With the marriage of Dasheng and Ling Xiao Pavilion, the whole world seems to have quieted down, after all, no one wants to disturb the two major forces in the honeymoon period.

At the beginning of the spring of the next year, the good news continued, the 20,000 soldiers in Hexi were really trained, and the emperor could not let it go, and installed a lot of "his own people". The candidate for the garrison of Xiaogushan in Shandong Province has not been decided for a long time, and several proposals have been vetoed by the emperor, and the reason for this is probably because of the relationship between the dragon armor.

No matter whose hands the dragon armor is in its hands, it should not be underestimated, Zhou Zhe's more than 200 cronies are an example, ten people can be compared to the second- and third-rate sects' battle groups, and they can fight in groups?

Other news is that Star City is still expanding, and the influx of some victims in the north of Shandong Province has not only greatly alleviated the disaster relief in Shandong Province, but also sent a new force to Star City. Lao Ling is really old, but he is not at ease when he basks in the sun in the yamen of Star City every day, and he still remembers to write a letter to Zhou Zhe asking for various building materials.

At this point, Zhou Zhe has never been stingy, he has enough silver.

A year is a long time, but twelve months. There were almost no major events in the three months after the Spring Festival, and even a few sects in Henan Province quieted down.

Zhou Zhe is more busy cultivating the children of Tianshu Kindergarten, because everything is starting to get on track.

In April, the caravans between Lingxiao Pavilion and the capital had already run countless times, and the intelligence network that should have been rolled out had also been rolled out, and Zhou Zhe was ready to start arranging Henan Road. He has never forgotten the food plan, and Henan Province is the key to it.

"The big water! the big water is coming!" an abrupt voice reported to the political envoy Yamen of Hedong Province.

At the same time, the internal guard also received the news of the breach of the embankment in the eastern section of the Wugen River, and the fast horse flew straight to the Beijing Division.

A few days later, the news arrived in the capital and the government and the opposition were shaken.

Zhou Zhe was the first to see a more detailed report from the internal guard, which was also submitted by him.

He felt that this sudden flood was by no means unusual, this was not the summer rainstorm season in June and July, and even if there was a flood in previous years, it was a partial breach of the river embankment, and it would never be as large as this. Moreover, the water level in the east of the river shows no signs of falling at all, and I don't know when it will be a head.

"Go and give an order, let the internal guards of Hexi Province trace upstream and investigate the situation. In addition, give me a map of Hedong, the more detailed the appointment. ”

Things have reached the point where there is no time to delay, Zhou Zhe faintly has a bad feeling, could it be that the rootless river is going to be diverted?

This is not the first time that the Rootless River has been diverted, but whenever it is diverted, there is a vast ocean along the way, not to mention the people's livelihood and economy, and it will inevitably suffer serious losses. And the plague that followed the flood was even more discoloring.

Also having a bad premonition was Fan Wenliang, the officials of the entire Zhongshu Province and the officials of the six ministries held a meeting for almost several days in a row, and how to provide disaster relief was an important thing for them to consider. The imperial court spent money every year, but this year's absolute control of Hedong and Shandong provinces, plus the spoils confiscated, was slightly balanced.

However, flood relief is different from fire fighting, fire fighting is a moment of effort, flood is different, even if there are only 20 million people affected, no one consumes half a kilogram of food a day, a day, it is 10 million kilograms.

"Let Wu Chenglin, the political envoy of Hedong Province, organize disaster relief and rescue for the victims, after all, he is a local parent official and is familiar with the local situation. In Zhongshu Province, Fan Wenliang launched the candidate, and finally said

"The candidate representing the imperial court is responsible for distributing relief food, as well as connecting the imperial court, and is also proficient in civil affairs, do you have any suitable candidates?"

The books of each department are pushed back and forth, each family is a radish and a pit, one less person to do things, others have to do more, and when the disaster relief is a lot of things in each department, no one chooses among the six departments, and in the end, there are people's eyes lit up

"Yuncheng Hou Qiyuan, is the logistics officer of the Royal Forest Army, although the official is not big, but he participated in the suppression of the rebellion in Hedong last year, is familiar with the terrain and local conditions in Hedong, and is in charge of logistics, which is very suitable. ”

Wan Youguang, the 10,000-year-old mansion, is not too fond of this candidate, but even if others are willing to go, they don't have this suitable resume. In the end, the short man was top-notch, and the quota was set, and the Marquis of Yuncheng was far away.

The list was reported to the emperor, and without much hesitation, the emperor stamped the big seal, and he also had his ideas. They may be able to do things, but they lack some experience, and as long as they are whipped with a small whip behind them from time to time, they can become the pillars of the country.

Ten days had passed since the news reached the capital and until Qi Yuan rushed to Hedong with a large amount of grain with a thousand imperial forest troops and nearly 10,000 people selected from among the victims. I have to say that the efficiency is already very high, Zhou Zhe looked at the team that meandered towards the men like a long dragon with a lot of emotion, if the reaction was faster, the message was transmitted faster, maybe there would be a lot fewer deaths!

In the long dragon winding south, there are all gray cloth sack trucks, Zhou Zhe counted them, about a people's husband in charge of one, all relying on people to push, the food on a car is about two thousand catties, and it is estimated that one-tenth of it will be consumed in the middle of the road. Simply calculated, even if it is non-stop transportation back and forth, I am afraid it is a drop in the bucket.

There should be grain in Hexi, do you want Zheng Tong to organize it?

With a thought in his heart, he called Wang Rui, this time, he was going to ask him to run an errand in person, one side was in trouble and all sides were supporting, that was not Dasheng's style. Dasheng's style is more like everyone sweeping the snow in front of their own door. With his current status, if he does a good job, he can make enough political capital, but when I think about it, isn't it just my way to do this?

Wang Rui set off with the letter, which explained that Zheng Tong had not been promoted so far, it was arranged by Zhou Zhe, and at the same time he promised that as long as the disaster relief was in place, he would be guaranteed a future. and hinted that Wan Youguang, a thousand-year-old mansion, is almost really going to retire, otherwise it will seem that the bigwigs in the DPRK and China are too incompetent, and they have not selected a suitable candidate for more than a year.

Chen Ming's interests and sincere invitation, this is Zhou Zhe's letter, he can't guarantee what Zheng Tong's attitude will be when he sees this letter, and there is another one, which is brought to Guan Xihai.

If Zheng Tong disagrees with Zhou Zhe's suggestion, he will ask Guan Xihai to complete this task, as for the lack of food? Impossible, Star City has hundreds of millions of grain reserves, but it has been asked by Zhou Zhe not to report.

"Master Hou, I'm afraid our budget is not enough for the children to eat. In the kindergarten of Tianyuan Academy, Mu Laojiu reminded Zhou Zhe who came back a little helplessly.

Zhou Zhe was puzzled: "How can there not be enough to eat?

The flood in Hedong and the rise in grain prices are the proper meaning, but it will not rise to this extent!

In the past, the price of grain in the capital was 200 catties and 1 tael, but now, it is 50 catties and 1 tael. Mu Laojiu said, he is a cook, he is as rigid as cooking, he never messes with what to put first, so when the price of food rises, he did not say that he would reduce meat to maintain balance, but said one thing and another.

Zhou Zhe nodded, and then ordered, regardless of the price of food, only the quantity to maintain the supply, he did not pay money, so this is a trivial matter of nodding.

But looking back, in just 10 days, the price of grain has skyrocketed fourfold, and I am afraid that it is not only a spontaneous price increase, but some people are probably already operating the price of grain.

"Suo'e, prepare the horse, go to Liu Taoren's house. ”

After a while, as soon as he walked to Liu Taoren's door, he saw many deacons of the sect coming out of Liu Taoren's house.

After the report entered, Liu Taoren personally introduced Zhou Zhe into the inner court, and he was not polite, Zhou Zhe asked directly

"You're involved in food prices?"

Liu Taoren nodded: "Participated." ”

Zhou Zhe was a little incredulous, Liu Taoren in his impression was a righteous businessman and an imperial businessman, how could he do such a thing?

Liu Taoren looked at Zhou Zhe's expression and said, "Participated, I am helping you, and I have been waiting for you." You also saw the group of people who walked out just now. You can't say no. ”

The deacons of all sects and the dogs of all lords really can't refuse.

"What do you want to do? Don't you know that this is a matter of people's livelihood?"

Liu Taoren said helplessly: "If I don't participate, won't they do it?" Today's grain price is 125 catties, tomorrow it is 1225 catties, and the day after tomorrow, it will be even higher. Not to mention the price in Hedong. Even if I spend all my money to buy food, how long will I be able to sustain it?"

What he said was the truth, but Zhou Zhe was a little weak.

"So I've been waiting for you, waiting for you to make a move. The grain in your capital and the grain in Hedong are about nearly 100 million catties. In addition to the consumption of Shandong Province last year, the consumption of Hexi is also nearly 200 million catties, are you ready to stand by and watch?"

Liu Taoren's eyes were shining with golden light, and Zhou Zhe finally understood what Liu Taoren was going to do.

To calm the price of grain, instead of hitting the market with low prices, it is better to sell grain directly to those deacons at high prices, let them hoard it, let their liquidity go to zero, and then try to calm it.

Liu Taoren can't afford to offend those people, so he needs someone to help him, and Zhou Zhe is undoubtedly the best candidate.

The two hit it off, Liu Taoren was responsible for matchmaking, and Zhou Zhe was responsible for negotiating the price.

Zhou Zhe's granary was bought in the early years, and the grain is also old and new. After Lao Chen woke him up, he made a plan to take the two grain-producing areas of Shandong and Henan and then make a grain pricing power. Therefore, fighting Hexi and Shandong and disaster relief are his food, and naturally Li Chi also understands and acquiesces to him to privately divide the spoils.

Now, it's a good opportunity for him to take out the grain in the warehouse and use it.

Don't you want to get rich by natural calamities?

On the same day, Liu Taoren spread the news that Zhou Zhe had a large amount of grain in his hands to his business partners, and made it clear that he had limited liquidity and a lot of business.

The spokesmen of the deacons and relatives are like cats that smell fishy, and after a little thought, they know that this news is absolutely true.

Because in the early years, Xin Chai just established a faction, Xin Chai bought a large number of grain and granaries, which was regarded as a joke by a group of merchants and sects, but now, I didn't expect it to be a salted fish turned over, and everyone could only sigh one after another, luck came, and they couldn't stop it. Attributing the great water in Hedong to other people's fortune, out of this group of unscrupulous businessmen, nothing else.

On the same day, the businessmen with high efficiency took the greeting posts one after another, wanting to see Zhou Zhe.

"Not a single one, when it's curfew time, count how many are there, and then give each of them a reply, and hold a small auction in the Blood Moon Hall tomorrow to auction these grains. Zhou Zhe gave Suo E such news, so he stayed quietly under the eaves of the corridor and did not speak.