Chapter 328: Adding Insult to Injury

Chapter 328: Chapter 328: Adding Insult to Injury

"Commander, can't we borrow Sumeru Stones from the Great Guang Dynasty?" Tie Xue asked incredulously.

"Borrow? Haha, do you know how high the prices of Sumeru Stones are in the current Great Yu market? After this incident, other countries will follow suit in raising prices. Sumeru Stones are almost a necessity for cultivators. Our country has no reserves because they've always been traded among the people. Never before has there been such a big problem. Once we borrow, the Great Guang Dynasty will only buy them at a high price. After buying them back, do we sell them at a reduced price or the original price in Great Yu? What's the difference between the original and earlier prices? Even if we buy them back, Sumeru Stones can't be stored in storage bracelets, and transportation will also be a problem. There will definitely be constant disturbances and rampant looting. More importantly, after this lesson, the Great Guang Dynasty won't supply us with too many Sumeru Stones," Yi Yan said in a deep voice.

"The Great Guang won't lend us too many?" Tie Xue asked in confusion.

"I think it won't be long before the Great Luo Dynasty issues subsequent decrees tailored to our current situation, adding insult to injury. With the market in chaos, Great Yu is a prime example. The Great Guang Dynasty will certainly learn from this lesson and won't transport too many Sumeru Stones over, as that could potentially cause market turmoil within the Great Guang Dynasty itself if exploited by malicious actors. Therefore, not in the short term!" Yi Yan sighed deeply.

"Not in the short term? Then when?" Tie Xue worriedly asked.

"At least half a year!" Yi Yan said firmly.

"Half a year?" Tie Xue was puzzled.

"After this market turmoil, it will also serve as a lesson to the world. It won't be long before governments everywhere realize the dangers of market turmoil. Soon, governments will begin to stockpile various resources and enact regulations to stabilize prices. This is a bloody lesson for our Great Yu Dynasty, teaching the entire world," Yi Yan said with a bitter smile.

"The Great Guang Dynasty will take half a year to stockpile various resources and stabilize the market? By then, will they be able to transport Sumeru Stones over?" Tie Xue asked with concern.

"Yes!" Yi Yan affirmed.

"So what should we do? In half a year, Great Yu will surely be in turmoil! The Great Luo Dynasty's army is also watching us closely. This...?" Tie Xue looked worried.

"Don't worry, I'll handle this. I'll leave the frontline matters to you. I'll return to Sky City immediately," Yi Yan said.

"Yes!" Tie Xue immediately responded.

With Yi Yan's reassurance, Tie Xue felt much more at ease—

As Yi Yan predicted, amidst the chaos in the Great Yu Dynasty, the Great Luo Dynasty issued decrees targeting the situation.

"No trading allowed."

No merchants are allowed to trade with neighboring countries. Offenders will have all their goods confiscated and will be charged with treason. Informants will be rewarded with all of the offender's assets.

Cut off trading! This truly added insult to injury for the Great Yu Dynasty. As a result, there was no possibility of purchasing from the Great Luo, and given Great Yu's unique position, neighboring options were limited to the Great Guang and Great Luo. The Great Guang Dynasty, as Yi Yan mentioned, could lend spirit stones at most. Sumeru Stones? Unthinkable. They feared that their own country would also fall into market turmoil as a result.

Countries quickly began stockpiling resources, especially Sumeru Stones, to prevent domestic unrest.

Various decrees were swiftly issued to control the market and prevent rapid fluctuations in product prices.

Because wise individuals in each country had already realized that this economic turmoil was more terrifying and devastating than war itself—

Three months later, when the high-level officials of various countries received reports from Great Yu, they were drenched in cold sweat, relieved that it was only Great Yu.

"Safe travels!" Zhong Zheng replied.

Then, Green Cloud Wolf General led over a thousand huge ships, slowly heading towards Tianlang Island.

Turning to look at the people behind him, Zhong Zheng said, "Let's go, our business is not finished yet!"

"Yes!" Everyone immediately responded.

In the City Lord's Mansion of Glorious City, three months had passed since the economic collapse of the Great Yu Empire.

Various news had spread not only throughout the world but also to Glorious City.

In a secluded hall of the City Lord's Mansion, Fan Yipin held documents in his hands and carefully read them.

Standing beside Fan Yipin was another man in green, a former adviser in the study of the Great Xuan King, but with a lower status before Fan Yipin, still sincerely serving as the first strategist.

"Mr. Fan, is this the Tianbeng Plan? It's amazing! After this round, the Great Yu Empire has truly experienced an unprecedented disaster. It's so powerful. Perhaps Mr. Fan doesn't know sitting here, but I personally witnessed the madness within a city of the Great Yu Empire. It's as if the sky had collapsed!" The man in green said.

"Any other discoveries?" Fan Yipin asked.

"Well, there's a feeling, but I can't quite put my finger on it," the man in green replied.

"Oh?" Fan Yipin set down the documents and looked at the man in green.

"Logically, we are already the puppeteers behind the scenes. But I always feel that there's another hidden hand in the Great Yu Empire's economic market, even during moments of price fluctuations that nearly collapsed. Strangely enough, it's as if a black hand suddenly helped us. Very strange. I investigated for a long time afterwards but found nothing conclusive. So, I'm not sure," the man in green explained.

"Oh? More covert than our people, and you couldn't trace its origin? No clues at all?" Fan Yipin's pupils contracted.

"Perhaps I was overly suspicious. How could there be someone else when we are the true manipulators of the market, and no one understands our changes?" the man in green shook his head with a smile.

"That's not necessarily true. The mastermind behind this market manipulation isn't you or me; it's Dongfang Hou," Fan Yipin said in a deep voice.

"But those over a thousand people are all under His Majesty and the Prince!" the man in green said in confusion.

"But now, those involved in the Great Yu Empire's market in this Tianbeng Plan are not just those over a thousand people," Fan Yipin added.

"A plot within a plot? Are you saying that the hidden black hand is also sent by Zhong Shan?" the man in green widened his eyes.

"Besides that, it's hard to imagine other possibilities. With the Great Yu Empire's vitality greatly damaged, victories must surely be coming on the battlefield. However, before long, Yi Yan should be able to turn the tide. You go back and continue to investigate. I'll go ask Zhong Shan when the third step of the Tianbeng Plan will begin," Fan Yipin thought for a moment.

"Alright!" the man in green immediately responded.

Then, they split up. The man in green left Glorious City, while Fan Yipin went to meet Zhong Shan.

Fan Yipin quickly found Zhong Shan, who was extremely busy outside, amidst the tumultuous world and the grand waves of the market. Zhong Shan, however, sat with Princess Qianyou in a pavilion, holding a fishing rod and fishing in the pond. It was a picture of an immortal couple, seemingly in a different world altogether.