You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

Chapter 55 Loulan (Please continue reading)

Loulan.

As a city-state located more than 800 kilometers away from Xiayi, it should have been the safest, with a clear direction for both advance and retreat, and the ability to both attack and defend.

However, the entire city is now shrouded in fear.

Chaos reigned at the city gate.

A significant portion of them were refugees fleeing their homes, bringing their families with them. They wept and emaciated, desperately seeking a place to stay, or simply returning to the grasslands to resume their nomadic, hunting, and fishing lifestyle.

There will always be some stubborn people who reject the Great Qian Dynasty, and even a wise and sagacious ruler like Feng Tianyin cannot please everyone.

In the eyes of a few, she is even the spokesperson for an evil god.

Since they were unwilling to accept it, they had no choice but to seek refuge elsewhere. Thus, a large group of people headed to Loulan, adding a great deal of burden to the already impoverished city.

"Please, let me into the city."

The guards could only remain stern in the face of pleas, allowing only those with assets to enter.

otherwise.

The only option was to expel them. After all, there was no shortage of political pressure within the city itself, and even accepting only wealthy people had sparked fierce resistance, as the protesters on the other side of the city gates were shouting:

"You stinking outsider, you've come to our Loulan to beg for food."

"Just live your own lives well. We shouldn't get involved in the war and cause so many people to sacrifice their lives in vain."

"Don't accept these guys, they'll definitely attract the Great Qian."

For most of the time, the local people were somewhat xenophobic and isolationist. Since they were far from the core of civilization on the Great Plains, they relied on desert agriculture and trade to make a living. They were neither rich nor rich, but they managed to get by, which deepened their local identity.

It is enough to admire one's own beauty in solitude.

People were filled with resentment and indignation over the consequences of this hasty and unsuccessful war.

The streets were filled with shouts, pushing and shoving, and the neighing of horses... If the refugees hadn't diverted their attention, they probably would have stormed the city hall long ago.

Even so, the city lord was not without worries.

Despite being the local tyrant of this region, he looked deeply troubled, because the battle reports he submitted all focused on one thing:

failure.

The allied forces, which had lost their main force after the flash flood in the canyon, did put up a fight. After Kangguo fell, they sent probing armies to distant city-states and small towns, including Loulan, but all of them were defeated without exception.

The biggest takeaway was that it brought back extremely bad intelligence:

The Great Qian Army is aiming its sword at Loulan.

Feng Tianyin's ambition was obvious; she wouldn't stop until she had completely crushed all the participants in this allied force, and her expedition hadn't stopped for a month.

"Ke Rong, based on your understanding, how far does she intend to go with the violence?"

The city lord cast a pleading look at his most trusted subordinate. Although young, he was exceptionally capable; the allied forces would not have been able to organize without his persuasion and command. Moreover, he was utterly loyal and far-sighted.

"The goal is the more distant western trade routes."

"That far? We're just using camel caravans for trade, which takes a year or two at a time. They'd probably be on the other side of the continent by then. What's the point?"

“A distance that is too great would render any form of rule meaningless, but Loulan, as the first stop, is very important. Feng Tianyin’s considerations are strategic; since the war has already begun, the security barrier in her mind must be completed before it will end.”

"us?"

"Correct."

"Our army has suffered defeats all the way. According to the battle report, the Daqian army is still advancing. We are about to fall."

The city lord's worried words received no response.

The subordinates kept their eyes down, unable to respond. Some decisions had to be made by the leader, who had no choice but to take responsibility.

"You should try to negotiate better terms."

Suddenly, Ke Rong spoke up: "In Feng Tianyin's eyes, the most important thing is the population, and the continuous projects and arable land that come with it. As long as we follow her basic orders, and allow the city-state to be as autonomous as possible, that will suffice."

"She's good at cost calculations and won't fight a tough battle so far away."

Upon hearing this, the city lord nodded, seemingly lost in thought, and said:

"All right."

In fact, everyone present deliberately ignored one point: the role of the Way of Heaven.

According to intelligence gathered along the way, as long as a city is completely taken over by the Great Qian Dynasty and Feng Tianyin has presided over a worship ceremony, everyone will devoutly join in.

That's a bit scary, isn't it?

They exchanged a glance, still intending to discuss the matter, when a messenger burst in:

"Report, the scouts have confirmed that the Daqian army is about to arrive."

Everyone immediately became restless. Now was not the time to dwell on minor details; the slightest misstep could lead to war. Loulan, being small in size and lacking in strategic depth, could not withstand the attack, and its city walls were far less fortified than those of other territories.

Everyone looked at each other, and finally the city lord gritted his teeth and made a decision:

"Let's welcome them."

These words signify that the tide has turned and the enemy has given up. There is no room for struggle in the face of the enemy's iron hooves, so it's better to make it quick.

The two sides soon met at the city gate.

The Loulan people, who had just been shouting various xenophobic remarks, fell silent and obediently stood aside, becoming harmless background figures. If they accidentally met the wary gaze of the Daqian soldiers, they couldn't help but shrink back.

The armies that had conquered along the way were filled with murderous intent, and the pressure they exerted was like a mountain.

The city lord bowed and said, "We are willing to join the Great Qian Dynasty."

"Those who understand the times are wise."

Feng Tianyin had gotten used to the process and was too lazy to waste words. In fact, she had already gathered information to confirm the situation here, so the other party's choice was not hard to understand.

Located in a vast desert oasis, it has limited range and lacks natural barriers, making it fragile and easily destroyed.

Being a fence-sitter is a more suitable choice.

Even the wise envoy Ke Rong would have suggested the same. Lost in thought, she glanced at him; he bowed deeply, utterly convinced, and only hoped that Loulan would be treated well.

"Do you wish to hold a sacrificial ceremony?" the city lord asked.

"It will take some time to prepare, so let's not rush into the city to avoid disturbing everyone. I'll wander around for a bit."

The group quickly followed.

Feng Tianyin rode her horse to a high place and looked out to the distant west.

Beneath my feet lie the Singing Sand Dunes, where the sunlight before dusk is gentlest, neither harsh nor dazzling. The wind has smoothed the sand with unparalleled fineness, leaving every ridge and slope smooth without a single wrinkle.

The hustle and bustle fades away, and the world is simplified into a multifaceted structure of lines and planes, with a hazy mirage faintly visible in the distorted view of heat.

In an era when transportation and information were underdeveloped, people were curious about the other side of the desert as much as they were curious about the starry sky.

The gray-haired girl dismounted and picked up a cup of yellow sand.

It's very warm.

It is as delicate as water and as warm as jade. You can't hold onto it; it just slips silently through your fingers and then merges into the wind, carrying your curiosity to the distance.

"...This is the border of the civilized world."

The city lord replied, "Indeed, although camel caravans have crossed the border, it is a perilous journey with a nine-out-of-ten chance of death. For thousands of miles ahead, it will be a forbidden zone for life. Perhaps for another thousand years, this place will also be the natural border of the Great Qian Dynasty."

"No, we will always search, until we reach the end of the known world."

PS

Following along means that dear readers, please kindly click on the latest chapter; the author is begging you!

Chapter 56 Thunder and Rain (Please continue reading)

After a brief moment of admiring the scenery and expressing her feelings, Feng Tianyin took over the city, having already become quite adept at the process.

Thanks to the good reputation that the Daqian army had earned by not committing any offenses along the way, people were relatively accepting of it.

The situation is more powerful than people.

Since I've already been forced to join, I can only compare the benefits.

To be honest, looking at the known world, the high priests, if not exactly law-abiding, are at least exemplary benevolent rulers. Compared to some "anthropomorphic" rulers in some barbarian camps, they are moral paragons.

Even disregarding the influence of top leaders, Daqian was an excellent choice, given its advanced technology, abundant food supplies, and plentiful resources.

Humans are the most adaptable social animals and can always convince themselves.

Feng Tianyin had already summarized this point.

Therefore, she tried her best to maintain a good image along the way, and even sent people to join the fleeing crowd to promote the "superiority of Daqian" in order to improve her impression. In fact, the effect was quite good.

It saves a lot of effort.

The long expedition, which lasted for a month, was extremely expensive, with 2000 people spending money every minute.

If a large-scale war were to break out, the consumption would be even more staggering.

Fortunately, under Feng Tianyin's strict overall planning and management, and through a combination of soft and hard tactics, they were eventually persuaded to join.

Once you join, you won't have a choice.

Those who do not understand the power of Heaven will be like the forest camp of yesteryear, dreaming of "feigning submission and then secretly disobeying," but in reality, the main city will be the fulcrum for the supreme blessing to be revealed.

In the center of the altar.

When Feng Tianyin burned incense and prayed, only she could discern a will permeating every aspect of Loulan.

The computer screen flickered the instant the sacrificial ceremony was held in the desert oasis city:

【hint】

[Details regarding the newly added controllable city "Loulan" in the Daqian Civilization are pending a decision]

The process was faster than Xia He had anticipated, so she quickly took over with player privileges. Sure enough, the city was now considered part of Da Qian's territory, and the loyalty level was decent, as long as it wasn't a bright red rebellion warning.