Zhao Boan was born to a merchant’s family. His father was a small itinerant merchant. Now the family property was in his hands, but the business environment had become harder than ever.
Small merchants needed a stable society. To them, troubled times were like natural disasters were to peasants. They could hardly fight against them.
Now was the time for bandits and robbers to rise, because one could earn more by robbing than by doing business. If you had strong fighting skills, you could protect yourself and make a fortune, but if not, then you could only become a target for bandits.
The trade route between Jadeite Forest and the Avalon of Five Elements had not been formally recognized by the Elders Guild, which meant that it was still a smuggling route. Despite this, the caravans were secure as they all had aristocratic families backing them.