Chapter 111: The Great Han's Ox and Horse

After Liu Ju announced that the Southern Development Project was open for bidding to society, Long Peace Media's newspapers quickly gave it extensive coverage.

For a moment, the streets and alleys of the entire Great Han were abuzz with discussion of this.

The newspapers detailed the bidding rules, project content, and the operating profit share that contractors could enjoy, giving ordinary people a clearer understanding of this novelty.

Previously, the people of the Great Han had grown accustomed to Liu Ju's constant innovations, but after hearing about this big move, they were still shocked.

For a moment, the streets and alleys, market teahouses, everywhere were filled with people's discussion of this, various voices intertwined, not lacking opposing and doubtful voices.

"This Southern Development sounds novel, but who knows if it's good or bad! We've lived our whole lives in the north, our ancestors generation after generation have guarded this land; they say that place in the south is filled with miasma and rampant epidemics—sending us to develop it isn't that pushing people into a pit of fire?"

"I've heard there are all kinds of fierce beasts in the southern mountains and forests—going there might cost you your life. Moreover, developing the south will surely cost a lot of money, and that money won't come from anywhere else but us commoners; when the time comes, taxes will only increase—how are we supposed to get by?"

"In my view, this Southern Development policy is probably just an excuse for certain nobles in the court to line their pockets. They say they're letting the people contract projects, but who knows if there's any graft inside? Maybe in the end, all the benefits will be taken by the powerful and influential, leaving us commoners just busily working for nothing."

"This policy looks like it encourages everyone to participate, but we small merchants—how can we compare to those big clans? They have money and influence, and will surely find a way to snatch all the good projects. Even if we join the bidding, we're just making up the numbers; in the end, it'll be like drawing water with a bamboo basket—all for nothing."

"The emperor wants to develop the south and says he'll let everyone undertake the projects—this isn't a joke! We commoners barely know a few characters, let alone handle engineering. Moreover, going to the south where we're unfamiliar with the land and people, who knows what we'll encounter?"

"Establishing a secondary capital is a big deal! I hear they want to move some of the capital's functions there—will that work? Chang'an is the foundation of our Great Han; all this prosperity over the years has been here. Suddenly creating a secondary capital, I just feel uneasy about it."

"I say, this is just tossing the commoners about."

"The Son of Heaven's Southern Development plan is truly a grand scheme that benefits the state and the people! Now Chang'an's population is surging, like a person overstuffed, and all kinds of problems are popping up. Job opportunities are dwindling, young people can't find work; if this continues, how can society stay stable?"

"The south—vast land, abundant resources, like an uncarved jade. Developing the south not only opens new living space for Chang'an's people, but also creates countless job positions, giving young people a stage to display their talents."

"These years doing business in Chang'an, I've deeply felt how fierce the competition is. Take our line of work—more and more rivals, the market is nearly saturated. But the south is different; there, commerce has just begun, full of limitless business opportunities."

"We artisans also support the Southern Development! Now work in Chang'an is dwindling, everyone's about to run out of food. If the south is developed, it will surely require massive construction—building houses, bridges, water facilities—all of which need lots of artisans."

"Besides Chang'an's population and employment problems, don't forget the situation on the Loess Plateau. The Loess Plateau lacks resources, suffers severe soil erosion, and people's lives are hard. Developing the south can relocate part of the population there, easing the pressure on the Loess Plateau."

"The Son of Heaven truly is far-sighted, seeing the crux of these problems. We should fully support the Southern Development plan, making the Great Han even more prosperous and flourishing."

Various voices filled the streets and alleys of the Great Han; Southern Development, for a moment, became a hot topic among the people.

And in the west side of Chang'an City, inside a residential area where merchants gathered.

Xu Wei sat in his cramped, dim study, the desk before him piled with materials on the Southern Development Project; candlelight flickered, illuminating his face, full of fatigue yet showing determination.

He had once been a geomancy painter who carried romance and ideals, obsessed with the wondrous courses of mountains and rivers, intoxicated with exploring the mysterious rhythms of heaven and earth.

Once, for a few strings of cash from a clan bigwig, he shouldered his pack, picked up his brush, and traversed the length and breadth of the country, recording every splendid scene of the magnificent mountains and rivers in his scrolls.

A naturally born laborer's holy body, genuine and true.

In his paintings, there was the lone smoke rising straight from the desert beyond the frontier, the grand and magnificent sight of a long river's setting sun;

there were the small bridges and flowing waters of the Jiangnan water towns, the soft, delicate misty rain.

Every stroke and line poured forth his love and awe for nature.

However, in this era, geomancy painting, though it has unique artistic value, is after all a niche profession, hard to make a stable living to support a family.

Watching those around him shine and thrive on their suitable tracks, he kept hitting walls everywhere—how could he not feel awful?

The general environment was poor; geomancy painting found no appreciators, and even if his painting skills were superb, he couldn't exchange them for a few taels of silver.

Left with no choice, he could only abandon his dream, plunge into the business world, thinking first to solve his food and clothing needs.

Relying on the experience accumulated from his earlier travels south and north and the stubbornness in his bones, Xu Wei also managed to figure out a few tricks in the business world.

He was like a keen‑nosed hunter, always able to precisely spot business opportunities. By doing north‑south trade, he earned a sum of money, and his life finally looked like it had a glimmer of hope.

But reality wouldn't let him off so easily.

Later, as Emperor Liu Ju continually introduced new measures, commerce sprang up everywhere, competition became extraordinarily fierce, and this big environment grew ever less friendly to small merchants.

After Xu Wei arrived in Chang'an, he felt the pressure mounting even more.

Here the business circle was like a huge vortex, with various forces intricately tangled, and "involution" was severe beyond imagination.

Those big merchants with background and resources held the advantage, continually squeezing the living space of small merchants like Xu Wei.

To keep a foothold in Chang'an, Xu Wei could only keep "involving" himself, trying various new businesses, day and night thinking of ways to expand his network and cut costs.

But no matter how hard he tried, he could hardly break through his current predicament.

Malicious competition among peers and high operating costs caused his business to gradually go downhill, making expenses exceed income a norm.

His former savings dwindled away like water, leaving him feeling back at square one, even more lost than before.

Just as Xu Wei felt lost and desperate, Emperor Liu Ju's rollout of the Southern Development plan was like a dawn light, illuminating his path forward.

He heard that the Southern Development could not only bring him new opportunities but also contribute strength to the nation's prosperity.

The Great Han's ox and horse, Xu Wei, felt moved; he recalled the southern lands he had once traversed—fertile land, beautiful mountains and rivers, brimming with infinite potential.

He believed that, relying on the experience he had accumulated over years of wandering the rivers and lakes and his understanding of local customs across regions, he would surely find his own opportunity in the Southern Development.

Although his family strongly opposed, fearing he would lose again and lose everything, Xu Wei's mind was made up; he decided to go all in, pouring all his family's assets into the bidding for the Southern Development project.

In his mind, this was not only a chance to change his fate, but also a way to realize his self‑worth.

He longed to regain his former passion and dreams on this new land, and with his own hands create a new world.

Even if the road ahead is full of unknowns and risks, he is willing to give his all—for himself, his family, and the future of the Great Han—to throw himself into the fray.