unclear

Chapter 177 Food shortage 2
"Yes, there must be bigger figures behind these grain merchants. They are hoarding grain not just to make money, but I am afraid it is inseparable from His Majesty's New Deal.

In this way, at least half of the 300 million taels of internal money will flow into their pockets, and they will make more profits from the soaring food prices. From now on, His Majesty may never dare to change lightly again. "

Jin Shijun's views were basically the same as Yang Sichang's, and he was more explicit. He directly named the cause and purpose of the food shortage, and also guessed the possible outcome. Generally speaking, he was relatively pessimistic.

"...Do you know who it is!" This inference really shocked Yang Lian. He stood up and walked around the yard a few times, as if he had made up his mind, and asked the question again.

"Confucian scholars, don't worry. I just heard it. I'm afraid no one here can answer it. If you want to know, you might as well take a look at it." Seeing the determination on Yang Lian's face, Jin Shijun stopped joking and took a look from his arms. He took out something and put it on the table.

""Half Moon Talk"! Newspaper!" Everyone recognized it immediately, but they called it differently.

"What nonsense! This is slander, fabricated out of nothing, and unreasonable! Are you willing to go with me to Tongzhou to find Ma Jinglun and refute it face to face?" Yang Lian was still quick, grabbed the newspaper and quickly found the article about the food shortage, and stood there and read it. .

However, instead of enlightening him, this article actually caused a real fire. Just like the previous style, the article clarified the truth behind the food shortage without naming anyone.

At first glance, it seems to be a denunciation of unscrupulous businessmen who hoard goods, but after careful consideration, you can immediately feel another flavor, pointing the finger at the court, especially officials from Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Huguang.

As one of the editors of "Donglin Xun Lectures" and a member of the Donglin faction, he really couldn't bear this kind of behavior of openly spreading dirt and spreading rumors and slanders across the country, even if he didn't specifically target the Donglin faction. No!

"...Wenru, please be patient. It's not that you don't dare to go, but you won't be able to see me if you go. The place where "Half Moon Talk" is published is located in the courtyard of Time Workshop, which belongs to the Imperial Mansion. There are guards in royal robes outside and imperial guards inside. The Horse Supervisor will take care of you. Don’t tell me, even if the cabinet bachelor comes in person, it is impossible to enter without the badge of the Supervisor of Ceremonies. You can’t even see anyone, how can you argue in person?"

Seeing that Yang Lian was about to go out, Gu Dazhang quickly stepped forward to stop him, pulling him back while explaining the reason.It’s not that everyone doesn’t want to go, it’s that it’s useless if they go. Why waste money on traveling when you know the trip is in vain.

"Have you ever been to Bo Qin?" Yang Lian was not only a bully but also a stubborn person. He still refused to give up easily even if others gave up.

"It's never been my turn to come forward. It has been many years since it was published. Countless officials and people have come to ask for advice, but no one has succeeded yet. Ma Jinglun rarely appears in public, and those who sell newspapers are all children. , earn some money for running errands, and don’t know the details of the palace.”

Gu Dazhang smiled a little bitterly. He had indeed had the idea of ​​coming to attack before. If he succeeded, he would definitely become famous throughout the country.But as time went by, this idea gradually faded away.

It’s not that I don’t want to go, but I don’t want to go as an opponent, so it’s best to ask for advice.In addition to being well versed in the inside story of officialdom, the articles written by Ma Jinglun also have some views that are similar to or even superior to his own. After reading them, I always feel a sense of yearning.

"... It seems that Yang is ignorant... Time Workshop? Huangzhuang? Could it be that "Half Moon Talk" was given by His Majesty! Yes, yes, Chen Ju, Li Zhi, and Ma Jinglun should have been like this. If no one He is strategizing behind the scenes, how can he, an official who has become an official, know so much about the affairs of the court!" After Gu Dazhang said this, Yang Lian was finally willing to sit down. Youdao is a scholar who meets a soldier. The royal horse supervisor and groom are worse off than the scholar.Those were the emperor's personal guards. They could neither be beaten nor scolded, and the local officials would not interfere.

But when he thought of the emperor, he suddenly became energetic again.I remember that when we talked about the "Half Moon Talk" in Ye Maocai's house last year, I just felt that Li Zhi might be behind Ma Jinglun, and the emperor was not directly involved. Now it seems that the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi who is far away in Zhaoqing is not enough.

"I think this article makes some sense. According to what is said above, ordinary grain merchants firstly do not have such a huge amount of money to buy surplus grain, secondly they cannot avoid local government inspections, and thirdly they will not know when the court will Open a new method, start with such a sophisticated approach, leaving no room for error.

Only officials from a wealthy family in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Huguang and other places have the conditions and ability to work together vertically and horizontally to carry out such a big move quietly, leaving the government unable to find a clue, or not wanting to find it at all.

This is very close to Meng Zhang's inference just now, but I don't know how His Majesty can break the situation... It's too difficult, too difficult. Poor victims of the disaster in various provinces. They should have relied on this food to survive the autumn classes, but they were harmed by the new law without thinking. "

Although Yang Sichang was also an official from Huguang, he was not offended by the article's implications. Instead, he felt that what he said was reasonable.And he himself has not leaned towards any faction, or in other words, he is still waiting and watching, and his words are less inclined.

"That's ridiculous, that's ridiculous! Your Majesty uses internal funds to purchase disaster relief grains, and then transports them through merchants and hand them over to the royal family for distribution according to the yellow book. This is just to reduce losses and corruption. How can it be called harmful to the people.

Wen Ruo and Bo Qin, both of you follow Mr. Donglin and invite Zuo many times. However, if this food shortage is really as Ma Jinglun said, Donglin will not be able to enter.Zuo is not talented and speaks lightly, but he will never do anything that is not beneficial to the country and the people! "

Zuo Guangdou looked displeased when he heard that Yang Lian meant to slander "Ban Yue Tan" and also implied that the emperor was the instigator behind the scenes.He and Gu Dazhang are similar. They both like to read the articles in the first page of "Ban Yue Tan" and deeply agree with them.

At the same time, he has not leaned towards any faction. If he had to choose one, he would most likely follow Ma Jinglun.As for the warm invitation from the two friends, I can't agree to it for the time being.

"Don't rush to conclusions. Whether it serves the people or harms them depends on the results. Who can tell clearly in advance what the original intention is. According to the current situation, whether your Majesty's new law is for the people or not, it is almost a foregone conclusion that it will harm the people."

Although Gu Dazhang partially agreed with the statement in "Ban Yue Tan", he would never allow anyone to slander his beliefs.Regarding the emperor, his attitude was to believe in history, and he would rather believe in his stupidity than his wisdom.If the emperor is all brilliant and powerful, then Han Chuang's ten years of hard study will be all in vain, who will help him?

"Then Zuo is even more disdainful to be associated with him. He disregards the life and death of the people for his own selfish interests. He is a national thief!"

Zuo Guangdou also knew in his heart that no matter how the emperor responded, [-]% of the new law would fail.When I thought of the thousands of people affected by the disaster who would starve to death because of this, an unknown fire arose in my heart. I could no longer care about my colleagues and retorted with sharper words.

(End of this chapter)