You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

Therefore, Xia He saw the extra correction, because although the Bronze Age and Iron Age are not referred to by their main productivity levels in "Civilization Evolution", they do provide a boost, which is not surprising.

A significant portion of parts, weapons, and agricultural implements have begun to be made of iron.

[Note: The development of ironware occurred during the Great Qian Dynasty]

Technological advancements have gradually lifted us out of the ignorance of the Bronze Age. Metallurgy has further developed, propelling us to new heights, resulting in a +3% increase in productivity.

[A progress bar for the evolution of civilizations has been added; the civilization is moving towards the Classical Age.]

Yeah.

Xia He was certain that the next round would reliably enter the Classical Era, at which point many of the buffs would be adjusted based on the era's level, making them even more effective.

It's clear that Feng Tianyin is actively setting the stage for the game mechanics.

She promoted the Iron Age to improve the productivity of the Great Qian Dynasty; after all, taking this step was necessary. These technologies mainly originated from the academy, where she taught the first batch of apprentices, and then the scholars among them led the various craft workshops to iterate and improve.

"This has become an officially led integration of industry, academia, and research!" Xia He's eyes lit up.

You're really something.

Feng Tianyin always manages to surpass the ideas of this version in the details.

She's getting smarter and smarter. When she uses first-person perspective to immerse herself in the streets and alleys, it feels increasingly realistic. If she turns off the UI, she almost thinks it's a completely real world. Now she can't distinguish between the game and reality.

"Is there some psychic energy flowing towards me?"

Once Xia He, as the gaze of Heaven, focuses on a passerby, the spiritual energy behind the power of faith will rush over as if it had found its master.

It feels warm and cozy, I'm full of energy, and my whole body feels great, but something's not right, is it? This is a game world!

Weird.

On a whim, she put on the virtual reality device. When the gaming headset was also connected to her view, she could feel the flow of psionic energy more clearly, and the back pain she had accumulated from work completely disappeared.

"Sigh, modern people may not necessarily get sick from overeating, but they will definitely get sick from working."

The girl with the wolf tail hair felt much more relaxed on her shoulders after the activity.

I don't remember this helmet having any healing or massage effects, so why did it give me such a realistic experience? Could it be...?

Is there an electrical leak?

Xia He cautiously checked the equipment and found that there was indeed no problem.

As a responsible worker, I know that "if you don't understand something now, don't try to figure it out too clearly." Just put it aside for now, and you'll know whether your health has improved by the next company physical exam. It's not too late to think about it then.

And she had a premonition:

Once the formal establishment of religion and the superposition of classical versions are completed, this phenomenon of "spiritual energy flowing into oneself" will undergo new changes, so there is no need to rush to conclusions.

Having calmed down, Xia He continued shopping and was surprised to find a crowd gathered under a notice board:

The barbarian tribes detained the Great Qian delegation, and the high priest personally led an expedition to quell the rebellion.

The posters even incorporated cartoon effects: a muscular arm tattooed with the Great Qian flag clenched into a fist slammed down on the barbarian figures, making it look exaggerated and visually striking.

A propaganda poster?

Feng Tianyin is already using advertising and marketing strategies to motivate people, and she seems to really like this comic style.

This was largely due to the preferences of the creator, which led to a downward trend. The style was also favored in the Great Qian Dynasty, especially the "Heavenly Gift of Divine Images," which was in a similar style and profoundly influenced the art of the Great Qian Dynasty.

And the effect is indeed good; the surrounding people are already excited.

"These guys actually detained the Great Qian envoy! This is outrageous! They're utterly lawless!"

"Weren't we taught a lesson last time enough?"

"When will I be selected to go to the grassland battlefield?"

"It's too difficult. Only the elite can be selected. They are all top-notch talents, and joining the army is just the first step."

"We just need to take care of weapons production; these are all official procurements."

"There's going to be some profit."

...The war was far beyond the defense lines, but its economic stimulus was immediate. Therefore, the people of Xiayi naturally supported it, resulting in a high level of support for the war shown to Xiahe, a consequence of the economic structure.

Today, Xiayi has become a comprehensive city in Daqian, with a particular emphasis on handicrafts, and has concentrated a large number of artisan resources and infrastructure.

For example, large-scale clusters of mills, blast furnaces, and waterwheels cannot be found elsewhere.

It is an "ancient industrial city"

Don't mistake handicrafts for manufacturing; the key is to look at the version.

Based on the maps that have been unlocked in this era, Xiahe is certain that Xiayi is a super manufacturing center.

It has even formed a modern layout of "suburban factories and city shops". In fact, in ancient times, people often formed large cities because of handicrafts, commerce and politics, and supporting factories would form on the periphery.

That's right.

Feng Tianyin truly lives up to its reputation as an AI with experience as a Cities: Skylines player.

The plan was well-organized and orderly.

Even a veteran player like Xia He couldn't find fault with it; the various regions mutually enhance and reinforce each other, making it the optimal solution. This city was cultivated by the High Priest, its planning is scientific and efficient, and it was the earliest to be established, making it the first main city within the Great Qian territory.

She felt much relieved after confirming that there were no problems behind her, and turned to the vast grassland after leaving the first-person perspective.

what?

Surprisingly, the large-scale war that had been expected did not occur.

The border of Kurong Mountain was unexpectedly visited by envoys from various tribes in the northern desert. As soon as they arrived, the expeditionary force was blocked by them. They had agreed to fight, but now they wanted to talk.

"However, we did not find any of the Great Khan's men."

Xia He noticed something amiss at a glance. These barbarian envoys, seemingly sincere, were actually representatives from different tribes. How binding would their agreement be? What level of consensus did they represent? How long would it remain in effect?

Especially lacking the endorsement of Erbala, the nominal ruler of the grasslands, there are too many variables involved.

The Great Qian Dynasty is now facing a complex situation that seems perplexing but is actually quite difficult to manage:

Walk alone.

The tribes under the entire Northern Barbarian Alliance have expressed their desire for dialogue or even submission. Should we accept their offer?

Dongku Pass.

The weather was clear and spring was in full bloom; even the Kuru Mountain range, far in the northern desert, was sprouting green plants.

The city nestled in the pass has gained an extra touch of beauty.

Since the last great expedition, this place has been repeatedly expanded and developed as a key defensive line against the threat of the northern barbarians. As a result, the city walls are high, surrounded by a moat, and numerous crossbows are set up to target the only roads that can be passed through.

The barbarian envoy was utterly shocked by what he saw.

Four years later, this place is no longer just a military stronghold. Today, the "Kurong and Rongguan" cities also serve as commercial cities with a thriving economy.

They each guarded two mountain passes, linking trade between the interior and the northern deserts, and attracting numerous caravans.

The supplies include, but are not limited to:

Wild animal pelts, warhorses, wool, and deer antlers from the grasslands were the main resources, with mink pelts being particularly favored by the high-ranking officials of the Great Qian Dynasty. Tools such as pots and pans from the interior were also sourced, often requiring advanced technology and lacking the capabilities of the barbarians.

In short, this place became a trade center.

Win-win.

Commerce fosters mutual understanding and provides a greater basis for communication, as exemplified by the envoy's journey.

"I haven't been to the city for only a year, and it has already grown a whole size."

A barbarian envoy, with a serious expression, gestured with his hand and said, "The Great Qian people have been expanding ever since. When will it ever end?"

"They've even added a moat!"

"Rumor has it that they want to connect the original beacon tower defenses along the mountain ridge to build a long, interconnected defense line. In the past few years, thousands of slaves have died from exhaustion. I think it's called the Great Wall Project."

"With the strength of the Great Qian Dynasty, is it necessary to be so wary? We haven't been attacking their cities all along."

“That’s different. We need to be prepared. The deep grasslands are also unfamiliar to us.”

"indeed."

Even the barbarians knew very little about the more distant polar regions and even the western grasslands, only occasionally interacting with merchants and barbarians who appeared there.

There must be human habitation there, but the specifics are unclear.

The Great Qian Dynasty was not only guarding against the tribes in the northern deserts, but also perhaps against potential enemies in the distance, which shows that it had thought things through carefully.

Moments later they made contact with the garrison.

"Go in. The High Priest is on the city wall. Be mindful of your manners."

Upon hearing this, the barbarian envoy's face darkened. The intelligence was true; that person had once again personally led an expedition. This inevitably caused panic among the people of the grasslands, as if the great expedition had happened just yesterday. Would the scene of the Great Qian cavalry trampling the holy land be repeated?

be careful.

If they displease Feng Tianyin, it wouldn't be unreasonable for her to retaliate by detaining or even killing them.

Guided by the signs, they climbed the towering city wall.

It rises more than 12 meters above the ground, a true engineering marvel under such difficult construction conditions. Looking down, the entire pass is laid out before you, and looking out, you can see very far. Nothing can be hidden from view, allowing the defenders to anticipate the enemy's moves.

Back then, the tribes of the northern deserts mobilized 1 elite cavalry, but they still couldn't break through Xiao'ai City. How much more so today's super fortress that has been repeatedly expanded and reinforced?

This is deterrence.

The other side is clearly sending a signal that they should "not bother with any little offensive tactics."

The invading enemy will surely suffer a crushing defeat; even ten times the attack power would find it difficult to breach this Wall of Sighs.

They entered the main city gate with trepidation.

Viewed from below, it resembles a towering giant, massive and majestic, with carved railings and painted pillars, its textures flowing gracefully, exuding grandeur. Stepping inside, one is greeted by the fragrance of redwood, which has accumulated a unique charm over the years.

The soldiers standing around were tall and strong, fully armed, with sharp eyes; a single glare from them could send chills down one's spine.

It's murderous intent!

They're the barbarian tribes of the grasslands, spending their days hunting, wrestling, archery, and feasting on meat and fish. How come the people in the interior are so well-fed and robust? Even the elite are remarkable. Aren't they elite too? As an envoy, one naturally needs to meet physical requirements, yet they're outshone by the other side.

The steps were so high that my legs ached, and it took a while to finally reach the top.

A sand table stands in the attic, with Feng Tianyin, her hands behind her back, gazing intently, her purple eyes revealing profound wisdom.