During the Gengzi period of the Qing Dynasty, there were bandits inside and rampant foreigners outside. The two palaces are at odds and the government is in decline; officials are corrupt and party disputes are acute; border troubles are frequent and the country is exhausted; the war is rising and the people are resentful. The swords of the Yihe Quan and the artillery fire of the foreign devils had thrown the Empress Dowager Cixi into chaos. Faced with the tragic situation that is riddled with holes, the crumbling temples, the ruthless military equipment, and the new party that is eyeing the enemy, she, who has been arrogant for a lifetime, has trouble sleeping and eating, feels like sitting on pins and needles, and is stuck in the quagmire of being exhausted. The Qiao family in Qixian County, Shanxi Province, adjacent to the capital, is a place of wealth and conducts a noble life; adhering to the purpose of being virtuous and advocating business, helping the poor and the needy, and constantly striving for self-improvement; adhering to the foundation of honesty and integrity, recruiting talented people, choosing places to make money; setting up business houses widely to gather wealth from all over the world, and developing banks to integrate capital from all over the world. Among the talented people in the Qiao family, Gao Yu, the big shop owner of the German brand, stands out as a maverick. He has the stature of a Confucian businessman, has a sharp vision, and is determined to do his own thing. He is calm in harsh situations, and is able to maneuver in narrow gaps. He shuttles between the political and business worlds, and is good at dancing. Before the war broke out, he decisively withdrew his account and returned to the bank, which saved the Qiao family from a catastrophe; when the emperor and empress went on a hunt to the west, they generously donated money to welcome him, and used the Boxer indemnity to achieve the great cause of the financial empire.
