The Heavens: A Qing, the Yue Girl at the beginning

If any local resident of Yingdu was present, they would easily be able to recognize that the person who came to the library to meet and talk with Zhao Qing was none other than Concubine Zhao Xiang, the second most powerful person in the Chu Dynasty and who was said in many rumors to have the power of enchantment and to have bewitched the Emperor of Chu.

It is said that this woman was born in a declining noble family of the Zhao Dynasty and was the most charming beauty in the world. After she married into the Chu Royal Palace, only ten years later, because the Emperor of Chu delegated power and rarely took charge of affairs, half of the major affairs in the court were decided by her. In fact, she was almost the highest ruler of the Chu Dynasty.

Simply put, Zhao Xiangfei's status in Chu was similar to that of Zheng Xiu in the Qin Dynasty. Because Emperor Yuanwu of Chu had long focused on spiritual practice, she took charge of most of the country's operations on behalf of the current emperor and was burdened with the heavy responsibility of supervising the country and governing the country.

The former also served as the Prime Minister of Chu and had a special spy agency under him, while the latter was the supreme commander of the Qin Dynasty army and could freely deploy troops at any time.

Even because the Chu Dynasty did not have the power to share profits between Qin Zhiyan and Li Xiangfei, the relationship between Zhao Xiangfei and the Emperor of Chu was even closer. In comparison, her control over her country could be said to be even greater than that of Zheng Xiu.

However, in the Great Chu Dynasty, the vast majority of people feared and hated Concubine Zhao Xiang, and secretly called her "Demon Concubine Zhao".

After all, when Qin conquered the Han, Zhao, and Wei dynasties, Zheng Xiu conquered all directions and made great military achievements. She killed many more enemy generals than the Thirteen Marquises of the Qin Dynasty. Both her strength and achievements were noticed by the Qin people, who were in awe of her.

In contrast, Concubine Zhao Xiang, who had never led an army to war, only governed the country and cracked down on the children of powerful people who committed crimes. She had never displayed her military power outside, so her prestige was naturally lower.

Unlike the Qin and Chu dynasties, the Qi and Yan emperors themselves were not outstanding among the masters in their cultivation, and there were still royal family members of the same or even higher generation alive. Therefore, they had to govern the country personally and cultivate their trusted party members, otherwise it would be difficult for them to fully manage such a large dynasty.

However, under the heavy pressure of government affairs, their progress in cultivation would naturally be further hindered, and they would fall into a vicious cycle, which was one of the major weaknesses of the two dynasties.

At this moment, Concubine Zhao Xiang walked quickly into the library in her phoenix dress. With a gentle wave of her hand, the maids and guards who accompanied her retreated to the door on their own accord, leaving only her and Zhao Qing. Then she sat down elegantly on the soft couch beside her, smiled brightly, and said:

"I have heard from you, senior. Our Great Chu is in a precarious situation and is on the verge of collapse. I hope you can give me some advice and point out a bright path for the people of Great Chu."

Although she spoke calmly, her eyes were as gentle as flowing autumn water, and her demeanor was enchanting and seductive beyond words: "Not long ago, I sensed that Zheng Xiu had cast a Spark Sword in the Changling area, so I went to the Observatory to find someone to confirm it, so I came a little late..."

Being able to sense the detailed changes in the light and darkness of the stars in the distant sky thousands of miles away is undoubtedly something that only a true grandmaster can do. He is clearly superior to ordinary seventh-level upper-grade grandmasters like Chu Qifeng.

Hearing this, Zhao Qing couldn't help but smile slightly. She didn't expect that the rumored powerful Concubine Zhao would be so straightforward and even show some weakness. It was really interesting, so she nodded and replied sincerely:
"Zheng Xiu drew her sword in a hurry because something happened to the Zheng family's fleet. A high-ranking official in Jiaodong County was attacked and killed. Unfortunately, the Spark Sword did not work and failed to save the other party's life. However, it was a good thing... As for the threat from the Great Chu, I am here and it can be resolved in an instant."

"Can it be solved in an instant?"

Concubine Zhao raised her eyebrows slightly, with a hint of surprise in her eyes. She couldn't help but ask, "Senior, is your reliance the 'Unlimited Grain Production Divine Machine'? If this method is feasible, the court will have sufficient grain reserves, which can indeed solve many problems, but it will also cause a series of chain reactions."

"Although the surge in grain production can significantly enhance our national strength, reduce the central government's dependence on local finances, and strengthen military strength to a certain extent, it will also lead to a sharp drop in grain prices, which will inevitably harm the interests of farmers in a short period of time and cause social unrest."

"The powerful will fight overtly and covertly for control of this divine weapon, and may even provoke a new war; although the common people may be able to eat their fill for a while, they may also become lazy and lose the motivation to work hard; when neighboring countries learn of the effects of this divine machine, they will certainly covet it and may even go to war to seize it."

"In the past, Bashan Sword Field assisted Qin's reforms, seeking to enrich the country and strengthen the people, and eliminate the old powerful families. It was also a gradual process, and it took more than ten years to achieve success. How can we ignore the many difficulties and obstacles in pursuit of speed and want to achieve success in one battle?"

While she was discussing matters, she took out a book from her sleeve, gently unfolded it and placed it in front of Zhao Qing. Upon closer inspection, she saw that it was filled with densely packed data tables, which were various statistical data on agricultural production in the Great Chu Dynasty in recent years.

They cover the output of various staple foods, non-staple foods, and cash crops, whether in total, per capita or per mu, all are clear at a glance. At the same time, they also include the consumption of various regions and classes, as well as the secondary processing of agricultural products, such as wine, jam, pickles, cloth, etc.

The production and use of daily necessities such as pottery, wood, stone, copper, and iron, the number and distribution of oxen and horses for farming, and data on water conservancy projects such as reservoirs and ditches for irrigating farmland are all counted and organized.

It can be seen that Concubine Zhao had made extremely thorough preparations for this meeting.

Turning to the last page, one can see a list of intelligence on various factions, including those that are interested in, supportive of, or opposed to the "Grain-Producing Talisman", according to the analysis and speculation of the spy agencies, as well as an assessment of the sphere of influence and influence behind each of them.

Zhao Qing glanced through it casually and nodded approvingly: "I have already considered all the issues you mentioned. Indeed, although the 'Unlimited Grain Production Machine' is beneficial to the country and the people, it may also become the source of disaster if it is not handled properly. However, since I have this strategy, I have already made plans."

"Simply changing the original profit distribution system and slightly optimizing the efficiency of resource utilization will naturally cause strong resistance from those with vested interests. However, my plan is to multiply the productivity of the entire dynasty several times by developing and promoting advanced technology."

"In theory, the beneficiaries of the old order can all get better treatment even if they defect to the new order. So why would they be willing to break the law and even sacrifice their lives because of rejecting such technological changes?"

"Perhaps there are still many stubborn people who feel that their wealth ratio compared to the entire Great Chu is shrinking, and they are dissatisfied and can't bear to see others live better and better. But these people are obviously disrespectful to their elders and regard the court's things as their own. They deserve to die, so it doesn't matter if they are killed."

"The key lies in how to balance the interests of all parties so that everyone can find their place in this transformation." Concubine Zhao expressed her opinion seriously, leaning forward naturally, her skin emitting an indescribable fragrance that made people's hearts flutter:
"But in my opinion, there is a huge difference between the interests of cultivators and ordinary people. In the eyes of cultivators from powerful families, compared to the output and value of food, these materials that are vital to ordinary people, those scarce cultivation resources, are the focus of their interest distribution."

"To be precise, even though the total amount of wealth in the secular sense continues to increase, the cultivation resources they have collected and obtained throughout the dynasty, such as spiritual medicines, talismans, etc., have shown a decreasing trend due to their declining relative status, threatening the family's training of young practitioners. This is what they really cannot tolerate."

"After all, the strength of practitioners is directly related to the prosperity and decline of the family and the honor and disgrace of individuals. If the cultivation progress of the younger generation in the family is hindered due to resource reduction, they will definitely oppose it with all their might, and even stop this change at all costs."

"If a 'Peking Yuan Red Fruit' originally only required 3,000 dan of millet to be exchanged, but now required 10,000 dan of millet as grain production skyrocketed, the wealth of the local nobles who controlled tens of thousands of hectares of farmland and secretly stored countless grains and food would be greatly reduced to a certain extent, and the elixir they could purchase would no longer be as good as before."

"How can they just give up? They will definitely join forces to put pressure on the court and try to reverse the situation, forcing it to restore the original resource exchange ratio and protect its vested interests." When Concubine Zhao Xiang said this, she sighed softly, with a trace of worry between her brows:
"Senior, have you noticed this? How should we deal with these people's resistance?"

"Although the number of cultivators is far less than that of ordinary people, their overall military power and influence are much more important than the latter alone. They can truly overthrow a huge dynasty, so they have to be taken into consideration."

"In fact, in many barbarian countries in the west and north, except for the powerful class composed of cultivator families, all ordinary people, even some low-level cultivators of humble origins, have been slaves under the nobles for generations and have no ability to compete with them."

"An army composed purely of ordinary people, even if it has millions of people, may not be able to deal with a mere sixth-level cultivator... Therefore, for a country, cultivators are the real main body." Is it different from the grain standard and gold standard in normal history, the standard of cultivation resources? Hearing this new and difficult question, Zhao Qing thought about it and quickly responded:
"Your analysis is very thorough. Indeed, the interests of practitioners are very different from those of ordinary people. This is also the most difficult part of the reform. However, I have already made preparations for this and have methods that will benefit most practitioners."

"I would like to hear the details." Concubine Zhao Xiang looked at Zhao Qing quietly and listened to her in-depth explanation.

"Have you ever heard of the 'Lingqu Plan' that the Wei Dynasty fell into?"

Zhao Qing smiled and continued, "Under the influence of some conspiracies of the Qin Dynasty at that time, the Emperor of Wei relied on the Yunshui Palace and began to gather countless skilled craftsmen, wanting to artificially build a huge spiritual channel that could absorb a large amount of spiritual energy from heaven and earth..."

"…The construction of this Lingqu Canal consumed countless resources of the Wei Dynasty, and the country's strength gradually weakened. It is generally recognized as one of the main reasons for its demise."

Concubine Zhao Xiang added, "However, if this canal can be built, it may be able to transform the hundreds of miles along the coast into a holy place for cultivation with extremely rich spiritual energy, nourishing countless spiritual herbs and medicines, bringing a steady stream of cultivation resources to the Wei Dynasty and greatly improving the overall strength of domestic practitioners."

"Unfortunately, the project was too huge and the interests involved were too complicated to achieve results in a short period of time. Instead, it was resisted by many sects, big and small, and eventually became the death warrant of the Wei Dynasty... Senior mentioned this matter, could it be?"

She asked tentatively, a glimmer of understanding in her eyes.

Zhao Qing nodded and replied calmly: "Yes, although the Lingqu Canal is not completed, its concept has greatly inspired me. After in-depth research, I successfully created a technology that can simulate the effect of the Lingqu Canal, that is, greenhouse-style spiritual medicine cultivation, which can artificially simulate an environment suitable for the growth of various spiritual medicines."

"This method does not require large-scale construction like the Lingqu Canal, consumes huge amounts of resources, and requires countless manpower, but it can achieve similar results. It is even superior in some aspects and can accelerate the production of rare spiritual medicines that usually only grow in small quantities in the wild and are difficult to collect."

"Greenhouse-style cultivation?" Concubine Zhao Xiang was slightly stunned when she heard this, and was obviously confused by this unprecedented cultivation method.

Zhao Qing smiled and explained: "Yes, this is a closed space constructed using the special materials and a series of magic arrays I have mastered. I can accurately control the light, moisture, temperature and vitality concentration in it to provide different spiritual medicines with the best growth conditions they need..."

As she explained in detail, she took out a blueprint painted with black ice from her sleeve and slowly unfolded it: "In order to achieve this goal, I plan to use lead-containing aerogel to coat the insulation plastic board... Lead, as a material, has the property of preventing the dissipation of vital energy, and can effectively lock the vital energy in the greenhouse..."

Concubine Zhao listened attentively and nodded approvingly: "This technology sounds like it has the entire process of growing the elixir under our control. However, what kind of materials are the aerogel and plastic sheets you mentioned, and how can we obtain and prepare them?"

Zhao Qing smiled slightly and replied: "Although these materials are not common in Da Chu, I have ways to obtain them from other channels. Moreover, I have begun to study how to produce these materials locally in Da Chu to reduce costs and improve self-sufficiency."

"In fact, this greenhouse-style planting is to transform a part of ordinary farmland into 'spiritual fields', which greatly improves the efficiency of land use and allows farmers who have lost their jobs due to the 'unlimited grain production machine' to find a livelihood again and turn to this higher value-added spiritual medicine planting work."

"In this way, they not only have a new source of income, but each acre of land can produce more wealth, gradually improving the average living standards of farmers, and can also provide the practitioners with the resources they need, which can be said to kill two birds with one stone."

Concubine Zhao Xiang listened silently, and had already made a series of calculations and evaluations in her mind. Take wolfsbane as an example. This magical medicine grows individually. In the tundra where the temperature difference between day and night is extremely large, which is most suitable for its growth, it may be possible to find one within a radius of several miles.

However, if we adopt the greenhouse planting method mentioned by Zhao Qing, transplant wolfsbane into it, and carefully control various environmental indicators, we may be able to achieve the miracle of producing dozens or even hundreds of wolfsbane plants in one acre of land.

This level of output is enough to rival the results of dozens or even hundreds of experienced herbalists searching hard in the wild for several months.

Wolfsbane is just one of the more rare spiritual medicines. If this method can be widely applied to other spiritual flowers and herbs with similarly short growth cycles, the cultivation resources of Da Chu will usher in unprecedented abundance.

"Senior, this plan is brilliant!"

Thinking of this, Zhao Xiangfei's eyes flashed with excitement, and she praised sincerely, but then revealed some doubts: "But, does this greenhouse planting also require a large number of practitioners to maintain and manage it?"

Zhao Qing shook his head and explained, "In the initial stage of construction and maintenance, some practitioners are indeed needed to participate. But when the technology matures and the array runs stably, most of the work can be done by ordinary people according to the "Spiritual Plant Cultivation Manual" I compiled."

"In addition, the spiritual herbs planted in these greenhouses are equivalent to immobile practitioners. They can also absorb and exhale vital energy, naturally integrating into the overall formation and using the excess vital energy to drive the operation of the nearby 'Infinite Grain Production Divine Machine'."

"Relying on the continuous supply of vitality from spiritual medicines, not only can a virtuous cycle of the relevant industrial chain be formed, but it can also further reduce dependence on the manpower of practitioners and achieve self-sufficiency."

Zhao Qing said this with a confident smile on his face: "The food produced in this environment may also absorb a little bit of the vitality emitted by the spiritual medicine. Long-term consumption of this kind of food containing trace amounts of vitality will also have considerable benefits for the health of ordinary people."

"The 'grain-producing machine' can operate on its own without the need for practitioners to infuse it with true essence?"

Hearing this, Concubine Zhao Xiang was really surprised. She originally thought that since the "grain-producing spell" had been researched and developed by Zhao Qing, in theory, it would be possible to create corresponding magical instruments by engraving runes to simulate meridians and control vital energy.

But if this technique requires the cultivation level of the Seventh Realm to move mountains, then it is necessary to use a giant talisman body weighing at least 100,000 jin, and let many masters participate in it, in order to achieve the corresponding accuracy of vital energy changes. Not only is it extremely expensive, but the subsequent production will most likely require practitioners in the Sixth Realm to take turns on duty for a long time.

But she had never imagined that this kind of masterpiece, which was probably equivalent to the total grain output of several counties, had an even more amazing creation behind it. She couldn't help but sigh:

"If this plan succeeds, our Great Chu will no longer have to worry about famine, the people will live and work in peace, and the country will prosper in the near future."

Zhao Qing smiled slightly and replied modestly: "This is just my initial idea. Whether it is the 'Unlimited Grain Production Machine' or the 'Greenhouse-style Miraculous Herb Planting', the specific implementation still requires your full help, mediation, and coordination of all parties."

"Then it's settled." Concubine Zhao Xiang stood up, rolled up the blueprint of the greenhouse and put it into her sleeve, her eyes sparkling, "We have finished discussing the official business in the court, and now we will talk about private matters. This is the only in-depth exchange between the remaining disciples of our Bashan Sword Field... Please follow me."

...(End of chapter)