The first-class concubine of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 496
The Song Dynasty encouraged business, so the merchants in the Song Dynasty were very rich and lived a very prosperous life. Although their rank was still the lowest, they were not despised like they were in the Tang Dynasty.

Grain merchants are very profitable, especially in places where natural disasters often occur.

The Great Song Dynasty also took good care of the protection of merchants. Under normal circumstances, the interests of merchants cannot be damaged, even officials.

Therefore, it is their business for those merchants to have grain stores. Liu Wei can't force them to take out grain. If they want grain, they can only buy it from them.

In addition, the nobles in Shangzhou also have a lot of grain in their hands. These nobles have a lot of land in their homes, and the annual harvest is enough to fill several large granaries, and most of these dignitaries cooperate with grain merchants.

When he came, Liu Wei had already heard about the situation. The price of food in Shangzhou had increased by a large margin. Obviously, the collusion between the powerful and the businessmen led to this situation.

Liu Wei does not object to food price increases. After all, the market has the ability to regulate and control. If there is more demand, the price will naturally increase. It is just a bit shameful to make money for the country at this time.

Liu Wei looked at Wang Ning and asked, "Who is the biggest big family, and who is the biggest grain merchant?"

"Returning to my lord, they are the same person. They are both Lu Dinggong and Lu Yuanwai. This Lu Yuanwai has a lot of land. He can't finish the grain merchants every year, so he opened a grain shop in Shangzhou, and he is making a lot of money every day."

"Did he also raise the price of grain in Shangzhou?"

"No, some time ago when it was only raining, he hoarded goods for a surprise. When the Yellow River burst its embankment and many people's food was flooded, he suddenly raised the price."

Speaking of this, Wang Ning said again: "Master Liu, this Lu Dinggong is a smart man, his granary is different from others, because it is difficult to transport the grain, so even if the granary is higher than other places, it is not much higher. Lu Dinggong is not, he wants his own granary to be twice as high as that of other people's, even if it is difficult to move, he also requires it."

After listening to Wang Ning's words, Liu Wei felt that Lu Dinggong was indeed a smart man. Shangzhou was close to the Yellow River, and there was generally enough rain in summer. In order to prevent the grain from getting moldy, it was understandable to build the granary higher.

"Did Mr. Wang approach this Duke Lu Ding and ask him to lower the price?"

"This... this..." Wang Ning was embarrassed for a moment.

Seeing him like this, Liu Wei understood, and asked: "No, right, why didn't you look for it?"

"Master Liu, there are people above Lu Dinggong, the subordinates dare not offend."

"Someone, who?"

Liu Wei knew very well, how could a person without power expand his business in a place like Shangzhou, and how could he get so much land?

"It's Lord Lu Duoxun, this Lu Dinggong is Lu Duoxun's younger brother."

After Wang Ning finished speaking, she lowered her head, and Liu Wei couldn't help but frowned. He and Lu Duoxun had never dealt with each other, and Lu Duoxun belonged to the King of Wei. King Wei, a little prefect like Wang Ning, how dare he fight against King Wei?
And when Liu Wei thought this way, he couldn't help realizing that maybe this Lu Dinggong was helping the King of Wei to store food. All along, the King of Wei was a person who wanted to rebel, and rebellion required soldiers, horses, food and grass Just support, Shangzhou is close to the capital, which can be the quickest help for King Wei's rebellion system, and it is only a little Lu Dinggong, why can he include almost half of the land in Shangzhou City in his own hands?

After making up his mind, Liu Wei didn't show any suspicious expression. He just said to Wang Ning: "Make steamed buns for all the grain merchants in the government office and distribute them to the people of Shangzhou. Also, send a letter to Lu Dinggong, saying that the imperial envoy If I want to meet him, the time is set this afternoon at the Shangzhou government office."

Now that the flood has not receded, even if the food is given to the people of Shangzhou, they may not be able to find something to make food, so it is better to give them steamed buns directly, and Liu Wei feels that this is why the flooded here Great, although the price of food has increased, but there is no reason why it has grown so outrageously. In comparison, cooked food is the most expensive.
-
At dusk, Duke Lu Ding came. Although he is very powerful in Shangzhou and has people in the court, he knows who Liu Wei is. If you don't give Liu Wei face, you won't give yourself a way out, so After the street order, he hurriedly entered the government office after making preparations, but before he left his mansion, he had already sent his own people to rush a letter to the capital.

Lu Dinggong was very fat, and when he came, he had a smile on his face. Seeing him like this, Liu Wei also smiled and asked him to sit down.

"I don't know why Master Liu summoned the grass people?"

"Mr. Lu is a big family member in Shangzhou. As an imperial envoy, I came to Shangzhou City. Naturally, I want to see you. Don't you think so?"

Lu Dinggong smiled wryly, and said: "Don't dare, dare not, Caomin is just a reckless man, there is worthy of Mr. Liu's attention."

In this way, after the two talked for a while, Liu Weicai finally said: "The people in Shangzhou are very hungry now, and the flood has not yet receded. Can you ask Lu Yuanwai to lower the price of grain, I am going to buy some."

Hearing Liu Wei's words, Lu Dinggong was terrified, and said: "Master Liu is really polite, you want food, why buy it, you can tell me the number, as long as I, Lu Dinggong, can satisfy, I will never refuse."

Seeing that Lu Dinggong was so happy, Liu Wei couldn't help being surprised. The rich and powerful people he met before were all very stingy, why is this Lu Dinggong so happy?

It doesn't make sense to say that he is afraid of himself. Although he has a high position and authority, the laws of Song Dynasty are relatively sound, and the protection of merchants is still very good. Even if he is an official, he dare not force merchants.

Looking at Lu Dinggong's face full of smiles, Liu Wei suddenly felt that the person in front of him was not simple, he might be full of sweet words, or there might be an unpredictable evil hidden under his smiling face. heart.

"Mr. Lu's sudden generosity made it difficult for me to get used to it for a while."

Lu Dinggong smiled: "My lord, in fact, the grass people also felt sympathy for those hungry refugees, and thought about lending a helping hand, but the lower officials are also worried. Master Liu is a person who has seen the world. If I help If they eat it once, after they finish eating, they will definitely think that I will help them again, and if this happens again and again, my hard-earned family wealth will be lost."

Hearing what Lu Dinggong said, Liu Wei smiled lightly: "Then why do you suddenly want to take out food to help them now?"

(End of this chapter)