After moving the capital, there were too many things, Xiang Zhuang was also too busy to touch the ground, and today he finally got free, so he hurriedly sent Huyan to summon Bai Lixian and other ministers to a tavern that had just opened to drink.

Therefore, in less than half a year, hundreds of taverns, post houses, chess houses and brothls have sprung up in Luoyang City.

Of course, Xiang Zhuang didn't come to this tavern to drink to experience any folk suffering, but the palace was being renovated, and the dust was really unbearable, so he simply sent troops to pack this slightly decent tavern, and then invited Bailixian, Bi Shu and other civil and military ministers to this side to discuss matters while drinking.

After three rounds of drinking, Wu Shi asked: "King, what are you asking the Qin family and the Tang family to buy a large amount of grain in Handan and Anyi?" You must know that Zhao State and South Korea are extremely strict with the entry and exit of goods, if it is a small amount of grain, it is just a small amount, but such a large amount, if you want to transport it back to Chu State, it is absolutely impossible. ”

Xiang Zhuang said: "Let him buy grain in Handan and Anyi, it's not because we are short of food. ”

Xiang He said: "But the problem is that it is difficult to hide the arrival of so much grain, how to transport it back?" ”

Xiang Zhuang smiled and said thoughtlessly: "You Aiqing is wrong, the grain bought from Handan and Anyi is not to be shipped back to China, but to be transported to Guanzhong. ”

"Shipped to Guanzhong?" Xiang Tuo was puzzled, "What's going on?" ”

"You don't care what's going on, hehe." Xiang Zhuang said with a smile, "In short, if the operation is done well this time, not only will the wealth of thousands of merchants in Guanzhong and the nobles of the Han Kingdom be looted, but also the millions of stone grains accumulated in Zhao Guo and Taicang in South Korea will also fall into our sect warehouse." ”

Xiang He, Xiang Tuo and the others looked at each other, if they could loot Guanzhong, they would also be able to loot the millions of stone grain accumulated in the treasury of the country and South Korea? How is this possible?!

＃＃＃＃＃＃＃＃＃＃

Liu Ji Lao Hao is the largest grain store in Xianyang, but this morning suddenly hung out no grain to sell, and hundreds of peddlers who came to buy grain early in the morning suddenly fried the pot.

Because before that, dozens of other grain stores in Xianyang City had all closed down Xianyang

This year's autumn grain harvest was poor, and the price of grain in Guanzhong rose all the way, from 50 yuan per stone at the beginning of the year to 80 yuan, but three days ago, the grain price in Xianyang suddenly soared like crazy, and it rose three times a day, and in just three days, the grain price rose to 200 yuan per stone, and there was no market.

Food prices have skyrocketed, and the wealthy families in Guanzhong have also begun to stock up on grain.

Today, even the old Liu Ji can't resist it and is listed for business.

Although the Great Han Dynasty pursued the national policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing the flying merchants, it only said that the status of merchants and handicraftsmen was low, which did not mean that there were no handicraft workshops in Guanzhong, in fact, there was no shortage of large-scale handicraft workshops in Guanzhong, such as the iron smelting workshops and weapons workshops affiliated to the imperial court, which employed tens of thousands of laborers.

In addition to the government-run workshops, there are also large and small private workshops, and there are at least tens of thousands of handicraft workers (including female and child laborers) in Xianyang and the vicinity of Jingya, and if all the handicraft workers in the entire Guanzhong are combined, there are hundreds of thousands, most of whom are out of production and have to buy food to survive.

Now, dozens of grain stores led by Liu Ji Lao are all closed, and these handicraftsmen have immediately cut off their food sources, and he has to go hungry, in addition to these handicraftsmen who have no overnight food, and even many errand servants are also jumping to scold their mothers, because they can't buy food to feed their wives and children. …,

All of a sudden, the whole Xianyang was in a hurry.

At the same time, there is a kind of law that goes far and wide, that is, Prime Minister Bai Mo's act of setting up officials to monopolize salt and iron has seriously hurt the interests of merchants in Guanzhong, because the interests of merchants are not guaranteed, even time-honored brands such as Liu Ji Lao Hao are now closed down, and the implication is that the grain shortage in Xianyang is caused by Bai Mo's misdeeds.

＃＃＃＃＃＃＃＃＃＃

"How can this be true, how can this be true!" Bai Mo was so angry that he was furious.

A few days ago, I heard that a grain store was closed, and Bai Mo didn't pay much attention to it, but today, even a time-honored brand like Liu Ji Lao Hao that set sail for Feiya has also been listed and closed, and what makes Bai Mo even more angry is that these merchants actually reversed black and white, obviously he hoarded grain on his side and did not sell it, but he actually hit a rake and splashed dirty water on his body.

Originally, Bai Mo was promoting the salt and iron official camp, and if he wanted to hurt the interests of the salt merchants and the iron merchants, it had nothing to do with the grain merchants, so how could it cause the grain merchants in Xianyang City to close down? Obviously, behind this, there must be a big businessman in China who is threading the needle and trying to put pressure on the imperial court.

Chen Ping said: "Prime Minister, what should I do now?" ”

At this time, Chen Ping was inevitably a little dissatisfied with Bai Mo in his heart, he had already reminded Bai Mo and asked him to pay attention to it, but Bai Mo didn't take it seriously, which is why there is today's disaster, if Bai Mo can pay attention to this matter, put down his position and explain one or two to merchants from all walks of life, how can these grain merchants make trouble with salt merchants and iron merchants? ——～～～

A doorman proposed: "Prime Minister, these profiteers dare to hoard Juqi, it is better to send troops to confiscate it!" ”

", doesn't that make things even more out of control?!" Chen Ping reprimanded unceremoniously, the problem now is not only that the grain merchants are hoarding Juqi, but even the wealthy families in Guanzhong are also involved, what is the use of just sending troops to copy a few grain merchants, can they still copy all the wealthy families who are hoarding?

The doorman said with a bitter face: "If you can't send troops to check it, what should you do?" ”

"What to do? Easy to do! Bai Mo smiled gloomily and said in a deep voice, "Release the grain of Taicang and sell it at a high price!" Since those wealthy families are willing to help and abuse, then there is no need to be polite anymore, don't they want to hoard Juqi and make huge profits every year? The original appearance is not as they want, and they have to lose the bottom, hum! ”

"The grain of Taicang?" Chen Ping frowned and said, "But this is a reserve grain, and you can't move it without permission......"

"Master Taishi doesn't have to worry at all." Bai Mo smiled yinyin, and said, "This matter has been calculated, after the matter is completed, not only will all the grain stored in Taicang be returned, but also the treasury can get a lot of money for nothing, this is really a godsend, the little arm is also delusional to compete with the big legs of the imperial court, they are looking for death!" ”

＃＃＃＃＃＃＃＃＃＃

The next day, Xianyang Taicang began to sell grain at a price of 300 yuan per stone.

More than a dozen grain stores led by Liu Ji Lao have also reopened, but the price of grain has risen by another hundred yuan compared to yesterday. Don't look at the price now, maybe it will be more expensive tomorrow.

＃＃＃＃＃＃＃＃＃＃

Sima's mansion is full of friends, more than a dozen big businessmen with strong strength still have seats to sit, and a hundred and ten merchants with less strength don't even have seats, so they can only stand on both sides of the hall.

A giant businessman asked: "Zhonggong, Bai Mo has opened Taicang to release grain for several days, and the grain shortage in Xianyang has gradually eased, is it necessary to continue to hoard grain?" ”…,

Sima Ji glanced around the hall, and saw that everyone had different expressions, so he knew that someone was shaken, which was also reasonable, after all, there was the entire Han Kingdom standing behind Bai Mo, and the chances of winning a fight with him were really slim, not to mention that now the price of grain has risen to three hundred yuan per stone, if you can release all the grain in your hand, you can also make a lot of money.

At that moment, Sima Ji sneered: "I advise you to dispel the idea of releasing grain, Bai Mo is waiting, as long as you release grain here, his side will immediately go crazy to lower the price, and then the price of grain will definitely fall to a low level where you will lose all your money, so that Bai Mo can buy back grain from you at an ultra-low price and enrich Taicang." ”

The faces of many grain merchants showed awe-inspiring colors, and they thought that Baimo was really insidious enough, and they almost fell into his way.

Sima Zhong smiled and said: "You don't have to worry too much, don't look at the price of grain has risen to three hundred yuan now, but the old man can tell you very clearly that the show has just begun, and the old man can give you a solid bottom here, and by the beginning of spring next year at the latest, the price of grain will definitely rise to a thousand yuan!" ”

"What? Thousands of dollars?! Really? ”

"If it can really rise to thousands of dollars, then we will send it!"

"Whether it's true or not, there's no turning back."

"Yes, yes, yes, even if there is a cliff in front of you, you can only move forward with your eyes closed."

As soon as the words fell, a whisper suddenly sounded in the hall, some were excited, some were calm and thoughtful, some closed their eyes and rested, and some looked hideous and gritted their teeth.

Immediately, another giant merchant asked, "Zhong Gong, what is the attitude over there?" ”

The whispering in the hall stopped abruptly, and everyone pricked up their ears, because the side of this giant businessman's mouth was referring to the Lu family, the richest man in Guanzhong.

This time, the merchants in Guanzhong joined forces to hoard grain, and the Lu family did not directly participate, but they secretly gave support, and now Bai Mo released the grain of Taicang, and the competition between the two sides has a tendency to become jī, if there is no support from the Lu family and the forces attached to the Lu family, the hundred or so families on their side alone are likely to be unable to bear it.

Sima Zhong smiled slightly, and cross-examined the giant merchant who asked just now: "Shi Gong, because there is no support from there, how dare the old man take the lead and sing against Bai Mo?" Don't hide it from you, the words have been clearly released over there, no matter how much grain Bai Mo puts from Taicang, he will guarantee that he will be able to eat it, if you have the spare strength, you might as well continue to eat. ”

As soon as these words came out, the hundred and so merchants in the hall suddenly became relieved.

"What? Is it finally going to be directly involved? Great, that's fine. ”

"Go back and eat another 5,000 stones, hum, Xianyang Taicang has only 500,000 stones, the old man wants to see, how long can Bai Mo last?"! …… ）