You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

Feng Tianyin has been a high priest for many years. Most of her elders and peers have passed away, but her relatives still exist and are doing well. In reality, it would be more reliable to let them be enfeoffed; otherwise, it would just be a political maneuver.

She will reclaim her fiefdom sooner or later.

"The High Priest is now completely under the control of Heaven and no longer has any clan influence. This is something that must be clearly understood in the Great Qian Dynasty, so don't talk nonsense."

In fact, Feng Tianyin had long since broken away from the family, and other distant relatives dared not attach themselves to her.

Because it is backed by the will of Heaven, it will belong to Him after resurrection.

The same reason.

Gegentana was also self-aware, so while correcting the statement, she pointed out: "Even if you enfeoff your relatives, after five generations, won't they still be a group of strangers? Don't think that far ahead. Just do your job well. Your current wealth and honor are enough."

"You must have arranged Bayar, right? Thank you, otherwise I might have lost my composure."

"It wasn't me, I don't know."

She quickly waved her hand, then laughed heartily and left.

Two days after returning to the inn, Erbala received another summons, this time regarding the investiture ceremony.

That's really efficient.

As long as you're in Xiayi, you can feel that the temple's higher-ups are always operating at breakneck speed, with everything being handed over smoothly. Just like now, it's been prepared in just a few days. What else can you do? Everyone gets what they need.

He and a group of khans were bestowed titles in a ceremony presided over by Gegentana.

Feng Tianyin was responsible for praying for the Heavenly Dao.

The entire process was efficient and concise. From now on, it would be a relationship between a suzerain state and vassal states, and a new order would rule the grasslands.

The ceremony proceeded in an orderly manner, with all civil and military officials present to offer their congratulations. Most of the Khans were all smiles, and even after it ended, they were still happily discussing amidst the delicious food.

"From now on, I will be a regional lord, even more powerful than the city lord."

“My children can also inherit, isn’t that more reliable than a clerk? Even if the high priest has to choose, they are still my bloodline.”

"Truly benevolent governance."

"If I want to expand the grasslands, I'll first clash with those surrounding camps and teach them a lesson..."

As expected, everyone began to imagine the magnificent future.

Erbala knew it wouldn't last long, but he wasn't one to spoil the mood. Just as Gegentana advised, what was there to worry about? Even within the timeframe of High Priest Feng Tianyin, it was all subject to her control.

He thought carefully and realized that the wealth accumulated by the vassal states was enough to protect his descendants.

As for the related cases in Linchun, all the clerks involved were recalled in the transfer order from Xiayi. These cases will corroborate the feasibility of "enfeoffment".

Political decisions require a legitimate reason, and now we've all won.

Everyone felt they made a profit.

--------

The day after the investiture of the vassal states.

The permanent senior clerks finally returned to their offices, and even after starting to review documents, they couldn't help but grumble a few words:

"Finally, we got rid of those country bumpkins. They're a bunch of ignorant fools."

"He has no manners when he eats; he can't even use chopsticks properly."

"Their generation is beyond saving. They're so old, there's no hope of change. Let's wait for the next generation."

"If you ask me, the hostage sent here should be properly educated, and then he can inherit the fiefdom."

"That's how you do it..."

The temple's leadership was very clear about the entire plan, reaching a consensus at the outset. In fact, the overall strategy was quite far-sighted, having already taken into account all the forces on the grasslands.

Did none of those Khans realize the risks?

A calculated scheme.

This is the essence of the feudal plan, because at that time they would certainly have more autonomy and more resources, thus enabling them to expand rapidly.

It can also protect one's descendants and pass on the throne, offering numerous benefits, so there's simply no reason to refuse.

Even if you refuse, there will always be someone who agrees.

The Great Qian had long understood this mentality of seeking only a corner of the country, and its specific strategies struck at their vital points, firmly controlling them. That's why they dared to hand them over with peace of mind. As for whether they might raise a tiger to cause trouble?

To be honest, they don't care about protons; in the end, it all comes down to ability. They only consider one thing:

Big fist.

Besides, do you have the protection of Heaven? If not, you lack legitimacy.

The Great Qian Dynasty, where deities exist, truly emphasizes the concept of "the mandate of heaven." While the feudal lords may appear united in name only, it is unlikely that they would directly rebel against Feng Tianyin, as that would be an outrage against both gods and men, and everyone would have the right to kill her.

Therefore, the temple's higher-ups were quite at ease.

Letting them run wild on the grasslands for a while can save money, killing two birds with one stone.

Little did they know that Feng Tianyin's considerations were actually much simpler and more direct:

Consume the bonus.

Don't forget the characteristics of the [Emperor's Feudal System], which can increase the development efficiency of the additional vassal states. It has high versatility, high priority, and good results. This perfectly aligns with the strategic goal of "expanding territory rapidly" as instructed by Heaven, allowing for swift expansion of territory.

Therefore, she chose this convenient gain to pave the way for the early classical period and to speed up efficiency.

"Speaking of which, don't any of you care about the fiefdom?"

Feng Tianyin's question silenced the entire study, and her subordinates all turned to look.

"Don't you even have the expectation of applying for a fiefdom for me? Let me tell you, the fiefdom will definitely be taken back in the future, but if managed well, it's easy to ensure wealth and prosperity for generations."

She was quite puzzled by this.

Could it be that I have misjudged the general trend again?

"Your Majesty, we want to be citizens of the Great Qian Dynasty, we always have been, and we always will be. How could we accept a fiefdom?"

"Yes, let whoever wants that become a feudal lord."

“I grew up under the protection of the Heavenly Dao, how can I easily give it up? Even if we acknowledge the Great Qian as our suzerain state, it still feels like a separation from the family. If my father heard about this, he would definitely beat me to death.”

"That's right, those grassland people had no other way to go because they didn't have the necessary conditions."

"I'm not being formal with Your Majesty. To be pragmatic, being a regional warlord certainly offers better treatment, but isn't there more power in serving you?"

“Those ignorant people simply don’t understand that the core of the Great Qian Dynasty has always been the High Priest.”

The permanent clerks spoke their minds freely.

My boss isn't a tyrant, nor is he a riddle-maker who makes people guess his intentions all the time. We get along well, so of course we speak frankly.

It's more advantageous to stay.

This conclusion can be reached with a simple weighing of factors, which is perfectly reasonable.

Moreover, as many clerks have said, simply entering the temple to work is an honor to one's ancestors, a stroke of good fortune. Yet you say that being granted a fief and running away, even to become a feudal lord, is considered by the people of Daqian to be a departure from the Way of Heaven, and is simply unforgivable.

Without a ruler or father, abandoning the country and the family.

Returning to one's hometown would result in being expelled from the official register, so the high-ranking officials of the temple were naturally not interested and saw no need for it.

"Therefore, enfeoffment should not be used to reward nobles, but should be used as a means of uniting the people."

Feng Tianyin readjusted her strategy.

This means that we should build the grasslands into a successful demonstration zone, so as to advertise and attract other assimilated city-states to accept the fiefdom. This is the most efficient way to play the game.

correct answer.

She immediately began issuing propaganda orders to spread the word.

The rest will not be accomplished overnight; the development of the vassal states beyond the Great Wall and the establishment of the new city in the south will both take years. Although Heaven and she chose the military-oriented strategy bonus together, it will not be wasted.

"Pass on my military order: have the border troops cooperate with the actions of the northern vassal states to sweep through the surrounding areas."

"Yes, sir. I will send the message immediately."

Feng Tianyin's actions quickly stirred up a storm in the surrounding area.

There were discussions in various cities across the country, and even those who had received rumors of enfeoffment earlier were shocked by its actual implementation.

After all, this is an unprecedented large-scale new policy, so it cannot be ignored.

Big news!

After the news spread, it was gradually confirmed that a total of seven vassal states, large and small, were enfeoffed on the grasslands. Among them, Erbala in Linchun was the largest, and the other large tribes also obtained the title of vassal.

They formed a completely new class within the political ecosystem of Daqian: vassal states.

Moreover, they could appoint officials at their own discretion.

Although the appointment and removal of officials under the feudal lords followed a strict logic, many positions were left vacant, so the intellectual class naturally welcomed it and praised the enfeoffment system.

The reason is simple: many landlords and nobles would not allow their children to only be sent to the officialdom of the Great Qian Dynasty to gain seniority.

More paths mean more opportunities.

The environment outside the Great Wall is a bit harsh, but that doesn't matter when there's an opportunity.

As a result, a considerable number of scholars went there, and the Khans who had been enfeoffed as princes understood that they needed people to do things, so they naturally treated scholars with respect.

The two sides hit it off immediately, and things seemed to be thriving.

Feng Tianyin also exerted influence behind the scenes, as she once faced a dilemma: to develop the grasslands, she needed to send talented individuals. However, sending them from the established system of the Great Qian Dynasty would result in unnecessary losses and could even lead to negative consequences, as evidenced by the recent major case.

The enfeoffment of feudal lords.

The dilemma was resolved on its own.

Some talent has indeed flowed to them, and their enthusiasm is guaranteed without taking up funds from the regular staffing quota.

You will bear the profits and losses yourselves, and in the end, the fruits of construction will return to Daqian, achieving multiple benefits in one fell swoop.

So she was actually encouraging and spreading the word, getting some nobles and landlords to invest, making them willing to contribute money and funds, and all of this was achieved through the "enrichment effect of enfeoffment," which would speed up the process.

However, Feng Tianyin did not think things would be that simple.

The Heavenly Dao had previously issued a warning, and the expedition team had indeed discovered that subspace pollution was brewing in the Arctic Circle's periphery.

Therefore, she instructed them to remain vigilant.