The imperial court is ceding territory from our northern border? Then we'll rebel!

"take over?"

Shen Wanqian's eyes lit up instantly when he heard those two words.

He was a businessman, and while he respected violence, he wasn't an expert in it. But the moment he heard words like "receive" or "business," his abacus-bead-like mind immediately started working at lightning speed.

"Does Your Highness mean... that instead of annihilating them all, we should turn the entire grassland into our Great Yan's... property?" Shen Wanqian asked tentatively, using a word he was most familiar with.

"That's one way to understand it." Xiao Jingchen gave him an approving look.

Talking to smart people is effortless.

"Ashina Sun is dead, but the grasslands remain. Millions of herders are still here. If we slaughter them all, or drive them to desperation, they will turn into countless bandits, plundering everywhere. In that case, even if we occupy this land, we will only have a mess that will never be peaceful. We will be forced to station heavy troops here and carry out year after year of suppression, and the money and food we spend will be a bottomless pit."

Xiao Jingchen stood up, walked to the map, and slowly traced his finger across the vast grassland.

"Killing is the simplest, but also the most foolish, method. That's not what I want."

He looked at Shen Wanqian with intense gaze.

"I want you to use your 'Business Division' to take over the entire grassland."

Shen Wanqian's face trembled with excitement, and he quickly bowed, saying, "Please give your instructions, Your Highness! This humble subject will gladly die for you!"

"The first step is to appease them." Xiao Jingchen held up one finger. "You immediately organize a force, taking all our food and supplies, to contact those small and medium-sized tribes, especially the elderly, weak, women, and children abandoned by Ashina Sun. Tell them that I, Xiao Jingchen, only kill Ashina Sun and his loyal followers. As long as they lay down their weapons and submit to the Great Yan, they can not only live but also receive enough food and salt to safely get through this spring."

"Wherever our army passes, looting and abuse of women and children are strictly prohibited. Anyone who violates this rule will be punished according to military law without exception!"

This order surprised even Shen Wanqian.

In his view, rewarding the army after a victory and allowing the soldiers to loot was a matter of course. Why would the prince issue such a strict prohibition?

"Your Highness, the soldiers have fought valiantly, and I'm afraid some of them might have some complaints..." Shen Wanqian cautiously reminded him.

"Complaints?" Xiao Jingchen sneered. "I will remember their contributions. When we return to the capital, they will be rewarded with titles, land, gold, and silver—nothing will be spared. But on the grasslands, they are the royal army, here to liberate these herders from Ashina Sun's tyranny, not to be bandits."

"I want every grassland dweller to see clearly that following Ashina Sun means only hunger, cold, and death. But only by submitting to my Great Yan will they have warm tents and an endless supply of cattle and sheep."

"The hearts of the people are the strongest fortress. Shen Wanqian, do you understand?"

Shen Wanqian was shocked. He looked at Xiao Jingchen with unprecedented admiration in his eyes.

He got it.

I understand completely now.

Your Highness, this is no longer a war, this is a psychological attack!

He wanted to eradicate the hatred the grassland people had for the Great Yan from its very roots, and instead make them dependent on, or even grateful to, the Great Yan.

This method is hundreds of times more sophisticated than simple military conquest!

"This humble subject understands!" Shen Wanqian nodded emphatically. "This humble subject will go and do it immediately! I guarantee that Your Highness's reputation for benevolence will spread to every corner of the grasslands!"

"That's the first step." Xiao Jingchen then extended a second finger. "The second step is differentiation."

"Those tribes that have come to our aid, such as the Black Wolf and Vulture tribes, should be richly rewarded. A portion of the cattle, sheep, and valuables seized from Ashina Falcon's court should be allocated to them. Let them know that there are benefits to being 'guides'. Furthermore, their leaders should be appointed as 'thousand-household commanders' and 'hundred-household commanders' of our Great Yan, and let them manage the other herders on our behalf."

"However," Xiao An-jingchen changed the subject, "we can't let them dominate. You need to create competition among them. This tribe should get a little more, that tribe a little less. This chief's rank should be higher, that chief's lower. Let them supervise and check each other in their competition for our 'favor'."

"What we need to support is a pack of obedient dogs, not another wolf that can't be fed."

Shen Wanqian broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this.

He discovered that the prince was a born master at manipulating power and people's hearts.

The leaders of these grassland tribes were all unruly and ruthless, but under the prince's arrangement, they would likely be manipulated at will, and in the end, they would all be grateful to the prince.

"This humble subject has taken note!"

"The third step, fusion." A more far-reaching light shone in Xiao Jingchen's eyes.

"Once the situation stabilizes, the Commerce Department will establish permanent trading posts on the grasslands. We will use our fine silks, porcelains, and spirits to exchange for their warhorses, cattle, sheep, and furs. We must make them accustomed to our goods and inseparable from our trade."

"At the same time, we will open schools to teach their children to speak Chinese, read Chinese characters, and learn the etiquette and culture of our Great Yan. In ten or twenty years, their descendants will only know about Great Yan and not about the grasslands."

"I will make the term 'grassland people' disappear completely from the annals of history. From this day forward, they will have only one name—the people of the Great Yan!"

After Xiao Jingchen finished explaining his three-step plan, Shen Wanqian was completely stunned.

Looking at the man before him, he felt that he was not facing an ordinary person, but a chess player of unfathomable depth who had a grand vision for the world and a long-term perspective.

To appease them is to save them.

Differentiation is about controlling one's mind.

Fusion is to annihilate its soul!

Once these three steps are completed, the grasslands will have no chance of resistance and will become an integral part of the Great Yan Dynasty.

"Your Highness... Your Highness's foresight is beyond words..." Shen Wanqian stammered, utterly overwhelmed by the magnificent blueprint.

"Go do it." Xiao Jingchen waved his hand. "I'll give you the highest authority. If you need manpower, I'll deploy troops. If you need money, I'll have the rear supply more. I just want one result."

"Yes! Your Highness, rest assured! Even if it costs me my life, I will definitely accomplish this for you!"

Shen Wanqian bowed deeply, then turned and left with a mixture of excitement and awe.

He knew that he was participating in an unprecedented feat worthy of being recorded in history.

Watching Shen Wanqian's departing figure, Xiao Jingchen's gaze returned to the map.

Ashina Sun is dead, and the "Wu" of the grasslands has been pacified.

Shen Wanqian is gone, and the "literature" of the grasslands is about to begin.

So, next up is the capital city.

He sent Ashina Sun's head back not just to report the victory.

It was also meant to serve as a reminder to those clever people in the capital who still couldn't see the bigger picture.

Even Ashina Falcon, who roamed the grasslands, met such an end.

You should all weigh your own worth.

He picked up a pen and wrote a letter on a blank sheet of paper.

A handwritten letter addressed to the young Emperor Li Chengqian, who was far away in the capital.