To the east of Lujiang City, the Lu family shop.
The Lu's store was very busy at night. Someone was counting the day's sales and recording all the day's sales. There are also people who direct people to carry food and deliver the food stored in warehouses to shops to ensure continuous sales during the day.
The shop was a bustling scene.
In the backyard, the lights are brightly lit.
Lu Tong, the general manager of the Lu family, was sitting on the main seat, looking very satisfied. He was in his early forties, slightly fat, dressed in fine clothes, holding a wine bottle in his hand, shaking it gently twice, and he looked even more relaxed and comfortable.
Lu Tong glanced at Gu Lie, Yu Xiang and Wei Shan, and said with a smile: "Everyone, it is almost January, and this year's cold winter will not last long. We want to make money, so we must hurry up."
"Otherwise, in ten days and a half, the weather will start to warm up, and it will not be as easy to make money as it is now. My idea is that the shops of our four major families will once again raise prices uniformly, and set the price of food at twenty cents. A pound.”
Lu Tong asked: "What do you think?"
Gu Lie is in his thirties, very thin, with cunning little eyes.
He took a sip of wine, stroked his beard and said: "I support shopkeeper Lu's suggestion. However, Lu Xuan returned to Shu County today. If we continue to raise prices, will we be suppressed? Fifteen cents per catty, the government We can afford it, and Zhang Zhao has no objection. Once the price is too high, it will be bad to anger Lu Xuan. We are not afraid of Lu Xuan, and we don’t want to have a conflict."
Yu Xiang shook his head and said: "Shopkeeper Gu, you are thinking too much. Shopkeeper Lu is from the Lu family, and Lu Xuan is the helmsman of the Lu family. We are all members of the same family. How can Lu Xuan deal with his own people? Let alone us. Making money is reasonable and legal, and who stipulates that food cannot be worth twenty cents per catty."
There was a slight coldness in his eyes.
Yu Fan, the son of the Yu family, died in Lujiang County.
Although the person who killed him was not found, not even the body was found, but there was news that both Yu Fan and Lu Xuan had been to Yungu Peak, and it might be related to Lu Xuan.
If Lujiang is disturbed, Yu Xiang will naturally rise.
This is the Yu family's revenge.
Yu Xiang took a sip of wine and continued: "On the contrary, I think that there is no crime unless the law prohibits it. Our twenty cents per catty is too cheap. I think it can be twenty-five cents per catty. We want to make money, that is The cold winter, if you miss it, it will be gone.”
Wei Shan was the oldest, about fifty years old. His eyes were greedy and he said, "I also agree with twenty-five cents per catty and free trade in grain. If I sell it at such a high price, you won't buy it."
"Our four families, the Lu family, the Gu family and Lu Xuan are all related."
"The Yu family and the Wei family are both wealthy families."
"What does Lu Xuan really do to us? The matter has gotten serious and the big families are putting pressure on him, and Lu Xuan can't handle it. Is it possible that he, Lu Xuan, wants to make enemies everywhere and completely offend the Jiangdong family for the sake of a mere untouchable?"
Wei Shan said: "I think it is impossible and dare not for Lu Xuan."
Yu Xiang said: "Wei Shan is right."
Lu Tong thought for a while, a cold look appeared on his fat face, and said, "Then give it a try."
Gu Lie frowned and said: "It's OK to raise the price, but I still say the same thing. We are not afraid of Lu Xuan, and we don't want conflicts. Once the price is twenty-five cents per catty, conflicts will easily occur. When we make money, we must be reasonable. Do it. If you go too far, you will be suppressed.”
Lu Tong mocked: "Gu Lie, if you are afraid, the Gu family's shop will continue to charge fifteen cents per catty, and the three of us will charge twenty-five cents per catty."
Yu Xiang said: "Shopkeeper Gu, you are too timid. In doing business, you need to starve the timid to death and support the bold to death. The Gu family has the support of Gu Yong and is a relative of Lu Xuan. What are you afraid of? If you have status, don't take advantage of it. Those who are timid can never achieve great things."
Wei Shan said: "Shopkeeper Gu, if you don't want to, we won't force you."
"Who said I'm afraid?"
Gu Lie's small eyes revealed a glint and he said, "My Gu's shop has also raised the price, it's twenty-five cents per catty."
Lu Tong stroked his beard and smiled: "That's right. Our four major families will advance and retreat together."
Wei Shan said: "Since we all agree, it's settled. Come, let's have a drink together and continue to make money. Speaking of which, we have to thank Lu Xuan. If he hadn't accepted refugees on a large scale, Lujiang County's food wouldn't be so tight. , food prices will not be tight. Shopkeeper Lu, you have a good man in the Lu family."
Lu Tong chuckled and said, "Shopkeeper Wei, don't act like a good boy when you get an advantage."
Wei Shan said: "It's a joke, don't take it seriously. One more thing, Lu Xuan is back. Can we find a time to meet Lu Xuan, send some money, and settle the relationship."
Yu Xiang flicked his sleeves and said: "Our money was given to Lu Xuan, can he give us any benefits? No. Our money is all earned with hard work. We rely on ourselves, why should we fawn over Lu Xuan."
Gu Lie nodded and said, "Wouldn't it be better to keep Lu Xuan's money yourself? I don't agree with giving money either."
Lu Daotong: "I don't think it's necessary. We sell food to stabilize Lujiang County and help Lu Xuan appease the people. In fact, he also has to thank us."
Wei Shan nodded and said: "Then it's settled."
Each and every one of you said something to me, and there was a strong sense of greed in the words.
Everyone is extremely stingy.
You can do anything for money.
The four of them were drinking and chatting. Near midnight, Gu Lie, Wei Shan and Yu Xiang left, leaving Lu Tong alone sitting in the hall.
Lu Tong made arrangements for the price increase tomorrow, and the person in charge of the store agreed directly.
Anyway, it’s about making money.
Early the next morning, the price of grain in the Lu family store was posted. Whether it was new grain or old grain, the price was twenty-five cents per pound. After the price was announced, the people who came to buy food were in an uproar.
In the past, in winter, grain could be purchased for seven cents per catty, and at most it cost about ten cents per catty. Now it is worth twenty-five cents per pound, which has triggered countless discussions.
The people were hesitant to buy. At this time, the Gu family, the Yu family, and the Wei family also began to adjust their prices.
Although the prices of big families such as Chen Tang, Cao Xi and Peng Yuan are low, seeing the changes in the four big families, they temporarily stopped selling grain to the outside world because the price gap was too big and it was a huge loss.
Food prices soared, causing shock in the city.
The news reached the prefect's mansion.
When Lu Xuan got the news, he had just finished breakfast and had not had time to arrange for someone to invite Lu Tong and others.
When he learned the news that the four major families were regulating food prices, his expression became even colder. Yesterday, the big family had already made a lot of money from the price of fifteen cents per catty, so now, raising the price to twenty-five cents per catty was just to make huge profits, regardless of the life and death of the people.
Murderous intent grew in Lu Xuan's heart.
He has no mercy for these big families, and these people who make money by speculation should be killed. Lu Xuan informed Lu Meng and arranged for Lu Tong and other people from the four major families to come to the prefect's mansion to discuss the issue of grain prices.
