You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

After Ke Rong gestured for the troops to stop, he looked closely and saw that it was the Great Qian Army, and it even bore the banner of the High Priest. So they immediately waited where they were, and sure enough, they saw a large and elite army.

The leader was naturally Feng Tianyin, a name known to all, whose distinctive features made her instantly recognizable.

In particular, her extraordinary and refined temperament makes her stand out from the crowd and impossible to ignore.

"Greetings, High Priest."

"Thank you for your hard work, Ke Rong. Any news?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, the Great Khan actually convened a meeting last night..."

He recounted the events in detail, including his observations on the grasslands over the past few days, and conveyed the Great Khan's attitude. He had brought everything he could, and now he awaited the High Priest's decision.

To be honest, I always feel a sense of déjà vu. Ke Rong, who came from Loulan, encountered similar pressures in the Great Qian Dynasty back then, which was due to the will of Heaven.

The barbarians were lucky.

They had not witnessed the way Heaven could inspire such fervent devotion in the entire city.

Even today, when I think back on it, I can't help but think of it as an "evil god," and I quickly suppress the thought, especially not daring to have any wild thoughts in front of the high priest. That great being must have sensed it, but just didn't care.

Feng Tianyin pondered for a moment, then continued to ask:

"I need you to provide the coordinates of those rebellious tribes, the more detailed the better."

"Don't worry, sir, I remember everything. Besides, because of the meeting, they are not far apart and can be connected by a single route."

Coron proved himself a professional diplomat, gathering intelligence in great detail.

"very good."

Feng Tianyin praised him and continued, "I plan to take this opportunity to control these rebellious tribes, both to establish the prestige of the Great Qian Dynasty and to support Erbala's suppression of the rebellion, ensuring that we maintain control of the overall situation. Now that you've learned about the grasslands, do you think this trip is feasible?"

"The most crucial variable is the Great Khan. If he loses, everything will be for nothing, and he may not even survive."

"He will. That guy is tough and strong. The rebels can't do anything to him."

Gedentana gave an affirmative answer.

There's no need to worry about Erbala; this is the basis of the decision and her advice. The key is to quickly control the situation on the grasslands.

We must not act rashly.

If things get out of control, it will create instability and a host of variables.

Therefore, counterintuitively, maintaining the unity of the grasslands is more in line with the interests of the Great Qian Dynasty, since spillover effects lead to chaos. Moreover, Feng Tianyin also has a goal of strengthening the grasslands' faith in the Heavenly Dao Sect, providing them with a basic sense of order.

When gathered, they form a large mass; when scattered, they are as rare as the sky.

The Great Qian Dynasty believed that it was better to stabilize the northern barbarians than to allow them to "fly freely everywhere."

With ample intelligence support, the Daqian army moved swiftly, its vast force galloping across the grasslands. It was springtime, the grasses and water abundant, perfect for battle, even saving on fodder for the warhorses.

Therefore, this offensive is even more intense and can be maneuvered on a larger scale.

They've gained experience.

The last expedition involved many situations we faced for the first time, such as unfamiliarity with details like tracking, navigation, and setting up camp, which we had to figure out as we went along.

With the experience gained last time, the Daqian Army became even more skilled.

Their understanding of the grasslands is now no less than that of the northern barbarians who have lived there for generations. With a combination of favorable factors, they have made their way in, and the barbarian tribes in the places they pass through are powerless to resist. They bow down and submit without hesitation.

Over the years, the influence of the Great Qian Dynasty has already captured this grassland, making its takeover a natural progression.

Moreover, there were two people, Kerong and Gegentana, who lobbied them.

One was an envoy who had recently gained fame traveling to various parts of the grasslands, and the other was a highly respected and virtuous shaman with a long-standing reputation.

With the added power of Feng Tianyin, they quickly regained control of the rebellious tribe.

Although they are scattered throughout the grassland, they are not far apart from each other. They are connected by a planned route, which is very efficient and the whole process is smooth and efficient.

Nine days later.

Inside the main tent of the last rebellious tribe, Feng Tianyin accepted the barbarian's blood oath ceremony of submission, but she did so only half-heartedly, adding, "You must govern together with the Great Khan Erbala."

"Yes, sir. I will certainly guard the north for the Great Qian Dynasty."

They speak sweetly and flatter you; you'd be naive to believe them.

Although under pressure, the situation did not descend into chaos or turmoil, thus achieving the strategic objective.

Another unexpected gain was the "Northwest Map" that Feng Tianyin valued. It depicted the vast land north of the Western Regions River Valley and west of the grasslands, including plateaus, Gobi Desert and grasslands, leading to the other end of the distant continent.

New area?

The fog of war on the map has been cleared up another step.

During the last great expedition, we didn't have time to gather intelligence because we were on the road the whole time, and we didn't dare to linger after conquering Linchun.

This time she was finally able to examine the barbarian maps and intelligence more closely.

The girl's purple eyes gleamed as she memorized all the map information. After a moment, she said regretfully, "Your map-drawing method is too outdated. The scale is inaccurate; it's really unreliable..."

Feng Tianyin glared at them, causing the barbarians to shrink back and lower their heads, not daring to look directly at her.

She didn't dwell on it, but continued studying the map. As the appointed leader AI, she harbored a curiosity about the world, hoping to discover distant civilizations even without ruling them. Unfortunately, that place was a desert, a natural barrier to civilization.

pity.

However, at least we now know that "a civilization exists on the other side of the continent, and it is advanced enough to transport caravans."

The matching mechanism has probably been working hard all along.

To be honest, the Great Qian Dynasty has yet to encounter a proper civilization or experience a full-scale war. Of course, there seem to be civilized regimes in the south that can satisfy its warlike desires...

Feng Tianyin gathered her thoughts, looked around at the barbarian chieftain, and gave him instructions:

"In view of your piety toward the Way of Heaven, you will enjoy preferential treatment in future trade with the Great Qian Dynasty."

"Thank you, High Priest."

They were overjoyed, having received what they so desired. After all, in recent years, the economic structure of the grasslands had gradually shifted towards export trade, with close economic exchanges. Preferential treatment meant a rise in their status among the tribes of the northern desert.

The rest will be discussed by the envoys who remain here; these people are also spies watching over us.

There's no need to waste any more time here.

Feng Tianyin gripped the reins, mounted her horse, and seemed ready to set off.

“We’re going to Linchun. The situation there should be settled by now. You tribes who are loyal to the Great Qian should also go to welcome the new situation on the grasslands. Heaven will protect us, and His gaze will fall upon this new territory.”

Yes, sir.

Both the Daqian people and the barbarians present responded excitedly.

Clearly, the high priest intended to exert rule and annex the vast northern region beyond the Great Wall, with everyone sharing the spoils.

Linchun.

After a major battle to quell the rebellion, this place has become even more desolate.

Amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood, Erbala leaned on his sword with one hand and put the other on his hip, watching his soldiers continuously dig and bury the enemy's bodies.

Some of the prisoners felt a sense of shared sorrow upon seeing the death of their comrade.

They were either Khans who were under control and had no time to rebel, or wavering centrists. Now, seeing the scene of making an example of someone, their faces turned pale, and their legs trembled uncontrollably as they were being escorted over.

I was terrified of being buried along with them; the feeling of slowly suffocating under the pressure of the soil and rocks was too painful.

"Great Khan, please spare our lives, and we will surely submit."

"I was also dragged into it; I had no choice."

"If you spare me, I will definitely abdicate and you can appoint the next one."

But Erbala's expression remained unchanged, so somber that no emotion could be discerned; only the corpses continued to be moved. Those were idiots who had forgotten his bravery; next year, the grass on his grave would be a meter high.

Overestimating one's abilities.

The Great Khan's power was incomparable to that of ordinary tribes. Since the poisoning attempt failed, they should have fled instead of thinking of confronting him head-on.

Then the failure is not surprising.

A deathly silence hung between the victor and the pleader, who wept and repeated his old grievances in a display of utter devotion. After all, the victor held the power of life and death; a single misstep could mean certain death.

I don't know.

Erbala was just intimidating people from the beginning, because the most stubborn traitors were already dead.

If the Great Shaman Gengtana were present, she would most likely use coercion and enticement to make them promise a whole host of unequal treaties, then hand over power and leave their offspring as hostages... This standard procedure would be indispensable.

After thinking it over, he followed suit and gave the same instruction: "But there are conditions..."

These people readily agreed.

Just as Erbala was pondering how to further confirm that they had to keep their promise, a messenger came to report:

"Great Khan, the main force of the Great Qian will arrive in half a day. It is Feng Tianyin who will personally lead the expedition."

The entire room fell silent.

The mere mention of the High Priest's name instills fear in all the tribes of the northern deserts. The psychological trauma from those years still serves as a warning: never oppose him, or you'll lose several lives. Many veterans who experienced this are still alive, further deepening their terror.

Four years later, the iron cavalry of the Great Qian Dynasty has returned, and the consequences are unpredictable.

"However, I heard that she advocates for the peaceful integration of the grasslands and even supports His Majesty the Great Khan. Things are different now, so we can communicate."

"Yes, Feng Tianyin even took the initiative to help us quell the rebellion during this expedition."

"The Great Qian also hates fools. They want control, not turmoil. We have a basis for cooperation."

The confidants offered their opinions.

Erbala readily agreed: "Let's pack up and not neglect the Great Qian. Let's have a good talk."

He quickly and clearly understood the pros and cons.

I voted.

Ultimately, the two sides are different from before. The conflict of faith initiated by the Heavenly Dao is irreconcilable. Now, they can develop together. In recent years, they have indeed worked together to develop and should work together to curb war.

Therefore, the group quickly began to pack up.

Since the guests were the highest leaders of the Great Qian Dynasty, they could not be neglected. Moreover, in order to make a grand impression, they couldn't afford to lose face; if they were looked down upon, wouldn't they demand exorbitant prices? Therefore, they slaughtered sheep and cattle and held a lavish banquet.

Even though traces of the war remain, Linchun has a solid foundation and is still usable.