Zhu Biao slowly suppressed the murderous intention in his heart. There is not so much conscience and justice in this world. Those who go out of their way to sell food at high prices are considered good people. Those local officials are ruthless. They directly use the court's disaster relief food. It has almost become a routine to send it to the grain store under your own name and sell it at a high price.
And this kind of thing is not new. Didn't his father's father and brothers all starve to death in this way? Zhu Biao had heard him say it several times. There was a drought in Haozhou, and a serious disaster occurred in the spring of the following year. During the locust plague and the plague, the relief grains brought by Yuanting were swallowed up by the officials. They didn't even bother to replace the grains with stones and sand, and almost all the good family members died.
Zhu Biao snorted coldly and looked at Chen Youzong and said: "I don't ask you whether the Chen family is planning to go to Shaanxi and Gansu to sell grain. If so, stop immediately!"
Chen Youzong bowed and responded: "The Chen family naturally does not dare to make such ill-gotten wealth, let alone embarrass His Highness."
Zhu Biao shook his head: "My reputation is good, but it is true that I don't have to risk my whole family's life."
Chen Youzong was shocked. It seemed that the imperial court not only wanted to purge officials, but also targeted some wealthy families. Could it be that they wanted to collect food by confiscating their families and exterminating them?
Zhu Biao ordered what he should have ordered. The Chen family should take care of themselves. He didn't believe that the Chen family didn't plan to make a fortune. Why else would they have so much food in their hands? How could there not be enough after annexing land and recruiting tenants throughout the ages? food.
Even if the direct line of the Chen family would not do such a dishonorable thing, the branch families who live around his main line are not raised to do this. However, the world is like this, and he is too lazy to delve into it, otherwise how many people will be left in the court? A minister.
Zhu Biao brought up the topic and said: "Everything is difficult at the beginning, but the credibility of the court still needs to be cultivated. I am not here to deceive you of food, so the court will definitely return the food in three years. You don't have to worry about this, Jiangnan It is rich and prosperous, so I hope that the Jiangnan family can take the lead in cooperating with the imperial court."
Chen Youzong bowed and saluted: "I still said the same thing, I am only willing to go through fire and water for His Highness. His Highness ordered me, Chen Jiawan, to die without hesitation. The Chen family is quite famous among the Jiangnan families. I promise that I can raise 800,000 dan, and I can make more after the autumn harvest." Those merchants can probably raise 200,000 dan, so ministers outside Jiangnan can only do their best to persuade."
Zhu Biao nodded with satisfaction. One million shi was quite a lot. You must know that the grain tax collected by the Ming Dynasty last year was only more than 9 million shi. After all, too many places were exempted from tax. As a result, the little grain received All the tax money was divvied up even before it went into the treasury. It was really stretched thin.
However, there is no way around it. National rejuvenation is difficult, but the future is bright. In two years, all taxes exempted from various places will be paid, and the results of farming and relocation will also be seen. Just like farming, now The stage is the time of sowing, watering and fertilizing. After hard work, you can always wait until the spring and autumn fruits are harvested.
The Jiangnan clan has expressed its stance. Although it seems that they still want to be forced by his power, there is nothing they can do. Besides, if he hadn't spoken, no one would have lent the food.
Zhu Biao originally planned to give some benefits, but he didn't expect Chen Youzong to be so righteous. You must know that if the court refuses to admit its debts in three years, the Chen family will take the blame. In the future, not to mention the leader of the Jiangnan family, I am afraid he will be expelled from the family. Everyone in the circle is not surprised, profit is the fundamental thing, and they will not support those who cut their flesh and eat it.
However, Zhu Biao will not be stingy with what he deserves. Whether it is the Imperial College or local officials, there are many gaps. In today's officialdom, whoever wants to come can do it. As for whether he can remain honest and live to the end, it depends on the individual. Good luck.
However, Zhu Biao couldn't say this clearly. It would just be a natural arrangement in the future. When the Jiangnan family received the pie, they would naturally understand that they were all smart people. How could the pie fall from the sky for nothing?
After talking about the business, it stands to reason that Zhu Biao would serve tea to see off the guests, but Chen Youzong did a good job today, which made Zhu Biao feel comfortable. Naturally, he had to have some dignity, so he just started chatting about home affairs, not to mention that he was in People in Hangzhou take good care of me.
It has to be said that the existence of this kind of person is to please people, and his ability is definitely not as good as that of Li Shanchang, Wang Guangyang, Hu Weiyong and others. The first adjutant has come to an end, but Zhu Biao still appointed him as the third-rank political envoy.
After chatting for a while, Zhu Biao asked casually: "Has Mrs. Chen also moved to the capital?"
Chen Youzong has also sat on a chair nearby. Wenhua Hall is the Crown Prince's study, which is considered a private place. Needless to say, it means that he can sit and drink tea. In the future, his status in the East Palace Department will also be It won’t be too low, so what if I am proposed to the Jiangnan aristocratic family circle? Anyway, I will settle in the capital in the future. Isn’t the aristocratic family in the capital better than Jiangnan?
How old is the prince this year? From now on, not to mention taking care of him, it will be enough to take care of the three and four generations of the Chen family. This honor is enough for the Chen family to establish a foothold in the center of the Ming Dynasty. What is the use of Jiangnan's wealth? It is just false power. Sooner or later, they will be brutally slaughtered for the New Year.
Chen Youzong said humbly: "Your Highness is thinking about me. My mother is old and has lived in the south of the Yangtze River for a long time. She stayed in her old house to take care of herself because of the inconvenience. I know that my wife and children came to Beijing to take up their posts. If the old lady knows that Your Highness is still thinking about her, I will definitely be very happy.”
Zhu Biao smiled: "Old Madam is a sensible person. Chen Aiqing is so outstanding because of Old Madam's teachings. If you have time next year, please invite Old Madam to come to Beijing. I will also visit in person."
Chen Youzong's eyes lit up and he immediately knelt down and said, "Your Highness is so kind and virtuous that I wish I could rip out my heart to show my sincerity."
This was a bit disgusting, so Zhu Biao quickly waved his hand and said: "Okay, I hope that Chen Aiqing can assist me more. In the future, the government affairs will be complicated and the general affairs envoy will have a lot of time. He just needs to fulfill his duties faithfully."
Zhu Biao thought for a moment and asked, "What's going on with the Li family? Are they still selling private salt?"
Chen Youzong said directly: "The Li family will naturally not dare to do so after being warned by His Highness, but the salt dealers below make a living from this. If the Li family does not take the lead, others will appear. Now I heard that there is Wang Baihu."
Zhu Biao was not surprised. There were always people involved in such huge profits, but the court would never let them go. They would kill as many as they wanted. It was really easy for salt dealers to get into trouble.
After all, selling private salt is a business that licks blood on the edge of a knife. When many private salt dealers have money, they recruit soldiers, form their own armed forces, and form salt selling groups.
Most of those who can become private salt traders are active-minded, bold and careful people. They are both rich and armed. In order to transport salt, they have to deal with local powerful people, traffickers and pawns, and some of them collude with officials. Therefore, When the world changes, some salt owls with ambitions and a keen sense of smell will take advantage of the situation.
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