You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

Having a name indicates that a stronghold is progressing towards becoming a city-state; such strongholds tend to be more astute, or to put it bluntly, more intelligent.

She awaited the enemy's reaction.

Chapter 17 How come your output is so high?

Forest camp.

Its outer perimeter has been built with earthen walls, compacted with grass, wood, and soil, forming a low, square-shaped defensive line.

The interior contains semi-subterranean structures, thatched houses, wooden cabins, and stone buildings...

It provides a microcosm of the history of human housing development.

After years of development, the forest farms and villages that relied on the mountains and rivers for sustenance have gradually developed into city-states. They have reduced their plundering activities and turned to self-cultivation through agriculture, because they could not support a primitive city-state of tens of thousands of people without farming.

"Hurry, reinforce the defenses! Don't you know how strong the Daqian cavalry is?"

"Dig trenches, fill them with water, and plug all the gaps."

"Cheer up, everyone!"

"Damn it, we used to be the ones attacking those small tribes, how come we're the ones cowering like turtles today? This is outrageous!"

"Stop talking nonsense and get to work. You don't want your whole family to be slaves, do you?"

"Can we hold out? I've heard that the ruler of Xiayi City-state is blessed with immortality and is invincible. Their gods have also just descended and frequently manifest their power; they are the real deal."

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.

Although it shook morale, it was the truth; in the summer, everyone saw auspicious clouds covering the sky.

That was a compassionate god, at least not an evil god.

One glance is enough to tell what kind of evil god could summon such radiant light and resounding music across the heavens, and the benefits that the Xia Yi city-state would receive are obvious and plain to see:

Yield.

I don't know why, but the output of metal smelting, grain production, and livestock production was all higher than that of the camp.

They conducted a special investigation and comparison.

There's no need for a special investigation, because Feng Tianyin publishes the annual output of major resources, and the list is getting longer and more detailed. The job of many clerks is to keep records, no matter how small.

These are all publicly available figures, so why is there such a large discrepancy when compared?

"What do the chickens in Xiayi eat to grow up, and why can they lay so many eggs?"

“I’ve stolen their seeds before. They claim to have cultivated them and they do have high yields, but why can’t ours compare?”

"We have even more water for irrigation."

"I'm so angry!"

The forest farm camp was baffled, as they were afraid of comparing prices.

Their learning from the Xiayi city-state went beyond just farming and animal husbandry; they also studied its culture, conscription, and other aspects. They frequently chatted and boasted with people living on the outskirts of the city, so they had a lot of information and their imitations were well-founded.

Those who were building the fortifications couldn't help but sigh, shake their heads, and try to figure it out. They could only attribute it to one thing:

"It is a blessing from the will of Heaven."

The words fell even deeper into silence. If they were to make it clear, wouldn't that imply that the enemy was being protected, while their own side was doomed? How could they be so unreasonable?

As they discussed the situation animatedly, two men on the watchtower behind them also looked worried.

"Chief, if this continues, how can we maintain our morale?"

What's truly remarkable is Xue Yong, the undisputed number one warrior of the forest camp, who hunted countless wild beasts and was always the primary force in clearing the mountains for medicinal herbs. He possessed immense strength and agility; even ten men working together couldn't defeat him.

He is very strong.

But no one knew the true strength of the Xia Yi city-state, since they had never faced it directly.

The camp leader pondered for a moment, resting his chin on his hand, and said, "I will urge everyone not to say anything that could undermine morale, but I can't stop them."

“We must understand Xiayi, or we will be filled with fear.”

"...Do you think we and the Xia Yi city-state are destined for war? It should be avoidable."

"why?"

"Although I've never met Feng Tianyin, I can tell from her style that she's a performance-driven fanatic. Once she personally leads an army, she's determined to win, and she's also very concerned about the losses from attacking a super-large camp. Perhaps we can have a talk."

Are you going to write her a letter?

After listening for half a moment, Xue Yong guessed what the leader meant, and sure enough, the other party nodded.

Upon closer examination, it becomes clear that there are countless camps in the vast plains at the foot of these mountains that were influenced by the Xia people, and people generally understand their language, solar terms, and writing system.

It's incredibly foolish not to write a letter when there's a clear basis for communication.

"Alright."

"You write a letter, I deliver it, and we happen to take a look at Xiayi. But isn't this the first time in history?"

Xue Yong was worried about whether the other party would welcome him or not; what if they chopped him into mincemeat?

The leader smiled and replied, "Didn't the people of Daqian say that this is the most virtuous place under the heavens? Besides, Feng Tianyin has a good reputation and high prestige, and is known as a saint. She will certainly not neglect the messenger and will receive you."

"Have you decided what you want to write?"

"To be honest, I haven't figured out whether it's war, peace, or something else, or what kind of wording to use... my mind is completely blank."

It wasn't because he lacked education, but because the responsibility was immense, concerning the lives of tens of thousands.

In a single thought.

Every word and phrase can determine the course of one's destiny.

The oppressive aura of the Great Qian Dynasty felt as if it were materialized and pressed down on his heart. The high priest who acted as the deity was watching him intently, as if he were looking down at the forest camp along with the gaze behind the golden auspicious clouds. How could he not be nervous?

As the leader, he had absolute authority in the forest camp, but when facing Feng Tianyin, he had to guess her thoughts, which was really difficult.

He had never felt so clearly that fate was in his hands, and the pressure was immense.

How did that guy manage to endure it?

Their own fate was also at stake; if they angered the massive and ambitious Xia Yi, a war would be inevitable. In that case, the relatively weaker side would certainly suffer.

"Alright, stop worrying about it." Xue Yong patted the leader on the shoulder and said loudly, "You write the letter, and I'll take care of the rest."

"...Are you, with your big, burly frame, suitable to be a messenger?"

"You're starting to be picky. Hurry up, after all, Xia Yi is already making preparations."

"I'm not kidding anymore, I'll write it right away."

The Daqian influence area is quite large and involves many people. Any action they take will cause a major stir. They can neither hide it nor conceal it; they are indeed making intensive preparations for something:

Deploy troops.

The best candidates will be selected from those registered in each household, and they will undergo intensive training before being fully armed at the Xiayi Armory.

They will become a sharp blade in the attack on the forest camp.

Moreover, the Daqian people targeted the water resource conflict, believing that the forest camp was diverting some water. That was indeed true; they had even built a small reservoir, but they couldn't simply dismantle it because of any action by the other side.

The two sides are irreconcilable differences over water, labor, and arable land, and are sliding toward war.

However, war was not what the leader wanted, so he first adopted a tough stance, sending a signal to Feng Tianyin:

I'm not someone to mess with.

Seek dialogue again, try to see if a peaceful resolution can be reached—no, it's not that easy. It should be a relatively gentle one, so as not to escalate into a complete defeat.

That's all he can do.

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Chapter 18 Visiting the Great Qian

early morning.

Before most people had even woken up, a troop of fast horses had already gathered at the entrance of the forest camp.

The group consisted of five people, including Xue Yong, who had to be quick-witted and strong. They even chose the fastest and strongest mounts to ensure efficient travel or escape.

They traveled light, carrying only minimal equipment and dry rations.

After all, the entire route is through densely populated areas.

There is no shortage of supply points.

In fact, the distance from the forest camp to Xiayi, the first city of the Great Qian Dynasty, is not far. Considering the former's vast directly administered area, the distance would be even shorter, and it would enter its controlled area much earlier.

Nowadays, people don't have a strict concept of border lines, and it's impossible to supervise them all. They often end up in other areas in just a few steps.

The leader placed a stack of silk in the messenger's hands.

The heavy weight surprised Xue Yong: "Wow, you've really gone all out!"

"We can't let people look down on us. In this kind of occasion, a grand display is necessary. I feel bad for them."

too expensive.

The writing methods prevalent on the Great Plains were diverse, including but not limited to tortoise shells, animal hides, bamboo slips, clay tablets, and papyrus... among which two writing materials were the most unique.

Firstly, the "papermaking technique" bestowed by Heaven is considered the most sacred and is also interpreted as a symbol of encouraging knowledge and enlightening the people.

Unfortunately, Xiayi County suffers from a relative shortage of timber resources and a labor shortage.

The Xuan paper is good, but I can't afford to worry about it right now.

Secondly, the "silk scrolls" woven by the high priest himself recorded detailed weaving techniques and were regarded as national treasures and enshrined in the temple, which can also be considered a kind of writing material.

The term "Da Qian" is interpreted as referring to expensive materials used by human monarchs, representing power and status.

Ultra-luxury goods.

So the leader gritted his teeth and went all out, after all, this was the first letter from a foreign country in the history of the Great Qian Dynasty.

"I understand. Don't worry, I will definitely deliver the letter."