Xia Zhu said to Zhao Zhen: "Your Majesty, the minister impeached Zheng Lang for strong words and reversal of black and white. ”

As you say, this account book is here, and the price of grain is 3,000 yuan per stone, and when it rises to this level, how many ordinary people can afford it?

Zhao Zhen was satisfied, and the contradiction between Xia Zhu and Zheng Lang finally became public. Zheng Lang didn't reject this much, just talk about things, Xia Zhu was still good in the past, but later those things were a little overdone. When he entered the Zhongshu by himself, he would inevitably mobilize several people, especially Wang Yaochen and Fu Bi, Fu Bi had experience in governing and could be his important helper, and Wang Yaochen had a military strategy and could enter Xifu. Do you really want to learn from Chen Zhizhong? What can the one who is alone do? In the end, you can't do anything, and you have to end up in a commotion. For, some people are looking for trouble, but if they don't, it is the same mistake of the prime minister, and there will be people looking for trouble. Which outcome will Zheng Lang choose? With Fubi, he will inevitably offend Xia Zhu. It is better to move the boat with the river and simply make the contradictions public.

Zhao Zhen asked: "Zheng Qing, what is the purpose of Wang Anshi's move?" ”

Dongfu couldn't figure it out, and Zhao Zhen couldn't figure it out either.

"Your Majesty, why is the price of rice in Jiangnan at 300 tens of wen per stone, and only 400 wen when the price is high, but when you go to the capital, there are more than 600 wen and more than 700 wen."

"There are transportation costs, wear and tear, and the merchant makes a profit."

"What is the cost of grain in the national treasury?"

"Slightly higher."

Seeing the increase in grain prices in disaster years, Fan Zhongyan once suggested that grain should be prepared in good years, and grain should be sold in famine years to stabilize grain prices. Why hasn't it been passed? In fact, not only Fan Zhongyan, but also many other ministers have also had similar setbacks.

It seems good, but they all ignore the loss of food in storage. In the past, the storage loss was as high as 50%, but the grain stored every year was wrapped in it, and everyone did not notice. It wasn't until Zheng Lang opened the warehouse law that the ministers turned their eyes to the loss of this warehouse grain.

The various imperial histories went down to check and recovered a lot of grain, but it could be lost over the years. No matter how you chase the accumulation, it has reached more than 30%. In fact, this is very lucky, and the chase is timely, otherwise the loss will be heavier. For this. Several imperial historians have been going down for several months, and they haven't come back yet, what should I do, I have to slowly check the granaries one by one, and I can't complete this task until the end of the year at least.

At this time, the situation of the warehouse grain is good, and the cost has reached more than one stone and one thousand yuan.

Zheng Lang said again: "Your Majesty, the minister has made a rough calculation. If grain is transferred from the north to the south, not to mention the shortage of grain in the north, it is even more necessary to prepare grain, and the cost alone may reach 1,500 yuan. ”

Zhao Zhen thought about it in his heart, forehead.

Xia Zhu snorted coldly, even if it is 1,500 Wen, it is better than 3,000 Wen.

Zheng Lang said: "The problem is not only in the transportation, but also in the lack of grain in the north. did not dare to transfer, so Zhongshu ordered Lu Xianggao to solve the problem on the spot in Hangzhou. ”

Zhao Zhen bowed his head again.

"There is nothing the North can do. But where is the grain in the south? There is grain, but it is not in the state warehouse, although the states have prepared some grain, but Jiangnan is the land of fish and rice, and most of them are transported to the north. There is not much food to spare. But there is still food, where? It's in the hands of the major businessmen. The Zhongshu ordered that no more than one stone and 500 yuan should be allowed to limit the price increase of grain and stabilize the price of grain so that the people could survive. This command was a grave mistake. It is also an important dereliction of duty in the book! ”

Zhao Zhen asked suspiciously, "Why?" ”

"It's rainy in the south of the Yangtze River, and the food crisis can't be solved until next summer's summer harvest. Therefore, after the edict, the grain merchants simply closed the rice stores. No food is sold to the people. Your Majesty, can you issue an edict to force them to sell grain? ”

"I can't." Zhao Zhen said bitterly.

As Zheng Lang said, this world is not the world of the common people, nor the world of Zhao Zhen, but the world of the world's elites. Once the elite of the owners join forces to resist, they will be the emperor, and the throne will be in danger. Therefore, the hidden fields in various places, the imperial court is like a hot potato, and they dare not touch it easily. Therefore, the grain merchants joined forces to close the grain store, and the imperial court was helpless. …,

"Your Majesty, now there is grain in the south of the Yangtze River, but it is not in the hands of the government, not in the imperial court, but in the hands of the major powerful grain merchants, and they have closed the grain stores and do not sell any grain to the people, which has led to the people starving to death on the streets of Hangzhou, which is even the most prosperous. However, the government has no food, and even labor relief cannot be implemented, let alone disaster relief, and the relief of the people in the fire and water. Your Majesty, what is the best way to solve it? ”

Zhao Zhen couldn't answer.

"Therefore, the fate of the book is a serious mistake."

"Zheng Lang, why don't you say it?" Wen Yanbo asked.

"Yanbo, I am presiding over the affairs of the Western Mansion, so what right do I have to meddle in the affairs of the Eastern Mansion?"

Wen Yanbo was speechless. If you can meddle, at least you can admonish, but Zheng Lang doesn't interfere, which is not a dereliction of duty, on the contrary, it is a manifestation of contentment.

"What does that have to do with Wang Anshi's high price of buying grain? Besides, how much grain can a county buy? Wang Yi asked incomprehensibly.

"That's a good question, so that's the answer, and it's a very wise show. The Jiangnan price limit order was issued, and although grain merchants from all over the country joined forces not to sell grain, it was not a solution in the end. Once the people die a lot and the court is angry, they may not end well. Hearing that Yan County openly buys grain at a high price, what will they do? Together, the grain will be transported to the county. As for the capital, the county treasury does not have much money, but the people have money. Liangzhejiang is one of the wealthiest regions in the country. Even if 3,000 wen is very expensive, the people can barely eat it. ”

"How do the poor people eat?" Chen Zhizhong asked rhetorically. This is quite a high price, if calculated according to the price of later generations, a pound of rice rose to nearly 14 yuan, and the poor people would definitely not be able to afford it.

"Herein lies the secret." Zheng Lang patted the corruption account book on the table.

Zhao Zhen had already figured it out, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. Song Zhen still didn't understand and said, "I don't understand." ”

"Bo Zhen, there are corrupt officials in the world who openly remember their account books of embezzlement in such detail? It was also publicly placed in the county office. ”

"I still don't understand."

"Without him, he forcibly asked the merchant to hand over a thousand wen, which was actually used to make up for the pressure of the poor people, at least so that most of their grain could be used to buy grain and distribute it to them for free. Those first, second, third, and fourth-class households who can get by, eat high-priced food, and will not starve to death. Fifth-class households receive subsidized grain, or carry out projects to build water conservancy, and distribute them free of charge. Then you can't starve to death. This batch of money was used openly and clearly, so as to prevent his subordinates from taking the opportunity to embezzle, so it was recorded in detail. Put it in the county government publicly. ”

"It turns out, it turns out that ......" The honest Da Song obviously couldn't think of it, and opened his mouth wide.

"Also, Wang Anshi is in charge of a county, just a county, how many people, and how many people? If you want to make the wind louder. Deliberately concealing the actual population's grain consumption, the grain merchant situation is very embarrassing, and the county is an opportunity. Bozhen, how many grain merchants will send grain to Yan County? If it is grain near Liangzhejiang, after the price of grain has plummeted, it can still be swallowed back to this place from the Wuyue Canal and Zhejiang. But what about other places? How much more does it cost to transport grain back to Hangzhou and re-move it from land to ships on the Grand Canal? After the accumulation of grain. If Wang Anshi suddenly lowers the price, he will reduce one stone of grain to 1,000 Wen, or 1,500 Wen. What does the grain chamber do? ”

It all dawned on me.

After the price fell by more than half, could it be that if you move back and sell it, you can still make a little money, at least it is stronger than the imperial court's price limit order. Then the rice among the grain merchants was forced out. Although it is higher than 500 Wen, it will be lower than the cost of the imperial court feeding back from the northern granary.

The grain was evacuated to Liangzhejiang, and the rice was in the hands of the imperial court, and even other grain merchants who had grain in hand had to be sold for one stone and one thousand to one thousand fifteen hundred. It's still expensive, but the price of a pound of rice is only four to seven yuan, even for people below the fifth class. If you can barely afford to eat, if you can afford to eat, you won't starve to death anymore. …,

Zheng Lang said again: "With the power of one county, leverage the grain prices of the entire two Zhejiang, and even the grain prices of the entire Jiangnan, Your Majesty." What a credit to this? It can be regarded as a successful bill and will go down in history. Because the minister avoided suspicion, he didn't say anything about his merits, but Xia Zhu, let me ask you, why do you want to punish Wang Anshi heavily? In the past, the ministers impeached you without mistake, so that you could not worship the prime minister. I didn't discern the winner, but I did some of it for you. Therefore, you hate the gentlemen, and first use the concubine to copy the Shijie text, and use the defilement of Shijie and Fubi. Shi Kai died, and you stained Shi Kai not dead, trying to stain Fu Bi and Du Yan again......"

Suddenly I also understood why Xia Zhu wanted to target himself, not only to keep his position, but also to gather five important ministers in the Fan Lou banquet, among which the highest status was Fu Bi. Therefore, Xia Zhu struck first.

It doesn't matter, since you have entered the court, how can you be safe and sound, just fight, and continued: "But I have no grievances with you, in the past, I exterminated Wang Lun, and when I passed by Bozhou, you also drank with me for this." Entering the Chinese book, as the prime minister of the country, the victims of the disaster in various places have not settled well, but they ......"

Shaking his head, his face heavy.

was laughing in his heart, this time not only avenged with one arrow, but also trampled Xia Zhu half to death.

"Even if he has good intentions, but the edict has been issued, why don't you report it to the imperial court, and with a small magistrate, he is so bold and reckless to do this!" Xia Zhu retorted.

"You also know that he is only a small magistrate. If he plays, the document will reach the middle book, and even if it passes, it will be at least a month later. How many Lebanese people will starve to death in this month. Is it a little bigger than the system, or is it the lives of thousands of people! If someone in the middle of the book is selfish and spreads the news, the grain merchants from all over the country will not be allowed to pile up a large amount of rice in Yan County, and the government will not only not get more grain, but the price of grain will rise. Your Majesty, Wang Anshi will really be a capital crime at that time. What did he choose? ”

"Zheng Qing, Xia Qing, don't fight. Wait for Lu Xianggao to repeat, if it is as Zheng Qing said, Wang Anshi's move is also good governance. ”

If you don't fight, you can't fight.

Walking out of the capital hall, Zhang Fangping asked in disbelief: "You are ...... Does Wang Anshi have such a wonderful idea? ”

Zheng Lang smiled.

If there is no golden finger, I am afraid that I will be deceived by Wang Anshi's behavior. It is precisely because of this incident in history that Wang Anshi has entered the field of vision of the bigwigs. He is not like Sima Guang, his family is prominent, and he is very tall when he walks together. His father's highest official position was only Jiang Ning's general judgment, and his family was poor, and he got ahead step by step with his political achievements.

But because of this incident, Zhao Zhi didn't like it very much, although he was meritorious, he was too bold, Wang Anshi was also well-behaved, he didn't reuse it or complain, he went around one place at a time, and everywhere he went, his political achievements were impressive. And this attitude of peace and non-complaining, coupled with political achievements, is respected by many bigwigs. Later, Song Shenzong looked at the treasury account books and was dumbfounded, the annual income of the country is 116 million guan, which is very good and powerful, you must know that at the peak of the Tang Dynasty, there were only 20 million guan a year, usually only 10 million guan, and the lowest time in the Ming Dynasty was only 6 million guan. The annual expenditure is 123 million yuan, which is not much different, and the problem is not serious. But there are still expenses, which are extraordinary, that is, rewards, rituals, raising more and more children of the clan, etc., and the annual expenses reach 115 million yuan. That is, the annual expenditure is actually twice the income!

Zhao Ji wanted to vomit blood, and invited Zhang Fangping, Han Wei, Han Qi, Wu Kui, Sima Guang, and even Fu Bi, who was going to retire at home, and the first few people didn't have a good plan, they were all rotten to this one, how to treat it? Fu Bi didn't have a good plan, but he said a word, Your Majesty, you can't let anyone know the likes and dislikes of the master, otherwise the officials below will do what they like.

Why Zheng Lang respects Fu Bi is here!

If Zhao Ji is quiet, and the officials below do not invest in business, will Wang Anshi's reform have so many bad evolutions and trends? …,

But because of Wang Anshi's various performances below, Han Wei and other bigwigs recommended Wang Anshi to Zhao Ji, Your Majesty, if you want the country to be good, please use Wang Anshi.

Wang Anshi came, but like Fan Zhongyan, he did well in the local area, and he also saw the local problems in a solid manner, but he lacked the most important experience, the investigation and grinding in the two prefectures. The era of great changes has arrived, but the final result is a mess.

Everything started with the high price of grain purchase in Yinxian County.

I don't know what Zhao Zhen's impression of Wang Anshi is at this time because he has a backer. As Zhao Zhen grows up, the harder it is to guess his mind, which is a good thing, and it is also where Zhao Zhen is smarter than Zhao Zhen. The emperor's mind, how can the people below guess at will? But Zheng Lang couldn't guess the impact of this incident on Wang Anshi.

Back home.

Zheng Lang was still a little happy in his heart, he would never be able to have a mind like Fan Zhongyan, Xia Zhu wanted to step on him, let him swallow his anger and sit back and watch Xia Zhu step on it, it was impossible. stepped on it hard today, the emperor used you, not for virtue, but for the ability of officials, but even a small county is not as good, what can you do worthy of the emperor to use you as a minister?

The autumn breeze is cool, and the chrysanthemums are yellow.

was happy in his heart, ready to let Cui Xian take out the dragon and phoenix tea cake offered by Jianzhou and make tea to drink. This is Zhao Zhen's reward, which is difficult for ordinary ministers to obtain, and is often taken out for people to watch, rather than for drinking. Why? Drink it, but drink it when you're in a good mood.

Suddenly, I heard Huan'er saying to Cui Xian: "Big lady, it's not good for officials to call those singing and dancing prostitutes every day. ”

"Huan'er, don't chew your tongue." Cui Xian shouted.

"Yes."

"Don't scare her," Zheng Lang walked in, Xiaohuan'er was still good, this was worrying about the housemother, a sign of loyalty. I called these kabuki prostitutes to the house, most of them are line heads, with outstanding appearances, all of them are twenty-eight years old, although Cui Xian's posture is gorgeous, but compared with these line leaders, there is less of that youthful atmosphere. It is not youth in the eyes of posterity, youth at this time only refers to the girl between fourteen or twenty years old. There is also a Jiang Xing'er, these leaders have some ideas in their hearts, and they show their best side more and more, to see if they can take a fancy to them, include them in the house, and jump into the dragon gate from then on. Therefore, Huan'er is not used to it.

Zheng Lang touched Huan'er's hair and said, "Huan'er, I have been in Khitan for more than a year, and I have no close women, with you at home, can I still be a prostitute?" ”

"Yes, yes," Huan'er muttered, and then asked puzzledly, "Why did the official call these leaders to perform songs and dances at home?" ”

"It's a test for them," he said, pouting out the window, where several guards were circling around the leaders, offering great courtesy.

These people survived under Wang Song's leather whip, but most of them fell under the sugar-coated cannonballs.

"Slave doesn't understand."

"It's normal that you don't understand," Zheng Lang said, but September was coming to an end, and when it was time to employ people, it was time to reveal, Zheng Lang gathered these twenty soldiers, pointed to these beautiful leaders and asked, "Are they very beautiful?" ”