Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

The Hanlin scholars were all crestfallen.

Now that things had come to this, with their leader gone, what was the point of making a fuss?

After a long silence, scattered voices emerged from the crowd.

“Your Majesty, we are ashamed, please punish us...”

Gradually, more and more people spoke, their voices merging into one.

Fang Zheng smiled, watching the scene with a chuckle.

If only they had known this earlier! Me, Fang Zheng, standing on the moral high ground, clinging to the thigh of supreme power, they wanted to mess with me?

They didn't even consider whether they had the capital to do so!

Emperor Jing also felt a surge of laughter, but instinct made him suppress it, and he said calmly, “Consider this a moment of your confusion. I can overlook the past, but if it happens again, I will not be lenient!”

“All of you, return. Tomorrow, attend the court as usual.”

Guo Tianyang also breathed a sigh of relief.

His Majesty's temperament had indeed changed... This time, besides Yan Guoan and others, there was no bloodshed.

Good thing... a great thing! This old man will have good fortune in his later years!

The crowd gradually dispersed until only Emperor Jing and a few of Fang Zheng's close associates remained in the courtyard.

Emperor Jing said, “Fang Qing, you have done well. I should have rewarded you, but... you are new to the court and your foundation is not stable, so we will discuss it later.”

Fang Zheng didn't care much. With the Crown Prince by his side, what need did he have for an official position?

Even if they gave me a position, I wouldn't take it!

The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility to shirk!

“Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your kindness, I am unworthy!”

Li Yuanzhao, who was beside him, became unhappy and clamored, “Father! I also played a part!”

Emperor Jing chuckled: “Yes, the Crown Prince performed very well, but do you want me to bestow an official position upon you?”

“I don't want an official position, just give me silver!”

Emperor Jing's smile froze. After a pause, he said faintly: “I am tired... Prepare the carriage, let us return to the palace.”

After speaking, he turned and left.

Fang Zheng and Li Yuanzhao stared blankly at Emperor Jing's back... So stingy! Really stingy!

..................

The next day at court, the imperial court had returned to its usual order.

Only Yang Yingcai, leaning on crutches, seemed very out of place.

His leg was originally fine, but halfway through, his rheumatism suddenly flared up.

The pain made him howl, and the thugs actually thought his leg was broken, so they dragged him to the clinic and told the doctor.

The doctor was also a muddlehead and bandaged it up directly.

Yang Yingcai originally wanted to untie it after returning home, but when he thought about losing face, he gave up the idea.

It was better to pretend to be sick... at least it wouldn't be so awkward.

Who could be too harsh on a sick person?

So the next day, he came to court with a limp, only occasionally shooting glances at Fang Zheng.

At this moment, Emperor Jing was carefully reading the memorial in his hand in the imperial court.

The memorial was submitted by Zhang Shi, and the topic was still about the famine in the South.

After Emperor Jing finished reading, he ordered Guo Tianyang to read it aloud.

The content wasn't anything new. It was all the things that had been debated with Fang Zheng a few days ago, nothing more than opening granaries to release grain, stabilizing prices, and specific distribution rules.

After Guo Tianyang finished reading, Emperor Jing said, “If any of you have any opinions, you may discuss them.”

“This matter is of great importance. The local officials have already submitted three memorials to me, urging the opening of granaries to release grain.”

“If we delay any longer, I fear it will cause civil unrest. Times are different now than they were in the past. The Jianjiang floods have had a great impact. All of you, please offer your advice and suggestions.”

Fang Zheng couldn't wait to jump out, wanting to make another effort.

“Reporting to Your Majesty! Your subject believes that suppressing grain prices is not feasible! Letting it run its course is the best policy.”

“If grain prices are suppressed, grain merchants will have no profit to be made, and it will be extremely difficult for grain from prosperous areas to flow to the disaster areas.”

“Local governments also have no way to collect grain. Even if they do, I fear that the implementation will be ineffective, and it will be difficult to achieve results... The only countermeasure is to open up high prices and allow the grain to flow.”

“Not only that, but we must also try our best to spread the news everywhere... When grain merchants hear the news and move, the victims will be able to survive until the autumn harvest.”

He couldn't count on sweet potatoes; he could only count on the market now.

“I object!”

Before Zhang Shi could speak, a large group of Hanlin scholars stood up.

“According to what Lord Fang said, encouraging high prices will inevitably cause panic among the people. What if the common people can't afford grain even if they long for it?”

“If grain merchants gather in one place, and the supply is greater than the demand, a drop in grain prices is inevitable. If there is no grain in the world, grain merchants will not go to the disaster areas. At worst, they will maintain the status quo. May I ask how long the local granaries can last?”

Someone else retorted, “This move will inevitably lead to hoarding and speculation! What if someone takes advantage of the national crisis to make a fortune? Does Lord Fang want to watch the victims starve to death even though there is grain?”

Fang Zheng shook his head and said, “Hoarding and speculation will definitely happen, but the cost of warehousing and transportation for grain merchants who come from thousands of miles away may not be bearable.”

“If most people starve to death, then there will be no profit to be made.”

“Moreover, if someone can truly dominate the market and only watch the victims starve to death for no profit, will the government do nothing?”

“Local officials must closely monitor the movements of grain merchants and actively combat hoarding and speculation. This will always be much simpler than collecting grain from local wealthy households!”

“This is simply nonsense! Time is of the essence! Where is the time to wait for grain merchants to go to the disaster areas? Collecting grain locally and stabilizing grain prices is the best policy.”

“..............”

Emperor Jing looked at the heated argument below and felt a headache.

What Fang Zheng said made some sense, but since ancient times, disaster relief measures have been as Zhang Shi said. Perhaps the effect is not very good, but it is enough to stand the test of time.

But sometimes, intuitive ideas are not necessarily correct.

While they were arguing lively below, Li Yuanzhao, who was silently on the side, spoke up.

“Father, your son has something to say.”

The imperial court suddenly fell silent. Why did the Crown Prince, who rarely spoke in court, suddenly speak today?

Emperor Jing smiled: “Oh? What brilliant ideas does the Crown Prince have? Tell me and let me hear them.”

“Your son believes that even if grain prices are stabilized, they may not be able to be stabilized.”

“Therefore, this method... should not be used.”

Zhang Shi said anxiously: “What is the Crown Prince saying? Does the government's word not count? Wouldn't the people of the world rebel?”

“No! Suppose the grain price in the disaster area is currently two taels per catty. If the government forcefully orders grain merchants to sell it for twenty wen per catty, then only one thing will happen, which is that the common people will have no grain to buy.”

“Then who can buy grain at this time? It must be people with connections who can buy grain. The grain shortage will intensify, and people with connections will definitely take this opportunity to hoard grain, but how many people among the common people have connections?”

“Furthermore, if I were a grain merchant, I would simply not sell grain. I would rather sell bowls. I would give away one catty of grain for every bowl bought. You can't control free grain, can you? How should the government control it at that time?”

“There are endless ways to respond in the folk... Your son has already seen it these days, so... stabilizing grain prices may not work!”

..............

ps: The unit is directly used in catties, which is convenient for everyone to read.