There are all kinds of nonviolent methods of winning the people's complacency. If your world is unfamiliar with them, I'm not surprised to hear of rebellion.

[ she looks thoroughly amused rather than horrified. if human suffering affected yennefer, she wouldn't have been able to do any of what she's needed to do to get where she is.

— and where is she? what good did it all do? she chooses not to examine it. ]