You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

Having been hit by the Siberian permafrost immediately earns it the title of "King of Rotten Land".

Fortunately.

Xia He, as a veteran player, has a set strategy. He usually determines the surrounding environment and plans his development strategy in the ancient and classical eras. The question of where to build a city and where to develop is where his skills are truly tested.

She knew that a fan-shaped area within a 500-kilometer radius would suffice, the only drawback being that the ocean had not yet been discovered.

That was the real goal, symbolizing the richness of the sea, fishing grounds, and salt mines.

But it shouldn't be too long.

The fact that the land parcels further south showed signs of being in the "oceanic monsoon zone" reassured her.

The reconnaissance team should arrive on the coast next year.

That being said, the journey is far from peaceful. You'll encounter numerous barbarian camps, large and small, some of which are already approaching city-state status, and given time, they could very well become nations. While you're developing, others won't stop; that's the matching mechanism of "Civilization Evolution."

One step behind leads to another, and then failure.

Xia He had already reached a conclusion: "Although the barbarian city-states would utilize the ocean, the Great Qian could also develop safely in the basin before setting off."

"As long as it's not a wasteland where everyone is teetering on the brink of life and death, that's fine."

Of course, if someone draws an absolutely terrible card, Xia He will personally intervene to modify the map.

A small opening doesn't count as an opening.

As for the natural transportation routes and strategic hubs scattered throughout the south... they are all meat grinders. If the surrounding areas are also large-scale civilizations, even if tens of thousands of troops are thrown in, they won't make a ripple.

But thinking about it now is a bit of worrying unnecessarily; let's focus on building our core business first.

She withdrew her gaze from the distance.

Those distant camps and city-states haven't been encountered for decades, so there's no need to worry about them too early. This part of the "external exploration" agenda is actually more than half completed; we just need to wait for the summary log to be published before it's over.

Ultimately, the goal is to expand the scale of the Great Qian itself, which is good; let's just honestly farm in the basin.

It's okay to establish a separatist regime in the early stages; we can conquer the world later.

Xia He's attention fell on Cuiwei City, which had become much more prosperous and vibrant in just one quarter.

It's the end of the year:

The December wind swept through the streets like a dull knife. The sky was a somber, leaden gray, and the ground, pressed against the rows of gray-tiled roofs, was already covered in a blanket of snow. Yet, it couldn't conceal the people's joy; a timely snowfall promised a bountiful year, and the atmosphere was peaceful and harmonious.

The freshly steamed buns exude a pure wheat aroma.

In the iron wok for roasting chestnuts, black pebbles tumbled and rubbed against golden chestnuts, making a rustling sound...

Looking out, the countless lanterns and torches cast a warm glow, unlike anything seen in daylight, creating a hazy, dreamlike scene.

The red light flowed across every face, whether old, young, tired, or joyful.

Celebrate the holiday together.

"It feels like something's missing?"

The Great Qian Dynasty has always had the tradition of the Spring Festival, which is one of the most important festivals, along with the Heavenly Dao Festival in summer. However, Xia He always felt that something was missing, even though the relevant legends and myths had already been taught to them.

Suddenly her eyes lit up; the crackling of firecrackers had stopped.

In fact, there were already rudimentary activities involving burning them to burst open, invented in children's play.

But Xia He's ideal was colorful fireworks.

pity.

The gunpowder technology tree hasn't been fully explored yet, at least not on the current scale, but given the current trend, it's only a matter of time before it's developed.

The increasingly loud music caught Xia He's attention; it was a huge float.

Like visiting a temple fair?

Upon closer inspection, it was none other than Feng Tianyin standing on the float! She was dressed in a red ceremonial robe, wearing a crown, and holding a whisk, exuding an air of otherworldly grace as she performed rituals. Combined with the surrounding incense burning and flower scattering, the atmosphere was truly perfect.

After checking the log, Xia He, who was puzzled, finally understood:

Leader "Feng Tianyin" has decided to hold this year's Lunar New Year blessing ceremony in Cuiwei City to appease those moving into new homes.

This move will enhance loyalty within the new city and improve its cohesion and organizational structure.

She was very thoughtful, and as always, she was very proactive and took great action.

here you go!

Xia He immediately switched to the first-person perspective of a passerby.

Looking up at Feng Tianyin on the 10-meter-high float from a perspective that is not looking down but looking up, after a series of rituals, she even sat cross-legged, her balance reaching the limits of human ability.

You're both the emperor and a Taoist practitioner, and you're usually so mysterious and unpredictable. Could it be that you're also...?

He trained his body to resemble that of a crane, and under a thousand pine trees, he read two volumes of scriptures.

As they were pondering this, the float arrived at the temple, which was also the city center area. In the eyes of the Great Qian civilization, it was the core building of a city.

This is determined by the collective consciousness and culture. Although Xia He has the authority to modify it, let them do as they please. Just accept the faith. Otherwise, are we supposed to keep emphasizing "I am not God"? Pure stubbornness.

So be it.

The person Xia He possessed surged towards the rooftop altar along with the crowd.

It's closer than I expected.

Despite the grand scale of the event, Feng Tianyin didn't bring many guards, nor did she request the area to be cleared or isolated, emphasizing her intention to enjoy herself with the people.

In fact, no guards were needed, because although everyone was crowded, they dared not get too close. This was not a scene of a celebrity being greeted at the airport. In people's minds, the High Priest was ultimately the agent of the Heavenly Way, incomparably majestic and otherworldly.

The gray-haired girl put away her whisk, took the incense from the tray of the servant beside her, and placed it in front of the incense burner to pray for blessings.

He muttered to himself, "I beseech Heaven's grace, for five winds and ten rains..."

Is that correct?

To be honest, Xia He, who is not a history major, did not know how ancient emperors prayed for blessings, but the Great Qian Dynasty was the Great Qian Dynasty, and it is normal for different practices to emerge in different historical periods.

"Fine, I'll add some special effects for you guys."

On a whim, she immediately inserted a cheap animation, which was quite stunning from a first-person perspective. Golden auspicious clouds swept across the night sky, followed by a dazzling array of colors.

Fireworks burst forth, their dazzling brilliance spreading across the entire sky.

It wasn't just the blessed basin; it seemed as if the distant starry sky was also bursting into fireworks, illuminating the entire Great Qian Dynasty.

"A miracle of divine intervention!"

The crowd cheered, everyone gazing at the sky, except for one person.

Feng Tianyin turned around in the dim light and spotted Xia He's body in the crowd, as if she could see the soul through the flesh.

She smiled, and only she witnessed it.

Chapter 35 Dalit the Foreman

Spring of the 32nd year of Enlightenment.

The area surrounding Cuiwei City is lush and verdant, with abundant trees, verdant mountains, and the sounds of birds and the fragrance of flowers.

The turbulent stream flows down from the mountains, originating from the far north. The main stream flows from east to west, while several tributaries extend westward to irrigate the Cifu Basin.

Just as the ice and snow melted, the rushing water startled all the animals.

Full of vitality.

The bears, having emerged from hibernation, knew they should swim upstream to find big fish, while deer, wild boars, and others eagerly drank the sweet, mineral-rich water, making them the targets of tigers lying in ambush in the grass... The entire Dragon Vein Mountain was bustling with activity.

The town of Cuiwei at the foot of the mountain is even busier.

A continuous stream of slaves came from quarries and forest farms, carrying tons of materials.

They hunched over, carrying ropes on their backs, almost losing their balance as they pulled with all their might against the massive stone behind them.

The logs at the bottom of the stone slab rolled with a whooshing sound, grinding shallow pits into the ground.

You can imagine how heavy it was.

Although Chief Engineer Sun Shan pioneered the introduction of a series of pulley devices, lever arm torques, and other technologies at the construction site, this era ultimately had to rely on human labor, and there was no room for laziness.

Moreover, his strict and meticulous requirements naturally put more pressure on the slaves.

After all, the name of the project, "Cuiwei City Temple," is of utmost importance.

Feng Tianyin personally went to the site to dig the first cup of soil and perform the blessing ritual for the groundbreaking ceremony. She also personally approved the funding. How could Sun Shan, who was in charge, dare to be negligent?

It must be done well.

The entire Daqian dynasty placed great importance on the construction of temples, which possessed both political and religious attributes. They were a manifestation of the underlying power of theocracy, symbolizing authority, rule, and connection between heaven and earth, and could not be too magnificent.

It is assumed that the will of Heaven will glance and inspect.

Therefore, Sun Shan was cautious and meticulous, carefully reviewing all aspects of data, processes, and progress, and naturally he was also very selective in his personnel choices.

To be honest, he wondered, "Are these slaves really that patient? Don't they resist?"

You need to know that the timeline you've set is pushing the limits of human capability.

Even with troops stationed there to watch over them the whole time, it has to be said that the slaves were very patient and obedient.

admire.

Of course, their obedience was merely a facade. According to reports from spies planted among the slaves, they were constantly plotting their escape. Unfortunately, they never succeeded, and their constant complaining never ceased.

"I'm exhausted, I can't take it anymore."

"Don't you care at all about the lives of the slaves? Such a demanding schedule."

However, all they received in response was the overseer's whip, cracking and whistling through the air before striking their targets, inflicting painful wounds.

"Shut up and get back to work."

In fact, anyone with eyes could see that these slaves were exhausted.

But is there a quantitative indicator to prove that they've reached their limit? If we let them rest, how can we tell if others will follow suit?

How to do?

If the construction schedule is delayed and the High Priest holds them accountable, how many people will be fired? Their positions are at risk; they'll be sent back to farming in no time. In her eyes, only capable and reliable people deserve to take on management roles full-time; otherwise, they should go back to the fields. She doesn't tolerate mediocrity.