The display remained before Yan Tianqiong.
REWARD AVAILABLE
REWARD CLASSIFICATION: UNDETERMINED
Yan did not touch it.
He had spent five centuries learning that the greatest dangers often came disguised as opportunities. A treasure discovered in an ancient ruin could contain a curse. A surrendered enemy could be hiding an army beyond the hills. An official offering an unusually generous proposal might be attempting to conceal a larger expense.
The System had appeared without warning, claimed authority over matters he could not examine, and offered benefits that might transform his empire.
That was reason enough to be careful.
"Explain the reward."
REWARD: IMPERIAL TREASURY ASSESSMENT
CONTENTS: RESOURCE INVENTORY, PRODUCTION CAPACITY, ADMINISTRATIVE EFFICIENCY, MILITARY READINESS, AND DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL.
Yan looked at the display.
"Is this a report or an object?"
THE REWARD IS AN ASSESSMENT GENERATED BY THE SYSTEM.
"So it is information."
CORRECT.
Yan waited for a further explanation.
None came.
He folded his hands behind his back and paced around the desk. The reward was less dangerous than an unfamiliar weapon or cultivation technique, but that did not make it trustworthy. A false report could be more damaging than a defective sword if it led him to make the wrong decisions.
"Generate the assessment."
The display changed.
Lines of information appeared in orderly columns. They covered agriculture, manufacturing, mineral extraction, transportation, administration, the military, and the empire's research institutions.
The volume of information was considerable. Yan did not attempt to read every figure immediately. He began with the general assessment.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION: HIGH
FOOD SECURITY: STABLE
MANUFACTURING CAPACITY: HIGH
MILITARY READINESS: HIGH
ADMINISTRATIVE EFFICIENCY: INCONSISTENT
RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION: UNEVEN
RESEARCH COORDINATION: FRAGMENTED
Yan stopped at the final three entries.
"Explain inconsistent administrative efficiency."
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATIONS DIFFER IN THEIR USE OF LABOR, RESOURCES, RECORDS, AND PROCEDURES. SOME REGIONS ACHIEVE HIGH OUTPUT WITH LOW WASTE. OTHERS CONSUME MORE RESOURCES TO PRODUCE COMPARABLE RESULTS.
"Do you have evidence?"
THE ASSESSMENT IS BASED ON AVAILABLE RECORDS AND OBSERVABLE PRODUCTION DATA. DETAILED REPORTS CAN BE GENERATED FOR INDIVIDUAL REGIONS AND OFFICIALS.
"Can you distinguish waste caused by corruption from waste caused by poor methods?"
NOT IN EVERY CASE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION MAY BE REQUIRED.
Yan nodded.
That answer was more useful than a claim of perfect knowledge.
An assessment could identify where something was wrong. It could not always explain why.
He moved to the next entry.
"Explain uneven resource distribution."
SOME REGIONS POSSESS SURPLUS MATERIALS WHILE OTHERS EXPERIENCE SHORTAGES. TRANSPORTATION LIMITATIONS, STORAGE CAPACITY, ADMINISTRATIVE DELAYS, AND LOCAL DEMAND CONTRIBUTE TO THE DIFFERENCE.
"Can you recommend corrections?"
YES. RECOMMENDATIONS CAN BE GENERATED USING AVAILABLE INFORMATION.
Yan examined the regional summaries. Several manufacturing regions had accumulated more timber and iron than they could process efficiently. Meanwhile, other regions reported delays in receiving the same materials.
The empire was not suffering from a lack of resources. It was failing to move some of them where they were needed.
That was a problem worth investigating.
He moved to the final entry.
"Why is research coordination fragmented?"
RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS MAINTAIN SEPARATE RECORDS AND METHODS. RESULTS ARE NOT ALWAYS SHARED. EXPERIMENTS MAY BE REPEATED WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE OF PREVIOUS FINDINGS. STANDARDS FOR TESTING AND RECORDING RESULTS DIFFER BETWEEN INSTITUTIONS.
Yan leaned back.
He had suspected as much.
The empire possessed skilled engineers, physicians, alchemists, cultivators, and craftsmen. Yet their work often remained within the institutions that produced it. Some discoveries were recorded poorly. Others were guarded as personal achievements. Several research offices competed for funding without sharing enough information to determine which projects deserved priority.
He had permitted a degree of independence because competition could produce results.
He had not intended for competition to waste resources.
"Can you provide a complete and accurate account of every resource in the empire?"
THE ASSESSMENT INCLUDES AVAILABLE RECORDS AND ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION. UNRECORDED RESOURCES, HIDDEN STOCKPILES, FALSE RECORDS, AND UNKNOWN CONDITIONS MAY AFFECT ACCURACY.
"Then this is not a verdict."
THE ASSESSMENT IS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION.
"Good."
Yan closed the general report.
He would treat it as a guide for investigation, not as an unquestionable authority.
That settled, he returned to the System's four benefits.
"Explain efficiency in greater detail."
EFFICIENCY ×3 IMPROVES PRODUCTIVITY AND RESOURCE UTILIZATION ACROSS ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.
"I know what the description says. I want to know what it does."
The display changed.
THE ENHANCEMENT IMPROVES THE PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY OF ELIGIBLE SUBJECTS AND THE RESOURCES THEY CULTIVATE, PROCESS, OR MANAGE. ITS EFFECTS EXTEND TO AGRICULTURE, MANUFACTURING, CONSTRUCTION, RESOURCE EXTRACTION, TRANSPORTATION, AND ADMINISTRATION.
Yan considered the statement.
"Does it improve the skill of a craftsman?"
SKILL DEVELOPMENT IS COVERED BY GROWTH ×3. EFFICIENCY ×3 IMPROVES PRODUCTIVITY AND RESOURCE UTILIZATION UNDER COMPARABLE CONDITIONS.
"Can a craftsman produce more without working longer hours?"
YES, SUBJECT TO THE REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS OF THE TASK.
"Can it reduce the amount of raw material wasted during production?"
YES.
"Can it improve the quality of the finished product?"
IT MAY, WHERE PRODUCT QUALITY IS AFFECTED BY PRODUCTIVE EFFICIENCY AND RESOURCE UTILIZATION.
Yan began to see the implications.
A blacksmith might produce more weapons from the same amount of iron. A carpenter might waste less timber. A construction crew might complete a project with fewer delays. A transport office might move more cargo using the same roads and vehicles.
These improvements would not eliminate the need for workers, materials, or equipment. Nor would they allow a workshop to manufacture swords without iron.
But across an empire of ten million square kilometers, small improvements could accumulate into enormous gains.
He asked another question.
"Can efficiency improve infertile soil?"
YES.
"Explain."
AGRICULTURAL EFFICIENCY IMPROVES SOIL FERTILITY, NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY, AND THE CAPACITY OF LAND TO SUSTAIN CROPS. PREVIOUSLY UNPRODUCTIVE LAND MAY BECOME SUITABLE FOR CULTIVATION.
Yan's expression grew more serious.
"Even land that has never supported a proper harvest?"
YES, IF THE LIMITATION CONCERNS SOIL FERTILITY OR RELATED AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS WITHIN THE SYSTEM'S EFFECTS.
"Does it create water?"
NO.
"Does it cause crops to grow instantly?"
NO. PLANTING, GROWTH, AND HARVEST STILL REQUIRE TIME.
He nodded slowly.
The distinction was important.
The System could improve the land itself, but the empire would still need seeds, irrigation, tools, labor, and proper cultivation methods. A fertile field without water would remain unproductive. A field planted too late would still miss its growing season.
Even so, the possibility of reclaiming barren land deserved serious attention.
Yan looked toward the window.
The empire had ample farmland, but its population continued to grow. New settlements needed land. Cities needed food. The army consumed enormous quantities of grain. Strategic reserves had to be maintained against floods, droughts, and other disasters.
If previously barren land could become productive, Great Yan could increase its agricultural capacity without relying entirely on expanding into neighboring territories.
That was the sort of advantage worth protecting.
"Can the benefits be detected by other cultivators?"
THE SYSTEM DOES NOT PROVIDE A COMPLETE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION.
Yan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Can someone determine that the empire is receiving supernatural assistance?"
THE SYSTEM CANNOT CONFIRM WHAT OTHER OBSERVERS MAY CONCLUDE FROM AVAILABLE EVIDENCE.
Another incomplete answer.
He disliked that.
However, the System had already told him that its effects were genuine. If the changes became visible in production records, other powers might notice the unusual rate of improvement even if they could not identify the cause.
Yan would have to control the information.
Not the improvements themselves. Those would benefit the empire.
But the explanation behind them would remain secret.
He closed the assessment.
"How do I test efficiency?"
COMPARE COMPARABLE PRODUCTION UNDER CONTROLLED CONDITIONS.
Yan had already considered that approach.
"Can the enhancement be disabled for a selected group?"
NO. THE IMPERIAL BLESSING IS PERMANENT WHILE ITS CONDITIONS ARE MET.
That complicated the test.
If loyal subjects were already receiving the benefits, he could not simply create a group of untreated workers for comparison. He would have to use existing records, compare workshops that had previously produced similar goods, and examine changes in their output.
The tests would need to be conducted carefully enough that ordinary explanations could be ruled out.
Yan stood and rang the bell beside his desk.
An attendant entered.
"Summon Minister of Works Lu Wen. Tell him to bring the latest production records from the imperial weapons workshops. I want records covering material consumption, accepted output, rejected goods, working hours, and equipment maintenance."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Also inform the Ministry that two comparable workshops will be selected for a controlled production assessment. Their normal staffing, equipment, materials, and methods are to remain unchanged until further notice."
The attendant bowed.
"Should the workshops be informed of the reason for the assessment?"
"Tell them it is a routine review of production efficiency. There is no need to give them a reason to alter their behavior."
The attendant withdrew.
Yan returned to his chair.
The first test would concern manufacturing. The second would concern agriculture, including land with poor soil.
He wanted to know whether the System's claims could be verified through ordinary observation.
Only after that would he begin applying the benefits deliberately through imperial policy.
There was no reason to rush.
Minister of Works Lu Wen arrived less than an hour later.
He was fifty-eight years old, with a lean build and a face marked by decades of administrative work. His hair had begun to gray at the temples. He wore the dark robes of a senior minister, and his hands bore faint traces of ink from the documents he had reviewed earlier that day.
He entered the study and bowed.
"Your Majesty summoned me."
"Bring the records."
Lu Wen placed a wooden document case on the desk and removed several bound reports.
"The Ministry maintains separate records for the principal weapons workshops. These contain the most recent production figures, material inventories, maintenance schedules, and inspection results."
Yan opened the first report.
"How reliable are they?"
"Generally reliable, Your Majesty. The principal workshops undergo regular inspections. Material consumption is recorded, and finished goods are checked before acceptance."
"Generally?"
Lu Wen paused.
"The methods of inspection differ between regions. Some workshops maintain more detailed records than others. The Ministry has recommended standardization, but implementation has been slow."
"Why?"
"Several regional offices believe their existing procedures are sufficient. Others argue that uniform reporting would increase administrative work without improving production."
Yan looked at him.
"Have they demonstrated that claim?"
"Not conclusively."
"Then it is an argument, not evidence."
Lu Wen bowed his head.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Yan examined the records. The reports contained the information he needed, although the formats varied.
"Select two workshops that manufacture the same type of weapon. Their equipment, staffing, and production methods should be comparable. I want their existing output, material consumption, rejected goods, working hours, and maintenance records."
Lu Wen considered the request.
"May I ask the purpose of the assessment?"
"You may."
"Is the Ministry expected to identify underperforming workshops?"
"I want to know whether our production methods can be improved without additional resources. If a workshop is wasting materials, we should find out why. If its methods are sound, we should not change them merely to satisfy a report."
Lu Wen nodded.
"Understood."
"Do not warn the workshops that their performance is being compared. Do not alter their procedures. Do not increase their staffing or supply them with additional materials. I want to examine their ordinary output."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Have the inspectors verify the figures independently. I do not want the same office producing the numbers and confirming their accuracy."
Lu Wen made a note.
"That can be arranged."
Yan closed the report.
"One more thing. I want a list of agricultural regions with substantial areas of poor or unproductive soil. Include their water access, climate, current yields, and any previous attempts to cultivate the land."
Lu Wen looked up.
"Are we preparing a new settlement program?"
"Not yet. We are examining our productive capacity."
"As Your Majesty commands."
The minister gathered the documents that had not been needed and bowed before leaving.
Yan watched him go.
Lu Wen was a capable official, though no minister could be expected to understand every weakness in his own department. The emperor wanted accurate information more than agreeable answers.
Once the minister had left, Yan looked back at the System.
"Can you identify which subjects are eligible for the blessing?"
ELIGIBILITY IS DETERMINED BY GENUINE COMMITMENT TO THE EMPIRE AND ITS CONTINUED PROSPERITY.
"Can I see a list?"
INDIVIDUAL ELIGIBILITY ASSESSMENTS CAN BE GENERATED WHERE SUFFICIENT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
"Generate one for Lu Wen."
A brief pause followed.
LU WEN: ELIGIBLE.
Yan considered the result.
The minister had served the empire for decades. He was neither a member of the imperial clan nor one of the emperor's personal favorites. His loyalty had been demonstrated through his work, though that did not make him incapable of mistakes.
The System's assessment matched Yan's own judgment.
That was encouraging, but one example proved little.
He would need more.
The first production reports arrived twelve days later.
Lu Wen returned to the imperial study carrying a new set of documents. He appeared composed, but Yan noticed that he had brought more records than originally requested.
"Report."
"Your Majesty, we selected Workshop Seven and Workshop Twelve. Both manufacture standard military spearheads using comparable equipment and materials. Their staffing levels and working schedules were similar before the assessment."
"And their results?"
"Initially, both workshops performed within their usual ranges. After several days, however, their accepted output began to increase."
"How much?"
"At first, the difference was small enough to be explained by ordinary variation. We continued the assessment."
Lu Wen opened the first report.
"By the end of the second week, accepted output had increased substantially. Material waste declined, and the number of rejected spearheads fell. The inspectors repeated their measurements and examined the finished goods."
"Did the workshops change their methods?"
"No, Your Majesty. We checked their work schedules, staffing records, equipment maintenance, and material deliveries. No significant changes were found."
"Could the original records have been inaccurate?"
"We considered that possibility. The inspectors conducted their own measurements and compared the results against material inventories. The numbers were consistent."
Yan read the report carefully.
The output had risen far beyond the ordinary variation expected from the workshops. Both facilities had experienced similar improvements, despite having separate managers and workers.
"How much has production increased?"
Lu Wen hesitated before answering.
"Depending on the production measure, accepted output is now approaching three times its previous level."
Yan looked up.
"Three times?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"With the same workers?"
"Yes."
"The same equipment?"
"Yes."
"The same materials and working hours?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. We have found no ordinary explanation that accounts for the full increase."
Yan set the report down.
He had expected some improvement. He had not expected the result to be so clear so quickly.
"Have you told anyone outside the inspection team?"
"No, Your Majesty. I ordered the reports restricted to the ministry officials involved in the assessment. The workshop managers know their output is being recorded, but they have not been informed of the comparison."
"Good. Continue the assessment. Check whether the improvement persists. Inspect the finished goods for hidden defects, and verify that the reduction in rejected items is genuine."
Lu Wen bowed.
"It will be done."
"Do not announce the results. I want the evidence confirmed before any policy changes are considered."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
Lu Wen gathered his documents, but Yan stopped him before he could leave.
"Minister Lu."
"Your Majesty?"
"Have the workshops reported any unusual experiences among their workers?"
Lu Wen considered the question.
"Nothing that I would consider significant. Some workers have remarked that their tasks seem easier to complete, but they have attributed it to ordinary working conditions. We have not found evidence of illness or unusual fatigue."
Yan nodded.
"Record those observations separately. Do not suggest an explanation to the workers."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After the minister left, Yan dismissed the attendants.
He stood alone in the study, examining the System's display.
The production increase was not a trick of the light, a false report, or a simple administrative improvement. Two workshops had produced nearly three times as many acceptable spearheads without changing their working conditions.
The System had promised that efficiency would improve the productive capacity of eligible subjects and the resources they managed.
The first evidence supported that claim.
Yan opened the System.
"Record the result."
ASSESSMENT RECORDED.
"Does this confirm that efficiency is operating?"
THE OBSERVED RESULTS ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE IMPERIAL BLESSING.
"Consistent is not the same as conclusive."
FURTHER TESTING IS AVAILABLE.
Yan almost smiled.
At least the System did not insist that one experiment proved everything.
He returned to the desk and began writing instructions for the next assessment. Agriculture would be more complicated. Soil quality, rainfall, irrigation, seeds, and planting schedules all affected crop yields. A proper test would require several plots and enough time to observe the results.
Still, he now had a reason to proceed.
The System had not merely offered a promise. It had begun to change the empire.
The question was how far those changes could go.
That night, Yan remained in his study long after the court had emptied.
He reviewed the production figures again, then examined the agricultural records Lu Wen had supplied. Several regions contained large areas of poor soil. Some had abandoned fields that had once supported small settlements. Others had never produced enough grain to justify the expense of irrigation and cultivation.
The System claimed that its agricultural effects could improve soil fertility and make previously unproductive land suitable for farming.
If true, that benefit could reshape the empire's