a perfectly normal military matter.

Ying Shaoyang nodded in understanding. Military procedures must not be disregarded, and rewards and punishments must be clearly defined.

He spoke.

"General Wang, you have worked hard. Although the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard made great efforts this time, the soldiers of our Great Qin were able to safely escort tens of millions of people to relocate in a short period of time, and bring back a large number of slaves and livestock, maintaining local stability. When reporting, please give them the best possible recognition and praise, so as not to discourage the soldiers."

"Old minister, I obey the order!"

Wang Jian bowed and accepted the order, his mind made up.

That's exactly what he wanted from His Majesty. With that tone in place, things would be much easier for the military cabinet to operate.

Then, Liu Bang, the Chief of the Imperial Household Department, stepped forward with a fawning smile on his face, yet also revealing a shrewd and capable air.

"Your Majesty, I have two requests."

Firstly, nowadays, when building roads, mountains are cleared and bridges are built. The most difficult sections are completed by cultivators of the Nascent Soul stage using magic, which is extremely efficient.

Your Majesty, I intend to transfer most of the slaves under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Household Department to various mines to increase mining operations. As for the ordinary laborers needed for road construction, we will recruit able-bodied men from the populace and pay them according to their work. What does Your Majesty think?

"allow."

Ying Shaoyang immediately agreed.

“Using magic to build roads benefits the country and its people, and the manpower saved should be used where it is more urgently needed.”

Liu Bang's smile widened, and he continued.

"Your Majesty is wise! The second matter concerns the shortage of metal tools. I thought that the mines were dark and dangerous, and prone to collapses, poison gas attacks, and other accidents, so I put slaves in charge of mining inside the mines."

Outside the mine, the work of transporting ore and preliminary screening, while risky and involving constant exposure to dust that can shorten lifespan, is to be undertaken primarily by recruiting strong laborers and offering them generous wages. (End of Chapter)