A positive and progressive atmosphere has been established in the territory, so it's time to develop a territory culture. A good territory culture will motivate workers to work even harder.

Territorial culture is a unique feature of each territory, and this unique territorial culture further enhances the sense of mission among workers.

Qin Yiyi was sketching out a blueprint for the future of her territory with a stack of draft paper. If you want a horse to run fast, you have to feed it grass. To form a good cycle, the territory will provide her with a continuous source of funds and manpower, and eventually she will be able to rest easy. If any balance is broken, it will create a vicious cycle.

The territory currently has slaves, as well as half-elves, naga, and murlocs, who are relatively permanent residents and do not easily leave (slaves can be redeemed). However, due to the winter, many temporary residents have come. To keep these temporary residents, they need to experience the benefits of this territory and stay to serve it. The territory will reward them, and they will then spend that money within the territory.

Qin Yiyi thought for a moment and decided to open the market before the extreme weather arrived. Since the beginning of winter, the prices of some winter items have been extremely high. Electric blankets and hand warmers, these small items, have been selling for high prices. She had already led people to crack down on them, but some people were still selling them privately. If this behavior is not stopped, people will invest all their money in this, and then how will they eat and stay at home? They will have to cut back on food and clothing. If this leads to illness and they don't have money to see a doctor, it will create a vicious cycle, and it could even lead to death.

The man who sold the goods suddenly became rich and disappeared with the money, leaving the territory in a mess, which was not something she wanted to see.

She had stockpiled a lot of winter supplies beforehand. The batch for the slaves consisted of basic warm clothing, and there was also a batch of electrical appliances, hand warmers, etc. that she hadn't taken out yet.

Now that she wanted to open up the market and facilitate trade, she had Sid take some people to the warehouse to retrieve a batch of supplies and sell them at normal prices to crack down on those who were maliciously raising prices. She also sent someone to communicate with these people and buy the goods at the normal market price. If these people could do business properly, the territory would naturally welcome them. If they couldn't do business properly, she could use this opportunity to test whether the security forces for the training camp were up to par.

She is a reasonable person, but a reasonable person first needs to have a fist the size of a sandbag.

Without sufficient strength, who can you reason with?

Dignity resides only on the edge of a sword, and truth lies only within the range of cannon fire.

She looked at Sid: "Take a team of security guards over there and talk to them properly. We are not people who use violence!" But violence can solve many problems.

She handed over a list, which contained a group of people she had already identified.

Sid took it. Now, Sid would only handle matters that she personally instructed him to follow up on. Everything else was delegated to others. Power had to be delegated, otherwise Sid would be exhausted. However, while delegating power, it could not be guaranteed that everyone would do their job properly.

"If the water is too clear, there will be no fish. There are some things we can turn a blind eye to, but there are some bottom lines. Those who can work for the territory but do not cross the bottom line can be kept. But those who cross the bottom line, no matter how well they do or how smart they are, should be removed!"

"Some positions don't require you to be too smart, just hardworking and loyal, especially loyal to you!"

Sid paused for a moment, then nodded.

"I understand."

Loyalty to a territory is different from loyalty to an individual. Those who are loyal to a dynasty will purge the court of corrupt officials, while those who are loyal to the monarch will not. Those who become loyal to the monarch through loyalty to the dynasty will choose whether to remain loyal to the monarch as the dynasty develops.

Qin Yiyi only wanted people who were loyal to her. She had told Xide that people who were loyal to her and unconditionally loyal to her were her first choice, even if they weren't particularly intelligent or clever.

When it comes to loyalty, cleverness and intelligence are secondary.

Qin Yiyi looked at Sid. There was something she had been thinking about for a long time, and she felt she should tell Sid, since Sid was like family to her!

“I’ve been training my strength this winter, not just to protect the territory, Sid. When I returned, I saw my father, mother, brother and sister in the city under the Fire Prince’s jurisdiction, fighting against the fire giants. They haven’t appeared in public for three years, so they are likely trapped in the Fire Prince’s territory. I want to bring them back when spring comes!”

That's why she has always valued military strength so much.

Qin Yiyi looked at the chessboard that had just been set up in front of her; it was a Go endgame.

She really enjoys solving these kinds of puzzles.

"Nowadays, due to historical legacies and developments, various forces have amassed their own armies, which is not good news for the Empire. If the Empire wants to be above everyone else, it must have absolute strength, but in recent years, the Empire's army has been nothing more than a figurehead..."

Sid was unusually silent for a moment.

"The loss of the count was not only orchestrated by the prince... but also by Peter the Great."

The four pillars of the empire, each possessing a major city, have deep-rooted backgrounds and formidable power, making it difficult for Peter the Great to act immediately. However, the counts, who possess armies but lack territory and rely on warfare for sustenance, are far easier to target than others. First, assign them a mission, then lure them deep into the territory. If the count of Ye Qin is eliminated and his iron-blooded army absorbed, the empire's army will be transformed from muskets to cannons, becoming truly battle-hardened and possessing the power to control the four major cities.

This further consolidated royal power.

"But the Earl has always respected the Emperor and been loyal to the Empire..."

"Yes, Father is loyal to the Empire, not the Emperor... Moreover, Father rose from humble beginnings to power, with no backing or support, only the army he built up single-handedly. If the Earl were to die unexpectedly, the Empire, in gratitude for his contributions, would specially incorporate his army into the Empire. Do you think the remaining people in the Earl's mansion, namely me, an insignificant and powerless pure-blooded human, would agree or disagree? Besides, even if I disagree, what does my opinion matter?"

Peter the Great had planned all of this long ago, which is why he valued and loved his younger brother so much. The Prince of Flames was nothing more than a tool in Peter the Great's hand.

However, Peter the Great never expected, nor did he ever hope, that he would have a son in his forties. How could Prince Flame now be so desperate for the throne that Peter the Great was clinging to?

She couldn't help but smile as Qin Yiyi placed a black piece.

If Peter the Great was not up to the task, then naturally his son would take over.