The Rise of Industry in the Great Song

The first capitalist in history? Dude, you don't know history. Capitalism is a negative thing; its essence is exploitation and monopoly. They compete with the government for resources and squeeze every last drop of profit from the people. The Ming Dynasty was full of capitalists, exactly as you described. They cultivated a bunch of spokespeople, didn't pay taxes, and supported barbarians.

You can't become a capitalist by relying on fists, guns, and cold weapons. Only by relying on steel, machinery, and firearms can you become a capitalist. Only such capitalists have the power to break the feudal relations of production.

Do you think that doing business makes you a capitalist? You have to be able to maintain your position and social standing to be considered a capitalist.

I'd rather have a cheat code than play with gunpowder! Since it's a blacksmith shop, focus on iron and steel smelting and steel products. You've traveled to ancient times and don't want to crush your opponents with superior knowledge; you want to fight them with fists and melee weapons, with schemes and tricks, using your weaknesses against their strengths.

First, time travel is already a huge advantage, but if that's not enough, a system is added on top. Second, the protagonist, despite having both a time traveler and a system, relies on his personal martial arts skills for survival. Do readers read a historical novel to see you fight ancient people with brute force?

Capitalists are never born naturally, nor are they created through imperial favors; they are born from the triumph of iron and blood over feudal lords. The Glorious Revolution in England required the execution of King Charles I and the defeat of Cromwell's restoration. France needed the execution of Louis XVI and numerous defeats by anti-French coalitions. Even the United States needed the Civil War to eliminate slave-owning power.

It gets increasingly boring; the recurring pattern is: encountering the master, fellow disciples coming to the protagonist with problems -> the protagonist uses technology to solve them -> another problem arises -> yet another technology is used… The protagonist's thoughts, development plans, ambitions, and growth are nowhere to be seen; he's just aimlessly climbing the tech tree.

This kind of story is actually the guide for ordinary people to travel back in time. Those stories that involve going back to the past to play mind games, engage in power struggles, fight each other, or use systems are actually using their own weaknesses to attack the strengths of the ancients. It would feel unreal if they survived for more than 5 episodes.

The section on industry focuses heavily on martial arts competitions and the like, giving it a martial arts world feel, which is somewhat off-topic.

You capitalists, show some nationalistic spirit! Squid is pure capitalism, it's disgusting.