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Chapter 46: The Li Dynasty's Plan to Rise Hengshan and the Root of the West Bian Dynasty's Decline

During the busy farming season of autumn harvest and sowing, Xizhou Prefecture presented a strange scene.

In the court, Zong Zheng Yangzhao was arrogant and declared in a tough tone that he would build a grand and unparalleled tomb for the empress dowager to highlight her noble status during her lifetime and the supreme glory of the royal family.

To build such a magnificent tomb, a large amount of ironware was urgently needed. However, the iron ore resources in Xizhou were not abundant and could not meet this huge demand. Zong Zheng Yangzhao made a bold decision and bought a large amount of ironware from Xibian at twice the usual price.

When this order was issued, the court officials were filled with anger and dissatisfaction, but for various reasons they dared not speak out.

Some were afraid of Zong Zheng Yangzhao's power, fearing that if they spoke out against it, they would bring disaster upon themselves; others were worried about angering the emperor and affecting their own careers and the fate of their families.

The emperor was also under tremendous pressure at this time. On the one hand, he knew that this move was too extravagant and wasteful and would bring a heavy burden to the national finances; on the other hand, he found it difficult to explain the reason to his court officials and was constrained by various forces.

Soon, the news spread like wildfire throughout Xibian. The merchants of Xibian, always shrewd, keenly sensed a huge business opportunity in this news. Driven by profit, they were the first to take action.

The usually quiet streets became bustling with activity, as merchants spread the word and posted job opening notices everywhere. They offered more generous wages than ever before, attracting a large number of workers to apply.

For a time, the blacksmith workshops in Xibian were crowded with people, the fires were burning, and the clanging sounds of iron hammering came one after another, as if playing a melody of wealth.

When the common people saw that ironware was selling so well and the profits were lucrative, even the men in their families could not resist and secretly joined the business without telling the government.

The ministers in the court saw that the income from blacksmithing was considerable, and considering that there was peace at the time, they even asked their own soldiers to join the blacksmithing business. In a short period of time, they made a fortune.

The young emperor of Xibian was not unaware of this. He summoned all his ministers to discuss the matter and made it clear that enough manpower must be reserved for agricultural production to ensure national food security.

However, officials from various states and counties were reluctant to give up this rare opportunity to make a fortune. They agreed on the surface, but secretly condoned more farmers to abandon their fields and work as ironworkers.

Even women at home put aside their textile work to join in the blacksmithing craze. For a time, blacksmith workshops were everywhere in Xibian, and the sound of clanging hammering was endless.

The government's tax revenue did increase significantly. Faced with this seemingly prosperous scene, the young emperor was dazzled by the inflated gold and silver bubble, and his original idea of ​​stopping it was put aside.

Little did they know that a potential crisis was gradually approaching, and Xibian, immersed in false prosperity, was completely unaware of the coming storm.

Just over two months later, Xizhou of the Li Dynasty suddenly announced that it had purchased enough ironware and would not purchase any more. At the same time, it also cut off the border trade route for Xibian to export to other countries in the east.

This series of actions was like a heavy hammer, catching Xibian off guard.

The people's painstakingly crafted, exquisite ironware suddenly ran out of market, leaving them in a huge backlog. The people were desperate and could only sell them at low prices, but the market was already saturated and few were interested.

In the dead of winter, the temperature plummeted and the price of cotton-padded clothes soared. The people and the government had to spend all the money they had earned from selling ironware to buy warm cotton-padded clothes and quilts.

They had hoped that surviving the harsh winter would usher in a new year of prosperity, but a heavy snowfall made the "auspicious snow heralds a good harvest" a bitter irony. Looking around, the fields were already bare, with many farmers abandoning their farms to work as ironworkers. Officials, left with no choice but to open their granaries and distribute food. But how could those officials, previously raking in the dough, willingly watch their money disappear in the face of winter disaster relief?
Many people, in defiance of their conscience, took advantage of the opportunity to open granaries and release grain to drastically raise grain prices. The already difficult situation quickly worsened, and the people suffered unbearably.

Time flew by, and after only a month, the people were unable to make it to the spring planting season. Many families had even eaten up their seed crops, and the starving people, in despair, launched a riot.

At this time, the reserves in the national treasury granary were almost gone, and the government could only refuse to continue providing relief on the grounds of "reserve grain seeds."

Xibian was in dire straits. The consequences of blindly pursuing profits and neglecting agriculture were now fully exposed. Even wealthy merchants were facing difficulties everywhere, unable to find channels to buy grain.

At this moment of near despair, a gangster from Xizhou of Li Dynasty quietly opened a loophole and announced to Xibian: "Three thousand taels of silver can help one person obtain household registration in Li Dynasty."

This news was like throwing a huge rock into a calm lake, instantly causing huge waves.

There was a businessman who made a fortune selling iron in the autumn. At that time, he was rich and powerful, so he bid high enough to buy the top prostitute in a brothel as his concubine, and lived a glorious life.

But now, times have changed, and in order to get money, he actually thought of selling this "favored concubine".

He anxiously put it up for sale in the market, but after many days, no one was interested.

The pressure of hunger was always around, and the businessman gradually lost his patience. At this moment, he only thought about having one less mouth to feed at home. In desperation, he could only sell the goods at a very low price.

That day, the woman cried and screamed, clinging to the doorframe, refusing to be taken away. The colorful floral pattern on her arm, a sight only an Oiran could possess, stood out against the bleak, dilapidated surroundings.

The people around watched this farce indifferently, some shook their heads and sighed, some watched numbly, and the chaos and decline of Xibian were vividly displayed in this scene.

In the Li Dynasty's imperial palace, Liuhua Palace was immersed in a tense and expectant atmosphere of childbirth.

Lin Yu's due date was approaching, and the emperor specifically ordered the palace maids to ensure that she could rest assured and prepare for the birth, and no one was allowed to disturb her with trivial matters without reason.

Yunshan and the servants were naturally very careful and took care of Lin Yu's daily life in every possible way.

They knew in their hearts that what Lin Yu needed most at the moment was peace and quiet. They never mentioned the chaos in Xibian, as if they were deliberately isolating Liuhua Palace from the storms of the outside world.

In this small world, everything is in order. No noise or disturbance from the outside world can be heard, as if the turmoil outside has nothing to do with this place.

The emperor, besides eagerly anticipating the birth of an heir, was already overwhelmed by the affairs of the court, leaving him with no time to attend to matters concerning the harem. He was constantly entangled in various government affairs, leaving him overwhelmed.

With the addition of eight new concubines to the harem, management required even greater caution. The empress should have delegated some authority, but she refused to do everything herself. While managing the complex affairs of the palace, both large and small, she was also in the advanced stages of her pregnancy, weighing her down and leaving her exhausted.

　Everyone~ From February 2th to February 18nd, this novel will be participating in the ranking. Please read the two newly updated chapters every day. This "reading rate" is very important to me! Thank you! ~~~
　　(End of this chapter)