If you're made a fake emperor, why did you change the country's name?

Wei An returned quickly, his steps hurried, carrying a thick stack of files in his arms.

"Your Majesty," Wei An said softly, placing the dossier gently on the table.

"You've found out everything?" Zhao Yu looked up.

"Yes, this servant has consulted all the palace records and also inquired with several senior imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital." Wei An opened the top volume and began to report.

"The Soul-Severing Grass of the End of the World is highly poisonous."

"Ordinary people will die upon contact with it, and even a powerful expert at the Celestial Realm would have no chance of survival if he ingested it."

"This herb has extremely strong toxicity and can kill quickly, making it one of the top poisons."

Wei An paused here.

"But in reality, it can only be classified as the last of the second-class poisons."

Zhao Yu became interested.

Why?

"Your Majesty, this herb has a very peculiar smell, pungent and irritating. Any martial artist with some cultivation, even one at the Innate Realm, can detect it immediately."

Wei An explained, "Moreover, its medicinal properties are so potent that they are difficult to neutralize or mask with other smells, making it virtually impossible to mix into food."

Zhao Yu nodded after listening.

"If it's to be used as poison, then it's definitely some kind of garbage."

A poison that cannot be hidden is essentially half useless.

Wei An turned to another page and continued to add to it.

"However, there are scattered records of this in a few biographical sketches of ancient books."

"There was once a child born with intellectual disabilities who accidentally ate this herb. Not only did he not die, but he was transformed and became exceptionally intelligent."

Zhao Yu's eyebrows twitched.

Wei An immediately continued speaking.

"However, many physicians in later generations verified this rumor, and without exception, all of them failed."

"Those mentally challenged children who ingested this herb all died from the poison."

Therefore, this conclusion was ultimately overturned and dismissed as nonsense.

Wei An closed the file and stood quietly to one side.

Zhao Yu fell into deep thought, his fingers tapping lightly on the dragon table, producing a rhythmic sound.

"So, doesn't this grass seem rather useless?"

He muttered to himself.

"Poisoning people doesn't work, and saving them isn't guaranteed. Does it need to be combined with other medicinal herbs to achieve its special effects?"

The Prince of Zhennan would not have gone to such great lengths just for a poisonous herb that was of little use.

What exactly does he want to do?

Zhao Yu couldn't understand it.

He subconsciously thought of the national destiny protecting him; when the Great Liang was in turmoil, the power of the national destiny made him immune to all poisons.

Once the net is closed and the nation is at its peak, the poison of this Soul-Severing Grass should be unable to harm us, right?

The moment the thought crossed Zhao Yu's mind, he shook his head warily.

"I've been getting a bit cocky lately."

He made a self-deprecating remark.

The closer you get to success, the more careful you must be, as any oversight could lead to complete failure.

It seems that for some time to come, the 'surveillance' will be dedicated solely to serving the Prince of Zhennan.

Just then, Wei An stepped forward again and whispered a reminder.

"Your Majesty, Jia Liang, the captain of the construction team, is requesting an audience outside the palace, saying he has important matters to report."

Zhao Yu pulled himself out of his thoughts about the Soul-Severing Grass.

"Announce."

Before long, a burly, dark-skinned middle-aged man strode in; it was Jia Liang.

"Your subject, Jia Liang, pays his respects to Your Majesty!" Jia Liang knelt on one knee, his voice booming.

"Rise." Zhao Yu raised his hand and got straight to the point.

"After the cement road is completed, how long will it take for a message to travel from the capital to all parts of Daliang?"

Jia Liang quickly considered the matter in his mind for a moment before answering respectfully.

"Your Majesty, the cement road is smooth and wide, far superior to the dirt road."

"If the post stations were equipped with the best fast horses, and the riders traveled day and night, the news would be enough to cover the entire territory within a day."

one day.

Zhao Yu was somewhat satisfied with this speed, but it wasn't enough.

"I want a way to spread the news throughout the city instantly. Do you have any recommended buildings?"

Jia Liang began to ponder.

"Your Majesty, if the spread is only within the city, newspapers and bulletin boards should be the most efficient means."

"As long as we have enough manpower, the news can spread to every corner of the city within half a day."

Zhao Yu shook his head.

"These things are too easily destroyed or altered by local forces."

What he wanted was absolute, unquestionable, top-down information delivery.

"What I want is..." Zhao Yu carefully chose his words, recalling some things from his past life.

"Something that can transmit information to every household in an instant, such as... something that can make my voice resound in every part of the city at the same time."

Jia Liang fell into deep thought.

How about making His Majesty's voice resound throughout the entire city at the same time?

After a long while, as if he had thought of something, he suddenly raised his head.

"Your Majesty, there's something that might work!"

Zhao Yu's body involuntarily leaned forward.

"What is it?"

Jia Liang uttered the three words slowly and deliberately.

"Loudspeaker!"

In an instant, Zhao Yu's mind flashed back to the gray tin loudspeakers hanging on the utility poles in the rural areas of his previous life.

When the person in the broadcasting room speaks, the entire village, whether in the fields or in every household, can hear it clearly.

His eyes immediately lit up.

Yes! The loudspeaker!

This is practically an information weapon tailor-made for him!

But then he frowned.

"This kind of thing seems to require electricity, right?"

"Given Daliang's current technological level, it's probably difficult to achieve."

Jia Liang, however, revealed a confident smile.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I can make a simple human-powered engine. A few people will take turns turning the lever, and although the power generated will be limited, it will be enough to drive the loudspeaker and spread the sound throughout the city!"

"All we need to do is build a radio station in the center of each town and install loudspeakers at high points throughout the city."

"The station is staffed with dedicated personnel. Whenever the imperial court issues an order, or the capital issues a command, broadcasts from stations across the country will be broadcast simultaneously!"

"At that time, whether the people are at home or working in the streets, they will be able to clearly hear His Majesty's imperial edict!"

Isn't this just an ancient version of a central broadcasting system?

With this, the monopoly of powerful families on information at the grassroots level will be completely broken!

Zhao Yu immediately decided on the layout!

"How long will it take for this technology to be fully implemented?"

Jia Liang stretched out his finger, made a few gestures in the air, and quickly gave his answer.

"If Your Majesty approves, I can immediately assemble a team and work at full speed to produce it."

"Before the entire cement road is completed, I guarantee that the loudspeaker installation will be finished in all prefectures, counties, and districts!"

"good!"

Zhao Yu immediately made the decision and stood up from the dragon throne.

"This matter is now entirely in your hands! Just ask for the manpower and resources you need, and I will have the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Works fully cooperate with you!"

Jia Liang was overjoyed and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail in your trust!"

He received the order and was preparing to get up and leave.

"etc.

Zhao Yu called out to him again.

Jia Liang bowed and stood still, awaiting instructions.

"This matter must be handled in secret first," Zhao Yu said in a low voice.

"First, you should manufacture all the parts, such as the engine, horn, and wiring, and store them properly."

"We must not assemble it before my decree is issued, and we must not let those powerful families discover what we are doing."

"Your subject understands!" Jia Liang bowed again in agreement before leaving the Jingxin Hall.

Inside the hall, tranquility returned.

Zhao Yu paced slowly in the hall, his plan crystal clear.

The loudspeaker system is the ultimate weapon that can directly deprive powerful families in various regions of their right to speak, but it cannot be launched so quickly.

If this is exposed now, the major families might become wary and unwilling to cooperate.

He carefully calculated the time.

We must wait until the Li, Lu, and Zhang families, along with those smaller families who followed suit, have poured in enough money and supplies.

People often feel the pain of loss more intensely than the pain of gain.

Even if they were wary at that time, they had no choice but to agree.

Counting the days, there are about three more days until the recruitment ends.

Zhao Yu gave a crooked smile.