Isolated town in northern border region

For three days, Xiao Lie locked himself in the imperial study, and during that time he didn't see anyone except for Bi Su, who brought him food.

Zhou Xun and the others were extremely anxious, thinking that something terrible had happened. Finally, they learned that Jiang Min had gone to visit him personally. Xiao Lie only opened the door a crack with a weary expression and said lightly, "Thinking about something."

The "Report on the Progress of Technology Promotion in Northern Xinjiang" sat on Xiao Lie's desk for three days, but he neither approved nor touched it.

He didn't know what to do!

In his previous life, Xiao Lie was just a high school graduate. His understanding of the world consisted of his teachers, classmates, parents, and the short videos he occasionally watched.

They have absolutely no clue how to alleviate the growing pains of social transformation.

But... are we just going to let the people fend for themselves?

In the following days, he continued to handle parliamentary affairs as usual, review the reports sent back by the local investigation commissioners as usual, and practice his sword in the courtyard as usual. However, Zhou Xun noticed that he was often distracted when practicing his sword, and once he almost injured himself.

On the evening of the fourth day, Xiao Lie finally summoned Zhou Xun into the imperial study.

"Lay railways, repair official roads, and recruit workers on a large scale."

Zhou Xun was taken aback.

"Your Highness, what...are you doing?"

"We have enough manpower now. If we recruit a large number of workers, not only will expenses increase significantly, but steel mills in various places are just starting construction, and we won't be able to keep up with the material demand!"

Xiao Lie pushed the report in front of him.

"Once the machines are turned on in northern Xinjiang, manual labor is cut off."

"Those peddlers, weavers, bamboo craftsmen, and blacksmiths are not as fast as the machines in northern Xinjiang, nor are their goods as cheap."

"If they can't sell their products, they won't survive."

"Let's recruit them first, just to give the people a way to survive. If we can't keep up with the materials, let them clear the way ahead of time."

"We've made quite a bit of money in the Northern Frontier these days, and the Xiao family's assets have been almost fully inventoried. We can afford to lose!"

Zhou Xun flipped through a few pages, his expression darkening slightly.

"Indeed, when technology is promoted nationwide, these are the first to be affected."

Xiao Lie stood up and walked to the window.

"Therefore... I intend to make the Northern Frontier Trading Company an official trading company, openly recruit workers, and give priority to hiring artisans who are struggling to make a living."

"They work in factories and get paid, which is better than them working on their own."

"At the same time, railways and cement roads were laid across the country, with construction starting simultaneously in all prefectures and counties, and priority was given to recruiting those who could not make a living."

Zhou Xun took notes, then looked up and asked.

"Your Highness, this will likely wipe out all our previous savings!"

"Moreover, I suspect the royal family is also..."

Xiao Lie turned around.

"An investigation into the Xiao family's assets has already yielded a large sum of money."

"We'll set aside a portion as start-up capital, and the rest will be gradually supplemented from the chamber of commerce's profits."

"Then……"

"Let's open border markets at all sides and sell all our goods!"

"The states of Chen, Yan, and Shu all border us, making transportation convenient. Sell them to me as much as you can, even if the price is a bit low, it's fine to sell at a low profit margin."

"As for Jingguo, that kid Jiang Jun is not easy to deal with..."

"Send a message to the Sima family of Jing State, saying that I want to cooperate with them and sell them all the luxury goods in Yongzhou!"

"You can make up any reason you want."

"As for the royal family... we'll add them later. Anyway, we only cleared their land and manors, not confiscated their property, so it'll be fine for a while."

Zhou Xun nodded and pondered for a moment.

"The Sima family's intentions are obvious to everyone; they definitely need to cultivate relationships with important officials in the court!"

"We can make some inkstones and brush holders out of glass; those scholars and officials would definitely love them!"

"Then... let's choose the Sima family as the exclusive distributor!"

Xiao Lie nodded repeatedly as he listened.

"OK!"

"I tricked the Sima family before; they're probably struggling to make ends meet by raising horses now!"

"Let's do it this way, and also give that brat Jiang Jun a hard time!"

Zhou Xun noted down the key points in the booklet.

"I will draft the document immediately."

Three days later, the Beijiang Trading Company was officially renamed "Da Chu Guan Trading Company" and recruitment notices were posted simultaneously in thirteen prefectures across the country.

Anyone who is 16 years of age or older and has no disabilities may apply.

"Preference will be given to applicants without land ownership!"

"Once hired, room and board will be provided, and a monthly salary will be paid."

On the first day the notice was posted, long lines formed in front of registration points in various states.

The line included women in coarse cloth clothes, blacksmiths carrying hammers, old men carrying bamboo baskets, young men sweating profusely, and an elderly man with white hair who was being helped along. He asked, "I'm sixty, can I still work?" The clerk in charge of registration looked up at him.

"able!"

"His Highness said that as long as you can move, that's fine. Although you can't do heavy work, you can still help in the kitchen by lighting a fire and cooking a meal."

The old man grinned, his face crinkling with wrinkles.

Within a month, the railway in northern Xinjiang was laid out across the territory of Yongzhou Prefecture, and the cement road stretched southward from Yongzhou.

Those artisans who used to set up stalls on street corners have entered the factory; some are responsible for firing the kiln, some for carrying things, and some for repairing the machines.

They learn slowly, but no one rushes them.

The foreman was an old worker from northern Xinjiang, and he often comforted the group.

"His Highness said to take it slow and learn the skills first."

"When factories are everywhere in the Great Chu Dynasty, there will be master craftsmen right outside your door. One person can support the whole family with just their own work!"

At the same time, Xiao Lie launched the second batch of technologies.

Papermaking, refined salt production, sugar production...

Another batch of factories have sprung up, and another batch of new workers have entered the workshops.

The price of paper dropped to one-third of its original price. Salt began to turn white, fine, and no longer bitter. For the first time, white sugar entered the kitchens of ordinary people. Someone bought a small bag to make sugar water. After taking a sip, he was stunned for a long time, and then squatted at the door with the bowl and drank it all.

"Good heavens! We can have frosting sugar now!"

"It's so much better for the Prince to be in charge than for that beast Xiao Mu!"

The lives of the people of Great Chu were as if they had been gently pushed upwards by an unseen hand. The push was subtle, but everyone could feel that their lives were getting better day by day.

In teahouses across the country, storytellers no longer told the story of Xiao Lie splitting the dragon throne with his sword, but instead began to tell his deeds of opening factories, laying railways, and distributing land.

Someone slammed their fist on the table and cheered.

"Our Great Chu is now the best in the world!"

Some people sighed.

"The prince truly treats us like human beings!"

"My brother-in-law is an apprentice in the prince's factory. He heard from the masters in the northern frontier that the prince is losing money to support us farmers!"

"This... he's practically a sage ruler!"

Someone mentioned Xiao Mu's name, and the person next to him immediately spat.

"Don't mention him! It's bad luck!"

The people of the Great Chu were overjoyed, but not everyone was happy about it.

Several elders of the Xiao clan have already held three meetings in the ancestral hall, and their expressions grew increasingly grim with each meeting.

The land was inventoried, the manors were registered, and the fiefs were remeasured...

The inspectors, accompanied by military officers, knocked on doors one by one, checking account books one by one, and no one dared to stop them.

The land deeds in their hands are turning into worthless paper one by one, while the tenants they have exploited for decades are now walking into their old fields with new land deeds in hand.

At the end of the fourth meeting, an elderly member of the royal family slammed his fist on the table and said something.

"This can't go on any longer!"

"If this continues, we'll even have to borrow money from Xiao Lie to pay for lighting the ancestral hall."

Some suggested going to Xiao Lie to plead their case, saying that the imperial family members were the bloodline of the Xiao family and their lifeline could not be cut off.

The others echoed, saying they would kneel at the entrance of the Imperial Study and beg Xiao Lie to spare their lives.

Xiao Mu sat in the corner without saying a word.

Since the day Xiao Lie publicly dragged him off the dragon throne, he has never worn a dragon robe again.

Now, dressed in an old-fashioned deep robe, he sits among the elders of the imperial clan like an old object forgotten in a corner.

While everyone was chattering about how to meet Xiao Lie, what to say, and who should go first, Xiao Mu remained silent, like an expressionless statue.

After the meeting, everyone went their separate ways.

Xiao Mu walked at the very back, returning to his residence, which was mostly empty. He sat in the darkness for a long time without turning on the lights.

Then he stood up and took out a pre-sealed wooden box from under the bed, inside which were four letters.

He wrote letters to the kingdoms of Shu, Chen, and Yan, and the last letter was written to Emperor Jiang Jun of the Jing Kingdom.

He used an extremely light ink on each letter, and after writing it, he applied a layer of wax, making the handwriting and his identity unrecognizable.

He pushed open the door and walked into the darkness to the residence of an old servant behind the ancestral hall, knocking three times.

The door opened, and an old servant with a wrinkled face stood in the crack. He was slightly taken aback when he saw Xiao Mu, then stepped aside to let him into the room.

Xiao Mu handed over the four letters.

"Leaving the city tonight."

"I have a caravan outside the city that goes to trade at the border."

The old servant didn't ask any further questions, stuffed the letter into his pocket, and nodded.

Xiao Mu turned and walked into the night, returning to his residence as if nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, the elder members of the imperial clan were discussing how to kneel and weep at the entrance of the Imperial Study the next day.

The idea they racked their brains to come up with was nothing more than using their status as relatives to put pressure on Xiao Lie and using their status as members of the imperial clan to force him to give in. If Xiao Lie ignored it, they would be considered unfilial.

But they didn't know that their complaints and lamentations would almost lead to the loss of their ancestors' legacy in the near future.

The next day, the clan elders, along with a group of underage members of the Xiao clan, gathered at the entrance of the Imperial Study.

"Xiao Lie! You broke your promise!"

"Yes! It was clearly agreed that the Northern Frontier Chamber of Commerce would hold 10% of the shares, but now we haven't seen a single penny. What's the reason for this?"

Some people spoke righteously, spitting as they pointed at the door of the Imperial Study, while others spoke softly.

"Lie'er, we've agreed to inventory the Xiao family's lands and distribute them to the people, but you can't abandon the lives of your clansmen!"

Xiao Lie sat in the imperial study, his head practically about to explode from listening.

He took a deep breath, put down his brush, got up, and pushed open the door.

"Everyone! Please calm down!"

When Xiao Lie revealed his face, the clan members instantly fell silent, all staring at him with pitiful expressions.

Xiao Lie originally intended to take full responsibility, saying he would definitely guarantee the livelihood of his race's relatives.

But as soon as he opened his mouth, he remembered the report on the desk in the Imperial Study.

The Northern Frontier Trading Company is now out of money...

To make a profit, we have to wait until all the factories in every state across the country are built and then we can start dumping our products abroad.

But clearly, the Xiao clan didn't have that patience.

Xiao Lie let out a long sigh, turned back to his desk, wrote down an IOU, and then walked to the door.

"Uncle, this is the IOU!"

"I, Xiao Lie, am a man of my word. Give me five more months, and all the outstanding shares will be in place by then."

"If any member of the tribe encounters any difficulties during these five months, they can come to me!"

The old man, who was called Uncle, was named Xiao Gui and was currently the most senior member of the clan.

Xiao Gui wanted to say something more, but Xiao Lie's next words shut him up.

"Uncle, in five months, as long as the factories in various parts of Great Chu are built, the trade routes between Great Chu and other countries will be opened."

"At that time, the Northern Frontier Trading Company will be making more than just a fortune every day..."

"Back then, even a tenth of a share was enough to make someone incredibly wealthy!"

Xiao Gui swallowed hard, turned to look at his clansmen behind him, and his expression changed.

"Sigh...life's been too tough lately, that old man's grandson hasn't even had bird's nest soup lately!"

"However, since Lie'er has spoken up, this old man will help you put some pressure on her."

Afterwards, Xiao Gui called everyone to leave. Xiao Lie saw Xiao Mu, who looked haggard, and Xiao Ye, who kept turning back to look at him.

Xiao Lie slapped his forehead.

"Xiao Ye, you stay!"

Upon hearing the sound, Xiao Ye abruptly stopped and looked at Xiao Lie with delight.

Xiao Lie smiled and waved.

"Didn't you want to become an apprentice?"

"Come on, call me 'brother,' and I'll teach you everything I know!"

As soon as Xiao Lie finished speaking, Xiao Ye's lips curled into a wide grin.

"Master... um... brother!"

Half a month later, spies from Shu, Chen, and Yan reported the news to their respective rulers almost simultaneously.

The Great Chu is undergoing tremendous changes. Railways are being laid faster than horses can run, and goods from the northern frontier are selling for less than local products. If we don't act now, once those railways reach the border and those northern frontier arsenals open on the border line, there will be no chance to make a move.

The rulers of the other states were not fools. Although Chu had not resorted to force, if this situation continued, the wealth of the three states would continue to flow into Chu, and the longer it dragged on, the greater the gap would become!

The rulers of the three kingdoms were still worried, but one day, their spies received a specially prepared letter.

After this, the three kingdoms of Yan, Chen, and Shu, which had been at odds with each other, began to exchange messages through secret envoys. Within a month, an unsigned alliance agreement was written and stamped with the seals of the three kingdoms.

Emperor Jiang Jun of Jing Kingdom also received the letter, but he only glanced at it before burning it to ashes over a candle flame.

"idiot!"

"The greater the losses suffered by the State of Chu, the more ferocious their subsequent retaliation will be!"

"They're already prepared to draw their knives with Xiao Lie, don't they know... he's a madman!"

During this period, Xiao Lie was with Xiao Ye handling official business and inspecting the factory, and was completely unaware of these changes.

The lights in the imperial study remained on until late at night, and the memorials on the desk piled higher and higher.

In the second month after the establishment of the Congress, Xiao Lie proposed the "Industrial Technology College" bill. This time, the opposition was much smaller than before.

Over this period of time, the families in various regions have come to realize one thing: without systematically learning the technology of the Northern Frontier, they really can't operate those machines!

If you accidentally break it, you'll have to pay a high price to have a repairman from northern Xinjiang fix it!

As Zhou Xun stood by the round table and read out the terms one by one, the five councilors opposite him remained silent for a moment before raising their hands one after another.

Passed unanimously.

The day the news spread to Kyoto, an old man selling sesame cakes at the city gate heard someone read the notice, wiped his hands with his apron, and put the freshly baked sesame cakes aside, as if to confirm whether he was dreaming.

"You mean... my son can go to school now?"

The person next to him nodded.

"Sure! It's free, and they even provide meals."

The old man stood there for a while, then turned around and flipped the flatbreads on the stove one by one, his smile never fading.

Two weeks later, the lights in the Imperial Study were still on.

Xiao Lie leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and emptied his almost completely drained brain.

Jiang Min took a bowl of lotus seed soup from Bi Su's hand, walked in, and gently placed it on the table. Just as she was about to speak, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the window.

Zhou Xun pushed open the door and entered, clutching an unsealed urgent secret report in his hand, his face ashen.

"Your Highness, something has happened!"

"The states of Yan, Shu, and Chen have simultaneously launched military campaigns to seize the border; urgent dispatches are being sent along the entire 800-li frontier!"

He paused.

"In just three days, three border towns have fallen!"

"What?!"

"Are the border troops of my Great Chu just for show?"