Li Zhi, don't be a coward

Chapter 317 surfaced
The grain from the south of the Yangtze River has a different meaning when it reaches the north.

As the saying goes, "Things are rare and expensive", it is precisely because of the severe drought in the north and the scarcity of food that grain merchants dare to drive up the price of food, raising the price of food to the level that only a few people can afford it.

Grain merchants are not worried that no one will buy food, because it is a necessity, and people will starve to death if they don’t eat food. Those with rich families will buy food at any cost in the year of disaster, just to survive the famine this year. Even if the assets return to before liberation overnight.

Starting from driving up food prices, the target group of grain merchants is not ordinary people at all. They know that people can't afford it, but they don't care.

The target of grain merchants is the middle class and rich families, who have the consumption power.

However, when the grain from the south of the Yangtze River aided by the north entered Bingzhou, the grain merchants finally panicked.

Rareness is the most precious thing, if things are no longer rare, can it still be sold at a high price?
I don't know how much grain the emperor allocated, nor how much grain was allocated to Bingzhou, but seeing a truckload of grain from Jiangnan Road entering Bingzhou City is like throwing a mushroom egg over the heads of the grain merchants.

That night, the grain merchants gathered at the inn, discussing countermeasures in surprise.

The men were sent to the official warehouse to verify the authenticity of the grain. The men came back soon and reported that the food was genuine.

Grain merchants feel increasingly heavy.

There is not much grain entering Bingzhou today, about 1 shi, but this is only the first batch to enter Bingzhou. In the future, grain from Jiangnan will continue to enter Bingzhou.

So, how much can the grain merchants sell for their grain?
Still forty cents a liter?Heh, it's funny, with the food from Jiangnan, who will talk to you.

Faced with the grim situation, the grain merchants finally could not calm down.

"Everyone, it's time for the people behind us to come forward. This matter is no longer up to us." An elderly grain merchant sighed.

…………

The residence of Mrs. Korea.

There is a guest in the house today, the guest is very mysterious, before entering the door, Mrs. Han has turned away all the servants in the front yard, and opened the side door alone, the guest went in and sat in the flower hall in the front yard.

Mrs. Korea did not hold a banquet today, but prepared tea soup for the guests herself.

Drinking tea in the Tang Dynasty was very cumbersome. Tea does not belong to the common people, even the nouveau riche are not qualified to drink it.

It is exclusively for dignitaries and literati. I don’t know who handed down the truth. It is said that the blending of tea soup is consistent with Confucianism and Taoism. Bitterness produces sweetness and so on.

The Korean lady is not only charming and good at drinking, but also a master at making tea.

Grinding the tea, roasting it, serving it with the sauce, after a lot of operations, the tea soup in the iron tripod has boiled.

The wooden spoon scooped up the tea soup and poured it into a delicate porcelain cup. The Korean lady smiled like a flower and stretched out her hand to greet her.

The guest was an elderly man in his 50s, with white eyebrows and white beard, with a dull complexion, not angry and majestic, looking like a tiger entrenched in a mountain forest lair, licking its paws leisurely.

"My concubine's skills are vulgar and trivial, making the Fang family laugh." Madam Han smiled humbly.

The guest took the cup with a smile, took a sip, closed his eyes silently for a while, and then slowly said: "Madam is too modest, this tea has a high quality, sweet and bitter, just like the vicissitudes of the road, it is good to search up and down."

Mrs. Han bowed slightly with a smile: "Patriarch Wang is absurd."

The guest's surname is Wang, and he is Wang Xingchen, the patriarch of the Wang family in Taiyuan.

Bingzhou, whose real name is "Taiyuan", is not only the place where the great ancestor Li Yuan prospered, but also the place where the Taiyuan Wang family originated for thousands of years.

The history of the Taiyuan Wang family can be traced back to the Zhou Dynasty, and it is said that they are descendants of Ji Jin, the prince of Zhou Lingwang.

Wang Xingchen sat upright, facing the charming and enchanting style of Mrs. Korea, he was not moved at all.

"Madam, I take the liberty to come to the door today, there is something I want to discuss with Madam in detail."

Mrs. Han is also very dignified in front of Wang Xingchen, and she also feels pressured in front of the patriarch of a thousand-year-old family.

"Master, please speak."

Wang Xingchen pondered for a moment, and said: "Yesterday, I heard that about [-] shi of grain from Jiangnan Road entered Bingzhou City. It is said that the emperor ordered relief. Madam is related to the Tian family. I wonder if this is true?"

Mrs. Han was stunned, shook her head and said: "I have lived in Bingzhou for half a year. After returning to Bingzhou, I have very little contact with Tian's family. I really don't know."

Wang Xingchen smiled lightly and said: "Madam, why not send someone to Chang'an on a flying horse? Although this place is thousands of miles away from Chang'an, if you travel [-] miles away, it will only take a few days to go back and forth. This matter is related to the lives of countless grain merchants in Hedong Road. Madam, please send someone to confirm immediately."

Mrs. Han hesitated for a moment, and said in a low voice: "Patriarch Wang, even if the Son of Heaven allocates grain from the south of the Yangtze River, it will take at least a few months, and it won't be so fast. I think...it's not true."

Wang Xingchen smiled: "The old man also thinks it's not true, but the new governor Li Qinzai is a bit concerned. If it is true, why does Li Qinzai dare to accept the high price of [-] Wen? The day before yesterday he had already spent a total of [-] guan. Wanguan is all real gold and silver, and everyone gave it to them after seeing it with their own eyes."

"The grain was harvested well, why did he suddenly complain yesterday that he would take charge of the grain harvest after he recovered from the illness, this illness... Oh, it's too coincidental, too strange."

"As soon as the governor's mansion was sick, grain from Jiangnan Road was transported into the city. It is said that a grain merchant asked to see Li Qinzai today, but he still avoided seeing it... Obviously, Li Qinzai had heard the news in advance, and knew that the grain from Jiangnan Road would soon be coming. As a result, food prices will definitely drop sharply.”

Mrs. Han forced a smile, and said: "No matter what the truth is, if the price of grain in Bingzhou falls, we will not lose anything. At worst, we will transport the grain out and sell it to other cities."

Wang Xingchen stroked his beard and frowned, and said slowly: "That's right, but the old man always feels uneasy, so he needs to use Madam's contacts in Chang'an to find out what the emperor has said. First of all, he needs to confirm whether the emperor has ordered to requisition grain from the south of the Yangtze River."

Mrs. Han was silent for a long time, then suddenly said: "Patriarch Wang, the matter of selling grain... I want to quit."

Although Wang Xingchen is an old man, he couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise: "What?"

"The concubine said, I'm quitting, so let's stop here."

Wang Xingchen's expression was not filled with joy or anger, but his eyes were full of light: "Madam, think twice, the matter is about to come to fruition, there is no reason to quit halfway, you and my wealth have been invested in it."

Mrs. Han said earnestly: "I have already thought twice about it. I can make more money if I run out of money, but I don't want to lose my life in Bingzhou."

"Why did Madam say this?"

Mrs. Han's face suddenly showed bitterness, and said in a low voice: "Li Qinzai this person... I am afraid that the Wang Patriarch has underestimated him. After he took office and merged with the state, his deeds are not simple. generation."

"As an enemy of him, I have no confidence in my identity, and if I am not careful, my head will be different, especially my identity..."

Wang Xingchen's face gradually darkened, and he said in a cold voice: "Madam has already been involved in the incident, so it's too late to stop now?"

Mrs. Han's expression gradually became firm: "It's hard to get rid of the crime if you stop at this time, but at least it's a living crime. If you continue to be hostile to Li Qinzai, the concubine's life is really hard to know. The two evils are the lesser of two evils." , I just want to survive."

Wang Xingchen's tone became colder and colder: "You have stopped, have you ever considered us? Your single action will kill countless people. Could it be that you don't understand."

Mrs. Han stretched out her hands to stroke her temples, suddenly revealed a familiar charming style, and said with a sweet smile: "I can't protect myself, so I can't care about other things. If this matter is over, I will return to Chang'an immediately, and the emperor will definitely protect me." I."

Wang Xingchen stared at her face, a flash of murderous intent flashed in his eyes, and he quickly regained his composure, and said indifferently: "Everyone has his own aspirations, and you can't force them. Since Madam has made up her mind, I won't force you. But it's enough to ask Madam to protect herself." , don’t betray us.”

Mrs. Han smiled coquettishly: "My concubine has known Patriarch Wang for many years, how can I betray my old friend? Patriarch Wang is too worried."

Leaning over to scoop up a spoonful of boiling tea, Mrs. Han said with a smile: "The tea soup is boiling, and the heat is just right. Patriarch Wang will taste it again, and the taste will be different from just now."

(End of this chapter)