The number of people who poured into Suzhou City the next day doubled from yesterday. The state government had been prepared for it. Although all the government officials and soldiers were extremely busy, they still managed to cope with it.
At nightfall, Lu Tao did not return home, but still stayed in the government office's study room to preside over the overall situation.
Feng Shou Dao reported: "Sir, we have just calculated that half of the grain shipped to the grain stores from major grain stores has been purchased."
Lu Tao was surprised: "So fast?"
Feng Shoudao nodded and said: "Preliminary estimates indicate that the number of people buying food today will be more than double that of yesterday. Sir, if the number of people only increases tomorrow, I am afraid there will be no food to sell. By then, Sir..."
Feng Shoudao didn't say the rest of the words. Your Excellency has already made a heavy promise, and when the time comes, he will offer his head as an apology.
Seeing Lu Tao's silence, Feng Shoudao asked, "Sir, do you want to close the city gate tomorrow?"
As long as the city gate is closed to prevent the influx of people from other counties, it can be dealt with calmly.
Lu Tao immediately blurted out: "No!"
Then he started to think about it, and after a while he asked: "Has the inventory in the government's grain depot been completed?"
"We have counted them, and there are not many. This is the time of autumn harvest."
According to the past, at this time of year, the government grain depot was the time to remove old grain and store new grain, so a month ago, part of it flowed to the market, stabilizing the grain and increasing the bank.
The other part flows to Hanjiacang, Luoyang, to fill the moldy and rotten grains in Hanjiacang.
With Lu Tao's identity, it would not be a problem to transfer some food from Hanjiacang, but at this moment, water far away could not save the fire nearby.
Seeing that Lu Tao didn't say anything, Feng Shoudao, a subordinate, took the initiative and said: "Sir, if you don't want to close the city gates, we can set up gates at the major city gates to slow down the influx of people into Suzhou City on the grounds of checking identities. "
Lu Tao said: "I just appeased them. If you do this, wouldn't it mean that there are three hundred taels of silver here, which will make them suspicious."
"Let's do this. You will arrange for manpower to transport the grain from the government warehouse to the major grain stores tonight, and then transport the grain from the grain store to the major grain stores tomorrow. Make the noise louder and make everyone think that it has not been used yet. Store grain."
After being ordered to retreat by Shoudao, Lu Tao called Sicang over again and said, "Go and ask Zhu Shide, the general grain merchant of Jiangnan East Road, to come and see me now."
Lin Sicang said weakly: "Sir, it's so late."
"It's too late, isn't it? Let me just catch him."
Lin Sicang immediately responded: "My subordinates will come over right away."
…
On Zhu Shide's side, the situation has developed to the point where he can't see the direction.
If it was to retaliate against Lu Tao, the purpose was achieved.
If it is to let the Hangzhou Zhu family win this test, it is a bit of a fuss.
Lu Tao is not a fool. He would not have known that a Suzhou grain merchant was behind the scenes. Even if he succeeded Jiangnan Dongdao Grain Merchant in the future, Lu Tao would still hold a grudge and make things difficult for him. His life would be difficult.
What on earth was Master Zhu thinking? He made the matter so big. Can he finally clean up the mess?
Just as he was thinking about it, a servant came to report that Lin Sicang and Zhao Sihu were here.
Zhu Shide was surprised and said hurriedly: "Just say that I have gone to bed."
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a burst of footsteps outside, but it was Lin Sicang and Zhao Sihu who came directly to the inner hall with the Yamen servants. They saw that this posture was a sign of bad intentions.
Zhu Shide was an old acquaintance with these two people. He smiled and said, "Mr. Lin, Mr. Zhao, why are you two here?"
Lin Sicang said in a businesslike tone: "Mr. Zhu, Mr. Lu has invited you, let's go."
"It's so late, is there anything urgent?"
"I don't know, I just obey orders."
Looking at this situation, if he refused to leave, he would be forcibly taken to the government office, so Zhu Shide had no choice but to go with him.
State capital, Lu Tao's study.
There were piles of official documents in front of the desk, and Lu Tao was busy working by candlelight.
"Sir, Mr. Zhu, please come."
"please."
"I've met my lord."
Lu Tao didn't even raise his head and said calmly: "Master Zhu, please sit down."
Zhu Shide sat down respectfully. As the general grain merchant of Jiangnan East Road, he naturally dealt with the Suzhou government. However, most of the time he dealt with officials such as Cancao Junjun who was in charge of grain. Lu Tao did not encounter this often, and basically never. What direct contact.
Looking at Lu Tao secretly, this Lu Tao leader indeed has an air of self-reliance and dignity.
After Lu Tao ignored Zhu Shide for half an hour, he put down his pen and came over to sit down.
"Mr. Zhu, I'm really sorry for asking you to come over so late."
"Your Majesty, your words are serious. I wonder why you are so anxious to summon me here?"
"Mr. Zhu, does Mr. Zhu know what happened in Suzhou City these two days?"
"Of course I heard about such a big thing."
"Then let me tell you straight, I suspect you are behind it, Zhu Shide, what do you want?"
Zhu Shide didn't expect Lu Tao to suddenly turn against him, and he was really shocked. On the surface, he didn't panic and said, "What do you mean, sir?"
"Grain shops in surrounding counties suddenly said they had no grain to sell. As the general grain merchant of Jiangnan East Road, aren't you the one behind this?"
"Your Excellency, you should know that it is the autumn harvest and the grain has not yet been returned to the warehouse. There is not much food in the grain bank and the warehouse, but so many people suddenly appear to buy food. Naturally, the supply exceeds the demand. If you don't believe it, you can send someone to investigate in person. Then you will know the authenticity.”
Lu Tao knew that Zhu Clan dared to do this, so he would not leave any clue for him to catch, and he would not waste his energy and time on it.
He asked: "Even so, the local grain merchants purchased grain at three times the price, but you were behind the scenes?"
Zhu Shide responded: "I don't know about this, but grain dealers in various places have agreed on storage deadlines with prefecture and county governments, so they do not hesitate to purchase grain at high prices."
Lu Tao snorted in his heart, but he deserved it, and said calmly: "Pass my message to the major grain merchants and ask them to postpone the purchase of grain from tomorrow."
Zhu Shide showed an expression of embarrassment and said: "Sir, delaying the warehousing is not a small crime. They are all small grain merchants. I'm afraid they can't afford it. Even if they agree openly, they will definitely violate it in order to protect their own safety, unless..."
Lu Tao asked: "Unless what?"
"Unless the adult comes forward to guarantee it, he is willing to take all the responsibility on his own."
Lu Tao sneered in his heart, "You Zhu Shide, how dare you dig a hole for me to get into. You are just afraid that I will come forward to guarantee you, and you are going against me secretly."
Seeing that Lu Tao didn't answer, Zhu Shide took the initiative and said: "Actually, there is a reason."
"you say."
"In order to bid for Jiangnan Dongdao Grain General Manager, Luoyang Ye Meixun proposed a test to the three families. Whoever purchases the most grain within ten days will be the new Jiangnan Dongdao Grain General Manager."
"This was originally a test of the ability of each family, but it made the grain dealers in various places who received the news worried. They were afraid that when the storage deadline agreed with the state government came, they would not have the grain in their hands to put into the warehouse, and they would be charged with crimes. Therefore, grain merchants in various places were worried. Businessmen will bid for grain at high prices."
"Well, keep talking."
(End of chapter)
