You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

"What you say is absolutely right, sir. After all, there is still a possibility of fire in Linchun."

Everyone looked at each other with regret, but in the end they could only make a difficult decision.

After a joint war, the tribes of the northern desert suffered a crushing defeat. The cities that served as their strongholds were lost to the enemy and looted. Most of the people who were taken to the south also met with dire fates.

Let's set aside the fact that the Great Qian Dynasty also had elements of slavery.

Marching 3 people a thousand miles in the dead of winter? Countless people would die; it was destined to be a road of death.

Moreover, they are certain that these 3 are the most elite group, selecting only strong and able-bodied laborers or young people. One can imagine how enormous and incalculable the number of people who were abandoned or killed behind the scenes was.

The Great Qian Dynasty was never afraid that such a harsh selection process would cause the slaves to harbor hatred and rebel, and always maintained firm control over the prisoners.

"Fine."

"Stop overthinking and just focus on the present."

After offering words of comfort, Erbala waved his hand, dismissed the scouts, and began directing the setting up of the camp.

The days that followed were truly difficult. In fact, he had lost completely, his tribe, which once held sway over the grasslands, had weakened to the point of being displaced. The landscape of this land would be forever altered.

Moreover, he had mostly relied on Gegentana's religion to maintain consensus in the past, but the current grasslands do not have the necessary conditions.

...........

The elite troops of the Daqian Army also moved quickly while escorting prisoners.

After a day and a night of travel, they were far from Linchun Volcano, and could only vaguely see the mountain peak.

Of course, this also comes at a price.

Pfft!

A barbarian prisoner fell headfirst, embedding himself upright in the snow. A nearby soldier, seeing this, immediately lashed out with his whip and shouted a rebuke:

"Are you trying to die? Hurry up and get going, or you'll die on the grasslands."

"...But it seems you don't need to worry anymore."

The Daqian soldier stepped forward and carefully examined the body. After confirming the man was dead, he made a hand gesture, and his comrades nodded in understanding. There was nothing more to say; it was a common occurrence.

Many people have frozen to death along the way. It wasn't that they didn't have enough to eat or wear, but rather that they were already frightened, and the cold and exhaustion ultimately led to their deaths.

Many people died when the powerful clans from various regions were forced to relocate to Xiayi.

Traveling long distances is dangerous.

But Feng Tianyin did not linger. The high priest at the front of the procession remained as steady as Mount Tai, bathed in the flying snow.

Based on her assessment of the current marching speed and food reserves, she would reach the border before the supplies were depleted, replenish them with the border's reserves, and the rest would be easily dealt with once they entered the interior, resulting in a bumper harvest before the end of the year.

Every year during the Spring Festival, there is a ritual called worshipping Heaven and Earth.

Even if it's not the once-in-a-decades arrival period, we should still give the best work report in the name of Heaven.

"My lord, there is news of the Great Khan."

Zhang Zhongsi reported happily: "They did not choose to return to Linchun, but instead set up camp deep in the grassland. It seems that they have temporarily given up."

The strategic objectives were exceeded; not only was the holy site destroyed, but the city was also severely weakened.

"From a profit perspective, it should be warmer to stay near a volcano."

"High Priest, I think Erbala was probably considering the painful memories. If we were to return to our homeland of ruins, it might actually cause an unpredictable blow to morale. It would be better to let everyone digest the bad news while we get through the winter."

"Ah."

Having received the answer, Feng Tianyin gave a word of advice:

"Maintaining surveillance of the grasslands and continuing the crackdown on them will be a strategy that runs through the entire era of the Great Qian Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhongsi bowed respectfully, still unaware that these words had laid the foundation for a protracted war.

He's old and can't think about things further ahead, so leaving it to Feng Tianyin is fine. As a victory that brought him fame and success, he's already very satisfied; he's finally removed a thorn in the side of the Great Qian Dynasty.

At this moment, the high priest was making other plans:

[Change the leader's agenda: Expand arable land. Land reclamation efficiency +10%, food production +5%]

[Military Strategy: Border Defense. Construction of border defense projects +15%]

She is using her privileges to make adjustments quickly.

The Great Expedition is over, and it's time for Daqian to return to its daily farming routine. Moreover, Feng Tianyin believes that the barbarians cannot cause any trouble for the time being, so she simply maintains a defensive posture.

【hint】

[New Leader Decision-Making Project "Religious Strategy" Unlocked]

The good news is that I have gained another set of operational permissions, which is an extra benefit for the Great Qian Dynasty. This is the religious mechanism that the creator has been laying the groundwork for.

Feng Tianyin immediately understood its strategic significance, but unfortunately, although it was unlocked, it was currently grayed out and could not be operated for the time being.

A complete religion should be established.

In other words, it requires the efforts of the [Great Prophet] character. After unlocking the tile, the [Leader] will have an additional operation item, and the entire civilization will benefit.

She looked at the carriage behind her, the only one in the entire group that carried people. It was driven by four fine horses, and the carriage was huge and covered with animal hides to keep out the wind, making it as warm as a small mobile room.

In the eyes of the Daqian Army, this was a great honor for Gegentana, a symbol of her status.

But it's understandable, after all, he is the new immortal chosen by the will of Heaven.

We are just waiting for this former high shaman to be promoted and return.

PS

Book Recommendation Time:

The Succubus Girl Must Want to Be My Little Dog

【tangerine】

She has the power to command him once a day.

This was the only reward Chihiro Watanabe received in exchange for providing food and lodging.

The object of their care is Angelica, a foolish succubus who wandered into Tokyo and nearly starved to death on the streets.

Under the guise of "behave yourself if you don't want to be dissected and studied," Chihiro's house naturally became occupied by an unregistered resident.

Despite the succubus Angelica's stern declaration: "Absolutely, absolutely no improper thoughts are allowed!"

But Chihiro touched her stomach, where the indelible mark, left by the other party, was burning.

Looking at the silver-haired girl in front of her, she was clearly putting on a tough act of arrogance with a tense face, but her eyes couldn't hide the panic that was getting closer to her.

Perhaps... this little one can stay with me for a long time. It would be a shame not to test her limits little by little.

So today's orders are—

“Come here, Angelica, give me your hand and let me check my teeth.”

The author is not a loli succubus, and the story is not based on real experiences.

Chapter 77 Tianyin Encyclopedia at Your Service (6K)

Inside the largest carriage of the triumphant expeditionary force.

Thick curtains kept out the cold air from outside, and a heater was even placed in the middle of the carriage.

Made entirely of bronze, it is safe to use no open flame, but rather charcoal is burned to bake it, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.

The main seat in the carriage was occupied by Gergentana, who was lying down and fast asleep.

"teacher?"

Bayar, who was standing next to him, tilted his head and asked curiously, "Didn't the High Priest say it would be fine in about three days? Why hasn't he woken up yet? Could something have happened...?"

She looked at her teacher's sleeping face with concern, and brought over a basin of hot water to wipe her pretty face.

This person is very appearance-conscious and definitely wouldn't like to wake up dirty. She usually takes care of herself.

What a troublesome woman.

However, the students were fortunate enough to benefit as well; otherwise, everyone would have perished in Linchun.

"You have no right to judge the High Priest's affairs. Today is today. If her resurrection fails, it can only be due to her poor aptitude."

The priest opposite reminded him, "Be careful with your words and actions."

Upon hearing this, Bayar nodded approvingly, showing a liking for the beautiful young woman who was also skilled in writing and busy composing. It seemed that due to tradition and the influence of Feng Tianyin, all priests in the Great Qian Dynasty were young women.

Moreover, one must have a dignified appearance, elegant manners, martial arts training, and most importantly, a high level of education.

She witnessed firsthand how the other party meticulously calculated and recorded the accounts seized in Linchun.

"That's amazing."

My heartfelt admiration goes to the three priestesses present. They've been working since we met, accompanying the army on its campaign. Nominally, they're responsible for the High Priest's daily life along with several other colleagues, but as everyone knows, he's never easy to manage, so their real work is military affairs.

Upon hearing this, the leading priest beamed with delight and said:

"In fact, this is just a necessary quality for every priest, similar to your shamans, but much more professional. It is a requirement of the high priest."

"With so much knowledge, you must hold a very high position in the Great Qian Dynasty, right?"

"No, that's not it... Since you're going to join us, let me let you know a little about it beforehand..."

The other party kindly provided an introduction:

All priests belong to the temple organization and are known as the Priests' Inner Hall. They are responsible for religious activities, Feng Tianyin's daily life, conveying imperial edicts, and acting as agents for approvals, essentially serving as secretaries.

However, there are no internal ranks for the time being. The benefits are high, but the employees do not have real power, and there has never been a clear definition of what they are specifically responsible for.

The high priest designed it this way; seemingly blurry areas are actually spaces for adjustment.

She always had a clear idea of ​​what was going on, and the future would gradually become clearer.

No one doubts that Feng Tianyin forgot or didn't think of anything; rather, she will definitely deal with it in the future.

“…Bayar, if your teacher awakens successfully, it means she will join the inner priesthood and work with us in religious activities. In the future, we will be colleagues.”

"That's great!"

So far, all the priests I've met have been good—consistent in word and deed, knowledgeable and reasonable, and at least not menacing.