Businessmen are greedy for money, which is the common feeling of the people of Liuzhou. In particular, after experiencing the sharp rise in rice prices, they hated the merchants even more, and hated those rice merchants even more.

Facing the black and oppressive crowd, Shopkeeper Chen raised his palms high to the people present and said loudly: "Now I announce on behalf of the United Restaurant: Each person is limited to three catties, and the price per catty is ten cents!" ”

Three pounds? Ten pennies per catty?

When they heard this, the thousands of people gathered here suddenly became silent, their eyes widened, and their faces looked at Shopkeeper Chen who was standing on the table in disbelief.

"He just said three pounds per person?"

"Not bad!"

He ...... He said ten cents per catty? ”

"I ...... I heard it too, but ...... Is this true? ”

After a moment of silence, like a drop of oil dripping into a red-hot iron pot, the crowd of onlookers here exploded and whispered.

Although the voice of the shopkeeper Chen is very loud, many people can't believe it, after all, this is too bizarre. They even seriously suspected that the shopkeeper Chen deliberately said "ten cents per catty" to entertain their group of poor people.

There are many people who uphold this view, after all, the matter is too bizarre, and they don't believe that pie will fall from the sky.

"How is that possible? Really sell it to us at such a low price? Isn't he going to lose money? Many people have fallen into the clouds and expressed their opinions in disbelief.

The current exchange rate of the Ming Dynasty is one tael of silver for two thousand copper coins, and one catty of rice is converted into one tael and one stone, and the price is only one-fifth of the unified sales price of the four major rice banks.

The most important thing is that everyone knows that United Restaurant has bought hoarded rice from other rice merchants at a price of 4 taels and 1 meters, and now it is reselling it to them at such a low price, which is clearly making a loss-making transaction.

Where is this still a greedy businessman, and it is clear that he is a bodhisattva who saves the world, but is this all true?

Shopkeeper Chen is also from a poor background, and he knows that the people of Liuzhou are in dire straits, and he is very proud of what he is doing now.

He let the sun above his head sweat, but he didn't give much explanation, but gave an order with a wave of his hand: "Sell!" ”

With an order, eight sales outlets in front of the door were opened at the same time.

There are already baskets of rice piled up here, with fixed two measuring instruments, one catty and three catties. The United Restaurant sells at this price, which is no longer to make money, so this measuring device is only a lot more.

"This is really Guanyin Bodhisattva!"

"Righteousness! This is the nature of a businessman! ”

"Woo...... There's finally something to look forward to this day!"

……

As the people spent 30 yuan to buy three catties of white rice, the worries in the crowd gradually disappeared, and when they held the low-priced rice they had just bought, many people's eyes couldn't help but moisten.

They thought it was a big joke, but the reality really happened, and there really are bodhisattvas in the world who save the world.

"Aren't they really afraid of losing money when they sell it to us at such a low price?"

"Whoever does business is not afraid of losing money, but people really regard us as their own people, and would rather bear the losses themselves than let us eat high-priced rice!"

"I'm afraid you don't know, a few rich families in the city set up porridge shacks outside the city for two days, and it is also good that the porridge shacks built in the United Restaurant will not starve!"

……

When he saw that the United Restaurant was really buying rice at a low price, the well-informed people in the crowd quickly became the protagonists, conveying what had happened recently.

Gradually, even the people at the bottom began to understand this United Restaurant, and then knew that more of the good deeds of the United Business Group were different from other merchants.

Shopkeeper Chen saw that the people who sold rice refused to leave for a long time or wanted to line up again, so he stood on the table again and said loudly: "Ladies and gentlemen in Liuzhou, you can rest assured that our newly harvested 800,000 catties of rice will be sold to everyone at a fair price without a grain left!" The day before yesterday, we signed a purchase agreement with more than 20 grain merchants in the city, and they quickly brought back 4 million catties of rice from other places, and the first batch of rice shipped from Leizhou was 10 million catties! Our store hereby solemnly assures: in the future, the price of rice is only low, so you don't have to worry about not being able to buy rice in the future, so go back and come back tomorrow! ”

Many people are worried about this kind of good thing, only this time, after hearing the assurances of the shopkeeper Chen, and the other party clearly transported grain from Leizhou, they left here with confidence.

However, they always maintained a sense of gratitude in their hearts, and kept chanting in their hearts: "What a great mercy and compassion to save the suffering and save the suffering! ”

"The first batch of 10 million catties? Only low and not high? ”

The money shopkeeper felt dizzy, even though it was obviously the scorching sun, but a piercing chill surged up his back, but it was suddenly dark in front of him, and he immediately lost consciousness.

The bookkeeper and the clerk hurriedly carried the unconscious money shopkeeper away, and returned to the empty rice shop in front of the door.

Because he held 800,000 catties of rice in his hand, he had a lot of confidence in the United Restaurant.

Each person is limited to three catties of rice, and 10,000 people come to line up to buy, but only 30,000 catties are consumed. As long as some time passes, those grain merchants will bring back rice one after another, and the grain road in Leizhou will be opened, and the problem of grain shortage in Liuzhou will be solved.

It was this day at the end of May that rekindled the hope of the people of Liuzhou City.

May passed, and June quietly came. However, on the first day of June, it was still a sunny day, and there was no sign of rain in the sky.

Lin usually followed the usual, got up early for morning exercises, and then took everyone to the shop to eat Guilin rice noodles.

The woman's name was Sister Chen, and she naturally knew about Lin Pingping's movements, but she specially wiped the tables and chairs for them, and hospitalized Lin Pingping and his party.

"Now Liuzhou City is still short of food, only when the grain road in Leizhou is opened, can the problem be truly alleviated!" Lin usually faced the enthusiastic woman and said calmly.

This is indeed the case, solving the price of rice is an achievement, but the most important thing is to open up the grain roads of Liuzhou and Leizhou, which can completely solve the food crisis in Liuzhou.

Lin Pingping's itinerary for today was arranged last night, Shen Yan and Xiaohu and others went out of the city to be busy, while she and Ali and others went directly to the United Restaurant.

The circle of Ming officialdom is not very large, especially the senior officials of the Ming Dynasty are almost all from Jinshi, which makes it easy for them to have a connection.

Liuzhou Mansion sentenced Zhai Di to be a Jinshi in the thirty-seventh year of Jiajing, from the official of the seventh grade to the general judge of the sixth grade, this kind of promotion speed is not fast or slow, and now it is already a little connected with Lin Ping.

Zhai Di is a person from Ningbo Mansion, but he was born as a top three-class jinshi. first served as a magistrate in Guizhou, and just last year he was promoted to Liuzhou to serve as a general judge, and his ceiling is already at the prefect level.

However, his family background is good, and he is also determined to be a clean official, so his official reputation in Liuzhou City is not bad. After receiving Lin Pingping's invitation, he also came happily.

He is not a pedantic official, and he knows that if he wants to jump out of this quagmire, or take charge of a government as soon as possible, he needs to find a backer in the capital, and Lin Haoran is a target that ordinary officials cannot reach.

Zhai Di had been paying attention to Lin Ping's actions, but he asked curiously: "Lord Patrol, if the United Restaurant is sold at such a price, I'm afraid it will cost a lot of money, right?" ”

"The United Restaurant probably has to buy 400 catties of rice from the rice merchant, and it is expected to lose 30,000 or 40,000 taels of silver!" Lin usually took a sip of tea and responded nonchalantly.

If an ordinary merchant wants to lose 30,000 or 40,000 taels of silver, I am afraid that he will go bankrupt. It's just that for the current United Restaurant, for the current United Business Group, this is less than a day's entry.

Not to mention the annual gold mine income of more than one million taels in Nanyang, just the current trade income of the United Business Group and the input of the two major industries of shipbuilding and iron and steel can make Lin Ping treat 30,000 or 40,000 taels as a thing.

With the development of the United Business Group now, it is no longer just about how to make money, in addition to establishing a stable commercial industry, it also has to consider its own reputation.

The most important thing is that compared to saving the 100,000 people of Liuzhou City, this loss is simply insignificant. In the face of human life, money is naturally not worth mentioning.

Although Zhai Di was born in the wealthy Ningbo Mansion, he was still secretly surprised in his heart, in addition to the fact that the amount was not small, there was also the contempt that Lin usually showed.

It's just that I don't know if the other party is so rich that he doesn't need to take 30,000 or 40,000 taels seriously, or if he still has the 100,000 people of Liuzhou City in his heart, or both.

Zhai Di knew that what the other party was doing was to save people, but he respectfully saluted: "Lin Xunzhi can do such a place for the people of Liuzhou, it really has the majesty of Brother Ling, and this official is here to thank Lord Xunzhu on behalf of the people of Liuzhou!"

"Don't hide it from Lord Zhai, my brother and I have always had correspondence! When he learned about the drought in Guangxi, he also repaired books to me from the capital, so I came to Liuzhou to help with disaster relief! Lin usually took a sip of tea, but it was a half-truth.

"This is what Lin Shilang meant?" Zhai Di's eyes lit up slightly, and he asked seriously.

"My brother only knew about the drought in Guangxi from the report of the imperial court, and he couldn't know the specific situation of the drought in Guangxi, but his original intention was to ask me to do more for the victims!" Lin usually responded in response.

In fact, it is true that Lin Haoran wrote a letter to Lin Pingping, but the main reason in the letter was to ask her to pay more attention to safety, so that she could not risk her life. As for this trip to Liuzhou, it was completely out of her own intentions.

It's just that this is an extraordinary period, especially since she doesn't have direct jurisdiction over Liuzhou, so she naturally wants to move out of her brother's name, which can make it easier for her to do things.

Zhai Di knew that it was indeed impossible for Lin Haoran to know about the explosion of Liuzhou Rice Market, but after learning that the big man attached importance to this matter, he also made some decisions in his heart.

Whether it is for the people of Liuzhou or to win the attention of this big man, he needs to work harder to help Liuzhou survive this drought, but he sincerely sighed: "Lin Shilang is now in charge of every opportunity, and he can still care about the disaster situation in Guangxi, which is really a model for my generation!" This official has been an official in the local government for many years, and he feels more and more that Lin Shilang's means of governing Leizhou Mansion back then should be an example for the prefect of the world! ”

This is actually a true statement! He has been a local official for many years, but he is used to seeing too many image projects, and many prefects have not made any contribution to the local government. On the other hand, the Leizhou Mansion under Lin Haoran has now become the most dazzling new city in the Ming Dynasty.

"My brother is very powerful, when I followed him to Leizhou Mansion in the past, Leizhou City was still very poor, but now it is much better than Jiangsu and Zhejiang!" Lin was usually one of the witnesses, and he nodded gently.

Zhai Di knew that Lin had always been with Lin Haoran as a local official, but he smiled and said: "I am from Ningbo Mansion, Zhejiang, and I have always been proud of Ningbo City. During the Spring Festival, I made a special trip to Leizhou, and Leizhou City is already far better than Ningbo City! ”

"Lord Zhai, are you willing to follow my brother's example and let Liuzhou change as dramatically as Leizhou?" Lin usually put down the teacup gently, and said amazingly.

Zhai Di's heart moved slightly, and then he shook his head with a wry smile and said, "How dare I compare with Lin Shilang!" And I'm just a small general judgment now, and it's not up to me to decide how Liuzhou City should develop! ”

On his head, in addition to the prefect Gao Yan, there is also the same acquaintance Qian Huilong, but it is not his turn to speak out at all.

"My brother once said: Opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared!" Lin Pingping actually had some ideas in his heart, but he was doing it step by step.

But at this moment, there was a sudden noise downstairs.

First, an arrogant voice said: "You are all scattered, no rice is allowed to be sold here!" As soon as the words fell, the people below had already stopped doing it, and they all accused that person.

This movement has already affected the mood of the two people upstairs.

A guy hurriedly came up and reported to Lin Pingping: "Miss, the head catcher of Liuzhou Mansion is making trouble below with a group of catchers, saying that we are not allowed to sell rice in the joint restaurant!" ”

Lin Ping's brows furrowed slightly, and he said in his heart: They really can't sit still.

"That head catcher is surnamed Liang?" Zhai Di's face immediately sank, and he asked directly.

The guy turned his head and glanced at Zhai Di, then nodded solemnly and said, "Exactly!" ”

"You let him come up!" Zhai Di put on an official posture and immediately commanded.

Lin usually saw that the guy was looking at him, so he waved his hand and said, "Go!" ”

She is naturally not afraid of local forces, but she knows that if she wants to do things in the local area, it is best to pull a few local helpers. The reason why she invited Zhai Di over today was to ask him to help deal with this situation.

Zhai Di had the heart to take Lin Haoran's money, so he naturally took the initiative to stand up at this time.

After a while, a sturdy headcatcher came up arrogantly.

His eyes seemed to be on the top of his head, and he seemed to be arrogantly ignoring the situation upstairs, and suddenly saw Zhai Di sitting at the table, and was immediately frightened.

"Liang Zhutou, you are so majestic, do you know whose business this is?" Zhai Di now followed the high-flying Lin Shilang on the line, and asked confidently.

Liang Zhutou can bully ordinary people and businessmen, but in the face of this top boss, he can only bow his head, and immediately stepped forward and knelt down and said: "The villain greets the general judge!" ”

Zhai Di still had a straight face, pointed to Lin Ping, who was seated, and solemnly introduced: "This is Lord Lin of Nanyang Patrol, she is the sister of the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites!" ”

"The villain meets the Patrolman!" Liang Zhutou secretly swallowed his spit, and kowtowed respectfully to Lin Ping.

Lin usually looked at Liang Zhutou who was kneeling on the ground, but asked lightly, "Who sent you here?" ”

"Little ...... Villain, no one sent me over, it's the villain who is good at advocating! Liang Zhutou knew that he couldn't reveal the people behind him, but he chose to carry it down the tunnel.

"This matter shouldn't be Lord Fuzun, I'm afraid it was instructed by Qian Tongzhi, right?" Zhai Di knew the situation in the Liuzhou Mansion now, and even reasoned.

"Little ...... Villain, there is really no one to send here, it is the villain lard who blinds his heart, and asks the two adults to forgive their sins, the villain will never dare again! Liang Zhutou hurriedly kowtowed and admitted his mistake.

Lin usually knew that the local officials were slippery, and it was impossible for the other party to explain the person behind the scenes, but he warned lightly: "I don't care who the person who instructed you is?" You can help me with a word: I may not be able to control him, but my brother is a good official who asks for the people's life! If he doesn't want his black gauze hat anymore, then he will seize this restaurant and try it! ”

She rarely does anything in the name of her brother, but when it comes to this, she has to put some pressure on that side. She naturally knows who is pushing the people of Liuzhou to eat high-priced grain, but this matter is related to people's livelihood, and she can't choose to compromise.

"The villain is guilty, please punish the adult!" Liang Zhutou knew that the person who instructed him behind him couldn't argue with the sister of the left waiter of the Ministry of Rites in front of him, so he respectfully bowed.

Zhai Di silently re-examined this Lin Xun, the other party was soft and hard, and he was already like the legendary Lin Shilang, who was really a shrewd person who did things for the people.

Lin usually didn't plan to pursue this Liang Zhutou, but he understood that this was actually a temptation over there, that is, to raise his hand and let the other party leave.

Yesterday it was still in short supply of 50 wen a catty, but now it has been directly beaten to 10 wen a catty, this gap is too big, and the interest groups of the four rice banks are naturally the first to bear the brunt.

They could have been able to sell rice and grain at a high price, but because of such a mess by the United Restaurant, the market price fell directly to 10 cents per catty, which was seriously inconsistent with their expectations.

It is precisely because of this that when they learned the news, they hated the United Restaurant very much, and they also had a grudge against that Lin Xunpress.

The relationship behind the so-called four rice banks is also intricate, especially many people's rice hoarding is sold by the four rice banks. It can be said that behind this is almost the gentry class that represents half of Liuzhou City.

It's just that the other party is not only the Nanyang patrol who was personally appointed by the emperor, but also the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites standing behind him.

"As the so-called strong dragon does not suppress the head snake! Since we can't stop the United Restaurant from selling rice, then we won't allow rice grain to enter the city, see what she can do? Faced with this dilemma, Hanhui took the opportunity to make a decisive decision.

In the wind and waves stirred by Lin Pingping, the wrestling between the two sides has quietly unfolded. Lin usually has a background and connections, but their gang is entrenched in Liuzhou City, since they can overturn the Wu Guifang who doesn't know how to lift, it is naturally easy to deal with a little girl.