After spending some time, Jiang Chen finally managed to assemble his team. At the same time, various tasks were brought to his attention. However, there weren't many, as most of the work had already been handled by his subordinates and only needed his final review. Tian Shu had basically taken care of everything beforehand. The tasks remaining were those that had just been submitted today, and these were the ones Jiang Chen needed to handle.
As Jiang Chen busied himself, news about the development of the Guili Plains was officially announced. Upon hearing this, the people of Liyue were in an uproar. No one had expected Jiang Chen to propose such a massive project right after taking office. However, the announcement also explained that this had been approved by the Emperor himself. Moving forward, Liyue would first focus on road construction before gradually developing the Guili Plains. Simultaneously, the Liyue authorities began purchasing large quantities of materials. The prices of materials like wood began to skyrocket. However, Ningguang and the others had already prepared for this. They had placed orders in advance, with hefty penalties for breach of contract. Now, the merchants who saw these contracts were filled with regret. They had thought they could make a fortune, but it seemed they had overestimated their chances. The materials needed for the large-scale development had already been secured in advance. They couldn't follow the market prices anymore, meaning their profits would be significantly reduced. Many were frustrated, but there was nothing they could do except fulfill their contracts. Breaching a contract in Liyue was a serious offense. Liyue was a nation that valued contracts above all else, and those who broke them would face severe consequences, including imprisonment.
On the other hand, ordinary citizens saw the announcement as an opportunity. If the Guili Plains were to be developed, it would require a massive workforce. Jobs would be created! As long as you had some skills, finding work wouldn't be a problem. Now was the time for everyone to contribute. The people of Liyue were excited. They flocked to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to inquire: Were they hiring? They were ready for anything—whether it was carrying bricks or other manual labor. As long as they could earn money, they were willing to do it. Jobs were hard to come by these days. This large-scale project was a boon for most people. With the expansion, there would be more jobs. Housing prices in Liyue would drop, and people would have better options, such as buying property in other cities. Some even began preparing to purchase land in the Guili Plains. However, upon inquiry, they were informed that land sales were currently not accepted. Moreover, any previously sold land had been reclaimed. Those who learned of this felt they had missed out. They should have guessed earlier. Otherwise, why would someone suddenly reclaim those lands? It was clearly a sign. Now they finally understood the reason. They had lost out—big time.
The entire Liyue Harbor was buzzing with activity. The Northland Bank was no exception. Upon learning about Liyue's upcoming projects, the Northland Bank immediately relayed the news back to their headquarters. The Northland Bank had to keep a close eye on market trends. With Liyue embarking on large-scale development, there were clearly business opportunities to be seized. In such cases, having the first-hand information was crucial. However, they couldn't make decisions on their own. This matter had to be reported back to Snezhnaya, where the wealthy elites would decide. After all, business matters were always handled by that esteemed individual. As a commercial powerhouse in Teyvat, every move Liyue made had significant repercussions. It wouldn't be long before this news spread across all seven nations. Soon, countless merchants would flock here with their goods to sell.
Over the next few days, the Liyue authorities began releasing various recruitment notices. Those without jobs were thrilled. Hesitating for even a second would be a disservice to money. After all, the wages offered by Liyue were quite generous. This was far more profitable than doing manual labor at the docks. Even some who had joined the Treasure Hoarders due to unemployment now saw hope. Without hesitation, they left the Treasure Hoarders and joined the workforce. Why risk going to jail when you could earn an honest living? In a way, this project changed the fate of many people and even helped some turn over a new leaf. However, whether they would be investigated was not Jiang Chen's concern. That was Ningguang's responsibility. Jiang Chen was only in charge of planning; these matters were for Ningguang and her team to handle.
For several days, Jiang Chen remained in Liyue Harbor. Developing the Guili Plains wasn't something that could be done overnight. There was a lot of preparatory work to be done. Therefore, until everything was ready, construction wouldn't begin. Instead, road construction had already started. Cement had been produced, and Keqing's team began working on the roads. The recruited workers were quickly deployed. According to the pre-planned route, the roads would be built first. This was crucial for the transportation of materials later on, so everyone took it seriously.
In addition, Jiang Chen assigned Guizhong a task.
"Guizhong, go and trick... oh, no, I mean, invite Cloud Retainer to come and help."
"You two can work on creating some vehicles for transporting materials."
"Make them easy to operate."
Jiang Chen planned to have Guizhong and Cloud Retainer collaborate. At the beginning, it might not seem necessary, but later on, material transportation could become a bottleneck. So, it was better to start early. Jiang Chen not only wanted Guizhong's help but also intended to lure that woman down from the mountains to assist. Ideally, she would bring Shenhe along too. Her disciple was exceptional.
"Cloud Retainer, huh?"
"Alright, I understand."
"But you'll need to provide me with a workspace."
"The things you want for transporting goods are actually quite simple to make."
"If we have enough materials, I can have them ready in a few days."
After some thought, Guizhong gave Jiang Chen her answer. For her, those things were nothing. She could easily create the Guizhong Ballista, let alone what Jiang Chen was asking for. Building a mechanical power core to drive four wheels? It was child's play. Guizhong was extremely confident in her mechanical skills.
Hearing this, Jiang Chen nodded.
"No problem."
"I'll have Ganyu arrange it later."
"After all, her master is coming. She'll definitely be happy to help."
As he said this, Jiang Chen's lips curled into a smile. Cloud Retainer needed a laboratory—wouldn't Ganyu put her heart into it?
"Alright."
"I'll go find Ganyu later."
Although Guizhong was currently serving as Jiang Chen's assistant, she didn't have much to do. With Havria by his side, many tasks could be handled. That's why Jiang Chen decided to reassign Guizhong to research and development. This had been his plan from the beginning: to let Guizhong focus entirely on R&D.