Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

The hoofbeats of the divine steed "Ta Yan" still echoed across the grasslands, and Han Yuan's military prowess had already shaken the surrounding regions.

However, on the battlefield of wealth and interests, another war without gunpowder is quietly unfolding in a more insidious and deadly way in that mega-city "flowing with gold" on the banks of the Baishui River.

After several years of development, Baishui Market is no longer the simple thatched hut it once was.

Today, it is a city that never sleeps, covering thousands of acres with crisscrossing streets, lined with shops, and bustling with traffic.

The plaque of "Wanhuo Dashi" (meaning "Great Market of All Goods") gleamed in the sunlight. The value of the goods it handled daily had long exceeded one million strings of cash, making it a veritable "heart of wealth in the North."

Wealth is always accompanied by greedy eyes. The prosperity of Hanyuan attracted not only merchants, but also vultures drawn by the stench of money.

The atmosphere at the market that day was somewhat eerie. The once bustling wool textile and ironware sections suddenly became deserted.

Several of the largest trading companies in the Central Plains jointly announced: "Effective immediately, we will purchase unlimited quantities of Hanyuan wool cloth and Heishan ironware, but the price... will only be 70% of the market price!"

"Seventy percent? That's not even enough to cover the cost!" The local cloth merchants and blacksmiths in Hanyuan were alarmed.

"Not for sale?"

The head manager of Zhongyuan, "Millionaire Qian," fanned himself with a folding fan and chuckled sinisterly, "Then you can keep them for yourselves and see if you can sell them. Don't forget, besides us, who else can take such a large quantity of your goods?"

At the same time, these merchants began to dump large quantities of their previously stockpiled grains, cloth, medicines, and other necessities on the market at ridiculously low prices, intending to suppress prices, create panic, and further squeeze the survival space of Hanyuan merchants.

"Your Highness," Zhou Tong, the chief clerk of the Maritime Trade Office, hurriedly requested an audience with Xiao Chen, "Qian Baiwan and his gang are trying to cut off our trade routes and disrupt our market! Many small merchants can't hold on any longer. If this continues, the market will be in chaos!"

Xiao Chen was reviewing the secret report sent by Night Owl, which detailed the financial dealings between "Millionaire Qian" and others with the Prince Yong's Mansion and the salt merchants of Jiangnan.

He put down the secret report, his face showing no panic, but rather a cold smile: "Finally, you can't hold back anymore and are you going to make your move? I've been waiting for them for a long time."

"Your Highness, should we use the government's power to shut down their business?" Zhou Tong asked.

"No."

Xiao Chen shook his head. "Using a knife is a poor strategy. If they want to play business warfare, I'll play a big game with them. Pass on my order:"

"First, the government will open its granaries and sell grain, cloth, and medicinal herbs in unlimited quantities at 50% of the market price."

"Second, order the Black Mountain Iron City and the wool textile workshop to cease operations for three days, and temporarily remove all finished products from the warehouse."

"Third, the Ministry of Revenue shall be ordered to secretly gather three million strings of Jingbei Tongbao coins in preparation for entering the venue."

"Fourth, order Night Owl to secretly spread the news that Qian Baiwan and others are hoarding woolen cloth and ironware at high prices."

"Your Highness, this..." Zhou Tong was stunned. Lowering prices to sell off reserves would be exactly what unscrupulous merchants wanted.

Do as instructed.

A cold glint flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes. "They want to buy at a low price? I'll let them buy to their heart's content! Let's see how much capital they have to consume my million shi of grain and million bolts of cloth!"

The order was issued, and the Han Yuan government's response delighted Qian Baiwan and his group.

"Haha, Xiao Chen, you've really lost your patience! Selling at a loss? That's courting death!"

In the secret room, Qian Baiwan laughed loudly to his accomplices, "Increase the purchasing efforts! Bring in all the wool and ironware from Hanyuan! Once their inventory is depleted, won't we be able to dictate the prices?"

The funds of Zhongyuan Trading Company poured into Baishui Market like a floodgate being opened.

While frantically buying up the cheap woolen cloth and ironware that the Hanyuan government and merchants were panic-selling, they continued to sell their own grain and cloth to suppress prices.

In the market, grain and cloth prices plummeted, and the people were initially overjoyed, snapping up cheap goods. But soon, they realized something was wrong—all the workshops in Hanyuan had stopped operating.

Panic began to spread. Some small businesses, unable to withstand the pressure, also began to sell off their stock, causing chaos in the market.

In Qian Baiwan and his men's warehouses, woolen cloth and ironware were piled up like mountains, and their funds were being depleted at an alarming rate. But they weren't worried, because they believed that Han Yuan's reserves would soon be exhausted.

However, three days have passed, and the Hanyuan government's sell-off shows no signs of stopping; on the contrary, the scale is getting larger and larger.

Grain, cloth, and medicine seemed inexhaustible. But the cash in the hands of "Millionaire Qian" and his associates was almost gone.

"wrong!"

Qian Baiwan finally realized something was wrong. "Where did Han Yuan get so many reserves? Quick, stop the acquisition!"

But it was too late.

On the very night that Qian Baiwan ordered the acquisition to stop, several explosive pieces of news spread like wildfire through the market:

"Have you heard? The wool cloth that Qian Baiwan and his gang bought at high prices can't be sold at all! New cotton cloth has come out in Jiangnan, it's cheap and good, who would want wool cloth from the north?"

"That's not all! News has come from Northern Yan that they've discovered a new, huge iron mine, with an even higher output than Black Mountain! Black Mountain ironware will soon be worthless!"

"Qian Baiwan and his gang's money was all borrowed from the Jiangnan Money Exchange at exorbitant interest rates! If they can't repay it, their property will be confiscated!"

These messages, some true and some false, some real and some fake, were like the last straw that broke the camel's back in the panicked market atmosphere.

The small and medium-sized merchants who had stockpiled goods following Qian Baiwan's lead panicked completely. They didn't know if the news was true or false, but they knew that if their goods didn't sell soon, they would rot in their hands!

"Sell! Sell now! Sell regardless of cost!"

As dawn broke, the Baishui Market erupted in chaos. Countless merchants, crying and begging, rushed into the market with bundles of woolen cloth and ironware, frantically selling off their wares.

Prices plummeted. Wool cloth, which had peaked at ten strings of cash per bolt, crashed to one string, or even a few hundred coins. The same was true for ironware.

Qian Baiwan and his associates' warehouse instantly became a "death trap." The value of their goods plummeted by more than 90%. In order to acquire these goods, they not only exhausted their initial investment but also incurred huge debts.

"It's over...it's all over..." Qian Baiwan's face was ashen as he slumped onto the mountain of woolen cloth.

He knew he had been set up.

Just when the market was in the midst of panic and prices had plummeted, the Hanyuan government intervened.

Officials from the Household Registration Office appeared at the market in a carriage loaded with "Jingbei Tongbao" coins.

"Buying! Wool cloth, three times the market price! Ironware, twice the market price! Grain and cloth, at cost!"

"What?" The merchants who were selling off their goods could hardly believe their ears.

"It's true! His Highness has ordered that we cannot let our own people from Hanyuan suffer losses!" the official from the Household Affairs Department shouted.

"Long live the Prince!" The merchants were so excited that tears welled up in their eyes, and they sold their goods to the government.

The grain and cloth that Qian Baiwan and others had dumped were all bought up by the Hanyuan government at extremely low prices.

With this back and forth, the Hanyuan government not only stabilized the market but also made a fortune. A rough estimate puts their net profit at no less than two million strings of cash from this commercial battle!

The workshops that had previously "stopped work" immediately resumed operations after the downfall of "Qian Baiwan" and others, and went into full production. They reprocessed and repackaged the woolen cloth and ironware they had acquired at high prices, and sold them to the Western Regions and grasslands at even higher prices, making another huge profit.

Qian Baiwan and his associates not only lost everything but also accumulated massive debts. Thugs from the Jiangnan Money House and the knives and axes of their Northern Yan creditors were already at their doorstep.

With nowhere else to turn, Qian Baiwan and several accomplices crawled on their knees to the front of the Jingbei Prince's Mansion, kowtowing repeatedly.

"Your Highness, spare me! Your Highness, spare me!"

Qian Baiwan kowtowed until his forehead bled profusely. "I was blind and ignorant, offending the Emperor! I beg Your Highness to grant me a way out. I am willing to offer up all my wealth, just to save my life!"

Xiao Chen stood on the steps of the Prince's Mansion, coldly looking down at the few stray dogs at his feet.

"Now you know to beg for mercy?"

Xiao Chen's voice was icy cold, "When you joined forces to suppress the prices of goods in Hanyuan, trying to cut off Hanyuan's lifeline, did you ever think of this day?"

"I know I'm guilty! I deserve to die!" Qian Baiwan cried bitterly.

"I can spare your life."

Xiao Chen said, "But all your family property will be confiscated to offset your crime of disrupting the market. You and the others will be exiled to the Black Mountain Coal Mine to work for ten years to atone for your sins."

"Thank you, Your Highness, for sparing our lives! Thank you, Your Highness, for sparing our lives!" Qian Baiwan and the others felt as if they had been granted a pardon, and were dragged away in a panic.

This business war without gunpowder ended in a complete victory for Han Yuan.

Economically, it not only thwarted the economic offensive of the hostile forces, but also made a huge fortune and replenished the treasury.

Politically, the "comprador" forces hidden within the Cold Abyss were completely eliminated, and the government's absolute authority over the market was established.

The people and merchants saw the prince and the government's determination and ability to maintain the market and protect their own people, and thus became even more loyal to them.

This battle has made it clear to merchants across the land that doing business in Hanyuan requires adhering to its rules. Attempts to destroy Hanyuan through capital and trickery will only lead to self-destruction.

Standing atop the highest tower of the Baishui Market, the "Market Viewing Tower," Xiao Chen gazed at the bustling, even more vibrant trading scene below, but felt little joy.

"Zhou Tong," he said to the head of the Maritime Trade Office beside him, "this matter serves as a reminder to us. Economic warfare is no less fierce than warfare."

"Your Highness is absolutely right," Zhou Tong said, still shaken.

"From this day forward," Xiao Chen said with a deep gaze, "we will establish the 'Establishment Administration,' dedicated to regulating the market, stockpiling supplies, and cracking down on speculation."

"Establish a 'Commercial Intelligence Bureau' to monitor prices and capital flows throughout the country."

"To formulate an 'Anti-Monopoly Law' and an 'Anti-Unfair Competition Law' to regulate market behavior."

"I, Han Yuan, will not only be invincible on the battlefield, but also become the rule-maker in the business world!"

Business warfare is not only a plunder of wealth, but also a declaration of economic sovereignty.

It signifies that Hanyuan is no longer an economic backwater where it can be exploited, but a commercial empire with a complete economic system and strong regulatory capabilities.

This laid a more solid economic foundation for Hanyuan's future struggle for supremacy.