The cadre building of the Ryukyu branch of Huaxia Sugar is a small two-story red brick building with a total of 12 rooms above and below.

In addition to the office, several cadres lived on the second floor, and on the first floor lived the soldiers who followed.

After fifteen days of intense sugar extraction, the mill announced a day off to transport the accumulated sugar back to Meaux.

Everyone was tired, so they took a good bath while they could rest for a day, sorted out the materials of these days, and went back to the room early to prepare for rest.

Ah Ku didn't want to go to bed early, and continued to write a receipt to Yan Zheng in the room, reporting the situation these days, he thought to himself that with such a boatload of sugar to be shipped back, the king and the people would definitely be happy.

Just as he was about to brag and show his merits, he only heard the questioning of the guards downstairs.

I saw Zheng Bin downstairs, panting and begging to see him.

Asking to see him so late, there must be something, Ah Ku hurriedly stood up and walked downstairs.

"Oh no, no! Master Ku, there's something big! As soon as he saw Ah Ku, Zheng Bin jumped and shouted.

"What are you panicking about?" Ah Ku frowned and said, "Let him in!"

Smack—Unable to carry muskets, the two guards immediately put away a spear and made a way.

Zheng Bin arched his hand towards the guards, and hurriedly followed Ah Ku into the office.

"Tell me, what's the matter?"

Zheng Bin swallowed his saliva and said, "My lord, the price of rice in Ryukyu has more than tripled in all cities and villages since yesterday!"

"Food prices have gone up? The matter ...... Why does it matter? "Aku doesn't know what is going on in the Ryukyu grain market.

Zheng Bin said anxiously: "Adults don't know, this ...... The grain and brown sugar of the Ryukyus were originally in the hands of the four families of Ma, Jin, Mao, and Shi, but today they are raising the price of grain, which is aimed at us! ”

"I see!" Ah Ku got serious and said busily: "Don't worry, sit down first, and then explain in detail!"

As he spoke, he found a pen and paper and prepared to record it seriously.

Zheng Bin sat down and wiped his sweat and said: "My lord, the people of this Ryukyu plant sugarcane, which is stronger than planting rice, so most homesteaders grow sugarcane entirely, and only the wealthy people will grow some grain because they can't squeeze so much sugar!"

Over time, some wealthy families are planting rice and sugarcane in half, because planting sugarcane is time-consuming and laborious, and if you plant half of the rice, the grain can also be sold at a good price, which is more cost-effective! Among them, these four are the most powerful! ”

"And the small landlords who don't have much land, in order to get more profits, often get used to growing sugarcane, and when the time comes, they sell brown sugar to these four families, and after exchanging it for grain, they can make more money than growing rice, and they can use the money to buy some other things."

Ah Ku understood, and after writing it down, he asked, "Then how did they influence us by raising the price of grain this time?"

"My lord, if the price of food is expensive, some small families can't wait to make sugar in our sugar factory, they have to go to those workshops in order to keep cooking! Can...... But with such a high price of grain, they ...... They can't afford it!

And these four families suddenly only accept copper coins, and if they want to buy grain, they have to exchange for copper coins first! The rest of the wealthy landlords of the Ryukyus also seemed to have negotiated and began to slowly lower the price of silver! Zheng Bin said with sweat on his forehead.

Ah Ku thought about it, and the more he thought about it, the more his brows furrowed, this group of people was clearly coming for them.

"What's going on?" Song February's also walked in, followed by Zhang Sheng and Zhao Chenglin.

Ah sighed bitterly and explained the basic situation to them.

The three of them instantly fell asleep, they didn't expect the counterattack of these Ryukyu natives to come so quickly!

"Aren't these people afraid of starving to death? Three times the price of grain, the grain merchants in the disaster year of the Ming Kingdom dare not be so black! Zhang Sheng said indignantly.

Zheng Bin smiled bitterly: "Ryukyu has its own national conditions here, not to mention three times, it is estimated that four times or five times it is possible now, in the past, it was a strong wind, and these wealthy families also raised the price of grain, just to annex more land!"

Zhao Chenglin lowered his head and thought for a while, then raised his head and said, "Call Kumejima to send troops!" These people did this, raised troops to punish the first evil, and they were all gone! ”

Zheng Bin was happy in his heart, what he wanted was this result, it was best to raid all four of them, so that his Zheng family would definitely be able to make a big profit.

Ah Ku sighed and said, "No! They didn't violate the peace treaty, this time they challenged us, if we use military means as soon as we come up, doesn't that mean that our Eastern Qin is incompetent, and we can only rely on force to become strong?

This is inconsistent with the image we want to create, we want to use troops, but also at the last moment, and let people know that we are forced to use the army! ”

"You're right, the little fame we've worked so hard to build can't be ruined in vain! And after the troops are mobilized, we still have to make candy here! This fair brand cannot be lost. Song February's agreed.

"So what to do?" Zhang Sheng was a little excited: "Just watch them do nothing and let the people of Ryukyu starve to death in vain!"

Ah Ku got up and walked and said, "Inform the king as soon as possible, see if Dongqin can transfer grain, if we also have food supply, we can pry the foundation of those people!"

"But this time it takes about seven or eight days, and it will take time to mobilize food, and it will take half a month to arrive!" Zhao Chenglin said worriedly.

Ah Ku thought for a while and sighed: "What I'm most afraid of now is that someone will maliciously cause something and let these people blame us for this!"

Zhang Sheng got up and said: "Don't think about it, they don't even care if the people live or die, what else can't they do!"

Ah Ku took a depressed breath, looked at Zheng Bin and said, "Lord Zheng, how much grain does your Zheng family have?" I hope you can support one or two, rest assured, three, four, we will pay according to the price! ”

Zheng Bin hurriedly got up and said: "This is for the people of the Ryukyus, the Zheng family is duty-bound, I will go back immediately and mobilize the Zheng family to store grain!" It's just that...... It's just that it may be limited. ”

"Thank you!" Ah Ku bowed and said: "If I can get through this difficulty this time, I will be grateful to Dongqin!"

Zheng Bin returned a salute: "This is where the righteousness lies, how dare the Zheng family ask for something in return!"

Ah Ku straightened up, looked at Zhang Sheng again, and said: "I will write a letter later, you have someone send it to Kume Island overnight, and let the captain who transported the first ship of Ryukyu candy set sail back to Dongqin immediately, and inform your lord of the news here!" There is also the Commander of the Dragon Battalion, pay attention to the defense of Kume Island in the near future, to prevent there is a conspiracy behind this matter, and Kume Island must not have an accident! ”

Zhang Sheng nodded.

Ah Ku said to Song February: "February, you will gather the workers in the factory tomorrow, explain this matter to them, and let them start these days, and then find some trustworthy people to come over and work for us!" Two shifts are available day and night to ensure that the amount of sugar squeezed every day increases! ”

"And! Zhao Chenglin, you personally go to the Ryukyu Imperial City and ask to meet the Ryukyu King and express your concern about this matter! Meantime...... Send this season's sugar tax to be considered an advance payment! ”

Zhao Chenglin also nodded hurriedly.

After arranging all this, Ah Ku sat down to write a letter to explain the situation, he was anxious at the same time, but also did not forget to use the dialectic he had learned to look at the problem, he felt that this crisis was not necessarily an opportunity!

As long as there is grain to come in, the grain market controlled by these four families can be destroyed. The people of the Ryukyus will also be more comfortable cooperating with them.

Not only that, but such a victory can suppress other Xiaoxiao, and while gaining a firm foothold, it can also let all the people of the Ryukyus see the strong strength of Eastern Qin!

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