Li Chen had been extremely busy these past few days, to the point that even the cultivation and study he had kept up for years had suffered delays.
He had spent his time and energy on social engagements, laying the groundwork for his appointment as peak lord and the establishment of his own power base.
After making the rounds, he was exhausted in body and mind. It actually felt more taxing than fighting one grueling battle after another.
He had already contacted the Golden Sun Gate's aristocratic clans headed by the Yu Household, Sea Eye City's aristocratic clans headed by the Dong Household, wealthy landowners from the Great Yan Kingdom, the Salt Sea, the Southern Shore, and elsewhere, as well as sect disciples such as Qi Maigu. They had discussed plans for future expansion and development, but another important task remained: arranging the management and allocation of manpower and material resources in advance.
What they had discussed so far were only intentions to invest and provide aid. Once everything fell into place, those promises would become tangible assets.
Hundreds, even thousands, of artisans would pour in, along with dozens of puppet master apprentices, nearly ten puppet master craftsmen, and sect disciples awaiting orders. Vast quantities of supplies and funds would be at his disposal.
All of these were resources, and they would be entrusted to him, the territorial lord, to distribute in the hope of yielding returns years down the line. The key lay in putting them to sensible use.
There had always been territorial lords who failed. In fact, failures made up the majority.
And the vast majority had not failed because an enemy killed them outright in war, but because years of campaigning left their expenses exceeding their income, until they could no longer carry on and declared