Chapter 1337: Chapter 1337

Even Du You himself had not anticipated how complicated it could be to establish an empire.

Previously, when he had established his kingdom, it certainly hadn’t been so involved, Du You thought to himself.

But later on, Du You came to understand that when he was building his kingdom, it had all been within his own territory, his base. There was no need for drastic changes, just assimilate his subjects, and that would suffice.

Therefore, initially, the tasks could be managed by Shaliya alone. The south had been a barren place at first. Thıs content belongs to 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵·𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮·𝓷𝓮𝓽

But now things were different, the vast wealthy northern regions had been occupied by Du You, and that’s when he discovered how troublesome it could be. Just like the nobles before him, the local nobility and power-holders all seemed to want a piece of the pie.

They were widespread, with formidable power, so as long as they were dissatisfied, they could stir up plenty of issues.

In the end, overwhelmed by the numerous problems, Du You finally decided to cut the Gordian knot.

He promptly dispatched troops to roam the lands swiftly, and wherever there was trouble, the military would intervene, arresting and interrogating everyone, guilty or not. Those who had committed offenses in the past were rounded up and executed publicly.

Once Du You implemented this iron-fisted policy, the number of troublemakers dwindled.

Though it threatened many people’s interests and bred dissatisfaction, faced with a resolute emperor, no one dared to cause chaos. After all, this madman truly dared to risk mass slaughter amidst the chaos of the entire empire.

Next came the issue of the subjects within his territories. After consulting with Shaliya, Du You decided to disperse these subjects across the nation, using their influence to subtly cause shifts and to plant his seeds.

No king could plant their seeds in every corner of their domain, spreading them far and wide, a feat only Professionals could achieve. Fortunately, they were all humans, indistinguishable from Du You’s people.

This strategy, a warning to the monkeys by killing a chicken, proved to be very effective, and soon the troubled regions were filled with unease. But no amount of panic would help, they had to either obey or die. Those daring to rebel at this time were eradicated on the spot.

Such brutal rule might not suit a normal empire, but for Du You, it was exceedingly fitting. After countless deaths across the empire, stability was finally achieved, and development could proceed in the desired direction.

As for the number of local officials who died during this period, Du You had lost count. Anyway, each time an official died, the area would be scoured thoroughly, and in the end, they dared not step out of line.

If it weren’t for the sheer number of his subjects, and their conscientious self-learning, Du You wouldn’t have had enough talent to draw from. Why do other empires worry about reforms affecting others’ interests? It’s exactly for this reason. Du You lacked neither people nor military force, and that’s why he dared to act so boldly.

Every Professional had this kind of assurance, at worst they could just purge the entire nation and replace it with their own subjects, also a solution to the problem. In any case, Du You’s brutality shocked everyone within the empire.

However, the commoners harbored no resentment, as these affairs did not concern them. When they saw their own lives improving, obviously, they would not come out and cause trouble.

After realizing they had opportunities for advancement, they were even less inclined to pay attention to those mad dogs who had lost their interests.

After settling this matter, Du You discovered new troubles had emerged. Because of the integration of Beastmen and humans, he aimed to create a nation capable of merging various races, but Beastmen and humans inherently had enmity toward each other.

Lifestyle, speech, and such issues also presented various problems.

Many humans still thought of capturing Beastmen as slaves, while some Beastmen continued to see humans as food. Due to such circumstances, although Grey Elves had joined the empire, they dared not leave the forests so readily.

With no better option, Du You stuck with his usual method, executing anyone who committed a crime, regardless of their status, to suppress their actions. As for those harboring resentment, Du You did not care in the least.

However, the integration of different races couldn’t be accomplished through force, it required gradual adjustment.

Du You wasn’t going to undertake such tasks himself; instead, he’d discuss them with Shaliya. They began to rally subjects suitable for mediatory roles, hastily recruiting and training them before assigning them their positions.

How many years would pass before this issue was fully resolved was anyone’s guess.

Then there was the nationwide network of intelligence and the establishment of new military forces.

Furthermore, there were new laws to foster industrial and commercial development, initiatives to construct roads and bridges, and even Shaliya was considering emulating Earth by aggressively building schools within the territory, all of which were troublesome affairs.

Unfortunately, Du You couldn’t delegate all of these tasks; he had to sign off on decisions, even make direct speeches. In the time that followed, Du You was indeed plagued with annoyance, finally understanding what a king should truly do.

This world had always been Du You’s main base, his own personal world, so he never considered wantonly exploiting it through violence. It was also Shaliya’s homeland, and she had no wish to see the world reduced to ruins, making it essential to keep up with the development.

Even Shaliya had come to understand that if a world developed well, it might even advance in tiers; they were planning with the future in mind. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many problems.

While Du You was busy with his grand construction projects, the outside world gradually became aware of the situation on his side.

A mere desert could not hide such a large-scale enterprise.

Meanwhile, that day, Li Mengyao and Shaliya came to see him, ready to depart.

"Why leave now? Isn’t it good to advance in this world?"

"Of course it’s good to advance in this world, and our rate of improvement is fast. But if we continue , we won’t be able to keep up with our team. We’re not like you, able to do just fine with only a couple of followers."

Li Mengyao looked at Du You with a complex expression. She wanted to be by Du You’s side, and if not to aid him, at least not to be a burden. Yet now, they could only progress with Du You’s help, unable to do anything by themselves.

Du You thought for a moment, found nothing to object to, and agreed.

Xi Qianxue leaned in and whispered, "Honestly, you couldn’t grasp the many opportunities given to you, who knows when there’ll be another chance." Du You’s face turned slightly embarrassed; these things were better left to happen naturally.