Deposed? I couldn't be happier! I wouldn't even be a dog to the crown prince.

Li Chengqian held a slender, specially supplied cigarette between his fingers, his gaze slowly sweeping over the brick-thick labor statistics report.

Sunlight streamed through the bulletproof glass of the East Palace's floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the densely packed numbers and casting a chilling, intimidating glow.

The first page of the report prominently states: "Second Phase Project of Guanzhong Ring Railway: Labor Shortage: 400,000."

Li Chengqian flicked his cigarette ash, a meaningful smile curving his lips. The development speed of the Tang Dynasty seemed to be a little faster than he had expected.

"Old Zhao, look at these data. The people of the Tang Dynasty are becoming more and more 'savvy'."

Li Chengqian casually tossed the report onto the table with a dull thud.

Zhao Jianguo straightened his back and replied with a wry smile.

"Your Highness, isn't this exactly what you wanted to see? Now, any farmer in Guanzhong has built a cement house and bought a bicycle."

Those with connections went out of town to do business, while those without connections worked as technicians in factories, earning a monthly salary.

"So, nobody wants to build the railway anymore?"

Li Chengqian squinted, looking out the window at the crane under construction in the distance.

"In reply to your question, sir, no one really goes there. The construction site is dirty and tiring, and you have to work under the scorching sun. The young and strong men of the Tang Dynasty wouldn't even give a second glance to a job like carrying bricks."

Even if the wages doubled, those men from Guanzhong would rather listen to storytelling in teahouses or work as temporary staff members in the police station.

Li Chengqian laughed after hearing this; this kind of "happy trouble" was indeed quite ironic.

Within just a few years, the Tang Dynasty leaped into a semi-industrial era. The explosive growth in welfare and material wealth gave rise to a group of "upper-class people" with higher aspirations.

But the foundation of civilization has never been built by drinking tea and listening to stories; it requires countless drops of blood and sweat.

Since the people of the Tang Dynasty are unwilling to do it, then we need to find someone else to do it.

"Does the law of our Great Tang Dynasty not prohibit the introduction of 'foreign friends'?"

Li Chengqian turned his head and looked at Lin Qinghan, who was sitting in the corner without saying a word.

Lin Qinghan pushed up his black-rimmed glasses and opened the revised edition of the "Great Tang Code" in his hand.

"Your Highness, the current entry system for foreign personnel is still very vague, but we can carry out 'large-scale introduction' through labor dispatch."

"Did you hear that, Old Zhao?"

Li Chengqian pointed to the colors on the map that hadn't yet been covered by the Tang Dynasty's dragon flags. "Go, issue a notice."

"Let those small countries that are dependent on the Tang Dynasty, as well as those chieftains in Southeast Asia, contribute their human resources."

"Don't call us slaves, it sounds awful and makes us look like we have no manners."

"From now on, they will be uniformly referred to as 'foreign laborers,' or you can call them... Kunlun Slave No. 2."

Zhao Jianguo chuckled knowingly, a calculating glint in his shrewd eyes.

"Alright, I'll have the Court of State Ceremonial issue an official letter right away. If any family is unwilling to send people over, then the coordinates for our Nantianmen Fleet's exercises may have to be set at the gates of their imperial palace."

Li Chengqian waved his hand, "Using force is the last resort. We must learn to solve problems in a 'civilized' way."

"Give them vouchers that can only be used within the Tang Dynasty, and tell them that if they come to Chang'an to work, they can witness miracles."

Just half a month later, the unloading dock on the outskirts of Chang'an became bustling with activity.

As massive steamships docked, groups of foreign workers were brought ashore as their hatches opened.

Their skin was dark, and their eyes were filled with fear and awe of this steel jungle.

These people came from primitive tribes in Africa, from the hot and humid jungles of Southeast Asia, and even from prisoners of war from defeated nations.

Under the command of the Tang Dynasty overseers' whips and megaphones, these laborers were distributed to various construction sites.

They lived in the most basic tin shacks and did manual labor for fourteen hours every day.

They ate nothing more than coarse rice mixed with stale grains, and received paper tickets stamped with the official seal of the Tang Dynasty, which could only be used to buy coarse cloth.

Meanwhile, the common people of the Tang Dynasty became foremen, technical backbones, and even creditors sitting under parasols collecting debts.

"Chief, if we do this, won't the narrators accuse us of racial discrimination?"

Chen Xiaodao chewed gum while watching the surveillance footage on the holographic screen.

"Discrimination? I'm helping them evolve."

Su Mu changed into the crown prince's robes and straightened his collar.

"In this scenario, only the strong have the right to talk about human rights. Every drop of sweat they shed is watering the tree of human civilization's technology."

At this time, Chang'an was expanding outward at an almost frenzied pace.

The old walls have been torn down and replaced by an endless forest of reinforced concrete.

The neon lights at night can even reflect directly onto the clouds, making the ancient starry sky appear dim.

Every day, new railway tracks are laid into the distance, and every week, new skyscrapers rise from the ground.

Li Chengqian stood on the viewing platform of Daming Palace, overlooking this extremely prosperous world.

This is not just Chang'an of the Tang Dynasty; it's more like a black hole that is devouring global resources.

What keeps this black hole running are those foreign laborers struggling in the mud, whose names don't even deserve to appear in history books.

"Your Highness, the 30,000 'Bodhisattva Barbarians' sent by Tibet have arrived at the border."

A young guards officer strode up to the observation deck, looking excited.

"I heard that this group of people are quick and efficient, and would be well-suited to work in the mines."

Li Chengqian didn't even turn his head; he simply exhaled a smoke ring.

"As usual, we'll start with ideological education and brainwash them into believing in 'Tang Dynasty supremacy'."

"Understood! What if someone causes trouble?"

"Causing trouble? I think you've been in the Ninth Intendant for too long lately, and your awareness of the rule of law has faded."

Li Chengqian turned his head to the side, his tone devoid of any warmth.

"According to the 'Regulations on Public Security Administration of the Tang Dynasty,' foreign nationals who cause trouble will be sent directly to repair the most dangerous section of the tunnel."

"As long as he's not killed, keep working on him until he understands what 'peace' means."

The officer shuddered and quickly bowed and withdrew.

Li Chengqian turned around and looked at Su Mu, who had just walked up.

"Director Su, do you think I've done a good job as 'Chairman of the Tang Dynasty'?"

Su Mu walked to his side, looking at the boiling land beneath his feet.

"You're competent. If you could cut the food expenses for these people by another 10%, I think the National Academy of Sciences would have more funding."

Li Chengqian burst into laughter, the sound echoing across the empty stage.

"You're more of an exploiter than I am, Su Mu."

"No, I am just a materialist who pursues the maximization of logic."

"So, where's the next target?"

"Let's see if these hundreds of thousands of laborers can finish building the maglev bridge from Chang'an to Luoyang before winter."

The setting sun, as red as blood, cast long, long shadows of the laborers carrying huge stones along the canal.

Their sweat dripped onto the bluestone slabs and was instantly evaporated by the scorching sun.

Above their heads was a giant holographic screen, playing a magnificent picture of the Tang Dynasty.

Extreme prosperity and extreme suffering have achieved a strange balance in this city.

"Your Highness, a monk from India wishes to see you."

A eunuch approached cautiously, his expression strange.

"He said he brought a scroll of scripture that could help the laborers 'let go of their suffering and turn to good.'"

After listening, Li Chengqian raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Su Mu.

"Listen to this, it's like a pillow being delivered to someone who's already sleepy."

"Director Su, what do you think of this proselytizing behavior that smacks of 'degrading intelligence'?"

Su Mu snorted coldly and straightened his uniform.

"As long as he can get those laborers to work harder and not ask for a raise, then he is the 'psychological comfort engineer' of the Tang Dynasty."

"If he dares to mention anything about 'equality for all beings'..."

"Then he'll have to try it out in a particle accelerator first, to see if Buddha's logic can withstand the impact."

Li Chengqian turned around and looked back at the magnificent city.

"Summon him in, and while you're at it, ask how many of these 'surplus' laborers there are in India."

"promise!"

The eunuch fled as quickly as possible, afraid of being even a second too late.

Su Mu gazed at the dimensional rift in the distance, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

"Director, do you really think that the blood and sweat of these laborers can build a ladder to a higher dimension?"

"I don't know if they can, but at least until the stairs are repaired, they'll have to keep moving."

"What if they resist?"

"Resist? Old Zhao, distribute our newly developed 'stun batons'."

"What's the reason?"

Su Mu's lips curled up, revealing a row of gleaming white teeth.

"It is our responsibility as the administrators of a civilized society to safeguard the safety and harmony of the Tang Dynasty."

"Chief, the monk is already kneeling outside the temple."

"Let's go, let's see what kind of brain-teaser script he can come up with."

"Your Highness, do you really think this method will work?"

"How will you know if you don't try? Anyway, the food from the Tang Dynasty isn't for nothing."