Han Shizu

Chapter 221 Food and Money

Under the bright sunshine, the city of Tokyo was buzzing with people, and it was much more orderly than before. The most obvious change was the disappearance of the guards who ran rampant in the market.This is the result of Shang Hongqian rectifying military discipline and restraining the forbidden army during this period of time.

Instead, the city officials and patrolmen who manage the market will be taken over by the Kaifeng government.After Hou Yi took office, he used the most severe measures to strictly control the public security situation in the city of Tokyo. Many people were punished, and the atmosphere gradually improved.

However, even if the sun shines all over, it is still difficult to completely subdue the demons and monsters.The new manager has obviously stepped into the role, domineering.

"Hou Yi, the governor of Kaifeng, is pretty good!" Standing in a tea shop, Liu Chengyou looked at the awe-inspiring gazes of a group of city officials and peddlers who were doing their jobs around him. Down, gradually away, disappearing at the corner of the street.

Although it is a tea shop, but it sells wine, the premise is that the customers can afford the high price.For the sake of rice and grain, the imperial court banned alcohol, but where can it really be banned? Those who are restricted are ordinary people at the bottom.Moreover, the scope of radiation is limited to the land of Gyeonggi.

Even so, calls for the lifting of the ban have become louder and louder among the ruling and opposition parties in Tokyo recently.Wine is such a thing, it's really addictive.

Wang Zhang, the envoy of the third division, proposed to Liu Chengyou two days ago that the matter of distiller's yeast, like salt and iron, should be included in the official camp.This is another money-making method that Wang Zhang came up with, because since the imperial court banned alcohol, there have been many people in Gyeonggi who privately sell liquor and take the opportunity to make huge profits.

Regarding Wang Zhang's suggestion, Liu Chengyou really didn't know how to express his emotion.Upon learning of this, my first reaction was not to worry about the poor implementation of the imperial ban, but to consider how to take advantage of the opportunity to make a profit.Of course, Wang Zhang is also trying his best to increase income for the treasury.

In the entire court, the one with the fastest graying hair was Wang Zhang.For the sake of national finance and taxation, with the acquiescence of Liu Chengyou, Wang Zhang formulated many policies and decrees under the "positive tax", and he was burdened with a lot of infamy.

Liu Chengyou knew in his heart that blocking is worse than sparse after all.However, this alcohol prohibition order will last for a while. If the imperial court does not suppress it, even if there is a shortage of food, a lot of food will be used for wine making.Moreover, a targeted crackdown should also be carried out on the situation of stealing distiller's yeast in Tokyo.

"Officials." Li Shaoyou turned into the room, walked quietly to Liu Chengyou, and called out.

"Have you checked it out? Who owns the tea shop here?" Liu Chengyou didn't turn his head, and put on airs.

Li Shaoyou said: "It was placed by relatives of Su Xianggong's trilogy."

Now in the court, there is only one Su Xianggong left.
"The relationship between them is really not simple." Liu Chengyou grinned, raised his hand and ordered lightly: "Report this matter to Kaifeng Mansion, and Hou Yi will deal with it!"

"Yes!"

Liu Chengyou raised his eyes to look at his respectful cousin, and suddenly said indifferently: "I look at the market, and there are many criticisms of the imperial court. Why haven't you heard the report from Wu Desi?"

Hearing the question, Li Shaoyou's heart subconsciously tightened, his eyes wandered, and he said quickly: "Please rest assured, the officials will immediately report to Yousi and order them to seriously clean up the people who make false and indiscriminate comments!"

"Nonsense!" Liu Chengyou scolded immediately.

"Yes!" Li Shaoyou bent his waist.

"Can all the talk be stopped? Even if you can shut your mouth, can you still keep your heart?" Liu Chengyou taught: "The imperial court has its own bad governance. If the people are tired of suffering, are they not allowed to complain? If the imperial court can carry out good governance, why not be afraid of rumors?"

Li Shaoyou echoed respectfully: "What the officials say is true! It's my minister's nonsense."

Seeing his cousin's cautious expression, Liu Chengyou immediately added another sentence: "However, we must not relax those remarks that are suspected of demagogic and malicious intentions, so as not to be taken advantage of by bad people! Watch the public opinion in Tokyo, The people are not safe!"

"I understand!" No matter what Liu Chengyou said, Li Shaoyou agreed without any evasion.But I couldn't help but mutter in my heart, the emperor is really hard to serve.

"Officials, it's time to go back to the palace! Are you leaving?" At this time, Zhao Yanjin, the Marquis of Zhiyu in the East Class of Chuigong Hall, entered the room with a knife in his hand to ask for instructions.

Zhao Hui's son is smarter than the previous Li Chongju.

"It's still the air outside the palace, it's fresh and free, and makes people feel more comfortable!" Liu Chengyou sighed leisurely, feeling like he was moaning without illness, but quickly calmed down: "Go back!"

"Take these rice, noodles, meat and vegetables back to the palace!" At the end, Liu Chengyou did not forget to order.

"Yes!"

In the house, there are some corn, rice, flour, chicken, duck, fish, vegetables, fruits and the like.That's right, Liu Chengyou came out of the palace this time, apart from observing the people's sentiments in the Tokyo market, he also came to buy food.

Food prices in Tokyo are getting higher and higher.Taking rice as an example, it jumped from [-] renminbi last year to more than [-] renminbi, nearly doubling.

Of course, the high price of food is not only due to the shortage of food, but also because of the low value of money.Nowadays, there are too many old and bad money with inflated value in circulation on the market. In addition to the various "Tongbao" forged and issued by the three generations of regimes for decades, there are also many iron and lead coins. , there are also a lot of miscellaneous money from other countries in it
The currency system is chaotic, which can be seen.As for heavy-value equivalents such as gold, silver, and silk, ordinary people cannot afford them.In today's Dahan, many places have returned to the state of bartering.

After observing this matter, Liu Chengyou knew that he and the imperial court had another task to forge and release new money.

After returning to the palace, before he had time to rest for a while, Liu Chengyou called Wang Zhang to discuss the matter of negotiating grain prices and building new money.

The issue of food prices is difficult to say, but simple to say, as long as there is enough food.

The whole country is in a stage of inadequacy, and now Tokyo's food sources are very scarce.The ban on food in the Southern Tang Dynasty and the lack of rice purchases in the Jianghuai area really caused a lot of trouble for the big man. Every time he thinks about it, Liu Chengyou hates it deeply.

However, there are always more solutions than difficulties.When it is difficult to increase the internal grain and rice sharply, we can only find a way from the outside.

It mainly comes from two aspects, one is from Jingnan.Gao Congjiao, the king of Nanping, sent an envoy to Kaifeng not long ago to plead guilty, asking the court to forgive his previous crimes, and then repair the good relationship between the monarch and his ministers.Regarding this, Liu Chengyou has not responded yet, and he is taking the opportunity to lure the grain from Jingnan to the north. The Gao family always has some grain in Jingnan.By the way, it can also make the "twenty-five boys" of the Gao family feel sick and disgusted by Nantang.

The second is to make a deal with Hou Shu.In the previous episode, Jifeng Mountain was victorious, and some of the captives were sent to Tokyo, where they were designated as Huaiwei Army by Liu Chengyou, while the rest were kept in Fengxiang and detained.

Liu Chengyou planned to let Houshu redeem the generals of the Shu army. According to news, Shu Lord Meng Chang is in the final stage of cleaning up the powerful officials. If there is such an opportunity to improve his reputation and buy the morale of the army, he will not let it go.As for the previous issue of hostility between the two countries, it can be put aside for the time being.

In comparison, building money is more troublesome.The first and most important problem is insufficient copper material.

Where to find copper?Except for mining and smelting, Liu Chengyou's mind is full of those Buddhist temples in China
(End of this chapter)