At this time, food is in short supply and money is not that abundant.
The governor of Yangzhou County knew that he could not raise much money by himself, so he sent people to all the high-ranking households in the county to tell them to bring money if they needed it.
As soon as the powerful and wealthy households in the county heard this, they immediately took their money to find the county governor. If others had said this, they might not have replied, but if it was said by their county governor, they would definitely do it.
Believed.
Their Lord County Sheriff has done a lot of practical things for them over the years and is their trusted parental officer.
For a time, the outside of the governor's mansion was crowded with people. The people passing by didn't know what was going on when they saw the formation, but just by looking at the clothes of these people, they all knew that they were high-ranking officials.
"What is going on today? All these rich people are crowding outside the Sheriff's mansion. Could it be that the Sheriff wants to punish them?"
Some people couldn't help but stop and watch, and even discuss a few words from time to time.
"It's really a spectacle. I have never seen so many rich people crowded together before. But if they are punished, it shouldn't be like this. Looking at the smiles on their faces, it is clear that something good has happened."
"Yes, they all have smiles on their faces, but what good things will happen now? Is it possible that the Sheriff can still pray for rain?"
One person looked up at the sky above his head. It had not rained for two or three months. They were all tortured by this damn weather. Now besides letting God rain, they really didn't know what else to do.
It can be called a good thing.
As soon as these words came out, the joy that finally appeared on the faces of the people who were still watching the show was all wiped out, replaced by sadness.
There is no point in spring plowing in such weather, and urbanites like them who have no land cannot hope to buy food at normal prices.
In other words, we can no longer buy food at all.
If this continues, no matter how much property they have, they will be wiped out, and they still don't know whether they can survive this natural disaster.
But precisely because of this, they all wanted to stay and see what was worthy of their happiness, so there were more and more people outside the governor's mansion.
At this time, in the county magistrate's mansion, the magistrate had already read through all the lists in his hand. This list was very detailed and recorded the family property and reputation of these people.
"Sir, there are quite a few people waiting outside. Can we ask people to come in?" The people below reminded the county guard.
The governor suppressed the emotion on his face and put down the list in his hand.
"Call them in one by one."
Although he asked them to buy food with money, he had the final say on the price. With so many people here, not everyone's price was the same.
In other words, Cang Xiuxuan said that he would be given food at the market price, but he planned to use a higher price to earn money from these people.
He won't get the price difference himself, but will exchange it all for food and hoard it. Once the most difficult time comes, these food can play a greater role.
The people below also understood what he meant, and quickly walked to the door and gave instructions. The people at the concierge began to let people in, five at a time, and went to see the county guard one by one. The others were waiting in the flower hall.
The first person who came in was a local wealthy man. He had made a lot of money from doing business over the years. When he heard that the county magistrate could use money to buy food, he came over without even thinking about it and brought the banknotes.
Well, you would be a fool not to buy food when there is food available at this time.
Everyone knows that the weather is bad now, and even if it rains now, it is already too late. He can buy some grain now and store it there, and then sell it after a few months, and he will definitely make a lot of money.
The man followed the servants of the Sheriff's Mansion to the Sheriff's study. When he saw the Sheriff, his eyes narrowed with laughter.
"Young ones have met adults."
His fat body was a little awkward and he bowed to the governor, but the flattering smile on his face never disappeared.
The county guard looked at him like this and frowned slightly, "Who is coming?"
The fat rich man continued to laugh and said, "Sir, little Liu Yong is a merchant in Yangzhou Prefecture. He has been doing business in cloth these years."
Food, clothing, housing, transportation, this is a business that makes money at all times. Looking at him like this, he must be very fat. This Liu Yong was also on his list just now. He deserves to be punished for being rich and unkind.
The governor suppressed the disgust in his heart and forced himself to smile, "Have you brought all the money?"
Liu Yong hurriedly took out a handful of silver notes from his arms and offered them with both hands, "Sir, here are two thousand taels of silver notes. I want to buy a thousand shi of rice."
One stone of rice weighs about one hundred kilograms, and one thousand stone of rice equals one hundred thousand kilograms of rice. According to the price of rice on the market before the natural disaster, which was fifteen cents per kilogram, this one thousand stone of rice only cost one thousand five hundred taels of silver.
Now he directly took out two thousand taels of silver. He didn't mean to let the county guard find him for the remaining five hundred taels. Since he had taken out the silver, he had no intention of taking it back.
Anyway, when the grain is sold, he can earn dozens of times back the five hundred taels.
The county guard didn't understand what he was thinking. He glanced at the stack of banknotes in his hand and couldn't help feeling a little sad. Food is the most important thing for human survival, but the price of food is so low. It costs only two thousand taels.
How ridiculous it is to be able to buy so much food!
It's not surprising that the county guard has such thoughts. If Song Chen were here now, he would also sigh. After all, Song Chen, who is used to seeing big money, now really feels that two thousand taels is nothing at all.
After a moment of silence, the magistrate continued, "Who told you that two thousand taels can buy a thousand stones of grain? Don't you know now?"
Liu Yong's hand giving the banknote trembled slightly, but he quickly reacted and hurriedly took out a banknote from his body, "Three thousand taels, or only one thousand dan, please take a look at it, Lord Sheriff.
"
He was also thinking about it. According to the situation where it has not rained for several months, the price of food has already risen. Now a pound of rice on the market is almost fifty cents. But before, he thought it was the county.
Lord Shou, the grain he put out should still be at market price.
Now he has taken out another thousand taels of silver, which is equivalent to doubling the price of food.
Although he feels a little distressed, he can also think about it. This is just the beginning. In the second half of the year and next year, even if he has money, he will not be able to buy food. He can hoard the food for a while and wait until after the New Year to sell it.
Even if he sells it for one or two hundred cents per catty, there are always people buying it.
After all, you can't eat money if you keep it in your hands. You can only survive if you exchange it for food.
The sheriff knocked on the table beside him and motioned for him to put the banknotes on it.
Liu Yong was so happy that he quickly placed the three thousand taels of silver notes on the table beside the county guard, and then took out another silver note with a face value of five hundred taels.
"This is to honor you, sir. Please accept it."
The county guard raised his eyebrows, but did not refuse, "Let's put it down together."
What he wants now is money to exchange for food with Cang Xiuxuan, so naturally he will accept all comers.
After Liu Yong's silver notes left his hand, the county guard continued to speak, "If you put these 3,500 taels of silver notes here, you won't have enough food for one thousand shi."
Liu Yong's heart trembled when he heard these words.
This...is it something that the county guard can do after accepting the banknote?
"Dare, dare I ask, sir, how many stones of grain can this silver buy?"
The county guard took a sip of tea and said, "Three hundred stones. Someone will notify you in three days to collect the food."
The servant who had been waiting outside saw the master's action and walked in quickly, "Master, please!"
Liu Yong's fat face was so shocked that he was squeezed together by the three hundred kilograms of the county guard. One hundred thousand kilograms of grain turned into thirty thousand kilograms!!
But he didn't dare to say anything, so he could only leave with the people from the Sheriff's Mansion.
The people from the Sheriff's Mansion sent him to the side door, "I also asked this gentleman to go home directly. Don't say anything that shouldn't be said. It's good to have food to sell under the current situation. This is what we adults have tried our best to achieve."
Come on, if it comes to the second half of the year, food will be your life!"
When sending people away, the people from the Sheriff's Mansion also gave a few instructions.
It was said that it was an instruction, but it was not that Liu Yong couldn't hear it. It was clearly a threat.
If he still wanted to live a good life in Yangzhou County, he couldn't say a single more word of these words, otherwise the county governor would really have countless ways to deal with him.
The next few people were all the same as Liu Yong. They all had to introduce themselves as soon as they came in. The county guard searched the list he had seen before in his mind and assigned them to their seats.
Almost all of these people, like Liu Yong, were rich and unkind. The county governor decided the price of their food purchases based on the extent of their past evil deeds.
After these people were weighed by the county governor, they were all given the price of ten taels of silver and one stone. These people knelt in front of the county governor and did not dare to back down after the county governor said the price.
What's more, they have already handed over the money first.
The last four people paid almost the same amount of money as Liu Yong, and the results were the same.
Soon the second group of people came in. The first person who entered the study turned out to be the owner of a grain shop. He owned several grain shops in Yangzhou County.
Since the natural disaster, he has implemented a purchase limit in his food store to prevent people from hoarding too much food at once, leaving scattered customers with no food to buy.
The county governor fully approved of his method.
If all the food in the food shop is bought up by those with deep pockets, what will ordinary people do?