Su Jin's strategy worked. Within three days of leaving Beijing, as soon as the imperial edict on the purchase of private grain stocks at official prices was issued, eight hundred miles of urgent messenger Liu Shuijie shuttled out of the four cities and went to various governments to deliver the edict.
The state was far away and no news was received, but the Jingdong Road, Hebei East Road, Hebei West Road, Hedong, Yongxing, and Jingxi roads near the capital received news one after another that night.
The state capital where the imperial edict arrived quickly took action and posted a notice to make the contents of the edict public. The contents of the edict immediately caused an uproar.
Not to mention that the official price of the imperial court is 10% higher than the market price. The price of rice in the shops that are still selling grain in the market has risen to 1 yuan per stone. In other words, the imperial court has to pay 1 yuan per stone to purchase rice.
, such a price is unique, more than double the price of food five months ago.
What is even more exciting is that the imperial court not only purchased it at a high price, but also provided greater benefits. The series of incentives were very attractive to these wealthy but statusless businessmen, and some timid and careful people
After carefully studying the contents of the imperial edict, I keenly felt a sense of foreboding.
The imperial court used November 20th as the boundary, and the difference in price and treatment between harvesting grain before and after was astonishingly different. It was obvious that merchants who could survive until November 20th were unwilling to sell grain, and the imperial court was on this day.
The price after the limit completely blocked the channel for them to sell grain. Doesn't this violate the original intention of the court?
Careful and sensitive people will naturally consider the mystery carefully. Does the imperial court allow them to collect grain and make huge profits by doing this? Their intuition tells them that after November 20th, what the imperial court will raise will not be bait, but
It's a board and a butcher's knife.
After weighing the pros and cons, the small merchants who had no backers and little food stock moved. On the third day after the edict was announced, the Jingxi East Road Mengzhoufu, Yongxing Road Shaanzhou, and Hedong Road Zezhou, which are closest to the capital,
, Hebei West Road, Weizhou and other places' state capitals rushed to Beijing to report.
The Third Division Yamen is brightly lit. The Third Division envoy Yan Shu, together with two Third Division judges and a group of subordinate officials, are sitting in the Yamen. They are constantly receiving reports from nearby states and counties. The clerks are busy counting numbers and prices. They have been busy since the afternoon.
I was busy until the second watch, and finally counted the amount of grain purchased from the official warehouses of 27 counties in eight states near the capital.
Yan Shu ordered everyone to continue to wait at the Yamen, and he hurried into the palace with statistics to meet the saint. Zhao Zhen, who had already gone to bed, heard Yan Shu's request to see him, and didn't even put on his clothes. He picked up his shoes and asked someone to bring Yan Shu to him.
He completely ignored the fact that there was a concubine lying on the bed. Etiquette and such matters were simply negligible compared with the important matter of raising food.
"How is it? How is the situation?" Zhao Zhen hurriedly pulled up Yan Shu who was kneeling on the ground and asked.
Yan Shu stood up and said in a deep voice: "I am very happy, Your Majesty. This afternoon, after waiting for two days, news from the states and counties near the capital finally arrived. So far, a total of 66 grains have been purchased in the eight states and twenty-seven counties near the capital.
Wan Shi, I never thought that such a feat could be accomplished in one day. If this continues, the situation will be great."
Zhao Zhen raised his eyebrows with joy, reached for the statistical paper, glanced at it again and again, and shouted: "Okay, this is really good news. Yan Aiqing, according to your guess, according to this trend, how much food can be collected across the country to survive this period?"
A famine?"
Yan Shu thought deeply: "Your Majesty, I have made an estimate. According to this trend, the entire Song Dynasty will be able to obtain at least 800 to 9 million dan of grain. The gap is not small. According to my previous budget, the grain stored in our treasury
In addition, the purchased grain requires at least 60 million shi to wait until next summer when the grain is on the market. At present, the gap is not small."
Zhao Zhen's enthusiasm immediately cooled down and he said: "Currently, the government's food inventory is less than 40 million shi."
Yan Shu said: "The latest number reported is 33 million, of which 10 million cannot be touched. This is military rations. People eat horse chews. I'm afraid even 10 million is not enough. It seems that the intensity is still strong.
Need to increase it."
Zhao Zhen said: "Do the people have that much food in stock? I'm worried that the people don't have that much food at all."
Yan Shu said: "According to Su Jin's estimate, the amount of food stored among the people is at least 50 million dan. It depends on the means."
Zhao Zhen said in surprise: "So many? But didn't you tell me just now that according to this trend, the entire Song Dynasty will only be worth 9 million shi?"
Yan Shu pointed to the statistical book and said: "Look, Your Majesty, the 27 counties in the eight states collected 660,000 dan of grain, but there were as many as 328 households for sale, and only 20 households with more than 10,000 dan were sold.
, most of the others have one thousand or two thousand dan, so it can be seen that these are small retail households, and the big ones who are really cultivating grain have not yet moved."
Zhao Zhen read the book carefully again, nodded and said: "If that's the case, what are they waiting for?"
Yan Shu said: "These people either have a backer or have a huge amount of grain stored. When they store grain, the price is too high and they are unwilling to sell it at a low price. Moreover, the more grain they hoard, the more profit they will make later. If there is a famine next year, there will be no grain."
The price is definitely more than two guan. Think about it, one stone of grain can make a guan of money. If you hoard hundreds of thousands, you can earn hundreds of thousands of guan at once. The huge profits are rolling in. I am afraid that even if you are famous and rich, you will have to ignore the harsh punishments of the court."
Zhao Zhen threw the booklet on the table and said: "Let's see how long they can carry it. Let's pass on the message. The rewards for households who take the initiative to sell grain will be immediately asked to be verified by Zhongshu in conjunction with the Ministry of Rites. The local prefectural and county officials will beat the gong."
The drummers came to the door to congratulate each other in person. The event should be lively and lively, so that everyone would know the honor of sharing the worries of the imperial court. The publicity of the edict should also be intensified, and the policies after November 20th should be clearly informed to those who
Businessmen who have a luck mentality use coercion."
The chamberlain agreed and hurried to convey the order. Zhao Zhen said to Yan Shu: "Su Jin's method is very effective. He is really a talent."
Yan Shu said: "That's natural, otherwise would the veteran dare to recommend a sixteen-year-old with no official position or fame?"
Zhao Zhen said: "The first step is easy, but the second step is the biggest test. Speaking of which, they have been away from Beijing for a few days. I am afraid they have arrived in Yangzhou Mansion."
Yan Shu said: "It has been three days, and Yangzhou Mansion is afraid it will take another two or three days. He first has to arrange for the food from Luzhou to be transported to Yangzhou. Song Xiang in Yangzhou must be very worried now."
Zhao Zhen said: "It's up to Su Jin. Once the food arrives, there will be room for maneuver. I hope it won't lead to a civil uprising."
Yan Shu said: "Can you let the Yangzhou government open a warehouse first to release grain for relief, so as to avoid making things worse?"
Zhao Zhen said: "Does Yangzhou Prefecture still have food? Will something like this happen if there is food?"
Yan Shu cupped his hands and said: "Actually, there is. One hundred thousand stones of military rations have not been shipped yet and are still in the official warehouse in Yangzhou."
Zhao Zhen looked at Yan Shu with side eyes and said, "You are stupid, how can the army rations be touched? Do you know the consequences of the army being without food? Even if there is further chaos, not a single grain of army rations can be touched. I will never give mercy to anyone who touches the army rations."
Yan Shu hurriedly said: "I know, but I am ignorant."
Zhao Zhen said warmly: "You have to remember this and don't make any mistakes. After Lu Xiang takes office next year, I intend for you to take over the position, so this matter must be done well."
Yan Shu knelt on the ground and kowtowed: "Old minister, I must do my best to repay Your Majesty's kindness."
"Get up, you should go back and have a rest. I heard that you have been nailed to the Yamen for three days and have not returned, so you should be careful about yourself."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Your Majesty will go to bed early. You must come to disturb Your Majesty these days."
"That's natural. If you don't come, I will go find you. I hope my ancestors will bless me and this food collection will be successful."
…
When Yan Shu walked out of the palace in the dark night, two hundred bodyguards Sima Jun were surrounding the commander Long Zhen at the post station thirty miles north of Bozhou, listening attentively.
Long Zhen lowered his voice and said: "Brothers, we brothers have always been honest in life. If they are good to us, we will be good to them. If they are harsh to us, we brothers will not throw them away. Since the special envoy is like this
He is ignorant, so we don’t need to be polite to him."
"Yes, yes, Commander Long, what should we do?"
Long Zhen coughed and said softly: "This guy is relying on the emperor's order to carry out the errand, and also relying on the power of the Third Secretary. If he tries hard, he will get into trouble, so he must use his brain."
Zhao Dutou said: "Commander Long, don't be shy, just tell the truth."
Long Zhen glanced at the crowd and said: "All of you here are my good brothers, Long Zhen, but I, Long Zhen, also have a family and children. I'm screwed, and my whole family will starve to death. Today, for the sake of my brothers, I am willing to make a sacrifice."
The idea; but the ugly talk is in the head, if someone among us here comes to tell the truth, then I, Long Zhen, will follow him to use the red knife to go in and the white knife to go out."
Everyone hurriedly said: "Absolutely not. Don't worry, Commander, we are all brothers who came together. We will never do this."
Zhao Du first saw that Long Zhen's face was still hesitant, and said: "Everyone, what Commander Long said makes sense, but each of you has a dirty butt. To put it bluntly, if the things you do are called the two divisions,
Everyone who knows this will be punished by military law. I will not name names. I will just remind you that if even a single word of what Commander Long said today is leaked, I will destroy all of your old foundations. What robbery?
Property, what kind of piaoji and drinking wine, what kind of gambling to make money, what kind of pretending to be a thief, wives and daughters, whoever you do knows about these things, don't think I am a fool."
The soldiers became nervous and did not dare to look at him, which was obviously true.
Long Zhen patted Zhao Du on the shoulder and said: "Old Zhao, my brother, why are you talking about this? We are all brothers, I believe you will not cheat on us."
Zhao Dutou said: "Commander Long, we should be on guard against these things. If some bastard lard gets blinded and goes to poach us all, can we men break up with him? Not only him, but also his family's elders
Xiaoya will all suffer the same consequences."
Long Zhen chuckled and said: "No, no; my idea is that we don't want to be tough with him. Since he doesn't treat us as human beings, we shouldn't ignore him. He is a superior, and his orders are ours."
Everyone agrees, but when it comes to errands, let's give him a dead dog that can't move - dragging him, won't we all be able to do things that are contrary to public opinion?"
"What a good idea. Let's hold him back at every turn and make it impossible for him to do his errands..." someone echoed.
"That's right. He is the emperor's order. Once the errand cannot be completed, what do you think will happen to him? Not only him, but Yan Shu will also be unlucky." Long Zhen chuckled.
Fang Du suddenly said: "But Commander Long, if the errand fails, won't we also suffer the same?"
Long Zhen glanced at him with disdain and said, "If I am to be unlucky, it's me, Long Zhen, who is unlucky. What misfortune will happen to those of you who follow orders? I'm not even afraid, but you are."
Fang Du's head turned red and he said: "That's not what I mean. My subordinates just want to worry about the commander. The commander will be punished for us. How can we feel better?"
Long Zhen said: "Don't worry, I have my own way to deal with it. I'll take care of the big things for you. No matter what, I have to vent my anger on my brothers. They even deducted our hard-earned money. I simply don't take us men seriously."
, If you don’t give him some color, he won’t know how high the sky is and how high the sky is, and he won’t know that Lord Ma has three eyes.”
All the soldiers shouted and seriously agreed with Long Zhen's plan. Long Zhen stood up with a smile and said: "Don't make noise, don't make trouble, just pretend that nothing happened. Let this kid go to Yangzhou to wait for food. We men will take our time to complete the errands. There is no need for anyone to rush."
.”
While everyone burst into laughter, Long Zhenshi left with a smile.dd