Zhang Xuansu praised: "This His Royal Highness the King of Qi really has a way, and I don't know how he got those profiteers to help voluntarily." ”

Li Chengqian was a little unconvinced, and said: "It's incredible that a big family like the Cui family is willing to help the fifth brother. ”

The eldest grandson Wuji was also a little puzzled, and said, "I don't know what benefits King Qi gave them?" ”

Li Chengqian said: "Why don't you send someone to find out?" He was curious about how Li You had suffered from this drought this time.

Zhang Xuansu said: "Forget it, Your Majesty deliberately concealed this matter, but he didn't want people to know." Let's not do anything that angers Your Majesty. ”

"One more thing. The Ministry of Industry sent people to help the people dig wells, but they said that the king of Qi wanted to use well water to make wine, which was really ingenious. The eldest grandson Wuji said.

"Winemaking? Isn't this nonsense? Li Chengqian said in surprise.

Zhang Xuansu pondered for a moment and praised: "His Royal Highness the King of Qi, there is really a way, what he means by this is that he doesn't want the people to think about the drought and avoid causing panic, which is really a good excuse." ”

In ancient times, communication was backward, news was blocked, and the people did not know that people in other places were also digging wells, and they believed Li You's words.

Li Chengqian said puzzledly: "Isn't this deceiving the people, in the future, when the people know the truth, they won't have to hate the fifth brother?" ”

Zhang Xuansu shook his head and said: "Your Highness, on the contrary, in the future, when the people know the truth, they will be grateful to His Royal Highness King Qi, and I am afraid that they will treat him as a bodhisattva." This His Royal Highness the King of Qi is really ingenious. He sighed.

The eldest grandson Wuji thought for a while and said: "If King Qi solves the disaster relief problem this time, his prestige will be greatly enhanced, and his status in His Majesty's mind will also be greatly improved, and he will have a certain influence in the court in the future." For him, we still have to adopt an attitude of wooing.

Your Highness, you can find an opportunity to talk to King Qi and test his attitude towards you. ”

"Okay, uncle, that's what I mean." Li Chengqian is really interested in Li You now.

The sky is clear, the temperature is not high, but the drought still shows its hideous face. The creek gradually dried up, and the seedlings on the ground began to wither.

In a depression outside Huangjiawa Village in Tongguan County, seven or eight men were busy under a tripod with their bare backs, while women and children were also helping.

The soldier, also barebacked, was helping to carry the earth at the mouth of the well, and he held a handful of newly brought up dirt, and with a look of joy, he said, "Look, it's getting wetter, and it's almost water." ”

The men were also very excited, and shouted, "Work hard, it's almost out of the water." ”

Soon, the man under the well shouted: "Water, water is out." ”

It's true, a stream of water seeps through the dirt and turns into mud, and then the mud begins to dilute and become muddy water.

An old farmer knelt on the ground and said with tears in his eyes: "Finally I have my own well and water." ”

Soon, the farmers carried water to water the ground, and the leaves of the seedlings were stretched.

Ten days later, the Liangyi Palace, Li Shimin's study.

Gao Jingming and Tian Min came to report to Li Shimin. Gao Jingming said: "Your Majesty, the minister's errand this time is really an eye-opener. His Royal Highness King Qi really has a way. He told the story of Li You's auction of the sugar distribution rights.

Yesterday afternoon, Yiyang Palace.

After nearly ten days of preparation, the wealthy businessmen who received the notice came to the living room of the palace.

The merchants were mainly grain merchants and trading companies of wealthy families who also dealt in grain, and these people had trading companies or branches of trading companies in Chang'an, so it was not difficult to inform them. The reason why they prepared for ten days was to leave time for them to discuss or ask the family for instructions.

These days, Zhou Qian has broken his leg, and he has basically run all over the famous trading companies in Chang'an City, and these merchants are all invited by him.

There were 43 merchants in total, and when they entered the parlor, they immediately felt fresh. They saw that there were rows of tables and chairs arranged inside, and on the table in front of each seat was a card with the names of the merchants who had come to the auction written on them, and the guests found their places and sat down according to the names.

Opposite the merchants, there was also a row of tables, behind which sat several officials, in the middle was Gao Jingming, the head of the household department, Tian Min on the left, and Zhou Qian on the right. After seeing that the merchants had arrived, Zhou Qian waved his hand, and a group of maids walked out.

The maids carried the plates, and placed the small plates in front of the merchants one by one. The small plate contains white sugar, white sugar and rock sugar.

After Zhou Qian waited for the maids to leave, he said, "Distinguished guests, please taste the contents of the plate." ”

Before coming, the merchants had already tasted the white sugar brought by Zhou Qian, and when they saw the contents of the other two plates, they knew that it was also sugar, so they all tasted it.

"It's a good thing, it's so sweet."

"This candy cube is like this, good, good thing."

The merchants were amazed.

Zhou Qian said: "Everyone, you have already seen white sugar, that sugar grain is white sugar, and the lump is called rock sugar. ”

"Yes, this sugar is soft, and the sugar is like ice, which is vivid and appropriate." The merchants were talking again.

Zhou Qian coughed a few times, interrupted their discussion, and said: "Sugar is extracted from sugar cane and sugar beet, and Your Majesty has given permission to grow sugar beets in large quantities in Guannei Province, which means that the yield of sugar is very considerable.

My prince has no time to sell sugar, and plans to hand over the distribution of sugar to some of you. ”

The merchants were experienced connoisseurs and knew that the next time was to negotiate the terms. They all looked at Zhou Qian, waiting for him to speak.

Zhou Qian said: "The price of these sugars, when we sell them, will not be higher than 800 yuan a catty, and the rest of the profits will be owned by the dealers." ”

"What, only 800 yuan a pound?" The merchants' eyes immediately turned red. The purple sugar on the market has been sold for 2,400 yuan a catty, isn't it profitable to distribute these high-quality sugar?

The person in charge of Taiyuan Wang's Trading Company asked, "Excuse me, what are the requirements for being responsible for distribution?" ”

Zhou Qian said: "The prince has decided that in addition to Hedong and Chang'an, the distribution rights of sugar will be tendered in accordance with the way of entrusting each province to operate, and the one with the highest price will win." ”

Taiyuan Wang immediately said: "I want to pass the inner way." ”

Hedong Lu said: "I want Hebei Province." ”

"I want ...... from Huainan Province"

There was chaos in the hall.

Zhou Qian said: "Everyone, come one by one, first auction the distribution rights of Guannei Dao. The reserve price is 200,000 yuan. ”

Taiyuan Wang immediately said: "I will give 220,000 yuan." ”

A grain merchant in Jinju said, "I will pay 250,000 yuan. ”

The merchant in Shangzhou said: "I will pay 260,000 yuan. ”

"I'm out ......"

In the end, Taiyuan Wang's got the distribution right of Guannei Road for 310,000 yuan.

In the end, in addition to Chang'an and Hedong Province, a total of 2.4 million guan was auctioned for the distribution rights of 9 provinces, and 200,000 guan in Hedong Province was auctioned, for a total of 2.6 million guan......

Gao Jingming finished telling Li Shimin about the auction, and he was still very excited. You must know that the Tang Dynasty levied taxes twice a year, and the annual tax revenue of a medium-sized county was worth about 40,000 yuan, which was equivalent to the tax of 60 counties in the Tang Dynasty, or cash!

He said: "Your Majesty, His Royal Highness King Qi left 600,000 guan to grow sugar beets and build a sugar workshop. 2 million guan was handed over to the household department, of which 700,000 guan was directly used by grain merchants to transport grain to the disaster area. ”

"Good, good, good!" Li Shimin was overjoyed and praised repeatedly.

Li Shimin knows that the key to this lies in sugar beets and the sugar made from sugar beets. He smiled and said, "King Qi is right, eat, eat it, and you will be spiritual." Ha ha. ”