Isolated town in northern border region

Three days later, Wang Shoucheng, accompanied by the heads of the thirteen prominent families of Yongzhou, entered the post station where Xiao Lie was staying.

Xiao Lie remained seated in the hall, not rising to greet him.

In the center was a pot of tea and thirteen teacups. The tea had been brewed, but Xiao Lie remained silent, showing no intention of welcoming the guest.

It wasn't that Xiao Lie was putting on an act; rather, he understood the true nature of these parasites.

If he were to soften his stance even slightly, these powerful families would dare to take advantage of him!

"Gentlemen, it's been a long time."

Xiao Lie spoke in a very calm tone, as if he were greeting an old acquaintance.

Wang Shoucheng suppressed his humiliation and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect.

"Your Highness, I have come today to discuss the matter you entrusted to me at the literary gathering."

"The prince's gift of a poem truly puts us noble families to shame."

"In the past, we only thought about helping farmers, but we never expected that it would make their lives even more difficult."

"Fortunately, His Highness's words awakened us from our dream, and we suddenly realized the truth!"

"We originally intended to return the land deeds to the people, but many of them were lost due to their age. We pieced together what we had, and that's all we had."

As he spoke, Wang Shoucheng presented a box to Xiao Lie with both hands.

When Xiao Lie opened it, he found that the land deed inside was not even as thick as the ones he had received on the street in his previous life.

After patiently checking each item, Xiao Lie was so angry he laughed!

This box contains only twelve land deeds, totaling less than twenty acres of land. Most importantly, these are the most barren lands on the outskirts of Yongzhou!

This is truly treating a beggar like dirt!

"Old Master Wang, do you still remember what the deadline I set that day was?"

Xiao Lie handed the box of land deeds to Luo Daniu behind him and then said.

"One month!"

"You old foxes, not only do you not meet the deadline, but you also try to play your little tricks?"

"What's wrong?"

"Does he really think the King of Northern Chu is afraid to lead troops to quell the rebellion in Yongzhou?!"

Wang Shoucheng was sweating profusely.

What he feared most was that Xiao Lie would throw caution to the wind and fight the aristocratic families to the death!

Moreover, given that Xiao Lie no longer needs to rely on the Yongzhou aristocratic families to open up trade routes, he doesn't even have the right to plead for mercy!

"Your Highness! I admit defeat!"

"Please give us a straight answer! What do you want from us noble families before you'll stop?"

Xiao Lie raised his chin with a cold smile.

"All land in Yongzhou that was acquired through trickery or force shall be returned to the people!"

"I am a man of the rules. These land deeds are worth whatever amount you can get from the Northern Frontier Merchants at the original price."

From now on, profits and losses will depend on one's own abilities.

"I believe that with all the savings you've accumulated over the years, you shouldn't lose if you compete on price with those out-of-town merchants."

The hall fell silent instantly.

The thirteen family heads looked at each other, some with ashen faces, others clenching their fists, remaining silent.

Wang Shoucheng's breathing became heavier.

"Your Highness, you are threatening to extinguish the lineage of the powerful families of Yongzhou!"

Xiao Lie stood up, walked up to Wang Shoucheng, and looked down at him.

"root?"

"Is that the root of your family's lineage?"

"That's the root of millions of people in Yongzhou!"

"And they call themselves a family that values ​​farming and scholarship, a family of scholars?"

"Grandma!"

"Enjoying the beautiful life built by the blood and flesh of the people, they still call us lowly commoners and peasants!"

"I wish I could skin you alive!"

Xiao Lie's words were cold and harsh. Luo Daniu and Xiao Xiong stepped forward at the same time, gripping their sword hilts. At that moment, all the heads of the aristocratic families felt a chill on their necks, as if an invisible blade was about to fall.

"You have three days to consider."

"Three days from now, either you hand over the land deeds yourselves, or I will collect them for you."

"At that point, it won't be as simple as just handing it in."

Wang Shoucheng stood up, his voice hoarse.

"Xiao Lie!"

"Do you really think my family, a powerful clan in Yongzhou, is afraid of you?"

"Our various families have extensive connections in the court. If you push us too far, there will be no place for you in the entire Great Chu!"

Xiao Lie looked at him and said calmly.

"You are welcome to try it, and see the Taiping Blade of my Northern Frontier..."

"Is it fast enough!"

The negotiations ended in discord.

When the gentry members left the post station, their faces were all grim.

But what embarrassed them even more was what happened next.

After returning, Wang Shoucheng sent people to contact the merchants who had previously relied on the Wang family, intending to use the power of the aristocratic family to pressure them into selling off their goods.

But what they didn't expect was that the downstream businesses that had always obeyed them had somehow united as one!

Not only did they directly reject the demands of the major families, but they also hurled insults at them, showing no regard for decorum whatsoever!

Upon receiving the news, Wang Shoucheng's eyes widened.

"Rebellion! Rebellion!"

"Who fed them in the first place!"

"You bastard!"

One of the managers kept his head down and spoke in a voice so soft it was like a mosquito's hum.

"They said... following Xiao Lie not only ensures you get enough to eat, but also that you eat well."

"She also said... we shouldn't contact each other anymore, because she was afraid... Xiao Lie would misunderstand."

Wang Shoucheng slumped into the chair, looking as if his bones had been removed.

He finally understood that Xiao Liebu's scheme had been planned from the very beginning.

They drained their cash flow with price wars, lured away their merchants with low-priced goods, and strangled them with supply rights.

Now, Xiao Lie's bargaining chips far exceed those of the aristocratic families.

Their wallets were empty, and even the downstream merchants who used to be subservient to them had now turned to Xiao Lie.

Three days later, Wang Shoucheng knocked on Xiao Lie's door again.

This time, he didn't bring account books or abacuses, only a thick stack of yellowed land deeds.

He stood at the door, silent for a long time, and then handed the stack of land deeds to Xiao Lie.

"Your Highness..."

"The royal family of Yongzhou is convinced!"

Xiao Lie took the land deed, flipped through a few pages, and after confirming that it was correct, handed it to Xiao Xiong beside him.

"Count and put into storage, convert to market value as goods, and distribute within three days."

He turned to look at Wang Shoucheng.

Wang Shoucheng's lips moved a few times, but in the end he only managed to squeeze out one sentence.

"Your Highness... could you please spare the Wang family's life?"

Xiao Lie looked at him.

"Of course."

"The Wang family ancestors endured war and chaos, leaving behind the classics of their ancestors, and established academies in Yongzhou to educate the people..."

"These facts are enough for me to spare the life of your royal family."

"As long as you don't touch it again, you can sell goods from northern Xinjiang as usual."

"Fair prices, honest service to all, young and old."

Wang Shoucheng didn't say anything, he just nodded and turned to leave.

His back was hunched over like a withered tree about to break.

The day the news spread throughout Yongzhou City, thousands of people gathered at the city gate.

Xiao Lie stood on the city wall, holding a stack of land deeds in his hand.

He unfolded a sheet and read aloud.

"Liu Laogen, from Liujiatun in the west of the city, owns twelve mu of land."

In the crowd, an old man trembled, his legs gave way, and he knelt down.

Xiao Lie continued reading.

"Nanhe Village, Zhao Tiezhu, eight mu of land."

"Wangjiawa, Sun Lishi, fifteen mu of land."

With each name called, a person would step out from the crowd and tremblingly accept their land deed.

Some people's hands were still shaking when they received it, some knelt on the ground and wailed, and some pressed the land deed to their chests as if they were holding a child they had lost and found again.

By the time the last page was read, a large group of people had already knelt down below the city gate.

Xiao Lie didn't say anything sentimental. He simply handed the last land deed to an old woman beside him and whispered something.

"Let's go back."

"From this moment on, it's yours."

The old woman looked up, her face covered in tears.

"Your Highness!"

"You are a great benefactor to our Yongzhou!"

Xiao Lie squatted down and looked her straight in the eye.

"How could I be considered a great benefactor?"

"Isn't this Yongzhou, this Great Chu, all thanks to your hard work?"

"Let's go back. You're getting old. Don't just eat coarse grains anymore. From now on, we can afford refined grains too!"

The old woman cried so hard she couldn't speak, she just kept kowtowing.

Some of the bolder people asked.

"Your Highness, what if those powerful families come back to harm us after you leave?"

Xiao Lie smiled.

"Don't worry, in a few days, Yongzhou will be transformed."

Over the next few days, Xiao Lie registered all the land deeds handed over by the aristocratic families in Yongzhou and returned them to their original owners, not a single acre missing.

He had notices posted in each village, outlining three rules.

First, land belongs to the tiller, and no one may forcibly seize it;

Secondly, land rent was collected uniformly by the government, with 30% of the harvest collected and used for road repairs, education, and disaster relief.

Third, all goods sold by the Northern Frontier Merchants shall not be priced higher than 70% of the market price, and shall be supplied to local people first.

Half a month later, a new business opened in the east of Yongzhou City. A brand-new plaque hung at the entrance, with four large characters written on it: "Limin Chamber of Commerce".

A row of people stood beneath the plaque.

They were old and young, men and women, dressed in patched clothes, but everyone's eyes shone like fire.

They held a thin land deed in their hands, which was their proof of investment. A land deed could entitle them to a share in the chamber of commerce.

The first president of the Chamber of Commerce was Qian Wanli.

He stood on the stage, looking down at the people below who had once struggled to even afford food, and grinned.

"Gentlemen, from today onwards, you are the masters of this chamber of commerce."

"What to buy, what to sell, how much to sell it for, and to whom to sell it—it's all up to you!"

Someone asked timidly.

"Manager Qian, then... can we sell it to a prestigious family?"

Qian Wanli gestured to the side with his lip.

"Our boss is here!"

Xiao Lie stepped out from the side and stood in front of the people.

"able."

"As long as they do business honestly, don't exploit the people, don't seize land, and don't engage in bullying and monopolistic practices, that's fine."

"You can sell it to them."

"As for the price, you decide."

He paused, then added.

"If someone breaks the rules..."

"This could easily incite a popular uprising!"

He glanced at Xiao Xiong and Luo Daniu below the stage.

"The Wolf Riders and the Trapped Camp have already set up camp in the west of the city."

"Ready to go at any time."

The people burst into laughter.

In that laughter, there was relief, joy, and above all, an unprecedented sense of peace.

From then on, the heavens of Yongzhou no longer belonged to those noble families, but to all the people of Yongzhou!

On this day, Xiao Lie was blocked from moving an inch by the people on the street.

There were people blocking his way, forcing Xiao Lie to eat their own eggs;

Some people, along with their families, knelt in the middle of the street and kowtowed.

There were even quite a few young men clamoring to follow Xiao Lie and risk their lives for him!

The scene was incredibly lively!

Although there were no carved lanterns like those on the night of the literary gathering, no talented men and beautiful women filling the streets, and even some people in the crowd were wearing tattered clothes.

But Xiao Lie really enjoyed this lively atmosphere.

Although he was sweating profusely, the corners of his mouth remained turned up in a smile.

The enthusiasm that filled the streets also climbed over the walls and entered the courtyard of the noble family.

However, here, the heads of each family were as if they had lost their parents, their brows drooping, as if they were about to die.

"alright!"

"Now that things have come to this, we can only take it one step at a time."

Wang Shouchang looked several years older, and his whole being was devoid of energy.

Just then, the head of the Li family spoke in a low voice.

"Our lives are now in Xiao Lie's hands. How are we going to explain this to His Majesty?"

One sentence silenced the entire room.

Finally, it was Wang Shoucheng who spoke, rubbing his forehead.

"Explain? How can you explain?"

"Now that Yongzhou is entirely in Xiao Lie's hands, it probably won't be long before the entire Great Chu..."

Wang Shoucheng didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant. Some were even secretly plotting how to get close to Xiao Lie.

Just then, a servant walked in.

"Master, Princess Minyue has come to the door, saying she has important matters to discuss with you in detail."