"What's the problem?" Lee Tae-won asked rhetorically. He didn't think of anything.

"I just thought of it. I remember reading history books when I was a child, and I forgot that it was the book, which said, 'It is very expensive, it hurts the people; It is very cheap and hurts the peasants. If the people are injured, they will be scattered, and if the peasants are injured, the country will be poor. Now the imperial court also attaches great importance to maintaining the price of grain, which does not change much throughout the year. ”

"But once the grain from Nanyang comes in, the price is much cheaper than the grain from the Ming Dynasty. Agricultural injuries make the country poor! At that time, the domestic grain will not be able to be sold, and the court will be looking for the culprit, isn't it just a few of us? How many lives can we afford to bear such a great sin? Xiao Zhuo said.

"W-what can I do about this?" Listening to Xiao Zhuo's words, Li Taiyuan also became nervous: "Won't we buy grain from Nanyang in the future?" ”

"That's useless, since they have discovered that the price of grain in Nanyang is lower than that of Daming, they will definitely bring grain to Daming to sell in the future, although the profit is thin, but it is better than an empty ship, we can't stop it." Xiao Zhuo said.

Suddenly, Li Taiyuan said: "The reason why I bought grain from Nanyang at the beginning was that when Your Majesty came to Shanghai to inspect the ship, we listened to the Zhongshu people around Your Majesty. We didn't all guess that it was His Majesty's intention. Whether Your Majesty means it or not, just ask the Zhongshu Sheren? ”

"How do you ask that? We don't know what the name of that scholar is, and he's not here now. Xiao Zhuo said.

"We don't know, but the city secretary mentioned that Zhang Jian came with that person at that time, he must know who it was, and we don't ask what the identity of that person is, just report that the grain was bought back from Nanyang, and he will definitely make a move." Lee Tae-won said.

Xiao Zhuo also felt that it made sense when he heard it, and said, "Then let's do it." ”

"Are you still selling this grain?" Lee Tae-won asked again.

"Sell! I first bought the grain from my friend, then asked Wang Rende to contact the local grain merchant to resell it, and then went to Zhang Tiju. Xiao Zhuo said.

In a short time, all the grain that had been shipped was counted, and there were more than 12,400 stone in total.

Xiao Zhuo walked up to this familiar businessman and said with a smile: "Zheng Pai, are you good?" Did you really bring rice? This rice was brought from your hometown of Siam? ”

"Aren't you good now, and start doing serious business. The life of licking blood with a knife head is not good, and now I am doing a little business at sea to support my family. Zheng Pai said.

"Aren't you afraid I'm playing tricks on you? More than 10,000 stone of rice, just like this, what if we don't buy you? Xiao Zhuo said.

"I can still trust your character, of course, the main thing is that more than 10,000 stone of grain is only more than 1,000 yuan, and your reputation is not worth losing for this more than 1,000 yuan."

"Secondly, if you don't buy it, you won't buy it, what else can you do? Sell it to someone else at a low price, as long as the price is low enough, you will definitely be able to sell it. I put the precious goods that were shipped to Daming into a box and stuffed them in the middle of the grain, so that the grain played a role in relieving pressure, and the bulk was still those precious goods. These rice are not the main goods that are transported, and losing money is nothing. Zheng Pai said.

"Then since you have also started serious trading, why didn't you come to Shanghai to do business some time ago? Shanghai has been open to the sea for three years. Xiao Zhuo said.

"Haha, don't think that only you Daming have a way to make a fortune, Nanyang can also make money. This time, these valuable goods were transported by another person, and by the way, I met a few of you old brothers. Zheng Pai said.

"I won't ask who will let you help transport the goods, but where did you make your fortune in Nanyang?" Xiao Zhuo asked curiously: "Doing serious business must be the most profitable in Daming." ”

"What, you want to get involved too?" Zheng Pai asked rhetorically.

"No, no, I'm doing a good job in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, how can I put down these industries and go to Nanyang? I'm just curious. Xiao Zhuo said.

"If you want to get involved, I can pull you in, but I can't say anything about curiosity." Zheng Pai said.

Listening to Zheng Pai's words, Xiao Zhuo was even more curious, but since he didn't want to say it, he couldn't force it. Xiao Zhuo gave the money to Zheng Pai, made an appointment with him to have a drink tomorrow, and then went back to supervise the transportation of rice to the ship.

In the afternoon of the same day, Wang Rende made an appointment with the big grain merchants of Songjiang Prefecture, and they sold more than 10,000 stone of rice to the grain merchants.

The next morning, they found Zhang Jian, the secretary of the city, and told him about buying rice from Nanyang.

As soon as Zhang Jian heard this, he felt that this matter was very serious, and the injury to the peasants was a very important issue in the agricultural society, even if there were no reports from them, if he knew about it, he would inevitably report it to the imperial court.

Now although the Maritime Affairs Institute has been established, Zhang Yanfang of the Institute of Maritime Affairs has been concurrently promoted in Bao'an, but in fact it is still an empty shelf, and the Shanghai City Shipping Division is equal to the direct jurisdiction. Zhang Jian hurriedly wrote a recital and sent it to the capital.

……

……

"Ten thousand people are single-minded, Mount Tai can be shaken!

Only loyal and righteous, angry bullfighting.

The Lord will kiss me more than my parents;

Committing military orders is not free.

The order is clear, the letter of reward and punishment,

Go to the water and fire, dare to stay late?

Report to the Son of Heaven and save the head of Qian.

Kill all the barbarians, find a feudal marquis! ”

Six hundred students from the martial arts hall lined up in a neat queue, shouting freshly baked military songs in unison, and walked past the front of the stage where Yun Xi was standing, with an astonishing momentum.

Yun Xi smiled at Jin Chun and said, "It's very good, I have such a look." ”

said to Luo Guanzhong again: "This song also sounds very good, simple and bright, and the soldiers can understand it, who wrote it?" I will reward him. ”

"It's exactly what the minister did." Luo Guanzhong said.

"Haha, Lao Luo, you can still make such a song, it's very good! In that case, of course I will reward you. ”

"The Department of Culture and Propaganda of the Governor's Office of the Chinese Army is Luo Guanzhong, and I have awarded you the rank of doctor and promoted to the doctor of Fengzheng." Yun Xi said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Luo Guanzhong knelt down and said.

Yun Xi hugged him and said: "Lao Luo, you are over seventy years old, I have always respected the elderly, I specially exempt you from bowing to me, you don't have to kneel." ”

Luo Guanzhong himself was indeed very inflexible in his legs and feet, and it was very difficult to kneel down, and when he heard Yun Xi's words, he gave in a few words and accepted Yun Xi's preferential treatment.

"Your Propaganda Department will continue to write good military songs, and I will not hesitate to reward them." Yun Xi said.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Luo Guanzhong agreed.

"Li Jian, Lan Zhen, you guys, promote this song throughout the army." Yun Xi said to a bunch of first- and second-grade generals behind him.

"Yes, Your Majesty." They responded.