Li Daoxuan strolled leisurely through the streets of Xi'an Prefecture, a birdcage swinging gently from his hand.
After an especially aggressive round of acquisitions, he now controlled at least half of Xi'an's businesses. And not just any half—this was the half concentrated squarely in the four great necessities of life:
Clothing. Food. Housing. Transportation.
Grain shops. Carriage services. Fabric stores.
Real estate—ah, no, scratch that. Scratch that.
He took everything.
Once these four pillars were firmly in hand, Gao Family Village immediately launched a sweeping campaign of price reductions. Of course, this wasn't reckless slashing. Every cut was calculated carefully, based on real production capacity and supply–demand balance.
With modern textile machines in operation, how could cloth remain expensive?
With celestial fertilizer doubling grain yields, how could grain prices not fall?
These two reductions alone dramatically lowered the cost of living. The common people finally felt like they could breathe again. Spending revived, workshops reopened, stalls multiplied, and the entire city seemed to wake up overnight.
This was the sight Li Daoxuan liked best.
As he walked, he reflected casually, Xi'an hasn't suffered any major storms lately. I don't need to worry too much here. The real trouble is the Yellow River—rains every few days. If this keeps up, disaster is inevitable. I can only check on Xi'an from time to time. My real attention has to be over there.
Just as that thought passed through his mind, a sedan chair approached from the opposite direction.
It was understated—plain black, no gilding, no banners—yet escorted by a sizable contingent of guards. Anyone with eyes could tell: this was someone important deliberately keeping a low profile.
Li Daoxuan chuckled softly.
"The Prince of Qin's residence?"
The sedan curtain lifted, revealing Zhu Cunji's face.
"Mr. Li," Zhu Cunji said evenly, "care to find a place and talk for a while?"
For the heir of the empire's most prestigious princely estate to stop a mere gentry merchant on the street and initiate conversation—this was already an enormous concession.
If Zhu Cunji had already formally inherited the title of Prince of Qin, he likely wouldn't have been able to swallow such humiliation.
Li Daoxuan smiled.
"Of course."
Zhu Cunji pointed toward a brothel up ahead.
"Piaoxiang Yuan. How about we talk inside?"
Before Li Daoxuan could respond, the myna bird in the cage suddenly chirped:
"What's the point of a brothel? Can't even get it up! How much sorrow can a gentleman bear? It's like a bunch of eunuchs visiting a brothel!"
"Pfft—!"
Zhu Cunji nearly choked.
Li Daoxuan burst out laughing, his silicone face twisting into a stiff, eerie grin that somehow made the laughter even more unsettling.
"Fine, fine," he said cheerfully. "Let's talk in the brothel."
That smile sent a chill crawling up Zhu Cunji's spine.
But the arrow was already on the string. It had to be fired.
They arrived at Piaoxiang Yuan.
Under normal circumstances, the madam would have rushed out long ago, smiling like springtime itself. But today, no one came.
Instead, a tall, burly man stepped forward and blocked the sedan chair.
"This establishment is no longer open to the public," he said firmly. "It has been renamed Stars Performing Arts Agency. Please do not trespass."
Zhu Cunji froze.
"Agency? What agency?"
Li Daoxuan walked around the sedan chair, smiling faintly.
"Ah, right. I forgot to mention—this place has already been bought by my people."
The burly man immediately snapped to attention when he saw Li Daoxuan, performed a crisp salute, and stepped aside.
"Please," Li Daoxuan said. "After you."
Zhu Cunji left his guards outside and followed him in, still dazed.
The Piaoxiang Yuan he knew was gone.
No flirtatious laughter. No intoxicating perfume. No painted faces beckoning from behind silk curtains.
Instead, the place looked like an opera troupe's compound.
Costumes were stacked everywhere. Musical instruments lay scattered about. Sheet music littered tables. People hurried back and forth, busy with rehearsals and preparations.
Whenever someone passed Li Daoxuan, they immediately straightened up, saluted respectfully, then hurried on.
On the main stage, several young women dressed plainly were practicing songs and dances. Their movements were lively and youthful—but not seductive in the slightest.
Zhu Cunji's brain stalled halfway.
"What… happened here?"
Li Daoxuan smiled.
"It's still under preparation. In half a month, we'll host our first performance. If Your Highness attends then, you'll understand."
"…Alright," Zhu Cunji said blankly.
They went upstairs into a private room and sat down.
No one came to serve them.
No tea. No water. No wine. No girls.
The room was quiet—so quiet it felt more like a scholar's study than a brothel.
Zhu Cunji had never, in his life, been treated with such disregard. A strange mix of irritation and reluctant admiration rose in his chest.
You won't even pour tea for me? Fine. But you don't even prepare tea for your own patron?
Just as that thought formed, Li Daoxuan calmly poured a cup of water.
So he serves personally, Zhu Cunji thought. At least that shows respect.
Then Li Daoxuan turned and held the cup up to the birdcage.
"Good bird," he said. "Drink some water."
Zhu Cunji: "!!!"
The anger gauge began to fill.
Li Daoxuan asked casually, "So—what did Your Highness wish to discuss today?"
Zhu Cunji took a deep breath.
"Mr. Li. The businesses you manage for Wu Shen and Shi Kefa… have been doing rather well."
"Oh," Li Daoxuan said lightly. "Just average. Third best in the world."
Zhu Cunji didn't understand the remark, but he sensed mockery.
The anger gauge jumped two bars.
Suppressing his temper, Zhu Cunji continued, "Wu Shen and Shi Kefa are rigid scholars. Working under them must be… unpleasant at times. For instance, some goods that could command high prices—they insist you sell cheaply to the common folk. That must cost you a great deal."
Li Daoxuan's eyes lit up.
"Ah! Your Highness speaks true wisdom."
Zhu Cunji leaned forward slightly.
"Some things are sold too cheaply," Li Daoxuan went on. "Especially the garments ordered by the Prince of Qin's heir's residence. Far too cheap—I barely broke even. Honestly, each piece should cost at least five thousand taels… no, ten thousand taels. Only then would it reflect the noble dignity of the Princess Consort."
Zhu Cunji: "…"
Anger gauge: +2.
"And food as well," Li Daoxuan continued cheerfully. "Chicken, pork, beef—all scandalously cheap. How can provisions for the Prince of Qin's heir be priced the same as those for common paupers? Every item should be raised to a thousand taels per catty. Only then would Your Highness truly taste aristocratic luxury."
Zhu Cunji: "!!"
Anger gauge: MAXIMUM.
At this point, all Zhu Cunji needed was to rotate the joystick forward, back, and press the A button—
—to unleash his ultimate move.