You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

Daqian can simply occupy the core area that has been developed for a long time.

In fact, she has been gradually diluting the control of the vassal states over their respective regions.

A series of new towns serve as the fulcrum.

They will support another stable vertical management system for the Great Qian Dynasty, and when the feudal system needs to be abandoned one day, they can be smoothly annexed, allowing this land to return to a single banner.

It's even estimated that there won't be any significant obstacles.

In short, Feng Tianyin left the main hall and went to the priest's inner sanctuary where she lived, and the priests had already prepared their finest attire to dress her up.

"Let's begin."

As the most important host of the Heavenly Ritual, one must naturally take great care in dressing up.

In Xia He's eyes, it was just like a dress-up game. With the elaborate and gorgeous sacrificial robes, as well as the embellishments such as patterns and powder, different skin styles were displayed on the spot.

Because they were trying on and changing things as they went.

It's not enough to not actually wear it once and simulate the worship scene slightly, and we also need to consider backup plans.

Feng Tianyin is a numerical and modeling genius. Her body proportions and facial features are impeccable, with the golden ratio, making her graceful and reserved. For her, makeup is not about adding to her charm but about changing her style to show how important the occasion is.

With such natural beauty, she needs no embellishment; even a touch of makeup would make her an absolute beauty.

She was as beautiful as a fairy.

In the context of the Great Qian Dynasty, it should be changed to "appearance like a heavenly voice," but considering the need to avoid using the words of the superior, it can also be said as "heavenly countenance."

Xia He nodded in satisfaction.

She decided to stay here and watch the dress-up game until the festival started, since time would pass quickly anyway.

As Feng Tianyin was changing her clothes, she seemed to sense something and, for some reason, instinctively chose the outfit she was wearing: "This is it, no need to change it. I will wear it to worship the Heavenly Dao."

Upon hearing this, the makeup artists and tailors present were naturally overjoyed.

It's not easy to satisfy the High Priest; it's a source of great pride. This costume design was selected from among the best in Xia Yi.

the other side.

A caravan from a distant southern city-state arrived.

To be precise, they came from city-states in the southern part of the Blessed Plains, and were among those who gradually submitted to Qingzhou. However, this did not mean they were prohibited from engaging in trade. On the contrary, the Great Qian Dynasty always welcomed merchants from afar.

They were eager to take more trade routes.

Both Feng Tianyin and Xia He tend to promote commerce, since agriculture has already yielded enough benefits. There's no need to adhere to the policy of prioritizing agriculture over commerce; everyone can get rich together.

This open attitude naturally attracted a large number of caravans to visit.

However, in the classical era when people and places were closely interdependent, which caravan didn't have an official background? In reality, they were officially selling goods.

More often than not, it's considered errand running.

On the one hand, it was indeed their first time visiting Xiayi and participating in the Heavenly Dao Ritual for the first time; on the other hand, it was also a chance to conduct an on-site investigation.

It's always good to increase understanding; we'll have to deal with each other eventually.

The leader was naturally Chairman Jiang Jing, who was in charge of the "Haiyan Guild," the largest commercial organization in the south.

The importance of salt is self-evident. Over the years, the southern city-states have made a fortune from this trade, and the commercial organizations that have emerged from it have flourished, with the status of their leaders rising accordingly.

His intention was to expand the market.

Although Daqian in the north has some salt mine reserves, the overall scale needs to be expanded.

Are salt merchants only allowed to sell salt? What about some southern specialty fruits? What about pearls? What about coral, seafood, and other things? It's not enough for them to not come and promote these products themselves.

Jiang Jing believes in one principle: business comes from communication.

Let's go first and talk later.

Thus, under his leadership, a large caravan of a hundred people traveled a long distance and arrived in Xiayi.

Organizing the event went very smoothly.

It's easy to guess that this is backed by the support of city-states and nations. They usually cooperate closely with him, but this time they've been a bit more discreet, probably worried that the Great Qian might become wary. Of course, the Great Qian also has various post stations to receive them, so they probably know more or less about the inside story.

"Sigh, I don't understand the roundabout tactics of these big shots."

As Jiang Jing sighed, his companion beside him laughed and said, "We've finally arrived! I'm exhausted from this bumpy journey. We should be able to go into town and find a hotel now."

however.

When they arrived at the city gate and inquired, they learned that:

“Guests, all the inns in the city are full, and some gentlemen have even rented out a few rooms in their mansions. There is simply not enough room for everyone… You should settle in the capital region. The conditions are not much different, but it will be a long journey.”

"I can pay more—"

"Gentlemen, there are too many wealthy people in Xiayi, especially now, but there is always a shortage of influential people. Do you think you can ask them to give up their mansions?"

Upon hearing this, everyone had no choice but to give up, since they knew a little bit of background information.

I can't afford it.

Some of the mansions in the city are ancestral homes, where families have lived for many years, and their wealth has increased significantly over time.

The other part was awarded by the High Priest to those who had rendered meritorious service after the renovation.

Which of these issues can be resolved with money?

The caravan members exchanged glances, and upon careful consideration, they realized the other party's advice was reasonable. They had underestimated the prosperity of Xia Yi. The city was bustling with activity, with a constant stream of people and vehicles. Behind the towering city walls, lanterns and decorations were everywhere, and the air was filled with the aromas of incense and various dishes.

Even knowing it's due to the holiday bonus, one can't help but marvel at its sheer size and meticulous planning. Yes, being packed in like sardines isn't the real skill; there's something even more important:

order.

Amidst the noise, people maintained basic order on the left and right sidewalks, treating each other with courtesy.

They didn't rob anyone on the way when they entered the territory of Daqian.

Isn't being a thief standard practice?

Along the way in the southern region, they encountered many highway robbers who would jump out and shout "Leave money for the road" before being chased away by the guards. They were never well-behaved. But they suddenly disappeared when they arrived in Daqian.

Is this all thanks to the high priest's rule, which brought peace and prosperity to the people?

Jiang Jing urged, "Let's settle down as soon as possible to avoid wasting time. Store all the goods and find a large inn."

He skillfully arranged the work, with one group finding accommodations and the other group immediately starting to make sales.

Selling products is the most important thing.

The purpose of this sea salt trade association meeting is to expand sales channels. They had already contacted the Daqian government in advance, and the latter was very open-minded and allowed them to sell first to see the market effect before further discussions.

The Great Qian Dynasty did not lack salt, but having another consumer good would improve people's livelihoods.

Feng Tianyin always believed that "sufficiency" was just the beginning, and the next step was "more choices," which was what constituted a qualified commodity economy.

She welcomes caravans, but only those with real ability are valued.

Having understood the superior's intentions, Jiang Jing naturally began to lead the team to get busy, as the Heavenly Dao Festival was a once-in-a-decade opportunity.

PS

The bounty period is almost over, and I've almost finished making up for the extra chapters I owe. Now, I'm asking for another wave of votes and even some harsh words!

Chapter 112 Xia He: Do you want a reward? (Please subscribe)

lively.

The first impression of the Haiyan guild caravan is of its people, whose sleeves billow like clouds.

After finally settling in and entering the city, I was surprised to find the roads so crowded and bustling, with countless shops all around. There were sugar paintings, candied hawthorns, and talismans for sale... The aroma of food wafted from a restaurant not far away, and steam billowed into the sky from its chimney.

Every now and then, carriages and sedan chairs would pass by, clearly belonging to important people who were busy on their way.

Even though they didn't clear the area.

Even if the high priest participates in various religious activities, martial law will not be easily imposed or he will be isolated. The emphasis is on enjoying the festivities with the people, and there is no concern about security issues.

What's your rank? Do you think you can just block the road?

Therefore, some people dressed in official robes simply got out of their sedan chairs or carriages and ran away, afraid of being late and missing the appointed time. Although people are usually very tolerant during the Heavenly Ritual, one cannot be too late.

"I guessed there would be a lot of people, but I didn't expect this many."

Jiang Jing bought a fan to cool himself down, and also tugged at his collar to help it catch the breeze, which finally made him feel a little cooler.

The sun shines brightly in the sky.

Although the temperature in Cifu Basin is pleasant in July thanks to the cold air from the glacial plateau, it still has a summery atmosphere, and it's inevitable to sweat when walking around the streets with so many people.

However, my attention was soon drawn to a long line of people.

"The offerings are starting to arrive."

"Judging from the flags, they seem to belong to a vassal state. There are so many of them this time; it's rare for them to be so generous."

"Of course, this is their first time participating in the Heavenly Dao Festival."

"I've heard that those city-states in the south are quite wealthy. I'd like to see how they perform. I hope they're not just empty shells."

"Before the Heavenly Dao, all things are but a pile of mundane things; the key is the High Priest's presiding."

"That's true..."

Even without Jiang Jing asking, everyone was already revealing the information through their chatter, clearly focusing primarily on the tribute from the southern city-state. From a procedural standpoint, their arrival signaled the imminent start of the ceremony.

Everyone was curious and tiptoed to get a better look, but by then the Imperial Guards had already formed a human wall, since the tribute procession could not be disturbed.

Their tall and imposing figures were indeed quite intimidating when they stood there.

Jiang Jing, however, was pondering business opportunities.

"If we also find an opportunity to offer tribute, wouldn't that also help us gain some fame?"

Upon hearing this, the colleague quickly got into the flow of thought and frankly stated:

“Those are all carefully selected high-quality items, with long-term orders. However, the High Priest has never restricted any exclusive items; they are on the ‘List of Proposed Tribute Items,’ which can be considered as reserves. We can recommend ourselves, so why don’t we give it a try?”

"That's right, this kind of encouragement can promote the development of products, it's a good approach."