You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

"Slow down, don't trample the farmland."

When the victorious army began to form a long, serpentine formation, everyone could see that the soldiers were like a forest of weapons, banners were fluttering, and their mighty iron hooves trampled across the vast plains.

Judging from the quantity, the loss should not be significant, and the exchange ratio will definitely be impressive.

The warriors selected through rigorous processes were all strong, loyal, and sharp-witted. They had undergone intensive training using the methods specified by Feng Tianyin, mastering mounted archery and various weapons, understanding different signals and formations. Their military skills were unmatched by the barbarians.

They represent the might of the Great Qian Dynasty, so they naturally need to have impressive battle records to back them up, and this expedition is no exception.

"Look behind you quickly."

Behind the army were the slaves, a long line of over two thousand people that was quite impressive, not to mention they were also accompanied by a large number of livestock, making it look like a seasonal migration.

The undisputed center of this plain, Xiayi, has a population of less than 100,000, and they are often scattered in the suburbs; gatherings of a thousand or more are rare.

It is conceivable that a large camp was emptied out.

The resources that the barbarians had prepared for winter or intended to use in their invasion of Daqian were taken away in a package.

They both eliminated the danger and reaped a large amount of spoils.

Long live victory!

As the first person spontaneously shouted and saluted, people on both sides of the road cheered and offered their heartfelt praise, celebrating this hard-won victory.

Of course, this also includes that word that Feng Tianyin frequently repeated when training the army:

"loyalty--"

The girl on horseback nodded in satisfaction, her black and white hair fluttering with her movements. It was just as she expected; it was something she should always keep saying.

Only loyalty to her and to the Way of Heaven can help in governing the entire Great Qian Dynasty.

They were greeted not only by shouts, but also by gongs, drums, flags, and other things that are usually only seen during festivals.

After all, long-distance expeditions are basically held once a year.

Feng Tianyin consistently maintained a level of warfare that the Great Qian Dynasty could tolerate. While everyone seemed to have the capacity, the actual calculations were not so straightforward. Long-term considerations and the impact of these actions on the control panel needed to be weighed.

Mainstream Culture: Martial Spirit

[Effect: Army cohesion +10%, war support +15%]

[Description: The Great Qian Dynasty is currently extremely interested in the ongoing war against the barbarians, considering it an integral part of its development. This civilization aspires to conquer its surrounding areas.]

It has already caused a temporary shift in mainstream culture.

Due to the extraordinary influence of the Heavenly Dao, it will eventually return to the interaction between Heaven and Man, but the short-term impact cannot be ignored.

Tone it down a bit.

Continuing the fight would easily lead to uncontrollable costs; we need to take a break and recuperate.

As Feng Tianyin pondered, she rode her horse to the temple area. Slaves and livestock were all placed in the square, awaiting their fate. The distribution issue wasn't urgent; it would be dealt with sooner or later anyway. The more important thing was to announce the new policy while the iron was hot.

"High Priest, congratulations on your triumphant return."

The scribes stationed at the temple rushed out to greet them, their eyes filled with awe and obsequiousness.

Even knowing that their boss wouldn't buy into this, they still instinctively offer praise.

Chapter 8 24-Hour Work System

Feng Tianyin nodded in response to the greeting, then passed by the scribes and headed towards the temple's council hall.

The others immediately followed.

The high priest never cared about formalities, and trying to get close to him would not get you any response.

Of course, she certainly has the power to do so, and is even gaining more and more power. She combines the power of religious interpretation with secular political power, truly reaching the ears of the emperor, and now she also effectively controls the military.

The rest—personnel power, judicial power, financial power, etc.—are unimportant; they are merely appendages.

The master who returns to the tiger-skin chair is the absolute ruler.

"Instruct the craftsmen to create gold jewelry for me with a dragon theme. It must be exquisitely crafted, as the Heavenly Dao can represent Him to a certain extent."

"Yes, ma'am."

Everyone was initially confused about the first half of the sentence and puzzled by the first command.

Then I realized it was indeed very important.

It seems that person was quite satisfied, having somehow managed to communicate with the High Priest again—truly showing favor to the sole representative. Furthermore, revealing their own symbol likely brought them closer.

This is probably the best news, even more encouraging than the extermination of the barbarians, because the watchful eye of Heaven determines long-term peace and stability.

"Congratulations, Your Excellency, on receiving another imperial decree."

The clerks had no doubt about its authenticity; whether it was true or false was irrelevant, and they left it to Heaven to judge.

She is ultimately a being of the Heavenly Way, and it is not up to mortals to question her. Moreover, Feng Tianyin never lies or mystifies, and her unshakeable dominance does not require any schemes.

Let's get down to business.

The gray-haired girl sat upright and said:

"Xia Yi has been fighting for five consecutive years. It's time to rest and recuperate. We must continue to explore the land until the next time we come."

"My lord, with our current resources, we are fully capable of continuing the fight."

"No, the proportion of slaves is too high. Moreover, the strength of the people cannot be calculated in the way you do. If the fighting continues, we will definitely be unable to make ends meet, which does not fit my future plans."

A single response shut down the rebuttal.

Feng Tianyin has never been able to make decisions at the highest level, and no one else can interfere.

Leaving aside the mystical notions of sacredness, legitimacy, and divine mandate, no one can match his professional competence; he works non-stop.

24-hour work system.

The information she possesses, combined with her talent, is sufficient to support her judgment.

"Sir, what should our next priority be? Is it to resettle the slaves and absorb this group of laborers?"

"Yes, please follow my instructions..."

Feng Tianyin had already made up her mind on the way and had also informed the Heavenly Dao in advance. As the saying goes, important matters are discussed in small meetings, and the two supreme wills had already approved it. At this moment, it was simply a matter of informing them of the decision:

Founding the Army.

With the population increasing and mostly composed of people of barbarian origin, a formal army needed to be established.

They also perform duties as sheriffs and firefighters, with shifts adjusted according to the agricultural season, since current productivity cannot support a fully professional army.

Besides, the scale she needs isn't large.

Maintaining order is sufficient; there's no need for the largest expense, "maintaining the monarch," and one doesn't need to protect oneself.

Upon hearing the decision to establish an army, everyone looked at each other, their minds in turmoil.

The astute scribes understood its significance: the High Priest now possessed a real tentacle capable of extending violence in ordinary times. Regardless of good or bad, or how it was used, its mere existence represented authority, inevitably strengthening Feng Tianyin's power.

Even though she was already second only to the emperor.

how to say?

Although it is widely known that the High Priest is not a tyrannical ruler, but rather a saint, the vast difference in their power makes people even less confident.

As if noticing their concerns, Feng Tianyin spoke again:

"By now, the Xia Yi city-state, there are already large households that own slaves, right? There used to be a saying about households with ten thousand yuan; here, we could call them households with a hundred slaves, right?"

“Some of you meet the criteria.”

With a thud, a clerk immediately knelt down, prostrating himself on the ground, trembling uncontrollably.

It's hard not to think of the fate of the big landowners back then. According to everyone's summary and analysis, it was because of excessive land annexation, which violated the fairness and justice in the mouths of the high priest, and as a result, they were almost all slaughtered.

Now that Feng Tianyin is even stronger, with the Heavenly Mandate in her mouth, they can crumble in an instant without her even lifting a finger.

"don’t worry."

"I want to report to the Heavenly Dao that the population of the Great Qian has exceeded 100,000 when I descend to earth next time. Therefore, it is necessary to implement a systematic management of slaves."

"The slave owners have proven their management skills and are capable of being put to use."

Hearing these words, they felt as if they had been granted a pardon.

"You don't need to be too afraid. Fairness and justice are our eternal pursuit, but we must also respect objective laws. People will always be divided into different levels based on opportunities, personality, and background."

For example, if a soldier bravely fights the enemy and receives more slaves, must we deprive him of his resources in pursuit of equality? As long as you don't go too far like the big landowners, I won't pursue the matter.

"Ultimately, everyone is working for the prosperity of the Great Qian Dynasty, and there has never been any conflict of interest, has there?"

“The high priest is absolutely right.”

Feng Tianyin's statement today foreshadows a dramatic change in Xiayi.

When the population reaches a certain size, it is almost impossible not to differentiate into social classes. Rather than viewing it as a monstrous threat, it is better to actively embrace and control it.

She is free from prejudice and stereotypes.

"Large slave-owning households already have experience, and your resources determine that there will be those who leave the profession. In that case, select people under 40 years old and over 15 years old to receive education and become more professional clerks to assist me in my work."

"I've decided to temporarily name my new job: Secretary. It needs to be professional and specialized, and I won't be doing anything else."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other in surprise, and then their faces lit up with delight.

Great.

In reality, the vast majority of them were wealthy slave owners, who benefited from their proximity to the High Priest. It turned out that Feng Tianyin hadn't ignored them, but rather allowed them to develop, then then harnessed their power for her own use.

That's a brilliant tactic; you've really thought things through.

Secretaries start from a higher point and must have more power, and they are most likely from the same family.

The clerks were overjoyed and couldn't contain their excitement; if they hadn't been reserved, they probably would have shouted and spread the news on the spot.

"Don't be too happy yet. I want you to select families with talent, with a limit of 3 people per household. I will set test questions and run this trial first. The first batch will only admit the top 20 people."

"Huh? Can't you mentor or promote him?"

"In the adult world, there is only screening, not cultivation; those without talent are given the opportunity to rise to the top."