Although the gaslights in Chang'an were bright, they could not illuminate the deep shadows within the towering factory buildings. Amidst the roar of the steam engines, an ominous presence, unlike anything seen on the Han Dynasty map, rose with the black smoke.
Liu Xun took off his imperial robes and put on some slightly greasy, coarse work clothes. He smeared coal ash on his face, activated his God-Level Acting: Commoner Mode and hunched over to blend into the largest Royal Partnership Textile Factory in the western suburbs of Chang'an. He pushed open the heavy iron gate and was hit by the stench of cotton wool, machine oil and sweat.
"Hurry up! Be quick!' The foreman's whip cracked through the air and Liu Xun's pupils contracted. He saw that the people weaving beneath the rapidly spinning shuttles were children under ten years old. Their bodies were thin, their eyes were empty and their fingers were bloodied and raw from trying to catch broken threads.
[System Real-Time Scan: Current Status of the Labour Force] Working Hours: 14–16 hours (day and night shifts).
Environment: Dust concentration exceeds the standard by 800%; boiler pressure is constantly at a critical level.
Class animosity: 85% (extremely dangerous; on the verge of riots).
Liu Xun watched the formerly revered noble families (now factory owners) sitting on the second floor, counting banknotes and enjoying the breeze from a fan. His gaze gradually turned cold.
'Boom!'
A loud explosion shattered the windows of the textile factory. The scream came from the neighbouring Wantong Iron Factory. The factory owner had forcibly shut off the safety valve to maximise output, causing an old steam boiler to explode under overload and engulf the entire workshop in scalding steam instantly.
Dozens of workers had no time to escape and were badly burned.
'Pay up? Pay these peasants?' The owner of the ironworks — the son of the former Marquis of Wu'an — waved his cane, ordering his servants to seal the gates. 'They damaged my machines themselves! Throw the ringleaders out! Anyone who dares to move will be charged with 'treason'!"
Thousands of workers, covered in coal dust and with bloodshot eyes, gathered in front of the ironworks' gates. Armed with wrenches and crowbars, they confronted the servants who were armed with crossbows. 'We demand fair treatment! We demand fair wages!"
'Why do we work the hardest but live like animals?' The servants' crossbow bolts gleamed coldly under the gaslight. At the owner's command, the first bolt struck an elderly worker in the chest. The first industrial conflict in the Han Empire began in the shadow of prosperity.
[System Emergency Mission Triggered]
Mission Name: Social Contract: The Struggle for the Foundation of the Empire
Objective: Suppress the riot, establish labour-capital boundaries, and gain the highest prestige from the 'Workers' Group'.
Reward: Unlock the 'Modern Legal System: Labour Protection Law' and 'Basic Union Management Module'.
Just as the servants were preparing to launch a second volley, a worker with a face covered in coal dust but exuding an astonishing aura strode between the two armies.
'Since when have servants of the Marquis of Wu'an's mansion been allowed to act on behalf of the Emperor?' Liu Xun wiped the coal dust from his face, standing up straight with each step. The previously noisy battlefield fell eerily silent as his suffocating presence became apparent.
'Who do you think you are?' Before the ironworker could finish speaking, he was struck dumb upon seeing the face clearly and collapsed into his chair. 'Your Majesty?!' Liu Xun ignored the slumped nobleman and turned to face the thousands of dust-covered workers. He slowly raised his oil-stained hand.
'I let you into the city so you could live like human beings, not so you could become fuel for machines!' He turned abruptly to the factory owners hiding in the shadows. His voice boomed like thunder in the night. 'Shen Wanshan! Issue an edict to the Embroidered Uniform Guard to seal off Wantong Ironworks! All of the wounded will receive medical treatment at the expense of the national treasury. As for those who dared to shoot arrows at innocent civilians, they will be punished according to the Great Han Law by having their entire families exterminated. I want to see if your greed or my guillotine is stronger!"
Snow fell heavily in Chang'an, but it could not mask the stench of blood from the ruins of the Wantong Ironworks. Deep within the Weiyang Palace, Liu Xun sat before a thick stack of ledgers soaked in oil and blood, detailing how nobles had amassed millions in a single year through wage theft and the resale of security supplies. This irrefutable evidence had been secretly presented by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
The next morning at court, the atmosphere was suffocatingly oppressive. Instead of sitting regally on his dragon throne, as was his custom, Liu Xun staggered down the steps, clutching the bloodstained ledger tightly in his hand. "I have failed the people of the Han!" he said.
Suddenly, Liu Xun burst into tears, his voice trembling with grief. Unleashing his 'divine acting skills', he played the part of the compassionate and benevolent emperor, slamming the account books down in the faces of several leading nobles and tearfully lamenting, 'I ordered you to build railways and factories to forge the backbone of a strong Han dynasty and bring submission to the barbarians! But what have you done? You have turned factories into meat grinders, treating my people like livestock to be used as millstones! What I want is a powerful Han dynasty that enjoys eternal peace, not a man-eating monster!'
The entire court of officials knelt down in unison; those who had received the profits were terrified and repeatedly kowtowed and confessed their sins. Just when the officials thought this was merely a routine reprimand, Liu Xun suddenly stopped crying. His eyes instantly turned from grief to icy coldness, filled with murderous intent.
'Since you can't manage it, I'll establish the rules for you!' The long-awaited 'Han Dynasty Labour Law' was presented by the Imperial Guards, its clauses as sharp as steel nails and directly targeting the Achilles' heel of all factory owners.
[Eight-Hour Working Day]Except for emergency military supplies, the daily working day shall not exceed eight hours. Due to differences in timekeeping between ancient and modern times, Liu Xun implemented a system of 8 am to 5 pm with breaks in between. Overtime pay shall be tripled.
[Minimum Wage Standard]The Central Bank will adjust this dynamically based on grain prices to ensure that a worker's salary can support a family of three.
[Disability Protection]The factory must provide lifelong support for any worker disabled on duty, and the factory owner must compensate the family of any worker who dies on duty with ten years' wages.
'Your Majesty, you mustn't! This will drastically increase costs, meaning that Han Dynasty cotton cloth will no longer be cheap, and the railways will become unsustainable!' Led by the Marquis of Wu'an, a group of nobles quickly formed an alliance after the court session. They naively believed that the emperor could not do without their funds and management skills. As a result, 300 private ironworks and textile mills in Chang'an, Luoyang and Ma'anshan collectively ceased production within just three days.
'We must make His Majesty understand that without us, the Han Dynasty's chimneys will not emit smoke and its train wheels will rust.' Hiding in the gardens, the nobles drank and made merry as they awaited Liu Xun's compromise. The black smoke in Chang'an had indeed thinned considerably, but there was no sign of panic on Liu Xun's face.
'A strike?' Liu Xun sneered to himself, gently flicking the switch that symbolised absolute control.
[System Prompt] Side Quest Reward Triggered: [State-Owned Industry Module – Heart of the Empire]
Unlocked
Core permissions: Right to Mandatory Resource Acquisition, Right to Targeted Assignment to Technical Schools
Reward: Unlock the 'Basic Industrial Management Manual (State-Owned Version)''Jinyiwei, Longwei Battalion, heed my command!' Liu Xun stood up, his tone chilling. 'All privately owned factories participating in the strike are to be taken over immediately on the grounds of "endangering national security". Simultaneously, all their coal and iron ore mining rights are to be seized and their Han Yuan Credit authorisation revoked!'
In less than an hour, the fully armed Longwei Battalion had taken over all the fuel warehouses in Chang'an. The factory owners, who were originally from the nobility, were dragged out like dead dogs. Meanwhile, the first cohort of interns from the Royal Polytechnic University, founded by Liu Xun and armed with the management manual, swiftly took up their positions. The Central Bank of the Great Han allocated funds directly, converting profits originally intended for the nobility into worker benefits.
Smoke rose from the chimneys again, and this time the smoke belonged to the state, carrying the warmth of the law.
When the nobles discovered that they had lost not only their land shares, but also their hard-built factories, they realised with despair that Liu Xun had never needed them; he had only needed their money to support the working class loyal to imperial power.
[System Monitoring] Social Animosity Value: Dropped to 20% (working class loyalty off the charts).
Industrial Revolution Progress: 99.5%
Milestone unlocked: Embryonic Form of State Capitalism
Liu Xun looked at the spinning wheel again and calmly told Shen Wanshan, "Send the most troublesome marquises deep into the coal mines and let them experience an 'eight-hour workday' firsthand."
After the nationalisation of private factories, the chimneys of Chang'an seemed to emit lighter plumes of black smoke. However, standing before the towering windows of his official residence and watching the workers swarm into the factories like ants, Liu Xun realised that the warmth brought by administrative orders was fragile. If imperial power relaxed even slightly, the profit-driven nature of the factories would turn them back into 'meat grinders'. He needed an organisation that could police itself, represent the voices of the common people and operate within the framework of imperial power.
'Your Majesty, during my investigations among the people, I discovered a set of "mutual assistance" rules circulating among the craftsmen,' said Zhou Meng, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. He presented a black wooden plaque engraved with an ancient character for 'ink'.
Liu Xun stroked the plaque, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes. In this era of Confucianism and Legalism, the Mohist school — advocating 'universal love, non-aggression, valuing the virtuous and employing the capable' — had long been marginalised. But this deep-seated obsession with technology and justice within the craftsmen was precisely the 'social stabiliser' he needed.
[System Command]: Restart 'Mohist School – Industrialised Improved Version'.
Organization Name: 'Mo Sheng Tang' (predecessor of the Great Han Labour Union).
Core functions: - Mediation of labour disputes
- Technical level assessment
- Mutual aid and relief among workers
System blessing: The first batch of leaders are granted the 'Medal of Loyalty' (Passive Attribute: An extremely high probability of resisting bribery, maintaining gentleness and rationality, and preventing blind violence.
In a dilapidated blacksmith's shop on the outskirts of Chang'an, Liu Xun met Lu Da, the elected leader. Lu Da was a silent man with calloused hands, who had once had his ribs broken by the factory owner for protecting his fellow workers.
'Lu Da, I grant you a title.' Liu Xun slammed a manganese steel medal bearing the character 'Mo' onto the table. 'From this day forward, "Mo Sheng Tang" is not only your home, but also the arm of the Great Han law. If the factory withholds wages, you shall sue; if your fellow workers are in need, you shall help them. I give you the right to speak.'
In order to infuse this nascent organisation with a sense of purpose, Liu Xun initiated his Top-Tier Performance: A Holy Ruler Sharing Joy with the People project.
The next day, reporters from the Great Han Daily were astonished: Emperor Liu Xun of the Great Han had taken off his dragon robe, rolled up his sleeves and crawled into the workers' collective shed, which reeked of machine oil. Instead of sitting on his throne listening to reports, he squatted on the kerb holding a broken porcelain bowl and shared a pot of thick, coarse rice porridge with miners whose faces were covered in coal dust.
He personally bandaged an old miner's wounds, asked about a child's schooling and even slept alongside the workers on a large, leaky communal bed in their makeshift shelter. This scene was broadcast throughout the entire Han Empire in beautifully printed newspapers.
"Long live His Majesty!" 'The Emperor shares our joys and sorrows!' A deafening roar of cheers erupted in the factory district. Overnight, Liu Xun's popularity reached unprecedented heights, effectively isolating the greedy merchants who had attempted to collude and exploit the workers.A textile tycoon whose business had not yet been shut down stared at the newspaper, his face ashen. 'It's over... it's all over. His Majesty has taken our land and factories, and now he has stolen the workers' souls too. Who dares to resist? To resist is to become an enemy of the entire world!'
The establishment of the Ink Saint Hall marked a significant step forward for the Han Dynasty, shifting from "authoritarian rule" to "modern governance".
[Occupational Classification]: The Mo Sheng Hall has started to classify workers into 'Level One' and 'Level Eight' categories. Skilled workers can even enjoy benefits equivalent to those of a deputy section leader.
[Ideological Enlightenment]: Workers are beginning to realise that they are not disposable, but rather masters of the Han Dynasty.
[System Announcement]: Side quest 'Social Contract' perfectly completed.
Reward: Unlocks the 'Modern Compulsory Education Module' and the 'Primary Public Health System (Vaccine Research)'.
Industrial Revolution Progress: 99.7% (only one piece of the puzzle remains).
Liu Xun stood at the entrance of the Mo Sheng Hall headquarters, looking at the spirited workers wearing Mo badges. He whispered to Gongshu Qi, 'Order has been established. Now, I want to extend this power beyond the workshops. Bring out the 'Flying Dragons' (monoplanes) that have been tested in the air. Since no one on the ground dares to resist, let's conquer the skies.'
The first snowfall in Chang'an had melted away due to the residual heat from industry. On the white marble steps in front of the palace gates, the formerly arrogant noble families and wealthy merchants, stripped of their finery and carrying bundles of thorns, knelt shivering in the cold wind.
Standing atop the city wall, Liu Xun looked down at this group of remnants of the old era, driven to desperation by the 'state-run takeover' and the 'Ink Saint Hall', a playful smile creeping across his face.
'Your Majesty, we know our crimes! We beg you to spare our lives. We don't want the factories anymore; we just want to preserve our dignity!"
The Marquis of Wu'an led the way, kowtowing until blood seeped from his forehead. Liu Xun had cut off their Han Yuan loans and seized their coal and iron supplies. These powerful figures, who usually considered themselves the 'cornerstone of the empire', found that overnight their mountain of contracts could not even buy a single bag of flour.
Liu Xun slowly descended the city wall, activating his Divine Acting Skill: The Shepherd of Kindness and Severity. He helped the trembling Marquis of Wu'an to his feet personally, his tone unusually gentle: 'My dear ministers, I have said before that what I want is a powerful Han dynasty, not a ruin. You have the funds and experience to manage mines. If I were to bury you all, the gears of the Han dynasty would not turn so smoothly. However, the rules must change.' Liu Xun waved his hand and a Jinyiwei handed him the "Great Han Industrial Shareholding Reform Plan", densely packed with information.
[System Financial Module: Shareholding Transformation]
- Ownership Separation: Factories will no longer be privately owned outright, but will be converted into 'shares'.
Golden Ratio: The state will hold 51% (giving it absolute control), the original factory management will hold 29% (giving them the right to distribute dividends), and the remaining 20% will go to all workers.
- Core Logic: Transforming 'opposing enemies' into 'a community of shared interests'.
'From today onwards, you are no longer masters who disregard human life; you are now shareholders of "Great Han United Textile" and "Great Han Heavy Industry".' Liu Xun patted Marquis Wu'an on the shoulder and said, "The more the factory earns, the more you get. But remember, those 10–20% worker shares are their 'life-saving money'. Anyone who dares to touch them is threatening my throne."
To secure the workers' loyalty completely, Liu Xun announced a second measure: the housing provident fund.
'All factories must extract 10% of their monthly Han Yuan profits and deposit them into a special account at the Central Bank of the Great Han,' he announced to the surrounding workers. 'The factory owners cannot touch this money, and neither can I. Workers at Fanmo Temple with three years' service can withdraw "low-interest loans" from this fund to buy their own brick house in this concrete jungle.'
'Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty!' Cheers erupted like a tsunami. The workers, who had previously been hostile towards the factory owners, suddenly became much more agreeable towards these 'shareholders', since the more the shareholders earned, the more money would be in their provident fund accounts. Once the profits had been distributed, the restless and violent atmosphere in Chang'an City instantly dissipated, replaced by an almost fanatical enthusiasm for production.
[System Real-Time Statistics] Achievement Completed: [Popular Support · Class Closed Loop]
Reward Distribution: City Infrastructure Attribute Points +50
Effect Stacking: Chang'an City's security level increased to 98%, the work injury rate decreased by 40%, and production efficiency increased by 200%.
Unlocked buildings: Low-Rent Apartment Complex and City Sewage Filtration Pool.
Returning to Weiyang Palace, Liu Xun looked at the industrial satellite cities shimmering with golden light on the geomantic map and sneered inwardly.
'Shares are the best shackles,' he muttered to himself.
Just then, an urgent report came from the northwest. Having resolved the internal conflicts of the Han Dynasty, the Sage, in a fit of rage, rallied the Western Regions to form the '100,000-strong Holy Fire Crusade', equipping them with 'mutated camels' that could breathe fire. The '100,000-strong Holy Fire Crusade' was crossing the Pamir Mountains, heading straight for the Han Dynasty's railway lines.
Liu Xun turned his head to look at the biplane in the backyard, which had already started up, its engine making a pleasant roar. 'Camel breathes fire? My plane can also 'lay eggs' (drop bombs)! Gongshuqi, load me with napalm bombs. Let's go to the Western Regions and give these charlatans a 'farewell party'."
The snowstorm in Chang'an had stopped completely. The muddy, chaotic refugee settlements of old had been replaced by neat rows of affordable apartment buildings. This wasn't a miracle, but the dividends of a civilisation forged from steel, cement and the shareholding system.
Zhang Daniu stood on the balcony of his two-storey house, clutching a deposit slip bearing the red seal of the 'Great Han Central Bank'. Three years ago, he was a starving man who was forced to sell his children due to a poor harvest caused by drought. Two years ago, he was a factory worker who was constantly on the verge of being swallowed by the boiler. Today, he was a level-three technician at 'Great Han Heavy Industry', owning 0.01% of the factory's shares.
'Wife, buy the kid that manganese steel school bag and two jin of Qin Chuan beef shank.' Zhang Daniu patted his smart work clothes; the 'Mo Sheng Tang' medal on his chest gleamed. 'We're citizens now, and our child will be accepted into the Royal Polytechnic University.'
[System Economic Module Monitoring]
Domestic Demand: 450% year-on-year increase
Money flow: flowing from a small number of wealthy and powerful individuals to millions of workers, forming a 'virtuous cycle of consumption'.
Social Class Structure: The traditional 'olive-shaped' society is beginning to emerge.
Liu Xun climbed the highest star-gazing tower in Weiyang Palace, a place once used by alchemists to pray for immortality. Now, it was the 'global command centre' of the Han Empire.
Looking out into the distance, Chang'an under the setting sun presented a fantastical harmony. To the left were endless factory chimneys billowing regular plumes of white smoke after gas scrubbing and desulfurisation — the beating heart of the empire. To the right were neat rows of concrete apartments and illuminated gas streetlights — the foundation of the empire's stability.'Your Majesty, the first batch of "public housing" has been fully occupied,' said Shen Wanshan, standing behind Liu Xun. His tone was respectful yet fervent. 'Merchants have discovered that paying their workers higher wages has actually led to increased sales of cloth, soap and canned goods — business is booming.'
Liu Xun surveyed the scene, activating his Top-Tier Performance: The Holy Ruler Who Brings Eternal Peace. However, he did not revel in this prosperity; instead, he thought of the innocent souls who had perished in factory explosions and the nobles he had forcibly sent deep into coal mines.
"Shen Wanshan, remember this." Liu Xun's voice drifted in the wind atop the tower. 'The strength of the Han Dynasty does not lie in the number of armours I possess, but in ensuring that even the humblest coal miner has a lit lamp and a bowl of hot soup in the darkness. This is my 'Great Han Dream'." In his mind's eye, the system's notification was cold and solemn:
[System Notification: Milestone in Civilization Progress]
Core Indicator: Social stability reaches 99% (full marks).
Judgment Result: The Great Han Empire has successfully transitioned from an agrarian military regime to an industrial contract society.'
Current status: It possesses a solid foundation for global expansion and protracted wars of attrition.
Next stage unlocked: Global Conquest · Civilisation Harvesting Mode.
Liu Xun slowly turned around, shifting his gaze from the sleepless city beneath his feet to the western end of the map. There, the Parthian slave owners were still whipping their labourers, the Roman Senate was still debating how to increase the tithe, and the Crusaders of the Holy Ones were attempting to challenge truth with primitive superstition and fire-breathing camels. 'Internal troubles resolved, my backbone forged.'
Liu Xun traced the contours of the Pamir Mountains with his fingertips before landing heavily on the 'Constantinople' landmark, his eyes gleaming coldly. 'Issue the decree! Mobilise all 'Xuanwu-class' ironclad warships and activate all 'Jianwu-series' armoured trains. Tell those Western charlatans that, since they refuse to open their eyes to the world, I will use the roar of cannons and aircraft to force them to see."
"Next stop: Conquer the entire territory."