Chapter 524: Who Monitors Whom

In the cold winter, the moon does not need to blow a cold wind in front of the general military palace, but can sit in the warm hall, which is a great virtue for the merchants. And the proprietor of Deqing Building and the guys up and down were also very excited, although they were so busy that they even ran around to take care of it, and even the heat was so hot that their chests and backs were sweaty, but it was completely worth it.

That little Lord Zhang pointed casually, and this big good thing actually fell on the inconspicuous Deqing Building. In the future, his own restaurant has confirmed the reputation of Xuanfu No. 1, and the business is not booming?

Although there was a second chance, because more merchants rushed to this place, and because he was worried that some people would only bid but not be able to pay the grain at that time, Zhang Yue deliberately postponed the opening of the building for three days under the pretext that there were limited seats in the Deqing Building, and then used the governor's large print to publish a list of documents, stipulating that each merchant must pay a deposit of 500 stone of grain.

The reason why it is grain is because although the Yongle Dynasty has minted some money, it is not mainly circulated among the people, and gold and silver are not official currency, and treasure money is like waste paper, so even if it is troublesome, he has to simply use grain, the most urgently needed commodity today, as collateral. If the merchant succeeds in auctioning off the salt quotation, the 500 stone grain will be deducted from the grain due; If it is not auctioned, the government will repay it with an additional interest after the autumn of next year; If the auction is not bought, the deposit will be confiscated directly. Fortunately, the merchants who came were prepared, so the four warehouses of Xuanfu once again appeared in the scene of crazy grain release and storage, and the scene was spectacular.

Therefore, Zhang Yue, who presided over the opening again today, was not much nervous. He could expect that with the example of the last time, this time the merchants would probably be obedient, and the price would naturally be higher.

Divide the two Huai and Changlu salt into deposits and regular shares, he is the wisdom of the descendants, but this was originally used to deal with the dilemma of the Ming Dynasty Salt Administration, and now he has changed its appearance. In the past, the price was directly set in the middle of the opening, and then in order to raise grain, it didn't matter whether the salt farm production for decades or even hundreds of years was advanced. Nowadays, the Ministry of Household distributes a certain share of the estimated output of each salt field to each health station every year, and approves the quantity and reserve price of the opening, and then the merchant bids for the higher price, so as to avoid the defense to the greatest extent. And set aside a share of 30% of the savings every year, which can cope with the opening of large-scale military operations.

However, all of this has to be built on the basis that there are not many border troubles. In other words, if it weren't for the purpose of consolidating the border defense for the border towns, it would be possible to directly implement the monopoly system of salt merchants, so why bother making so many famous halls? Moreover, if there are too many border troubles and frequent openings, the merchants will inevitably pass on the losses they have suffered on the price of salt to the people, so in the final analysis, it still depends on the army.

"My lord, it's time!"

Hearing the reminder of Niu Dare behind him, Zhang Yue stood up. His position at this time was a high platform in the middle, so this station naturally had a panoramic view from all sides. After repeating some clichés, he announced the beginning in a deep voice. Seeing that a few specially selected scribes were wandering around, collecting the documents from the hands of the merchants and pasting them directly on the whiteboard in the center, and seeing that the faces of those merchants were all nervous, and some even wiped their sweat with handkerchiefs, he glanced at the direction of the royal family in Taiyuan Mansion without a trace. I saw that the old man with a sallow face was flushed like everyone else, as if he had not noticed anything else at all.

With the example of the last time, this time the price can be said to have soared all the way again, and the first price quoted turned out to be three stones and five buckets. Under the stimulation of this unprecedented high price, several big businessmen who were originally calm and relaxed were also a little unbearable, and a buzzing sound gradually sounded in the silent lobby.

What's even more shocking is that the price is still high after three stones and five buckets. After quoting a long list of names, Fang Qing pinched his fingers and calculated, and found that the subscribed salt had reached 40,000 yuan, but the price was still more than two buckets. Even if Zhang Yue's promise of 2,000 salt was outside the main item, he couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Even if the businessmen in attendance have had enough of the hardships of guarding the branch, this is crazy! But it's no wonder that businessmen, a pound of salt can be sold for 300 yuan, a salt of 400 pounds is 120,000 yuan, if you buy rice, you can buy at least more than 100 stones, the profit is extremely rich, but no matter how high the profit is, you can't resist waiting in line for decades to wait for the turn, who is not willing to buy spot at a high price?

Originally, the warehouse money for grain payment could not be transferred, so the salt merchants could only defend the support to the end, and now that the system of transfer of names has been established, many merchants who cannot hand over 500 stone of grain for the time being are also waiting for news outside the Deqing Building. The government's deadline is that the grain must be finished by February next year, and if the price is too high for someone to report but can't eat it, won't they be able to get a piece of the pie together? So, the two black-lacquered doors in front of the lobby on the ground floor opened a crack, and a group of people swarmed up and surrounded them.

Seeing that everyone was shouting and asking what the reserve price was, the scribe who came out to post the list suddenly took a step back, and then coughed lightly, and puffed up his chest vividly: "Listen up, the highest price this time is three stones and five buckets, and the lowest price is two stones and seven buckets!" ”

Despite the noise in the crowd, the loud voice was heard. Even if there was a clear hearing, the people next to them were all repeating the two astonishing numbers, for a while, the whole street seemed to explode, thirty or fifty merchants who were not allowed to enter the door were some amazed, some clapped, some shook their heads and sighed, some gritted their teeth, and the few small teahouses that had just been used for people to rest were almost empty, and people seemed to be able to sober their burning heads only by standing in the cold wind.

There were still three or four guests in a cheap little teahouse diagonally opposite Deqing Building, but the noisy scene also affected this secluded place, and even the guys were poking their heads at the door to see the excitement. Yu Qian sat at a table near the counter, and at this time picked up the teacup and drank the already light and tasteless tea, but his face showed hesitation. At this time, the discussion of the two guests at the next table also faintly came.

"That little Lord Zhang is really good, turning his hands over for clouds and rain, this time I am afraid that the food will be about three times as much as last time!"

"Originally, Jingwei was going to continue to raise military rations in Kaizhong, but I'm afraid it won't be needed this time. In fact, looking at the emperor's posture, you should understand that 60,000 yuan of salt is already a big deal at a time, and 60,000 yuan was added at once...... Tsk, isn't this clearly asking Lord Zhang to do things to the end? Those merchants are really like wolves who have seen meat, if they are more united, how can the price be so high? ”

"How can businessmen be united? Have you heard, the northern Tatars heard that there is an internal strife, and many chiefs and other leaders are dissatisfied with Arutai's resistance to our Great Tomorrow Dynasty, so they have sent envoys to show goodwill to our court! If you want me to say, maybe if you don't have to go out in person with the emperor, the Tartars will be self-defeating! ”

"I've also heard about this, it is said that the person is not in the General Military Mansion now, but in Lord Xiao Zhang......"

Hearing this, Yu Qian immediately frowned, put down a few tea dollars on the table, and immediately stood up and went out. He paused at the door of the teahouse, looked at the crowd over there, and then sighed deeply in his heart. This time, plus the previous one, Zhang Yue had already raised about 150,000 stone of military rations, which was almost enough for the army to use for a month according to the consumption of the previous two northern expeditions, greatly reducing the burden of transportation from the south. The question is, will the rising price of salt affect the people?

Although people still live in the inn now, Yu Qian is trying the imperial history, and naturally he has also seen the imperial history of the inspector sent by the Metropolitan Procuratorate to Xuanda, so even if he is not very well-informed, he will not be closed. At this moment, he was even more puzzled, if the Tatar chieftain sent an envoy over, and immediately reported it to the imperial court as soon as possible, how could it be that the people had rumors first?

With this doubt, he walked back to the inn where he was staying. As soon as he turned into the alley, he noticed a number of horseback riders standing at the door of the humble inn, and he could not help but be surprised. When he was almost there, he heard only a shout, but the people turned to him, and immediately they gathered around him.

If someone hadn't reminded him, Lu Feng would have forgotten that in addition to him and Zhang Yue, there was also a Yu Qian who also came to Xuanfu. At this moment, looking at the young man in front of him arrogantly, he suddenly raised his eyebrows: "Isn't Yu Yushi in Kaiping, when did he quietly return to Xuanfu?" You've already made meritorious contributions before, and when you come back this time, you have to say hello to our family and Lord Xiao Zhang, how can it be considered fate, isn't it? Or is it that Yu Yushi is simply eyeing us this time, so he plans to secretly monitor it? ”

On the way to Xuanfu, Yu Qian and Lu Fengtong, who was traveling with him, only said less than ten words, and at this time, the other party asked aggressively, he couldn't help frowning, and then arched his hand: "Back to Gonggong Lu, Kaiping grain reserves have been inspected, and the lower official was ordered by Liu Zongxian to temporarily stay in the Xuanfu to assist Liu Xunpress. If there is any lawlessness among the officials of the Xuanfu, the lower officials should hear about it! ”

Lu Fengyuan didn't think about it, but when he heard Yu Qian say this, he couldn't help but change color, and couldn't help but squeeze the handle of the horsewhip in his hand, and sneered: "Okay, good, sure enough, I just won the Jinshi this year, and I am very young and vigorous!" But don't forget, the Metropolitan Procuratorate is indeed in charge of supervising hundreds of officials, but you are not yet an official imperial history, and if you want to talk about supervision, the Metropolitan Procuratorate can't cover Jinyiwei and Dongchang! You should monitor it well, and when the time comes, you will see who is watching whom! ”

Leaving these cruel words, Lu Feng whipped the horse stock fiercely, and galloped away first, and the others hurriedly patted the horse to follow. Yu Qian looked at the distant back of this trip for a while, and didn't care that the dirt raised by the dozen or so horses sprinkled his face, and only turned around and patted the dust on his body for a long time. As soon as he looked up, he saw his scholar Dabao standing in front of the tethered stone with a horse in one hand and a big burden in the other.

"Childe, that shopkeeper is so hateful, as soon as he was scared to eat these brocade guards, he said that there was no room for a big man like you here, so he packed his luggage and drove the little one out!"

"People are good people, how can they afford to mess with Jinyiwei?" Yu Qian shook his head disapprehantly, and then asked, "We have lived here for a few days, have the house and meal money been settled?" ”

Dabao already knew Yu Qian's temper, and when he saw him asking at this time, he hurriedly explained: "It's all settled!" The shopkeeper originally said no, but he knew that you would not want to, so he gave him a total of 160 yuan. ”

Since the house payment was settled, Yu Qian didn't say anything, and he didn't get on the horse at the moment, but turned around and walked out along the alley. Lu Feng's words didn't frighten him, since he decided to accept Yang Shiqi's recommendation to enter the Metropolitan Procuratorate, he was mentally prepared not to be shocked. It's just that even if Lu Feng has a brocade guard, but now that it is an eventful time in the Xuanfu, how could he notice him?

After going around the entire West City, Yu Qian's master and servant were stunned and couldn't find an inn where they could stay. It's not that Lu Feng's words make it difficult to stay, but that almost all of those big inns have been chartered by the merchants who rushed to Xuanfu, so many small inns are occupied by other peddlers and pawns, except for the Chase Shop for ten yuan a night, and the upper room for one hundred and fifty yuan a night, it is even more difficult to find a room than to ascend to the sky. Seeing that it was getting late, Dabao, who was full of displeasure, simply stopped in front of Yu Qian.

"Childe, if we don't go to Lord Xiao Zhang, or go to Liu Xun, we have to deal with this night first! This civil and military are not subordinate to each other, and the general military government can't ask for it, they are all civilian officials, so they should always help each other! ”

Yu Qian wanted to meet Zhang Yue and ask about the rumors he had just heard before, but when he thought that he was still shouldering Liu Guan's mission, he dispelled this idea: "Then go to Liu Xun." ”

Zhang Yue didn't know that Yu Qian was looking for a place to live because he was being expelled, and at sunset, he came out of the General Military Mansion. Although his current title is to Governor Xuanfu and the local praise of military affairs, and he is not subordinate to the General Military Mansion, he thinks he is young, and the Marquis of Wu'an, Zheng Heng, Lao Cheng has a lot of help, so he naturally came to the door to report such good news as soon as possible. Thinking of Zheng Heng's surprised and happy appearance just now, he couldn't help but smile slightly, and squeezed the piece of paper with the exact number recorded.

Passing through the archway in front of the General Soldier's Mansion, bypassing the wall, he saw Niu Dang and Zhang Bu leading the horse to meet him, so he walked up quickly, and after taking a few steps, he heard a shout from the oblique: "My lord, good news!" ”

Zhang Yue hurriedly turned his head and saw that it was Zhao Hu who went out to do errands this morning, and couldn't help laughing: "Look at your excited appearance, what good news?" ”

Zhao Hu didn't care about any etiquette and rules, pulled Zhang Yue aside alive and dead, and immediately suppressed his voice and said: "The emperor sent King Shouguang to the Fengyang Imperial Mausoleum to guard the mausoleum!" King Shouguang was not convinced, knelt in front of the Qianqing Palace and shouted a lot of private affairs of the Han King, but was ordered by the thunderous and angry emperor to be reprimanded. It is said that the emperor personally imprisoned the sentence, and he didn't know how many rods he had beaten, in short, even the bluestone pavement was dyed red! ”

He licked his lips excitedly as he spoke, and then lowered his voice and said, "Lord Yuan handed over the news, saying that the emperor seems to have a change of heart, and he will probably be able to release Lord Du soon!" ”

Zhang Yue sighed with relief, and a trace of cruelty flashed in his eyes. How many years have it been since such an arrogant and unscrupulous emperor provoked him? Zhu Zhantan, who had calculated him, is dead, so this time it is time for Zhu Zhanqi to taste what it means to be fatal with one blow!