This guide assumes you have done the tutorial at least once.

• Do not marry until you can move to Imperial and get Metropolis match-make
  
• Do not save Renewal Coupon (you get tons later)
  
• Selling and Upgrading all carrier not good early on, better buy better tier on new slot unlock if can.
  
• Save scum recruit until 5 result
  
• Make tons of kids as they will be stronger stats than your recruits.
  
• Use Map Mode Inquiry to make multiple stop-by during your path to get maximum profit
  
• Invest in Firm ASAP

There's 10 province you can choose to start with.
I'll list the order of the priority to collect the caravan props for me.

• Trade Prosperity Chops (+3 Contribution on quest complete ) -- Really Strong to pick first because it really jump-start how fast you get contribution for other province later on. Also, it starts at Imperial province, which is super good for min-maxing. See marriage later.
  
• Wooden Boat (Can travel by water) -- get this afterwards because it open up the map so much and saves time
  
• Backpack (+25% Load) -- Get this afterwards for easier time to get maximum single sales
  
• Kettle ( Can Travel to Xiyu Province) --- Necessary for our next upgrade
  
• Phantasmagoric Footwear (+0.5 Caravan Speed) --- Zoomies
  
• Statue of Guan Gong (+50% Caravan Power) --- Big boost to guard power because later on if you want to carry maximum amount of highest value for maximum single sale, your guard probably wont be enough and always proc the bandits.
  
• Lucky Charm (Can negate random bad event) --- No more random +fatique/-cart
  
• Sandalwood Cart (+50 Carrier Status Cap) -- Less Repair
  
• Gorgeous Clothing(-50% fatigue speed) -- less time spent on inn the better
  
• Felt Hat (Can travel to Tubo) --- for next one
  
• Glacier Cordyceps ( Fatigue +50) - less inn
  
• Confucius Analect (3% Bargain Power ) -- more money
  
• Cornucopia (50% Strategy Firm Power) -- Last because require imperial tribute

Donkey works fine for me, can still get the required maximum sales
I advise not to sell every single carrier you have. Instead just buy a better one every time you get new slot and max it.

Early on, the sending message quest probably the only one you can do, so start picking up those only on the province you started on (Press B for boundary). You want to accumulate to 100 total province ASAP, and don't do quest on cities you've unlocked all the market items. Start from Village->Town->City->County->Metropolis. If you do it fast enough, you will only get contested by AI Firm on village, and can completely run through Town above before they even start which lead to no-cost investment on share. Use Map Mode Inquiry to make multiple stop-by during your path to get maximum profit
Also use the renewal coupon as needed. you get tons more than you can use

Start from village to up as fast as you can, you probably need to "Promote" 1-2 time to make sure you stay above 50% share, no need 100%. The only strategy you gonna really use is The Rumor in late game to take over the market. Build all of them as fast as you can until you can make the metropolis one. After you make firm on 1 province, if you want to expand while getting more props on the way, only take the metropolis firm first because most likely little to no competition yet.

You gonna start on village recruit early on obviously to fill the rank. Make sure to save before recruiting, and save-scum until you get 5 recruits at once. And just hire them all. Their stats difference is small so no need re-roll much as long as you get 5.

The priority is your caravan first.
Deputy 1->Deputy 2->Navigator->Guard->Accountant
Chef and Craftsman can be filler or left open if needed. (fill it if you can ofc)
For firm, the priority is Scholar->Counselor->Managing Director , Accountant is later for late game.

I also like to keep few good unemployed recruits to be branching manager when i open new firm.

Assuming you got decent money, build your house and move it to Imperial (400k) because you want your offspring to learn from the highest teacher for maximum potential. Then go ahead and match-make with Metropolis girls. Afterward you keep "woohoo" every time u can while upgrading your house so u can make more kids. On record, i started at around 27 Age when i got enough money. Once your kids is an adult, choose the best stats kid (probably gonna be 39 at most) to become your patriach, then matchmake them with another metropolis, and repeat the cycle. Later on your family gonna be the have the best stats (caps at 50) and fill your every rank.

Your scholar generates you R&D points which you want to always use up, the priority would be Control Limit ((to make sure your share always grow)->Number of Firm (as needed)->Base Control->Aid Capacity (caps at 5)->Rumor->base commission rate. Promotion and Price war doesn't really get used.

You get these in late game from paying tribute to Imperial. You can use these to 100% your share on a certain product as long as you already have more than 50% (you pay accordingly).

You need accountant for this, this helps you to accumulate contribution by paying money to the city you have firm on. This is mainly to unlock more goods for "Total Strategy" which is a strategy that apply all goods instead of 1 by 1.

One of your hardest criteria for ranking up. My tips is to go one of your metropolis, take the highest value item ( most bottom) , then use inquiry to go to highest markup. Make sure to upgrade your carriers accordingly.

One of the slowest criteria for ranking up. Always make sure your shares isn't limited by research. Take over metropolis on every region while getting caravan props. Unlock every goods->Total Strategy->Rumor (save scum).



It took me around 35 year to get The Merchant. Probably can be under 30 if min-maxed.