Chapter 2181

So the remaining ten uprisings were organized and planned, with not only slogans, miracles, and action routes already arranged, but even the source of weapons and armor for the soldiers found, and several of them first occupied mountain strongholds to establish themselves as kings, while others attempted to storm cities and seize stockades.

Lü Qiuwei had already found out that behind these ten uprisings, there were people instigating them and even providing funds.

The worst part was that they also assassinated five officials, three of which succeeded, while the other two officials were injured to varying degrees.

However, they failed to stir up public sentiment; the masses simply ignored them. One group set fire to the Dragon God statue at night, but was subdued by local residents and given a severe beating, even resulting in a death.

Lü Qiuwei specially went to see the emperor to ask how these rioters should be dealt with, so as to set an example for the future.

He Lingchuan didn't even lift his head: "Lingchi at the market gate."

This practice cannot be allowed to continue; we must enforce the law openly and correctly.

Whether in Bekia, Mouguo, or Cangyan, watching public executions is an important form of entertainment for the populace.

Educating through entertainment is very important.

In just one morning, he made numerous administrative decisions, big and small, thirty-seven or thirty-eight in total.

Only when it was nearly noon did He Lingchuan stand up, stretch, and his bones crackled all over.

"Time to eat, time to eat."

At least during those two quarters of an hour while eating, he was resting and relaxing.

Just as he stood up, a palace attendant came to report: "The envoy from Ling Mountain requests an audience!"

He Lingchuan strode out without looking back: "Tell Du Shan to see him!"

Now, the Ling Mountain envoy stationed in Jucheng is none other than the Deputy Mountain Chief of the great sect Junzong of the Dao Gate, Wang Changyue.

However, after Wang Changyue requested an audience twice, he was received by Chancellor Du Shan instead.

The two talked for an entire afternoon.

The next morning, Du Shan came to report to Emperor Jiuyou that Ling Mountain was willing to strongly support Cangyan.

Cangyan, newly established, faces tight finances, inexperienced officials, weak educational influence, and a lack of high-level cultivation methods, while Ling Mountain can provide strong support in all these areas, helping Cangyan quickly overcome its difficulties.

So, how should Cangyan repay them?

Ling Mountain did not go into detail, only saying that both sides must resist the Heavenly Demons, that they are allies on the same front, hoping for future deep cooperation and mutual benefit.

He Lingchuan yawned repeatedly; last night, in the Panlong World, he had some disagreement with Sun Fuzi and didn't rest well.

He asked Du Shan:

"What do you think?"

"Heaven doesn't just drop free pies; Ling Mountain's generosity likely means they'll demand tenfold repayment later." Du Shan didn't know Ling Mountain's intentions, but instinctively remained wary.

He feels no goodwill toward either the Heavenly Demons or the immortals.

"Within the range of the Black Flood Dragon totem, the Spirit Gathering Formation cannot draw away spiritual energy, and the Heavenly Net Star cannot draw away nightmare energy."

Du Shan nodded; he knew this.

"The only exception is me." He Lingchuan pointed to himself: "As long as I personally set up the eyes of the Great Spirit Gathering Formation in Jucheng, the formation can draw in spiritual energy, and its effectiveness will far surpass before!"

Du Shan was moved, but immediately understood: "You are the Dragon God, so you naturally have exemption rights within the totem boundary. Oh, if Ling Mountain is aiming for this, then it contradicts your original intention, and we can never agree."

All beings in heaven and earth bear two great mountains on their backs: one is the Heavenly Demon, the other is the Immortal.

How could Cangyan possibly accept one and reject the other?

Du Shan reflected and then smiled: "Since spiritual energy within our borders cannot be drawn away by immortals or demons, our land may well become fertile ground for cultivators and monsters in the future."

Nightmare energy is also a form of spiritual energy; the existence of the Black Flood Dragon totem allows spiritual energy to remain within Cangyan's borders, accumulating over time, so its density will surpass that of most countries and regions.

For the beings within the nation, this is a great benefit, an invisible blessing.

Apart from Cangyan, the vast majority of regions in this world cannot escape the draining of spiritual energy by immortals and demons. Even in Mouguo, only a few major immortal sects and true immortals—so-called pinnacles of the pyramid—can enjoy the spiritual energy boost from the Great Spirit Gathering Formation, while such blessings hardly reach the vast majority of cultivators.

It's not scarcity we fear, but inequality; Cangyan's equality of spiritual energy naturally attracts more cultivators and monsters to settle.

After this conversation between ruler and minister, Cangyan expressed its wish for self-reliance, while politely declining Ling Mountain's kind support.

Of course, if Ling Mountain wishes to cooperate politically and economically, Cangyan would welcome it wholeheartedly.

From this point on, Cangyan's interactions with Mouguo became closer and more pragmatic, while its dealings with Ling Mountain became fewer but more flexible.

With external turmoil settled, He Lingchuan could finally devote himself wholeheartedly to internal affairs.

After the founding of Cangyan, Emperor Jiuyou awarded merits and punished faults, placing both civil and military officials.

The new state has thirty-six provinces, one hundred forty-eight prefectures, and below that, prefectures, counties, and townships as three administrative levels; one can imagine how grand the appointment and dismissal of such a vast number of officials is, and it took half a year to complete the setup.

When Cangyan was first founded, its implemented policies were largely similar to those of Shen Guo, with special improvements made to the policies rewarding agriculture, light corvée and light taxation, and water conservancy construction during the Dragon God War; the difference is that back then, these were wartime policies used to stabilize public sentiment, whereas now they have become the basic state policies for a long period after founding.

During the Dragon God War, large-scale official roads were built in the rear, which certainly provided livelihoods for all able-bodied men, letting them live in peace and avoid causing trouble, but indeed also paved the way for the subsequent development of Shanjin. The official roads extend in all directions, even small towns are not overlooked; with good roads, large-scale movement of agricultural products, goods, and personnel became possible.

Because of years of warfare, the Shanjin plains are vast and populous but underdeveloped in land reclamation. Now, the reclamation task has been pushed down to the grassroots level; villages and towns have made reclamation plans, provided cheap rental of various production materials, and hired young laborers to reclaim "village fields." The reclaimed village fields are sold to villagers at the local fair price, with quantity limits per household and no private buying or selling allowed within five years, and no land tax collected during those five years.

Those who cannot afford to buy village fields temporarily can first join the reclamation teams or work for merchant caravans, save up enough savings, and then buy— at this time, on the Shanjin plains, hard work can earn money, without having to risk one's life.

This is because self-reclamation by farmers is extremely difficult; wasteland is either as hard as iron or as rotten as mud; buying tools, buying seed grain, making mature fertilizer, and cultivating the land— one or two generations of four or five strong laborers working diligently for over ten years can only yield ten mu of good field.

At this opportune moment when heavenly and earthly spiritual energy is reviving, Cangyan strives to make every moment count; there is no room for such low efficiency. Moreover, abundant spiritual energy also makes the land quickly fertile, eliminating the need to let wasteland lie fallow for years before it becomes good farmland, so the main force of reclamation has shifted to the county and township levels. Meanwhile, the diligence evaluation of grassroots officials now focuses on reclamation, land management, public order, promotion of new grain varieties, and educational outreach.

Cangyan actively promotes reclamation: on one hand, to seize the opportunity for abundant grain production; on the other, to ensure the people of Shanjin can support themselves through their own labor.

So-called self-reliance means letting those who work diligently eat their fill, no longer suffering from constant hunger.