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

The news that the fourth prince, Xiao Jing, had been granted the title of Prince of Yong and concurrently appointed as the Vice Minister of War swept across the northern border like a cold wind.

Li Mao, the garrison commander of Dingbei Pass, was the first to receive the news.

His hands were trembling as he held the documents.

Prince Yong is His Majesty's own son and the second-in-command of the Ministry of War.

Now, by imperial decree, I am supervising the training of the northern border troops, with Dingbei Pass bearing the brunt of the attack.

More importantly, Zhou Yong has "disappeared".

They were nowhere to be found, neither alive nor dead.

Although a secret letter came from the Prince of Yong saying that Zhou Yong had "died in the line of duty" and that he should take over as the garrison commander of Dingbei Pass.

But Li Mao knew in his heart that Zhou Yong's death was definitely related to Han Yuan.

Now that Prince Yong is coming, how should he choose sides?

Should they continue their secret affair with Han Yuan, or side with Prince Yong?

Li Mao paced back and forth in his study all night, and finally decided—to take a look first.

Prince Yong was a descendant of the emperor and a powerful figure.

But Han Yuan is no pushover either.

In three months, they revitalized a dead city, killed Scarface Liu, destroyed Black Wind Stronghold, and reopened trade routes.

Can such a person be underestimated?

He decided to avoid offending either side. If the Prince of Yong arrived, he would treat him well. As for Han Yuan, business would continue as usual, but he would have to be more discreet.

Meanwhile, in Hanyuan City, Xiao Chen was also pondering the same question.

Fourth Brother is coming to the North.

Ostensibly, he was there to train the border troops and defend against the Northern Yan. In reality, however, he was there specifically to target him.

"Your Highness," Han Lie put down his teacup, his expression grave, "Prince Yong is definitely coming to make an example of us this time. The coal mines, iron mines, and caravans are all ready-made leverage. All he has to do is submit a memorial accusing you of 'privately opening mines, gathering people to train troops, and plotting rebellion,' and even if His Majesty doesn't believe it, he'll have to investigate."

"Investigate if you want."

Xiao Chen remained calm. "The coal mines existed in the previous dynasty; I'm simply resuming their operation. The iron mines are for making agricultural tools and growing crops. The military training is for defending the grasslands and protecting the borders. Each of these reasons is justifiable."

"But Prince Yong wouldn't think that way."

Han Lie shook his head. "He'll definitely find fault. For example, your killing of Scarface Liu was unauthorized torture. Your destruction of Black Wind Stronghold was tantamount to provoking border conflicts. Your formation of a caravan was..."

"Is this competing with the people for profit?"

Xiao Chen laughed. "Old Master Han, do you think Father Emperor would care about these things?"

Han Lie was taken aback.

"There is only one thing that Father Emperor cares about."

Xiao Chen said slowly, "Whether I threaten his throne or the Great Xia dynasty is irrelevant. Everything else is a minor matter."

"So, Your Highness means..."

"Let Fourth Brother investigate."

Xiao Chen said, "The more detailed the investigation, the better. After the investigation, he will find that Hanyuan only has coal, only iron, and only a group of people who want to have enough to eat. There are no soldiers, no food supplies, and no signs of rebellion."

"But we're clearly training troops..."

"They are training local militia, the local braves."

Xiao Chen corrected, "It's for self-preservation, not for rebellion. There's a fundamental difference between the two."

Han Lie understood.

The prince is trying to show weakness.

This led Prince Yong to believe that Han Yuan was still that impoverished border town, and that he, the seventh prince, was still that good-for-nothing younger brother.

"But surely the Prince of Yong won't believe it?"

Whether he believes it or not is his business.

Xiao Chen said, "But the facts speak for themselves. Han Yuan City has rammed earth walls, dilapidated houses, and its people wear coarse cloth and eat coarse grains. Could such a place possibly be the site of a rebellion?"

Han Lie thought about it and agreed.

Although Han Yuan has made some progress, its foundation is still too weak.

Compared to the capital city and the Jiangnan region, it's worlds apart.

Who would believe that there's going to be a rebellion here?

"But our coal mines, iron mines..."

"So we need to speed it up."

Xiao Chen stood up and walked to the map. "Before the Prince of Yong arrives, I want the coal mines to produce 10,000 catties a day and the iron mines to produce 1,000 catties a day. I want the Bureau of Industry and Commerce to be established, the agricultural tools to be manufactured, and the caravans to be running. I want Han Yuan to appear to be striving for survival, not plotting something sinister."

"Is there enough time?"

Han Lie asked, "The Prince of Yong will arrive in a month at most."

"There's still time."

A glint of light flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes. "Starting tomorrow, the coal mine will operate on a three-shift system, with the mine running continuously even when people are resting. As for the iron mine, we'll use the new method and operate at full capacity. The Construction Department also needs to expedite the process."

"But we don't have enough manpower..."

We are hiring.

Xiao Chen said, "We'll recruit as many people as we can from the surrounding villages. We'll offer high work points, six a day, plus meals. With such a generous reward, there will surely be brave men."

Han Lie said no more.

The prince has made up his mind; all he has to do is carry it out.

The next day, job postings were plastered all around Hanyuan.

Six work points a day, plus two meals provided.

These conditions were like a windfall for the people in the surrounding villages.

Farming in the village, you can barely save a few pounds of grain at the end of the year.

Go to the Cold Abyss to mine, and you can earn six pounds of grain a day!

In just three days, more than a thousand people signed up.

Xiao Chen accepted all comers, as long as they were physically fit.

The number of coal miners increased from 500 to 800, working in three shifts, day and night.

Production soared from 800 trucks per day to 1,500 trucks per day.

On the iron ore side, they used a method of heating with fire and water, which greatly improved efficiency.

They also invited Ou the blacksmith from the fishing village by the sea—the same Ou Master who Han Lie had mentioned, whose ancestors were master craftsmen in the Ordnance Bureau.

The blacksmith was in his fifties, dark-skinned and thin, but his hands were as strong as iron clamps.

He looked at the iron mine and then at the coal mine, and said only one sentence: "With coal and iron, we can make good steel."

"What do you need?" Xiao Chen asked.

"Furnace, bellows, manpower," the blacksmith Ou said succinctly.

"Here you go." Xiao Chen waved his hand dismissively. "Take whatever you want."

Without any hesitation, the blacksmith Ou led a group of craftsmen to build the first iron smelting furnace at the foot of Blackstone Mountain.

The furnace was built with firebricks—bricks were bought from Yulin Town, which cost a lot of money.

The bellows were specially made, requiring two people to operate. The fuel was carefully selected coal, chopped into walnut-sized pieces.

Three days later, the furnace was completed.

On the day the furnace was opened, all the prominent people in the city came.

Xiao Chen, Han Lie, Wang Dashan, Zhao Tie, Zhang Meng, and the heads of each workshop and the managers of each workshop.

Everyone wanted to see if this furnace could actually produce iron.

The blacksmith remained calm.

He directed the workers to smash the iron ore into fist-sized pieces and layer them with coal in the furnace.

Then ignite the fire and blow air.

The bellows roared and the fire burned ever brighter. Orange-red flames shot out from the furnace opening, making one's face feel hot.

The air was filled with a pungent smell of sulfur and metal.

The blacksmith squatted in front of the furnace, his eyes fixed on the fire, occasionally poking the furnace with an iron poker to adjust the airflow.

One hour, two hours, three hours...

The fire burned continuously from morning to afternoon.

Some people grew impatient and began to whisper among themselves.

"Will this work?"

"After burning for so long, even the stones would melt."

"I think it's unlikely..."

The blacksmith ignored him, completely absorbed in his work.

As the sun began to set, he finally stood up and said two words: "Start the furnace."

Everyone held their breath.

The furnace door opened, and molten iron gushed out like lava, flowing into the prepared sand mold. The molten iron was dark red, bubbling, and radiating astonishing heat.

"It's done!" Blacksmith Ou smiled. "It's pig iron, and the quality is quite good."

After the sand mold cooled, it was knocked open, revealing a dark gray iron ingot inside. It was about the size of a palm, heavy, and made a crisp sound when tapped.

Xiao Chen picked up a piece and examined it closely.

The iron ingot has honeycomb-like pores on its surface, but the texture is uniform and there are no obvious impurities. Although it cannot compare to the steel of my previous life, it is already considered excellent pig iron in the Great Xia Dynasty.

"Can you make farm tools?" he asked.

"Yes, it's possible," the blacksmith nodded. "But pig iron is brittle and breaks easily. To make farm tools, it needs to be melted down, charred, and forged. However, with coal and bellows, it's no problem."

"Alright." Xiao Chen handed the iron ingot to Han Lie. "Master Ou, I need you to forge one hundred plows, two hundred hoes, and three hundred sickles. We need them for spring planting. Can you manage that?"

Blacksmith Ou calculated: "We have enough manpower and enough coal. We can finish it in a month."

"I'll give you two months," Xiao Chen said, "but the quality has to be good. Farm tools are what people use to make a living; we can't cut corners."

"Your Highness, rest assured," the blacksmith Ou said solemnly. "The Ou family motto is: 'No work is too good to be true to one's conscience.' The things we forge must be something we can be proud of."

"Then I'll leave it to you."

From that day on, another workshop was built at the foot of Blackstone Mountain—the Iron Smelting Workshop.

Master blacksmith Ou was the head blacksmith, and he had twenty apprentices under his command, all handymen handy and quick-witted. The workshop was divided into three parts: the iron smelting furnace, the forging yard, and the quenching pool.

The blast furnaces smelt day and night, producing 300 catties of pig iron per batch. In the forging yard, a dozen anvils clang incessantly. White steam rises from the quenching pool, and red-hot ironware sizzles as it is immersed in the water.

Farm tools were made one by one.

The plowshare is curved, suitable for the hardened soil of the North. The hoe is thickened, capable of piercing through frozen ground with a single stroke. The sickle is curved, making harvesting wheat easier.

Xiao Chen comes to the workshop every day.

He watched the shirtless men, sweating profusely before the furnace. He watched the red-hot iron blocks deform and take shape under the hammer. He watched piles of farm tools being carried out of the workshop and distributed to the people.

I feel at ease.

With farm tools, we won't have to worry about spring plowing next year. With coal, winters won't be so cold. With iron, we can forge even more things—pots, bowls, knives, guns, and even armor.

Han Yuan's confidence was gradually building up.

That day, Xiao Chen was watching the blacksmith Ou forge a horizontal sword in the workshop—this was the sword he was to be made for himself, using the best iron, repeatedly forged, quenched, and sharpened.

Zhao Tie rushed in and whispered a few words in his ear.

Xiao Chen's expression remained unchanged as he said to Blacksmith Ou, "Master Ou, you continue with your work. I'm going out for a bit."

Once they left the workshop and reached a secluded spot, Xiao Chen asked, "Are you sure?"

"Confirmed," Zhao Tie said in a low voice. "Our informants at Dingbei Pass reported that Prince Yong arrived yesterday. He brought three thousand imperial guards and is stationed inside the pass. Li Mao hosted a banquet to welcome him, and Prince Yong inquired about Han Yuan's situation at the banquet."

"What did you ask?"

"They asked what the prince was doing, about coal mine production, about the caravan. They also asked... how Zhou Yong died."

Xiao Chen sneered.

Sure enough, Fourth Brother came for Zhou Yong.

"What did Li Mao say?"

"Li Mao said that Zhou Yong left the pass without permission and was attacked by bandits, and his body was never found. Your Highness, your main task in Hanyuan is to provide disaster relief and appease the people. Mining is to ensure that the people have food to eat."

"He certainly knows how to talk," Xiao Chen nodded. "Did Prince Yong believe him?"

"It seems you don't believe him completely," Zhao Tie said. "Prince Yong said he'll be coming to Hanyuan for an 'inspection' in a few days. He told you to prepare."

inspection.

A cold glint flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes.

Is this an inspection or a demonstration?

"Come on then," he said. "Let's get ready."

In the following days, Hanyuan City entered a state of "war preparedness".

It's not about preparing for war, but about preparing to welcome Prince Yong's inspection.

The arrow towers on the city wall have been temporarily dismantled—they look too much like military installations. Training in the barracks has been suspended—they look too much like military drills. The furnaces in the workshops have been reduced in intensity—they look too much like a military production facility.

Hanyuan City has returned to being that "impoverished and destitute" border town.

The people wore their tattered clothes and ate their worst food. The streets were deliberately left unswept, and the garbage was deliberately left uncollected. Even the children were instructed to avoid important people and not to speak.

Everything was designed to create a false impression—that Han Yuan was poor, miserable, and helpless.

Xiao Chen himself changed into the worn-out prince's robe, and his face was covered in ash, making him look haggard.

Han Lie looked at all this and felt a surge of emotion.

The prince's performance was far too convincing.

But there was no other way; their opponent was Prince Yong, a prince, and the Vice Minister of War. They had to be thorough to avoid being caught.

Five days later, Prince Yong's carriage arrived.

It wasn't a simple journey; it was a large, well-organized entourage.

Three hundred cavalrymen led the way, followed by Prince Yong's four-horse chariot, and behind them a long guard and ceremonial procession. Banners fluttered, helmets gleamed, and armor shone, creating an imposing sight.

Xiao Chen, along with all the "important" people in Hanyuan City, greeted them at the city gate.

He stood at the front and bowed, saying, "Your subject, Xiao Chen, respectfully welcomes Your Highness, Prince Yong."

The carriage stopped, the curtain was lifted, and a young man in fine clothes stepped out.

It was none other than the fourth prince, Xiao Jing, now known as the Prince of Yong.

He was four years older than Xiao Chen, twenty years old, a time of youthful vigor and ambition. He resembled Xiao Chen somewhat, but his features were sharper and his demeanor more flamboyant. Dressed in a purple prince's robe, with a jade belt and golden crown, he exuded an aura of nobility.

"Seventh Brother, there's no need for such formalities." Xiao Jingxu offered a helping hand, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Chen, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes—this seventh brother was even more... shabby than he had imagined.

His clothes were old, his face was covered in dust, and his hands were calloused. He looked more like a farmer than a prince.

"Thank you, Fourth Brother." Xiao Chen straightened up, still keeping his head down.

"Let's go into the city and take a look." Xiao Jing took the lead and walked into the city.

Xiao Chen followed behind, half a step behind.

The group entered the city.

As Xiao Jing walked and looked around, his brows furrowed more and more.

The streets were dirty, the houses were dilapidated, and the people were thin. The whole city reeked of poverty.

"Seventh Brother," he suddenly spoke, "I heard you opened a coal mine here and even established a caravan. How come the city... is still like this?"

Xiao Chen smiled bitterly: "Fourth Brother, you don't know this. The coal mine has been opened, but the coal doesn't sell for much. The caravan has been established, but the investment is small and the profit is meager. The little money we make has all gone into buying grain for disaster relief. Look at these people, they're so hungry they're skin and bones. Your Majesty... Your Majesty is truly ashamed."

As he spoke, his eyes reddened.

Xiao Jing looked at him, his heart filled with doubt.

Before coming, he received intelligence that Han Yuan was developing rapidly, with coal mines producing thousands of kilograms a day and caravans making a fortune daily. But what he saw before him didn't seem like a fortune at all.

Could the intelligence be wrong?

"Take me to see the coal mine," he said.

"Yes."

The group arrived at Black Stone Mountain.

The coal mine was indeed operating, but it was small-scale. Only about a hundred people were working, and the output was mediocre. The workers were dressed in tattered clothes and worked listlessly.

"Is that all?" Xiao Jing asked.

"That's all," Xiao Chen sighed. "Your Majesty, we don't have enough manpower or money. We can only take it one step at a time."

Xiao Jing then visited the iron mine and the iron smelting workshop.

The scale of these operations was small, and the output was limited. The farm tools they produced were also crude and lacked any technological sophistication.

After looking around, Xiao Jing had a better understanding of the situation.

Han Yuan was indeed poor. And his seventh brother was truly useless. They opened mines and built trading caravans, but didn't achieve anything significant. It seems I was worrying too much.

"Seventh Brother," he patted Xiao Chen's shoulder and said earnestly, "The northern border is bitterly cold, and it hasn't been easy for you here. But now that you're here, you must do your best. If you need anything, just tell your fourth brother. If I can help, I certainly will."

"Thank you, Fourth Brother." Xiao Chen looked extremely grateful.

"By the way," Xiao Jing changed the subject, "how did Zhou Yong... die?"

coming.

Xiao Chen's heart skipped a beat, but his face showed grief and indignation: "General Zhou... he was killed by grassland bandits! Your brother sent people to search, but they only found some broken weapons, and this—"

He pulled a piece of cloth from his pocket; it was the very cloth with the wolf's head painted on it.

Xiao Jing took it, looked at it, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

Wolf Head, the Grassland Wolf Tribe.

"Are you sure they're from the grasslands?"

"Confirmed," Xiao Chen said. "Besides the nomads, who would dare to ambush and kill a court official outside Dingbei Pass? I have already sent people to investigate, and once we have the information, we will definitely avenge General Zhou!"

He spoke with righteous indignation, his eyes filled with tears.

Xiao Jing looked at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled: "Alright, don't be sad. Zhou Yong sacrificed himself for the country, and the court will not forget him. You should also grieve in moderation and take care of yourself."

"Yes."

After the inspection, Xiao Jing stayed overnight in Hanyuan.

The lodging was the best room in the city lord's mansion, but it was still very simple. The quilt was old, the pillow was hard, and even the tea was of poor quality.

Xiao Jing didn't sleep well all night.

He left early the next morning.

Before leaving, he said to Xiao Chen, "Seventh brother, it hasn't been easy for you here. But remember, you are a prince of Great Xia, the son of our father. If anything happens, don't bear it alone, go to your fourth brother."

"Thank you, Fourth Brother." Xiao Chen bowed as he saw him off.

The convoy drove away and disappeared on the official road.

Xiao Chen straightened up, the weakness and humility on his face vanishing instantly. In its place was a cold, sharp expression.

"Your Highness," Han Lie approached, "Did Prince Yong believe it?"

"He believes me seventy percent," Xiao Chen said. "He'll investigate the remaining three percent. But he won't find anything, because everything we've done is aboveboard."

"So, what's next..."

"Next," Xiao Chen turned around and looked at Black Stone Mountain, "it's time to get down to business."

That afternoon, Hanyuan City returned to normal.

The arrow towers on the city wall were rebuilt, training in the military camps resumed, and the fires in the workshops burned even brighter.

The number of coal miners increased from one hundred to eight hundred, and production soared. Iron mines expanded, operating day and night. Iron smelting workshops were running at full capacity, producing farm tools, implements, and even weapons.

Everything was running at breakneck speed, as if it had been fast-forwarded.

Xiao Chen stood on the city wall, gazing in the direction where Prince Yong had left, his eyes flashing with cold light.

Fourth Brother, what you see is only what I want you to see.

You haven't seen the real Cold Abyss yet.

When we meet again, I'll show you what it means to be—

Reborn.