In front of everyone, Zhao Junchen briefly checked the contents of the announcement in his hand, and then waved to Li Chuanwen again.
Li Chuanwen and Zhao Junchen had a tacit understanding and knew exactly what Zhao Junchen was asking for, so he quickly took out a set of pens and put them in Zhao Junchen's hands.
Zhao Junchen, on the other hand, put his pen to paper and temporarily added a paragraph to the announcement in public.
After putting pen to paper, Zhao Junchen handed the announcement to Li Chuanwen again.
And when everyone was curious, Zhao Junchen finally finished his work, raised his head and glanced at the Xingzhou Jin gentry, but there was no trace of resentment in his eyes, as if he was observing several people.
Like a corpse.
Afterwards, Zhao Junchen spoke calmly and said slowly: "Since Xingzhou officials and Jin gentry all have their own difficulties and are helpless to deal with the rising food prices, then... those who can do the hard work will let this cabinet take over the matter in an all-round way.
, you should have no objection, right?"
After hearing this, several officials and gentry in Xingzhou looked at each other, and for a while they could not find any reasonable excuse to reject the proposal.
At the same time, they all sneered in their hearts.
Since ancient times, there have been only two ways to control grain prices, either to close down grain shops, control grain warehouses, and severely punish profiteers, or to have the government directly take action and sell off low-priced grains in large quantities.
But for Zhao Junchen, these two methods are not feasible.
The former was because the defenders of Ji Town were unwilling to engage in a major war, and the Xingzhou government was also disobedient, so Zhao Junchen was unable to use official violence to control the situation;
The latter is because civil unrest may break out again in Xingzhou at any time. It can be said that time is tight. Even if Zhao Junchen is the elder of the cabinet, controls the household department, and has the power to call the major granaries of the treasury, the distant water cannot save the nearby fire.
It was impossible to transport a large amount of grain into Xingzhou in a short period of time - in short, it was impossible for Zhao Junchen to control the price of grain in Xingzhou before the civil unrest broke out.
Thinking of this, the Xingzhou officials and gentry all thought that Zhao Junchen was bluffing and struggling to death, so they nodded in agreement.
In their view, Zhao Junchen has only two choices left, either to watch the civil unrest break out again, making the new agricultural reform policy more controversial; or to rush to Xingzhou officials and gentry before the civil unrest breaks out.
They bowed their heads in submission and asked the Xingzhou officials and gentry to take timely action to lower the price of grain.
No matter which choice he makes, Zhao Junchen will lose everything.
Zhao Junchen also had a clear understanding of the thoughts of the Xingzhou officials and gentry, and also sneered: "Since everyone agrees... Mr. Li, please read the announcement prepared by me to everyone!"
Li Chuanwen immediately held up Zhao Junchen's revised announcement and read loudly: "Announcement to all the people of Xingzhou: Cabinet Assistant, Dongge University Scholar, Xin Chengbo Zhao Junchen passed by Xingzhou for inspection, and saw that the people's hearts within the territory were undecided.
Grain prices hit new highs repeatedly, and the officials and gentry were helpless, so they decided to take over Xingzhou's grain policy! There were five decrees issued:
First, starting from tomorrow, three porridge sheds will be opened in Xingzhou City near Nanxiang Street, Zhongying Street, and Jiushou Hutong. People in the city can go to the porridge sheds every morning and evening and receive a bowl of rice porridge for free;
Secondly, when people receive rice porridge at the porridge shed, they can also receive a grain purchase voucher at the same time. After three days, people with the voucher can purchase a portion of coarse rice at major grain stores at a price no higher than
One or two yuan per stone, and each person can buy up to one and a half meters of stone;
Third, since the promulgation of the proclamation, anyone who participates in gathering crowds to cause trouble and disrupt order will not only be punished in accordance with the law, but will also be disqualified from purchasing grain with vouchers;
Fourth, the Xingzhou magistrate’s office will open a temporary grain store from tomorrow. Within the next five days, all people can go to the temporary grain store to buy rice. There is no limit to the quantity. The price of rice will remain one or two and a half yuan per stone.
Money doesn’t change;
Fifth, starting from tomorrow, Zhao Gechen will personally sit in the Xingzhou Tongzhi Hall. Anyone who has grievances among the people of Xingzhou can go to Xingzhou Tongzhi Hall to lodge a complaint!"
Because it is made public to the people, the content of this announcement is straightforward, easy to understand, and everyone can understand it.
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As Li Chuanwen read the contents of the announcement one by one, Lu Wensheng, Li Ci, Song Songgong, and Liu Jiahe suddenly changed their expressions. Even Zhang Su couldn't help but look at Zhao Junchen with admiration.
They all originally believed that Zhao Junchen only had the false name of being a cabinet minister in Xingzhou, but in fact he had no soldiers, no food, no power, and no connections. He was absolutely unable to accomplish anything and could not make any waves.
.
But no one expected that in the face of such a disadvantage, Zhao Junchen could do all kinds of tricks just by relying on his status and preparing an announcement!
*
Each of the five items in this announcement is exquisitely designed and full of meaning!
The first part of the announcement is to open a porridge shed. Two bowls of porridge a day is not a lot, but it can also ensure that the people in Xingzhou City will not starve to death for the time being. As long as the people do not starve to death, they will basically not choose to take risks.
, which can slightly stabilize people’s hearts;
The focus is on the specific locations where porridge sheds were opened, namely Nanxiang Street, Zhongying Street, and Jiushou Hutong. Nanxiang Street is the most prosperous commercial street in Xingzhou City, where the three major gentry families purchased a large amount of real estate.
Along with shops, Zhongying Street is where the major yamen in Xingzhou are located. As for Jiushou Hutong, it is even more sensitive. There are many mansions nearby, and all the gentry families in Xingzhou live nearby.
In other words, when Zhao Junchen chose these three locations to open porridge sheds, the Xingzhou officials and gentry must have been wary and did not dare to cause trouble at will. They even had to fully assist Zhao Junchen in maintaining order near the porridge sheds, otherwise
They will be the first to bear the brunt and suffer the heaviest losses! Moreover, once an unexpected incident occurs, Zhao Junchen can still put all the blame on the officials and gentry.
The second part of the announcement is to issue rice purchase vouchers to the people.
In this era, this kind of pre-sale method is considered to be the first of its kind.
People only need to wait patiently for three days, and then they can use their grain purchase vouchers to buy rice at a low price. The price of rice per stone is directly reduced by three coins. Such a price difference is absolutely tempting for most people, and it can maximize the price.
This has reduced the blind rush of people to buy food in recent days.
Combined with the third announcement, the crisis of civil unrest in the next three days has been completely quelled. In order to ensure that they are still eligible to buy rice at low prices in three days, the common people will not be tempted and tempted by the gentry at will.
This prevented the Jin gentry from disturbing the people's hearts at will, and they could not use the so-called "public opinion" to coerce Zhao Junchen into making concessions.
The fourth item is to temporarily set up a temporary grain store near the Xingzhou magistrate's office for up to five days. People can go to the temporary grain store at any time to buy rice at yesterday's rice price. This approach further dissuades the people.
The doubts in their hearts made the common people understand that the government still had grain in stock and was willing to sell the grain to the people. Therefore, even if the grain purchase vouchers could not be cashed after three days, they still had a way out to go to the temporary grain store to buy cheap grain.
At the same time, the temporary grain store was set up in the Xingzhou magistrate's office to keep Xingzhou magistrate Lu Wensheng and Xingzhou officials busy so that they would not bother to hinder Zhao Junchen from doing other things.
As for the fifth content of this announcement, it is even more sensitive.
Driven by the previous announcements, the people of Xingzhou must have been busy queuing up to receive rice porridge and grain purchase vouchers for the next three days, and there was no free time. Under such circumstances, if there are still people who are willing to give up the collection,
When he had the opportunity to go to Xingzhou Tongzhi Office to redress his grievances with Zhao Junchen, he must have suffered a great injustice.
Considering the specific situation in Xingzhou, if the people encountered great grievances and needed to appeal, it was most likely related to the Jin gentry forces, so Zhao Junchen could take the opportunity to collect evidence of various crimes committed by the Jin gentry.
And it is obvious that this content was temporarily added by Zhao Junchen just now, and it was also the way Zhao Junchen chose to respond when he faced the pressure from Xingzhou officials and gentry.
All in all, once this announcement is promulgated among the people, it will not only immediately stabilize people's hearts and maintain order, but also make the officials and gentry forces in Xingzhou worry about one thing and the other, and be busy dealing with it. The people will also be worried and worried.
When it comes to queuing up to receive it, all forces will be led by Zhao Junchen.
Of course, this announcement also brought about a major concern, that is, Zhao Junchen must spend enough money to support the people to buy food at low prices after three days, otherwise once the food purchase vouchers in the hands of the people cannot be cashed,
Zhao Junchen will completely lose his trust with the people. Once the people's anger leads to a civil unrest again, Zhao Junchen will also become the direct person responsible for this civil unrest.
It can be said that after Zhao Junchen promulgated this announcement, he was equivalent to pushing himself to the edge of the cliff, in exchange for having no taboos when doing things in the next three days.
*
After understanding the profound meaning of Zhao Junchen's announcement, the Xingzhou officials and gentry naturally felt Zhao Junchen's determination, and finally understood Zhao Junchen's clever method of turning decay into magic, and they couldn't help but change their colors.
Although they still don't think that Zhao Junchen can completely solve the food shortage problem in Xingzhou in just three days, they are all secretly frightened, and they are even more worried that Zhao Junchen will take advantage of the stable situation in the next three days to cause a bigger disaster.
matter.
As a result, the officials and gentry raised objections one after another.
"Zhao Gechen's grain purchase voucher policy can certainly stabilize the people's sentiments in the next three days, but what should you do if you are unable to spend enough money to meet the people's grain purchase needs afterwards?"
"Zhao Gechen Mingjian, Nanxiang Street, Zhongying Street, and Jiu Shou Hutong are all important places in Xingzhou City. Is it inappropriate to open a porridge shed in these three places?"
"Excuse me, Zhao Gechen, you are going to open a porridge shed next, and you are going to sell grain to the people at the Xingzhou government office at yesterday's rice price, but you don't know where you are going to get the grain? We, the Jin gentry, are at the end of our rope.
, no more money to donate rice..."
Hearing the various objections from everyone, Zhao Junchen was obviously well prepared and answered one by one with an impatient expression: "After three days, if the people's grain purchase vouchers cannot be cashed, all the consequences will be borne by this pavilion alone.
This announcement is issued in the name of this cabinet and will never implicate you..."
"The Xingzhou defenders have blocked all the gates of Xingzhou City, prohibiting people from entering and exiting at will. We cannot open a porridge shed outside the city, and the only open space suitable for setting up a porridge shed in the city is in the south.
Xiang Street, Zhongying Street, and Jiu Shou Hutong... Or are you just talking about how loyal you are to the emperor and caring for the people, but in fact you are not even willing to open a porridge shed in front of your own house? "
"As for how this pavilion will use food to open a porridge shed and sell cheap food, you don't have to worry. This pavilion has not expected you to donate food or money. We have borrowed some military rations from General Zhang, which is enough to cope with the next three days.
consumption!”
In this way, Zhao Junchen quickly blocked everyone's doubts.
Just as the Xingzhou gentry were racking their brains to continue to obstruct, Zhao Junchen raised his hand and said in an imperious manner: "As I said just now, since you are all helpless about the rising food prices in Xingzhou,
, then I will personally come forward to resolve this matter, so you don’t have to have any objections, otherwise it will be deliberately provoking civil unrest. All you need to do is follow the contents of our announcement and go back to prepare!"
After finishing speaking, Zhao Junchen turned to Li Chuanwen and ordered without waiting for everyone's reaction: "Mr. Li, copy thirty copies of this announcement and post it immediately everywhere in Xingzhou City. Wherever the announcement is posted, leave a literate sign.
The imperial guards are responsible for explaining the contents of the announcement to the people in detail, making sure that all the people understand the contents of the announcement!"
*
In this way, Zhao Junchen decided everything directly with an imperious attitude. After the objections of the Xingzhou officials and gentry were ineffective, they all left the Liu Mansion worriedly.
Zhang Su still maintained a cold-looking attitude, and did not communicate further with the Xingzhou officials and gentry after leaving the Liu Mansion. He immediately rode his war horse back to the Jizhen station surrounded by a group of soldiers.
After several officials and gentry looked at each other, they all saw the uneasiness in each other's hearts.
Li Ci was the first to express his position and encouraged everyone: "Don't worry, Zhao Junchen's announcement is indeed clever, but in fact it is just drinking poison to quench thirst. As long as he cannot produce a sufficient amount of rice in three days, he will definitely
Your reputation will be ruined, and then you won’t be able to think about targeting us anymore!”
Liu Jiahe also nodded and said: "My Liu family has always been involved in the logistical supplies of the Xingzhou garrison. I know very well the amount of grain stored in the army... Even if General Zhang lends half of the grain stored in the army to Zhao Junchen, the most he can do is
Hold on for three days! After three days, Zhao Junchen will never be able to come up with more food! Even if he controls the treasury of the Ministry of Household Affairs, he will not have time to allocate food in just three days."
After Song Song hesitated for a while, he suggested: "How about... just in case, let's visit Mr. Song Qili Song again and explore his suggestions?"
After hearing this, Lu Wensheng nodded repeatedly and said: "Yes, we should visit Mr. Song as soon as possible. I always feel that Zhao Junchen's announcement has another purpose. With Mr. Song's intelligence and vision, he must be able to find clues. After Song
After sir’s advice, we can prepare in advance!”
In this way, several Xingzhou officials and gentry immediately took action and rushed to Song Qili's temporary residence in Xingzhou City in carriages and sedan chairs.
But when they rushed to Song Qili's temporary residence and expressed their desire to see him, they heard bad news like a bolt from the blue.
Song Qili fell ill without warning, and was said to be seriously ill, so he could not meet with them, and could not give them guidance or make suggestions.
After hearing such news, several Xingzhou officials and gentry were vaguely aware that the situation was not good.
And just as the officials and gentry of Xingzhou were rejected by Song Qili, three major events happened in Xingzhou city one after another.
The first is, of course, the announcement issued by Zhao Junchen.
Under the active explanations of the Forbidden Army guards, the people quickly understood the content of the announcement. The panic in Xingzhou City soon reversed. The people were either looking forward to receiving free rice porridge tomorrow, or
Whether they were anxious to use their grain purchase vouchers to buy grain at a low price, or they were wronged and wanted to seek justice from Zhao Junchen, in short, they all had hope and hope, and the signs of another outbreak of civil unrest were finally suppressed for the time being.
Secondly, just as Zhao Junchen sent people to post announcements everywhere, Jiang Quan, under Zhao Junchen's instructions, led a group of imperial guards to pretend to be ordinary people, constantly promoting public dissatisfaction and intensifying conflicts, which finally led to
There was a small storm.
Under the leadership of Jiang Quan and the guards of the Forbidden Army, some people began to attack the grain store and wanted to directly snatch the food in the grain store. However, they were soon suppressed by the Ji Town defenders. Even Jiang Quan himself was unable to do so.
Because his identity was exposed, he was caught by the Ji Zhen garrison and put into a cell.
If Zhao Junchen's announcement had not been effective in time, this incident might have become the trigger for the next civil uprising.
Zhao Junchen had expected it and immediately sent a letter to Zhang Su, taking the opportunity to make a suggestion. In order to prevent the common people from attacking major grain stores and granaries again, the Ji Zhen garrison should send troops to "protect"
”.
It was "protection" in name, but in fact it was "blockade" - under the "protection" of the Jizhen garrison, the Xingzhou officials and gentry could not remove or hide their food without authorization.
This time, Zhang Su didn't hesitate much and quickly agreed to Zhao Junchen's proposal. After all, this kind of thing is a matter of course and no one can fault it.
Third, a group of carriages quietly entered Xingzhou City.
The Ji Town garrison has now blocked Xingzhou City. This group of carriages should not be able to enter the city at will, but this group of carriages is part of Zhao Junchen's team. When Zhao Junchen was rushing to Xingzhou Fucheng, this group of carriages
They were carrying a large amount of heavy objects at a slow speed, so they fell behind. However, they had Zhao Junchen's warrant, so they entered the city without any hindrance.
Compared with the attention caused by the first two incidents, the third incident was quiet and did not attract any attention.
But the escort of this team of carriages will soon become the key to victory or defeat in the battle between Zhao Junchen and the Xingzhou officials and gentry!