Mythical Three Kingdoms

It can be said that the Money Exchange was built at the strong request of the aristocratic families and wealthy merchants clinging to Chen Xi's support. However, to fully cover all regions, Chen Xi needed help from these families and merchants, as they all had a complete network of relationships in their areas, which also served as the prototype of the aristocratic family's network.

Of course, the aristocratic families in each region wanted to establish it before Chen Xi proposed it, but the problem was that they didn't have the capability. Combining the resources of several families to build a regional one was doable, but in the eyes of the aristocratic families and wealthy merchants at that time, the important aspect of the Money Exchange was its range of influence!

Having just one county isn't significant; would only a few of them do business? They were all in the same county, always running into each other; was it even necessary?

Building a national Money Exchange network was very important to aristocratic families and merchants who had experienced its convenience, but who would take the lead? How to build it and manage it all were mysteries. In the end, they had to wait quietly for Chen Xi to speak, and naturally, he did call for it.

So, unlike what Liu Ba and others estimated about Chen Xi establishing a system, it was actually the aristocratic families and local lords who demanded its establishment. During its establishment, Chen Xi kept hinting to the aristocratic families that he wanted to back off, but he gave them and the local lords face.

Of course, Chen Xi wasn't building this for profit; it actually meant more about supervision. Once the Money Exchange system was embedded in every county of the Han Dynasty, high-value transactions using credit currency became an irreversible fact.

After all, the drawbacks of copper coins were too obvious, with their sheer weight being a headache. Once switched to ticket exchanges, Chen Xi could almost calculate the taxes of Cao Cao's Yongliang General Manor and Sun Ce's Jing-Yang General Village.

Chen Xi didn't believe that after Cao Cao and Sun Ce took this in, they wouldn't use such a convenient system just because it wasn't theirs. The advantage was overwhelming, and the disadvantage wasn't visible, so why not use it since it had already appeared?

Moreover, with the merchants' ticket exchanges, neither Cao Cao nor Sun Ce could calculate the tax evasion by aristocratic families and wealthy merchants, but Chen Xi could roughly estimate it. Of course, these aristocratic families and wealthy merchants probably couldn't imagine that Chen Xi could calculate such things based on ticket exchanges—they couldn't even calculate their own tax evasion accurately.

These were all advantages; although kept secret, once it accumulated to a certain extent, there would be too much evidence when it came time to act. Not only Liu Ba understood the need to strike against the powerful landlords, monopolistic merchants, and to support small and medium businesses, but Chen Xi's heart was as clear as a mirror.

However, Chen Xi understood that it was not yet the time to do these things. On the contrary, such large-scale transactions between the local lords could boost numerous industries under control, so they were still needed. As for the danger, the gun was still in hand.

Also, Chen Xi understood that for the people of this era, having enough to eat and wear was more important—everything else could be set aside. Chen Xi had already stabilized grain prices through official grain purchasing, and the transactions of large wealthy merchants had little impact on the common people.

Therefore, from this perspective, handing over the Yongliang Money Exchange to Liu Ba did nothing but give Chen Xi someone else to blame; it had basically no drawbacks. After all, seventy percent of the money had been sent to the General Manor, leaving only thirty percent in Yongliang.

Of course, thirty percent of the over two hundred billion in deposits from aristocratic families and powerful lords was still sixty to seventy billion, leaving an estimated thirty billion in Yongliang. This enormous sum was enough to make the inexperienced Liu Ba cry, though it was just scraps.

Thus, when Chen Xi received news of Liu Ba taking over, he just furrowed his brows with no surprise—those who wished to oppose Chen Xi had miscalculated. Liu Ba hadn't yet reached that level; even the biggest card in his hand, the Yongliang Money Exchange, was granted by Chen Xi.

Even when Liu Ba made the Yongliang economy flourish, Chen Xi considered whether to manipulate things slightly to bankrupt the Cao Clan Group and then acquire them, but such thoughts were brief, as it would ultimately harm the common people.

If Cao Cao's side had a better economy, it would simplify matters during a takeover since, in the end, martial force was what mattered, not economy. Moreover, even in economy, losing to Liu Ba while holding over double the funds would be ridiculous.

When Liu Ba made Cao Cao's side prosper, Chen Xi couldn't help some regret—it was a pity Liu Ba never paved his path from the start.

Of course, by that time, Guan Yu was quite displeased and thought it might have been better if he had cut Liu Ba down with one stroke outside Chang'an's city gate back then.

But that's another story. As of now, Xuu Ziyuan began engaging with civil officials on Cao Cao's side in Chang'an. Xuu Shao indeed had an impressive talent, as despite having no official position, he could thrive anywhere, such as now living in Grand Commandant Yang Biao's home.

After understanding the situation in Chang'an from Liu Yu, a clan relative not closely tied to any faction, Xuu Shao purposefully visited Yang Biao.

The two were old acquaintances and naturally had a pleasant conversation. Yang Biao's most outstanding son, Yang Xiu, also came to meet Xuu Shao. However, after seeing Yang Xiu, Xuu Shao felt somewhat regretful.

From Yang Xiu's demeanor, appearance, and expression, Xuu Shao could see that Yang Xiu was a genius-like figure, of a similar age to Chen Xi, so Xuu Shao examined him closely.

The conclusion Xuu Shao finally reached impressed him greatly. Had the Yang Family not fallen to such a state, Yang Xiu might have been like Fa Zheng, shining brilliantly. Unfortunately, the Yang Family had already entered the decline from the glory of the Three Dukes of Five Generations.

"Zijiang, if you have something to say, speak plainly; there's no need for such hesitation," Yang Biao, well-versed in the affairs of the world, immediately noticed Xuu Shao's indecision.

"Wenxian, your son will one day be dragged down by the Yang Family," Xuu Shao said quietly after setting down his wine cup. "His ambition reaches the heavens, his wisdom as deep as the sea, yet his fate is fragile as golden paper."

When Xuu Shao said the first sentence, Yang Biao drank silently, knowing the Yang Family would inevitably burden Yang Xiu. The wisdom as deep as the sea made him smile, but the third sentence startled him greatly.

"Is there a solution?" Yang Biao asked after a moment of silence.

"There is none," Xuu Shao replied, shaking his head.

In Xuu Shao's view, Yang Xiu's tragedy was already doomed. Yang Xiu was truly intelligent, but he no longer suited this era because the Yang Family had declined.

Yang Xiu was raised to the standards of the Three Dukes of Five Generations or even higher. At that height, simply having insight into worldly matters sufficed; there was no need to pander to anyone!

At that stature, issuing commands and garnering support from many around him was enough. But now, the Yang Family was no longer that supreme aristocratic family, and Yang Xiu was no longer someone who could issue orders without catering to others.

The willful actions of someone in a high position could be called bold and sweeping reforms, but for those in lower positions, even success would lead to a road of demise. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)