Chapter 1

Great Drought.

Jiangling Prefecture, Yuanjiang County.

County Magistrate Zhao Kang squinted his eyes and lay comfortably in his rattan chair, while the constable, Zhang Long, reported in detail.

"Sir, the tea leaves we purchased this year have been stored, totaling two thousand catties, and we can start processing them soon. Also, a few merchants from Daming Prefecture want to order more sugar, offering ten coins per catty. They also offered five coins per bar for soap, saying they want as much as we can provide."

"The people in the county are getting restless, asking me if you will sell. Also, the sweet potatoes you mentioned have no leads, and Chuanyang Prefecture wants to buy a batch of cement from us...?"

From the constable's report, it was clear that this Yuanjiang County Magistrate had definitely come from another planet for some unknown reason.

"Alright, I know. You can go now. Tell everyone not to rush, and anyone who sells privately will be held responsible by me."

After hearing Zhang Long's report, Zhao Kang didn't even open his eyes. Ten coins for a catty of sugar? They must be dreaming.

Zhang Long grunted and left.

Lying in the rattan chair, Zhao Kang felt a myriad of emotions.

Five years!

Thinking back to when he first came through, in other stories, people were either princes, heirs, or sect geniuses, but he was just a poor county magistrate. Not only that, but the world was in the midst of a great war, and the Drought Kingdom was suffering from a food shortage.

Although Yuanjiang County, located in the mountains, avoided the chaos due to its remote location,

Zhao Kang was still very worried because Yuanjiang County was extremely poor, almost to the point of cannibalism. Many people were starving or fleeing, leaving only about a thousand old, weak, and sick residents.

In early Chinese history, a county in the Qin Dynasty had two to three thousand people, showing just how dire the situation in Yuanjiang County was.

Fortunately, through his tireless efforts and ruthless development of the local economy, attracting investment and implementing major reforms, he did whatever it took to make money.

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After five years, Yuanjiang County was back on track, and the hardships were truly heart-wrenching!

As he was lost in thought, a pockmarked constable rushed into the courtyard, shouting, "Sir, Sir!"

"What is it?" Zhao Kang frowned and got up, annoyed by the pockmarked man's rashness.

The pockmarked man leaned in and whispered, "Sir, the scouts have reported that a redwood carriage has arrived ten miles from our county. It looks very wealthy. Should we rob them?"

Zhao Kang glared at him, "Damn it, how many times have I told you? We are the government, not bandits! Are you planning to kidnap or rob? Can't you speak properly?"

The pockmarked man scratched his head and apologized, "Sorry, sorry, I'm just used to it from before, and I can't change right away."

"Shut up! Remember, we are now in the process of going legitimate! Spit! We are in the phase of becoming a proper organization! Treat all visitors like gods, understand!" Zhao Kang scolded him, frustrated by his lack of progress.

The pockmarked man scratched his head, "Understood, understood, but should we rob them?"

Forget it, he's hopeless.

Zhao Kang sighed and glanced at the pockmarked man, "Redwood? Are you sure?"

"Absolutely, the horses pulling the carriage are different from ordinary horses, very tall!" The pockmarked man gestured wildly.

"Tell the scouts to keep a close eye on them. If they enter the county, I want to know every move they make. Damn, I hope they're not undercover imperial inspectors."

Zhao Kang muttered, not fearing anything except higher-ups. The war had just ended, and the people in various regions were developing. If higher-ups found out the situation in the county, they would report him.

He hadn't had enough of his life as a local king. Why did everyone think that crossing over meant fighting and killing?

Wasn't it more comfortable to enjoy life in a small place?

But indeed, he needed to find some big spenders to make some extra money!

At the same time.

A carriage was traveling on a bumpy mountain road, driven by an old man in gray. Inside the carriage were two women, one of whom was writing a mark on a map of Anling County with a brush.

The attendant knew that this Anling County magistrate was in for a big disaster.

"Your Maje...," she started to say.

The woman looking at the map glanced up, scaring her into silence, and she quickly corrected herself, "Miss."

"What is it?" Two words, full of authority, combined with her stunning beauty, made anyone feel inferior.

Indeed, all men should feel unworthy in her presence.

For she was the ruler of Great Drought, the only female emperor in history.

Xiao Linglong!

The attendant hurriedly said, "Miss, shouldn't we return? We've already visited the five states and six prefectures, and it's been three months."

"No rush, there's still Yuanjiang County to visit. It's not far, so let's go there on the way back." Xiao Linglong's gaze fell on the name "Yuanjiang County" on the map.

The attendant looked at the map and said softly, "Yuanjiang County is in a remote area between three mountains... it's a poor place...?"

Xiao Linglong smiled lightly, "Lvyuan, have you still not understood the purpose of my trip? Do you really think I'm just here for fun?"

The attendant didn't dare to speak, and the woman put away the map and said calmly, "In the five states and six prefectures of Great Drought, with hundreds of counties, how many things do I not know? Do you really think that sitting on that throne, people below will tell me everything clearly?"

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"The...," the attendant realized.

Xiao Linglong said calmly, "Without seeing things with my own eyes and walking around, how can I know the truth?"

She put down the vermilion pen and rubbed her temples, feeling a headache.

The war had lasted too long. Although Great Drought had won, it was a Pyrrhic victory.

People in various regions were starving, the land was barren, and the national treasury was nearly empty. If she hadn't come out to see for herself, she might have thought that everything was peaceful and prosperous after the war.

As she was thinking, the carriage suddenly stopped, making the entire compartment shake, and the woman frowned. The attendant quickly asked the driver, "Old Lin, why did you stop suddenly?"

"Miss, you... you should come and see for yourself!" The driver was full of shock, as if he had seen a ghost.

The two women lifted the curtain and looked out, only to see a wide, flat road about seven to eight meters wide stretching into the mountains, with no end in sight.

The road was extremely flat, gray in color, and led straight into the mountains.

The three of them were stunned!

"This road!" The attendant's eyes widened.

Xiao Linglong's eyes also showed disbelief, and she exclaimed, "It doesn't look like it's made of stone slabs, but how can it be so flat!"

Even the outer city of the capital was mostly mud, turning into a quagmire when it rained. Yet, this mountain road was so well-constructed!

Who would build such a road, and at what cost in terms of manpower and resources!

"Miss, look." The attendant, Lvyuan, pointed to the entrance of the road.

There was a sign with a large inscription:

To get rich, build roads first!

Below the six large characters was a smaller, more welcoming line:

Welcome to Yuanjiang County.