"I don't know that the horse came from afar, and the lower official was flattered, so please ask the horse Haihan."

After entering the county office, the magistrate named Peng Shuhuai complimented him.

Nu and the others were also arranged to rest first, and Zhang Xiang came to the conference hall with Xu Songwen and Peng Shuhuai.

Zhang Xiang's face is still not very good-looking, he needs an explanation from Xu Songwen.

Public indignation, that is a taboo for officials.

Although he is not an official, he is also a royal man now, and an official like Xu Songwen is also a representative of the imperial court.

As soon as he came to Rong County, he saw such fierce public anger, how could he be happy?

When Xu Songwen saw him like this, he also had a little drum in his heart, and he didn't know how to start, so he said: "When the horse comes to Rong County, he won't notify the lower officials, and the lower officials can also wash the dust for the horses." ”

Zhang Xiang glanced at him, his face was flat: "Now the grain collection affairs in Pingzhou City are quite smooth, and then the prefect will sit in Pingzhou City, I listen to the prefect Zheng and Xu Tongzhi have encountered some difficulties in the following counties, so I will come down to see if I can help Xu Tongzhi do some favors, and let my Pingzhou Mansion successfully complete this grain collection affairs as soon as possible." ”

Xu Songwen hurriedly said: "The status of the horse is noble, why do you have to do it yourself?" This kind of thing, the lower officials can live up to the prefect's order."

Zhang Xiang sneered softly: "So in order to complete it, Xu Tongzhi can oppress the people?" Can you use the method of grabbing grain to collect grain? ”

Xu Songwen had a slight cold sweat on his forehead: "Donkey, this matter is complicated, and the officials will make it clear to the horses one by one." ”

"Let's go down to the officials, the officials know better." At this time, Peng Shuhuai, the magistrate who was on the side, opened his mouth.

Xu Songwen also nodded and let him.

Then, Peng Shuhuai narrated the ins and outs to Zhang Xiang.

It turned out that as early as after the end of the Yuan Dynasty, a grain merchant named Shi Liangyu in Rong County began to visit the people of Rong County and buy grain from their families at a low price.

The reputation of the Shi family in Rong County is not very good on weekdays, Shi Meng, the son of the Shi family, because he is a rich gentry in Rong County, usually bullies the women of good families in Rong County, and the Shi family also raises a group of fierce and vicious family members.

This Shi Liangyu only has Shi Meng, an only son, who is favored by him in every way, as long as he does not make trouble, he also turns a blind eye, although the government has also heard the rumors, and has checked a few times, but those women who have been bullied by Shi Meng never dare to identify him, and some are even willing, so the government has no choice, and they can only warn the Shi family.

After the first day, the Shi family began to travel to the people from all walks of life, wanting to buy their food at a low price, and at first, most of the people did not want to see him.

But the Shi family's domineering style in the past disappeared without a trace in an instant, and they also opened their own granaries to relieve many people who had no food at home, and Shi Gongzi no longer did bad things, and when he saw some beggars coming and going, he would also reward some silver and a bowl of rice.

In this way, after a period of time, the reputation of the Shi family has improved a little.

The reason why the people of Shijiayou sell grain is naturally simple, it is that the government will come to collect grain immediately, if they don't sell it, they will be taken away by the government at that time, and if they sell it, they can also get some silver.

Moreover, the Shi family promised these people that as long as the matter of the government's grain collection passed, he would sell it back to the people according to the original price collected at that time, and the people would not suffer a loss when they bought it.

Because the imperial court collects grain according to the number of households, this is equivalent to all the people in Rong County temporarily saving the grain to the Shi family, and the Shi family will send grain to the government, at most it will produce the grain of one household, which can greatly save the amount of grain in the entire Rong County. As long as the people who requisited the grain from the government are gone, the grain is still from the people of Rong County, and everyone can understand the losses.

After that, some people began to sell grain to the Shi family, and some even sold only a month's surplus grain.

In just half a month, ninety percent of the people in Rong County sold their grain to the Shi family, so when the Rong County government opened a warehouse to collect grain, there were basically few households with grain at home.

The Shi family is generous, and according to the government's standard for collecting grain, there is an extra 10% and earns a good reputation.

When Xu Songwen led the grain collection team of Pingzhou Mansion down, his implementers had already twisted the people of the entire Rong County into a rope, looking like a dead pig was not afraid of boiling water.

For this situation, the county government has no choice, after all, people's grain, people want to sell, that is people's wishes.

After Xu Songwen came to Rong County, he also had a headache about this matter, he had already discussed with the Shi family a few times, but the Shi family didn't care at all, after all, the Shi family's grain had already been released, and according to the grain requisition law issued by the imperial court, the government unconditionally let him give out another grain.

So now, the grain received by the county government of Rong County is only 700 stones, but as far as Xu Songwen knows, the grain sold by the people of Rong County to the Shi family is about 3,000 stones.

After listening to Peng Shuhuai's ins and outs, Zhang Xiang was also a little surprised, and frowned: "This Shi family is using a strategy to turn parts into wholes!" ”

Xu Songwen also nodded: "Yes, Xiaguan has been working hard for a long time, but he has never found a good way to solve it, if this Shi family does not use this trick, the people of Rong County can receive two thousand stone of grain." ”

"So you can't get it, so you can rob it?" Zhang Xiang asked.

Xu Songwen shook his head, and said helplessly: "Donkey, this is just a ploy of the lower officials, the lower officials originally just wanted to force these people to ask the Shi family for food, after all, only they can ask the Shi family for food now, and the government has no reason to ask the Shi family for food." As for the old couple who were killed, it was just an accident, when they were grabbing food with the official, the old man fell down the steps and fell to his death, and the old man was so angry that he snatched the official's saber and wanted to fight hard with the official, but he also fell down the steps and fell to his death, not killed by the official. ”

"Then what's the difference between that and murder by an official?" Zhang Xiang glared at him heavily: "In the eyes of the people, it is caused by the oppression of the government. ”

"Horse, this is a dereliction of duty on the part of the lower officials, but this kind of thing happens, and the lower officials can't expect it." Xu Songwen hurriedly admitted his mistake.

After learning about the whole thing, Zhang Xiang also felt a headache, especially now, the government has aroused the anger of the people of Rong County, and the Shi family has really become a savior, and it is really difficult to collect grain again.

It is pointless to blame this Xu Songwen now.

After a night's drive from Pingzhou City, he was already very tired, but when something like this happened, he needed to understand the situation first.

He got up and said to Xu Songwen: "Xu Tongzhi and Peng Zhixian don't make other plans for the time being, those people make trouble, let them make trouble first, but remember, don't arrest people again, wait until I come up with a compromise solution." ”

"And what about those who have already been caught?" Peng Zhixian asked.

Zhang Xiang thought for a while: "Let's detain it for the time being, someone should have taken advantage of the situation to instigate this matter, and those who were arrested may have such a thing, and letting it out will only make the situation worse." ”

Then, Zhang Xiang returned to Zheng, the courtyard arranged for them by the county government

This courtyard is very much, it was temporarily vacated by the county government, and there are only five or six rooms, and all the people brought by Zhang Xiang can only live here, and among their group, there is only one girl, so she can only live in a slightly larger room with Zhang Xiang.

When Zhang Xiang returned to the room, the slave had already cleaned up the room and prepared a bucket of clean water for him to bathe.

Slaves are familiar with taking care of horses, and they are clean and neat to do.

Seeing the horse come back calmly, the girl happily went up to change his clothes: "The horse, the slave has prepared new clothes for you, the slave and the maid took your body to wash, just now I took a look at this yard, there is a well, it is very convenient, we have been on the road for so long, the horse is very tired, the horse will take a bath later, let's sleep first!" ”

Seeing the optimistic smile of the slave, Zhang Xiang's mood also improved a little, and said to her: "Slave, you are also very tired, let's talk about these things!" You go get some sleep, too. ”

The girl nodded obediently: "Oh... Then I'll wait for the horse to bathe and sleep, and then the slave and maid will go to sleep. ”

Soaking in the warm bathtub, Zhang Xiang's whole body and mind relaxed at the moment.

He began to mentally calculate what had happened.

He still doesn't know what kind of person the Shi family is, but since he is a grain merchant, he also wants to use the word 'profit'.

He doesn't believe that the Shi family is a great good person, a savior, all for the sake of the people of Rong County.

Who would believe a person who usually has a bad reputation suddenly becomes like this?

It is impossible to change the nature of a businessman who wants to make a profit.

Zhang Xiang believes that it is impossible for many people to fully believe in the Shi family, but compared with the free grain collection by the government and the silver collection of grain by the Shi family, on the side of the Shi family, the people think that their interests can be best protected.

Why not?

The Shi family took advantage of the psychology of this group of people to integrate their unity.

This move, Zhang Xiang thinks that he is high enough.

A united population is hard to overcome.

Zhang Xiang let out a long sigh and put a hot towel on his face, if you want to start, you can only start with the Shi family...

……

The Shi family was originally just an ordinary family in Rong County, but Shi Liangyu's father was a centurion in the former Chu period, and he made some military achievements during the conquest of Xijin, and he also lost his legs.

After returning to his hometown, the imperial court rewarded the Shi family with 100 acres of fertile land, and since then, the Shi family has become a wealthy gentry in Rong County.

After the death of his father who broke his leg, Shi Liangyu used the 100 acres of fertile land left by his father to become a grain merchant.

Gradually, the Shi family became the richest family in Rong County with the efforts of Shi Liangyu for more than ten years, in addition to the initial 100 acres of fertile land, the Shi family also paid money to reclaim a lot of wasteland, rented to other people in Rong County, and let them hand over a high amount of grain to the Shi family every year.

Today's wealth of the Shi family, even if it is placed in a big city like Pingzhou City, can be regarded as a middle-sized family.

But the Shi family has no intention of expanding outward, and now the Shi family's master Shi Liangyu also has self-knowledge, with his ability, he can only be in this Rong County, to a bigger place, there are more people than him who have the ability, so he only guards this acre of three points of land, and lives a carefree landlord life with the attitude of a big family in Rong County.

After night fell in Rong County, Shi Meng, the son of the Shi family, who had wandered around for a while, returned home with a group of family members.

He walked straight to his father's study.

"Daddy..."

Shi Meng saluted Shi Liangyu, who was counting the account books in the house.

"Meng'er, you're back." Shi Liangyu glanced up at him, then lowered his head and continued to settle the account.

Shi Meng walked next to him and sat down, poured a cup of tea and took a sip, and said with a smug smile: "Dad, the child went out for a spin today, and now the people of Rong County are getting more and more angry with the government, and now the government has no choice but to hide in the yamen in the face of these angry people in Rong County." ”

Shi Liangyu said in a low voice: "Now is a critical period, we must not be careless, we must let these people support our Shi family, I believe that our Shi family can help them, let them go against the government, otherwise, if there is a mistake anywhere, we will all lose our efforts." Welcome"

Over, Shi Liangyu raised his head and said sternly: "These days, you must not cause trouble for me outside, otherwise, I won't be able to spare you." ”

"Got it, Dad, the kid hasn't been very obedient lately!" Shi Meng waved his hand impatiently: "I don't even dare to touch women recently, I'm as well-behaved as a sheep." ”

"That's good." Shi Liangyu then said in a teaching tone: "Your lustful temperament should also be changed for me, otherwise you will suffer a loss when you come outside, a good man is determined in all directions, and he should focus on the great cause, woman, once you have silver, what kind of woman can't let it?" Women outside, all kinds of everything, what the father can do now is only in this Rong County, you are smart, in the future you inherit the family business, you can spread the grain of my Shi family to Pingzhou City, or even to Bianjing, so that my Shi family can be rich, so, compared with such a great cause, women are not worth mentioning at all, and their vision must be broad, not limited to women. ”

"Dad, isn't this money just for eating, drinking, and having fun? Otherwise, what's the point of making money. Shi Meng pursed his lips in a loud voice.

"What are you?" Shi Liangyu glanced up at him.

Shi Meng hurriedly smiled weakly and changed the topic: "It's nothing, Dad, how much silver can we make this time?" ”

"That's the number." Shi Liangyu showed a weird smile, and then stretched out five fingers.

"Five hundred taels?" Shi Meng asked in surprise.

"At least five thousand taels." Shi Liangyu said with a smile.

"So much?" Shi Meng was a little incredulous.

Shi Liangyu nodded: "Now the grain of the entire Rong County is in the hands of our Shi family, and the price of grain today is 1,000 yuan per stone, and when I first collected it from them, it was 400 yuan and 1 stone, and when they want to buy it, even if we rise to 1,500 yuan a stone, they have no way not to buy it, after all, after the government has requisitioned grain this time, there is no food in other places, and these Diao people in Rong County can't buy it even if they want to buy it outside." Therefore, if they don't buy it, they can only starve to death, and when the time comes, the price of grain in Rong County is under our control, and they will have to buy it if they don't buy it. ”

"And now, our Shi family has collected more than 3,000 stone of grain from them, how much can you earn?"

"But, Dad, we were all right at the beginning, and we sold it back to them for the original four hundred dollars, what if they make trouble with us then?" Shimon asked.

"Trouble?" Shi Liangyu sneered: "They were willing to sell it to us at the beginning, and I didn't force them to sell it, this is a business, they make trouble, even if the government comes forward, there is no way, at most, we will raise the price of grain, let us keep it down, even if we go back to a thousand dollars a stone, we still make six hundred dollars a stone, or make a lot of money, what else can they set off?" ”

"It's still Daddy's smart."

Shi Meng stretched out his thumb in admiration: "Let them pay for their own food, Dad's plan is really powerful." ”

Shi Liangyu said earnestly: "Meng'er, this way of doing business, one is to value opportunities, the other is to value people's hearts, this government grain collection is our opportunity, these Diao people don't want to pay more food, and they don't want to be held accountable by the government, this is selfishness, do you think they are all kind?" Trust us? No, they all chose between us and the government what they felt was the best for them in order to ensure their own interests. As long as you make good use of these two points in the future, you will be invincible. ”

"By the way, Dad, I forgot to tell you something, the people who went to the county government to make trouble today, it seems that another adult was sent down from Pingzhou City, and I don't know what the origin is, even this Xu Tongzhi is very respectful..."