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To Wu Feng's surprise, Wang Anshi recommended the brothers Su Shi and Su Zhe in succession.

Su Shi | Level 90 | Top-tier civil official | Master of both poetry and governance

Su Zhe | Level 88 | Top-tier civil official | Proficient in finance and administration

Both men were exceptionally talented and of upright character, and had a deep friendship with Wang Anshi. Upon learning that the new dynasty was establishing itself and was eager to recruit talented individuals, they immediately left their seclusion to join him.

Through the introduction of Su Shi and Su Zhe, a group of civil officials, including Ouyang Xiu and Zeng Gong, came to join him. In just a few days, Wu Feng had gathered a group of top civil officials, and the shortage of civil officials in the internal affairs was completely filled.

These people were all honest and upright, without any corrupt habits, and were very capable in handling government affairs and governing cities. The internal affairs of the Ming Dynasty were immediately put on the right track.

With the talent arrangements in place, Wu Feng immediately ordered Wang Anshi to establish the imperial examination system, selecting talented individuals from humble backgrounds throughout the region to enrich the civil service.

Huo Jiushan organized a martial arts examination to select brave and skilled martial artists from the common people and martial arts masters to fill vacancies in the army.

Han Yu, Yue Fei, and Mu Lingyun each led 50,000 iron cavalry, advancing in three routes to the remaining Song cities in the Central Plains, aiming for a swift victory and preventing other countries from taking advantage of the situation.

At the same time, the Ministry of Works was ordered to expedite the mining of iron ore, the felling of fine timber, and the construction of shipyards to build ocean-going warships and establish the Ming Dynasty navy.

Once the military order was issued, the entire territory was mobilized.

The examination hall was set up overnight, and scholars from all over the country rushed to Kaifeng.

The martial arts training grounds are bustling with activity, and martial artists from all walks of life are eagerly signing up;

The three armies marched out and were routed wherever they went. The remaining Song cities surrendered within ten days.

Shipyards in the north are working day and night, with ship frames and planks being produced around the clock, and the large ocean-going vessel is beginning to take shape.

Wu Feng was stationed in the Kaifeng Imperial Palace, where he spent his days either handling necessary court affairs or engaging in secluded cultivation.

He became increasingly proficient in the twelfth level of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill, and his Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear Technique reached the seventh level. When he swung the Xuan Tie Heavy Sword, it already possessed the power to split mountains and shatter rocks.

With a wealth of talented individuals under its command, civil officials governed the country, military generals fought in battles, and artisans prospered in industry, leading to the flourishing of the Ming Dynasty.

Time flies, and another two months have passed.

After establishing its capital in Kaifeng, the Ming Dynasty was like a machine that had been turned on at full speed, with its entire territory expanding rapidly and becoming increasingly powerful.

With Wu Feng in charge of the palace, he spent his days in seclusion honing his martial arts skills and dealing with reports from all over the country. Talented individuals under his command emerged one after another like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, far exceeding his initial expectations.

First, Zhu Yuanzhang was found by his scouts in the Jiangnan region. Although he came from humble origins, he had an imperial air about him. His military strategy and ability to recognize talent were top-notch. As soon as he entered the army, he showed extraordinary leadership talent. Wu Feng directly incorporated him into the main cavalry and assigned him to Yue Fei for training.

A few days later, two fierce generals, Chang Yuchun and Li Wenzhong, also came to join him. Chang Yuchun was extremely brave and fierce. No one could stop him when he charged into battle. He wielded his long spear with great skill. Ordinary first-class martial artists could not last more than three moves against him.

Li Wenzhong was calm and resourceful, and was proficient in cavalry raids and flanking maneuvers, making him a top-notch cavalry commander.

Once these three joined the Ming army, they immediately filled the vacancies of top generals. Together with Yue Fei, Han Yu, Huo Jiushan, Mu Lingyun, and others, they formed the most luxurious lineup of generals in the Ming Dynasty. Each of them was a top general with a level of 90 or above, and they were proficient in commanding troops and charging into battle.

Not only were there numerous military generals, but the number of civil officials was also frighteningly large.

Wang Anshi oversaw domestic affairs, while the brothers Su Shi and Su Zhe held key positions in the central government. Literary giants such as Ouyang Xiu and Zeng Gong each performed their duties. With their combined efforts, not only was the government efficient and the officials incorruptible, but they also continuously issued edicts to seek out talented individuals from all over the country, uncovering hidden talents among the common people.

In just two months, top civil officials such as Fan Zhongyan, Sima Guang, and Bao Zheng came to join him. Some were good at criminal justice, some were good at border defense planning, and some were good at agriculture and water conservancy.

The entire civil service system of the Ming Dynasty was fully staffed, from central decision-making to county governance, with no vacancies and no one being a mere figurehead.

With both civil and military affairs in place, coupled with Wu Feng's policy of using war to sustain the nation, the entire Ming Dynasty was completely transformed into a never-ending war machine.

The mountain strongholds, bandit strongholds, and monster strongholds within the Central Plains became the best practice targets for the Ming army.

Every day before dawn, military camps in various regions would send out teams to wipe out the bandits and brigands that spawned in the surrounding areas.

The captured grain, weapons, silver, and medicines did not need to be transported back to the national treasury; they were directly used as military supplies on the spot.

While clearing out wild monsters to increase their skill level, the soldiers also plundered resources to replenish their military equipment, resulting in a surge in both their martial arts prowess and the strength of their army.

Relying on this predatory conquest model, the Ming army did not need to deplete domestic reserves to maintain a continuous output of combat power. In just two months, it swept through all the surrounding small border countries.

The northern front advanced all the way, and the army directly invaded the heart of the Mongolian steppe. The remnants of the Xiongnu tribes that had been severely damaged by Wu Feng, as well as the scattered small tribes on the steppe, were no match for the Ming cavalry's charge.

Chang Yuchun led a light cavalry raid, with Yue Fei leading the main force to cover the retreat. Wherever they went, the tribal camps were burned down, cattle, sheep and horses were confiscated, those who resisted were killed, and those who surrendered were incorporated into the military farms. The once vast Mongolian grasslands were all incorporated into the territory of the Ming Dynasty.

The western front was equally unstoppable, with the army advancing westward, conquering the Western Regions and reaching the Persian border. One Western Regions city-state after another surrendered at the mere sight of them, trade routes were reopened, and jade, fine horses, and spices were continuously transported to the Central Plains.

Its territory reached an unprecedented vastness, stretching from the sea in the east to Persia in the west, from the depths of the grasslands in the north to the southern border.

The size of the army also expanded rapidly to 600,000 elite troops within two months.

These 600,000 men were not just any conscripts; they were all elite soldiers who had undergone rigorous selection and had all mastered the Golden Bell Shield, Iron Shirt, and Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill.

Their Golden Bell Cover and Iron Shirt made them impervious to swords and spears; ordinary arrows, sword cuts, and spear thrusts could not penetrate their defenses at all.

Those who have mastered the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill to at least the third level possess astonishing arm strength. Their sword strikes carry the force of a thousand pounds. In ordinary martial arts circles, they would all be at least third-rate martial artists. On the battlefield, they would be invincible weapons of war.

With renowned generals such as Yue Fei, Chang Yuchun, Han Yu, and Zhu Yuanzhang personally leading the training and commanding the battles, this army was virtually invincible, possessing overwhelming strength in field battles, assaults, raids, and defenses.

During the two months of fighting, they encountered almost no decent hard battles; it was all a sweeping, easy victory.

While the army swept across the land, the Ming Dynasty never stopped building its navy.

As early as the beginning of the founding of the nation, Wu Feng ordered the construction of large shipyards in various coastal states. After more than two months of expedited construction, coupled with the day and night research of the practical technical team led by Professor Zhang, and the skills of the top folk shipwrights recommended by Wang Anshi, a batch of top-notch warships were finally built.

These warships were made entirely of sturdy solid wood, with iron plates covering the hulls to protect them from collisions and arrows. They were equipped with crossbows, rockets, and catapults. The largest warships could accommodate three thousand soldiers. They were fast, had a high carrying capacity, and were perfectly suited for long-range ocean warfare.

Once the warships were completed, Wu Feng immediately dispatched generals to build a navy.

Huo Jiushan and Mu Lingyun, two veteran generals, were the first to take up their posts. Subsequently, Zhu Yuanzhang, Li Wenzhong, and Chang Yuchun were also transferred to the coast to learn naval warfare tactics from shipwrights and veteran soldiers.

The group was already exceptionally talented, and with two months of hard training, they had mastered basic naval warfare skills such as ship handling, formation deployment, naval raids, and flanking maneuvers. Although they were not as skilled as seasoned naval veterans, they were more than capable of commanding an army of 100,000 across the sea.

The naval soldiers were selected from the elite army, who were skilled in swimming. They were then trained in special water-based internal martial arts techniques. After two months, a 100,000-strong naval force was formed. Warships, weapons, provisions, and fresh water were all prepared, and preparations for a long sea expedition were fully completed.

With everything prepared, Wu Feng summoned his civil and military officials to the main hall of the palace to discuss the objectives of the first battle.