You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

The comprehensive and detailed plan revealed her deep-seated desire for control; this mind didn't trust people's hearts, but rather numbers.

She wants to see actual control.

Moreover, if today's contingency plans can be used tomorrow, why can't the accumulated experience be applied to colonies? Just look at this intelligence report from the New World shipping route: "Exploration fleet encounters city-state on islands in the central ocean to the east."

really.

There are indeed islands along the shipping route to the New World; this is the latest news.

Jiang Chaosheng's journey around the world once took him along the continent, and for most of the time he was within sight. While traveling around the world, he also verified the strategic conclusion that "the ocean can lead to every continent".

But that's not enough; sailing completely to shore is too expensive.

Therefore, Feng Tianyin ordered the search for a new route, which resulted in encountering city-states, who could then serve as control nodes.

Unfortunately, there was also bad news:

Ocean exploration fleet encounters marine life, engages in battle and forces the enemy to retreat.

The detailed report indicates whether they achieved successes or suffered losses. After all, it was just an exploration fleet, and it certainly couldn't compare to a proper elite navy. It must have been tough on them.

After carefully reading the battle report, Feng Tianyin deduced that the enemy was deliberately looking for trouble with Daqian, and was lying in wait, right?

He deserves a beating.

"Dispatch naval escorts for reconnaissance; the initial stage of exploring the route must be taken seriously. The accompanying priests should also be prepared, to guard against enemy interference."

The order was relayed to the General Staff Headquarters.

They were overjoyed to receive the order; it was a good thing.

I heard that His Majesty was a little anxious after deciding to colonize and expand, but it turns out that he had sent reconnaissance ships to explore. Since they have encountered setbacks, it is finally their turn to make their mark and achieve great things.

The only regret is that the high priest's orders so far are limited to small-scale operations and do not indicate a full-scale troop deployment.

As the staff was pleased, Feng Tianyin began reviewing the next document.

Construction Plan for Distant-Water Fishing Grounds

The empire was vast and its overseas explorations went far beyond military expansion; that was too narrow a view. It went wherever it could cultivate crops, and fishing grounds were also an area it had always valued.

Deep-sea fish can enrich the dining table, improve habitability, and increase emergency mobility, making them indispensable.

"whaling?"

One of the sub-items made Feng Tianyin frown, and her reaction caught Jiang Bai's attention, who immediately replied:

"Currently, we do have quite a few industries related to whale oil."

For example, oil is a good fuel. Although some marine creatures can provide similar oil as whales, no one would mind having another source, and they would take care of any whales they encounter along the way.

It's a business in the eyes of many fleets.

"Zhuang Qing, we need to legislate to restrict quota fishing. There is indeed an objective demand, but we cannot condone it; we must impose restrictions. However, more importantly, we need to develop electricity."

Upon hearing this, she nodded in agreement, saying that she would do as instructed without commenting on the specific legal provisions.

Feng Tianyin skipped over several documents and went straight to the technology-related ones.

I haven't been paying much attention to it lately.

She would only offer guidance when students reached critical hurdles or bottlenecks; otherwise, she would let the academy develop its own methods.

Science needs creativity; too much guidance will stifle it.

Upon seeing a proposal titled "Direct Current Can Be Used as the Standard Electricity for the Future," I realized I had to intervene; we couldn't afford to take a detour. In fact, the academy has researched alternating current, but the former appeared earlier and is more mature.

veto.

She rejected the suggestion and added a note saying, "Not to be adopted for now; we will continue to study alternating current," as her reply.

I'll go back and study it more thoroughly before making a decision.

Feng Tianyin didn't directly reveal the answer, stating which was superior or what the next application scenario would be. Instead, she let them figure it out themselves. There was no rush; the electrical age wouldn't happen overnight.

It is not a process that can be skipped and developed at will.

It should be said that the productivity paved by the steam age made the later development of electricity and internal combustion engines a natural progression. Now, rushing into research ahead of schedule would only disrupt the plans.

There is a gap between scientific research and application.

Another research-related mobilization report addresses the most practical application: filling one's stomach.

New varieties of sweet potatoes and corn have been successfully developed, exhibiting cold and drought resistance and high yields.

This is not a report.

It is a rigorous paper that covers everything from the experimental stage to cultivation and grafting. It is very detailed and rigorous, and the reading threshold is actually quite high. Many of the technical terms are incomprehensible to non-professionals.

But they knew it would be presented to the high priest, so they didn't need to worry and could just give the most professional paper.

This is one of the reasons why the Temple Group is so efficient.

The opinions given to the top leader by professionals do not need any "translators" or "messengers." This person, who is well-read and knowledgeable in astronomy and geography, can fully understand them.

It can even correct papers.

Feng Tianyin was working on it, and casually approved it by circling and marking it with a red pen:

"The special funds have been approved, and the agricultural department will cooperate with you to expand production and cultivation, and get it into the market as soon as possible. There will be new varieties next year."

The iteration of agricultural products must continue; research should be maintained.

In the eyes of ordinary people, the empire's agriculture was already very successful. It was a miracle to feed almost the entire intercontinental sea world with less than one-tenth of the population. It was the greatest project of the era, allowing tens of millions of people to have enough to eat.

It's more than just being full.

Moreover, every household had surplus grain and frequently improved their diet, with a wide variety of dishes and even meat products readily available.

One of the reasons is that grain was included in the "official monopoly" list.

Handing it over to grain merchants would be terrifying.

Therefore, it received national-level financial support. Although it could have easily made a fortune through its monopoly, Feng Tianyin kept pushing the agricultural sector, urging them to remain diligent and continuously innovate and research new crops.

You can't fool them.

Because His Majesty is a professional, he can tell at a glance whether this is an improved version or not.

Her meticulousness in grading papers silenced countless attempts to deceive. Those who worked at the temple were experts, knew everything about the work, and there was no way they could pass themselves off as competent.

"High Priest, this is the first year we've admitted international students. Would you be so kind as to attend the opening ceremony of Xia Yi University?"

Lu Zhengshu suddenly proposed a schedule.

"good."

Feng Tianyin's concise agreement brought a smile to the faces of everyone in the academy.

........

Xiayi, the first day of school.

This industrial city is shrouded in steam and steel, exuding a cool hue unique to the cutting-edge era.

One after another, magnificent buildings still stand tall, and hidden in the uneven highlands is the history of the city's development. Sacred solemnity and enterprising activity coexist, intertwined in the birthplace of the great river civilization.

Their silhouettes, set against the backdrop of the Dragon Vein Mountain, complement each other beautifully, making them appear even more majestic.

It is said that, judging from the map, the city is surrounded by a tiger crouching and a dragon coiling.

Nan Yuan believes it goes beyond just the map level.

She arrived by train, and ever since the Dragon Vein Mountain came into view, she had been peering at it intently, watching it grow larger and larger, which felt incredibly oppressive.

The phrase "surrounded by a dragon" probably describes how people in ancient times felt living in such an environment.

Even this so-called ancient times only lasted about a hundred years.

Ugh!

The steam train hissed, its speed slowing with a series of whirring sounds, the entire carriage swaying and creaking. Even the chairs under the south mast shook, a symbol of freedom.

Wu Tong, a senior student I met on the way, yawned and shook her head as she lifted her blindfold.

"We've arrived. It's been so bumpy, and I'm so suffocated."

"I think it's alright."

"Didn't you say it was your first time riding a train? That's what novelty is like. But if you ride it often, you'll know your butt will hurt."

Nan Yuan came from Salan to study in Xiayi, where there was no railway yet. Although there was a freight railway serving grape, sugarcane, and banana plantations, it was very rudimentary and a completely different experience from the passenger journeys here.

They exist solely for transporting goods, with no consideration for comfort whatsoever.

Presumably because it was built by a company, it is far inferior to the official design standards of the temple.

"I'm not tired of it yet, I should definitely sit more."

Wu Tong opened the window and took a breath of familiar air. As the train gradually slowed down, the scenery became clearer, stretching from the wilderness to the train station, a bustling urban area with crowds of people.

60 kilometers per hour.

This was still the result of its initial slowdown. After years of improvements, even steam trains could run at high speeds under the Daqian technology, connecting the north and south more efficiently.

The two watched as the lines of the surrounding scenery gradually smoothed out, eventually bringing them closer to the platform.

Ugh!

With a piercing shriek, the steel behemoth stopped moving.

The passengers gradually began to move around, but there weren't many people in the outer corridor, as this carriage consisted of luxury suites that very few could afford. One could even push the seats together and lie down for a nap—a rare level of comfort in this day and age.

Most people chose seated tickets, and some even had to sit for several days, which was indeed exhausting.

They were quite wealthy.

Senior Wu Tong comes from a shipbuilding company in Qingzhou with a long history. Through the royal family and the Daqian Dynasty, she still chose the right leader and was able to expand in emerging markets. The speed at which she accumulated wealth was the same as the expansion of productivity in the industrial era.

As the empire continued to expand its overseas sphere of influence, the first sector to receive the influx of funds was undoubtedly the shipbuilding industry.

Moreover, Wu Tong's business extends beyond shipbuilding; it also involves foreign trade.

While traveling on the train, I chatted with my junior, Nanwei, and learned that we had some business dealings.

The latter was born into the nobility of the Salan Kingdom.

For most people in the Great Qian Dynasty, the impression is of terms like "pirate wars," "vassal states," and "plantations," and they think of them as nothing more than accessories to the empire and not worth mentioning... That's true, but not entirely accurate. In fact, the nobility were the first group to reap the benefits.