Jugu galloped all the way to the palace without stopping, and before the coachman could stop the car, he had already jumped out of the carriage in a hurry and trotted towards the palace cabinet.

After some briefing, the eunuch told Juya to wait outside for a summons, and Juya was very anxious, pacing back and forth.

"Master Chuan Taishi!"

When Ju Gu heard this, he hurriedly ran into the cabinet, and when he saw King Chen, he knelt down and saluted.

"Get up."

"King Xie!"

Ju Gu stood up, only to find that there was another person in the room besides him - Xiao Se.

King Chen asked, "Lord Taishi, why is he in such a hurry?" ”

I don't know if it's because of the intention to guard against Xiao Xi, or out of disgust, Jugu held back his inner anxiety, tidied up his clothes, and said calmly: "It's not important, the minister is just here to report on the dynamics of the neighboring countries." ”

After that, Jugu glanced at Xiao Shi who was standing next to him, revealing a look of disdain.

Last year's battle against Wu, despite Jugu's strong request, Xiao Shi still refused to hand over the prince of Wu, and finally lost the prince, resulting in Chen Guo should have been invincible, but in the end he fell short.

"I didn't expect General Xiao to be here, shouldn't I be talking about some outstanding views again?" Juya sarcastically said.

"Taishi-sama." Xiao Shi turned around and saluted Jugu, and then said, "I found an abnormality in the next place, and I came to report it to the king." ”

"Oh? What did General Xiao find out about the anomaly? Hehe, there is always something unexpected about General Xiao. ”

King Chen saw that Jugu was sarcastically mocking Xiao Shi, so he smiled and waved his hand, and said, "General Xiao, what have you discovered?" ”

"Report to the king, the minister found that recently, there are merchants of Wu State who have been frequently active in various parts of our country, and these people have wantonly purchased a kind of rattan grass that grows by the river, although I don't know what these people want, but the minister believes that this matter is not accidental, and there must be fraud. The minister asked the king to give an order to search for the merchants of Wu State, ask them about their reasons, and then kill them all! ”

Hearing this, Ju Gu was a little surprised, he didn't expect Xiao Shi to be aware of this matter, but his disgust with Xiao Shi made him involuntarily want to refute Xiao She.

King Chen nodded and asked, "Lord Taishi, do you know about this?" ”

"The minister also came for this matter, and the rattan grass that General Xiao said is called the Southern Snake Vine. Just now, when the minister was inspecting the countryside, he really saw that the people were busy digging the southern snake vines, so that a large amount of farmland was idle. ”

"Are those merchants really willing to pay for this weed?"

"Three copper coins for a pound of dried rattan, I took a special look on the way to the minister, the stalls that collect rattan are full of people, and there is an endless stream of people who go to sell rattan, it seems that these merchants are really collecting rattan."

King Chen asked, "Lord Taishi, if you were a farmer, would you go digging vines?" Think about it before you answer. ”

"I ......" Ju Gu thought for a while and replied: "My lord, I should go, after all, the bid of these merchants is too high, three copper coins for a pound ......of dry rattan, and it is almost time to catch up with the grain, but the grain has to be cultivated, sown, watered, fertilized, harvested, and processed, and if the weather is bad, it will be difficult to even make ends meet."

"So the people are the same."

"What the king said is reasonable, not to mention that there are still many landless tenant farmers, who are already living in difficulty, and now they have such an opportunity to make a fortune, it is impossible for them not to cherish it."

At this point, Juya fell into deep thought, and he began to feel that the people were justified in doing so, and his initial views were somewhat shaken.

King Chen looked at Xiao Shi and asked, "General Xiao, what do you think?" ”

"The minister thinks that a businessman will never do anything unprofitable, and since the businessman is willing to buy it at a high price, he will definitely be able to obtain greater benefits by purchasing this rattan grass, but is this rattan grass really worth the price? If it is worth it, why did no one dig in the early years, but this year it suddenly became a hot item? There must be something tricky in this! ”

"Then what does General Xiao think is the trick in this?"

"I don't know."

King Chen smiled and said: "Last year, the merchants of Wu traveled around the world and sold a large number of spices - snake thorn incense, this spice has a fragrant smell, calms the nerves and nourishes the brain, and is a good product sought after by the royal families and nobles of various countries, and this southern snake vine is the main raw material of snake thorn incense. ”

Hearing the words "snake thorn incense", Xiao Shi was shocked and secretly complained to himself, it was thanks to this snake thorn incense last year that he lost all the plates. At this time, he only spoke of rattan grass, and pretended that he had never heard of snake thorn incense, just because he did not want to, let alone mention, anything related to snake thorn incense.

It turned out that after Ji Zheng rescued the prince last year, Xiao Shi came to the camp where the prince was originally tied to investigate, only to see that the four guards all fell to the ground and died, except for a small wound on the neck, there were no external injuries. Others didn't know why, they all thought that the assassins of Wu State had infiltrated and secretly assassinated the guards and rescued the captives, but Xiao Se, who was well versed in herbal medicine, had already concluded that Ji Zheng had escaped with the snake thorn incense by virtue of the lingering fragrance in the camp tent. However, he couldn't report this matter truthfully, and just made up an excuse for the assassins of the Wu Kingdom to secretly save people.

After listening to King Chen's explanation, Ju Gu suddenly realized and said, "What does the king mean that the merchants of the Wu Kingdom came to our country to buy it in order to make and sell snake thorn incense?" ”

"That's right."

Ju Gu pondered for a moment and said: "In that case, it may be a good thing for our country, now that the treasury is in deficit and there is a shortage of money, maybe these merchants of Wu have helped us...... King, why don't we organize the people to harvest vines and make some money from the merchants of Wu Kingdom? ”

As soon as the words fell, Xiao Shi immediately refuted sharply: "Jugu misleads the country!" ”

As soon as he heard this, Ju Gu suddenly became angry, he originally had a grudge against Xiao Se, and at this time, he counted the new accounts and old accounts together, he pointed at Xiao Se and scolded: "Xiao Se! Who is misleading the country!? Last year, you didn't listen to my advice and didn't transfer the prince of Wu, causing us to lose everything, and this time you want to go against me?! ”

"King!" Xiao Shi knelt on the ground, looked at King Chen and said sincerely: "If we let the people dig vines and grasses, we will inevitably delay spring ploughing, and what will we use to support ourselves if we miss the farming time?!" What's more, there has been a delay now, and this year's grain output will inevitably decrease! Chen Guo's businessmen ostensibly purchased rattan grass, but in fact they were consuming our country's labor! ”

"Xiao Shi! Stupidity! Ju Gu pointed at Xiao Shi and scolded: "Since you have money in your hand, you can buy food!" The food grown can be eaten, but can't the food bought be eaten?! ”

"Humph! When the time comes, Wu Guoren won't sell it to you, what will you do! ”

"Hehe, what do I think of being General Xiao! If he Wu people don't sell it, Lu people won't sell it! Don't the people of Chu sell it! ”

Xiao Shi was speechless for a while, and he didn't know how to refute it, he thought about it, paused for a moment, and then turned to King Chen and said, "Great King! Chancellor has a compromise proposal! ”

"Let's talk about it."

"The minister thinks that money can be earned, but the land must be cultivated! The king could issue an order prohibiting the people of the whole country from digging rattan grass, and force the people to cultivate the fields, and after the fields were cultivated, the imperial court would organize the people to dig vine grass and sell it to the merchants of Wu State. ”

"No!" Ju Gu retorted: "In this way, the merchants of the Wu Kingdom will turn to other countries to purchase, and after farming, the merchants will not come to our country to buy enough Southern Snake Vines!" Now our treasury is vacant! It is the time to use the money, and we must earn the money! ”

"The merchants of Wu Kingdom are definitely premeditated, this is definitely not a simple business matter!"

"What premeditation?! Buying and selling, didn't the merchants of Wu State not give money?! ”

Ju Gu and Xiao Shi argued endlessly, and suddenly, Chen Wang took a few shots, and the crisp sound stopped the quarrel between the two. "Just do what General Xiao wants, and immediately issue an order to prohibit the people of the whole country from digging the southern snake vine, and force it to be cultivated, and after the spring ploughing, it will be dug and sold."

"Whoa! Minister, let's do it! Xiao Zhi answered.

"But the king ......"

Jugu wanted to say something, but was interrupted by King Chen.

"Okay, let's disperse, let this king rest and rest."

"......" Jugu replied unconvinced.

These days can make Yu Xianyao tired, the business is very good, every morning before the stall, the people who rushed to sell rattan have lined up in a long line, from morning to night, the business is endless, although hard work, but Yu Xianyao is still personally in charge, he is worried about his life, this kind of good business or personally staring at the good point.

Early in the morning, Yu Xianyao beckoned the guys to set up their stalls and prepare to continue the purchase of the Southern Snake Vine, but what he didn't expect was that unlike the overcrowding in the first few days, no one cared about it at this time.

Yu Xianyao was wondering when he was a child, when two officers and soldiers came over, and they stood in front of the booth without saying a word.

Yu Xianyao was anxious, it was said that everything that should be ordered had already been counted, how could there be such ignorant officers and soldiers, but he could only admit that he was unlucky, took out twenty copper coins from his arms, and put them in front of the officers and soldiers.

"Two officials, it's hard to patrol the streets, it is said that you pass by me, how can I also honor two bowls of tea, but this small stall is very simple, and there is no place to sit, why don't I pay some money and invite the two of you to go to the front teahouse to sit?"

Yu Xianyao said that, and stuffed the copper coins into the pockets of the officers and soldiers.

Two officers and soldiers accepted the copper coin, but it was still pestled in front of the stall like a log, and one of the officers and soldiers glanced at Yu Xianyao and said, "Shopkeeper, don't do business these days." ”

Yu Xianyao was even more confused, and asked, "What does this mean, official?" ”

"The king has an order to prohibit all the people from digging the southern snake vine, and it is also forbidden for all the people to sell the southern snake vine, so don't do this business."

Yu Xianyao was shocked and angry, "Why is this?" ”

"Why? You are harvesting vines here, delaying spring ploughing, and the king forced the people of the whole country to spring ploughing, and then concentrate on digging the southern snake vines after ploughing, and then do business with you at that time. Don't mind, if you don't leave, we'll have to pestle here. ”

"Oh, oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, let's go, let's go." Yu Xianyao nodded in thanks.

Then, Yu Xianyao turned around and shouted to the guys: "Close the stall!" ”

One evening in early March, Gong Hui was about to go home after a day's official business, but was suddenly blocked by a horse-drawn carriage at the entrance of the government office.

The person in the car was Yu Xianyao, Yu Xianyao saw Gong Huiran, hurriedly got out of the car, and saluted: "Lord Gong Hui, it's not good!" ”

"Oh? Old Yu, didn't you go to Chen Guo? ”

"Oops! My lord, things are not good. ”

"Don't panic, come in and talk."

"Oh, oh, Lord Xie!"

Gong Xianran took Yu Xianyao into Simin's Mansion, and after the two sat down, Gong Huiran personally poured a cup of tea for Yu Xianyao, Yu Xianyao didn't have time to quench his thirst, and hurriedly said: "My lord, Chen Guo has forbidden people to dig vines, and I have no way to come back." No, I'll report to you as soon as possible. ”

"Oh? Forbidden to dig vines? ”

"Yes, yes, at the beginning, our business was very good, and the people of Chen flocked to it, and they were able to buy a large number of dried vines every day. After collecting it like this for more than ten days, suddenly Chen Guo issued a ban on the people from digging the southern snake vine, and at the same time forbade the people to sell it to us, so the business could not be done. ”

"Why is it forbidden?"

"It is said that it is because the people have delayed the spring ploughing by digging the southern snake vine."

"Well, it's true, the people have to spend time baking after digging, and these things are really laborious, so there is no time to cultivate."

"But I don't understand, the price we buy is three copper coins per catty, this price is high enough, if you dig diligently, it won't take more than a month to buy the original year's grain, which is much better than farming."

"It's true, for the people, this money is worth earning."

"King Chen is also true, isn't it the same to grow grain and buy grain? Why don't you put a good deal on it?! ”

"Rest assured Yu, Chen Guoren will not make this money, and when the spring ploughing is over, Chen Guoren will organize mining on a larger scale, and then do business with us."

"Huh? I haven't said it yet, how do you know? Right! Right! That's the case, King Chen's order said that when the spring plowing is over, the people will be organized to dig and then sell it uniformly. ”

"Oh my God, it's the best of all."

"However, adults need the southern snake vine to produce, so won't it be delayed? Or? Let's go to other countries to buy some? ”

Gong Wanran shook his head and said, "No, it must be purchased in Chen State, and no other country is required." ”

"This? Why is that? ”

Gong Wanran didn't answer, but waved his hand and said, "Old Yu, since you're back, let's rest for a few days." ”

"But...... Won't it really be delayed? ”

"No, the dried vines you sent back these days are enough for a while."

"Okay...... Then I'll wait for the end of spring ploughing and then go to Wu to harvest vines. ”

"No need, Old Yu, just let the guys buy it after Chen Guochun ploughs, I still have an important matter I want to ask you."

"Your Excellency, just command!"

Gong Wanran pretended to be mysterious, beckoned Yu Xianyao to come over, and after whispering, said: "This matter must not be quiet. ”

Yu Xianyao nodded and said, "I know, don't worry!" ”

After Yu Xianyao left, Gong Wanran sat alone in the room and was distracted. After a while, he stood up, took a bamboo flute from the high pavilion, put it in his mouth, and played a poignant and melodious tune, which was called "Zhuolu".