My uncle's name is Zhu Di

Chapter 279
Luo Yi's expression changed suddenly, and he scolded: "It is inconvenient to buy and sell grain, and it is not only the common people who are hurt? In short, the current situation is very bad. I suggest that the grain must be collected at the market price immediately."

Xu Jingchang frowned slightly, "Luo Shangshu, the market price changes a lot every day, and the imperial court's financial resources are limited, so we have to make a move at a suitable threshold... Do you guys think it's appropriate now?"

Luo Qi was taken aback, he should be responsible for speaking casually, but he still nodded and said: "Mr. Ding, I think we should order grain collection immediately to prevent grain prices from falling further."

Xu Jingchang thought about it seriously, then looked at Jian Yi again, "Tianguan, what do you think about this?"

Jian Yi said: "Several ministers are right. If the imperial court can spare some money, it seems that it should take action to save the people."

When Xu Jingchang heard it, he smiled and said, "Since Jian Tianguan said it, let's make a comprehensive assessment and see how much money we can give... After all, none of us manage money seriously. , It’s not good if it exceeds the range of the court. I will write to Xia Shangshu later to ask his opinion.”

After finishing speaking, Xu Jingchang said to Hu Yan again: "Scholar Hu, have you recorded it properly?"

Hu Yan hurriedly nodded and said, "It's done."

Xu Jingchang smiled and said: "In that case, let's all sign it, and I will hand over the record to His Royal Highness later."

Everyone looked at each other, and there was nothing to say, as the imperial court ruled.

It's just that after everyone finished writing, they were all in a daze... Is this Xu Jingchang's style?

When did the person surnamed Xu become indecisive and do nothing?You must know that Xu Jingchang has always been decisive and has no hesitation no matter how big the matter is in these years.

Even if he doesn't understand the issue of food, he doesn't know how much money the court can spend?

It stands to reason that there was someone in the Ming Dynasty who knew more about the state treasury than Xia Yuanji, so it must be Xu Jingchang! After all, Lao Xia was only in charge of the state treasury, and Xu Jingchang once managed internal funds.

Now that he is in a hurry to spend money, he can allocate it from internal funds. It is not impossible for Xu Jingchang to do it!
Could it be said that after the new envoy, he became cautious again?
In short, a person who has never played cards according to common sense is actually acting in accordance with Daming's rules at this moment. No matter how you look at it, something is wrong.

Could it be that Xu Jingchang deliberately watched the price of food plummet?

After thinking about it, all the important ministers couldn't make up their minds.

Including Jian Yi, everyone was a little confused... He wanted to try to persuade Xu Jingchang again, but after thinking about it, he gave up the idea and decided to meet Yao Guangxiao instead.

It's time to invite Daoyan Buddha.

Xu Jingchang bid farewell to everyone, and when he turned his head, he saw Zhu Gaochi rushing over.

"Cousin, I understand a little bit now, you really don't have any good intentions." Zhu Gaochi said, "Tell me, who do you want to hurt?"

Xu Jingchang sullenly warned, "First, I never harm anyone. Second, this matter was provoked by His Majesty, and it has nothing to do with me. If you dare to slander me, I will tell aunt."

Zhu Gaochi was not threatened at all, "Okay, you still play! I'm not an idiot who doesn't know anything." Zhu Gaochi moved closer to Xu Jingchang, and whispered: "The purchase of food has been postponed at the Crown Princess's house, and now A bunch of grain merchants are on fire, what do you think we should do?"

Hearing what Zhu Dazhuang said, Xu Jingchang paused, and said quietly: "Why do we have to come up with a solution? What can we do? Didn't I tell you, just follow the four-stage tactics."

Zhu Gaochi couldn't laugh or cry, "You are procrastinating!"

Xu Jingchang smiled and said, "Isn't it good to procrastinate? If you don't procrastinate, how can you shuffle the cards?"

"Shuffle the cards?" Zhu Gaochi asked puzzled, "What are you planning?"

Xu Jingchang smiled and said, "Don't worry, we will see the result soon."

No matter how Zhu Gaochi asked, Xu Jingchang was indifferent, and Zhu Gaochi couldn't insist, so just watch!
In the next few days, there were many merchants buying grain in Yingtian's market, and the rapidly falling grain price stopped, and even showed a tendency to rise.

Zhu Gaochi came to inquire about the news again, but Xu Jingchang was still indifferent.

It made Zhu Gaochi think that he was dealing with wood carvings and clay sculptures again... What happened to his little cousin?

But at this time, another news came from Beiping. After preliminary calculations, this year's grain harvest in Beiping, together with the direction of Liaodong, can transfer millions of shi of grain to the south... to fill the Changping warehouse, relieve the victims, and ensure that everyone is safe and sound. Eat enough so you won't be hungry.

When this news came out, Yingtian's grain prices plummeted, even faster than before.

At this point, Zhu Gaochi finally tasted the taste, "I understand that the emperor also intends to suppress the price of food, and you are also pushing the boat along the way... But I can't figure it out, the price of food has come down, it seems that it is not a good thing for the people. ?”

Xu Jingchang smiled unabated, "His Royal Highness, if you think about it carefully, is this really useless?"

Zhu Gaochi pondered silently, thought over and over again, and said in a low voice: "The one who controls the grain business right now is actually a big family in the south of the Yangtze River, right?"

Xu Jingchang nodded with a smile, "Actually, we are not unfamiliar with these big households. It is these people who jumped out to sing against him when Hanwang changed rice into mulberry."

"So it's the second child's revenge?"

Xu Jingchang smiled and said: "If this is the case, His Majesty will not be involved. In fact, this matter is good for Daming."

"Da Ming?" Zhu Gaochi thought silently, and following Xu Jingchang's train of thought, he gradually understood... In fact, it is none other than those who control the grain trade, but those big gentry, or to put it simply, they are the powerful gentry and bureaucrats.

They control the local land and have great prestige.

They are the only ones who can get food from the common people and transport it to the city for sale.

"That's why it's a lie to say that cheap grain hurts farmers, and high grain hurts the people. Grain prices are really expensive. Can ordinary people in Jiangzhou send their grain to Yingtian for sale? Obviously not!" Xu Jingchang said with a smile.

Zhu Gaochi nodded, "So the common people won't benefit from the price increase, and the common people must be unlucky when the price is reduced?"

Xu Jingchang smiled approvingly, and finally understood.

The matter of food is almost a major issue that cannot be avoided in all dynasties. In addition to being related to taxation and corvee, there is a more important one... Take Yingtian as an example, more than 100 million people, with so many mouths, need to be fed .

Officials of the imperial court and soldiers in the army can all eat imperial rations.

But there are still so many ordinary people who need normal folk trading to collect grain from farmers, then transfer it to Yingtian, and then sell it through the grain store.

This process is not difficult to understand. The question is who is qualified to control the grain trade?

Ordinary people definitely can't, no matter it's grain harvesting, trafficking, or sales, none of the links are easy, and the joints must be opened up to make a smooth profit.

Otherwise, even if you hold a million taels of silver in your hands, you will only lose everything.

"Based on agriculture, get rich through business!" Zhu Gaochi snorted, "I understand now that this is the root of the gentry's fortune, but... I still don't understand, why do you have to use gentry and merchants? Are you just looking at the gentry? dislike; despise?"

Zhu Gaochi looked at Xu Jingchang stupidly.

Xu Jingchang snorted, "I'm not that boring. It's just that I didn't expect the King of Han to see this step so quickly... He can still convince His Majesty that the King of Han is not easy!"

Hearing Xu Jingchang praise his second child was even more uncomfortable than being scolded himself.

Zhu Gaochi pondered over and over again, and finally came to his senses. With Zhu Di's great victory, Monan was temporarily solved. The opportunity of Beiping came, and the opportunity of Daming also came.

There must be an excellent time for industrial and commercial prosperity in the future.

With the development of merchants and the prosperity of industry, the population of the city will definitely increase suddenly.

In fact, when Zhu Gaoxu changed rice into mulberry, one of them was that he needed to ensure the ration of mulberry farmers.

Otherwise, the extra money earned from selling raw silk would be taken away by the grain, so why would the big guy be willing to plant mulberry trees?Over the past few years, Zhu Gaoxu also discovered that as more and more craftsmen under him and more and more food was consumed, he suffered more and more obviously.

Those big grain merchants, who sit on the ground and raise prices, are making a lot of money, which is really hateful.

Moreover, as the population increases significantly, it is not enough to rely on these grain merchants alone.They can raise food prices to an unacceptable level.

Either they worked hard for a year, and all the money they earned was used to fill their stomachs, or the craftsmen couldn't survive and fled the city one after another. The entire industrial and commercial development stopped suddenly!
After analyzing this point, it becomes clear why, in the past dynasties, under farming conditions, the citizens can only reach more than [-]%, or even less than [-]%.

There is no way, no amount of support will be available.

But tinkering with farms in Beiping is not just as simple as increasing food output...the increased food will overturn the entire Ming Dynasty!

"So, it's a good thing that benefits the country and the people. Why do you keep it secret? Can't you just issue an order?" Zhu Gaochi asked.

"Decree? What are you kidding?" Xu Jingchang snorted, "How much food can Beiping produce? You have decreed that food is needed everywhere, but if you can't get it, it means destroying the credibility of the imperial court, and it will be difficult to restore it. Now The situation is quite good, no one knows how much food the imperial court has, it is a good time to move a thousand catties, so let's continue to watch!"

On the fifth day after Xu Jingchang finished speaking, a sign appeared outside Jubao Gate, which said, 380 five Wen for one stone grain!

It was actually less than four hundred!

The whole Yingtian was shaken, I am afraid that since the year of Hongwu, until now, there has not been such a low price.

Is this the prosperity?

Wufu Minfeng, food prices drop, this is something we wish for, if it can drop a little bit, it will be perfect.

At this moment, Yang Shiqi suddenly came to see Xu Jingchang.

"Mr. Ding, there is news from the Jiangxi Guild Hall. I hope that Mr. Ding can raise his hand and restore the price of grain as soon as possible. Otherwise, the loss will be heavy. I am afraid that no one will dare to traffic in grain next year."

Xu Jingchang smiled lightly when he heard this, "Scholar Yang, I am actively researching the price of grain, and I am also working hard to raise money. The grain merchants in Jiangxi can't wait? Didn't they buy a lot of grain in private, trying to raise money?" Is it a high price? Why not?"

Yang Shiqi finally smiled wryly and said: "Mr. Ding, it's these grains that caused the disaster...someone ate hundreds of thousands of shi grains, and now there is no place to store these grains. If it encounters autumn rains, I'm afraid they will rot and lose all blood." Return!"

Xu Jingchang smiled faintly, "Yeah? You only know how to buy food, but you don't know how to find a warehouse. Why didn't you tell me in advance! What did I do wrong to make them so wary of me?"

(End of this chapter)