You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

Let them spend some quality time with their families; there's no need for them to waste time here so close by. As for the large amount of spoils of war, the unloaded baggage, armor, and weapons will be the responsibility of the garrison troops.

The armory was opened, and countless pieces of equipment poured in.

The equipment, which equips a full 5000 elite troops, is heavy and expensive, and must be carefully stored.

The actual process involves first inventorying the items and then categorizing the damage, since it's impossible to have no losses after a fierce battle.

Repair what needs repairing.

Scramble what needs to be scrapped.

These tasks were naturally entrusted to the numerous craftsmen and workshops in Xia County. All relevant units would work day and night to prepare them, since the maintenance and production of military equipment were equally important. If military preparedness was neglected, the country would cease to exist.

It is conceivable that a large number of orders will be distributed to the surrounding craftsmen, which is a great benefit to the technicians.

Xiayi became the nation's number one manufacturing center precisely because of its massive demand.

The happiest people were, of course, those who directly received the honors.

Day 2.

Feng Tianyin proclaimed to heaven and earth from the high altar of the temple and rewarded those who had made outstanding contributions. A group of heroic soldiers, led by Du Shaoqian, stood straight as the high priest discussed and rewarded them one by one.

Her courteous treatment would be a great honor for any person from the Great Qian Dynasty.

Besides, the ground beneath our feet is a temple altar.

Normally, the venue is only open during festivals, major events, and once-a-decade celestial descents. Now, it is open to meritorious individuals, and the High Priest personally presides over the ceremony.

"This will become a precedent in the future. You are the first batch and will be the backbone of the Daqian army in the future."

Feng Tianyin looked at both generals at the same time.

Deng Kaixuan and Zhang Zhongsi joined her in offering greetings and encouragement.

The two men had already considered resigning and understood the signal their boss was sending: don't rush to leave, mentor the newcomers first. They were happy to witness this and naturally attended the awards ceremony together.

This combination itself is giving trust to the new generation, with no doubt between the ruler and his subjects.

Mutual trust.

It's rare to see someone so dedicated to military affairs; only Feng Tianyin has the confidence to not be afraid of having an army and wielding considerable power.

That's why she believed it, and her subordinates were comfortable working.

The Daqian army only needs to focus on victory.

What about the others? Would there be suspicion, exclusion, or wariness in the court? Or even more serious concerns from the monarch himself? Or perhaps his achievements overshadow the emperor? Such things don't exist, since Feng Tianyin has never cared about them anyway.

Therefore, this commendation also represents trust, indicating that the person will be entrusted with important responsibilities in the future, and is a signal of promotion.

What else is there to say? Of course, you should cherish a good leader.

"I would gladly die for my country!"

The soldiers who witnessed the ceremony applauded enthusiastically, filled with both envy and anticipation, as they were witnessing the changes in the leadership of the first generation of the Daqian Army.

After that, the high priest should focus his energy on political affairs rather than personally leading troops into battle.

A chapter of history she started has officially come to an end.

She will also unveil the next chapter, and the future battles of the Great Qian Army will not necessarily be under the protection of Feng Tianyin, but will burst forth with another vitality under the leadership of the new generation of elites, destined to create new achievements and leave a legend.

Feng Tianyin announced, "Let's have a celebration banquet. Everyone has rested for a day and has the energy to eat heartily."

After hearing this, everyone eagerly headed to the temple's dining room.

Although the plaque reads "Royal Cuisine" in the handwriting of the High Priest in his spare time, it was actually usually used as a dining hall. Today, a special feast has been prepared, and these delicacies are a reward, with plenty to eat.

Unlimited alcoholic beverages are available.

What's wrong with having a good time after fighting wars your whole life?

Then, slightly drunk, Deng Kaixuan came over to offer a toast and casually mentioned, "Your Majesty, I want to retire."

Behind him, several older mid- to high-ranking military officers cast questioning glances, while on the other side, clerks sighed at the impending departure of familiar faces.

"You have all suffered some hidden injuries from years of fighting. You've worked hard. Please submit your resignations."

"I will approve a resettlement allowance."

Feng Tianyin accepted generously. In this informal setting, everyone understood the High Priest's meaning. They agreed and let go. The first generation of leaders of the Great Qian began to retire from the military.

She was ready for the new era, and everyone present began to consider stepping down.

After the victory celebration banquet.

After everyone had left their seats, Gegentana walked up with a smile and poured Feng Tianyin a cup of rice wine.

"What? Does His Majesty intend to replace the old with a new generation?"

Even the usually composed high priest rolled his eyes.

"It would be cruel of me not to agree to retirement. It's time to consider a change of leadership at the temple, but it must be done gradually and not too radically. It just so happens to be done during this period of victorious peace."

"Did you plan this all along?"

"I'm always calculating various schedules, there's nothing strange about that."

"In our grasslands, no general ever dies a good death. Only you can be so at ease. They're lucky to have such a good superior. Speaking of which, I've read your Great Qian's historical records. The rulers in those records loved to kill their meritorious officials. Will you follow suit? Or will someone emulate Sima Yi?"

"To generalize from limited information, to know what happened but not why it happened."

"Just kidding."

Gedentana waved her hand, but despite her words, she was very concerned about the transfer of military power, which was why she gave that warning.

Was I being slandered? But as everyone knows, the High Priest is not someone who will waver; he always adheres to a cold, hard logic of living within one's means.

This person won't change their actions because of a few words.

Although Feng Tianyin had the resources to be fearless, her subordinates still had to be careful.

"I'm not saying this for myself, because even without inviolable protection, I am immortal. I'm saying it for some concerned people. I need to deliver the message; I have a responsibility to both my superiors and my subordinates."

Gedentana cleared her throat with a drink, still smiling.

The Great Prophet, with his transcendent status and divine backing, had nothing to fear regarding life or death. However, some priests and scribes had had conflicts with the military to varying degrees. While there was no need for life-or-death struggles, friction among colleagues was inevitable.

Water that is too clear has no fish, and the temple is not so clean that even feuds over power struggles do not exist, which is why there is concern.

Others' comments about Feng Tianyin seem like they're smearing her.

In contrast, Gergentana provides an excellent feedback channel, especially in an informal setting.

"Do not worry."

"The principle of the Great Qian Dynasty is that the Heavenly Dao Sect commands the army. I understand them. There's no need for some people to be anxious for no reason because they don't understand... I guess there are even people in the military who want you to test them, to see if you can make a clean getaway?"

The great prophet swirled his wine glass, smiled without saying a word, his expression meaningful.

“I know who it is. Tell them that everything will be handed over smoothly, and this will set a precedent for future generations.”

Feng Tianyin understood who had conflicts with the military.

For example, Warden Lu Chen had dealt with many soldiers. Although he had the legitimacy to punish lawbreakers, it was impossible for him not to have some reservations. And since the prison was under Li Zhengxuan's jurisdiction, he had a responsibility to sound out the situation for his subordinates.

Similarly, some generals inevitably clashed with their clerks. It's only human nature; how could people in the workplace not dislike each other?

They fear that if they step down, their political enemies will incite rumors and attacks against them.

Those in high positions of power within the circle are vulnerable; even minor setbacks can escalate into major upheavals.

"That's right."

"That's exactly what I answered too."

Gegentana stretched and said no more. The reserved culture of the Great Qian Dynasty is interesting; while it is subtle and elegant, it is also somewhat roundabout. In officialdom, this manifests as insisting on conveying messages directly.

She had already thought about her wording, but then she thought that being more direct would be the same as being honest with Feng Tianyin.

The people of Daqian overthink things, believing that there have always been various issues related to handover since ancient times, but they underestimated the High Priest's control.

The entire army followed her lead, and no one else could be commanded.

Furthermore, the tribes of the northern deserts and the city-states of the south all respected Feng Tianyin, for it was she who had earned her reputation through her own hard work and dedication.

The common ruler of all under heaven.

His achievements were unparalleled, and he was ordained by Heaven.

From the High Prophet's psychic perspective, this person's power skyrockets, constantly amplified by the power of faith. Because of this unparalleled sense of security, the High Priest can delegate authority more readily than any monarch.

Feng Tianyin didn't have much time for idle chatter with Gegentana and quickly got back to work.

Since some people are worried, let's get things done sooner rather than later.

After the celebration banquet, she rushed to the Imperial Study to deal with the backlog of documents.

"You've finally arrived."

They were overjoyed to see their boss return. The reason was simple: even working overtime every day couldn't match Feng Tianyin's workload. It was incredibly arduous, and now they could finally put down their burdens.

"Thanks to you all for your hard work during this period, everyone will be credited and awarded bonuses. From now on, you can take a 3-day vacation."

Upon hearing this, everyone was filled with gratitude, especially the ordinary clerks who were overjoyed.

A three-day holiday is just right, not too many and not too few.

For senior clerks and above, too long a stay would be undesirable, as it would distance them from the center of power and inevitably lead to minor unforeseen events.

There's no one here.

The empty room was actually more suitable for Feng Tianyin to perform, allowing her to work freely.

So she waited for her retirement resignation while picking up the backlog of documents again.

Meanwhile, Gengantana, entrusted with the important task of delivering a message, told the "concerned people" everything and relayed the high priest's response verbatim, ensuring she would act as a reliable intermediary.

She also reassured everyone not to overthink it.

The great prophets may seem detached from worldly affairs, but they actually wield profound influence over all parties, especially the military.

After all, the ideological guidance work for the army, such as faith and purification, was entrusted to the priests, whose main responsibility was discipline. Command was not in the inner sanctuary of the priests, but their influence could not be ignored.

Yeah.

Since this person also gave their guarantee, then there's no problem.