Chapter 1320: The Highest Realm of Oxen and Horses [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
In the southwest, having ancestral blood of a foreign race could lead to one's death. Luo Sha had only recently landed and was straightforward and not very shrewd. Taking advantage of Shen Tang's mention of the foreign races in the southwest, he bluntly stated his thoughts—kill every foreigner he saw.
If we don't kill them now, we will surely suffer the consequences later.
"...I heard that the two tribes in the Northwest have long been recruited by the Lord, and generals from the two tribes have been appointed? Forgive my presumption, but the principle of 'those who are not of our kind will surely have different hearts' is universal. Their submission today is only because they are not as skilled as others, not because they are truly submissive. If something happens to them in the future, they will be wolves that break into the house!" From Luo Sha's words, it can be seen that he is indeed not very shrewd.
Shen Tang valued Luo Sha and intended to support him, so he naturally didn't want the other party to be punished for his words: "There are only two ways to deal with foreign races. The first is to completely exterminate them, like in the southwest. The second is to assimilate and absorb them. After hundreds of years of war, the population of various parts of the continent has decreased sharply, and people's livelihoods are in ruins. We are almost at our limit and need to recuperate the most. If we slaughter all the foreign races in the northwest, Kang Kingdom will have to pay several times the price."
Where can you find the prosperity of these past few years?
In the years since the founding of Kangguo, with the recovery of people's livelihoods, the birth rate in the Northwest has been soaring year after year. Last year alone, there were 1.56 million newborns, reaching the highest level in a century. The infant mortality rate has also been halved year by year. It is entirely predictable that at this rate, even without Yunda's twelve-year period, if Shen Tang is given thirty years to develop, even if she does not actively expand outwards, other parts of the continent will "voluntarily" submit.
"After all, it's a potential threat." Luo Sha's prejudice against other races was instilled in him from childhood and was deeply ingrained. The city-wide massacre triggered by his attempt to appease and rehabilitate the prisoners was a bloody lesson!
"Whether I am a dragon or a worm, I will remain coiled as long as I live." Speaking the most arrogant words in the calmest tone, Shen Tang's response made Luo Sha shudder. She said, "The people have already been secretly destroying the documents of the Ten Crows of the Northern Desert. Children are also learning the Kangguo language. Adults who want to get good jobs to support their families also have to learn it. At most, three generations will be clean."
The language environment has a significant impact on children.
At first, Luo Sha didn't understand the destructive power of these words, but after careful consideration, he was shocked to realize how ruthless they were. He opened his mouth in bewilderment.
Shen Tang understood what he wanted to ask.
"Are you curious about the reactions of the two races, both civil and military?"
"They can't possibly agree to that, can they?"
Even if Luo were in their shoes, they wouldn't agree.
No matter how deep the blood feud, this flesh and blood cannot be replaced. The master they serve wants to completely erase their race from their very being. Even those who have no feelings for their race cannot remain completely indifferent, can they? Luo Sha was confused.
Shen Tang said calmly, "They don't know."
Few people truly realized Shen Tang's true intentions.
Gu Chi's trusted confidants had some suspicions, but they couldn't possibly leak the information. The living conditions of the Shiwu and Beimo tribes were indeed terrible. Their own systemic flaws meant that only a small group of beneficiaries recognized their existence; the common people and slaves at the bottom had no desire to return to the days of hunger and hardship, risking their lives for survival. Public opinion had largely shifted in Shen Tang's favor.
She doesn't need to do anything; simply showing a little favor to these lower-class peoples during her governance will make them incredibly grateful and send them to the places Shen Tang wants them to go. They will voluntarily integrate into the local language and culture, like a drop of ink falling into a pond, silently swallowed up. It is these people who voluntarily abandon their own language and culture, not that she forces them.
This is true from beginning to end.
Foreign generals like Su Shiyilu, who came from high-ranking families, were too far removed from slaves to empathize with them. They also did not believe that slaves and other lower classes could perpetuate any culture; culture was a luxury only the high-ranking nobles were entitled to access.
And this is exactly what Shen Tang wanted.
The fewer people who are fluent in both languages, the better.
The fewer people there are, the closer they are to the result Shen Tang wants.
"...Wouldn't we have killed those foreign tribes in the southwest too early?"
The last batch that survived numbered around 100,000 laborers.
Shen Tang shook her head: "No, the situation is different."
She's not a garbage can, accepting all sorts of trash. The conflict between the northwestern kingdoms and the northwestern tribes is a deep-seated blood feud built up over time. There's no inherent enmity of one side educating the other only to be devoured. They can accept the winner-takes-all outcome, even if they have to grit their teeth. But these southwestern tribes are a different story. These creatures who can betray you at any moment and eat people are better off dead.
Luo Sha: "..."
I never expected that there would be something that even the Lord couldn't accept.
Shen Tang reminded Luo Sha: "These words are fine to say to me, but you should be more careful with your other colleagues. If you really can't remember them and say them out loud, that's okay too. Su Shiyi and Lu together can't beat you."
Who can blame them when their fists are so hard?
Su Shiyilu could only accept his bad luck.
Luo Sha: "...This subordinate will remember."
On the day the Southwest was completely incorporated into the territory, Qin Li's high-definition satellite map was finally updated to the latest version. Shen Tang and the others looked at the landscape on the map and felt a chill run down their spines: "If the Southwest map were a person, it would be dead in ten years."
No one grasped the essence of her rant.
"What do you mean? That the dismemberment was caused by the numerous states?"
"No, it means the blood clot is too severe."
Not only were there large blood clots, but there were also varicose veins.
With the southwestern map now fully complete, the plan to open up waterways, previously discussed with Qin Li, needs revision: "A few days ago, the Cui family presented a map from the common people, depicting the mountains and rivers as they looked before the arrival of the treacherous star. Using that map as a template, my initial plan is to connect and merge all these waterways, starting from here, then here, and then here to the sea..."
Before the emergence of supernatural abilities like literary talent and martial prowess, the changes in mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas were extremely slow. Maps from over two hundred years ago were almost identical to those from five hundred years ago. Shen Tang had been studying these maps for the past few days, and the more he looked, the more he felt that the terrain was deliberately arranged to maximize the protection of the land from marine radiation.
Luo Sha said the nearshore environment has improved a lot.
In other words, some of the original "barriers" can be removed.
After demolition, the land will be transformed into a suitable place for human habitation and agriculture.
Xun Zhen stared intently at her pointing fingers, his breathing growing heavier. The Emperor merely uttered a word, and the Ministry of Works was exhausted, while the Ministry of Revenue went bankrupt on the spot. He hastily pulled out people from the Ministry of Works as shields.
The difficulty lies not in merging the two entities, but in the far-reaching impact they will have on the surrounding areas. From agriculture and ecology to the migration of nearby people, every aspect requires the coordinated efforts of the three provinces, six ministries, nine temples, and five supervisory commissions. This matter involves a great deal of concern.
The Lord sets the beginning, and they handle the rest.
Xun Zhen was afraid that she would act impulsively.
If it succeeds, all the better. The real fear is that it will be unworkable halfway through, rendering all previous investments worthless—that would be the death of Xun Zhen! The larger the project, the more people and processes are involved, and the more loopholes there are. Xun Zhen naturally needs to control every step of the process in advance to prevent even the slightest waste or embezzlement!
No one! Can! Be! To! Be! Greedy! For! Even! One! Point!
Shen Tang smiled and said, "I was too impatient."
Xun Zhen then stammered, hinting at a crisis in the national treasury—if the emperor wanted to smoothly implement the projects, he needed to find a way to replenish the treasury. Whether it was through burning, killing, looting, or other means, he just wanted money.
Speaking of which, the Lord has indeed recently received a small sum of money.
Why should they be wary of themselves, the Minister of Revenue?
Are they afraid he'll pocket the windfall?
Shen Tang: "..."
Why bring up such an unlucky thing on such a joyous occasion?
She took a deep breath and exhaled, then took another deep breath and exhaled again.
"...You don't need to worry about these things."
Shen Tang once again lamented why there wasn't a second Ji Moqiu in the world. If there were, she wouldn't mind enjoying the blessing of having two wives!
When the thought popped into her head, she couldn't help but rub her forehead.
People sometimes laugh when they are extremely speechless.
Everyone else thought it was a happy occasion, but Gu Chi overheard her inner monologue: "There's no one in this world more self-disciplined than me. Other slaves just drink an iced Americano to perk themselves up when they're tired, but I'm constantly taking out loans to pay for my work and I'm even willing to sell myself..."
What kind of dog-bi job is this?!
Did she really not commit murder, arson, or blow up the universe in her past life?
Gu Chi: "..."
To be honest, he felt a little sorry for that high priest. He was wholeheartedly devoted to serving God, while you, my lord, your thoughts are somewhat dangerous. Gu Chi silently noted down his inspiration for the day.
Shen Tang made his fortune by threatening the Cui family.
Xun Zhen became rich by exploiting his lord.
When he received the ledger of his "windfall" from Shen Tang, his eyes lit up several degrees, as if he had stuffed a hundred or so fireflies into his eyeballs to use as light bulbs. After quickly flipping through a few pages, he grinned so hard his back teeth almost showed: "The Cui family is really shrewd."
The poverty of the Southwest did not prevent wealthy families from being rich.
It makes sense that Cui Zhi, a member of the Cui family, was able to become the head of the Southwest Branch.
He might not be able to handle an unpredictable eccentric like his lord, but surely he could handle a powerful family? That's their familiar circle, where they've known each other since childhood, and they know all the tricks of the trade by heart. When they strike, it's deadly!
Shen Tang said, "He has to protect his daughter."
That Lady Cui probably never imagined that her momentary mercy in not wanting to silence them would come at such a high price. After this heist, the Cui clan's foundation in the southwest was essentially destroyed, leaving them no choice but to relocate to the northwest and reintegrate into a new environment.
Shen Tang used the Cui family as a knife to cut flesh from the fattest sheep in the southwest. The fat sheep couldn't do anything to Shen Tang, but they could vent their anger on the Cui family. Even though the Cui family remained wealthy, they couldn't find suitable marriage partners for their clan members, so they could only marry into lower-class families, offending all the suitable ones.
Shen Tang knows how to exercise moderation.
He exploited Cui Zhi, promoted Cui Mi, and treated Cui Xiong well.
Cui Hui has recently gone into seclusion.
Even if Cui Zhi wanted to overturn the table, he would be afraid of causing trouble and could only endure it!
Shen Tang's relaxed brows furrowed again after a short while: "This little bit of profit is just a drop in the ocean compared to the deficit in the entire Southwest."
This battle was somewhat unprofitable.
She could recoup her losses if she developed properly, but right now she lacks the time to do so. The war in the southwest has just ended, and it won't be long before the central region catches up. Even cattle and horses have holidays, but she can only work non-stop.
Seeing that she was in low spirits, Xun Zhen offered her some hope: "Your Majesty, there's no need to be too pessimistic. Things will get better in a year or two."
We've made it through so many years, what's there to be afraid of?
Shen Tang: "..."
Shen Tang spent the New Year away from home.
My workload reached a peak in recent years; just writing encouraging and blessing letters to officials made my hands sore, and I seriously suspect I'm developing tendonitis. I only stopped writing on New Year's Eve and resumed writing on the afternoon of New Year's Day. During the New Year, I ate a bowl of knife-cut noodles cooked by Chu Yao himself, with four eggs added.
"It's been a long time since I've had such a quiet New Year."
In previous years, the festive atmosphere in Fengluo could last for a whole month.
With the first month of the lunar calendar more than halfway over, everyone around me who could be sent out had been sent out, and it suddenly became much quieter... well, not really that quiet. The Dingding court assembly was unprecedented in scale, and the fighting between civil and military officials escalated to an unprecedented level, comparable to tens of millions of ducks quacking in my ears.
"My lord, my lord has disappeared?"
Qin Li escaped from the chaotic battle and quickly logged off.
As I rushed toward my lord, I heard a scream.
"Aaaaah—cockroach—"
Shen Tang wasn't afraid of cockroaches, but she was terrified of them suddenly flying onto her face! She had just been watching the court officials fight, and her sharp ears caught a commotion. Then she saw two cockroaches, each about half the size of her palm, swooping over. Her heart almost stopped.
He grabbed the wooden sandals she had made and slapped them on.
When Qin Li arrived, he saw her with a ferocious expression and said, "Damn it, nuclear weapons, zombies, natural disasters, and apocalypses can't kill you!"
Cockroaches have not only survived, but they've grown even bigger!
Is this scientifically sound?
She threw away the wooden slippers covered in cockroach corpses, and, suppressing her disgust, let the palace maids and eunuchs come in to clean up. She looked up and saw Qin Li.
"I've never seen such a big cockroach before."
Qin Li said, "I have never seen it either."
It's strange, really. The closer you get to the coast, the more unusual species you find. Cockroaches the size of a palm are just the appetizer; Qin Li even saw rats the size of piglets a few days ago. However, these rats are rare, and even more so, a delicacy.
According to local county records, there were many larger and more deformed animals before, but they were all eaten to extinction by starving people.
cockroach……
It was something that even starving people couldn't bring themselves to eat.
To prevent similar incidents from causing the emperor to lose connection, Qin Li suggested that the emperor recall his personal guards. At the very least, it would keep out any unruly intruders. When Shen Tang reconnected, the court officials had already made their voices heard through a brawl.
Shen Tang: "..."
Efficiency has improved significantly compared to before.
She asked, "Any results?"
Xun Zhen was about to speak when a dozen pairs of eyes shot over him like knives, almost making him choke. Reluctantly, he said, "We believe that the Kingdom of Qu is, after all, an ally. Since they have asked for grain..."
The argument at the court assembly was about borrowing grain.
It's hard to say whether Qu Kingdom is truly short of food or is testing the waters.
To lend or not to lend?
This is a problem.
Those represented by Xun Zhen were unwilling to lend, citing reasons including, but not limited to, the landlord's family also lacking surplus grain, and using this to wear down their allies in Qu State, aiming to sacrifice their own allies rather than themselves. Those represented by Chu Yao, however, were more inclined to lend, intending to first eliminate the central region.
We can't just be stingy with money; we should also consider our reputation in history!
It's not a good reputation to betray an ally before the war is over.
What if we can't completely destroy the Central Plains and Qu Kingdom in one fell swoop?
Kang Guo didn't end up losing more than he gained by trying to steal a chicken.
Borrow grain so that Quguo can hold out for a while longer.
Give your team some time to develop.
|ω`)
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