"The boss said that there is no food for the time being!"
In front of the rice store, the waiter looked at the long line of people lining up in front of him early in the morning, smiled, and announced that there was no food to sell.
"How is that possible! You were still selling it yesterday!"
"Yesterday was yesterday, but it's gone today!"
The clerk ignored everyone's complaints, quickly closed the door and returned to the warehouse.
Looking at the warehouse full of grain, the clerk had a happy smile on his face.
"When the price of food rises to one hundred and fifty penny per shi, the boss will reward me with a penny for every shi sold!"
The same situation happened all over Yanzhou.
These rice merchants who refused to sell grain were the same ones who had previously refused to sell it to Liang Xiao at a price of sixty cents.
And those rice merchants who had sold all their grain to Liang Xiao were filled with regret.
"You really shouldn't have listened to the prefect's nonsense!"
However, considering that Liang Xiao was the governor of Yanzhou and was unlikely to step down anytime soon, they did not dare to offend him.
After all, Liang Xiao really gave them some trade privileges.
For example, part of the tax will be reduced or reduced in the future.
“Where can I still sell food?”
The people searched everywhere for information, but to no avail.
In the prefect's mansion, Chief Bookkeeper Qin Xun reported to Liang Xiao: "As expected by Marquis Lanling, the remaining rice merchants in the city just want to wait for the price of grain to continue to rise and are currently unwilling to sell grain."
Liang Xiao smiled and said: "So, now only the prefect's mansion can sell grain, which I expected. This is human nature. They are unwilling to sell me for sixty cents. How can they be willing to sell me for ninety cents when the price of grain continues to rise? How about selling the article?"
Everyone nodded and said no more.
They already understood Liang Xiao's intention.
In the capital, news of rising food prices was also received through flying pigeons.
"Your Majesty, Liang Xiao ignores the suffering of the people, raises prices wantonly, buys at low prices and sells at high prices. In less than half a year, Yanzhou will definitely have nine empty houses out of ten!!"
Duanmucao, the Minister of Rites, took the lead in impeachment.
"I have sent people to advise you, please don't get excited."
Facing the friendly Duan Yunyi, the officials were helpless.
In the imperial study, Duan Yunyi couldn't help but worry when he looked at the memorials that were as dense as snow flakes.
"Prime Minister, Liang Aiqing, the price of food..."
"He told your Majesty the plan before he left. Your Majesty just waits for the good news." Zhuge Hui said with a smile.
Seeing Zhuge Hui's calm expression, Duan Yunyi felt much more at ease.
After all, she is well-read, and there has never been anyone like Liang Xiao in history.
Whether it can succeed or not depends entirely on how Liang Xiao operates.
Youzhou Biejia Gongyangte also received the news of the price increase in Yanzhou, and he laughed in anger.
"Lord Zhuge, have you seen it too? This kid just came to Yanzhou to do mischief. Should you and I intervene!!"
Zhuge Qi, the governor of Youzhou, comforted him and said, "I am deeply saddened by the loss of my beloved son, Gong Yang. However, Grand Administrator Liang is appointed by His Majesty, and has the power of life and death. I am only a fourth-rank official, and I am a Yan official." The superior of the prefect of the state is actually the one who controls you and me. Do you understand?"
"You just let him do whatever he wants and ignore the suffering of the people of Yanzhou??" Gongyangte reprimanded him in public.
Zhuge Qi said angrily: "Gongyang Farewell, this is the first time that you speak to me from the standpoint of the common people? If you can do this before, why should I worry that the people of Youzhou cannot live and work in peace and contentment?"
Gongyang was speechless.
In the past, it was Zhuge Qi who advised him to think of the people, but he scorned him and called him "untouchable" and "difficult people".
Now, the people have become his excuse to attack Liang Xiao!
Yanzhou Prefecture.
The rise in food prices has made some landlords who planned to sell their land have trouble sleeping and eating, and they have approached Liang Xiao to sell their land.
Fertile farmland costs 800 cents per acre, and poor farmland costs 400 cents per acre. The prices are unprecedentedly low, and can be said to be the lowest in the country...
But now they just want to sell their land and leave Yanzhou.
Their intuition tells them that Yanzhou will soon be in dire straits.
At that time, Beihu's iron hoof moves south. How to stop it?
Walking is the best strategy!
Liang Xiao greeted all the landowners with a smile and promised to accept all land sold at this price.
In one day, Liang Xiao acquired 50,000 acres of fertile land and 200,000 acres of poor farmland.
Correspondingly, the tenant farmers who were originally responsible for cultivating these lands also belonged to Liang Xiao.
The landowners who had sold their land signed the contract and handed over the land deed, collected their banknotes, and strode out of the prefect's mansion, laughing endlessly.
"This idiot, if he waits for a while longer, the price of food will rise again and the price of land will fall again, but he can't wait..."
"If Yanzhou is ruled by such a fool, it is destined to be a wall that cannot be supported by mud!"
After Liang Xiao sent away the landlords, he sent the personnel he had prepared in advance to take over the farmland and tenant farmers.
More than half of Gongsun Yue's grain was purchased by Liang Xiao in his private name.
The price of grain is also seventy cents per stone. The ten cents more than the outside world is a reward for Gongsun Yue's hard work in collecting grain.
If the Gongsun family had not purchased grain in advance, it would have taken longer for Yanzhou to overcome the difficulties this time.
"Can he really cure Yanzhou by raising prices like this..."
In the yard, Gongsun Yue expressed concern to Jiang Fuxue.
"You have to believe my brother!" Jiang Fuxue said confidently.
Gongsun Yue looked at Jiang Fuxue who was writing a new chapter of "Journey to the West" for Liang Xiaomo, and left the yard without saying a word.
In her opinion, she could not persuade this girl to trust Liang Xiao blindly.
She has been studying some weird equipment recently, hoping to help Liang Xiao.
Moreover, Jiang Fuxue is her little sister, so she shouldn't have to worry about such things.
Gongsun Yue walked out of the courtyard and walked towards Qin Baili.
"Mr. Qin, I want to meet you, Marquis Lanling!" Gongsun Yue said seriously.
Qin Baili said: "Third Miss, Marquis Lanling is busy recently, so please don't disturb me."
Gongsun Yue frowned: "Even if I don't have any merit, I still have hard work, right? Why don't you let me see him!"
With that said, Gongsun Yue was about to bypass Qin Baili and go to the hall of the prefect's mansion.
Qin Baili looked around and saw no one else, so he rolled up his left sleeve.
Gongsun Yue glanced over and his pupils shrank!
On his left sleeve, tied with a black thread... was a bloody cross mark!
At this moment, Gongsun Yue's heart was filled with turmoil.
The person her grandfather trusted specially arranged the "hidden chess" in the capital...
Qin Baili just calmly pulled down his sleeves, turned and left without saying a word.
Gongsun Yue had no choice but to turn around and go back home to study the equipment with Jiang Fuxue.
Now she understands that she does not need to worry about Liang Xiao's personal affairs, she only needs to worry about Jiang Fuxue's affairs...
Qin Baili returned to the prefect's mansion and continued to report today's government affairs to Liang Xiao.
"Marquis Lanling, these rice merchants in Yanzhou are just as you expected. They are still waiting for you to raise the price of grain..."
Liang Xiao said without hesitation: "Very good, let's mention a hundred coins and see the market."
"Depends on the market?" Qin Baili, Lin Xiu and others were stunned.
"If there is no problem, we can raise the price of food to one hundred and fifty cents per stone."
Everyone's breath was stagnant, and then they went to follow the instructions.
The Prefect's Mansion issued another announcement.
"The prefect has an order: Tomorrow the price of food will rise to one hundred coins and one stone!"
In one day, the whole city was filled with complaints!
