Jinghai County.
After the prefect Lu Sheng received the order from his superiors, he left immediately. In the prefect's yamen, Fusang merchants, Chu merchants, and Goguryeo merchants were summoned.
inside the house.
Lu Sheng sat on the main seat with official authority, and below him were businessmen sitting separately. The businessmen who can come and sit here are all large merchants with good backgrounds.
Now Wu Nian had to rely on merchants to purchase grain. Lu Sheng was very polite to these businessmen and asked them to make tea.
certainly. Naturally, Lu Sheng would not directly say that Wu Nian was planning to take precautions and prepare for possible food shortages next year.
"Everyone, I know that the business at sea is not mainly about food. This business is not easy to do. But I, the General of the Fu Han Dynasty, do have a shortage of food."
"This time the general gave an order. Let me purchase grain. I promise. As long as you bring the grain here, I will not treat you badly."
"Give me money in real money."
Lu Sheng was very angry and said directly.
The businessmen were divided into three groups. The familiar people looked at each other and saw the excitement in each other's eyes. Maritime trade is mainly porcelain, silk, tea, and other valuables.
The grain business is not easy to do.
The grain business has low profit margins, and the sea is very rough. If not stored properly, the grain will become moldy and become worthless.
Now in the sea area of Liaodong, although the pirates are afraid of Wu Nian's troops, they dare not go ashore. But there are still pirates roaming the sea.
In short, the profits are thin and the risks are high.
But now that Lu Sheng has spoken, the profits must be high. If the profit is high, you can start a business.
"May I ask Magistrate Lu? What price does General Fu Han offer?!" A Fusang businessman boldly asked Lu Sheng with his hand raised.
"Sky-high price." Lu Sheng said firmly.
Soon, the businessmen left the magistrate's office in a hurry with red faces, and went back to prepare.
As long as there is 100% profit, businessmen dare to trample on any law. As long as Wu Nian could afford the price, the merchants would even dare to sell their own ancestral tombs.
The news spread quickly, and the entire Jinghai County was alarmed. Other small businessmen, as if they were sharks smelling blood, began to enter the market.
...........
Jiang County.
As the New Year approaches, there is a lot of New Year flavor in the city. People from every household are buying new year's goods, buying couplets and so on.
Under the control of Liu Xiang and Wu, General Fuhan's Mansion was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations early in preparation for the New Year.
Wu Nian had nothing to do, practicing martial arts in the backyard. Suddenly, a soldier came to report that it was Kitahara Sosuke, Kyogoku Yuki's retainer, who wanted to see him.
Wu Nian was surprised, and first asked his soldiers to ask Kitahara Sosuke to wait in the study. He tidied up his appearance a little, then left the backyard and came to the study in the front yard.
"General."
Kitahara Sosuke sat on the Taishi chair on the right, with an upright posture and a low eyebrow. There was a maidservant and a domestic slave waiting on him.
Seeing Wu Nian coming in, he quickly stood up and bowed.
"No courtesy. Sit down." Wu Nian doesn't have a good impression of the Fuso people, but he has a good impression of the Kyogoku family. The main reason is that the copper and silver business between the two parties is like a gold mine, with continuous output. Wu Nian Can't say no.
This is a big benefactor.
"Mr. Beihara came to see me, what's the matter?" Wu Nian looked up and asked after sitting down.
"I heard that the general is short of food. Our Kyogoku family is also willing to contribute." Kitahara Sosuke sat back meticulously and said seriously.
"Oh. Your Kyogoku family is still in the grain business?" Wu Nian was a little surprised after hearing this.
"The Kyogoku family doesn't often do food business, but they can get food." Kitahara Sosuke answered truthfully. Not to mention that now that the news has spread, the profit of transporting grain to Wu Nian is large enough.
Even in order to maintain a close relationship with Wu Nian, even if they don't do the grain business, even if they don't make a penny, they still have to help.
"I understand. Thank you Kyogoku family for your kindness. You go and talk to Lu Sheng, the prefect of Guangchuan. But there is one thing. You don't have to worry. Even if you don't deliver food to me, it will not affect our copper and silver. Business. Business. If everyone can make money, it will last. If you are worried about the copper and silver business and lose money to transport food to me, there is no need."
"I can't possibly exploit you."
After Wu Nian heard this, he said very straightforwardly.
Wu Nian will also behave himself when facing well-behaved people. You can't take the road to death.
Kithara Sosuke was also emotional when he heard this. The Kyogoku family has been doing business in Chu for many years and has met countless officials.
Those officials are either too stupid to study and look down on businessmen. Or they are insects, whose eyes light up when they see a businessman, and they want to exploit the businessman completely.
Officials like Wu Nian are really rare.
"Yes." Kithara Sosuke nodded and bowed in response. Soon, he left.
"It's not bad. The grain business is not easy to do. But when I go up to the top, so many merchants will deliver grain to me. This proves that I have a good reputation."
Wu Nian smiled and thought to himself.
Same as last year. This year. Wu had a very fat year. Needless to say, food and clothing are not enough for your own home. There are many wives and concubines, and seven children, the oldest of whom can make soy sauce.
Guarding this big house, my wife and children are on the hot bed. Really happy.
But after the Lantern Festival passed, the wind direction changed. Whether it was Wu Nian or the officials in the general's office of Fu Han, as well as farmers and scholars, they all felt that something was wrong.
After this Chinese New Year, there has not been a drop of rain or snow in the entire Jiang County.
The drought is severe.
The sixteenth day of the first lunar month.
In the front courtyard of General Fu Han. Wu Nian sat in the main seat, while Liu Zhixing, Li Yong, Wang Youxiao and Zhang Hai sat in two rows.
Everyone's expressions were serious.
"General. All counties have reported it. Not only is there not a drop of rain or snow in Jiang County, but it is the same for the entire Yingqing Prefecture, Guangchuan Prefecture, and possibly the entire Liaodong."
"It's really possible that there will be a drought this year, and the land will be thousands of miles away."
Liu Zhixing not only looked solemn, but his tone was also extremely solemn.
Whether you are farming or nomadic, drought is extremely terrifying. Although Yingqing Prefecture and Guangchuan Prefecture had good harvests every year, Wu expanded his troops every year, and there was not much food in the government granaries.
If it is really a thousand miles away.
That's bad.
"Build water conservancy projects immediately and retain as much water as possible. Let captains from various places send troops to help. Next, we must put the people first."
"There is also the news that Lu Sheng spread years ago. Those merchants should now be transporting grain to Goguryeo, Fusang, and Chu. It's hard to say what happens next. But we must get this batch of grain from the maritime merchants. Eat it all. Don’t make any mistakes.”
Wu Nian nodded and said in a deep voice.
"yes."
The four people responded loudly, stood up, and then immediately got down.
"Hope. We are worrying too much. Maybe it will rain suddenly tomorrow?" Wu Nian exhaled a long breath, came to the gate, and looked up at the sky.
The sky is clear and it’s such a sunny day.
It doesn't look like it's going to rain.
