CHAPTER 561: CHAPTER 287: LET’S EAT FIRST

Early the next morning.

Inside Mountain City Combat Command.

Looking at the apartments which are gradually beginning to be inhabited, Chen Jian sighed and said:

"The settlement issue is resolved. Next, we have to proceed to the last step."

"Cultural assimilation."

"But right now, it looks like this step might be the most difficult one."

"However, there are already signs of cultural assimilation appearing."

"At least, those priestly personnel who have just risen to the surface are starting to accept our way of life."

"Teaching them to wash their faces daily with clean water is the first step, learning to flush the toilet is the second step, developing the habit of changing clothes is the third step."

"We’ve completed the first step, the second and third should follow soon....."

"Not necessarily."

He Shuo shook his head and then said:

"Changing clothes is not that simple."

"Essentially, it’s not a habit issue, it’s an economic issue."

"The light industry in this world is too underdeveloped, especially the textile industry. It even feels like it’s not comparable to the Song Dynasty..."

"You’re just talking nonsense."

Chen Jian interrupted He Shuo with a laugh, then continued:

"Do you think anyone can disparage the handmade textile industry of the Song Dynasty? Even in our era, there were still numerous countries whose textile industry levels couldn’t match the Song Dynasty."

"But the good news is, both around Han Shui City, and Yellow Stone City, there are small areas of cotton planting, and large areas of wild cotton growing."

"The reason for low productivity is mainly due to the difficult food production, the arduous food acquisition, occupying a large amount of labor."

"Now, the first batch of early-mature crops from base 011 is about to be harvested, at least supplying the permanent population of these two cities shouldn’t be a big problem."

"Plus the increased efficiency in material flow brought by the commercial routes, we can ensure that at least 20% of the workforce is invested in cotton planting and production."

"This year, the cotton output could be increased to two or even three times it’s current level."

"Excluding the quota needed for explosive production, the amount of cotton directly available for the textile industry is considerable."

"The textile mills should become our first department of light industry, which will also greatly benefit our subsequent business development."

"Understood."

He Shuo nodded, then asked:

"But why ... focus so much on this part?"

"I mean, if it’s just about cultural assimilation, aren’t there other different routes?"

"There are."

Chen Jian shrugged, replied:

"Cultural promotion, basic education, group consciousness cultivation... but these are all soft approaches."

"What genuinely impacts culture significantly are those areas of daily life like clothing, food, housing, and transportation."

"You could work hard to give lessons to those regular people brainwashed by theology on these wastelands for a month, but giving them a piece of clothing is more rewarding."

"Once they realize that what we can provide them is more than what the so-called ’gods’ can give, isn’t the ideological transformation just a natural progression?"

"Got it..."

He Shuo sighed deeply.

"So you’re choosing the open approach."

"As for me..... it’s more like I’m scheming in the shadows."

"The migration from Jinling City has already started---- although it’s a bit different from my expectations, but I think it won’t be long before this city falls into our hands."

As his words fell, Chen Jian also sighed lightly.

Taking down Jinling City?

Once, this goal was also quite significant for them.

After all, capturing Jinling City means controlling the entire southern trade hub and automatically gaining influence over more than half of the southern region.

For a new force, such a stronghold is simply too vital.

It’s even so vital that Chen Jian is willing to invest most of his resources in it and not seek returns in the short term.

But now, the situation has changed.

Mountain City has been captured.

Although there isn’t the mature cultural and social foundation here like in Jinling City, the infrastructure here is unparalleled.

Ready-made housing, an internal transportation network, modern facilities, and defense works and equipment.

It is more suited to serve as a central city than any other city, and the importance of Jinling has continuously dropped.

So is capturing Jinling City really as important?

Perhaps the more crucial meaning lies in that the capture of Jinling City signifies the complete transformation of the religious "Holy City."

From some perspective, this is even more significantly meaningful than the fall of Mountain City, this "Holy City".....

"So how do you plan to finish it?"

Chen Jian asked.

"Currently there’s no specific plan; we need to see how it unfolds step by step."

"The most exploitable, of course, is the large-scale population migration from Jinling City."

"Whether it’s the migration of believers, or ordinary citizens, and merchants, it’s advantageous for us."

"What I genuinely want to do is to use this approach to drive Jinling City’s overall living standards to..... a cliff-like decline."

"When the city’s population and social economic activity weaken to a point where they cannot sustain themselves, that’s the best moment for us to take over."

"Destruction, then salvation."

"The basic plan is like this."

"It’s just that most times, the majority of people use direct ’warfare means,’ whereas we use a different approach."

After finishing those words, before Chen Jian could even speak, He Shuo went ahead and shook his head to himself.

Then he continued to say: