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

Looking at Wei Zhuang kneeling and begging for forgiveness, Ying Shaoyang's eyes flashed with a hint of disappointment, but more so with a sense of determination.

He said in a deep voice.

“You have already admitted your guilt and recognized your shortcomings. The position of Minister of Revenue is related to the national economy and people’s livelihood. Only someone with a broad vision and great courage can be competent. Wei Zhuang, you are no longer suitable to serve as Minister of Revenue.”

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhuang trembled violently. Although he had expected it, he was still utterly despondent and collapsed to the ground.

"Your subject...accepts his punishment..."

However, Ying Shaoyang's next words made him suddenly raise his head, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"I hereby dismiss you from your post as Minister of Revenue," Ying Shaoyang said calmly.

"You are being transferred to Kuaiji Commandery to serve as its governor. I hope that during your tenure, you will thoroughly understand the people's conditions, hone your practical skills, and make up for your shortcomings."

Prefect?!
Kui Zhuang could hardly believe his ears! He had thought that even if he wasn't imprisoned and punished, he would at least be stripped of his post and reduced to commoner status! He never expected that His Majesty would actually give him the position of prefect! Kuaiji Prefecture was a large prefecture in the southeast. Although it was not as prestigious as the central government, it was still an extremely important position within the current territory of the Great Qin. There might be a chance for him to return to the central government in the future!

A surge of exhilaration at escaping a desperate situation welled up in his heart, and a flush of red instantly rose on his pale face. He kowtowed again, his voice choked with emotion but filled with gratitude and determination.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness! I will certainly work diligently in Kuaiji Commandery and live up to Your Majesty's high expectations!"

Ying Shaoyang nodded slightly, no longer looking at him, and turned his gaze to Wang Guan beside him.

Wang Guan's heart tightened; he knew that what was bound to happen had finally arrived.

"Wang Guan".

Ying Shaoyang's voice was devoid of emotion.

"The minister is here."

Wang Guan quickly stepped forward and bowed in response.

"Since I ascended the throne, you have served in the cabinet diligently and conscientiously, which I have witnessed."

Ying Shaoyang said slowly.

"However, the Qin Dynasty has expanded too quickly. Its territory is now vast and its affairs are far more complex than before. Your growth rate can no longer keep up with the pace of the Qin Dynasty."

Wang Guan felt bitter, but he had to admit that what His Majesty said was true.

He has limited abilities and often feels powerless in the face of this vast empire that spans multiple realms, and he is already struggling to handle many affairs.

"I hereby appoint you as the governor of Yunzhou."

Ying Shaoyang made arrangements.

"I hope that during your tenure as governor, you can set aside the trivialities of the court, take charge of the region, hone your skills, and grow as quickly as possible."

Yunzhou is a large prefecture that has only recently come under our rule. The situation is complex, making it a good place to hone one's skills. Wang Guan took a deep breath, suppressed the complex emotions in his heart, and bowed solemnly.

"Your Majesty, I accept the imperial decree and express my gratitude! I will certainly do my utmost in my post in Yunzhou and live up to Your Majesty's expectations!"

He secretly resolved to make a name for himself in the position of governor! Having already broken through to the Nascent Soul realm and possessing a lifespan of over a thousand years, he was absolutely unwilling to live a mediocre life! He believed that as long as he demonstrated sufficient ability, he might have a chance to return to the cabinet and rise to a central position in the future!
Emperor Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng, watched as his son, with a few words, unilaterally decided to appoint and dismiss two important officials. Surprisingly, not a single official, including the dismissed and reassigned officials, raised any objection; they simply accepted the order with utmost respect.

This absolute prestige, where one's word was law and no one dared to disobey, involuntarily stirred up a strong sense of jealousy within him once again.

Even when he swept across six kingdoms and unified the world, at the height of his prestige, the court had never reached such a level!

After arranging matters between the Ministry of Revenue and Wang Guan, Ying Shaoyang turned his gaze to Liu Bang, the Chief of the Imperial Household Department, who was standing at the front of the military officer ranks.

"Liu Bang".

Ying Shaoyang spoke.

"Chen is here!"

Liu Bang was startled and quickly stepped forward, his face full of respect and even a hint of flattery.

Ying Shaoyang looked at him, his tone much calmer, yet carrying a hint of reminiscence and emotion.

"When I first ascended the throne, I had a wish: that every household in the Great Qin Dynasty would have at least one iron farming tool."

However, to this day, this wish remains unfulfilled.

Liu Bang's heart skipped a beat, his smile froze, and he quickly said...

"Your Majesty, it's not that the Imperial Household Department is not doing its job well, it's just that... the army's needs are too great. All the blacksmiths are working almost day and night to forge weapons and armor for the army. We simply can't spare enough manpower to forge farm tools!"

"I understand."

Ying Shaoyang waved his hand, interrupting his explanation.

"Previously, prioritizing the needs of the military was a national policy, and I do not blame you for that."

He changed the subject, raising his voice to ensure everyone in the hall could hear him clearly.

"But now, the situation is different! The weapons and armor I brought back from this campaign are piled up like mountains, as you all just saw with your own eyes! Although the number of Qin soldiers has increased, most of them are now forging and refining weapons and armor more suitable for themselves! The Minister of the Imperial Household Department no longer needs to devote its main energy to this!"

He stared intently at Liu Bang and gave clear instructions.

"Liu Bang, listen to my command! From this day forward, all blacksmiths in the Imperial Household Department shall cease large-scale production of standard weapons and armor for the army and devote themselves entirely to the forging of agricultural tools! Give me your full attention to training blacksmith apprentices and expanding the scale of production!"
"I order you to ensure, in the shortest possible time, that every village in the Great Qin has at least one qualified blacksmith shop, capable of forging and repairing the ironware and farm tools needed for daily life by the people!"

"Your subject obeys the decree!"

Liu Bang was taken aback and quickly bowed in agreement.

He naturally understood what the metals His Majesty brought back meant; they were real spoils of war, and the army would certainly prioritize using the parts suitable for its soldiers.

The metals from the new world were heavy, and the weapons and armor they were made from far surpassed those of the Qin Dynasty. Presumably, the army no longer needed the standard equipment of the Imperial Household Department.

But... just thinking about those old blacksmiths in the Imperial Workshop who had almost gone mad with dedication to improving the quality of weapons, their eyes practically glued to the furnace, suddenly receiving orders to abandon their dreams of forging divine weapons and instead craft hoes, plowshares, and kitchen knives... Liu Bang's lips twitched involuntarily, and he inwardly groaned. This task was probably not going to be easy! Those old guys were likely to cause a huge uproar.

But he had no choice but to carry out His Majesty's decree, even if it seemed like a difficult task.

However, considering the possible reactions of the old blacksmiths and the trouble he was about to face, Liu Bang couldn't help but bite the bullet and step forward, cautiously offering his advice.

"Your Majesty... what Your Majesty just said, ordering the blacksmiths of the Imperial Household Department to do their utmost to forge agricultural tools, showing compassion for the people's plight, demonstrates your lofty aspirations, which I greatly admire! However... there is something I must report." Ying Shaoyang's gaze fell on him, with a hint of inquiry.

Liu Bang swallowed hard and continued.

"Your Majesty, we have already tested the metal brought back from that other world. It is indeed extremely heavy and very difficult to melt. However, once it is formed, the weapons and armor it produces will be of far superior quality to those of our Great Qin in the past!"

The craftsmen of my Great Qin are far more skilled than those otherworldly monsters who only know how to brutally forge weapons. The weapons and armor meticulously crafted by my Great Qin craftsmen using these finest materials are truly divine weapons that can enhance our army's combat power and protect the lives of our soldiers!

He glanced at Ying Shaoyang's face, and seeing that he was not displeased, he mustered up his courage to voice his core concerns.

"Your Majesty, the people... although they haven't used iron farm tools for many years, in the future, the impact may... perhaps not be significant."

But these weapons and armor are a matter of life and death for every soldier on the front lines. The better they are, the greater their chances of survival on the battlefield! Your Majesty... Your Majesty is worried that if all the blacksmiths are reassigned to forging farm tools at this time, it may affect the updating and stockpiling of equipment in the army..."

Upon hearing this, Ying Shaoyang was not angry. Instead, he smiled faintly and took the opportunity to explain to the assembled officials.

"Liu Bang, what you are worried about is the duty of a general, and I understand it."

But do you know that the benefits brought by our Great Qin's slaying of countless otherworldly monsters this time far exceed the mountains of metal you see before you?

His gaze swept across the entire room, and his voice clearly reached everyone's ears.

"The continuous spiritual rain falling in various places is one of them! But the biggest benefit is that all of the more than ten million soldiers in our army who have been engaged in battle have broken through to a new level of life! In addition, I have passed down the method of weapon forging, so the army has no shortage of metal now!"

They could completely rely on their own vital energy and spirit, combined with the massive amount of metal they had captured, to forge their own 'natal' weapons and armor, perfectly suited to themselves and aligned with their will! Their power and compatibility would far surpass the standardized equipment uniformly crafted by the Imperial Guard.

His tone was filled with absolute confidence.

"Now, every soldier in our Great Qin army has one or even several sets of blood-forged weapons and armor, all of which can be called divine weapons! The equipment made by the Imperial Household Department is no longer necessary for them!"

"what?!"

"Everyone breaks through?!"

"Self-forging a divine weapon with blood?!"

Ying Shaoyang's words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly causing huge waves in the court! All the ministers, whether civil or military officials, had their eyes flash with disbelief!
They knew they had won a great victory at the front and had captured a great deal of spoils, but they never expected that the benefits of victory would be so terrifying!
More than ten million soldiers have all broken through to a new level of life? What does this mean? It means that the Great Qin has suddenly gained more than ten million experts at least at the Innate Grandmaster level! Even more terrifying is that they can also forge divine weapons with their own blood!

In an instant, many ministers' minds raced, especially those with school-aged children. They had originally valued elite paths like entering the Royal Military Academy, but now it seemed that even joining the regular army, as long as they survived on the front lines, would grant them such an amazing opportunity! This was practically the best way for a carp to leap over the dragon gate!

'We must send those good-for-nothing boys in the family to join the army as soon as possible!'

'If we're too late, we might not even get any soup!'

'Go back and arrange it immediately, even if it means using connections, get it in!'

Many ministers have already secretly decided that after court, they will immediately begin arranging for their sons to join the military, fearing that they will miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Emperor Qin Shi Huang, standing at the head of the civil officials, was deeply shocked as he listened to Ying Shaoyang's explanation.

Only then did he understand why his son dared to transfer all the blacksmiths in the Imperial Household Department to forge farm tools; it turned out that the army at the front had grown to such a terrifying level!

Just after Ying Shaoyang granted permission for the blacksmiths of the Imperial Household Department to forge agricultural tools, the First Emperor almost naturally put himself in the role of the emperor who ruled the whole country. He took a deep breath, stepped out of the ranks, and spoke loudly, instantly suppressing the whispers in the hall.

"His Majesty!"

The First Emperor bowed with his hands clasped, his posture very humble, but his tone carried an unquestionable firmness.

"Your Majesty, Grand Secretary Ying Zheng, has a matter to report!"

"speak."

Ying Shaoyang looked at him, his gaze calm.

"Your Majesty, the territory of our Great Qin spans several realms, its vastness unprecedented! However, the connection between the north and south relies heavily on land routes, making transportation difficult and costly. I believe that the construction of a canal connecting the north and south is of utmost urgency!"

The First Emperor's voice was powerful and resonant, carrying an air of ambition to change the world.

"If this canal is completed, the flow of goods between the north and south will be smooth, and government orders will be transmitted swiftly. It will bring countless benefits to the country and the people! I humbly request Your Majesty to grant my request and start construction as soon as possible!"

He brought up this matter so urgently for two reasons: first, he genuinely believed that the Qin Dynasty had sufficient manpower; and second, he wanted to show Ying Shaoyang that he, as the retired emperor and chief minister, was wholeheartedly devoted to the public good and had no ulterior motives. He took the initiative to undertake this massive, time-consuming, and labor-intensive project precisely to reduce the emperor's suspicions.

Ying Shaoyang gave the First Emperor a deep look, seemingly seeing through his thoughts, but he didn't point it out, only nodding calmly.

"Granted. The Cabinet shall take the lead in this matter, with the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue working together to come up with specific regulations as soon as possible."

"Your subject obeys the decree!"

With his mind made up, the First Emperor spoke again.

"Your Majesty, I have another memorial to present! I beg Your Majesty to grant the imperial decree to vigorously construct canals and reservoirs in all counties and prefectures throughout the empire, according to local conditions!"

Before Ying Shaoyang could ask any questions, he continued to explain his reasons clearly and logically, demonstrating a long-term vision.

"It is common knowledge that the yield of paddy fields far exceeds that of dry fields."

Now that roads are open and roads are clear, people can travel freely and goods can be transported easily, and the people have ample time and energy. Furthermore, our Great Qin has waged war for years, capturing countless treasures; the gold and silver treasury and the Imperial Treasury have accumulated to mountains! We can seize this opportunity to mobilize the people with these riches to develop water conservancy projects. This will not only store water to combat drought and prevent floods, but also transform countless dry lands into paddy fields, greatly increasing grain production!

He paused, his tone sharp.

"Otherwise, if these valuables are left idle in the vault, what difference is there between them and scrap metal? This would also be a dereliction of duty by the Ministry of Revenue and the Imperial Household Department!"

He knew full well that such a large-scale mobilization of manpower would inevitably lead to a short-term reduction in national grain production. If the granaries were empty before the project was completed, it would be a catastrophe. During the construction process, officials would engage in corruption at all levels, making it difficult to avoid.

But right now, His Majesty has vast wealth at his disposal, and with high-yield seeds like pumpkins being promoted throughout the land, the production of staple grains in various regions has already far exceeded the consumption of the people. There is no need to worry about food for the next few years! If we do not act now, when will we?

As Ying Shaoyang listened to the First Emperor's detailed report, a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes.

He sighed inwardly, thinking, "No wonder he was the First Emperor who swept across the land and unified the world. His vision and courage are truly unmatched."

"Granted."

Ying Shaoyang approved it without hesitation once again.

"Water conservancy is the lifeblood of agriculture, and together with the Grand Canal, it forms the foundation of our Great Qin. The Cabinet will coordinate its implementation, and it should be put into practice as soon as possible." (End of Chapter)