In the secret room, candlelight danced.
The sharp edge stretched through the flames and cut a section of the core rope. The fire became weaker, but also quieted down.
Zhu Gui looked at the silent old man in front of him and asked impatiently: "What to do now? Who knows how much food is out there. If this continues, even if all the wealth has been squandered for many years, it will not be enough to buy food!"
Zhu Zuozhao stared at the chessboard, feeling bitter.
It was originally thought that by burning down the granary outside Jinchuan Gate, the imperial court would lose much food. In conjunction with spreading rumors to stir people's hearts, Jinling would be in chaos sooner or later. But who would have imagined that before the chaos broke out in Jinling, countless grains poured out.
Zhu Zuozhao knew very well who put the grain. Except for the Ministry of Revenue, no one could put out millions of stones of grain in one go. It was impossible for anyone.
The grain store sells food in scattered pieces. It is good to store two hundred stones of grain in the shop. Who would build a huge warehouse and sell tens of thousands of stones of grain?
It is impossible for private warehouses to store more than ten thousand shi of grain. Obviously, except for the official warehouses controlled by the imperial court, no one can put out hundreds of thousands of grain in one night.
Zhu Zuozhao looked at Zhu Gui and asked his doubts: "Didn't the intelligence say that all the grain in the Jinchuanmen granary was burned? Why did so much grain appear in Jinling in such a short period of time?"
Zhu Gui frowned: "The granary outside Jinchuan Gate was all burned down. Could it be that there are other large granaries in the hands of the imperial court?"
Zhu Zuozhao was silent.
The government has set up many granaries in Jinling, but many of them are small, with a scale of less than 10,000 shi. Guanglu Temple also has a granary, but the grain there is not much, only 30,000 shi.
But now the amount of food appearing in the dark market has exceeded one million dan, even if it is empty
All small grain silos are not enough to meet this amount.
There is definitely a large unknown warehouse hidden in the hands of the government!
"Is there a granary at Houhu?"
Zhu Gui asked.
Zhu Zuozhao was noncommittal. The transportation of materials in Houhu was top secret. Some materials were still handled by dedicated personnel. It was difficult to understand. I don’t know how many gunpowder warehouses were built there. The lake that was once a ten-mile radius has now been filled up and shrunk. Halfway through, it is not impossible to build a few granaries and secretly hide a batch of grain.
"Have everyone there agreed to the uprising?"
Zhu Zuozhao changed the topic.
Zhu Gui's face became solemn: "Don't worry, the key is in hand, and there are our people inside, and we can take action at any time."
Zhu Lizhao pointed to the empty space on the chessboard: "What is scary now are the scouts. These people are elusive and unidentified. Their concealment ability and combat power are not inferior to those of the Security Bureau. After exhaustive investigation, we still have not grasped this group of people. The trend. If they don’t show up, it will be a variable after all.”
Zhu Gui knew how terrifying the scouts were. They once killed 300 people in Jiaozhi and killed 3000 people. They also burned down Timur's granary in Yili City and assassinated Timur. It can be said that everyone used one A brave man who can stand up to ten enemies.
This group of people is absolutely loyal to Zhu Yunwen and the royal family. Their danger level exceeds that of the Security Bureau, because except for a few people on the bright side, almost no one knows who the scouts are. They may be working as guards around Zhu Di. He might be a vanguard in the army, he might be a farmer in the logistics department, he might be selling biscuits in Jinling City, he might be a blacksmith in the corner...
The high confidentiality of their identities makes this group of people extremely
mystery.
Facing this biggest obstacle and threat, Zhu Gui behaved quite calmly: "Scouts are also human beings, and they will always be killed. We have slave soldiers, veterans, and some royal guards in our hands. Besides, we have slave soldiers, veterans, and some royal guards in our hands. There is also a batch of firearms, it will not be difficult to deal with them. Do you think now is the time?"
Zhu Zuozhao thought for a while and said seriously: "Tonight, I want to watch the sky at night."
Zhu Gui nodded heavily: "I'm waiting for your good news. Do you want to continue harvesting the food now?"
Zhu Lizhao said decisively: "Of course, accept it all. The matter has come to this, and there is no other choice. Either win the world, or lose everything."
Household Department.
Zhuo Jing hurried to the desk and whispered to Xia Yuanji, who was dozing, "Xia Shangshu, 170,000 shi of grain have been released tonight. The granaries outside Jinchuan Gate, Cornucopia, Tongji Gate, Taiping Gate and other places are all empty. The Ministry of Revenue has no food at all now."
Xia Yuanji opened his eyes slightly, then closed them again: "How much money did you receive?"
Zhuo Jing took out an account book and handed it over: "Total 9.68 million yuan."
Xia Yuanji opened his eyes, reached for the tea bowl, took a sip of cold tea, took the account book and flipped it over, nodding with satisfaction: "I am worried about the lack of money. With this money, I can finally make up for the losses in the war."
The corners of Zhuo Jing's mouth moved unnaturally: "But Xia Shangshu, we have exchanged all the grain for money. How to solve the food crisis in Jinling City and how the people can eat? With people's hearts fluctuating, I'm afraid someone will take the opportunity to cause chaos. , after all, money cannot be used as food..."
Xia Yuanji looked at Zhuo Jing and said wisely: "Money cannot be used as currency."
We have food to eat, but where is the food that can be sold? "
"It's in the hands of a big owner."
Zhuo Jing was puzzled.
Xia Yuanji continued to ask: "Where is the big family?"
Zhuo Jing was even more confused: "Of course it's in Jinling."
Xia Yuanji smiled: "The food is still in Jinling, how can we say there is no food?"
Zhuo Jing's eyes widened and he looked at Xia Yuanji who stood up in shock.
The food is in Jinling, but it is not in the hands of the Ministry of Household Affairs. No matter how powerful the court is, it can't snatch the food, right?
That's right...
Xia Yuanji decided to grab food.
With the permission of Zhu Yunwen, the Ministry of Household Affairs united with the Ministry of Criminal Affairs, Dali Temple, the Metropolitan Procuratorate, the Fifth Military Governor's Office, the Beijing Military Guard, the Security Bureau and the Yingtianfu Yamen to crack down on hoarding and speculation. Large households that used grain within a reasonable range were targeted. More than 5,000 people were mobilized, and 1.6 million grains were seized in one go.
A ship loaded with grain appeared on the Qinhuai River, and there was an endless stream of motorcades. Bags of grain were transported to the city, and donkeys and horses carried the grain into the city...
Countless people saw the huge amount of food and saw the notice from the Ministry of Household Affairs releasing food for sale. The sufficient food instantly calmed people's hearts.
The food crisis is over.
Zhu Gui, the acting king, wanted to cry. A group of wealthy families were so desperate that they jumped into the Qinhuai River. Some of them died before being fished out.
The court's move was really too destructive.
The wealthy family and the Dai Wangfu bought the grain at a high price, risked everything, pawned everything, and invested all their family property in it. The grain was just unloaded and was moved away by the court in one fell swoop. How can this be fun?
Xia Yuanji spread his hands: The Ministry of Revenue issued more than a dozen bans in a row, but you just didn't listen. If you don't listen, you'll have to confiscate...
for this
The court will not show mercy to those who harm Jinling.
Wuying Palace.
Zhu Yunwen looked at the account books sent by Xia Yuanji and was very satisfied. The court did not spend a grain of grain or a penny, and nearly tens of millions of money changed hands. This kind of transfer method was really powerful.
"Tens of millions of dollars. It can be seen that the wealth of the people has increased a lot in the past ten years. I heard that the Chang family of Shanxi merchants and the Shen family of Hui merchants both have tens of millions of dollars. They have the reputation of being as rich as the enemy. Is this true? ?”
Zhu Yunwen put the account book aside.
Xia Yuanji shook his head: "The Ministry of Revenue can't say how much wealth these two families have. According to my guess, although the tens of millions is a bit exaggerated, it won't be too different."
Zhu Yunwen smiled calmly: "That's all, now is not the time to rectify the businessmen. You lead people to appease the people, and in addition - protect yourself."
Xia Yuanji's expression changed, and he looked deeply at Zhu Yunwen, as if he understood something: "Your Majesty, here..."
"It's okay, let's go down."
Zhu Yunwen raised his hand.
Now that the situation has changed and people's hearts are being appeased, it may not be easy for Jinling to cause chaos, and those people are already very poor. If the delay continues, let alone causing trouble, even eating will be a problem.
Food war?
Zhu Yunwen sneered.
This is the Ming Dynasty, not a newly liberated place. Foreign capital, businessmen, and large households still need to be respected.
When it's time to strike, just kill him.
Hoarding and speculating on high-priced grains can only lead to a dead end in the end.
Suo Jing entered the palace, bowed, and took out a piece of information: "Your Majesty, there is news."
Zhu Yunwen stepped back, took Suo Jing's intelligence document, glanced at it a few times, and said in a deep voice: "Is it really him?"
Suo Jing whispered
:"yes."
Zhu Yunwen clenched his hands with murderous intent in his eyes.
Whether it was Huo Lin, Tang Buping's security bureau personnel, Liu Changge, Pang Huan and others hiding in the periphery, or the scouts and the Second Security Bureau, they all discovered the strange movements in Dai Wang's palace.
Thousands of slaves entered Jinling, and Zhu Gui really regarded Zhu Yunwen as blind and deaf.
Now the intelligence shows once again that the people hoarding grain are all related to Prince Dai's Mansion, and Prince Dai's Mansion even spent years of income from operating coal mines to buy grain on a large scale.
Obviously, Zhu Gui stood opposite the court and himself!
Zhu Yunwen took a deep breath and asked, "Have there been any changes in the other people in the feudal prince's palace?"
Suo Jing said: "Zhu Gaoxu, the prince of Prince Yan's Mansion, made some changes. He secretly controlled a brothel and took in a group of warriors in the backyard of the brothel, numbering more than two hundred."
"Does Zhu Gaochi know?"
Zhu Yunwen placed the secret document on the candle and lit it.
Suo Jing shook his head: "Judging from the information we have so far, Zhu Gaochi has been busy with household matters recently. He rarely returns to Prince Yan's Mansion and has no contact with Zhu Gaoxu."
Zhu Yunwen watched the paper burn into ashes, threw it into the brazier and mashed it: "Brother, this Zhu Gaoxu knows how to choose a place. Go and prepare. I will go to see Uncle Dai Wang tomorrow."
"ah?"
Suo Jing was shocked, with a look of horror on his face, and quickly tried to dissuade him: "Your Majesty, you must not do this. There are many soldiers in Dai Wang's palace, and Dai Wang obviously has different intentions. If he takes action suddenly, I'm afraid..."
Zhu Yunwen waved his hand: "To meet Uncle Dai Wang, you may not need to enter Prince Dai's Mansion. I came out to reassure people. I passed by Prince Dai's Mansion and invited Uncle Dai Wang to come out to relax and talk. It's okay."
"Your Majesty, if you are shocked
On behalf of the king, he took action boldly..."
Suo Jing broke out in a sweat.
Zhu Yunwen chuckled: "After all, he is the emperor's uncle. He who should be retained needs to be retained."
