As a crucial resource for triggering extraordinary abilities, Lucy also dabbles in pills, but she doesn’t take it as seriously as Henwell does.

  From the moment he pnned to use Cao Mingzhi to get involved, to now leading the Court of Judicial Review’s Prison Department, one of Henwell’s main goals is to gain open and legitimate access to Golden Core Valley.

  Henwell and his team can indeed break into the valley, but Golden Core Valley has its own countermeasures.

  If the Gold Touch Whisper leaks out, they immediately switch to a new secret code.

  By the time Henwell’s team deciphers the new code, it becomes much harder to send someone undercover to steal techniques again.

  Moreover, Golden Core Valley changes some refining methods, so newly produced pills differ slightly.

  This makes it difficult for Henwell and his team to analyze the pharmacology just by decoding the whispers.

  Because of this, the operation must remain discreet, ideally without the court’s knowledge.

  After discussions, Henwell and his group agree that the Ministry of Works is the most critical department.

  It holds not only architectural blueprints but also a vast array of craft techniques.

  From pill refining to metallurgy, from engineering to agriculture, the Ministry covers it all.

  Henwell and his team have a clear understanding of what underpins an empire.

  The foundation lies in agriculture, ensuring people have enough food to avoid major disasters.

  Agriculture, in turn, depends heavily on water management.

  Waterworks are also closely linked to military defense.

  Interconnected, the Ministry of Works is an indispensable department in any dynasty.

  Yet few people truly appreciate this hardworking ministry.

  Many regard the Ministry of Revenue controlling finances and nd, the Ministry of War managing troop deployments, the Ministry of Personnel handling appointments, the Ministry of Justice overseeing w enforcement, and the Ministry of Rites arranging ceremonies as more prestigious than the Ministry of Works.

  But Henwell and his peers see things differently, they understand the order of importance.

  First comes agriculture, because in a feudal agrarian society, grain is the root of everything.

  Only when agriculture thrives will food production increase, supporting a rger popution.

  With more people, the army can grow strong, internal and external security can be maintained, and commerce can flourish.

  In any world, under any system, the people don’t want to rebel.

  As long as these four points are achieved, a short-lived dynasty is unlikely.

  First, ensure the people have enough to eat and don’t starve.

  Second, provide warm clothing and sturdy shelter to protect them from cold and illness.

  Third, make sure the popution has work, avoiding rge numbers of unemployed vagrants that could destabilize society.

  Lastly, never cut off the people’s hope.

  There must be upward mobility for the lower csses, which usually comes down to education.

  Most uprisings, even revolutions, stem from hunger and desperation, when people can no longer survive, the dynasty faces grave danger.

  When wealth gaps become too extreme, some people are treated less than human.

  And when those at the bottom aren’t even regarded as human, the situation quickly spirals out of control.

  Employment is crucial, fewer vagrants mean fewer chances for rebellion to snowball.

  Finally, without opportunities for advancement, social csses become rigid, which benefits no one.

  Although Henwell and his group haven’t taken full control of the dynasty yet, they’ve already begun considering how to achieve these four goals.

  After discussion, they reach a clear conclusion: external expansion combined with internal technological upgrades.

  Develop a solid education system while maintaining control over the military and nd, and major problems can be avoided.

  Then, occasionally find some excuse to stage “accidents” and harvest a plentiful crop of compcent subjects.

  For now, Henwell believes Lucy hasn’t prepared for these four areas.

  No matter how dissatisfied he is with Lucy, Henwell is determined to complete this task.

  After all, the ones giving the scores and rewards aren’t Lucy, they’re the big bosses watching from beyond the void.

  Besides, having finally managed to get out on this “business trip,” Henwell wants to see more and learn as much as possible.

  Next, he pns to connect with some agricultural experts from the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue.

  Once he finds talented individuals, Fang Yuan and Nathan will recruit them to conduct agricultural experiments.

  If the talent is important but unwilling to leave, William will be tasked with forcibly bringing them in.

  If the talent is sensitive and William can’t act openly, Henwell will dig through old cases at the Court of Judicial Review, find some past charges, fabricate new accusations, and have them dismissed from office first.

  After all, they have the strength and means to get things done!

  The seeds and medicines Henwell brought have already been handed over to his colleagues, who will arrange cultivation trials once they return.

  Lucy still doesn’t know about these, but given her current mindset, even if she did, she probably wouldn’t care much.

  Thanks to Henwell’s involvement, the Seventh Prince Nangong He is behaving quite obediently.

  This has temporarily put Lucy and her pns on hold.

  Over the next six months, Henwell immerses himself fully in official duties, as if he truly belongs in this world.

  The Prison Department undergoes obvious changes. With Henwell’s new sary incentives, the Locksmiths work extremely hard.

  Every day, they either arrest people or train.

  This period surprisingly improves the reputation of the once wild and unruly Locksmiths.

  Now, the Five Soul Locksmiths realize this and start recruiting Gold Locksmiths and Silver Locksmiths within the department.

  Everyone gradually understands that working together in teams is far more effective than going it alone.

  Gold and Silver Locksmiths have good skills but struggle to compete with other government offices on major cases.

  At times like this, the Soul Locksmiths step in. After all, they hold fifth-rank official positions with imperial seals, no longer mere bounty hunters.

  Almost every Soul Locksmith commands two or three Gold Locksmiths and seven or eight Silver Locksmiths.

  As for those who prefer to go their own way, they remain a minority.

  The entire Prison Department is gradually becoming more professional, with the Ministry of Justice feeling the impact most keenly.

  In just six months, several major cases are resolved.

  Now, arrests bypass the Ministry of Justice and only involve them during the final joint trial by the three departments.

  Justice officials realize they can no longer dominate w enforcement alone.

  Both the Imperial Secretariat and the emperor are very pleased with this new situation.

  Competition between the two departments creates motivation, and the recent speed of case handling shows the benefits outweigh the downsides.

  There are even proposals to increase the Court of Judicial Review’s budget.

  Chen Bo’an, Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, has been wearing a very good mood these past few days!