Chapter 323

The news of the False Song's northern expedition suffering a setback was like a muffled thunder, rolling through the tense standoff between the two countries amid undercurrents; it did not immediately stir up greater waves, but it quietly eased a certain strained situation by a bit.

Bian Liang Imperial City, Martial Virtue Hall.

Chen Wen felt little joy at his opponent's temporary setback; his gaze had long turned from the western light curtain to the empire's vast interior, especially those prefectures and counties that had just experienced or were still enduring drought trials.

On the imperial desk lay a joint memorial from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works, as well as preliminary reports from various places on drought relief and trial use of new agricultural implements.

"Your Majesty," Zhang Cheng stood in the hall, reporting in a steady voice, "The regions affected by drought last year, such as the Southern Mountains East Circuit and Southern Huai West Circuit, got a few light rains this past winter and spring, easing the drought somewhat, but the land's fertility has not recovered; with spring plowing imminent, the people remain worried, fearing a further drop in this year's harvest."

Chen Wen gave a slight nod, his eyes sweeping over another document from the Ministry of Works.

"How are the preparations for Zhao Lao Nian's new-style curved-shaft plow and water wheel coming along?"

Zhang Cheng replied, "Your Majesty, Minister Zhao has overseen the completion of the first batch of three thousand improved curved-shaft plows and five hundred simplified dragon-bone water wheels. However, the quantity remains limited; if distributed conventionally to each prefecture, it would be like a cup of water on a cart of burning firewood—unable to relieve the urgent need. Moreover, production takes time; to meet major demand would delay the farming season."

Chen Wen fell silent for a moment, lightly tapping his fingers on the imperial desk.

Using the ability to accelerate would surely consume Fortune Momentum, possibly incurring a cost; the precedents of the Unified Relief Canal and the North River Workshop were still fresh before his eyes.

But right now, spring plowing waits for no one.

If famine were to arise, with refugees scattering everywhere, the shaking of the dynasty's foundation and the blow to Fortune Momentum would be far more violent than a controllable consumption of ability.

This trade-off requires a decision.

He closed his eyes, sinking his mind inward.

The rich Fortune Momentum vortex flowed slowly, seeming more solid and weighty than before the False Song's northern expedition.

He recalled how, when the False Song's northern expedition suffered a setback, Fortune Momentum had increased imperceptibly.

"Disturbing a node can increase my momentum; stabilizing domestic affairs and nurturing the people's hearts are even more the foundation of Fortune Momentum." Chen Wen inwardly realized, "Accelerating agricultural implements to benefit the people's livelihood is a move to strengthen the foundation and nurture the essence. Even if it consumes some Fortune Momentum and causes some ripples, as long as it is properly controlled, in the long run the benefits outweigh the drawbacks."

The key lies in "measure".

He decided not to passively observe as before, but to proactively try to grasp and control this "balance".

"Issue an order to the Ministry of Works," Chen Wen opened his eyes, gaze firm, "We will send the first batch of agricultural implements first to the prefectures most severely affected by drought and most urgently needing spring plowing—Equal, Follow, and Peace Prefectures, etc. He ordered local officials to organize capable artisans, set up temporary workshops on site for local imitation, with the court providing subsidies."

He paused, then continued:

"As for the continued manufacture of workshops in Bianjing and the surrounding regions... I will pay attention and help them produce as soon as possible."

Although Zhang Cheng did not know what specific means the Emperor had to "pay attention," he deeply knew the Emperor's words were always followed through, and he often performed extraordinary deeds, so he immediately bowed.

"Your servant, I will obey the edict."

The edict was swiftly issued.

Several days later, outside Bianjing City, in a large workshop of the Official Workshop Bureau, the furnace fire blazed fiercely and sawdust flew.

Hundreds of artisans were busily crafting new-style curved-shaft plows and simplified water wheels.

These implements, improved under Zhao Lao Nian's direction, have curved-shaft plows with better force distribution, making soil entry easier; the plow walls' curvature has been optimized for improved turning and crushing of soil; the simplified water wheels eliminate complexity, using tougher wrought iron newly produced by the North River Workshop, making them more durable and easier for ordinary carpenters to imitate.

The workshop head saw piles of wood and iron stacked like mountains and the seemingly slow progress, furrowed his brow, and constantly urged the artisans.

Just then, an indescribable feeling, like a spring breeze brushing over an ice‑covered river, silently permeated the whole workshop.

The busy artisans did not notice any obvious abnormality.

They merely felt that today their work seemed especially smooth.

The plow beam that originally required repeated adjustments to bend properly today seemed especially obedient, taking shape in just a few strokes, its arc smooth and natural;

When forging the waterwheel gears, the drilling was precise and steady, efficiency far above normal;

Even the laborers hauling timber felt the heavy load on their shoulders lighter, and their steps much quicker.

The workshop's overall efficiency rose unnoticed.

It lacked the astonishing doubling effect of the Xingzhou iron workshop, but was a gentler, more enduring acceleration.

It seemed as if the flow of time here had sped up ever so slightly.

The head steward looked at today's output statistics, rubbed his eyes, and could hardly believe it.

"Strange…… today nobody worked especially hard, yet the output is nearly thirty percent more than usual," he muttered, baffled.

Only Chen Wen, far away in Huangcheng, could clearly feel the extremely subtle but real ripple in his body's Fortune Momentum vortex.

He used the Massive Endowment 2× effect, which covers an extremely broad range but gives the smallest per‑point increase, imposes the lightest mental burden, and consequently the stimulation and consumption of Fortune Momentum are also gentler.

He carefully sensed this ratio of consumption to workshop output increase, silently calculating.

At the same time, the first batch of new farm tools sent to the disaster area began to show their effect.

Yunzhou, at the edge of a field that had just thawed.

Old farmer Li Lao Han and his son half‑believing, half‑doubtful, received the latest curved‑shaft plow distributed by the village chief, said to come from the Bianjing Ministry of Works.

"This plow… looks lighter, but can it really work well?" Li Lao Han stroked the smooth plow beam, doubtful.

In previous spring plowing, using the old plow, a day's work left people half‑dead and they could barely till any land.

The son, young and strong, hitched the family's old yellow ox and tried to guide the plow forward.

Amazingly, the plow blade entered the soil extremely smoothly, hardly requiring any effort, and the dark earth was easily turned and broken, forming neat furrows.

Compared with the old plow, it saved nearly half the labor! Moreover, it turned the soil deeper and broke it finer!

"Father! This plow is really easy to use! It saves so much labor!" the son exclaimed, both surprised and delighted.

Li Lao Han hurried forward, gazing at the turned‑over, fragrant fertile soil; his cloudy old eyes burst with delighted light.

"Good stuff! Really good stuff!"

"At this rate, our dozen or so mu of land can be finished several days early, and we can plow deeper!"

"Imperial Court… the Imperial Court has really done a great thing this time!"

Similar scenes kept unfolding in the fields of Suizhou, Anzhou and elsewhere.

The new curved‑shaft plow, with its labor‑saving and efficient traits, quickly won farmers' praise.

And the simplified waterwheels installed by the rivers and streams, creaking as they turned, continually lifted precious river water onto higher fields, moistening the thirsty seedlings.

Although the drought had not been fully relieved, the arrival of these new farm tools undoubtedly injected a stimulant into the anxious farming season, greatly easing the strain on human and animal labor, boosting farming efficiency and disaster resistance.

The news was gathered from rumor scouts in various places and memorials from provincial officials, layered and summed up, then sent back to Bian Liang.

Chen Wen carefully read each report.

He noticed that in regions where the promotion of agricultural tools went smoothly and the people praised it, the vortex of Fortune Momentum within his body, which had originally fluctuated slightly from using his ability, not only quickly returned to stability but even grew a bit stronger than before.

That was the gathering of the people's hearts, a feedback of vitality.

And the possible "price" that using his ability might trigger did not seem to show up immediately this time.

Perhaps it was because the multiplier of this use was lower, consuming less;

Perhaps it was because this measure benefited the people's livelihood, itself accumulating Fortune Momentum and offsetting part of the consumption;

Or perhaps that "price" would appear in a more concealed, more delayed manner.

Chen Wen did not know, but he was not impatient.

He was like a cautious doctor, carefully adjusting the prescription and observing every subtle reaction of the patient.

"Using ability consumes Fortune Momentum and triggers a price."

"But if used properly, benefiting the people and consolidating the foundation of the state, it can nurture Fortune Momentum and form a virtuous cycle."

"The balance point within this, perhaps not fixed but dynamic, is closely related to the dynasty's current state and to what one does."

He picked up a vermilion brush, and on a memorial requesting increased funding for the imitation of agricultural tools, he wrote the character "approved".

At the corner of his mouth, a faint smile with a hint of exploration appeared.

This road of controlling the "Balance of Fortune Momentum," though shrouded in mist, he could already faintly see the winding path ahead.

And the first step to solidify the dynasty's foundation quietly stepped out from among these fields.