Chapter Forty-One: Sanctions from All Sides

In the Imperial Palace of the Great Qi Empire, Emperor Qin Tian had just concluded the morning court session when he summoned the Third Prince, Qin Zhen, and the Minister of Personnel to the Imperial Study.

Sun Wei had been brought into the capital yesterday and was currently held in the Celestial Prison. The Emperor was furious over the recent military defeat. With the exception of Liu Zhizhong, who had been shielded by the Third Prince, almost all the generals of the Qingyun Army had been punished.

"What is the current situation in Beining City?" the Emperor asked, his face dark.

Fan Jin, the Minister of Personnel, hurriedly replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the city is suffering from a shortage of food and winter supplies. The Ministry of Personnel has ordered all regional governments to strictly prohibit any commercial dealings with Beining City."

"Hmm, but that is not enough." A cold glint flashed in the Emperor's eyes. "Is Qin Xuan not arrogant? Then send envoys to notify the Jurchen, Hangu, and other nations to sever all trade ties with Beining City. I want to see how he survives this winter."

"As you command, Your Majesty."

"Furthermore, have your men keep a close watch on those people. If they dare head toward Beining City, kill them all." The "those people" the Emperor referred to were, naturally, Qiu Xingzhi, the four major merchant guilds, and the eight major security firms that had previously supported Qin Xuan.

"Please rest assured, Father. I have already dispatched the Brocade Guards to monitor them in secret. If they dare leave the city, they will surely die," the Third Prince said, his voice filled with murderous intent.

On the other side, following the Great Qi Empire's decree, Beining City was completely besieged on all sides. Although Qin Xuan had anticipated that the Great Qi would take such measures, he still felt the terrifying power of this vast empire when the blockade was truly implemented. To pit one city against an entire nation—how arduous a task that was!

In the Prince of Chu's mansion in Beining City, Zhao Luoying threw a secret report onto the table in a rage. "The Emperor of Great Qi is truly shameless to resort to such despicable tactics!"

"Was this not already within our expectations?" Qin Xuan smiled, unfazed. "Luoying, you must stop viewing Beining City as just a city; you should see it as a country. If we want to survive, we must consider everything with a broader perspective."

"But I cannot swallow this frustration; it is simply too bullying." Zhao Luoying was a heroine on the battlefield, but such dark political maneuvering was not her forte.

Qin Xuan shook his head with a faint smile and pulled her gently into his embrace. "Don't be angry. Haven't we already begun refining high-quality salt and upgrading our farming tools? As long as we endure this winter, neither Great Qi nor the Jurchen will be able to suppress us through trade again."

Mentioning these, Zhao Luoying’s eyes lit up, and she smiled. "I almost forgot! Isn't that coal stove you had the blacksmith shop forge ready? Let me try it."

"Here, I’ve been waiting for you," Qin Xuan said, pointing to a yellow brass coal stove in the corner. Zhao Luoying ran over excitedly.

Qin Xuan then had coal briquettes brought over and lit the fire.

"Wait, why do these briquettes have holes in them? Why not use coal balls?" The people of Great Qi were accustomed to using coal for heating, but coal balls were expensive to produce, burned too quickly, and were inefficient, making them accessible only to the wealthy and powerful.

The coal briquettes Qin Xuan had developed were made from fine coal dust mixed with a specific amount of clay, molded into cylinders, and punched with holes to increase their flammability and durability. Such briquettes were cheap enough for even commoners to use daily.

"My Prince, how many ingenious ideas are hidden in your mind? Why is it that even the most ordinary things turn into marvels in your hands?" Watching the briquettes turn red without emitting the thick black smoke that coal balls usually produced, Zhao Luoying beamed.

Qin Xuan smiled, though his gaze lingered on the stove, thinking that while brass saved time, it was too expensive to produce. It seemed he would have to have the blacksmiths find a way to produce thinner, cheaper iron sheets, otherwise, it would never be widely adopted by the public. As for the brass stove, its delicate and elegant appearance made it perfect as a luxury product for the wealthy.

Days passed, and while the food reserves in Beining City were bottoming out, the cheap coal stoves, coal briquettes, and refined salt had all entered the assembly line and were being mass-produced. Yet, no matter how good these products were, they could not be traded for the most essential item: food.

Grain prices in Beining City began to soar, rising higher each day, and many citizens were left with nothing to eat.

"My Prince, grain prices have risen again," Zhao Luoying said the next day, finding Qin Xuan with a heavy heart.

Qin Xuan nodded slightly. He had anticipated this, but since Hu Xu had not yet returned, he could only dip into the city's treasury to buy food and distribute it to the people. He knew, however, that this was merely quenching his thirst with poison. In a few days, if no new grain arrived, even money would not be enough to buy food.

"Is there still no news from Hu Xu and Guan Xingsheng?" Zhao Luoying asked with concern.

Qin Xuan frowned slightly. Just as he was about to speak, footsteps sounded outside the hall, and Zhuge Xuan ran in, looking ecstatic.

"My Prince, a message from a carrier pigeon! It's from Hu Xu." Zhuge Xuan handed a small letter to Qin Xuan in a rush.

Qin Xuan opened it quickly, his face brightening at first, but turning somber the next second. "Hu Xu has secured food and supplies, but they encountered an interception by the Great Qi army mid-journey and are waiting for us to rescue them."

"What? Where are they? I will take troops to save them right now!" Zhao Luoying stood up, her face filled with murderous intent.

Qin Xuan shook his head. "You stay behind to guard Beining City and assist the strategist in steadying the people. I will lead the team to rescue them myself."

As he spoke, both Zhao Luoying and Zhuge Xuan felt a terrifying aura erupt from Qin Xuan. The Prince was truly enraged this time!

"Do you need to bring Ning Yuanfeng and Du Manjiang?" Zhuge Xuan asked.

"No, Hu Xu and his men are trapped in the Helan Mountains, which is only a hundred miles away. I will take Monkey and a troop of cavalry."

Monkey, who had once traveled around the city of Tianshan, was the most familiar with the surrounding terrain. Moreover, his specialty was scouting and assassination, so he was not suited for administrative duties in the city.

"Be careful on the road." Zhao Luoying did not dither, knowing this was the most reasonable arrangement. She also felt that Beining City was severely lacking in administrative talent. Du Manjiang and Ning Yuanfeng were excellent field commanders, but they were equally helpless when it came to government affairs. As for the original officials of Beining, too many were corrupt, and very few were fit for service.

"Wait for my return." Qin Xuan gave Zhao Luoying a gentle smile before turning and walking out of the hall.