On this day, general stores and government-controlled grain stores once again significantly lowered grain prices.
"It only costs three yuan and five cents silver coins per stone meter, why has it dropped again?"
"It's a good thing. Henghe Grain Store still charges five yuan per stone. Now I earn an extra five cents from each stone!"
"No matter how you say it, it's good to keep lowering prices. The emperor's shop and the government have a conscience, unlike those big food households who are eager to keep food prices higher and higher!"
…
At this time, in front of this comprehensive store in Jiangning County, a crowd of people who came to buy grain became excited again because this store continued to lower the price of rice.
And within a few days.
This comprehensive store has lowered its food prices again.
Just three silver coins per stone.
Then, just two days later, due to the arrival of a new batch of rice, the price was reduced to two yuan and five cents per stone.
At this time, the soldiers and people in Jiangnan were completely shocked.
"My God, it's been raining down. Didn't it mean that there is no food in Jiangnan and all the people are planting cotton and mulberry?"
"This has been falling for several months, and it's getting even worse these days!"
"If Henghe Grain Shop hadn't been charging rice at a higher price, I wouldn't have wanted to buy any more rice except for my daily needs. Whoever bought it earlier would lose!"
And because of this, the people of Jiangnan continued to discuss crazily.
Because Zhu Youxiao asked Dongchang to connive, almost the entire restaurant and restaurant were discussing the price of rice.
But Nanjing Xungui and other large grain households, who were manipulating grain prices behind the scenes, became anxious at this time.
"Why has the price been lowered again? How much grain has the imperial court transported to Jiangnan? Now it has been directly reduced to two yuan, five cents and one stone. We have spent so much money and it has not been raised! Mr. Dou, what is going on?"
Funing Marquis Zhu Guobi asked Dou Ding anxiously at this time.
"I have heard about this. The imperial court has been bringing grain to the south of the Yangtze River since years ago. It even brought in all the grain taxes collected after clearing land for all the land in the country. It is almost tens of millions of stone grains. It stands to reason that we have tens of millions of grains. The court couldn't hold on after two taels of silver were thrown at it, but I didn't expect that the independent husband would directly punish Prince De to force the princes to accept the matter of clearing the father-in-law's land, which made the court's clearing of the father-in-law's land even more complete, and there were many more. There is less food, so the price reduction must be due to the availability of this food.”
Xu Hongji said.
"What the Duke said is that for this reason, in order to hold down the price of food, that single man did not hesitate to kill the prince, and his ruthlessness was unparalleled!"
Dou Ding gritted his teeth and said, then looked at Xu Hongji and others and said, "I don't know if the imperial court has any other ways to get food, such as sending navy to transport food from overseas."
"The price is not small. Besides, does the navy have that ability?"
Zhu Guobi said something hurriedly.
"Of course I don't know about this. In terms of military affairs, Jinyiwei and Dongchang have blocked the news very strictly. In places like Liaodong, Tianjin, and Denglai, there are dense outposts and hidden outposts. No one dares to inquire about it, and no reports are issued about the military deployment. But Even if the court does this, according to the wishes of your highnesses, we must continue to do what we did before. Otherwise, if the price of food continues to drop like this, we wealthy families with the most food will only lose more! We have to talk to the court The bet is that the imperial court does not have the ability to purchase grain from overseas on a large scale before Dongchang finds us."
Dou Ding shook his head and said.
"I'm afraid that Dongchang has already found out, but just didn't take action. However, just in case, we'd better have someone write something about the imperial court's intention to confiscate the homes of innocent heroes and nobles."
Xu Hongji said at this time.
Dou Ding nodded after hearing this: "Maybe, that means the imperial court also wants to bet with us. It wants to use this method to circulate silver coins and bankrupt us."
"It seems that the imperial court is confident. How about we admit defeat and quickly put the food on the market while the price is still two and a half silver coins."
Zhu Guobi retreated.
"No! Wouldn't that mean all the previous efforts have been wasted?"
Xu Hongji directly rejected Zhu Guobi's proposal and said: "It's so easy to go to sea. How many people know where North Korea is, where Japan is, and where Siam is. Besides, who knows how much food these foreigners have? From my perspective, The richest land is still China. The imperial court can only get food from places like Huguang, Henan, Shandong, and Sichuan. It is impossible for the imperial court to get food from other places. Your Highnesses are doing the right thing. We must continue to do this. Go down and fight the imperial court to the end! The imperial court will lose!"
Xu Hongji was a little jealous of gambling, so he said excitedly: "Throw it away if you want. Anyway, I would rather take a gamble than let Zhu Youxiao directly confiscate my house in the future!"
"What the Duke said makes sense. It's not that easy to go to sea. Even if you succeed in going to sea, you can't be sure how much food you can get. In my opinion, the court is not capable of this. This is not the time to give up. Therefore, Prince Fu His Highness and His Highness King Lu asked people to bring another three million taels, and we will continue to fight."
Dou Ding echoed.
"Then keep fighting. I'll give you another two million taels and take out all the remaining money!"
Xu Hongji stood up and said.
Seeing this, Zhu Guobi said: "In that case, I will pay another one million taels."
For a time, the Nanjing nobles did not believe that the imperial court could get enough food from the sea. In addition, as a land-based country, the Ming Dynasty did not pay enough attention to overseas affairs.
In addition, these nobles and nobles also have a gambler's mentality. They have taken advantage of the rising food prices and are unwilling to admit defeat. Therefore, they continue to invest money and continue to buy back the food sold by the court at high prices.
…
"Siam is in this position. Tell Shen Yourong that the navy will first go to Ningbo along the coast of the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea that I recently named, and then from Ningbo to the chicken coop on Dongpan Island. After passing the chicken coop, go south. You will first Go to Annan, then go west around Annan, and you can reach Siam!"
Zhu Youxiao did know where North Korea was, where Japan was, and where Siam was. He even remembered the approximate distance. He didn't have to go out to sea to explore in person like people in this era. At this time, he asked his cabinet ministers to draft a decree for Shen Yourong. Give instructions to Shen Yourong for his upcoming trip to Siam.
The Ming Dynasty now has good navigation capabilities not only because of Zhu Youxiao, who knows world geography and some navigation theories, but also because of the geographical knowledge and navigation knowledge provided by some Western missionaries, but also because of improvements in shipbuilding technology and artillery. With the improvement of technology, there are better warships and navigation instruments, so for the current Ming Dynasty, going to sea is not a problem.
It is precisely because of this that Zhu Youxiao dares to have enough confidence to fight this kind of economic war with the domestic wealthy families.
"What's the current situation of food purchasing in the market?"
Zhu Youxiao asked Wei Zhongxian.
"Back to the emperor, there are still a lot of people buying grain. People at Henghe Grain Store are still buying grain at high prices. In addition, there are more and more reports saying that the imperial court will take action against nobles. Dongchang does not dare to do anything without permission. Please give me your instructions, Your Majesty."
Wei Zhongxian replied.
"They are coercing public opinion and are afraid that I will copy them directly, but now I really have no intention of breaking out and copying them directly and continue to lower prices!"
Zhu Youxiao gave instructions to Li Zhizao and others.
"yes!"
Li Zhizao waited and replied.
…
"Two silver coins per stone meter!"
"Falling again?"
“This is about to fall back to pre-rebellion prices.”
The people of Jiangnan were surprised again.
The news that food prices continued to fall soon spread throughout Jiangnan.
Funing Marquis Zhu Guobi couldn't sit still this time. He couldn't help but hurriedly found Xu Hongji and others, smashed the table, and shouted loudly: "It's falling again, it's falling again! I took the initiative to burn the last bit of grain in the house. Why are you surrendering?"
Xu Hongji looked at Dou Ding.
Dou Ding gritted his teeth and said, "Hold on, the court may have done this on purpose. Let us panic first. They probably don't have much food left."
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