The master and the spiritual beast influenced each other. Hua Kai's strength could influence Xiaoqiang and Wukong's strength, and Xiaoqiang and Wukong could influence Hua Kai in turn.
Hua Kai was cultivating in seclusion when he suddenly felt Xiaoqiang's spiritual power fluctuate. Not long after, the fluctuation became bigger and bigger. Soon, it entered a new realm.
Hua Kai knew that Xiaoqiang had broken through. A strong spiritual power was reflected on Hua Kai. Hua Kai felt that his strength was rapidly increasing. After a while, when the feeling disappeared, Hua Kai opened his eyes.
He checked his attributes.
Hua Kai: Level 7 of the Golden Core Realm
Aptitude: SSS +
Physique: 80
Energy: 79
Willpower: 77
Mystic Ice Will: Level 7 (1%)
Resistance: High-level Ice Antibody (72%)
Superpower: Illusory World, Power of Domination
Novelist: Sage
Confucian: Everyone
Taoist: Everyone
…
Mental Cultivation Method: Great Perfection of Meditation Technique (Heaven Advanced Mental Cultivation Method)
Spear Technique: Great Perfection of Space-Splitting Spear (Heaven Advanced Spear Technique)
…
Hua Kai's strength had reached Level 7 of the Golden Core Realm. Now, he often focused on the Journey to the West. He felt that his willpower could still improve. There was still a month to the first of April. Hua Kai took out a piece of flood dragon meat that weighed more than five kilograms and ate it quickly. Then, he took out a porcelain jar and drank half a jar of dragon liver soup. He closed his eyes and started cultivating again.
In March, there was a lot of talk about the flood dragon feast in Hua Xia.
This year, there were fewer business groups from Hua Xia going to Xiongnu, Yuezhi, Qiang, Dawan, and Wusun. However, each business group was extremely large. Most of them had more than ten thousand people and more than a thousand carriages. They were all led by Primordial Realm experts.
This was mainly because the Qin State had given up Yiqu Commandery and the northern parts of Zhao and Wei. This year, the number of wild beasts in this area had increased several times compared to before. Merchant groups without strength could only cross the North Mountain to Linhu State to do small business. Only those with strength dared to travel far. Now, there were merchant groups from Hua Xia going to Wusun State.
The Hua family had stopped the Qi families from migrating to China, but they couldn't stop the refugees from the south to the north. In the middle of March, the number of refugees in Xia City began to increase. The Civil Resettlement Department began to arrange for these people to live in various cities in China. China also had its own set of management methods for refugees. If they didn't have any special skills, they could only obey the arrangements. If they worked in China for a certain period of time and passed all the tests, they would be allocated their own houses.
This year, the Military Affairs Council had increased the construction of the various pavilions and relay stations in Hua Xia. The pavilions were the smallest administrative units in Hua Xia. A single pavilion managed the stability of an area, ensuring the safety of merchant groups, carriages, and messengers. It was an official establishment of the Military Affairs Council.
Hua Xia selected more than 3,000 people who were above the Great Completion of the Mortal Realm from the Six Major Legions and various aristocratic families. They built more than 3,000 pavilions in the 22 cities in four counties of Hua Xia. Each pavilion had 100 elite soldiers and 300 auxiliary soldiers.
Then, they selected more than 30,000 people who were above the Great Completion of the Qi Transformation Realm and assigned them to these 3,000 pavilions. If there were people living around each pavilion, each pavilion would send a village chief to protect the village. In this way, Hua Kai wanted to keep all the wild beasts out of Hua Xia.
It had to be known that the number of soldiers used to build the pavilions and relay stations was about the same as the Seven Major Legions of Hua Xia. Hua Xia's attitude was also very clear. The country's priority was to ensure the safety of the people. All the people could go out of the city and build their own villages. With the protection of the pavilions, their safety would be guaranteed. After working for a year, they could return to the city in winter. At that time, all the relay stations and pavilions would be abandoned. This way, the Hua family would be able to squeeze out more space for wild beasts to live in Hua Xia.
At the end of March, the entire Hua Xia was busy. The Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators from Yuezhi and Xiongnu had all arrived. They were all arranged to stay in the ships in the central lake. The two countries had set off at the beginning of spring, bringing thousands of experts with them. This was the first time they had come to see Hua Xia.
In the past few days, the streets of Hua Xia were filled with people dressed up as people from the grassland. Hua Xia was the capital of Hua Xia and was one of the rarest places in the world. The quality of all the goods was not something that the merchant groups could compare to. Of course, the price was also much more expensive than normal goods.
On the 28th of March, King Chu arrived in Hua Xia. He brought 51 Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators with him, showing how powerful Chu Chu was.
Yan, Qi, and even the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators who were not on good terms with the Hua family had all arrived. The Hua family had used the flood dragon as a guide, so everyone could not ignore it. If they did not participate in the discussions of the various families, it would be detrimental to their families and even their countries. Therefore, they had to come no matter what.
The only person who did not come was Qin Zheng. While everyone was guessing whether Qin Zheng would come or not, Qin Zheng was sitting in the main hall of the Qin palace in Xianyang, listening to Prime Minister Li Si's report.
"Your Majesty, last winter, because we moved all the people to the major cities in the various counties, one of the 61 cities in Qin was breached, and three of the cities outside were breached. There were 17 cities that lost more than 10,000 people. Last winter, Qin lost more than 90,000 soldiers, including 10,000 elite soldiers, and 260,000 ordinary people," Li Si said.
"Very good. This year, we must increase the city defense of the 61 cities and train all the people in the cities to resist the attacks of the more powerful wild beasts in the future.
How is the pacification of the major families? "Qin Zheng asked.
"Zhao, Zheng, Chen, and the other countries' families have a lot of ideas. They secretly contacted each other with the intention of organizing riots, but I have already planted people in their inner circle. Wei, Han, Zhou, and the other countries are still peaceful, but the families want to be compensated. After all, their families have lost their Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators. If we ignore them, they will hate us," Li Si said.
"Compensate them?
Prime Minister, how much compensation do you think is appropriate for a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator?
I will send 10 precious pills and 200 taels of gold to each of the families who lost their Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators.
How is the preparation for clearing out all the wild beasts in Qin? "Qin Zheng asked.
Li Si could not help but shake his head. 10 precious pills and 200 taels of gold for a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator's life, this was really a "small gesture".
He also knew that Qin had not been having a good time in the past few years. The south of Hanzhong County had always been under Chu County. Qin had lost the Bashu granary, but because of the increase in wild beasts, the grain production had not increased. In the past few years, they had been buying grain from Hua Xia.
"I presume that those aristocratic families would not dare to say anything.
Since the end of February, we have already begun clearing out the wild beasts, but the results have not been very good. Because Qin's territory is too large, many of the original cities have been completely occupied by wild beasts. The number of casualties is very high. This month, Qin's elite soldiers have already lost more than 20,000 people, and the first round of clearing out the wild beasts has yet to be completed, "Li Si replied.
"Forget it!
Just clear out the wild beasts in the vicinity of each city. Build the city walls of all 61 major cities to the thickest. All commoners, regardless of gender or age, must learn how to fight. Those over the age of 16 must train for at least three months every year, "Qin Zheng said.
"Your Majesty, currently, fifth-class commoners need to serve the corvee for half a year every year. Fourth-class commoners need to serve the corvee for three months every year. Third-class commoners need to serve the corvee for one month every year.
Thus, fifth-class commoners need to complete the corvee and military service for nine months every year. How would they have time to farm? If they did not farm, they would not be able to pay the state's grain. Both the corvee and military service required them to bring their own grain. How would they survive like this?
Fourth-class commoners occupy the largest proportion. Thus, after the corvee and military service, they still have six months left every year. Four of these six months are winter. It will take more than a month to complete the military service and the corvee.
Your Majesty, how would the commoners have time to farm? "An official of Qin State said in a deep voice.
The officials of Qin State were silent. Qin Zheng sat on the throne and looked at the officials. Many of them were new faces, because many of the previous important officials were killed in the battle for the flood dragon last winter.
"Gentlemen, is there a way to solve the problem of people's heavy grain?" Qin Zheng asked loudly.
"Replying to your Majesty, now there are three major countries in the world, Qin State, Chu State, and Hua Xia State. Hua Xia State is the weakest, but it has the most abundant grain. This year, Hua Xia State's grain has been cheaper to 160 bone coins per stone. The price of wool purchased by Hua Xia State has reached 12 bone coins per jin. We can raise more sheep around the city in non-winter. We only need a million sheep. The annual profit is enough for half of the people of Qin State to buy grain. The sheep can also be used as food
"Your Majesty, this is a plan to destroy the Qin State!
Your Majesty, please kill him. Hua Xia State's lowering of grain prices is a vicious plan to take over the world. How can we be fooled? "Li Si interrupted the official of Qin State.
"Take him away and behead him!" Qin Zheng said coldly.
Two Blood Dragon Guards entered the hall and took the official away. No matter how the official begged for mercy, Qin Zheng was not moved.
"All right, court is dismissed!
Training and military service will be discussed later. "Qin Zheng said and left.
The officials of the court left one by one. Although Qin State was big, everyone saw the drawbacks of Qin State's system.
In the past, the grain in the hinterland of Guanzhong could feed the entire Qin State. Now, the number of wild beasts increased. There were fewer and fewer commoners outside the city. Most of the newly added land was in the hands of the aristocratic families. If Qin State wanted to take back all the land, it would be very difficult. Moreover, they had to feed more commoners than before.
Qin State could not solve the grain problem. Relying on other countries to buy grain was like drinking poison to quench thirst. It would only make Qin State weaker.
Li Si and several important officials of Qin State did not leave. They came to Qin Zheng's study together. At this time, Qin Zheng was waiting for them in the study.
The key issues of Qin State still needed their ideas. Most of the others in the court only had the ability to execute orders.
"Your Majesty, Hua Xia State is more harmful than Chu State. This time, they invited the kings of the world to hold the Flood Dragon Banquet, which is very unfavorable to Qin State.
There have been many voices of Hua Xia State in Qin State. If we don't stop it, it will become a big problem for Qin State, "Li Si looked at Qin Zheng and said.