I started as a concubine, and I made the crown prince cry with my delicious food.

Trade in Yong'an City was booming, and the Royal Bank's business was thriving.

With the national treasury becoming increasingly full, Xiao Jingshi began sweeping reforms.

He first ordered a 30% reduction in agricultural taxes nationwide, allowing farmers who had suffered greatly from the war to recuperate. This move earned him immense popularity among the people, who hailed him as a "benevolent ruler."

He then invested heavily in repairing the long-abandoned canal and dredging the north-south waterways. He knew that commercial prosperity was inseparable from convenient transportation.

At the same time, he adopted Ye An'an's suggestion and established the first "Royal Crafts Academy" in the capital, recruiting talented craftsmen from the common people and having them personally taught by skilled artisans from the palace. The academy not only taught traditional woodworking and metalworking, but also introduced new courses such as porcelain firing and silk dyeing. The top students in the academy could directly obtain the title of "Royal Craftsman" and enjoy government subsidies.

These measures greatly promoted the development of handicrafts and technological progress, and also subtly enhanced the status of merchants.

The entire Daliang was immersed in an atmosphere of reform and innovation, and prosperity.

However, there is always shadow under the sun.

For every person who is happy, there is someone who is sad.

The capital city, the Zhenguo Duke's Mansion.

The atmosphere in the study was terribly oppressive.

Li Yuan, the Duke of Zhenguo, with his white hair and beard and a face covered in scars, sat in the main seat with a gloomy face, stroking a teacup in his hand.

To his left sat a dozen or so middle-aged and elderly men, also dressed in brocade robes and exuding an air of distinction. They were all from the most prestigious military families of the Great Liang Dynasty, descendants of meritorious officials who had helped the founding emperor conquer the empire.

Their ancestors paid for their family's current wealth and status with their blood and lives.

But now, they feel that their position is being challenged like never before.

"Your Excellency, you've heard the news, haven't you?" A marquis with a mustache couldn't help but speak first, his tone full of sourness. "In the capital now, who still respects us roughnecks who wield swords and spears? Everyone's idolizing that Shen Wansan! A merchant from humble beginnings, just because he knows how to make money, His Majesty actually made an exception and granted him an official position! This... this is outrageous!"

"It's not just Shen Wansan!" another earl said indignantly. "Look outside now, those merchants are all so arrogant, dressed in gold and silver, going in and out of restaurants, more prestigious than us court officials! Before, they would all bow and scrape before us, but now they're practically on equal footing with us!"

"Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—merchants are the lowest class! This is the rule established by our ancestors! But what about now? His Majesty favors commerce over military affairs. If this continues, the very foundation of our Great Liang will be shaken!"

"The most infuriating thing is that Empress!" The Marquis with the mustache pointed his finger at Ye An'an. "I heard that the Royal Bank and the Trading City were all ideas that woman devised for His Majesty! A woman, instead of staying in the harem, supporting her husband and raising her children, she interferes in state affairs! It's like a hen crowing at dawn, unheard of!"

"That's enough!"

Duke Zhenguo Li Yuan slammed his teacup heavily onto the table with a thud.

The study fell silent instantly.

Li Yuan's gaze slowly swept over everyone present, his voice hoarse and low: "What's the use of complaining?"

"Have you still not understood His Majesty's intentions?"

"He wants to support those merchants to counterbalance us military families! He wants to use so-called 'trade' to replace the war merits we earned with our blood!"

"Yong'an City has only been open for a short time, yet it has already earned more silver than we spent on military expenses over the past ten years! Think about what that means!"

Li Yuan's words made everyone's hearts sink.

They had an idea.

This means that from now on, the emperor will no longer need to rely on them to fight wars to expand the territory.

This means that their hereditary military achievements were becoming less and less valuable in the eyes of the emperor.

What will happen to a minister who cannot bring value to the emperor?

Everyone felt a chill run from the soles of their feet straight up to the top of their heads.

"My lord, what... what should we do?" The Marquis with the mustache panicked. "We can't just sit here and wait to die, can we?"

"Yes, Your Excellency, you are the head of all officials, a veteran of three reigns, you must say a word for us!"

Li Yuan scoffed, "Say it? How? Tell His Majesty to stop making money and instead lead us to war? Do you think His Majesty would listen?"

Everyone fell silent again.

"His Majesty today is no longer the Crown Prince he once was." A complex look flashed in Li Yuan's eyes. "After his trip to the southern frontier, he returned with a more calculating mind and more ruthless methods. You have all seen the fate of the Fu and Zhang families."

"We can't confront him head-on."

"Then... what should we do?"

Li Yuan remained silent for a long time, then picked up his teacup and gently blew away the foam on top.

"He wants to reform, he wants to make money, fine," he said slowly, "but it won't be so easy for him to shake our foundations."

"Isn't he telling us old folks to keep up with the times? Fine, then we'll show him what 'keeping up with the times' means."

A cold, meaningful smile curled at the corners of his mouth.

"Pass down my message: tell everyone to shut down all their shady businesses. From today onward, we will all be 'legitimate' business people."

Everyone was completely baffled, having no idea what the Duke was up to.

But they dared not ask any more questions.

They knew that this old man, who had stood firm on the battlefield and in the court for more than fifty years, must have his reasons for deciding to do something.

A silent counterattack against the new emperor's reforms is quietly brewing in the conspiracies of these former meritorious officials.