The smoke from the battle had not yet cleared along the Chishui River, and the dragon flags on top of the walls of Dunhuang city fluttered in the wind. Liu Xun stood alone at the highest point of the city tower. Below him was a group of kneeling Western Region kings and behind him were the sheathed Chang Hui and Feng Fengshi. In front of him was not a cold, impersonal sand table, but a blinding golden light, like the shattering of the sun. Only he could gaze directly upon this dazzling 'miracle'.
[System Global Announcement]: The epic achievement 'God of War of the Northern Desert' has been achieved! Achievement conditions: Completely defeat the vanguard of the Kushan Empire and bring all thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions under its control (completed). Calculating merit points… National fortune level increased to LV3 (Luck Like a Dragon).
Liu Xun closed his eyes and felt the warm current of faith flowing through his body from millions of his people. This represented a qualitative leap, from 'acting simulation' to 'words becoming law'.
'Ding! Achievement reward sent to system space. Please check.' Liu Xun's consciousness entered his sea of consciousness, where two treasure chests, each emitting a different light, floated before him. Instead of touching the metallic chest first, he reached out and tapped the emerald green orb, which emitted a fresh, grassy fragrance.
[System Reward]: High-Yield Hybrid Rice Seeds (Drought-Resistant Version).
Stock: 500 jin of initial mother seeds (can be cultivated repeatedly).
Characteristics: Growth period shortened by 30%; drought-resistant and disease-resistant; maximum yield per mu increased fourfold.
Evaluation: It is the end of hunger and the most solid logistical backbone for the empire's expansion.Liu Xun clenched his fist. In this era, food meant life, and these seeds would enable him to cultivate vast areas of fertile land in the arid oases and on the edges of the deserts of the Western Regions. There would be no need to transport grain from Guanzhong, which was thousands of miles away. These seeds would become the most formidable weapon of the Han Dynasty; with this food, the Han army could advance anywhere in the world.
He had already rehearsed his next move in his mind: he would personally plant the first rice seedling in the forbidden garden behind the Weiyang Palace and proclaim it 'a divine seed bestowed upon me by the Eternal Heaven in gratitude for the virtue of the Han Dynasty'. Liu Xun took a deep breath, his gaze falling on the second box — the thing he desired most: the black technology that could drastically alter the course of Han civilisation.
[System Reward]: [Elementary Industrial Encyclopedia]
Unlocked branches:
Traditional blast furnace coking and steel desulfurisation method: Completely solves the problem of easily broken pig iron weapons and forges the Han Dynasty's steel swords.
Standardised weights and measures and prototype machine tools: The beginning of interchangeable parts and assembly line production.
[Optimisation of Black Powder Formula and Granulation Process]: This officially propelled warfare from the era of cold weapons to the era of gunpowder.
Liu Xun's mind was flooded with blueprints, formulas and physical logic like a burst dam. He could see the intense heat of coal after coking, pistons pulsating rhythmically under pressure and steel rails stretching to the horizon in the sunlight. This was not just knowledge; it was a power called 'logic' that transcended divine and imperial authority.
Three days later, Chang'an. News of Liu Xun's return to the capital sent the entire city into a frenzy. While the common people lined the streets to welcome him, the civil and military officials in the court felt an inexplicable chill.
Inside the Xuan Shi Hall, instead of sitting on the dragon throne that symbolised power, Liu Xun had a strangely shaped, manually operated precision lathe placed in the centre of the hall. Instead, he had a strangely shaped, manually operated precision lathe taller than a person placed in the centre of the hall — something he had secretly acquired on his journey back to the capital using system reward points.
'My ministers,' he began, 'tell me, what is the Mandate of Heaven?' Liu Xun stroked the cold metal shell of the lathe; his tone was calm, yet it sent chills down the spines of his ministers.
'The Mandate of Heaven is Your Majesty's boundless virtue and power, causing all nations to submit,' answered an old minister tremblingly.
'Wrong.' Liu Xun abruptly raised his head, his eyes like knives. 'The Mandate of Heaven is the steel of the Han Dynasty, harder than the bones of the Kushans. It is the rice of the Han Dynasty, capable of feeding everyone.' He vigorously cranked the lathe and, with the crisp sound of gears meshing, a rough piece of cast iron was instantly polished smooth, sending it flying amongst the evenly distributed iron filings. To these officials of the Han Dynasty, who were still in the era of manual polishing, this scene was nothing short of miraculous. Liu Xun turned around and casually tossed aside a scroll of his personally written 'Outline of the Great Han Industry', booming: 'Issue my imperial decree: From this day forth, a hundred li of land shall be designated in the western suburbs of Chang'an to establish the 'Academy of Natural Sciences', with me as its director, holding a rank equivalent to the Three Dukes! Order the Grand Minister of Agriculture to find the best farmers in the land to secretly take over the 'Immortal Seeds' of the Forbidden Garden. If even a single seed is damaged, the entire family will be executed."
'I hereby order the Grand Master of Works and the Imperial Household Department to bring all the blacksmiths to the Academy of Natural History, where I will personally teach them. I will forge the first batch of stainless steel of the Han Dynasty and create the first gun barrel capable of killing enemies from a thousand paces away!' The entire court knelt on the ground. They could not comprehend the complex formulas and blueprints, but they sensed that, under the direction of this 'actor emperor', the Han Dynasty was evolving into a formidable force that would usher in a new era.
Liu Xun stood on the high platform, watching the 'Civilisation Level' jump frantically on the system panel. He smiled. Previously, he had played the role of a mediocre emperor, but now he would play the role of a god who would personally propel the Han Dynasty towards modern civilisation. 'Kushan, Rome, Parthia... Your civilisations are still groping in the dark, while I have already lit the fuse for the Han Dynasty.'
In a side hall of the Weiyang Palace, the air was filled with the smell of burning, accompanied by the clanging of metal. To the scholar-officials who constantly quoted the Confucian classics, this cacophony sounded like a death knell for decadence. Since his triumphant return from the Western Regions, the talented and ambitious emperor had seemed to be under the influence of an evil spirit. Not only had he forcibly established a forbidden area called the 'Bureau of Internal Affairs and Invention' behind the palace, he also spent his days there mingling with a group of lowly blacksmiths and carpenters.
'Quick! Increase the heat! The charcoal smoke must be completely expelled!' At this moment, Liu Xun's appearance was enough to make even the most rigid official of rites faint. He had removed the black dragon robe that symbolised supreme power and was wearing only a tight-fitting, short-sleeved Hu-style garment with the sleeves rolled up high. Streaks of black soot were smeared across his face. He held a finely crafted small file in his hand, making final adjustments to a miniature bearing assembly under the guidance of the system's 'Elementary Industrial Encyclopedia'. [System Prompt]
Current Task: Manufacture the first 'High-Pressure Manual Blower Prototype' of the Han Dynasty.
Manufacturing Progress: 98%...
Host acting status: [Obsessed Eccentric] Loading
Current tension: MAX
'Your Majesty, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, the Grand Censor and many other senior officials have been kneeling outside the Xuan Shi Hall for an hour,' reported a Hidden Dragon Guard, bitterly, through the thick curtain.
'Let them kneel!' Liu Xun replied without turning his head, his eyes flashing with an almost fanatical fervour — an extreme desire for a leap in civilisation. 'Just say that I am in the midst of a critical 'Heavenly Interaction', and anyone who dares to interrupt my communion with the heavens regarding the 'Art of Creation' will be consigned to guarding the tomb of Emperor Gaozu!'
Half an hour later, the doors of the Xuan Shi Hall finally opened. The officials had expected to see a majestic emperor, but instead Liu Xun emerged, slinging a leather bag full of iron lumps over his shoulder, carrying a creaking wheel in his hand and swearing and cursing. 'Who says I'm indulging in frivolous pursuits?' His steps were unsteady and his eyes darted around with an elusive excitement. He suddenly strode up to the old Imperial Censor, Zhou, grabbed his sleeve and said, 'Minister Zhou, you've come at the perfect time! Do you know what I just dreamt about? I dreamt that this iron wheel would turn on its own and carry the Han grain carts a thousand miles a day. It's not a trick, but a 'Jiazi Mechanism' bestowed by Heaven!' The officials exchanged bewildered glances; a wave of sorrow washed over them. It's over. His Majesty has killed too many people in the Western Regions. He must be driven mad by murderous intent. 'Your Majesty!' The old censor wept bitterly as he knelt for a long time. 'Since ancient times, sage kings have ruled the world with virtue. Now, Your Majesty is befriending craftsmen and tinkering with these cold, hard iron blocks. This shakes the nation's foundations and ruins your reputation! I beg you, Your Majesty, to disband the Bureau of Invention and burn those evil things!' Liu Xun sneered inwardly. He knew that, in this era, if industry wasn't cloaked in a veneer of 'madness' or 'miracle', the stubborn civil officials would drown the Academy of Sciences in their spittle. 'Shake the foundation of the nation?' Liu Xun suddenly burst into laughter. He casually pulled an intricately structured iron box, seemingly bulky but actually lightweight, from his leather pocket — it was his simplified 'high-efficiency threshing machine'. 'Lord Zhou, your family owns a thousand acres of fertile land in Guanzhong. How many able-bodied men are needed for the autumn harvest, and how long does it take?" Lord Zhou was taken aback and replied subconsciously, 'Your Majesty, it takes a thousand able-bodied men to cultivate a thousand acres of fertile land, and half a month to transport the grain to the granary.' 'Take a good look.' Liu Xun grabbed a bundle of unthreshed wheat stalks beside the hall, stuffed them into an iron box and frantically cranked the handle. With a clanging of internal gears, the grains of wheat fell precisely into the tray like raindrops while the stalks were spat out intact onto the other side. The whole process took only a dozen breaths. The hall fell into a deathly silence. The ministers, who had prepared a wealth of 'sage's teachings' to offer advice, craned their necks, their eyes practically popping out of their sockets, speechless with astonishment. Looking at these stubborn old men, Liu Xun changed his approach, adopting an unusually gentle manner, like a child showing off a toy. But his words carried an undeniable imperial authority: 'This is just a scrap I picked up in a dream. In my invention bureau, we have methods to make iron ships sail upstream and techniques to turn night into day.' Liu Xun surveyed the entire room, his eyes icy cold. 'I'm playing this foolish, handicraft-obsessed emperor because I want to build the Han dynasty's future on these "iron lumps" that you all despise.' From today onwards, the Bureau of Internal Inventions will be upgraded to the 'Great Han Academy of Natural Sciences'. Anyone who impeaches me again will have to go to the Academy and spin the wheel until they understand the 'Heaven's Mandate'!" The ministers bowed their heads in fear, none daring to speak again. Meanwhile, Liu Xun was having a frantic internal dialogue with the system: 'System, have the blueprints for the hydraulic forging machine been unlocked? Since they think I'm crazy, I'll make the Han Dynasty go insane!' Outside Weiyang Palace, The dark clouds gradually dispersed outside Weiyang Palace, but a thick plume of industrial dust slowly rose from the mysterious Bureau of Inventions.
On the western outskirts of Chang'an, along the banks of the Wei River, the earth of early spring still held a hint of chill. However, a large crowd had already gathered around the field ridges. This included not only weathered farmers, but also a group of court officials whom Liu Xun had forcibly dragged from their beds. They were now groaning incessantly at the muddy ground.
'Your Majesty, how can you, with your precious body, tread on this mud?' The Minister of the Imperial Secretariat wiped his brow, looking at Liu Xun's boots, which were now covered in black mud. His heart trembled with concern.
Liu Xun, however, paid him no heed. He was pulling a strangely shaped wooden plough. Unlike the traditional, heavy, straight-shafted ploughs of the Han dynasty, this plough had a gracefully curved shaft and a flexible, rotating ploughshare at the rear.
[System Command] Load Demo Template: [Approachable Shennong]
[Hardcore Tech Geek]
Current bonuses:
Leadership charisma increased by 30%
Stamina recovery rate doubled
'Old man, may I borrow your ox?' Liu Xun smiled at an old farmer in a field who was holding an old plough and looking on suspiciously. The old farmer was so frightened that he knelt down with a thud, stammering, 'Your Majesty, this beast might startle you and I would be doomed! Besides, your wooden frame is so crooked — can it even move this frozen soil?"
The surrounding farmers also lowered their heads and began to discuss the matter amongst themselves. The straight-shafted plough of the Han dynasty had been in use for hundreds of years and required two oxen to pull it and several strong men to manoeuvre it when turning. This small, exquisite object in the emperor's hand resembled a novelty toy that 'Boss Su' had found in the Western Regions."I'll make a bet with you," said Liu Xun, raising an eyebrow as he skilfully harnessed the oxen to the plough. 'If this plough doesn't work, I'll give you a purebred Akhal-Teke horse. If it does, you'll have to plough these ten acres of land for me in one go today.' Liu Xun took a deep breath and shouted, "Lift!" He gripped the plough handle firmly and, with a gentle pull from the oxen, the 'system-modified curved plough' sliced through the hard, dry soil as easily as cutting tofu. What would normally require two oxen and three men was now effortless in Liu Xun's hands.
'This… how is this possible?' a farm official exclaimed in astonishment.
The curved plough penetrated the soil evenly, the tumbled earth rolling smoothly to both sides. At the bend in the field, Liu Xun gently nudged the plough handle and the entire plough turned with the agility of a fish swimming in water without the oxen needing to stop.
[System Real-Time Monitoring]
Tillage efficiency: 3.2 times that of the traditional straight-shaft plough
Labour savings: Reduced by 70%
Popular shock level: Soaring exponentially
Liu Xun walked back and forth across the field, showing no signs of fatigue but rather increasing energy. Shaking off the eunuch who tried to help him, he stood in the mud and raised his mud-covered hands, loudly proclaiming to the surrounding people: 'Fathers of the Han Dynasty, I received the teachings of Shennong in a dream. He said that the people of the Han Dynasty have long suffered from the torment of heavy ploughing. Today, I bring you this curved-shaft plough, a powerful tool! From now on, one ox and one person can support an entire family, and there will be no more abandoned fields!" After a brief silence, a thunderous cheer erupted: 'Shennong has descended to Earth! Your Majesty is wise!' This was not just a skill, but a life-saving divine art! An old farmer, trembling with emotion, touched the turned earth, tears streaming down his face. He had never imagined that farming could be so easy. The officials, who had previously thought the emperor was 'indulging in frivolous pursuits', now saw the almost fanatical admiration in the people's eyes and their faces turned pale. They realised that, in that moment, Liu Xun's popularity had surpassed that of the classics, taking root throughout the Han Dynasty.
Liu Xun wiped the mud from his face, a sharp glint in his eyes. Using the surge in popularity brought about by the 'curved plough', he initiated the prelude to industrialisation. More importantly, he used the distribution of ploughs to conduct a meticulous re-examination of the national agricultural register — the prototype of his Han dynasty 'information technology reform'. 'System, record this,' he murmured. 'The first batch of seeds has been planted. Next, it's time to increase steel production.' He turned to look at his stunned ministers, a playful, almost theatrical smile playing on his lips. 'My ministers, who still thinks I'm indulging in frivolous pursuits?'
In the Du family's powerful villa in Guanzhong, the air was thick with the scent of sandalwood, yet this could not conceal the sinister glint in the family heads' eyes. On the table lay a haphazardly dismantled curved-shaft plough.
'This thing is strange,' said the Du family head, kicking the elegant wooden shaft with his foot. 'One ox and one person are all it takes to plough. Those tenant farmers have organised themselves; they even dare to negotiate rent reductions with me. If they all had one of these, why would they sell themselves into slavery? Who would beg for our oxen?" During the Han Dynasty, one of the underlying principles of land annexation was the 'monopoly of the means of production'. Powerful families possessed herds of oxen and heavy straight-shaft ploughs, and displaced people who had lost their land were forced to depend on them. Liu Xun's curved-shaft plough fundamentally broke down this relationship of enslavement. One head of household said, 'His Majesty is digging up our roots.' Another head of household said coldly, 'If this plough is a "miracle", then it must be able to devour people, break things and bring natural disasters.' The next day, carpentry workshops run by the government in several counties of Guanzhong were attacked by unidentified 'bandits'. At the same time, a group of men in black snuck into farmers' homes at night. Rather than stealing grain, they soaked the load-bearing wooden components of the curved-shaft plough in a special medicinal solution or added extremely brittle impurities to the iron ploughshare.
[System Warning] Large-scale sabotage detected.
Objective: Widespread adoption of the curved-shaft plough
Damage: Three pilot counties in Guanzhong, estimated damage rate 45%.
Public resentment level: Rising
Meanwhile, rumours began to circulate among the common people of Chang'an. 'The curved-shaft plough is a demonic beast with a bent back; using it will drain the soil of its fertility, inevitably leading to a severe drought next year.' In the Weiyang Palace, Liu Xun listened to the secret report from the Hidden Dragon Guard, his fingertips lightly tapping the table and a chilling smile playing on his lips.
'I was just worried about not having an excuse to act, and they've already offered their necks.'
Liu Xun didn't immediately send troops to suppress the rebels, but instead began his 'top-tier performance — utterly overwhelmed.' During the morning court session, he deliberately feigned a fit of rage, accidentally smashing his beloved jade cup and roaring at the assembled officials: 'Why do the divine objects I bestow upon you keep breaking? Is the Mandate of Heaven truly not in my hands?'
This display of 'impotent rage' greatly emboldened the masterminds behind the scenes. Believing Liu Xun was powerless, the powerful clans grew increasingly emboldened. They even began organising their servants to pose as protesting disaster victims and storm the local government offices. That very evening, they gathered at the Du family's villa to celebrate their 'first victory', preparing to petition jointly for the abolition of the Imperial Academy of Natural Sciences.
Suddenly, the villa's gate was flung open with a loud bang, and a group of silent figures in black surged in, carrying the 'Thunderbolt Crossbows' personally bestowed by Liu Xun. Liu Xun rode a black horse into the courtyard. The panic on his face had vanished, replaced by an air of cruel amusement. "Gentlemen, how well have I performed this 'indulging in pleasures' act?" He dismounted and picked up a piece of wood soaked in medicine. Against the backdrop of the raging fire, his smile appeared utterly ferocious. 'Do you think I care about these few wooden ploughs? What I truly care about is the land and people you possess — land that rightfully belongs to me. Since you want to play with 'natural disasters', I'll show you what real 'man-made disasters' are like.' 'Hidden Dragon Guards, arrest the people on the list! Anyone who resists will be killed on the spot! All the land you have swallowed over the years will be engraved on the base of these curved ploughs!' That night, the blood of the powerful Guanzhong clans stained the land planted in spring. Liu Xun used this bloody purge to show everyone that those who stand in the way of industry and technology will meet a gruesome end.