I, a useless prince, started with the Xiang Yu template.

Chu Yun calmly observed the bustling construction site below, his expression serene.

Su Zhe stepped forward and took the initiative to report the current overall construction progress to Chu Yun.

"Your Highness."

"The inner city renovation project has now been fully completed."

"All main roads and secondary streets have been renovated and paved. The underground water supply and drainage network of the entire city has been 100% completed, covering the entire inner city."

"The progress in the outer city new area is also very encouraging. Residential, workshop and warehouse areas are under construction simultaneously, and 30% has been completed at this stage."

Su Zhe raised his finger, pointing to the entire city, his tone filled with heartfelt emotion.

"My subordinates previously estimated that expanding the city to accommodate a million people would take at least a year and a half."

"With the support of a million people, the construction speed is far exceeding expectations."

"At the current pace, it will only take six months for us to completely complete the entire project for both the inner and outer cities."

"At that time, Beiliang will be fully formed, becoming a majestic city in the northern frontier capable of steadily supporting a population of one million."

Half a year.

That would allow us to build a megacity with a population of one million.

In the context of the entire Great Qian Dynasty, this would be nothing short of a fantasy.

But in Beiliang, with a massive influx of manpower, it became an tangible reality.

Chu Yun nodded slightly, a look of satisfaction on his face.

This progress is exactly what he expected.

The situation in northern Xinjiang is tense, and the northern barbarians could invade southward again at any time.

The biggest problem for the development of Northern Liang was time.

The faster he completes urban construction, land reclamation, and military strengthening, the more confident he will be.

He then turned his gaze, looking beyond the densely packed construction sites of the outer city to the boundless suburban plains in the distance.

In the distance, neat and orderly farmland stretches out in rows, covering the entire suburbs.

Chu Yun casually asked, "What is the current scale of the land reclamation and farming outside the city?"

When the topic of land reclamation was mentioned, Su Zhe's spirits instantly lifted, and his tone became even more enthusiastic.

"Return to your highness!"

"As of today, 100,000 mu of fertile land in the outskirts of the city has been reclaimed."

"A total of 160,000 farmers participated in land reclamation and cultivation, with all farmers managed in designated areas and uniformly sown with the improved grain seeds you distributed."

"My subordinates have calculated this based on the grain type data."

"Your Highness's improved seeds are cold-resistant and high-yielding, with a stable yield of around 600 catties per mu. Moreover, they can be harvested three times a year."

"The total annual output can exceed 180 million jin of grain."

"The output of this batch of fertile land alone is enough to feed a million people, more than enough to ensure their daily food and clothing needs."

"We will continue to expand outwards, reclaim more wasteland, and completely resolve all food security risks in Beiliang."

Chu Yun's lips curled slightly upward, and he said in a deep voice, "Very good."

"You've done a good job. Keep up the pace. Focus on both urban development and land reclamation, and don't let your guard down."

Su Zhe quickly bowed: "Your subordinate obeys!"

Chu Yun withdrew his gaze from the distance and turned to look at Su Zhe.

"Come down with me. We won't look from the city wall anymore. Let's go to the streets and alleys inside the city, the construction sites outside the city, and the fields, and walk around and see for ourselves."

Su Zhe immediately replied, "Yes, Your Highness!"

.......

Chu Yun and Su Zhe walked down the city wall.

Follow the wide main street paved with bricks and stones into the inner city residential area.

Compared to its previous dilapidated and desolate appearance, the inner city has now completely changed.

The streets are straight, flat, clean, and tidy, with no litter or sewage flowing everywhere as in the past.

The houses on both sides are arranged in a staggered pattern, with brand-new walls and neat doors and windows.

The streets were bustling with pedestrians, yet not chaotic.

Whether they were long-time local residents or migrants who had moved to the city earlier, their faces no longer showed the numbness and fear of the past.

Instead, there is busyness and the expectation that things will get better.

The two continued on their way, seeing construction workers everywhere they went.

The finishing touches on the inner city construction are still underway, with scattered craftsmen working together.

Some were repairing courtyard walls, some were paving stone slabs along the street, and some were building storefronts for shops along the street.

Chu Yun casually walked to a construction site on the side of the street.

A dozen workers are working together to move long strips of bluestone to pave the sidewalk along the street.

Upon seeing Chu Yun dressed in the everyday clothes of a prince, the workers immediately stopped what they were doing, hurriedly put down the bluestone, and subconsciously bowed in respect.

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

Chu Yun raised his hand, his tone casual, without the slightest hint of arrogance.

"No need for formalities, just keep working."

Upon hearing this, the workers straightened up, but they were still somewhat awkward, their hands and feet unsteady.

Chu Yun's gaze swept over everyone, and he asked, "Is the work tiring every day? Are you satisfied with the treatment the government gives you? Are you able to eat three meals a day? Are your wages paid on time?"

This question struck a chord with everyone.

An older stonemason mustered his courage and stepped forward to speak, his face full of a simple smile.

"Your Highness, I'm not tired at all! Compared to before, life now is like heaven and earth."

"In the past, we craftsmen either worked for the powerful for free or wandered around, often not knowing where our next meal would come from. In years of famine, starvation was a common occurrence."

He rubbed his rough hands together, his tone full of satisfaction.

"Now the Prince's Palace is recruiting workers. If you work for a day, you will be provided with three meals a day, with white rice every meal, and occasionally you can even eat meat."

We get a fixed monthly salary, never delayed. We never even dared to dream of such a life before. Even if it's a little more tiring, we're happy to do it.

Several young craftsmen nearby chimed in.

"That's right, Your Highness! We ask for nothing more than a safe place to stay, enough to eat, and a wage!"

"We only have one thought right now: to build the city as soon as possible and live a peaceful life!"

Chu Yun looked at the group of simple and honest workers and spoke calmly to comfort them.

"Everyone, focus on your work. The Royal Palace will not mistreat anyone who works hard. After the city is built, shops and workshops will open one after another, and Beiliang will only become more and more prosperous. Your lives will get better day by day."

"I assure you that as long as you work diligently, everyone in the Northern Liang territory will have food to eat and a place to live."

A few simple and straightforward words instantly boosted the morale of the workers.

The smiles on everyone's faces widened, and they all expressed their gratitude.

After calming the workers down, Chu Yun didn't linger and continued walking towards the outer city.

Su Zhe followed closely beside him and reported in a low voice.

"Now all migrant workers are uniformly provided with room and board plus daily wages. The enthusiasm of the low-level workers is extremely high, and almost no one is lazy or slacking off."

Chu Yun nodded slightly.

He was very clear about the needs of ordinary people at the bottom of society.

This group of people never asks for much; they simply want enough to eat and wear.

If they are well-fed, secure, and have hope for the future, they can unleash their greatest cohesion.

After crossing the boundary between the inner and outer cities, the two entered the new outer city district.

The outer city was much larger than the inner city, with rows of brand-new bungalows neatly arranged, dividing the area into well-organized residential areas.

A large number of displaced people have moved in, and the streets and alleys are full of life.

Countless laborers were scattered across various areas, building houses, repairing roads, and compacting foundations. The noise rose and fell, and the entire outer city was like a giant furnace, constantly bursting with vitality.

After a brief inspection, the two changed direction and headed straight for the settlement area in the suburbs outside the city.

On the boundless plain, 100,000 mu of fertile land are neatly arranged, with clearly defined ridges.

Countless farmers are scattered across various fields, bending over to weed, irrigate, and check for pests.

Chu Yun walked along the ridges into the depths of the farmland.

The farmers working in the fields quickly noticed them, and one after another stopped what they were doing and gathered around.

It included both displaced farmers and local farmers who had lived in Beiliang for generations.

Chu Yun casually called out to an elderly local farmer who was weeding.

The old farmer had dark skin and calloused hands; he had spent his entire life toiling in the land of Beiliang.

"Grandpa, are these new grain varieties easy to raise?"

The old farmer immediately stood up straight, bowed respectfully, and then grinned, saying, "Your Highness, these seeds are simply miraculous!"

“In previous years, the frost in our Beiliang region was severe, and ordinary grains simply couldn’t withstand it. After a year of hard work, we could only manage to get a maximum of 200 jin per mu. If a cold wave hit, the entire harvest would be lost.”

"The new seeds you gave me are different. They are not afraid of the cold, can tolerate poor soil, and can grow as soon as they are watered. They grow better than any crops I have ever seen."

At this point, the old farmer's voice was full of emotion: "The most important thing is that after the wasteland was reclaimed, the land belonged directly to us. We didn't have to pay rent to the powerful, and we didn't have to pay taxes for the first two years. For the first time in my life, I owned land of my own."

The other farmers around also chimed in with their own opinions.

Chu Yun listened quietly to everyone's thoughts and understood.

Urban construction stabilizes the foundation of people's livelihood, while land reclamation solves the problem of food and clothing.

Ensuring basic needs are met is the simplest and most direct way to win over the people.

In present-day Northern Liang, the local people and the migrants have completely united as one.

Everyone's interests are inextricably linked to the development of Beiliang.

Chu Yun raised his hand, and the noisy crowd instantly quieted down.

His gaze swept over the farmers in the fields, and his voice carried clearly to everyone's ears.

"Everyone can just focus on farming."

"The land acquired through reclamation shall belong to you permanently."

"Improved grain varieties will be continuously distributed by the Prince's Palace free of charge."

"In the future, the Prince's Palace will also open a grain store to purchase surplus grain at fair prices, and will never let the grain that everyone has worked so hard to grow rot in the fields."

As soon as he finished speaking, the farmers in the room erupted in cheers.

Everyone bowed in thanks, and cheers rose and fell, echoing throughout the field.