Luo Qian's expression suddenly changed and he scolded: "It is inconvenient to buy and sell grain, and it is not just the people who are harmed. In short, the current situation is very bad. I suggest that the grain must be collected at market price immediately."
Xu Jingchang frowned slightly and said, "Shang Shu Luo, the market prices vary greatly every day. The imperial court has limited financial resources and must take action at the right moment... Do you think now is the right time?"
Luo Qian was startled. He must be responsible for what he said casually, but he still nodded and said: "Dong Guo Gong, I think we should immediately order the collection of grain to prevent the price of grain from continuing to fall."
Xu Jingchang thought about it seriously, then looked at Jian Yi, "Tian Guan, what do you think of this matter?"
Jian Yi said: "What the ministers said makes sense. If the imperial court can spare some money, it seems that it should take action to save the people."
When Xu Jingchang heard this, he smiled and said: "Since Jian Tianguan said it, let's make an overall assessment to see how much money we can get... After all, none of us are serious about managing money. If we waste national money and people's wealth,
, it is not good if it is beyond the scope of the imperial court. I will write to Xia Shangshu later to ask for his opinion."
After saying that, Xu Jingchang said to Hu Yan: "Scholar Hu, have you recorded it properly?"
Hu Yan nodded hurriedly and said: "That's it."
Xu Jingchang smiled and said: "In that case, let's all sign. I will hand over the record to His Royal Highness later."
Everyone looked at each other and had nothing to say. This was the rule of the court.
It's just that after everyone finished writing, they were all a little confused... Is this Xu Jingchang's style?
When did the person named Xu become indecisive and do nothing? You must know that no matter how big things are over the years, Xu Jingchang has always been decisive and without any hesitation.
Even if he said he didn't understand the food issue, he still didn't know how much money the court could spend?
It stands to reason that there was someone in the Ming Dynasty who knew the treasury better than Xia Yuanji, and it must be Xu Jingchang! After all, Lao Xia was only in charge of the treasury, and Xu Jingchang once managed the internal funds.
Now that we are in a hurry to use money, we can allocate it from internal funds. It’s not like Xu Jingchang can’t do that!
Could it be that after being appointed as the new General Secretary, he became cautious again?
In short, a person who has never acted according to common sense is actually acting according to Ming Dynasty's rules at this moment. No matter how you look at it, something is wrong.
Could it be that Xu Jingchang deliberately watched the price of food plummet?
All the important ministers thought about it and could not make up their minds.
Everyone, including Jian Yi, was a little confused... He wanted to persuade Xu Jingchang again, but after thinking about it, he gave up the idea and decided to see Yao Guangxiao instead.
It's time to invite Daoyan Buddha.
Xu Jingchang said goodbye to everyone, and when he turned around, he saw Zhu Gaochi coming in a hurry.
"Cousin, I understand now that you really don't have any good intentions." Zhu Gaochi said hoarsely, "Tell me, who do you want to harm?"
Xu Jingchang had a sullen face and warned: "First, I never harm anyone. Second, your Majesty initiated this matter, and it has nothing to do with me. If you dare to slander me, I will tell my aunt."
Zhu Gaochi was not threatened at all, "Okay, you can still act! I'm not an idiot who doesn't know anything." Zhu Gaochi came close to Xu Jingchang and whispered: "The princess's family has postponed the purchase of food. Now
A bunch of grain merchants are on fire, what do you think we should do?"
Hearing what Zhu Dazhuang said, Xu Jingchang paused and said quietly: "Why should we come up with a solution? What can we do? Didn't I tell you, just follow the four-stage strategy."
Zhu Gaochi couldn't laugh or cry, "You are just procrastinating!"
Xu Jingchang smiled and said: "Isn't it bad to procrastinate? If you don't procrastinate, how can you shuffle the cards?"
"Shuffle the cards?" Zhu Gaochi asked puzzledly: "What exactly are you planning?"
Xu Jingchang said with a smile: "Don't worry, we will see the results soon."
No matter what Zhu Gaochi asked, Xu Jingchang was indifferent, and Zhu Gaochi couldn't insist, so just watch!
In the next few days, many merchants purchasing grain appeared in Yingtian's market. The rapidly falling grain prices actually stopped and even started to rise.
Zhu Gaochi came to inquire about the news again, but Xu Jingchang was still indifferent.
Zhu Gaochi once thought that he would have to deal with wood carvings and clay sculptures again... What happened to his little cousin?
But at this time, another news came from Peiping. After preliminary calculations, this year's grain harvest in Peiping, together with the direction of Liaodong, can allocate millions of shi of grain to the south... to enrich Changping warehouse, provide relief to the victims, and ensure that everyone can
Eat enough to avoid starvation.
When this news came, the price of food in Yingtian plummeted, even faster than before.
At this point, Zhu Gaochi finally got a taste of it, "I understand that my father also intends to suppress food prices, and you are also following the trend... But I can't figure it out. When food prices come down, it doesn't seem to be a good thing for the people.
?”
Xu Jingchang's smile continued, "Your Highness, if you think about it again, is there really no benefit to this matter?"
Zhu Gaochi pondered silently, thought over and over again, and said in a low voice: "The ones who control the grain trade now are actually the big families in Jiangnan, right?"
Xu Jingchang nodded with a smile, "Actually, we are no strangers to these big households. They were the ones who turned rice into mulberry trees before the King of Han, and they jumped out to play against him."
"So it's the second child's revenge?"
Xu Jingchang smiled and said: "If this were really the case, His Majesty would not be involved. In fact, this matter is good for Ming Dynasty."
"The Ming Dynasty?" Zhu Gaochi thought silently, and following Xu Jingchang's train of thought, he gradually understood... In fact, the people who controlled the grain trade were none other than the big gentry families, or to put it simply, the powerful gentry bureaucrats.
They control local land and have great prestige.
Only they can get food from the people and transport it to the city for sale.
"So saying that cheap grain hurts farmers and expensive grain hurts people are all deceptive talk... Grain prices are really expensive. How can ordinary people in Jiangzhou send grain to Yingtian to sell it? Obviously not!"
Xu Jingchang said with a smile.
Zhu Gaochi nodded, "So the people who have raised prices will not benefit from it, and the people who have lowered prices must be unlucky?"
Xu Jingchang smiled in approval and finally understood.
The matter of food is almost an important matter that cannot be avoided in all dynasties. In addition to the financial and taxation corvee, there is also a more important one... Take Yingtian as an example, more than one million people, so many mouths, need to be fed
full.
Officials in the imperial court and generals in the army are all allowed to eat royal food.
But there are still so many ordinary people who need normal private trade, collecting grain from farmers, then transporting it to Yingtian, and then selling it through grain banks.
This process is not difficult to understand. The question is who is qualified to control grain trade?
Ordinary people definitely can't do it. Whether it's collecting grain, or trafficking, or selling, no aspect is easy. You must open up the joints to make a profit smoothly.
Otherwise, even if you hold a million taels of silver in your hands, you will only lose everything.
"Focus on agriculture and get rich through business!" Zhu Gaochi hummed: "I understand now that this is the foundation for the gentry to make a fortune, but... I still don't understand, why do you have to touch the gentry and merchants? Do you just look down on the gentry and bureaucrats?
Not pleasing to the eye?"
Zhu Gaochi looked at Xu Jingchang stupidly.
Xu Jingchang snorted, "I'm not that bored. But I didn't expect that the King of Han could see this step so quickly... He could still convince His Majesty that the King of Han is not simple!"
Hearing Xu Jingchang praise his second son was even more uncomfortable than being scolded himself.
Zhu Gaochi thought repeatedly and finally came to his senses. With Zhu Di's great victory, Monan was temporarily solved. The opportunity for Peiping came and so did the Ming Dynasty.
There will definitely be an excellent opportunity for industrial and commercial prosperity next.
As merchants develop and industry prospers, the city's population will inevitably increase suddenly.
In fact, when Zhu Gaoxu converted rice into mulberry, one of them was that he needed to ensure the rations of mulberry farmers.
Otherwise, the extra money earned from selling raw silk would have been taken away by grain, so how could everyone be willing to plant mulberry trees? Over the past few years, Zhu Gaoxu also discovered that as more and more craftsmen were working under him, more and more grain was consumed.
The more there are, the more obvious the disadvantage he will suffer.
It's really disgusting that those big grain merchants are just sitting there raising prices and making huge profits.
Moreover, as the population increases significantly, it is not enough to rely on these grain merchants alone. They can raise the price of grain to an unacceptable level.
Either they worked hard for a year and all the money they earned was used to fill their stomachs, or the craftsmen couldn't survive and fled the city one after another, and the entire industrial and commercial development came to a sudden halt!
After analyzing this point, we can understand why in all dynasties and under farming conditions, the number of citizens could only reach more than 10%, or even less than 10%.
There is no other way, no matter how much, I can't afford it.
And tinkering with farms in Peiping is not just about increasing food output...the added food will overturn the entire Ming Dynasty!
"So, it is a good thing that benefits the country and the people, so why do you keep it secret? Can't you just issue the decree directly?" Zhu Gaochi asked.
"Issuing an edict? Are you kidding?" Xu Jingchang snorted: "How much food can Peking provide? You have issued an edict. Every place needs food. If it cannot be provided, it will destroy the credibility of the court. It will be difficult to restore it. Now.
The situation is pretty good. No one knows how much food the imperial court has. It’s a good time to make a fortune, so let’s keep watching!”
On the fifth day after Xu Jingchang finished speaking, a sign appeared outside the Jubao Gate, which clearly read, One stone of food, three hundred and eighty-five yuan!
It’s actually less than four hundred!
The whole Yingtian was shocked. I am afraid that there has never been such a low price since the Hongwu Year until now.
Is this the prosperous age?
Things are abundant and the people are prosperous, and food prices are falling. This is something we can only hope for. If it can drop a little more, it will be perfect.
At this moment, Yang Shiqi suddenly came to see Xu Jingchang.
"Mr. Dingguo, there is news from the Jiangxi Guild Hall. I hope Dingguo Gong can raise his hand and restore the price of grain as soon as possible. Otherwise, we will suffer heavy losses. I'm afraid no one will dare to traffic in grain next year."
When Xu Jingchang heard this, he smiled lightly and said, "Scholar Yang, I am actively studying the price of grain and raising money carefully. Can't Jiangxi's grain merchants wait? Didn't they buy a lot of grain privately and try to raise the price?"
High price? Why not?"
Yang Shiqi finally smiled bitterly and said: "Ding Guogong, it was these grains that caused trouble... Someone ate hundreds of thousands of stones of grains. Now there is no place to store these grains. If it encounters the autumn rain, I am afraid that they will all rot and the money will be lost."
Come back!"
Xu Jingchang smiled faintly, "Yeah? You only know how to buy food, but you don't know how to find the warehouse. Why didn't you tell me in advance! What did I do wrong to make them be so wary of me?"
