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The Silk Road Opens

Welcome back to Chang-an, humble administrator. You will soon be assuming the duties of a new post recently created by our Emperor Wu Di -- Commissioner of Trade. You see, it was many years ago that our emperor dispatched an envoy, Zhang Qian to make an alliance with the Yuezhi tribe against the troublesome Xiongnu. The envoy was not heard of for over 10 years, and feared dead. Just recently however, he has returned, and the stories he has of distant lands are quite incredible.
Soon after departing, he was captured by the Xiongnu. After a few years he escaped their clutches and, being a loyal servant, attempted to complete his mission. His quest to locate the Yuezhi tribe took him far to the west, to the distant land of Ferghana, and the Pamir Mountains. It was there he discovered that these people prized Chinese goods, which had somehow found their way into those lands. In fact, their passion for our fine silk is particularly keen. This exciting news has delighted our Emperor, who wisely foresees that much profit can be made by government control of this trade. In return for Chinese silk, the distant city of Kashgar offers jade and savory new spices.
Meanwhile, in Chang-an, lovely flowering trees can be planted to further beautify the city's streets and wards. The Emperor also requests that a Grand Tumulus -- his imperial mausoleum -- be prepared for his eventual use. It will be your honor to find a beneficial location for it and to oversee its construction. To the north, however, rumblings from the Gobi Desert grow ever louder and more incessant. The Xiongnu problem remains unsolved ...

City - Chang-an
Starts Feb 126 BCE
Starting cash carried over from Episode 1 - 40,467

Requirements:
  • Grand Tumulus must be built
  • Treasury of 150 000
  • 7 Menagerie Animal Types Required
  • Population of 4500


This city is a continuation from Mission 1. I had already placed enough housing in that first mission that I met the population goal within months of starting the mission. Since almost everything I needed in the city was laid out, all I did was expand some of the industry and place the Tumulus and associated buildings.

I had started logging wood for the Grand Tumulus late in the previous mission as I had an excess of workers and had left space for it. Building a Grand Tumulus is a long process, with 89 wood and 876 loads of dirt required. Therefore I would suggest placing it as soon as possible. The first thing that happens is the ground is excavated by labourers and then the burial goods must be delivered. You need to have these stored in a warehouse with road connection to the Tumulus and they must be delivered in the right order. You must have 4 lacquerware delivered before silk is delivered, and 4 silk before the first 4 ceramics are delivered and so forth. Once they are all delivered the rest of the Tumulus is built on top of the burial goods.

To help speed up the Tumulus's construction I called Xi Wang Mu to the city. She also has the benefit of being able to catch a Panda and Salamander to start your animal collection to meet the Menagerie Goal. Once I had these animals I started gifting them to other cities and eventually received all 9 animals. I also had Xi Wang Mu occasionally blessing jade carvers.

I started the mission with 40,467 cash so needed to make another 110,000 to meet the Treasury Goal. I had 6 cities open for trading when the mission started, 5 carried over from Mission 1 and Jiaozhou which was a new city. Jiaozhou voluntarily became my vassal the next month. There was one other city shown on the world map, Kashgar, I requested trade with them as soon as the mission started and they agreed. With all these cities open there is plenty of opportunity for profit from trade and between taxes and trade in later years I made a profit of over 35,000 a year. As is my normal practice I paid Very High wages and taxed at Outrageous.

In August 125 Jiaozhou rebelled, presumably a scripted rebellion since I hadn't done anything to anger them. I could have built a military and quashed their rebellion but I was selling all the weapons I could make and decided not to bother. I therefore ignored them and they stayed rebelling throughout the mission despite some gifts of carved jade. Since I was producing more of many goods than I could sell I gave gifts to most of the cities, and I was extremely popular throughout the Empire.

As expected the Grand Tumulus was the last goal met with the final level completed in November 117. I had a final Treasury of 338,219, 9 Menagerie Animals and population of 4533.

Trade
CityBuysSells
Xiongnu*Silk 12
*Millet 12		Jade 12
Guangzhou*Iron 24
#Carved Jade 12
*Wheat 12
Beancurd 24		Salt 24
Rice 12
Weapons 12
Chengdu*Wheat 24
*Weapons 24
Salt 12		Rice 36
Lacquerware 12
Silk 12
Wood 24
YinLacquerware 24
*Ceramics 12		Beancurd 24
Millet 36
Hemp 12
Fuzhou*Silk 24
*Iron 24
Lacquerware 12
*Weapons 12		Rice 24
Salt 12
Wood 24
Nanyue*Fish 12
*Weapons 12		Rice 12
Wood 12
Jade 12
Jiaozhou*Millet 12
*Wheat 12
#Carved Jade 12
*Weapons 12		Lacquer 12
Rice 12
Game meat 12
Hemp 12
Kashgar*Silk 24
Salt 12
Lacquerware 12
#Carved Jade 12		Spices 12
Jade 24

*Can produce
#Can produce if raw materials are imported

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