You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

Triumphant return is one of the most important events in Xia Yi. Families lined the roads, waving excitedly to celebrate yet another victory.

"The High Priest is invincible!"

"We're finally back. We won. Now we can have a peaceful winter."

"Not only that, it's a bountiful winter. Look at those wagons transporting supplies, there's no end in sight."

The triumphant expeditionary force did not bring back slaves.

Rather, it was treasure.

The city-states of the Western Regions valleys formed a coalition to resist; could they simply surrender and turn the page? Impossible. Therefore, Feng Tianyin thoroughly searched their inventory, bringing back everything that was easy to carry and store.

This includes, but is not limited to, seeds, artworks, writings, gold and silver, jewelry... bring whatever you can, and of course, a large amount of grain.

In fact, they are equivalent to the first taxation.

It is only natural for the capital to collect and redistribute the wealth of all its districts; let them experience it first.

In the era before advanced technology, the annual transfer of taxes from local to central government was a major undertaking, and the resulting problems such as tax evasion, corruption, and false reporting were countless, causing endless trouble.

That's a story for another time.

Feng Tianyin rode on horseback and looked around; the fields were bountiful.

There are still some days left before harvest, but the wheat stalks are already standing straight, gleaming with a blend of green and yellow. When the autumn wind comes, the whole field of wheat bends down in unison, then straightens up again, the waves rippling like dust being shaken off a piece of silk.

"Yu Xue, did we get back in time?"

As soon as she dismounted at the city gate, she asked, and her subordinate immediately bowed and replied, "It's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early."

"Have you made up your mind?"

When it comes to scheduling, Feng Tianyin is always meticulous, down to the last day, leaving no detail unattended.

"Let's begin our work: to honor the fallen and distribute compensation. Then let's celebrate this victory; this year will be a bountiful one."

"Not scrambling for the microphone? It could get windy and rainy at any moment, right?"

"will not."

The high priest's affirmative words made everyone glance at the sky. Although the iconic golden auspicious clouds were not there, the gods were watching over them and would not let it rain to spoil the mood.

Feng Tianyin quickly took over the work, and the entire Xiayi County operated smoothly.

Her return has revitalized this administrative machine that was struggling to function and was on the verge of collapse.

【hint】

[A new round of operations is about to begin]

Xia He naturally received the status bar update as well. After the appointed leader took over the massive system again, all the indicators were returning to normal. As expected of Feng Tianyin, many effects such as [Administrative Efficiency] and [Smooth Implementation of Government Orders] were not available when she was not around.

She then broadened her perspective, revealing that the Great Qian Empire now encompasses 10 main cities.

The population also increased rapidly.

Part of the reason is that the statistical methods of the city-states were outdated and vague, but after adopting the administrative experience of the Great Qian Dynasty, they became much more meticulous in their work.

A large-scale investigation revealed all the "hidden accounts".

As statistics become more comprehensive, more people will be directly controlled in the foreseeable future.

On the other hand, a new problem has arisen: [The accelerated progress of religion creation may unlock the Faith section. Once unlocked, the probability of triggering certain extraordinary phenomena will increase. Players should consider this carefully.]

Xia He frowned slightly as she began to ponder whether it was too early or too late to turn things around.

She will then give Feng Tianyin some enlightenment.

Chapter 58 Even a Fool Can Understand It

During the period from the autumn of the 39th year of the Enlightenment to the spring of the 40th year, the Great Qianlong Dynasty was unusually peaceful, with only one theme:

Rest and rest.

It's become a frequently used term in politics.

Every year they mention it, but in reality, every year they have their own big projects. If Feng Tianyin's operational capabilities weren't so outstanding, the pressure on Daqian would have been off the charts long ago.

Throughout the year, the newly established Daqian Dynasty was busy with the aftermath of the war.

Although the city-states in the Western Regions valleys had been annexed, their losses could not be ignored. Out of a desire for stability, she continued to generously support development, ensuring trade between the Blessed Basin and the valleys.

To get rich, build roads first.

The business foundation laid in the past few years, once consolidated and strengthened, has become the highway of this era.

Only under this premise can Feng Tianyin's words be targeted:

[Leadership Agenda: Border Settlement and Land Reclamation]

Unlike the benefits of military agricultural settlements, these benefits are specifically designed for challenging regions, such as planting drought-resistant crops in arid areas. Millet, sorghum, cotton, grapes, and some beans are all versatile and suitable for cultivation.

Therefore, she mobilized a considerable portion of the labor force to reclaim wasteland and plant these crops, which greatly enriched the resources of Daqian.

Food is a given; the more food on the table, the better.

In addition, cotton is related to textiles and is an important prerequisite for keeping warm. It also has other uses such as gauze and bandages, and is a basic crop that runs through the entire technology tree.

Grapes can be used to extract sugar, and winemaking can also increase happiness.

Legumes are used as animal feed.

What should be planted according to local conditions? Feng Tianyin had already thought about these questions. What would have required time to investigate, she could simply issue an order with a stroke of her pen, avoiding detours and improving efficiency.

Incidentally, this also weakens their border combat capabilities, encouraging them to further shift towards an agricultural lifestyle.

A unified economic base provides a sense of cohesion.

Very simple.

As long as everyone's trade is complementary and they work together, coupled with the great power exerted by Heaven, they will soon be integrated into one. If He annexed the seven city-states from a religious, spiritual perspective, then He controlled them from an economic perspective.

"...The above, the production tasks are handed over to the Western Regions Valley. In addition, the warhorse resources should also be managed carefully."

The river valleys of the Western Regions are adjacent to the open grasslands to the north, with natural horse pastures. The actual horse breeds there are even better than those of the Great Qian, but they lack proper management.

Feng Tianyin was seen writing furiously.

A moment later, he handed a thick stack of documents to the clerk and instructed him:

"Distribute this copy of 'Even a Fool Can Understand: Horse Care in the Bronze Age'."

"Yes, sir."

The database contains a vast amount of relevant information, and there's too much data to train the Feng Tianyin AI. The key is to apply it in practice. Factors such as productivity, human factors, social organization, and natural conditions need to be considered, so it's best to let her formulate the plan.

If you try to figure it out little by little, three to five years won't be enough.

The subordinates carefully passed it down, as everyone knew that the High Priest's "Even Fools Can Understand Series" was profound and had guided all kinds of work.

From seedling cultivation to production planning, it covers everything, possessing knowledge of astronomy and geography.

[Construction of facilities project: Racecourse]

[Professional horse racing tracks will be established in areas where conditions permit to ensure continuous breeding and iteration. Related efficiency +15%]

well.

Feng Tianyin didn't forget to use her leader privileges to specifically enhance her abilities.

Warhorse resources, sufficient to last until the end of World War I, are an extremely important strategic resource; early planning and ample stockpiling are essential. Especially since she intends to follow the same path: plunder.

No nomadic peoples have been found in the Daqian civilization area, so perhaps I can make up for this regret.

Follow the path of the Xiongnu.

—Leaving the Xiongnu with nowhere to go.

Feng Tianyin wasn't optimistic enough to think that the current lack of updates meant the system wasn't updating. She believed that the north could support a large-scale united tribe, and they would invade sooner or later.

Warhorse resources are essential to counter them.

The addition of imperial roads and horses signifies a transformation in the reach of the Great Qian Dynasty's control. Regions that were once remote can now receive government orders, marking true control.

"High Priest, this is a request from a city-state in the Western Valley for the expansion of its city walls. Do you approve it?"

"They realized the political sensitivity of this matter, which is quite clever, I agree."

"clear."

Just as Feng Tianyin had just considered, sooner or later a powerful nomadic enemy would appear, which would likely persist throughout the classical era and be unavoidable.

She spread out a map and drew a red line for everyone:

The Kurong Mountain Range.

Located in the north, 400 kilometers from Xiayi, it represents the limit of exploration to date. Running east to west with an average elevation of 800 meters, it is not just a single mountain range, but a complex of mountains of varying sizes, a product of intense tectonic plate movement.

As the name suggests, it represents the limits of normal farming environments.

The scouts confirmed that, with this point as the boundary, one side was warm and the other bitterly cold, and the vegetation suddenly became sparse.

The mountain is named Kurong Mountain, which sounds like a warning.

"In my opinion, this is the natural boundary for the next hundred years. Based on this, we can connect a city defense system with the river valleys of the Western Regions. Let's conduct a preliminary investigation."

"So long?"

"It's not long, and it's more cost-effective to defend it than to conquer it. It can't support a large population; it's too poor."

"You probably want to stabilize the north first, and then explore and develop the south?"

Feng Tianyin nodded.

"You just need to know this general plan. The Great Qian Dynasty doesn't have the resources to build a defensive line yet. In short, coordinate the efforts of the Western Regions river valleys and the northern Kurong Mountains, and always send scouts there, as there may be danger..."

Suddenly, the gray-haired girl raised an eyebrow and then waved her hand to dismiss those around her.

She got up on her own and strode towards the top of the altar, while everyone immediately fell silent and left respectfully.

I dare not speak loudly.

It might startle the celestial beings.

The high priest occasionally receives revelation during the once-a-decade interval, signifying a divine warning.