NOVEL WEB Chapter 88.2
This incident quickly became known to the outside world, and everyone was shocked to the point of their jaws dropping.
“Great Xia and the Money Gang clashed, and in the end, it was Great Xia that won!”
“Oh god! Money Gang had a total of 7 Innate experts and over 400 skilled members fall at the hands of Great Xia, and they were even extorted for 3 million taels of silver! This massive loss has directly knocked Money Gang down from a second-rate sect to a third-rate one!”
“The Leader of Money Gang must be spitting blood in anger right now! They thought they were picking on an easy target, but instead, they bit into a tough bone and broke their teeth!”
“Let them fight, neither Money Gang nor Great Xia are good things anyway!”
“Surviving such a crisis, I suddenly feel that Great Xia is somewhat unfathomable!”
“It must have been the Emperor’s powerful friend who took action! It’s said that those from Money Gang were injured by Sword Qi, the same method used to wipe out the noble family’s experts before!”
“I think so too, that foolish emperor must have had some dumb luck to make such a friend!”
“The heavens are blind!”
The outside world was full of people who were both sour and jealous, secretly criticizing Lin Beifan.However, at this moment, Lin Beifan was happily counting his money: “To earn three million taels of silver so easily, I really hope more forces like this come my way!”
His country was developing rapidly and needed a lot of money.
No matter how the money came, as long as it came, that was what mattered.
Although the means were dark, the future was bright!
Just then, a voice echoed in his mind.
“Ding! As the player’s national power grows, your strength increases in sync! Awarded with the top-tier martial art, the Sacred Heart Technique!”
“The Sacred Heart Technique, a supreme divine skill created by a legendary martial arts genius who integrated the essence of countless martial arts schools, possesses various powerful and bizarre attacking moves! These include the Shocking Gaze Raid, which can capture souls with a chilling gaze, and the Wicked Blood Raid, drawing and depleting an opponent’s blood until death…”
Lin Beifan closed his eyes, rapidly absorbing this divine skill.
It took three hours before he finally assimilated this martial art.
His heart was filled with both amazement and joy: “This martial art is too strong, too terrifying. It has all kinds of magical attacking moves! It’s no longer just martial arts, it’s almost akin to the ways of the Dao!”
This divine skill brought a qualitative leap to his strength!
Lin Beifan felt that even if a Grandmaster were to arrive, he could take him on in a fight for a while!
“What on earth happened that caused my strength to increase so rapidly?”
Lin Beifan pulled up the Empire Sandbox to take a look.
……
Empire Sandbox (Intermediate Level)
Territorial Area: 640,000 square miles (Arable land 480,000 square miles)
Domestic Resources: 165 million taels (3 iron mines, 3 coal mines, 2 copper mines…)
Population: 6.32 million (Wealthy people 3%, Common people 70%, Poor people 27%)
Military Strength: 800,000 (6 Innate level, 320 martial artists…)
Comprehensive National Power: 1320 (Great kingdom level)
……
After reading this, the reason became clear.
It turns out that it was the autumn harvest, and there was a bumper grain harvest.
Grain is the most important resource and the utmost priority for a nation; ultimately, all of a country’s problems boil down to issues with grain.
With enough food, no problem is a problem.
Furthermore, with Lin Beifan promising to distribute half of the grain from the newly reclaimed land, many people were lifted out of poverty and became wealthy.
Thus, a quantitative change led to a qualitative transformation, and the national power increased significantly.
“Good! Very good!” Lin Beifan was extremely pleased. The seeds he had planted before had finally bloomed and bore fruit.
With enough food, his Great Xia was ready for its second surge of development!
At this moment, Heshen came over with a face full of joy: “Your Majesty, your humble servant has some good news to tell you!”
“What good news?” Lin Beifan asked with a smile.
“Your Majesty, take a guess!” Heshen said with a mysterious smile, teasingly holding back the information.
Lin Beifan’s smile remained unchanged: “Could it be that we’ve had a bumper grain harvest?”
“Your Majesty, you’ve guessed it! Indeed, as you said, we have had a bumper grain harvest!”
Heshen spoke with great excitement: “Not only the lands we’ve cultivated before, but all the land we’ve cleared this year has produced grain! Your humble servant has done a preliminary tally, and our grain harvest this year has reached XX catties, enough to feed ten million people for a year!”
Lin Beifan burst into joyful laughter: “Minister, are you telling the truth?”
“How dare I deceive Your Majesty? Your humble servant is willing to guarantee it with my life!” Heshen declared with a resolute gaze.
“Good! Really good!” Even though he already knew, Lin Beifan was still very pleased.
“Your Majesty, your humble servant has another piece of good news to tell you!”
Heshen said joyfully, “We still have more than half of the wasteland undeveloped, and after having people check, all of it is fertile soil suitable for growing crops! If all these wastelands are developed, then our grain production could double next year!”
“Good! Very good!” Lin Beifan clapped his hands and exclaimed, then stood up.
“I want to leave the palace and see how well our grain is growing!”
……
About half an hour later, Lin Beifan led the civil and military officials to the wilderness outside the city.
What was originally a barren land where no grain could grow had now turned into a golden expanse. The heavy ears of grain, full and ripe, bent down, looking exceptionally pleasing to the eye.
Lin Beifan happily picked up a strand of rice: “With grain, there will be peace throughout the land!”
“His Majesty speaks most wisely!” the officials said in unison.
Many farmers were also seen on the road. Upon seeing Lin Beifan, they knelt down and shouted long live in a tone that was excited and sincere.
For it was Lin Beifan who had given them food to eat, giving them hope to live on.
Not only did they survive, but they also had money to spend, houses to live in, and even the chance to marry and have children. Everything they dreamed of was realized here.
“Please, everyone, rise!”
Lin Beifan said with a smile. “You have cleared the land and planted the crops for me; it is I who should thank you! Please continue to work hard, and I promise that the grain I promised will be given to you!”
The farmers rejoiced once more: “We thank His Majesty for his great kindness!”
After returning, Lin Beifan was greatly honored for his achievements.
“Minister He, you have done well in this matter and have not disappointed my high expectations! Your merit is no different from expanding the territory! Therefore, I confer upon you the title of Earl of Taiping! In addition, I bestow upon you ten thousand taels of silver and ten bolts each of fine silk and brocade…”
A pile of lavish rewards came down, leaving Heshen dizzy with amazement, unable to help but kneel down.
A thousand words converged into one sentence: “Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great kindness!”
The other officials were very envious; Heshen was being ennobled as a civil official.
The most ambitious, Li Linfu and Yan Song, secretly vowed: Sooner or later, I too shall be ennobled as a civil official!
“Others, too, shall be amply rewarded!”
Lin Beifan once again took action, bestowing rewards upon the officials of the Ministry of Revenue who were responsible for pioneering and cultivating the grain fields.
The officials of the Ministry of Revenue were all very happy.
At this moment, Li Linfu stood up and said loudly, “Your Majesty, there is still one very important person who has not been rewarded!”
Lin Beifan was puzzled, “Who else is there? I remember that everyone has been rewarded!”
“This person, of course, is Your Majesty yourself!”
Li Linfu said with great excitement, “The reason we have such a bountiful harvest is all thanks to Your Majesty! It is you who summoned the people to clear and cultivate the land, it is your boundless fortune that has allowed the barren fields to produce grain! Therefore, the greatest credit belongs to Your Majesty!”
Lin Beifan was overjoyed, “So that’s how it is. The Minister speaks sensibly, haha!”
Heshen, looking at Li Linfu who was fawning like a sycophant, was utterly dumbfounded!
He had never realized before how good this guy was at flattery, it was shameless!
Cursing under his breath about the bootlicker, he then loudly said, “Your Majesty, what Lord Li says is absolutely true, the greatest credit does indeed belong to Your Majesty! If Your Majesty does not reward yourself, then this humble servant would rather forego any rewards!”
Yan Song also stepped forward, speaking excitedly, “Where there is merit, there must be reward, Your Majesty cannot neglect to treat yourself!”
Lin Beifan was both happy and troubled, “But… how can I reward myself?”
Li Linfu seized the opportunity to say, “Your Majesty, the Mid-Autumn Festival is fast approaching! Your humble servant wishes to hold a grand moon-viewing banquet in honor of Your Majesty. Please grant your approval!”
The officials all spoke in unison, “We earnestly request the holding of a moon-viewing banquet to honor Your Majesty. Please grant your approval!”
Seeing the officials bowing in unison, Lin Beifan found it hard to refuse such enthusiasm!
After careful consideration, he finally nodded, “Very well! Seeing the sincere intentions of all the ministers, I grant permission for this moon-viewing banquet. Li Minister, you will be responsible for this matter!”
“Your humble servant obeys the decree!” Li Linfu joyfully accepted the command.
“Also, announce the news of the bountiful harvest to the entire realm so that the people may also rejoice!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
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