With mountains of gold and silver right in front of him, Liu Ping'an couldn't help but be a little too excited.
It is clear that the Ming Dynasty suffered a disaster. As one of the people of the Ming Dynasty, they should be extremely sad.
As a result, you, Liu Pingan, are so excited, and your attitude is very problematic.
With a flash, everyone's eyes were focused on Liu Ping'an.
Especially King Zhu Han, whose calm eyes seemed to contain endless murderous intent.
Liu Ping'an, who was originally extremely excited, suddenly felt as if someone had poured cold water on his head.
A drop of cold sweat flowed down from Liu Pingan's head.
He understood that if he couldn't give a reasonable explanation, he might be in trouble this time.
After all, he is an old fox who has been in the shopping mall for many years. After the initial panic, the somewhat excited expression on Liu Pingan's face immediately turned into a look of pain.
Forcibly squeezing out tears, he cried loudly: "Your Majesty, this villain is suffering!"
As he spoke, he took out his handkerchief and wiped his tears: "The villain was born in Datong. At this time, his hometown was hit by a disaster. The villain was heartbroken."
While crying, he used force and hammered his chest with his hands, as if he was really in such pain.
But the actual truth is that if he didn't do this, Liu Ping'an would almost lose control and laugh out loud.
If you are laughing now, it is not a joke.
Liu Ping'an estimated that His Royal Highness could really be pushed out and chopped.
There were so many high-ranking officials that they could only look up to in the past, but His Highness the King of England killed them without saying a word.
He is just a businessman, but in the eyes of His Majesty the King, his status is probably not as good as that of a slave, right?
Killing him is not easy.
In order to prove that he was indeed "devastated," Liu Pingan secretly gritted his teeth.
"In order to help the people of Datong, I am willing to donate money..." Liu Ping'an carefully extended three fingers.
However, you may feel that this amount of money seems a bit unsafe.
After hesitating for a moment, he extended two fingers: "Five hundred taels of silver to help the people of Datong tide over the difficulties."
Five hundred taels of silver is definitely not a small amount in this era.
After all, the amount of money an ordinary person can earn in a year is only more than twenty taels.
But for a big grain merchant like Liu Pingan, this is not even a drop in the bucket.
Zhou Ziliang and Feng Xueyi looked at each other and understood what the other meant.
Therefore, the two people immediately stood up and pretended to be upright and awe-inspiring.
"Your Majesty, what Liu Ping'an said makes sense. It is said that every man is responsible for the rise and fall of the world. The disaster in the Ming Dynasty is also the time for merchants like us to serve the country. I, Zhou Ziliang, am willing to donate one thousand taels of silver."
"I, Feng Xueyi, am willing to donate eight hundred taels of silver."
Other businessmen also agreed.
According to the size of each chamber of commerce, one will donate 700 taels, and the other will donate 500 taels.
Obviously, these people were thinking of using the money to silence Zhu Han.
They are all bleeding profusely. Do you, Your Majesty the King, still have the nerve to buy grain at a low price?
Zhu Han didn't mind the donations from these people too little.
They just smiled and asked the guards to write down all the money they donated.
"I have recorded all of your dedication to serving the country. I will definitely report to His Majesty when you return and commend you for your righteous deeds."
Zhu Han's words made all the businessmen blush.
As expected of His Majesty the King of England, this is so heartbreaking to kill people.
The total donations from these businessmen amounted to only eighty thousand taels of silver.
This small amount of money also needs to be personally commended by the current emperor.
What kind of reward is this? It's clearly a slap in their face.
But Zhou Ziliang and others didn't care much.
If you really need face, why should you be a businessman?
Silver is the real thing.
Face and everything else are nothing to them.
If His Royal Highness the King thinks that he can take advantage of them based on such things, he is totally wrong.
In order to make money, people like them usually get scolded a lot, but now they just get scolded by more people, so what does it matter?
Everyone's faces were calm, and they almost felt like they were doing nothing.
Originally, they thought that His Royal Highness would be angry and curse.
But what surprised them was that His Royal Highness looked very calm and did not seem to be moved at all by their performance.
"But everyone, you should also understand the current situation."
"There is a severe drought in Datong. What is most lacking at this time is not money, but food."
After hearing this, the grain merchants present couldn't help but cursed in their hearts: "Shameless!"
They always feel that they are already shameless people.
But they didn't expect that the British King Zhu Han was even more shameless than them.
Since you also said that what the disaster area lacks is food, not silver.
When they donated money before, why didn't you say a word?
As long as they say a few words, they can exchange the donated silver into food of equal value.
Of course, this equivalent price must be calculated based on the highest price in the current market.
No matter how bold they are, they are not so crazy that they dare to openly raise the price in front of Zhu Han, His Royal Highness.
But after this...
It's hard for them to say what the price of food is.
It's just that since I didn't mention it just now, Zhu Han specifically pointed it out now.
The grain merchants did not dare to pretend that they did not understand.
Zhou Ziliang was the first to set an example: "I see, since the people in the disaster area are short of food, we and other grain dealers are naturally responsible. I, Zhou Ziliang, will be the first to pledge two hundred shi of food."
Feng Xueyi followed closely: "We also pledged to donate two hundred shi of food."
…
When it was Liu Pingan's turn, the guy raised his hand cautiously: "We, Pingan Company, will donate one hundred dan in food."
There is a tacit understanding between these grain merchants, and the amount they donate actually leaves room for bargaining.
If Zhu Han is not satisfied, they will naturally pretend to be reluctant and donate more.
Sure enough, Zhu Han frowned and said, "I know that all of you are famous businessmen in Yanjing City."
"This amount of food is not small, but compared to the tens of millions of people affected by the disaster in Datong, it is really a drop in the bucket."
"I wonder if I can... add some more."
The grain merchants were all a little surprised. Why did they feel that His Royal Highness was a bit thin-skinned?
However, this is also a good thing for them.
Even the things donated today are nothing to them.
However, it’s good to save a little bit.
When doing business, isn’t it important to increase revenue and reduce expenditure?
Save a little here, save a little there. If you save a little, you can save a fortune.
At that moment, Zhou Ziliang and others all looked sad.
"Your Majesty, it's not that we don't want to donate more, it's just that we don't have much food on hand."
Feng Xueyi looked extremely solemn: "Your Majesty, although we are grain merchants in Yanjing, we look like we have a big tree and deep roots."
"However, Yanjing consumes more food than other places."
"If we cannot leave enough food reserves, once there is a food shortage in Yanjing, it may cause chaos."
Liu Ping'an also echoed with everyone: "Yes, yes, we don't have much food on hand, so what we can donate is actually squeezed out."
Just when everyone was complaining, a young voice suddenly spoke.
What he said was completely contrary to everyone else's.
"If the prince doesn't mind, I can ask my ancestors for help. My ancestors are the Datong gentry. They have always taught me that everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the world. I must be willing to lend a helping hand to the imperial court."
As soon as these words came out, everyone's voices stopped.
Whose prodigal son is talking nonsense at this time?
Doesn't this little bastard understand that at this time, food is simply more valuable than gold?
Just give away his own food casually? Do you believe that the elders in his family know the news and can break his legs alive?
These grain merchants were right. Liu Ping'an really wanted to break his nephew's legs.
That's right, the one who just spoke was his nephew Liu Ye.
Liu Ye's most fundamental purpose of coming to Yanjing this time is to pick up his class.
In recent years, Liu Ping'an has gotten older and his body has gradually become unable to support himself, so he wants to find a successor within the family.
Speaking of taking over, of course it's not that fast.
It will take at least five to ten years for Liu Ye to gradually become familiar with his own business.
But he didn't expect that in just a few months, Liu Ye would make such a big mistake.
This kind of business is almost related to the future of the entire family.
As long as you can make this money, a family can take off directly.
Now, Liu Ye, a prodigal son, wants to directly donate all his family's food?
Liu Ping'an even doubted that if his old man knew the news, he would be so angry that he would die directly.
What's more important is the murderous eyes of the surrounding grain merchants.
If this matter cannot be fooled, their Ping An Company may not be able to gain a foothold in Yanjing.
"Your Majesty, my nephew Nian..."
Just as Liu Ping'an was about to explain, Zhu Han blocked his words and said, "Oh, how much food can you donate to the court?"
Aware of the unkind glances around him, Liu Ye also realized that he seemed to have said something wrong.
However, he is a down-to-earth person who really doesn't have so many twists and turns in his heart.
I simply don't understand what I said wrong.
Anyway, now that I have spoken, I don’t think too much anymore.
After hearing Zhu Han's question, Liu Ye's young face flushed slightly, and he said with some embarrassment: "Your Majesty, although my ancestors love me very much, the food issue is very important, so I may not be able to give much."
"But I think I still have four or five hundred dan. I hope this food can help more people in the disaster-stricken areas."
When the grain merchants heard this, they breathed a long sigh of relief.
He said in his heart, after all, this guy is not stupid enough and knows not to give out too much food.
Although five hundred stones is a lot, it is still a drop in the bucket for the situation in the disaster area of Datong, and the impact on them is not particularly big.
Liu Pang'an also patted his chest gently. After all, Liu Ye was not really crazy.
Although five hundred stones is painful, it is not unacceptable.
He quickly pretended to cough twice to remind his nephew not to talk nonsense.
Although Liu Ye was depressed, he could only close his mouth obediently.
He is just an honest child. His parents gave special instructions before coming to Yanjing.
No matter what happens here in Yanjing, he must listen to his uncle's words.
An honest kid like him listens to everything.
Zhu Han continued to look at the grain merchants with a look of expectation on his face: "Everyone, can't we bring out more grain?"
The grain merchants shook their heads and waved their hands.
"Your Majesty, we really have no food on hand."
"If there is food, we would also like to do something for the people affected by the disaster in Datong."
"Okay!" Zhu Han sighed helplessly: "In that case, I won't force you."
The grain merchants couldn't believe their ears.
what's the situation?
Is His Royal Highness the King of England such an easy person to talk to?
It doesn't quite look like it.
In the past, the King of England killed corrupt officials without mercy at all.
But this time, why are you so easy to talk to?
They just made up two random reasons, which seemed to be passable reasons.
As a result, His Royal Highness the King believed it so easily?
There was no coercion or threat, so they were let go so easily.
This process is so easy that these businessmen have the illusion that they are in a dream.
However, this is also a good thing for them.
With only such a small amount of money and food, His Royal Highness was sent away.
At the same time, he also let them know the news that Datong was suffering from drought.
The princes of the imperial court who could force them would personally come to them to borrow food and donate money.
This shows that the disaster in Datong is definitely not small.
They want to allocate grain immediately and transport it to Datong.
At times like this, food is money.
As a result, before their calculations were completed, Zhu Han's voice rang out again.
"Everyone, now that Datong is hit by the disaster, the price of food in Yanjing will definitely be affected..."
Zhou Ziliang and Feng Xueyi both felt their hearts tighten at the same time.
I thought it was coming after all.
However, they had already discussed a solution before, so they were not afraid at this time.
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty." Zhou Ziliang said sternly: "Although we are a lowly businessman, we still understand the principle of having a family after a country."
"We must control food prices and never let the two companies rise too much."
These words sound like practicing Tai Chi.
What Zhou Ziliang said was not that prices would not be raised, but that prices would not be raised too much.
These three words are quite particular.
What is considered too much? When there is a lot of food, 70% to 80% of the price is not too much.
When there is no food, doubling or tripling the food supply is not too much.
Zhu Han seemed to have completely failed to understand the subtext of Zhou Ziliang's words.
Instead, he nodded and said, "In that case, I, the king, can rest assured."
When the businessmen heard this, they breathed a sigh of relief.
His Royal Highness seems to be much easier to talk to than he looks.
As a result, at this moment, Zhu Han said leisurely: "Now Datong is short of food. In order to encourage all merchants, the imperial court sent and sold food to Datong."
"I have decided that from now on, the price of grain in Datong shall not be less than four taels of silver per stone. What do you think?"
There was a buzzing sound, and all the grain merchants' eyes turned red.