Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

Inside a side hall of the Zichen Palace, the Minister of Revenue held a memorial that had just been submitted by various provinces and compiled by the various departments of the Ministry of Revenue after days of verification. Although he tried his best to remain calm, his slightly trembling fingers and the barely suppressed excitement in his eyes still betrayed the huge turmoil in his heart.

Han Yu, the Minister of Personnel, the Minister of Works, and other key officials stood to one side, their eyes all focused on the thin yet incredibly heavy yellow silk memorial.

Xiao Chen had just finished listening to the Ministry of Works' report on the auspicious dates for the raising of the main beams of the major palaces in Chang'an Imperial City. He was picking up his teacup when he saw the Minister of Revenue's expression and raised an eyebrow slightly: "My dear minister, what is it?"

The Minister of Revenue took a deep breath, stepped forward, bowed, and held the memorial high above his head. His voice was slightly hoarse with excitement: "Your Majesty, I, Zheng Huaijin, Minister of Revenue, report: The population and household registers of all provinces, prefectures, states, and counties at the end of the fifth year of the Xuanji era have been preliminarily examined and compiled, and the final register was copied yesterday… Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

Xiao Chen put down his teacup, his expression calm: "Oh? How about the final volume?"

"His Majesty!"

The Minister of Revenue raised his head, his face beaming with barely suppressed excitement. "Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, you have pacified the four directions, and the world is gradually at peace."

Last year, His Majesty promulgated the "Equal Field Edict" and the "Edict Encouraging Agriculture," reducing taxes and corvée labor to allow the people to rest and recuperate. He also pacified the southern border, and trade routes gradually reopened… His Majesty's grace is boundless, benefiting all people, allowing them to live in peace, and refugees are gradually returning home, leading to population growth… According to reports from various prefectures and counties, after eliminating false reports and omissions, and through repeated verification, preliminary statistics are as follows…”

He paused, then, almost word by word, uttered the number that would have stirred the heart of any emperor:

"At the end of the fifth year of the Xuanji era of our Great Xia Dynasty, the number of registered households has exceeded 3.2 million! The total population... the total population has reached over 11 million! Among them, there are approximately 4.6 million adult males! This is a rough estimate, and there may be omissions, but... the 10 million mark has indeed been surpassed!"

"More than 11 million..." the Minister of Personnel repeated in a low voice, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.

He was well aware of the significance of this number.

Before the great chaos at the end of the Yongchu era of the previous dynasty, the number of registered people in the country at its peak was about 15 to 16 million households, with a population of over 50 million.

However, after decades of war, the fragmentation of the country by feudal lords, the infighting among warlords, natural disasters and man-made calamities, the people were killed, injured and displaced, nine out of ten houses were empty, and household registers were lost. When Xiao Chen took over the Great Xia at the beginning of its founding, he was faced with a world riddled with problems.

At the time, the Ministry of Revenue's most optimistic estimate was that the actual population within the country's controlled area was probably less than five million, and many of them were hiding or had fled.

In just a few years, it has more than doubled and broken through the ten million mark!

This is not just a numerical increase, but the most direct and powerful proof of the nation's recovery!

Han Yu stroked his beard, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes. He understood better than anyone else what this "eleven million" meant.

This means more laborers returning to the land, more families starting to reproduce, a more solid source of tax revenue for the imperial court, and a more adequate guarantee for soldiers and laborers.

This also means that the series of policies implemented by the young emperor he was assisting to allow the people to recuperate and restore their strength were bearing real fruit! The people's hearts were settling down; their vitality was being restored!

Xiao Chen remained silent for a moment.

There was no ecstatic joy on his face as the Minister of Revenue had imagined; only a fleeting glint of starlight seemed to flash across his deep eyes, too quick to catch.

He slowly stood up, walked to the huge map of the world hanging in the sky, and slowly scanned the mountains, rivers, and county seats marked on it.

Eleven million... This number is no longer just cold ink on the Ministry of Revenue's register, but has transformed into the smoke rising again over the fertile plains of the Central Plains, the bent backs in the paddy fields of Jiangnan, the cries of infants on the Guanzhong Plain, and the newly reclaimed slopes in the mountains and forests of Sichuan...

"it is good."

He uttered only this one word, his voice steady yet carrying an immense force.

"Zheng Qing, all the secretaries and clerks of the Ministry of Revenue have made meritorious contributions to the accounting and should be rewarded."

"We dare not take credit; it is truly Your Majesty's virtuous influence that has inspired us, Heaven has blessed the Great Xia, and all the people have turned to you!" The Minister of Revenue bowed hastily.

"The hearts of the people are with you..."

Xiao Chen repeated the sentence softly, turned around, and swept his gaze across the ministers in the hall with lightning speed, "These 11 million people did not appear out of thin air."

It was countless ordinary people who, after the war ended, brought their families back to their homeland, rebuilt their homes amidst the ruins, and picked up the plow again amidst the overgrown weeds. They earned it back bit by bit from God's hands and from the barren land with their blood, sweat, and even lives!

It was also achieved little by little through the efforts of local officials in implementing the equal land distribution system, resettling refugees, and encouraging agriculture and sericulture.

His voice gradually rose, carrying an undeniable force: "These ten million are hope, they are the foundation, but even more so, they are a burden! A heavy burden weighing on my shoulders, on the shoulders of all my ministers, on the shoulders of the entire Great Xia Dynasty!"

"Ministry of Revenue," he looked at Zheng Huaijin, "has the tax revenue kept pace with the population growth? How much newly reclaimed land has been cultivated? What is the state of the granaries? Do you have detailed figures?"

Zheng Huaijin, having anticipated this, immediately replied, "Your Majesty, last year's land tax and poll tax across the empire increased by more than 30% compared to the previous year. The increases were particularly significant in Guanzhong, Henan, and Huainan, where the equal distribution of land and encouragement of agriculture were effectively implemented. Newly reclaimed wasteland has reportedly exceeded eight million mu. While the granaries in the capital and other regions are not yet overflowing, the decline has halted, and reserves are gradually accumulating. However…"

He hesitated for a moment, "The population growth far exceeds the growth rate of land tax. Most of the new people are poor households and migrants returning to their hometowns. The land they receive is mostly newly reclaimed wasteland. For the first three years, there are tax and labor service reductions, and the output is limited."

Therefore, although the court's annual revenue has improved, its expenditures are enormous. The relocation of the capital, road repairs, construction projects, border defense expenses, and the salaries of officials are still insufficient to cover the costs, which rely on the accumulated reserves from previous years and the profits from salt, iron, tea, and horses.

Furthermore, the population distribution was uneven. While the Jiangnan, Sichuan, and parts of the Central Plains regions were becoming increasingly densely populated, the northern, western, and southern frontier regions remained sparsely populated.

"That's right," Xiao Chen nodded. "We should see the growth, but we must also see the hidden worries. With more people, we need enough land to cultivate, enough food to eat, enough clothes to wear, and enough children to raise."

The Equal-Field System must be upheld consistently, with efforts to investigate hidden land, suppress land annexation, and ensure that farmers have their own land.

Encouraging agriculture and sericulture, developing water conservancy, and promoting improved varieties are things that the Ministry of Works and local officials must always keep in mind.

The Ministry of Revenue must monitor grain prices across the country, and the Ever-Normal Granaries must be able to mobilize resources, store grain, and release it in preparation for famine.

"Ministry of Personnel,"

He then looked at the newly appointed Minister of Personnel, "With the increase in population, the governance of prefectures and counties must keep up. County magistrates and prefects are officials who are close to the people, and their competence directly affects the well-being of the people."

The evaluation system should emphasize tangible achievements such as social stability, population growth, farmland reclamation, fair taxation, and transparent legal proceedings. Those incompetent and corrupt officials who only know how to flatter their superiors, exploit the people, and have no interest in restoring the people's livelihood should be removed as soon as possible!

"I obey your decree!"

"Furthermore," Xiao Chen walked back to his throne, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, "these 11 million people are the foundation of the court, and also the future source of soldiers and laborers."

The Ministry of War and the Privy Council should be fully aware of the need to reorganize military equipment and train a new army.

"Ministry of Works, plan roads, water conservancy, and city walls. When conscripting laborers, cherish their strength, abide by the law, and strictly prohibit excessive conscription. What I desire is regeneration and restoration, not short-sighted exploitation!"

"Your Majesty's benevolence will be remembered by us!" the ministers replied in unison.

Xiao Chen's gaze turned to the outside of the palace again, as if piercing through layers of palaces and seeing into a more distant place.

Eleven million—this was just the beginning. He knew that as the country became more stable, as the policies of equal land distribution, encouraging agriculture, and reducing taxes and corvée labor deepened, and as water conservancy projects were built, seeds were improved, and commerce revived, population growth would be even faster.

Perhaps in less than ten years, it will be able to recover to the levels of the previous dynasty's heyday, or even... surpass them.

However, with more people, there will be more conflicts.

Conflicts between land and population, between the rich and the poor, between the central government and local authorities, and between the Chinese and the barbarians... will all follow.

Governing a vast empire with a population of tens of millions is far more complex and difficult than conquering a country.

"This population of 11 million,"

Xiao Chen spoke slowly, his voice echoing in the hall, "They are my people, the foundation of Great Xia. Let them have land to cultivate, food to eat, clothes to wear, houses to live in, medical care when sick, redress when wronged, education for their children, and care for their old age... This is the duty of the court, the duty of me and all my ministers, who sit in this temple every day to think about what we should do."

He paused, then said decisively, "By imperial decree, this autumn's taxes will be reduced for another year for all newly registered residents and newly cultivated land."

The granaries in various regions sold rice at fixed prices to stabilize grain prices.

The Censorate and the Provincial Surveillance Commission, keep a close eye on them! Anyone who dares to exploit the people or incite public resentment in matters of land redistribution, taxes, or corvée labor shall be severely punished!

Let the people of the world know that the court sees their hardships and understands their difficulties!

"Your Majesty is wise and benevolent, bringing blessings to all people!"

The ministers were sincerely impressed and submitted.

This decree to reduce taxes is more effective than any empty praise in calming the people's hearts and consolidating the hard-won recovery momentum.

The news spread from the palace. Although no imperial edict was issued, the joyous news that "the number of registered people in the country has exceeded ten million" spread like a warm breeze throughout the government offices and streets of the capital.

Officials looked more relaxed, merchants discussed how the increase in population meant a larger market, and even ordinary people vaguely sensed that the world seemed to be getting better day by day.

In the more remote rural fields, farmers may not even know that specific number.

But they could sense that there were more and more neighbors around them, crops were growing again on the abandoned fields, and although the government yamen runners were still annoying, they no longer seemed as fierce as in previous years. Although life was still hard, at least they saw hope of surviving and even getting better.

The cries of infants echoed in more dilapidated but repaired huts; they were the sounds of life continuing, and the strongest voice of an empire tenaciously recovering after calamities.

Xiao Chen stood alone in the hall, his hands behind his back, gazing westward—in the direction of Chang'an.

There, a new capital is rising; here, the empire's population has finally surpassed ten million.

He knew that the deepest and most vibrant driving force of a truly prosperous and unprecedented era belonging to the Great Xia Dynasty—people—had begun to gather and grow anew.

What he needs to do is to create a safe haven for these millions of people, a place where they can rest, recuperate, and live in peace and prosperity, and to guide this immense force toward a more glorious future.

In the summer of the sixth year of Xuanji, the number of registered people in the Great Xia Dynasty exceeded ten million.

This is not just a numerical milestone, but a silent declaration of a turning point in an era: the chaotic times are over, and the time for unity and cohesion has officially arrived.