The dignitaries were worried and turned to look at the goatee who was speaking.
Mr. Zhou stroked his beard, shook his head and said: "There is a way, but it requires everyone to work together and not to cause trouble secretly."
After saying that, he even took a special look at Fatty Xu.
Some time ago, because Master Chen was arrested, Fatty Xu sent people to make trouble everywhere and rob the stalls of other powerful people. Many powerful people had objections to the commotion.
"Master Zhou, tell me, I promise to cooperate!"
Fatty Xu quickly promised.
In the hearts of the powerful, interests always come first.
For the sake of profit, they can beat each other to pieces, or they can shake hands and make peace over drinks.
Fatty Xu used to make troubles and rob stalls of other powerful people, not just to vent his anger.
I just pretended to be crazy and stupid because Master Chen was caught.
Other dignitaries also understood it, but the Xu family did lose a counselor for this plan, so they acquiesced to Fatty Xu's "misbehavior".
This can be regarded as a tacit understanding among the powerful.
Before the Ninth Princess came, they would compete with each other. With the Ninth Princess as their common enemy, they could immediately unite and deal with the outside world.
"When I learned that the Ninth Princess had left Beijing, I sent a message to the capital to investigate the whereabouts of the Ninth Princess. She only met His Majesty once when she returned to Beijing, and it was said that she was very unhappy and His Majesty was very angry."
Goatee said: "When she came out of the palace, the ninth princess was empty-handed. I think the possibility of her getting the imperial edict is very small."
"Master Zhou, we are all in the same boat. Just say what you want to say clearly and stop beating around the bush."
Fatty Xu frowned and said, "I don't want to guess what you mean."
"Then I'll make it clear," Goatee glanced at Fatty Xu with a contemptuous look, and continued: "The appointment and removal of the state pastor requires His Majesty's personal approval, and it also needs the seal of the Sixth Ministry. The Ninth Princess has no imperial edict and no time to deal with the Sixth Ministry.
Therefore, it is impossible for her to reinstate Qingxin Yaoguan.
Without Qing Xinyao’s help, as a newcomer to the Ninth Princess, who else can we count on in Sichuan and Shu?”
"Count on Jin Feng."
"Jin Feng is just a little baron. As long as we don't attack his military camp like Xue Henglu and let him seize the opportunity, there is nothing to fear."
"Jin Feng is not just a little baron now, he also has the Zhenyuan Army under his command!"
Fatty Xu gritted his teeth and said, "That Zhang Liang is just like Jin Feng. He is simply a mad dog. He will bite whoever he catches."
"The Zhenyuan Army is indeed a big trouble, but it is not impossible to do anything about it."
"Master Zhou, is there anything you can do?"
All the dignitaries looked at the goatee.
They were really frightened by Zhang Liang.
"The most fundamental reason why the Zhenyuan Army is so rampant is that we don't want to build granaries and put the food in the bandits' dens."
Goatee shook his head and said: "As long as we move the food out of the bandits' den, won't it be enough?"
"I thought you could tell me a good way to move out. Wouldn't we have moved out a long time ago?"
Fatty Xu curled his lips and said, "Can you tell me where to move?"
The grain they brought back from the south of the Yangtze River was piled up in mountains, and the cost of building and maintaining granaries was too high. The bandits had ready-made granaries all over Sichuan and Sichuan. When selling grain, the bandits were free thugs and laborers.
It can be said that it kills several birds with one stone.
So the powerful people have always done this, but this year a Zhenyuan Army came out halfway and seized the reason for suppressing the bandits, catching the powerful people by surprise.
It is too late to build temporary granaries.
"Not only the bandits have granaries, but the landowners also have them." Goatee said, "We can put the grain there, it's just a matter of transferring it to a few more hands."
Hearing Goatee say this, the eyes of the dignitaries suddenly lit up.
They didn't want to get involved with the landlords and gentry before, because the landlords and gentry were not as simple as bandits. They just slipped some food and money from their fingers and passed away.
The landowners and gentry have no shortage of money and are as greedy as the powerful.
If you rent a granary from them, you will definitely get a lion's share of laughter.
Of course, if the dignitaries reveal their identities, the landlords and gentry will definitely give them face, or even take no money from them.
But it is ridiculous to say that the powerful men are full of male thieves and female prostitutes, but on the surface they regard the family reputation as extremely important.
Even if the landlords and gentry opened their granaries, the powerful would not dare to declare their homes and put grain in them.
Otherwise, once the news of the disaster fortune is spread, it will tarnish the family name.
Even if it was placed in a bandit's den, it would change hands several times behind the scenes.
But now they were forced by Zhang Liang to have no choice but to send the grain to the landlord's granary.
Although you know you will be slaughtered, it is better than being snatched away by Zhang Liang, right?
Therefore, the goatee proposal was unanimously approved by the powerful.
"Next, comes the key part of the plan."
When Goatee said this, his expression became serious.
The dignitaries also sat up straight, and even the eunuch with his eyes closed pricked up his ears.
"I believe that each family has used a lot of resources for this plan. We can't just mess up the situation just because the Ninth Princess comes over, so we must unite and continue to raise food prices together!"
Goatee looked around and asked, "What do you think?"
"It really should be higher."
Other dignitaries nodded in agreement.
"How much higher should we raise it?" Fatty Xu asked.
"I did some calculations last night. If we rent the landlord's granary, the price of food will at least double again. Our trip will not be in vain."
"Double it again..."
The dignitaries all gasped.
"This will cause big trouble."
Fatty Xu asked worriedly.
Economics is very complex, but it is also simple.
Throughout the ages, economics has followed the simplest principle—the relationship between supply and demand.
This year Sichuan and Sichuan were hit by disasters, and the people had no food left in their homes, and Jin Feng's granary was sealed by them again.
It can be said that most of the food in Sichuan and Shu is now in their hands.
As long as they hold back grain, grain prices will naturally rise.
All the nobles do not doubt this.
Because food is the most basic need for survival.
People don’t need to study or entertain, but they can’t stop eating.
If there is no food, no matter how much silver there is, it is just metal.
Not to mention doubling it again, even if it is doubled again, the powerful can do it.
As long as they tighten the granary together and don't put grain outside, it will be fine.
But today's food prices are already more than double those of the same period last year. If they double again, they will be five or six times last year's prices.
Five or six times is easy to say, but the impact it brings is huge.
By then, not only ordinary people will starve to death, but government officials with small incomes will also be unable to cope.
It may even lead to a super-catastrophic famine: "cannibalism of flesh and blood, starving people in the fields, and walking for dozens of miles without hearing the sound of human beings."
In the entire Sichuan-Sichuan region, no one can say how many people will survive.
"Everyone, if you are not ruthless and cannot stand firm, the Ninth Princess is already here. If you are still hesitating at this time, when she comes to her senses and gets the imperial edict, we will be the ones who die!"
A fierce light flashed in Goatee's eyes: "Besides, Sichuan and Sichuan are the territory of the Qing family. If more people die, the disaster relief alone will keep Qing Xinyao busy for several years, and we will save the Qing family from always causing trouble for us!"