Standing on the corner of the street, Li Ze quietly looked at a grain store in the distance.

There is a long queue at the door of the grain store, and those in the back will try to stretch their heads from time to time, trying to see the situation in front clearly, they are very worried about the food being sold out, for many people, it is a very common thing to use the money earned today to buy food for tomorrow's family. There is no overnight food at home, and it is not uncommon in Chang'an at this time.

The catchers, who were carrying knives and iron rulers and chains, were trying to maintain the order of the scene, and from time to time their shouts and angry scolds could be heard.

"Don't squeeze, don't squeeze. Everyone can buy it. ”

"Wu Mazi, go back to your position, you quietly cut in line, believe it or not, I'll carry you to the end."

Suddenly there was a woman's scream from the crowd, followed by a thin man who was quickly dragged out of the ranks, and the iron ruler rained down on the man.

"The second leper of the dog day, he dares to be so nasty in front of me."

The scene was a little chaotic, but in the midst of the chaos, there was a strange order.

After being beaten severely, the second leper who took advantage of the chaos and thinness of the woman got up in a sloppy manner, and did not dare to return to his original position, but he did not go, and returned to the tail of the line, and stood here with a cower.

"It's all the people of the same workshop, everyone is familiar with it, and it seems that the people in charge of catching it here should also live in this workshop, so they are so familiar with these people." Chen Wenliang said.

Li Ze nodded.

Or maybe that's the real pyrotechnics.

Whether it is Wu Mazi or the second leper, they are not really evildoers, so they were scolded and beaten, which only attracted the ridicule and ridicule of the people in line.

"Two lepers, such a greedy woman, just find a cousin openly. It's a good time. Someone in the crowd laughed.

"How can I have any money? Marrying a cousin costs five silver dollars! The second squirt raised his head and said.

"You're just lazy, today Fang is recruiting people to go outside the city to repair ditches, including food and accommodation for 100 yuan a day, and working for two months, you won't have five yuan."

"My heavenly grandfather, digging a ditch in such weather, the ground is freezing hard, this is my life!" Erqizi shook his head again and again: "I just sweep the streets in the workshop, and I can eat a round belly every day, and I don't have to suffer that sin." ”

"Sure enough, it's a lazy donkey, you can't say a daughter-in-law in your life, that woman is blind and follows you." A woman in the crowd scolded. "A man's family can't endure a little hardship, it's really a waste of the word man."

was scolded by everyone, and the second blushed and lowered his head, but he was obviously not convinced without replying.

Li Ze, who was looking at the side, couldn't help but sigh.

There must be something hateful about the wretched, and there is nothing false about it.

The people who queue up here to buy food are either women, old people, and even children.

"There's a grain truck coming!" Someone in the crowd shouted.

Sure enough, on the street, more than a dozen grain trucks were heading towards the grain store.

The crowd was excited.

After a while, the shopkeeper of the grain store came out, stood on a high bench, and shouted loudly: "Fellow villagers, the imperial court has an order, from today onwards, the price of grain will be lowered again, rice, two wen per catty, noodles, two wen, miscellaneous grains, one penny, and another, the purchase of staple grains, will no longer tie in the sale of miscellaneous grains." ”

The crowd burst into cheers.

"This is the second price cut in a month." Chen Wenliang said a little excitedly, he was from a poor family, and he knew that although it was only a price reduction of one or two pennies, it was not a small amount for a poor family.

"Compared to the Northland, the price is still too high." Li Ze sighed.

"It's already good." Chen Wenliang shook his head and said: "Compared with the pseudo-Liang period, the price of grain has dropped by one-third, and by next year, the price of grain is estimated to be on par with that of the north." Such a price is already the price of grain in the Tang Dynasty. ”

"The people take food as the sky, and the price of grain must be stabilized." Li Ze said: "As long as the price of grain is stable, other things are easy to say." ”

"Next year will definitely be better." Chen Wenliang said: "In the land of Liaodong, the Hetao Plain, next year, there will be a lot of harvest. With the addition of supplies from these two places, it will definitely be able to push the price of food down even more. ”

"Hopefully next year will be a good year!" Li Ze looked at the gray sky and said in a low voice.

"There was a lot of snow this year, and we should have a good harvest next year." Chen Wenliang is full of longing.

Li Peng strode over from the rear and whispered to Li Ze: "Li Xiang, Jin Mantang Jin Gong has arrived and is waiting for Li Xiang's reception. ”

Li Ze couldn't help but be overjoyed, "Go, go back." ”

Jin Mantang is a happy sparrow of Li Ze, whenever Li Ze is in trouble, Jin Mantang can always appear in time, especially when Li Ze needs money, this rich man can always bring unexpected gains to Li Ze.

Hurriedly arrived at the prime minister's office in the imperial city, Jin Mantang was talking to Gongsun Changming, Li Ze laughed and hurriedly walked into the hall, and Jin Mantang also greeted him.

Holding Jin Mantang's hand tightly, Li Ze looked the other party up and down: "Jin Gong, I haven't seen you for another year, you have a lot more wrinkles, and your hair is a lot grayer, but your spirit looks better." ”

"People are in good spirits at happy events!" Jin Mantang said: "Get off the boat from Cangzhou, this way, what you see and hear, is a thriving scene, I haven't seen it for a year, but Li Xiang has recovered Chang'an, destroyed the pseudo-Liang, the great cause is just around the corner, it is really gratifying!" ”

"There's still a long way to go, but we're just getting started." Li Ze shook his head and said.

"South training, but jumping clown!"

"That being said, but now it's a confrontation between the north and the south after all, and the strength of the other party should not be underestimated!" Li Ze said with a smile.

"Xiang Xun and the like, is it Li Zheng?" Jin Mantang said disappreciatively.

Sitting down, Li Ze couldn't wait: "Jin Gong, tell me about the situation in Europa, right?" ”

"This time we arrived in Europa and set foot on this land, but we didn't go deeper." Jin Mantang shook his head and said, "It's too messy now." ”

"Who is the most powerful country on which side now?"

"No one is stronger than the other." Jin Mantang said: "Originally, there was a kingdom called the Franks, which was considered the most powerful, but it was already divided into three, and what people can often mention is what kind of Eastern Roman Holy Empire, I don't know what it is?" Li Xiang, the land over there now is similar to our Datang a few years ago, all forces cut the drama, today you beat me, tomorrow I beat you, the fight is smashed! ”

"With such chaos, can we make money?" Li Ze asked with a smile.

"Wherever they are, the poor are really poor, but the rich are also really rich. The aristocracy is poor and extravagant, the clergy are so rich, and the ordinary people can't say anything about this day. Our silk, porcelain, tea, etc., are sold to those who are so rich, as long as they arrive there, they will make dozens of times the profit. Jin Mantang said with a smile.

"The deal went well?"

Jin Mantang shook his head and said: "Pirates are rampant at sea, but a large fleet like ours, ordinary pirates don't dare to provoke, the most dangerous one is not far from the continent of Europa, several groups of pirates united to attack us, that battle, we lost three warships, two merchant ships, but in the end we defeated the opponent, or the reputation of this battle spread, after we landed, the transaction was smooth." Jin Mantang said: "Li Xiang, their warships are very different from ours, when I came back this time, I brought back several captured pirate warships, and they have been handed over to Haixing Shipyard for them to study." Their boats are not as big as ours, but they are extremely fast, and the layout of the sails is also very different from ours, which I think can still be used as a reference. ”

"Learning from each other's strengths is exactly what I want." Li Zedao: "Can there be a big loss of manpower? ”

"More than two hundred dead and wounded!" Jin Mantang sighed.

"Next time, I'll equip our fleet with the best weapons." Li Ze said with a smile: "When these equipment are on the boat, above the sea, it will be our Datang pond." ”

Jin Mantang's eyes lit up, "Is it the artillery you mentioned to me before?" ”

"Exactly!" Li Ze smiled and said: "When we hit Tongguan, we pulled the artillery over and tried it, and the effect was not bad, but it was too heavy, and it was not very convenient for the army, but it was put on the ship, I think it was just right." At present, Pan Motang's sailors have two ships equipped with this weapon and are in the process of sea trials. ”

"In this way, the next time I go to sea, it will be foolproof." Jin Mantang said with a smile: "Except for fighting with God, no pirates are a problem." ”

"Jin Gong, the next time you go to sea, you don't have to go!" Li Zedao: "You are old, I don't have to worry about letting you go far and wide, I have another important task for you." ”

"I wonder what Li Xiang wants me to do for you? This old bone is still tough! Jin Mantang said.

"I am going to set up a maritime academy in Yangzhou, the head of this maritime academy, there is no one more suitable than you!" Li Zedao.

"Maritime Academy?"

"Yes, it is a discipline that specializes in the training of seafaring talents, shipbuilding, sailing, naval warfare, and, of course, the study of the languages, humanities, and religions of overseas countries." Li Zedao: "In short, the talents cultivated by this school are for us to gallop across the sea and dominate the sea in the future." The place where our warships and merchant ships arrived is where the sea area of our Datang is located. If they are subdued to us, we will do business with them and make each other rich, and if they are not subdued by us, we will first run them over with warships, and then we will do business with them and make a fortune together. ”

Jin Mantang and Gongsun Changming were stunned at first, and then they both laughed.