Jinyi Town Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 167
He Liu found Ding Sanjiao, the leader of the Cao Gang, in the Jiangnan Guild Hall in the north of the city.

Ding Sanjiao asked his servants to serve tea to He Liu, and asked, "Master Liu is here, so he must be going to the Three Treasures Palace for nothing."

He Liudao: "I have something to ask you. It is said that you have a good relationship with the four major grain companies in the capital?"

Ding Sanjiao nodded: "The white rice they buy from Jiangnan every year is transported to Beijing on grain ships from our Cao Gang. What's wrong?"

He Liu took a sip of tea: "That's right, there is a spring famine in Beizhili. The four major grain stores are hoarding grain and not delivering it. I hope you will come forward to discuss with them and sell me grain for 20 taels of silver."

Ding Sanjiao spoke quickly, and he shook his head and said, "Sixth Master, this is against the rules. The Cao Gang rules, you can't use your power to overwhelm those law-abiding businessmen. Besides, the four major grain companies have court officials as their backers. I just want to overwhelm them, they You don’t necessarily have to buy my face. If you want to get involved in the grain business, you can buy grain from the south of the Yangtze River. The matter of transporting grain to Beijing is on my Cao Gang.”

He Liu shook his head: "I didn't buy grain to resell. The third master also knows that 10,000+ victims of the disaster in Beizhili have entered Beijing. Although the imperial court allocated relief food and opened a porridge field in the western suburbs of the capital, it is always a drop in the bucket. I The 20 taels of silver are paid out of their own pockets, and they are intended to be exchanged for food to relieve the urgent needs of the victims."

Ding Sanjiao heard the words and sighed: "Sixth Master, you actually have to pay for the relief of the victims yourself? Let me advise you, there are many suffering people in the world. How many of them can you save?"

He Liu got up and made a bow to Ding Sanjiao: "I only save people I can see in front of my eyes. I can't let the 10,000+ victims who flooded into the capital starve to death in front of my eyes."

Ding Sanjiao also stood up and stared at He Liu. After a long time, he cursed: "I call him his ancestor. Every day I hear people talking about how the court is. When it comes to disasters, the court doesn't care about the lives of the victims, but Liu Ye Such kind people ask for their own pockets! Come on, aren’t they the four major grain merchants? I will post a post immediately and let them come to the Jiangnan Guild Hall for a drink tonight! Don’t worry, this matter is on me!”

The reason why He Liu is so generous is because Jin Wanguan's millions of wealth fell into his hands, and he felt uneasy.He wanted to use Jin Wanguan's money to do more good deeds.This will make him feel more at ease.

At night, the four major grain merchants in Beijing, Chang, Li, Kong, and Chen, gathered in the Jiangnan Guild Hall.

Four wealthy bosses were seated.Ding Sanjiao said: "Everyone can come to the banquet today to give me Ding Sanjiao face! I will introduce someone to you, this is He Liuye from Jinyiwei."

Chang, Li, Kong, and Chen have lived in the capital for a long time, so they have naturally heard of the name of the Sixth Master Fusi of Beizhen.Everyone cupped their hands one after another: "I have seen Liu Ye."

Although they were polite, their hearts were pounding: The Six Hades of Jinyiwei set up some kind of trap for us, right?

Ding Sanjiao said: "Four bosses, I have been dealing with you for more than ten years! Seeing our friendship for more than ten years, I want you to sell me today. Our sixth master is a great kind person, and we are going to take I will give 20 taels of silver to buy your grain to help the victims. But I heard that you are hoarding grain, and you don’t put a single grain out.”

Boss Chang is the head of the four major grain merchants.He cupped his hands and said: "Master Ding, you always eat canal rice. As the saying goes, every row is like a mountain. You don't know, our food business is about fast in and fast out. Now that the price of food is so high, if I have food in hand , It’s been released a long time ago. Why bother to keep the grain in your hands? If one day the disaster is over and the price of grain drops, I won’t have to pay for it?”

Boss Li also echoed: "That's right. Our Daming has laws and regulations, and those who hoard for odds can travel a thousand miles. We are all law-abiding businessmen, how dare we hit the sharp edge of the "Law of the Ming Dynasty"?"

Boss Kong sighed: "Oh, everyone thought that there were countless rice and millet in the grain depots of our four major grain companies. In fact, they were just empty shelves! Last year's autumn grain in our hands, this winter and spring morning Just let it go!"

Boss Chen said: "Yes! In the year of the catastrophe, the grain merchants didn't have any surplus grain! My family has a lot of people, hundreds of them. I am worried about where to buy some rice and noodles to fill my family. Where is the son's mouth?"

The four of them agreed on one word, in short, two words: no food.

Just as He Liu was about to speak, Ding Sanjiao waved his hand at him, and then raised his glass: "Okay, since you all have no food, then let's not talk about buying food today! Come and drink!"

After finishing speaking, Ding Sanjiao gave He Liu a wink, motioning him to keep silent.

After drinking a few glasses of wine, Ding Sanjiao changed the subject and talked about the history of the Cao Gang: "Everyone knows that my Cao Gang has eight halls, sixteen meetings, 32 rudders, and manages 30 gangs and more than [-] canals. Coolies live with the Cao Gang. Do you know what is the most important position in the Cao Gang?"

Boss Chang said: "Of course it's the gang leader!"

Ding Sanjiao shook his head: "Wrong! The most important position is the mouse catcher!"

"Mouse catcher? What kind of position is this?" Everyone wondered.

Ding Sanjiao talked eloquently: "Everyone, I'm a rough person. But I heard my eight-year-old nephew often recite an ancient poem called "Official Hamster."

Boss Chang answered: "Yes, that's a poem by Cao Ye from the Tang Dynasty. Rats in official warehouses are as big as a bucket, and they won't leave when they see people open their warehouses. Healthy children have no food and the people are hungry. Who will send the imperial court to the king's mouth? Cough, now it's time to take care of it." It is the Minister of the Household Department, Gao Gong, who controls the world's official warehouses. In the Household Department, there must be many corrupt officials, just like the official hamster..."

Boss Chang's rice shop has shares of Xue Yang, a doctor from the Ministry of Industry.Xue Yang is Yan Shifan's confidant.It can be said that Boss Chang is the slave of the strict government.Naturally, he wanted to seize the opportunity and greatly belittle the household department controlled by the Yuwang Party.

Ding Sanjiao waved his hand: "We don't understand the big truth. After listening to this poem, the only feeling I have is, hey, this poem writer is a sensible person: Where there is food, there must be mice. Let's say Caobang There are thousands of tank boats. Every time a boat transports grain, it will be eaten by mice. Don’t underestimate this mouse. These guys are experts in spoiling grain. A few days ago, a mouse catcher was set up on each water transport ship!"

Boss Chang said: "So that's how it is! I've learned a lot!"

Ding Sanjiao said: "Let's say that summer grain was transported to Beijing last year. The rat catcher on No. 1 tank boat of Group B and E had an awkward relationship with his sub-rudder master. In a fit of anger, he ignored the mice on No. [-] ship. No. [-] ship loaded [-] grain in the south of the Yangtze River." Two thousand catties, entered Beijing, guess how much grain is left? Only [-] catties left! Nearly [-]% of the grain has been ruined by rats!"

There is something in Ding Sanjiao's words.It is nothing more than threatening a group of grain merchants.You don't give me face?Don't sell food to Liu Ye?That's easy!The Cao Gang can find [-] reasons, so that the next time you entrust the escort to Beijing, you will lose [-]% of the food in a daze!
The value of grain transported by the four major grain merchants to Caobang every year is no less than several million taels.One achievement is several 10 taels.The Cao Gang monopolizes canal shipping.If you want to transport grain from the south of the Yangtze River to Beijing, you must find a boat from the Cao Gang.If you don’t want to lose several 10 taels out of thin air next time, just obediently sell 20 taels of grain to Liu Ye!
How shrewd are the four major grain merchants?How could they fail to understand Ding Sanjiao's implication?
Boss Chang immediately stated: "Although we don't have much food in our hands, Mr. Liu's benevolence in caring for the victims made us admire! The four of us went back to sweep the bottom of the warehouse, dig the seams in the ground, and drill holes in the mountains. Sixth Lord scraped together the 20 taels of grain!"

The other three grain merchants nodded in agreement.

Ding Sanjiao asked, "What about the food price?"

Boss Chang gritted his teeth: "Since we are doing good deeds, we naturally can't ask Liu Ye for a high price! Let's sell it to him at a low price!"

Ding Sanjiao patted the table: "Have fun! Come on, give me a big bowl! I want to have a good drink with Liu Ye and the bosses!"

(End of this chapter)