Chapter 43 I'm concerned about people's livelihood? No, it's Heaven that's messing with me!

Inside the imperial study, candlelight shone brightly.

Yun Zhan finished reviewing the last memorial concerning the reorganization of the Grand Canal, tossed it aside, and stretched languidly, his bones cracking. He rubbed his throbbing temples, feeling as if his brain was filled with lead.

"System, I suspect I'm not here to be an emperor, but to participate in a transformation program—specifically to experience the miserable life of an ancient corporate slave," he complained listlessly.

[Based on energy consumption monitoring, the host has been averaging less than three hours of sleep per day recently, and mental activity levels are exceeding limits. It is recommended to allocate tasks reasonably to avoid overwork leading to sudden death.] System Xiaoqi's electronic voice remained as calm as ever, but seemed to carry a barely perceptible hint of…concern?

“Assigning tasks? Look at my team!” Yun Zhan pointed to the empty imperial study. “Li Muyan and the others are capable, but those old fogies won’t even let them officially enter the court. They can only sneak around and act as my ‘behind-the-scenes manipulators.’ Big or small matters, in the end, don’t I have to make the final decision?”

He sighed, stood up, and walked to the window, gazing at the deep night outside. In the months since returning to the palace, he had barely slept a full night. Eliminating Li Gang's faction was only the first step; the subsequent personnel arrangements, institutional adjustments, and appeasing various factions… each one was incredibly demanding and exhausting.

"However, it's all worth it, no matter how tired I am!" Yun Zhan took a deep breath of the cool night air, trying to cheer himself up. "Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it! I, a modern person, understand this principle all too well. Now that public opinion of me has just improved, I must strike while the iron is hot and improve people's livelihood! Only when the people receive real benefits can this country be secure."

Without further ado, Yun Zhan, having regrouped, once again transformed into a workaholic.

Agriculture is fundamental, and his first thought was of his "great achievements" in Hejian Prefecture.

"By imperial decree! The Ministry of Works, in conjunction with the Imperial Workshops, shall meticulously compile the blueprints and detailed manufacturing methods for new agricultural implements such as the curved-shaft plow, the water-powered waterwheel, and the seed-planting cart into a booklet, complete with usage illustrations. This booklet shall be sent to all prefectures, counties, and districts by express courier! Local officials are hereby ordered to personally oversee the implementation of these beneficial tools, ensuring their widespread adoption without fail! Furthermore, the method of increasing yield through composting shall also be taught by local government offices to local farmers and widely disseminated!"

Once the decree was issued, it sparked a great deal of discussion both in the court and among the people. Some pragmatic and far-sighted local officials, such as some prefects and magistrates who came from humble backgrounds, studied the drawings and instructions carefully and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"Wonderful! This plow is so labor-saving and efficient!"

"This waterwheel is an ingenious design; if it can be built, it will be a blessing for all people!"

"Your Majesty is wise! You have come up with such a brilliant idea!"

These praises reached Yun Zhan's ears through special channels, giving him a slight sense of accomplishment. Of course, there were also many conservatives and remnants of Li Gang's original forces who spoke sarcastically behind his back, thinking that this young emperor was merely copying others or simply wasting resources and causing hardship for the people.

Tools and technology alone are not enough; seeds are the core key to grain yield. In Yun Zhan's view, the crop yield of that era was simply appalling, having witnessed the yield per acre of modern hybrid rice.

"System! Little Seven! Seventh Master!" Yun Zhan rubbed his hands together, a fawning smile plastered on his face, as he began to mentally summon his "golden finger," "Emergency! Is there any super grain variety that is... high-yielding, lodging-resistant, pest-resistant, and highly adaptable? Like the kind of hybrid rice father? I'll buy it on credit! Once my country is prosperous and strong, I guarantee I'll pay you back with interest! Interest is negotiable!"

[Host request detected. Database search... 'Basic Optimized Grain Seed Combination Package (including drought-resistant high-yield wheat seeds, flood-resistant high-yield rice seeds, and high-protein soybean seeds)' is available, requiring 2500 points. Host's current points: -50. Confirm loan?] The system coldly popped up a prompt.

"Two thousand five hundred points?!" Yun Zhan's vision went black, and he almost had a heart attack. "This is usury! Blatant exploitation!"

[This combination pack contains a small amount of dimensional technology, which can significantly increase the average yield of crops in this dimension by 30%-50%, and is more adaptable. It's worth the price.] The system explained without any fluctuation.

Looking at his dismal negative score, and thinking of the pitiful yield per mu and the potential disaster victims crying for food, Yun Zhan finally gritted his teeth and stamped his foot, his face showing a tragic determination like a warrior cutting off his own arm: "I'll take out a loan! For the sake of the people, I'll become this 'debtor'!"

[Loan successful. 'Basic Optimized Seed Combination Pack' issued (physical item already stored in system space, host can retrieve at any time). Host's current points: -2550. Warning: Please actively complete tasks and repay debts as soon as possible to avoid system access restrictions.] The system ruthlessly deducted a "huge sum," while a stream of information about seed characteristics, planting points, and precautions flooded into Yun Zhan's mind.

Yun Zhan felt his heart bleeding. How many Li Gangs would he have to take down to make up for this?!

He dared not delay and immediately ordered that special "experimental fields" be set up in the imperial estates near the capital and in several prefectures and counties with representative climates and soils. The most experienced and reliable old farmers were selected and secretly protected and supervised by Gao Gonggong's trusted bodyguards. They were to carefully cultivate these "golden nuggets" in strict accordance with the requirements of the "instructions".

At the same time, relying on his fragmented knowledge from the information explosion era and his vision far ahead of his time, he ambitiously drew up a grand blueprint:

"The canal transport system must be reformed! The flow of goods between the north and south is disrupted, and prices vary greatly. How can this be allowed to continue?"

"Water conservancy is the lifeblood of agriculture. The dikes of major rivers such as the Yellow River and the Huai River must be reinforced, and the irrigation systems must be rebuilt!"

"Industry and commerce cannot be ignored! We must encourage invention and innovation, simplify commercial taxes, and promote circulation..."

"And education! We must break the monopoly of privileged families and give those from humble backgrounds a chance to rise up..."

Ideas bubbled up one after another, and he discussed these ideas with Li Muyan, Zhao Polu, Wang Tiezhu and others, directing this group of "harem hunks" around in circles, to the point that they "could not sleep or eat properly".

The lights in the Imperial Study often burned until dawn.

However, his ideals were lofty, but reality dealt him a heavy blow.

"Your Majesty, the promotion of new agricultural tools in various prefectures and counties requires a large number of skilled craftsmen, as well as timber and iron, which may be difficult for local finances to support..."

"Your Majesty, the reorganization of the Grand Canal involves the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of War, and dozens of prefectures and counties along the river. Interests are deeply intertwined, making coordination extremely difficult. Some officials are already feigning compliance while secretly resisting..."

"Your Majesty, the northern border troops' rations and pay have been nearly six months overdue, and the soldiers' resentment is growing daily, which may lead to unforeseen events..."

"Your Majesty, the chieftains in the southwest seem to be making unusual moves..."

"His Majesty…"

All sorts of thorny problems, like countless entwined vines, sprouted from every corner of the vast empire, binding Yun Zhan's legs as he tried to take a step. His hands grew heavier and heavier as he reviewed the memorials, and his dark circles under his eyes deepened. He deeply understood what it meant to "press down one gourd and another floats up," and what it meant to have "a huge chasm between ideals and reality."

"System... I think... I might die suddenly soon..." Yun Zhan slumped on the dragon throne, his eyes unfocused, feeling as if his body had been hollowed out.

[Host, high-intensity work is not conducive to long-term rule. It is recommended to improve efficiency and delegate authority appropriately.] The system paused, then added in an almost "euphemistic" tone, [Furthermore, please be reminded again that your 'Plane Abandoned Pawn' aura energy fluctuations are abnormal and may be about to enter an active phase. Please be prepared.]

"A pawn abandoned by another plane?" Yun Zhan was taken aback for a moment, then curled his lip indifferently. "Isn't that the original owner Chu Yin's inherent bad luck attribute? What does it have to do with me, Yun Zhan? I am now a wise and benevolent ruler who works hard and cares for the people! Heaven can't be indiscriminate, can it? Besides, Yan Linye has calmed down, hasn't he? He's probably drowning his sorrows in some corner right now, he doesn't have time to trip me up."

He naively believed that his greatest opponent was Yan Linye, who had temporarily shelved his rebellion due to emotional entanglements. He thought that as long as he focused on managing the domestic situation, he could stabilize the situation. Little did he know that his most terrifying and invincible opponent was the unreasonable "luck" in the dark, and the world's overwhelming and malicious backlash against him, this "outlier" and "usurper."

Just as Yun Zhan was pouring his heart and soul into trying to revitalize this battered empire, bad news began to erupt like a long-accumulated plague, with an astonishing density and intensity.

Moreover, it attacked from all directions simultaneously.

The first shock came from an urgent report sent from the southeastern coast: Japanese pirates had amassed a large force, with over a hundred warships, and were launching a frenzied invasion of the coastal areas of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Fujian! Several garrisons had been breached, prefectures and counties had been burned and looted, and the civilian population had suffered heavy casualties, with rivers of blood flowing! The local garrisons collapsed at the first contact and were completely unable to organize an effective resistance. They urgently requested the court to dispatch an elite navy and reinforcements!

Yun Zhan stared at the memorial, each word dripping with blood, and the accompanying rough statistics on casualties and losses, his fists clenching tightly. He knew about the scourge of the Japanese pirates, but in his understanding, this was a border threat that had only intensified in the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty. How could it have become so ferocious in this short-lived Yin Dynasty?

Before he could recover from the flames of war in the southeast, urgent military news from the north nearly burst through the palace gates—the three major tribal alliances of the grasslands, taking advantage of the autumn harvest and the fatness of their horses, had amassed over 100,000 cavalry and were advancing south in three columns! Important border towns were in dire need of reinforcements, with beacon fires burning day and night, and the defending troops suffering heavy casualties. They pleaded with the court to urgently dispatch reinforcements, provisions, and weapons!

"They've come from the north too?! And with 100,000 iron cavalry?!" Yun Zhan felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and his hand holding the military report trembled uncontrollably. This scale far exceeded anything seen before!

As if that wasn't lively enough, reports of natural disasters from all over the country poured into the palace like snowflakes, as if by prior arrangement:

The Yellow River breached its banks in the Kaifeng section of Henan Province! The flood raged for thousands of miles, submerging countless villages and fields, leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless and starving!

Almost simultaneously, a massive locust plague broke out in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions! The locusts blotted out the sky, leaving nothing but barren land in their wake, turning the rice paddies that had just been promising a bumper harvest into barren wastelands!

A horrifying plague (suspected to be bubonic plague) broke out in the Huguang region! The epidemic spread extremely rapidly, the dead were numerous, morale collapsed, and signs of popular uprisings appeared in various places!

Even in Zhili province, where the capital is located, a relatively strong earthquake struck, affecting several prefectures! Although it did not cause widespread casualties, countless government buildings and houses collapsed, and the people were filled with fear…

Standing before the enormous map of the territory, Yun Zhan stared at the directions marked with vermilion ink, each one seemingly smoking and ablaze. He felt a sudden dizziness and his ears rang uncontrollably.

Southeastern Japanese pirate raids, northern nomadic tribes, Yellow River floods, locust plagues in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, epidemics in Hubei and Hunan, earthquakes in the capital region…

What the hell is this?! Even the "Seventh Year of the Apocalypse" gift package wasn't this complete and plentiful! At least other people's gifts came gradually, but this was all thrown at my face at once!

"System...System!" Yun Zhan's voice trembled uncontrollably, filled with a sense of absurdity. "You...you tell me, isn't this...isn't this a bit too outrageous?! Huh?! I know I might not be very lucky, but this...this isn't just a matter of luck anymore, is it? It's like God is chasing me down with the Immortal Execution Sword!"

[Emergency situation data analysis in progress...] After a brief silence, the system spoke in the most straightforward electronic voice, uttering the most despairing words: [Comprehensive assessment: The host's current combined disaster index has exceeded the historical record of this plane, surpassing the average level by 420%. The cumulative effect of the disasters is significant. This fully meets the core criteria for being a 'plane's abandoned pawn'—extremely low luck, prone to divine retribution, and facing numerous difficulties.]

Yun Zhan's vision went black, and he felt a sweet taste in his throat, almost spitting out a mouthful of blood.

He finally understood, with a profound sense of pain, what it meant to be a "planetary pawn"!

This is hardly a discarded pawn! It's as if God has condensed all the bad luck into Yun Zhan's likeness and then placed him on the volcano of this dynasty to be roasted!

He had previously been secretly complaining about the original owner of Chu Yin's bad luck, but now he just wanted to go back in time and slap himself a few times! This luck was truly terrible, reaching a whole new level!

“It’s over…it’s all over…” Yun Zhan slumped back onto the cold dragon throne, feeling utterly drained of all his strength as he looked at the mountain of urgent documents piled up on the imperial desk.

The national treasury is empty, and grain reserves are limited. Simultaneously, how can we cope with such a large-scale multi-front war and widespread natural disasters? Where will the money come from? Where will the grain come from? Where will the soldiers be mobilized? Where will the laborers be conscripted?

His nascent and fragile plans for improving people's livelihoods were as fragile as a candle in a storm, instantly extinguished in the face of this overwhelming disaster.

How long can the goodwill that has just been built up among the people last in the face of a survival threat? If handled improperly, it will instantly turn into overwhelming resentment and completely devour him, the "emperor"!

And that figure he forcibly suppressed in his heart, that Yan Linye who became despondent and seemed to have given up the competition because of his resolute departure... If he, or his capable ministers and generals, knew that the Dayin Dynasty was now in such a desperate situation of internal and external troubles... would that dormant ambition... be rekindled?

Yun Zhan dared not think any further; the thought was like a venomous snake, gnawing at his already taut nerves.

He looked up at the sky outside the window, which had darkened without him noticing. Dark clouds loomed overhead, as if foreshadowing an even greater storm. In a daze, he seemed to see the cold and malicious face of the heavens, silently mocking his overestimation of his abilities from the clouds.

It turns out that what he was trying so hard to fight against was never just Yan Linye.

Rather, it is this damned, incurable...fate.