The Three Kingdoms: The Prodigal Son of Shu Han, starting with a fiery blaze at Wolong Ridge.

Summary

. Cao Cao implemented a gradual increase in tariffs on Shu brocade and Shu salt to undermine Liu Bei's trading operations, following Jiang Ji's strategy of subtle manipulation. Initially, the Mi brothers, who managed the merchant convoy, did not perceive the impact of the slight tariff increases. However, they soon realized their profits were diminishing as the prices agreed upon with buyers became less favorable. Mi Zhu prioritized maintaining the merchant's credibility and refrained from raising prices, resulting in some losses. Frustrated, Mi Fang expressed anger over the situation, feeling targeted by the Nakahara gentry. Mi Zhu speculated that Jiang Ji was behind the tariff increase, which threatened their profits from essential military commodities. Liu Mang suggested that the Mi family trading company could cut off supplies to the Nakahara gentry, but Mi Zhu hesitated, recognizing the profitability of their current dealings. Liu Mang explained the principles of supply and demand, asserting that they had created an illusion of dependency on the Nakahara gentry. He believed that Cao Cao was searching for alternatives to Shu brocade and Shu salt but had not yet succeeded. By raising prices in response to the tariffs, they could force the Nakahara gentry to compromise, flipping the situation to their advantage before alternatives were found. .

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