After Gu Xining entered Bianzhou City, he took him to visit thirteen grain shops, five granaries and the warehouse of Bianzhou Wharf for three consecutive nights.

The situation was beyond his expectation, less than 30% of the slab houses in each granary contained rice, and the smallest granary had 30 slab houses, and one slab could hold at least 2,000 stone of grain.

There is not much grain in the warehouse, and in Gu Xining's opinion, there is only 500,000 stone of grain at most.

These alone do not explain anything, grain has been on the way to transshipment, some from Bianzhou to the west to Luoyang and Chang'an, and some from Huainan and Jiangnan to Bianzhou.

In order not to return in vain, Gu Xining had to go to the rice shop with his subordinates to buy rice.

The only rice that can be bought with money is brown rice mixed with bran.

Gu Xining looked at the good rice in the wooden barrel and pointed out, "There is obviously new rice here, why don't you sell it?" Are you afraid that I won't have any money? ”

As he spoke, he took out a few pieces of broken silver from his bosom and slapped them on the desk.

The boss smiled, "At first glance, you are a person who has never bought high-quality rice, how can you buy rice like this?" If you want to buy high-quality rice, you must have a rice coupon issued by the imperial court! You don't even have rice coupons, what are you doing here? A few taels of silver dare to say that there is money? ”

Not to be outdone, Gu Xining continued to take out the gold leaf that the emperor had rewarded him from his arms and shook it in front of the boss: "Could it be that this gold leaf is not as good as a paper coupon?" You think I'm a nouveau riche in the country? Don't look down on people! ”

The boss was very disdainful, "This lord, if you come to buy rice, you have to get rice coupons according to the rules, you have gold and silver now, and you have to have that paper coupon, otherwise don't want to buy high-quality rice!" If you're here to make trouble, I'm sorry, I'm going to report to the police! ”

"Of course I'm here to buy rice, forget it, do you have rice coupons here? I'll buy rice tickets from you! ”

The boss shook his head, "It seems that you are really a foreigner, and you have never bought high-quality rice, how can this rice coupon be here with me?" If you want to buy rice coupons, you have to have a way, you have to go to the yamen to make a point, well, just a living person like you, you may not be able to do it. Truth be told, you might as well go to the black market and buy the best rice! ”

Gu Xining was taken aback, the black market of grain trading is going to kill the head, this boss actually asked him to go to the black market to buy rice, either with bad intentions or bold.

"This black market buys and sells grain, but it's a head-killing business, why are you bosses cheating me so much? I have no grievances with you! ”

The boss smiled, "The business that makes a lot of money in the world is all a head-killing business, but there is always someone to do it!" To tell you the truth, the amount you spend on rice coupons is about the same as the price of buying fine rice on the black market! I saw that you were too honest, so I pointed out a clear path for you. Judging by your appearance, it is likely that your wife has given birth to a child and has no milk, so she came to buy high-quality rice. ”

Gu Xining was stunned, and immediately reacted, "Yes, yes, the boss is really well-informed, but I don't dare to do the murderous thing, so I'd better honestly find a way!" ”

"Go, go!"

The owner of the grain shop waved his hand, Gu Xining was a little strange, how could this grain shop only sell this cheap brown rice to maintain, and no one had seen anyone take rice coupons to buy high-quality rice for half a day.

Thinking about it, Gu Xining decided to continue to stare at this grain store, he wanted to see who bought this high-quality rice.

The sun at noon was still a little poisonous, so Gu Xining had to find a noodle restaurant nearby to eat noodles.

After cooking a bowl of noodles, Gu Xining frowned when he saw that it was dark, but the dry food he brought had already been eaten, and he couldn't go to the restaurant to eat the big fish and meat, so he had to eat this bowl of noodles hard.

"The guest officer is not a person who eats this kind of street stall at first glance, right?"

The one who cooked the noodles was an old man, with a kind face and a lean face, and when he saw Gu Xining's eyes and cheeks puffing up, he brought a bowl of soup over.

Gu Xining smiled, "It's indeed the first time, but a person like me who has no money can only eat this street stall."

"The guest officer doesn't look like a person with no money, well, in our Bianzhou, the people who eat my cooked noodles are all coolies

I eat it twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. You are the first to come to eat noodles at noon! ”

Gu Xining was a little embarrassed, so he took out thirty coins from his arms and put them on the table, "Old man, is this money enough?" ”

In Gu Xining's opinion, this amount of money is barely enough, and the place where he often eats noodles in the capital is thirty money.

The old man split the money in half, half was ten money, half was twenty, and the half of twenty was pushed in front of Gu Xining, "I see that you have really never been to our Bianzhou, we are here to store grain, this rough noodles are already expensive to sell for ten yuan, but you give me thirty money!" ”

Gu Xining only remembered that the price of grain in the capital was naturally higher than in other places, but what surprised him was that this old man actually did not overcharge him for the twenty yuan.

"Old man, you are too honest, these twenty money, in fact, you have collected it, you don't have to do it!"

The old man put away his smile: "Guest officer, God knows!" The heavens are watching, not to mention that I can't make a fortune if I overcharge you for the twenty dollars today, and you will always know that you will be deceived one day. For the sake of these twenty money, I will put my lifelong reputation into it, and no matter how stupid I am, I will never do such a stupid thing! ”

Gu Xining was in awe and drank the soup residue that was left in the bowl in one go.

"Old man, I have been taught today! In that case, let me ask you something, how to buy this rice coupon? ”

As soon as he heard the word rice coupons, the old man also showed a surprised expression, "It seems that this guest officer has not only never been to Bianzhou, but also knows nothing about the world, what are you doing to buy rice coupons in a good manner?" I don't think the guest officer is like a person who likes to compare, nor is he like a person who wants to entertain distinguished guests in business. What do you want that rice coupon to buy at the sky's price? ”

Gu Xining knew that he had asked the right person, and there was really something wrong with the purchase and sale of this rice coupon, so he pointed to the previous rice shop and asked, "It's that rice shop, he has so much high-quality rice there, I haven't seen anyone come to buy it this morning." It seems that no one eats this high-quality rice! And according to my relatives in the court, this rice coupon is not as valuable as rice, how can it be turned into sky-high rice? ”

"Alas, the guest officer is too honest to understand the twists and turns. The officials of this court can eat high-quality rice without rice coupons, and the rice coupons in their hands are naturally useless to them, but we ordinary people are different. When this rice coupon arrives at the Caohe River Transfer Envoy Yamen, it becomes a voucher for buying high-quality rice, and the rice coupon of 2,000 stones costs 80 yuan, not to mention ordinary people, even these rice shop owners themselves are reluctant to eat this high-quality rice! ”

"Eighty? Buy a rice coupon for 2,000 koku? This, isn't this doubled? Gu Xining's head was buzzing, he himself was an annual salary of 2,000 stones, but his 2,000 stone rice coupons could only be exchanged for 20 yuan in the capital, that is to say, those grain and rice shops in the capital used the money to buy 1,000 stone of high-quality rice in exchange for the denomination of 2,000 stone rice coupons in the hands of officials like Gu Xining, and then sold the rice coupons to the price of 4,000 stones, and finally the person who got the rice coupons used this rice coupon to buy about 1,800 yuan of high-quality rice.

The three links can make profits, and they are all huge profits, no wonder the Xiao family and the Wang family have such huge wealth, and no wonder the emperor wants to reverse this situation at all costs.

The officials were cheated, and the rice coupon of 2,000 stone could only get 1,000 stone of money, and then they had to eat brown rice, and when they ate it, in addition to scolding the profiteers, they must also scold the emperor.

When the common people buy sky-high rice coupons, they have to deal with the Caohe River transfer envoy Yamen, which naturally means that they will also scold the court and the emperor.

The co-authored money was made clean by the shameless families and profiteers, and then the emperor and the court took the blame.

Thinking of this, Gu Xining's eyes were full of fire.

"Guest, what are you thinking? The first time to know these things, which one is not scolding the court for being shameless and traitorous in power, the emperor is also old and confused. I thought that the imperial court would come out of the Holy Tomorrow and pinch this messy world together again, but who knows, this is not the same as in the past! Do you say it's annoying! ”

Gu Xining was stunned, it turned out that this old man had also spilled his resentment on the court and the emperor, and he had to accompany the smiling face

said, "Old man, this matter cannot be entirely blamed on the court and the current saint. It's all profiteers running rampant, exploiting the people! The emperor and his old man have also been deceived! ”

"Alas, you scholars, you are pedantic! I ask you! Did the imperial court make this rice coupon? This world is not the king's land, is it? The emperor has been on the throne for so many years, doesn't he know at all? If the profiteers don't rectify it, won't the court and the emperor be responsible? The court and the emperor can't call the shots for the common people, can't we still say a few words? ”

Gu Xining was stunned, knowing that he couldn't continue the words, in case he was listened to by someone with ulterior motives, he would be in trouble.

"Old man, you have been taught, you are smooth, and things in this world will always get better!"

The old man shook his head, "Be careful yourself, the scholar is new to the rivers and lakes, be careful in everything!" Don't get involved in this rice in Bianzhou, be careful of getting into trouble! ”

Gu Xining got up and bowed, "Thank you, uncle, I'm just a person who likes to inquire, don't worry, I'll be careful!" ”

The street noodle stall couldn't stay for a long time, otherwise it would arouse the suspicion of others, so Gu Xining went to several other cloth shops and clothing stores to take a look.

At the beginning of Shen Shichu, four carriages went to the rice shop, and Gu Xining came close to see what was going on.

I only heard the shopkeeper of the rice shop shouting, "Master Du of Dujiazhuang outside Bianzhou City, three 4,000 stone rice coupons, buy 9,000 stone of high-quality rice!" ”

12,000 stone rice coupons, it seems that this Master Du spent a lot of money, but he can only buy 9,000 stone of rice, this rice shop can naturally get a lot, if this rice coupon is reversed and sold again, then wouldn't it.

Thinking like this, I saw that the boss of the rice coupon took out the scissors and cut the rice coupon on the spot, "Nine thousand stones of high-quality rice are loaded, and the rice coupon is written off!" Genuine, no deception! ”

Gu Xining felt strange, but after thinking about it, although this rice coupon is profitable, but Daliang doesn't have so much high-quality rice to toss, if he doesn't destroy the rice coupon, if he changes hands again, this matter will be messed up.

It seems that the person who made this rule is really not an ordinary person, and even if he doesn't use this kind of calculation, he has no opponent to do anything else.

Seeing the people who came to buy rice, he finally felt something about this grain and rice business, Gu Xining was about to return to the place where he stayed, but was stopped by a few catchers.

"You're sneaking around the city, we've been keeping an eye on you for days!"

With Gu Xining's skills, being followed for several days is unlikely, and the only explanation is that he was only targeted today.

Gu Xining remembered that he had been shopping in the cloth shop and clothing store for a long time and didn't buy anything, and the owner of the cloth shop said that he had something to go out, but it turned out that he was a secret.

"I don't steal or rob, I'm shopping here, which law did I violate?"

"All we have to do is take people! Let's talk about the law when it comes to the yamen! ”

As he spoke, he came up and took the chain to lock Gu Xining, Gu Xining had to take out his waist card, "I am a person from the imperial court, you can't wait!" ”

"You have to be good at deceiving people, if you are a member of the imperial court, we will be the guards of the Great Interior! Lock! ”

Two iron chains surrounded Gu Xining, Gu Xining had to pull out the soft sword on his waist and jump out, "Dodge!" ”

These people were not afraid, and continued to chase Gu Xining, Gu Xining had to blow a whistle, and thirty subordinates immediately rushed over from everywhere.

Ran to an alley, it was a dead end, and the person with the chain on the opposite side slowly approached, "Look where are you running?" If you are in the city with a weapon, you are not a thief but also a thief! ”

"Bold! Stop it! ”

Gu Xining's subordinates jumped down from the wall one after another and surrounded the five catchers.

"Boss, do you cut your tongue or kill it?"

The catchers still knew each other, and knelt down together to beg for mercy.

However, Jin Liangwei's rules have never forgiven those who fight against them, Gu Xining hesitated for a while, "Take it away first, finish the questioning, and then cut your tongue and put it back!" ”