Mythical Qin: I, Gao Yao, will never be a eunuch!

Chapter 1156 The Special Nature of Dongyi City, Gaoyao's Hidden Strength!

Gao Yao wanted to change the world; he had said this idea before. Fan Xian recalled that time in the top-floor private room of Gao's Restaurant, when Gao Yao stood by the window overlooking the night view of Kyoto and said, "Fan Xian, what do you think this world should look like?"

At the time, Fan Xian didn't think much of it, dismissing it as the arrogant words of a merchant. But now it seems that there was a very deep scheme behind those words.

However, Fan Xian still thought Gao Yao's idea was a bit too simplistic.

The strength of both Nanqing and Beiqi is far more complex than it appears on the surface.

Even the so-called Dongyi City was not so easy to conquer.

Dongyi City is the most unique of the three powerful nations in the world. It is not a country, yet it possesses strength comparable to one; it is merely a city, yet it can influence the economic lifeline of the entire realm. Fan Xian had read a detailed report about Dongyi City in the Overwatch Council, and the more he read, the more alarmed he became.

The reason why Dongyi City stands out from Nanqing and Beiqi and enjoys a great reputation is because Dongyi City has a large population and many experts.

Who would be willing to commit a large number of troops to a city? This question once puzzled Fan Xian. But now he understands—it's not that they're unwilling, but that they can't. The key to Dongyi City's ability to stand shoulder to shoulder with Nanqing and Beiqi lies in its absolute economic and military advantages.

Fan Xian also recalled the assessment report from the Economic Department of the Overwatch Council on the Taiping Bank in Dongyi City. The report showed that the Taiping Bank controlled more than 30% of the gold and silver circulation in the world, and that wealthy merchants from various countries, and even royal nobles, deposited their assets in the Taiping Bank. This was because everyone knew that no matter how turbulent the world was, Dongyi City would always remain neutral, and the Taiping Bank would always be safe.

A nation can be an advantage at times, but it can also be a burden at others. A nation's development involves far too many factors to consider; it's not simply a matter of money and resources.

Fan Xian recalled the memorials Emperor Qing had to handle daily, ranging from border military reports to local disasters, from the appointment and dismissal of officials to tax collection—a myriad of matters, each requiring considerable mental effort. Meanwhile, the managers of Dongyi City only needed to consider how to make money grow and how to maintain the city's prosperity and stability.

There are many issues to consider, including people's livelihood, economy, population, policies, and many other aspects. Dongyi City is different; it is more like a city-state with a high degree of free trade. This existence, coupled with the Taiping Money Shop founded by Ye Qingmei, has implicitly reinforced this existence.

Ye Qingmei...it's Ye Qingmei again. Fan Xian realized that no matter where he looked, he could always see traces left by his mother. The operating model of Taiping Money Shop clearly carried the financial concepts of another world. No wonder Dongyi City always held special feelings for Ye Qingmei, and Si Gu Jian even publicly expressed his respect for Ye Qingmei.

Economic prosperity means wealth and more resources. In addition, as a neutral force, and with both countries acknowledging the existence of Dongyi City, the Taiping Money Shop in Dongyi City is more favored by the money shops in both countries. Its assets are more substantial and safer, which is an invisible influence.

With money and abundant resources, more masters could be cultivated. Fan Xian turned to another page of the report, which listed the known martial arts masters of Dongyi City. There were forty-seven martial artists of the eighth rank or above, including eleven of the ninth rank. This number was almost equivalent to the total number in Nanqing and Beiqi combined.

Even more frightening is that Dongyi City has its own unique system for training martial artists. They have specialized martial arts academies, comprehensive teaching methods, and substantial funding allocated from the profits of the Taiping Bank. Every talented young person, regardless of their social status, has the opportunity to receive the best training.

This means that the number of eighth and ninth-rank martial artists in Dongyi City is almost equal to the total number in Nanqing and Beiqi.

This absolute military deterrence brings stability and security. Anyone who dares to attack Dongyi City will face a relentless assault from Grandmaster Si Gu Jian and his elite troops, targeting all of the opposing leadership. With this threat, neither Nanqing nor Beiqi dares to act rashly; whoever does will suffer the consequences.

Fan Xian recalled the rare solemnity on Emperor Qing's face when he mentioned Dongyi City: "Si Gu Jian alone is worth 100,000 soldiers, not to mention the entire Dongyi City behind him. Unless we are confident that we can destroy it in one fell swoop, it will be of no use to take action."

This was only within Dongyi City. Fan Xian continued reading the report. Although Dongyi City was just a city, it governed dozens of villages and more than a dozen small vassal states. These vassal states were not large, but they all tacitly maintained a united front with Dongyi City, meaning that they would instantly form an alliance should war break out.

The report included a troop strength assessment of the Dongyi City Alliance. While seemingly weak due to their dispersed nature in peacetime, they could muster over 150,000 troops in wartime, many of whom were elite soldiers familiar with the terrain and skilled in guerrilla warfare. More importantly, the alliance's economic lifeline was entirely dependent on Dongyi City, resulting in a high degree of alignment of interests.

This is a highly efficient method. The best way for these small vassal states to maintain their autonomy is to ally with Dongyi City. Dongyi City is wealthy, and alliances with it can generate even more revenue, thus preserving greater autonomy. These vassal states naturally wouldn't give up this opportunity, as it's closely related to their own interests, thus forming a highly efficient alliance.

This completely changed Fan Xian's understanding of Dongyi City. It wasn't just a city, but a new type of political system bound together by economics, military force, and shared ideology. It demonstrated an organizational form entirely different from traditional states—efficient, flexible, and highly resilient.

And Gaoyao...

Fan Xian's thoughts returned to the mysterious figure. He took out the latest investigation report from the Overwatch Council on the Gao Yao faction. This report, over thirty pages long, documented the astonishing speed of this business empire's expansion.

In Gaoyao, Fan Xian learned through a long investigation by the Supervisory Council that the place had only existed for a little over six months. But in those six months, Gao's Restaurant had grown from an ordinary restaurant in the capital to a chain spanning twelve prefectures; Gao's Trading Company had transformed from a small silk-trading caravan into a powerful conglomerate controlling three major trade routes.

The other industries connected to Gao's Restaurant have only existed for about five or six years. The report lists seventeen industries with clandestine ties to Gaoyao, covering mining, textiles, shipping, and even arms manufacturing. These industries appear independent on the surface, but in reality, they have close financial ties, forming a vast network.

But now that he possesses such terrifying strength, how could Fan Xian not be shocked?

What alarmed Fan Xian most was the striking similarity between Gaoyao's expansion methods and those of Dongyi City—both were based on economic interests, both were adept at cultivating and recruiting talent, and both built networks of connections among powerful figures in various countries. The difference was that Gaoyao's reach was deeper, its actions faster, and it clearly carried a specific, definite purpose.