My Imperial Advisor is ChatGPT

In early summer in Xianyang, the sun grew increasingly intense.

The West Market, which should have been bustling with merchants and travelers, now exuded an eerie desolation. Although the stalls were filled with grain, cloth, and even furs that had just been transported from the north via the straight road, the passersby were all in a hurry, their sleeves tightly closed.

"This world is truly bizarre."

Liu Bang squatted in front of the "Liu's Roujiamo" stall, swatting mosquitoes off his thigh with a worried expression. Although he had made a fortune by reselling points and toilet paper, he had recently found business increasingly difficult.

It's not that no one wants to buy it, it's that no one has the "money" to buy it.

"Old Liu, can I buy on credit? I have three bolts of linen at home, I'll bring them to you later." A regular customer approached, looking embarrassed.

"Buy on credit! Buy on credit everywhere!" Liu Bang waved his palm-leaf fan impatiently. "What I want are copper coins! Half an ounce! You give me hemp cloth, am I supposed to use it to pay taxes?"

Xiao He sat beside him, flipping through an account book, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.

"Liu Ji, stop shouting. This isn't just a problem for our family." Xiao He lowered his voice and pointed to the few large shops in the distance that were deserted. "Look at those shops owned by wealthy merchants from the six kingdoms. The price of rice they've put up has dropped to ten coins per shi. In previous years, it would have been snapped up by now. But now? Nobody's buying."

"Because no one has any copper coins left."

Liu Bang spat out the grass roots in his mouth and cursed, "Are all these rich people crazy? Do they think burying money in a cellar will produce offspring? How are we supposed to live if we can't find money in the market?"

As Xiao He said, a silent "currency war" is quietly breaking out in Xianyang.

Although the former nobles of the six states had lost their political power, they had amassed astonishing wealth through centuries of accumulation. They astutely realized that the Qin Dynasty was currently undertaking massive construction projects and urgently needed funds. Therefore, they reached a tacit agreement: to only take in money and not give it out.

They frantically sold grain and supplies to recoup copper coins, then melted them down to make bronzeware or simply buried them deep in the mountains and forests. The dwindling supply of copper coins led to severe deflation.

Money is expensive, goods are cheap.

The imperial court could not collect taxes (because the people had no money to pay) and could not pay salaries (because the national treasury was full of non-tradable goods).

If this problem isn't solved, the newly repaired Qin Straight Road might not even be able to afford the maintenance costs.

……

Xianyang Palace, Qilin Hall.

Ying Zheng sat on the dragon throne, toying with a rusty "half-ounce coin" in his hand. In front of him floated a blue light screen that only he could see.

"Little G," Ying Zheng's voice was unreadable, "Is this what you call an 'economic crisis'?"

Yes, Your Majesty.

This is a classic case of deflation. The nobles are shorting the Qin economy. They've locked up liquidity.

[If we don't intervene, what follows will be the decline of all industries, the bankruptcy of farmers, and then... Chen Sheng and Wu Guang might have to take up their posts prematurely.]

Ying Zheng sneered, then suddenly tightened his grip on the coin, his fingernail leaving a white mark.

"They are forcing me into this situation."

"They believe that if they cut off my funding, my new policies will become like water without a source. At that time, I will have no choice but to bow down to them, beg them to give me the money, or even... restore the feudal system in exchange for their support."

"dream."

Ying Zheng stood up and threw the copper coin on the ground, making a crisp sound.

"I conquered the world with my sword. Now, governing the realm will still be a war. However, this time the battlefield is not on the battlefield, but in the marketplace."

"Little G, give me a plan. I don't want those lukewarm 'regulations,' I want... a decisive blow."

[Received. Loading "Financial Tactics Handbook: How to Harvest Capitalists Who Hoard and Speculate."]

[Core Strategy: Lure the enemy in deep, then trap and beat them.]

[Step 1: Create a 'blockbuster' product to squeeze every last penny out of them.]

Step Two: Currency Reform, Abolishing the Old Currency and Establishing the New.

In short: first, you trick them out of their money, then you tell them that the money is worthless.

As Ying Zheng listened to this extremely insidious plan, the smile on his lips grew wider, while the cold light in his eyes intensified.

"What a brilliant example of discarding the old and establishing the new."

"Li Si!"

"Your subject is here." Li Si stepped forward quickly, as he had been overwhelmed by the money shortage these past few days.

"I recall that the Imperial Household Department has recently produced quite a few fine items?" Ying Zheng asked meaningfully.

Li Si was taken aback, but then he realized what was happening: "Your Majesty, Magistrate Zhao is working day and night, and the glass factory's output has tripled. The warehouse is filled with all kinds of glass cups, glass screens, and even glass mahjong sets (invented by Hu Hai)."

"Very good." Ying Zheng waved his sleeve. "Issue the order that in three days, an unprecedented 'Royal Treasury Clearance Sale' will be held in Xianyang."

"Tell those nobles that I'm selling all the palace treasures to build roads. There are no limits on purchases or quantities; I'll sell as many as they have!"

"However, I only want one thing to settle the bill."

Ying Zheng pointed to the half-ounce coin on the ground.

"I only want half a tael of Qin silver. I don't want gold dust, I don't want cloth, I only want copper coins!"

Although Li Si didn't understand why His Majesty wanted to recall so many copper coins at this time, he was used to carrying out orders: "Your Majesty obeys! But... what happens after they're sold out?"

"After you sell them all?" Ying Zheng looked at Hu Hai, who was carving glass with a small file in the corner of the palace.

"Hu Hai".

"Ah? Father, I'm not slacking off! I'm working!" Hu Hai was so startled that his hand trembled, and he almost stabbed his hand with the carving knife.

"I don't blame you." Ying Zheng walked over and picked up the exquisitely crafted, outrageously intricately patterned mother coin mold in front of Hu Hai.

This is the amazing artistic potential that Hu Hai unleashed after having his allowance deducted three times this month. He combined relief carving, micro-carving, and a "water-powered stamping" technique that only the royal workshops could master to design this new coin.

"Could Zhao Gao make this mold?"

Hu Hai curled his lip: "Him? In his next life, maybe. The cloud patterns on this are carved in seven layers. Unless he has a microscope, he can't even see them clearly."

"Good." Ying Zheng nodded in satisfaction.

"Li Si, look closely. This is the future wealth of the Qin Dynasty."

"Once those nobles have spent all their old money, they'll buy my glass and paper..."

A murderous intent flashed in Ying Zheng's eyes.

"I hereby declare the issuance of new currency. The old currency is hereby declared invalid."

……

Three days later, the air in Xianyang City seemed to be on fire.

The news of the "Royal Clearance Sale" spread like wildfire to every corner of the world.

This was a golden opportunity for the old nobles who held huge sums of copper coins.

"Have you heard? The emperor can't hold on any longer! To repair that dilapidated straight road, he's even selling the palace's glass screens!"

In the secret chamber of the Zhao clan, an old noble family of the Chu state, several clan heads sat together, their faces filled with undisguised smugness.

"Hmph, even Ying Zheng has met his end. Did he think he could govern the country with harsh laws and punishments? Without money, he can't move an inch!"

"So...shall we buy it or not?"

"Buy! Of course buy! Why not?" The Zhao family head's eyes gleamed with greed. "That glass is a divine object! At the last auction, a single cup sold for 100,000 coins! Now the palace is having a huge clearance sale, and the price is said to be only half of what it was last time! This is a golden opportunity to buy at rock-bottom prices!"

"Furthermore, by exchanging our copper coins for his glass, we're essentially emptying his coffers. When he has nothing left to sell, he'll be begging us for a loan. At that point, we can dictate the interest rate, won't we?"

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"

Thus began a crazy "shopping spree".

Cart after cart of heavy copper coins were unloaded from the cellars of various mansions and continuously transported to the sales points set up by the Imperial Household Department.

Meanwhile, cartloads of crystal-clear glassware, rolls of fragrant, specially supplied toilet paper, and even the latest "Royal Limited Edition Qin Paper" were transported back to the mansions of the nobles.

"Quick! Put it down gently! This is a glass screen! A family heirloom!"

The nobles stroked the smooth, cold glass as if caressing a peerless beauty. They felt utterly triumphant. They had exchanged piles of rusty copper coins for real "treasures."

The national treasury's copper reserves were increasing rapidly at a visible rate.

The previously dry pool of funds was instantly filled with water.

Looking at the mountain of copper coins, Li Si grinned from ear to ear, but a sense of unease crept into his heart: "Your Majesty, if we sell so much glass, what if it becomes worthless in the future..."

"It wasn't worth much to begin with," Ying Zheng calmly sipped his tea. "Just sand."

"That's about right." Ying Zheng glanced at the data on the screen; the recycling rate of old currency in the market had reached 70%.

"Close the net."

"Summon Liu Ji to the palace."

……

Liu Bang was squatting in front of a stall counting money when he was suddenly "invited" into the palace by a group of black-armored guards.

His heart was pounding. Had they been caught reselling points? Or had they been investigated for selling overpriced toilet paper?

Oh no, I'm going to lose my head now.

However, when he cautiously entered the Qilin Hall, what he saw was not instruments of torture, but a huge map of Xianyang, and the First Emperor, whom he both revered and was curious about.

"This humble subject, Liu Ji, pays his respects to Your Majesty!" Liu Bang knelt down with a thud, not daring to raise his head.

"Get up," Ying Zheng's voice came from above.

"Liu Ji, I've heard you're doing quite well in the West Market? People call you 'Liu the Great Know-It-All'?"

Liu Bang broke out in a cold sweat: "Your Majesty is too kind to this humble subject! This humble subject is just... just a small business owner."

"Can you really turn straight points into black market money by doing small business? Can you really sell my toilet paper like crazy?"

Liu Bang trembled, about to beg for mercy, when he heard Ying Zheng continue:

"However, I don't blame you. Water that is too clear has no fish. It is a skill to be able to stir up this stagnant water."

Ying Zheng walked up to Liu Bang and threw him a waist token.

That was not an ordinary wooden plaque, but a copper plaque inlaid with glass, with the four large characters "Xianyang City Magistrate" engraved on it.

"I will grant you an official position."

"The Magistrate of Xianyang?" Liu Bang, holding the waist token, looked completely bewildered. "Your Majesty, what does this position entail?"

"Those who manage the market. To be precise, those who manage 'troublemakers'."

Ying Zheng pointed outside the palace.

"Tomorrow morning, I will issue an edict to release the new currency of the Great Qin Dynasty. The old Banliang coins will cease to circulate immediately, and you must exchange them for the new currency at the government office within one month."

Exchange rate: 1 to 1.

Liu Bang breathed a sigh of relief: "That's quite fair."

"However," Ying Zheng's lips curled into a cold smile, "for those wealthy individuals who hold more than 100,000 coins, the exchange rate is... ten to one."

"Furthermore, the source of funds must be explained. Any funds that cannot be explained will be confiscated."

Liu Bang suddenly looked up, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

Ruthless! Absolutely ruthless!

This is outright robbery! If those nobles who have just emptied their pockets to buy glass and still have some spare change left, wouldn't they be furious to death on the spot if they heard this news?

"Your Majesty, this... they definitely won't do it! They'll definitely cause trouble!" Although Liu Bang felt a sense of satisfaction, he also felt that this job was a hot potato.

"That's why I came to you." Ying Zheng patted Liu Bang on the shoulder.

"Li Si is too upright; there are some things he can't bring himself to do. Meng Tian is too honest; all he knows is how to kill. But you are different."

"You're a scoundrel."

Liu Bang's lips twitched. Was this a compliment?

"I want you to take your brothers, Fan Kuai and Zhou Bo, to the market to 'maintain order' for me."

"Anyone who dares to refuse new currency, anyone who dares to use old currency for private transactions, or anyone who dares to cause trouble..."

"Just use your thuggish methods to disgust them, torment them, and make them wish they were dead."

"As long as no one dies, I'll cover for you if anything goes wrong."

As Liu Bang listened, his back gradually straightened.

He looked at the waist token in his hand, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

Ordered to act like a hooligan?

This job... Liu Ji is a professional at it!

"Your Majesty, rest assured!" Liu Bang chuckled, revealing two rows of bright white teeth. "I have a hundred ways to make those arrogant nobles submit!"

……

The next morning.

A thunderous imperial edict was posted throughout the streets and alleys of Xianyang.

[The Great Qin edict states: To facilitate trade and the people, new coins are hereby minted. All citizens of Great Qin are given one month to exchange their old coins for the new ones. Any coins not exchanged within this period will be worthless, like rubble.]

Immediately afterwards, exquisitely crafted new coins, gleaming with metallic luster and featuring anti-counterfeiting serrations on the sides (a masterpiece of Hu Hai), began to circulate in government-run shops.

The old aristocracy was in an uproar.

The Zhao family residence.

"This is outrageous! This is outrageous!" The Zhao family head was so angry that he smashed the glass cup he had just bought (this time he was genuinely heartbroken). "Ten to one? And they want to investigate the source? This is trying to wipe out our entire lineage!"

"No! Absolutely not! I refuse to believe that he can just discard all our old money like that. As long as we're all still using the old money, his new money is just scrap metal!"

"Yes! Let's join forces to boycott it! Anyone who dares to use the new currency will be the mortal enemy of the nobles of our six kingdoms!"

They've got a clever plan. The law doesn't punish everyone; if the market doesn't accept it, the emperor's edict is just a piece of paper.

However, they underestimated the fighting prowess of Liu Bang, the "Governor of Xianyang".

That afternoon, in front of Zhao's rice shop.

Fan Kuai, shirtless and carrying a butcher's knife, led dozens of thugs to block the entrance.

"Buy rice! With new money!" Fan Kuai slapped a shiny new coin onto the counter.

The shopkeeper, with a pained expression, said, "Sir, the master has ordered that only old money is accepted..."

"Old money?" Fan Kuai's eyes widened. "You're defying an imperial decree! Guards! This shop is suspected of treason; shut it down!"

"Hey! Don't do it!" The shopkeeper was terrified.

Before he could react, Liu Bang walked over with his hands behind his back, smiling and saying, "Don't be so rude. We are law enforcement officers; we should be civilized."

Liu Bang took out a piece of paper from his pocket and pasted it on the door of the rice shop.

"Because your store refuses to accept legal tender, in accordance with Article 1 of the 'Regulations on the Administration of Markets in the Qin Dynasty (Compiled by Liu Bang),' you are ordered to suspend business for three days for rectification. In addition, we suspect that there are rats in your store, and for hygiene and safety reasons, we need to carry out 'deep disinfection'."

After saying this, Liu Bang waved his hand.

Several brothers carried several baskets of "organic fertilizer" that they had just taken out of the public toilet and piled them into the shop without saying a word.

"Ugh! This smell is too strong!"

The shopkeeper was so disgusted by the smell that he vomited.

The onlookers burst into laughter.

"That's a really cunning move! So underhanded!"

The same scene was playing out in various noble shops in Xianyang City.

Some shops were inspected for fire safety, some were ordered to undergo sanitation rectification, and a group of beggars suddenly appeared at the entrance of some shops, holding new money and demanding to buy things. They would not leave until they were sold to, and they would even sing lotus flower ballads at the entrance.

The nobles are going crazy.

They wanted to file a complaint, but the gates of the Court of Justice were tightly closed, as the Court of Justice had gone to inspect the Straight Road.

They wanted to send their servants to beat people, but Fan Kuai and his gang were better fighters than them. Moreover, after beating them, they would lie on the ground and pretend to be dead, extorting money from them until they were bankrupt.

Less than three days.

The alliance of nobles collapsed.

There was no other way; business had to go on, and life had to go on. Since they couldn't defy that rogue city magistrate, they had no choice but to back down.

"Let's trade...can't we trade instead!"

One by one, the once arrogant heads of households dejectedly pulled their carts to the government office to queue up and exchange money.

Watching cartloads of old coins being pushed into the furnace, melted into molten copper, and then cast into new coins bearing the portrait of Qin Shi Huang and anti-counterfeiting cloud patterns, Ying Zheng stood on the city tower and let out a long sigh.

"Little G".

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"I have won this battle."

Yes. You not only won money, you also won the 'right to mint coins'.

From that moment on, the economic lifeline of the Qin Dynasty was completely in the hands of the central government.

[By the way, Liu Bang did a good job as the "market magistrate." While his satisfaction rating was negative among the nobles, it was perfect among the common people.]

Ying Zheng smiled and turned his gaze to the bustling West Market.

There, Liu Bang sat with his legs crossed in the enforcement team's tent, playing with a new coin in his hand, looking smug.

"This isn't money," Liu Bang said, looking at the exquisite copper coin in the sunlight. "This is imperial power."

"That old emperor really knows how to calculate people's hearts to the bone."

"However..." Liu Bang stroked his chin, "following such a ruthless man, although it's tiring, it's damn exciting!"

Just then, Xiao He rushed over, his face grave.

"Liu Ji, stop laughing. Something's happened."

"What's wrong? Which noble family is going to object this time?" Liu Bang raised an eyebrow.

"Not Xianyang," Xiao He pointed north, "It's Jiuyuan County."

"General Meng Tian reports urgently. The Xiongnu Chanyu Touman has assembled 200,000 cavalry and is besieging the pass."

The copper coin in Liu Bang's hand fell onto the table with a "clang".

Although he hadn't heard the war drums yet, he could almost smell the blood in the wind.

The money problem is solved.

Next, it's a matter of fate.