Chu and Han contend for the throne

Chapter 503 Looting Guanzhong ([-])

Qu Bucaixing hurried into Xiang Zhuang's study room, bowed his head and said, "My lord, good news, after Bai Mo opened the Taicang to release grain, the Lu family has finally made a move."

"Okay, very good." Xiang Zhuang slapped him hard.

With the intervention of the Lu family, the confrontation caused by food in Guanzhong has become a political struggle. Now, neither Bai Mo nor the interest groups headed by the Lu family and the Sima family have no way out. The aristocratic families who made huge profits from it were also completely trapped.

Because the current situation is obvious, whoever can't stand it first will definitely lose everything.

If Bai Mo can't stand it, then he will not only lose all the stored grain in Taicang, but also bear the consequences of the soaring grain price in Guanzhong, unless he dares to suppress all the merchants, aristocratic families, wealthy families and relatives in Guanzhong with an iron fist, because now These four groups have formed a community of interests, and their interests are the same.

"Bai Mo, hehe, I didn't expect you to have today!" Xiang Zhuang was also a little excited.

But after thinking about Xiangzhuang, I was relieved. Economic warfare was too unfamiliar to the ancients. China has been an official-based ruling system since ancient times. It's no wonder that Bai Mo doesn't pay attention to the merchants in Guanzhong at all. Just imagine, who would pay attention to a group of ants?

Just say that Bi Shu and Bai Lixian are also powerful people, right?But aren't they also unresponsive to economic warfare?

But now, Bai Mo should have realized the seriousness of the problem, right?The merchants in Guanzhong are just a group of little ants who have no ability to resist, but now there are many poisonous scorpions among this group of small ants, that is, the aristocratic families in Guanzhong and nobles. Scorpion sweeping is no longer easy.

What's more, what Bai Mo doesn't know is that behind this group of little ants and poisonous scorpions, there is actually a giant python that is ready to choose and devour at any time, hehe.

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Under Chen Ping's instruction, the Black Ice Platform has strengthened the monitoring of the merchants in Guanzhong, so all kinds of news flew to Chen Ping's desk like a snowflake. Hearing that the nobles headed by the Lu family have also intervened, Chen Ping Feeling the seriousness of the situation, he hurried to the prime minister's mansion overnight to have a secret discussion with Bai Mo.

"This is a group of villains who only care about profit, and they don't have the interests of the Han Kingdom in their eyes!" Chen Ping became angry as he spoke, and said angrily, "Prime Minister, why don't you and I go to the palace overnight to see the king and ask him Issue an edict to order these villains to open warehouses and release grain, and anyone who refuses to obey will be severely punished!"

What Chen Ping was talking about was naturally the aristocratic families in Guanzhong and noble relatives, especially the Lu family who was the most powerful.

"Inappropriate, the Grand Master's suggestion is very inappropriate." Bai Mo shook his head, and said in a deep voice, "If the purge is done with an iron fist, it will inevitably cause turbulence, and one carelessness will shake the foundation of the country. The Great Han Kingdom needs to work hard to rule it." , Rest and recuperate, it is really impossible for any major incidents to happen, so we need to think of other countermeasures for this matter."

Chen Ping was silent when he heard the words. He knew that what Bai Mo said was the truth. To purge these aristocratic and rich families and relatives and nobles with an iron fist can certainly dispel hatred and relieve temporary difficulties, but the consequences are undoubtedly extremely serious, because such a Come on, Guanzhong will be in chaos, and even the army will be demoralized.

At that moment, Chen Ping asked again: "Prime Minister, what good strategy do you have?"

Bai Mo pondered and said: "Grand Master, I underestimated them before. I really didn't expect that these merchants would have such a great influence when they united. There are also those wealthy families, honored relatives and nobles. I didn't expect them to be so powerful." They will even be in cahoots with merchants, and against the truth."

Chen Pingdao: "This is called lilingzhifa."

"It's not that simple." Bai Mo waved his hand, and said coldly, "The reason why the aristocratic families and nobles and nobles made the move this time is only the secondary reason for profit. In fact, the rich families and nobles are the salt and iron industry. The real controllers, because the Yantie official camp that promoted the truth hurt their foundation, so they will fight back in groups."

Chen Ping smiled wryly when he heard the words, and asked in a deep voice: "Prime Minister, how should we deal with it now?"

Rao is Chen Ping's wise plan, but he is at a loss when it comes to how to deal with these merchants, because this level is beyond the scope of his knowledge.

"There is already a countermeasure for the truth, let's see, Grand Master." Bai Mo said, picking up two letters from the case.

After reading the letter in a hurry, Chen Ping's eyes lit up immediately, and he said, "Ask Zhao Guo and South Korea to send food urgently?"

"Yes." Bai Mo nodded heavily, and said fiercely, "Didn't they want to fight a business war with the truth and the Han Kingdom through food? That's fine, the truth will accompany you to the end, but the truth depends on how much money they have. , Han, Zhao, and Taicang, South Korea have more food reserves, let's see who can't hold it first, hehe!"

Chen Pingdao: "But it takes at least ten days to transport grain from Anyi to Xianyang, and it will take longer in Handan!"

Bai Mo said: "It's okay, Xianyang Taicang is still enough to last for a while, just reduce the daily grain distribution quota, wait until the grain from Anyi and Handan arrives, then open the warehouse door wide and put all the grain out, the truth will support them to death , hum!"

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Zhao Wang Zhang Ao handed the secret letter to Bai Xuan and said, "General, please read this first."

Bai Xuan took the letter and read it hastily, then said in surprise: "Prime Minister Bai wants to borrow money? What's going on here?"

Zhang Jing next to him said: "The general is busy with the army recently, so I don't know what happened in Guanzhong. It is said that Guanzhong has caused a food shortage because of the lack of grain harvest, so we need to borrow food."

Bai Xuan frowned and said, "But Prime Minister Bai wants to borrow 100 million shi with a single mouth, and Handan Taicang doesn't have that much? What's more, the food in Handan Taicang is for war preparations, and it must not be used easily when the emergency is less than [-]. How can it be borrowed?" ?”

Zhao Wang Zhang Ao said: "Then write back to Prime Minister Bai, saying that we are also short of food and have no food to borrow."

"That's not right. This time the Han Dynasty is in trouble. If we stand by and watch, wouldn't it be a violation of the Lianheng agreement?" Bai Xuan pondered for a moment, and finally said, "How about this, borrow 50."

Zhao Wang Zhang Ao said: "Good, just follow what the general said."

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A few days later, Qu Bucaixing hurried into Xiangzhuang's study and reported: "Your Majesty, just received letters from Feige from Anyi and Handan. With 30 grain and 50 shi, we are sending troops day and night to Xianyang."

"Okay, okay!" Xiang Zhuang slammed the knot hard and said excitedly, "The decisive battle is about to begin!"

After saying this, Xiang Zhuang pointed to Qu Bucai and ordered: "Immediately send another 10 taels of gold to Wumuya Xianyang branch through the underground channel!"

Preparing gold for Wumuya Xianyang branch is naturally used for borrowing.

This is also the proper meaning of the title. Through this business war, Xiangzhuang has to achieve three goals. One is to loot the grain reserves in the Taicang of the Han, Han, and Zhao countries to alleviate the plight of Chu’s food shortage; the other is to loot the family in Guanzhong. The wealth of the rich, wealthy and honored relatives greatly enriched the treasury of Chu State; the third is to make Guanzhong merchants owe Chu State a huge debt, thereby secretly controlling them.

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Xianyang, Prime Minister's Mansion.

Chen Pingchong bowed to Bai Mo, and said in a solemn tone: "Prime Minister, the Black Ice Terrace has basically been investigated. There are more than 20 Guanzhong merchants, aristocratic families, wealthy families, and honored relatives participating in the hoarding of grain. All the land and real estate are sold, and almost [-] yuan can be scraped together."

"Not that much." Bai Mo waved his hand, and said coldly, "Such a large-scale sale will inevitably cause the prices of land and real estate to plummet, and they will be able to make up half of it in the end."

Chen Ping nodded lightly and said, "It's true, others are not fools."

Bai Mo said again: "The king of Zhao, Zhang Ao, and the king of Han, Han Xin, have agreed to borrow grain. About 80 shi of grain are on their way to Xianyang. The 80 shi of grain plus the remaining grain in Xianyang Taicang and counties and counties will total about 250 million. At 12 renminbi per shi, it is worth about 5000 renminbi, which is enough to crush them."

Chen Pingdao: "To be on the safe side, should we raise the price of grain from five hundred to one thousand?"

Bai Mo said: "I'm afraid it won't work. The monthly wages of husbands and helpers in Xianyang is only about [-] yuan. If the price of food is raised to [-] yuan per shi, they will not be able to support their wives and children. The husbands and helpers will not be able to support themselves. His family members will definitely be in turmoil, this way, it will not appear that the original is incompetent, and some people have something to say in front of the king."

This is also reasonable, the opponent can ignore the life and death of the people in Xianyang, but Bai Mo, as the prime minister of the Han Dynasty, cannot ignore the livelihood of the people in Xianyang.

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Lu Tai looked gloomy, looking out of the window at the twilight in a daze.

Originally, Lu Tai didn't want to fight against Bai Mo. Even if Bai Mo deprived him of his military power, and transferred Lu Shizhi and Lu Chan from the county guard to idle positions, Lu Tai could bear it, but Bai Mo wanted to set up Yantie The official franchise has touched the root of the Lu family. If the Lu family does not resist, not only will they lose their power, but they will also lose their wealth. If this happens, they will be completely defeated within two generations.

It is true that Lu Tai is a courtier of a great man, but he is also the head of the Lu family. He has to think for the Lu family, so he must bring down the big tree Bai Mo at all costs.

Lu Shizhi's expression was also gloomy, and he stood behind Lu Tai and said in a low voice: "Tell me, the 30 shi from Anyi will be transported to Xianyang in five days at most, and the 50 shi from Handan will be transported to Xianyang." It will be known within half a month that Bai Mo is collecting surplus grain from various counties and counties to Xianyang, and adding Xianyang Taicang, the total may exceed 250 million shi!"

Lu Chan, who was standing on the other side, added: "Based on the current price of 250 renminbi per stone, 12 million renminbi is 5000. , I’m afraid they can’t get it all together, because too many properties have been sold, and the prices of land and real estate have plummeted by nearly half.”

(End of this chapter)