The Star Ancient Dynasty still had not expanded its territory outward, continuing instead to develop its own homeland.
It was only because of the shortage of people that Yang Yu did not dare to recklessly open up new territories.
Star Ancient Era, Year 210.
The population of the Star Ancient Dynasty surpassed 1.4 million.
The old died faster than new people were born.
A fairly massive population had already taken shape.
In just over two hundred years.
The population had swelled from the initial one hundred thousand to its current total of more than 1.4 million.
Two hundred years.
It had only increased by 1.3 million?
Where there was birth, there was death.
If there had been no deaths.
How could the population of the Star Ancient Dynasty be only a million?
Likewise.
In Star Ancient Era, Year 210, silver ore appeared.
With the appearance of silver ore.
The king of the Star Ancient Dynasty, Yang Yu, dispatched troops to surround the silver mine and place it under state ownership.
No family or clan was permitted to possess silver ore privately.
Violators.
Their entire clans would be executed.
That same year.
The Star Ancient Dynasty abolished barter and issued its own currency.
There were copper coins and silver coins.
Ten copper coins could be exchanged for one silver coin.
Moreover, when the currency was released, the prices of many goods were marked as well.
If prices fluctuated by more than ten percent.
The offender would be executed immediately.
Era Year 220.
The population of the Star Ancient Dynasty reached 1.48 million, an increase of more than eighty thousand compared to ten years earlier.
Moreover, the Star Ancient Dynasty's workshops discovered an ore called iron.
Era Year 221.
The workshops smelted iron ore and forged the first iron sword, which was sent to the palace for safekeeping.
This also signified that the Star Ancient Dynasty had officially entered the Iron Age.
That same year.
The conscription order was issued.
More than two hundred thousand men were conscripted.
The Star Ancient Dynasty, which had lain dormant for several centuries, finally chose to expand outward.
The roads within the Star Ancient Dynasty had already been completed.
It was time to expand beyond its borders.
Era Year 222.
King Yu dispatched the four great generals Long Yan, Yang You, Bai Tian, and Lin Zhou, each commanding an army of more than fifty thousand, to advance east, campaign south, march west, and head north respectively.
That same year, a village four hundred li west of the Royal Capital of the Star Ancient Dynasty was struck by an Earth Dragon Turning Over, killing more than twenty thousand people.
A minister submitted a remonstrance.
However.
King Yu paid no attention, saying that this was an earthquake and had nothing to do with the Heavenly Gods.
Certain clans seized the opportunity, and rumors spread everywhere.
They had defied Heaven and angered the Heavenly Gods.
The Earth Dragon Turning Over had brought disaster upon the common people.
"Heh heh..."
"Ignorant."
The royal palace.
Yang Yu looked at the still-youthful figure standing in the study and said, "Guardian Dragon, how is the investigation going?"
"Reporting to the King, Guardian Dragon has already uncovered the truth. These words were spread by the Ji Family, and the Ji Family was also behind the manipulation and plotting."
Guardian Dragon spoke respectfully.
"The Ji Family?"
Yang Yu narrowed his eyes. "Could it be the Ji Family Yang Family?"
"No!"
"The clan that was conquered and brought into our Star Ancient Dynasty all those years ago."
Guardian Dragon shook his head.
"I see!"
"In that case..."
A chill flashed through Yang Yu's eyes.
Seeing the King's gaze, Guardian Dragon immediately understood how he should deal with the matter.
"This minister takes his leave."
That same year.
Because it had spread rumors, the Ji Family was trampled by troops dispatched by King Yu.
The Ji Family was destroyed.
Era Year 223.
Because of insufficient logistical supplies, the eastern army led by Long Yan pushed the frontier eight hundred li eastward before halting its campaign and returning to court.
Yang You advanced four hundred li southward, but was blocked by poisonous miasma and could not continue the southern campaign, so he returned with his army.
Lin Zhou was attacked by cavalry while heading north, suffering more than ten thousand casualties and having no choice but to withdraw.
The western army led by Bai Tian had still sent no news, as though it had vanished from the world.
Yang Yu was not anxious. Instead, he dispatched officials and relocated commoners to settle in the territories they had conquered.
He planned step by step, intending to swallow this entire land completely.
He was not like those emperors of later generations.
They had only brief lives.
He had time—time to make his plans.
Year 225.
The western army returned, bringing back large numbers of people whose skin differed from that of the dynasty's people.
"King."
Bai Tian stood on the royal palace's training grounds, his face bloodless and his spirit haggard, looking at the king who radiated high spirits and great ambition. He was filled with utmost respect.
"The White Race?" Looking at the blond, blue-eyed people, Yang Yu's eyes flickered as he murmured.
Should he enslave the White Race?
Immediately afterward.
He dismissed the idea of enslavement.
The Star Ancient Dynasty had already entered the Iron Age. It absolutely could not establish such a backward system as slavery.
"My subject, you have brought this king an enormous surprise!"
Yang Yu laughed heartily. "My subject, this is a great achievement that will surely be recorded in the history books! You should return and rest early. We will discuss any matters tomorrow."
"Yes."
Time flew.
In the blink of an eye.
More than seventy years quietly passed.
The population of the Star Ancient Dynasty surpassed two million.
Moreover, the use of iron had nearly reached its peak.
Likewise, the great aristocratic families had developed at a terrifying pace.
"Tell me, why have these people recruited so many servants for no reason?"
Yang Yu looked at Guardian Dragon with a smile at the corners of his mouth.
"They intend to rebel."
Guardian Dragon spoke expressionlessly.
"Since Guardian Dragon has already determined that they intend to rebel, do I still need to teach you what to do?" Yang Yu's gaze gradually turned cold.
"Yes."
Immediately, Guardian Dragon left the royal palace and led his subordinates in dealing with those families that had recruited excessive numbers of servants.
This was destined to be an era of blood and turmoil.
At the slightest disagreement.
The edge of royal authority's sword would already be pressed against your throat.
The people's loyalty all belonged to the king.
Moreover, they could eat their fill and stay warm.
Even if those great aristocratic families intended to resist, or even rebel, almost no commoners were willing to answer their call.
They had once been educated as well and could not be deceived by just a few words.
Furthermore, the government offices in every place would praise and promote the current society.
Without the King, the common people would not have the lives they had today.
The great aristocratic families would never love the people like the Suiren King of the Star Ancient Dynasty did.
Indeed.
In this era, Yang Yu was known as the Suiren King.
It was he who had brought fire to the tribes.
He had also led the human tribes from the era without fire into the present age.
Calling him the Suiren King was not excessive.
This time, the confiscated gold, silver, and treasures exceeded twice the Star Ancient Dynasty's annual income.
Era Year 300.
Papermaking, the compass, printing, graphite, brushes, and other items stepped onto the stage of history.
The population of the Star Ancient Dynasty had grown to nearly 2.3 million, but the Star Ancient Dynasty still did not continue expanding outward. Instead, it began recruiting laborers on a large scale to build streets, pave roads, and so on.
King Yu's idea was very simple.
He wanted all the people under Heaven to live lives in which they could eat meat with all three meals.
War was necessary—war was unavoidable. But first, his own people had to live good lives. Only then would they have the motivation to wage war.
"Three hundred years... three hundred years!"
Yang Yu wore his Mianfu and stood atop the highest mountain in Yi Province, overlooking the realm he had conquered as he murmured.
Yi Province was the name he had given this land, simply because the Iron-Eating Beast had been discovered here.
The Iron-Eating Beast was a specialty of Yi Province.
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