However, law enforcement robots were not designed for defense, and while their synthetic skin was more human-like, its defensive capabilities were significantly reduced. Thus, several law enforcement robots had their skin torn during assassination attempts, exposing some of their mechanical parts.
Those who saw it acted as if they had discovered a new continent.
They risked their lives to spread the news.
Then, the entire world learned that the substitute officials dispatched by Ding Yun were not human, but rather steel constructs encased in human skin, akin to miniature indestructible giants. Since they were not human, they could not be swayed by seduction or bribery.
Furthermore, they obeyed their master completely.
Resistance was futile, and bribery proved to be a dead end. Most intelligent individuals understood it was time to make a choice.
Continuing to resist was now meaningless.
Some chose to surrender.
They would do as they were told.
Others chose to adapt, cooperating diligently, perhaps hoping to catch up and thrive in the new era.
And some chose to leave.
They were unwilling to live under constant imperial surveillance, nor did they wish to see their assets gradually eroded by various new policies. Therefore, they preferred to sell their current holdings and start anew in a place free from constraints.
These were the only three choices available to everyone.
Especially as time went on and the general trend became undeniable, no one could shake the foundations.
Thus, one year after Ding Yun ascended the throne, the empire was completely stabilized. While the populace might not have been fully won over or genuinely loyal, at least the surface was calm.
However, the empire remained impoverished overall, with most citizens still struggling to make ends meet. Their subsistence depended on favorable weather; adverse conditions meant no food. Their fate was dictated by the sky, a classic case of "eating from the sky."
Since Ding Yun had become the emperor,
She had no intention of being mediocre.
Therefore, she logically began an intensive transfer operation, bringing knowledge, technology, and all useful resources from the Level Two technological dimension, and gradually implementing them.
Of course, Ding Yun was now more prudent.
She had no intention of achieving success overnight.
She adhered strictly to the principles, starting with improving grain yields and gradually developing basic industries. After a few years, when people had some surplus grain, the national reserves had quadrupled, and cultivated land had significantly increased, leading to a threefold increase in annual grain production, she then slowly promoted industrialization.
And it was only the most basic industrialization.
Education was promoted alongside this basic industrialization. Universal basic education was implemented. Education and industrialization were complementary; neither could lag behind. Thus, these two aspects had to develop simultaneously, and education should ideally even lead industrialization, as the progress of industrialization depended on talented individuals nurtured by education.
This was because those working under her were now mostly either obedient or capable.
The disobedient and incompetent had been replaced over the years.
Therefore, the changes Ding Yun implemented proceeded smoothly. Even when later reforms in education and the imperial examinations touched upon many vested interests, they could only be accepted under the duress of their inability to resist. They had to adapt and keep pace with the changing times.
Those who couldn't keep up were abandoned.
They then diligently urged their children to catch up.
It could be said that although there were occasional disruptions during the reform process, the overall situation remained relatively stable. Development and changes in various aspects proceeded as Ding Yun had wished. In just twenty years, basic education for over eighty percent of the population was essentially completed,
Cultivating a large group of new intellectuals.
Industrial development had progressed to the late stages of the Second Industrial Revolution, fully entering the electrical age, and communication networks emerged. The overall pace of development far exceeded normal patterns.
Fortunately, Ding Yun was aware of this.
She knew she could not force growth any further.
Moreover, with technology reaching this level, as long as basic fairness and justice were maintained, it might be difficult for the common people to achieve prosperity, but the problem of basic subsistence would definitely be solved.
After that, development could proceed slowly and steadily.
And the newly trained talents would gradually replace the law enforcement robots, while the newly established oversight system would replace the Skynet system.
Ding Yun knew she couldn't live forever.
Once she was gone, the technological artifacts she left behind would carry risks of losing control, or being seized by unqualified individuals for misuse. In short, Ding Yun was not at ease leaving them.
Therefore, she had to gradually retract her high-tech products spread across the globe, ideally creating a smooth transition, allowing people to gradually adapt to these products, then gradually adapt to their absence. When she eventually passed away, the impact on the world would be minimal, and the world could continue to develop and progress smoothly without any unrest.
This process also required a long time.
Besides this, Ding Yun had another rather important task: using the accumulated resources over the years to trade for currency in the Level Two technological dimension and purchase a complete set of interstellar exploration vessels.
At the same time, she also bought some specialized robots.
Subsequently, she dispatched these specialized robots to pilot the interstellar exploration vessels, leave this ancient planet, and venture into space to search for mineral resources, especially those that could aid future technological development and those she had mined extensively during her past trading activities.
When Ding Yun was not yet emperor, she might have been somewhat selfish. But now that she had been emperor for decades, she had to consider the people of this world and future generations.
Many of the minerals she had extensively mined might be crucial for the future technological development of this world.
What if, due to the lack of these minerals, future technological development experienced significant setbacks, or even died out at a certain stage? Wouldn't that be a grave sin?
This was why, after purchasing the interstellar exploration vessels, Ding Yun immediately dispatched them to mine everywhere and store the resources, preparing for the future.
This was also to preserve more for posterity, and to compensate for the mineral losses she had caused to this planet.
These operations were not difficult.
Therefore, everything naturally progressed as she wished.
The only thing that caused Ding Yun late-stage distress was her parents' desire for her to adopt a descendant of her brother as the crown prince. However, her brother's descendants were utterly useless, and in her estimation, incapable of even maintaining the empire.
Yet, Ding Yun herself had no children.
The throne would eventually need an heir.
Therefore, she had to reluctantly alter her initial plan and adopt a descendant of her brother as the Crown Princess. Considering the individual's lack of capability, Ding Yun made some changes to the inheritance.
It was no longer a substantive inheritance.
Instead, it was changed to a nominal inheritance.
The power would be delegated to the cabinet, a form of succession.
She hoped this would allow the Ji family dynasty to last longer, and even in case of unforeseen circumstances, it would protect the Ji family from being massacred or suffering heavy casualties.
In addition, Ding Yun specifically left a bodyguard robot with the royal family to act as an ancient ancestor protecting them.
As long as the Ji family was not in danger of extinction, he would not appear. But if the Ji family faced such a threat, he would immediately activate the interstellar exploration vessel that Ding Yun had prepared to hide on the far side of the moon after her death.
To save the descendants of the Ji family.
However, this bodyguard robot could only exist for a thousand years, after which it would be damaged. But in Ding Yun's view, this was sufficient. A thousand years of protection, and still not satisfied?
What more could they want?
After appointing the Crown Princess and making some plans, Ding Yun officially abdicated on the fiftieth anniversary of her ascension.
She also gathered all her high-tech products, except for the life-saving contingencies, into the interstellar exploration vessels, including mechas and industrial equipment, all moved and hidden in the dark side of the moon, serving as a grand gift package for posterity.
It was also a form of security for her own family.
Afterward, she visited the Level Two technological dimension one last time to wrap things up, then officially returned and passed away.
After her death, as per her last wishes,
Her remains were cremated and enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple for worship and sacrifice.
Revered as - The Great Emperor of Hao Yue Zhi Wu Sheng De Kai Pi