I Want to Be Emperor.

Summary

Liu Che's plan involved exploiting the wealth of the richest merchants in the Han Dynasty, particularly the Cheng, Zhuo, and Bing families, who had formed a monopoly in iron smelting. He summoned these merchants to Chang'an for discussions, leveraging their power and wealth. Meanwhile, the maritime industry was similarly monopolized by the nobility, with significant profits from whaling. Liu Che aimed to extract resources from both the maritime and Bai Yue regions, summoning local leaders to contribute financially to the central government. Shi Dan, a merchant, quickly complied, offering his wealth to gain favor and status, illustrating the intertwining of commerce and imperial power in the Han Dynasty.

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