What did Xu Jingchang do wrong?

How dare Yang Shiqi talk nonsense, he hurriedly bowed down and said: "Dingguo Gong, the lower officials are just passing on the word for some villagers, and there is absolutely no intention of collusion." Moreover, the lower officials thought that some things seemed to be known to the Duke of Dingguo, which was an unauthorized assertion by the lower officials, and hoped that the Duke of Dingguo would be forgiving. ”

Xu Jingchang smiled faintly, "It's okay, the big guys are talking to each other, and there is nothing wrong with knowing the situation." As long as you have your heart right and your ass is sitting, don't you think? ”

Yang Shiqi hurriedly raised his head, "Thank you for your magnanimity, and the next official will retire." ”

Coming out of Xu Jingchang's study, Yang Shiqi's forehead was full of cold sweat, and after thinking about it carefully, he couldn't help but panic...... In the current situation, the large grain merchants in Jiangxi, according to their previous habits, have purchased a large amount of grain, and they are waiting to make a fortune.

However, in response to the sharp drop in grain prices, after careful calculation, they lost money by selling grain, so they ran to call for officials to help.

However, there was no movement for a long time, and they paid for a large amount of grain, and now it is good, the merchants who hold a large amount of grain in their hands are restless, for fear that there will be a little mistake and lose their money.

Yang Shiqi knew the situation of these people, and at the same time he pondered that Xu Jingchang was a supporter of the development of businessmen, and he was already willing to bow his head and admit defeat and get out of bleeding, as long as Xu Jingchang offered a price, everything was easy to discuss.

But listening to Xu Jingchang's tone, how can it make people panic?

Could it be that this Dingguo Duke wants more?

Yang Shiqi didn't dare to fill the big cloves of garlic, so shut up quickly.

And on the courtiers' side, they continued to gather in the General Administration Department and constantly discussed, and the big guys were all burning their eyebrows, but Xu Jingchang was always unhurried.

Today, several Shangshu joined forces to force the palace, and they even invited Qiu Fu, the Duke of Qiguo.

Qiu Fu also said: "Dingguo Gong, you see this, the army also needs grain and grass, can you purchase 1.5 million stone military rations in case of emergency?" ”

Xu Jingchang smiled, "Yes, I agree, as long as the source of the money is solved, I will do it immediately." ”

The ministers were stunned for a while, and they were speechless for a moment.

Xu Jingchang looked at Jian Yi, and Jian Yi coughed lightly, "The officials have cut a lot of allowances, and they can't be reduced anymore." ”

If you don't reduce your expenses, you won't be able to use the money to buy food.

His eyes fell on Fang Bin, the secretary of the military department, whose face was full of bitterness, he could only look at Qiu Fu, "Qi Guogong, do you think our military department and the Governor's Mansion of the five armies can work together to cut a little expenses, squeeze out the money, and buy military rations?" ”

Qiu Fu frowned, obviously he just asked me to help, why did he let me bleed?

"Fang Shangshu, you also know that now the nine-sided army is being reorganized, military households are abolished, the forbidden army is organized and trained, and money is used everywhere, I think it is more appropriate for the household department to pay for it."

Xia Yuanji, the secretary of the household department, was not there, but Xie Jin said with a smile: "I also agree with the household department to pay, but I ask the eight governors of the tax districts to be in charge of grain reserves, responsible for purchasing and selling, and ensuring that grain prices are stable." As long as I agree to this article, I will be able to take out 800,000 taels of silver now in the tax area to buy grain! ”

After he finished speaking, the courtiers simply shut up together, and no one paid attention to him.

Just 800,000 taels of silver, you want to take away Yingtian's grain market, aren't you dreaming?

Xie Jin only sneered.

Xu Jingchang saw that he was at an impasse again, so he said, "In this way, I'll see if I can borrow a sum of money from Qianzhuang...... Let's all figure it out. ”

No one is a fool in these old fritters, the surname Xu is clearly procrastination, Xie Jin also showed his knife, and the purpose is very clear.

Xie Jin wanted the imperial court to be in charge of all grain sales.

As long as he succeeds, he will have a huge grain trading house, and the value of this thing is no less than any factory in Beiping! Even with this credit, he was able to replace Xia Yuanji and return to the center.

The rest of the important ministers didn't agree, and Xie Jin had no choice, so let's ride a donkey to read the record book and see. I don't believe you can make it through.

At the end of the meeting of the General Political Division, Xu Jingchang had a little food and was taking a lunch break, when Zhu Gaochi came.

"Brother Xian, you are really like a god, and I really have news here."

"What's the news?"

"I just want to intercede, raise my noble hand, and let them go."

Xu Jingchang still had a smile on his face, and said casually: "Then what is Your Highness going to do?" ”

Zhu Gaochi sighed, "You listen to me first, it's like this, someone found my father-in-law's side, hoping to help dredge it, and they are willing to give me thirty percent of the profits." By the way, you can also give a filial piety to the virtuous brother, and there will be no less. ”

Xu Jingchang smiled: "Then His Highness is tempted?" ”

"I was tempted, but someone stopped me." Zhu Gaochi said honestly.

"Who?"

"The crown princess."

Xu Jingchang was surprised, he was really a little stupid at the moment, it stands to reason that the crown princess shouldn't have long hair and short knowledge! How can she be more decisive than Zhu Dazhuang?

And why would she object to it?

"Cousin, you're right, these grain merchants are leading the gentry, and they are actually each other's inside, right?"

"Yes!"

Xu Jingchang nodded.

Zhu Dazhuang said again: "The gentry annexed the land, and there must be a lot of grain in their hands, right?" ”

"That's right!" Xu Jingchang continued to nod.

"And if they can't sell it, will they still annex the land?" Zhu Gaochi gritted his teeth and said: "If there is no land annexation, will the foundation of my Ming Dynasty be more stable?" ”

Xu Jingchang looked at Zhu Gaochi in astonishment, what he said seemed to make sense, but it was not so completely reasonable.

However, Zhu Gaochi was right, the gentry annexed land and collected high rents, and they had a lot of grain in their hands, and they had to sell the grain and exchange it for money, so that it would make sense to annex the land.

Otherwise, if you save so much grain in your hands, you can't sell it and you can't make a profit, so they will become pick-up heroes.

Therefore, cutting off the grain trade is equivalent to cutting off one of the gentry's arms and cutting off the financial route.

Although this move cannot really completely solve the merger, it will have an effect.

"Your Highness, can I take the liberty of asking no, the crown princess doesn't want to help the grain merchants, what is it for?"

Zhu Gaochi took a deep breath, "Brother Xian, I won't hide it from you, she told me that even if it is a land annexation, it is also an annexation by her...... You know, she also has a workshop, and a thousand looms, and she needs a lot of raw silk. ”

Xu Jingchang was stunned for a moment, and then laughed.

This laugh made Zhu Dazhuang stupid.

"What's the matter with you kid?"

Xu Jingchang shook his head again and again, "No, I just admire the crown princess, she is really a heroine among women, much better than you." ”

Zhu Gaochi was stunned for a moment, and said angrily: "What do you mean? Are you laughing at me? ”

"I'm telling the truth, a capable daughter-in-law is better than a wise prime minister."

"That's a good wife in the family, better than a good man in the country." Zhu Gaochi snorted: "Cousin, you said, what should I do about this?" ”

Xu Jingchang smiled: "It's easy to do!" Keep dragging! ”

"Drag? How can it be delayed? ”

Xu Jingchang said with a smile: "In the autumn and winter of Jiangnan, it is rainy and rainy, except for the big warehouse of the government, the granaries of other places are in my hands. The few remaining private warehouses can't hold so much grain at all, and they don't want to cut the meat, so they can only take it out and honestly hand it over to the imperial court. ”

"And what if they don't?" Zhu Gaochi asked rhetorically.

Xu Jingchang smiled: "Why don't they pay it?" Your Highness, if you are asked to play the role of a grain merchant now, what will you do? ”

"I, I'm not going to have to transport the grain out of Yingtian, find another place, and store it."

Xu Jingchang smiled, and then took out an official document, "This is the order of the General Administration, wearing Jinyi Wei to take care of all the ferries along the river, without the approval of the imperial court, it is not allowed to transport grain at will, especially not to transport grain abroad!" ”

Zhu Gaochi was stunned, "You can still play like this?" Then I'll put it in Yingtian City, even if it's rotten, I won't give it to you! ”

Xu Jingchang took out another official document and said with a smile: "This is the latest order, to store grain for a long time, not to trade, to hoard Juqi, to pay a fine." Every 10 additional days thereafter will increase by 10%! ”

Zhu Gaochi was stunned again, "If you want to do this, I'll throw away all the food, will I admit compensation?" ”

Xu Jingchang calmly took out the third official document, "This is about the strict prohibition of abandoning food, whoever wastes food will be punished three times!" ”

Zhu Gaochi was speechless.

Anyone encounters such an unreasonable thing, you can't help it!

Xu Jingchang is not just talking about it, he holds the Jinyi Guard, and he can mobilize the soldiers and horses of the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies, and the court really can't stop him!

"Then, then I'll hand over the grain to the court at a low price now, as Xie Jin said, this will be fine, right?"

Xu Jingchang smiled, "This is naturally possible, but at the moment, all the granaries in Beijing need to be recounted, they can wait in line, and the imperial court will allow them to deliver as soon as possible." ”

Zhu Gaochi subconsciously swallowed and spitted. "How soon did you say this, how long?"

"It's hard to say, you also know that our court officials are not happy, maybe three or five days, maybe thirty or fifty days, or three or two months."

Zhu Gaochi's face darkened, and he coughed: "You said that during this queuing period, you don't have to pay those fines, right?" ”

Xu Jingchang was stunned, "Your Highness, why do you think so?" That's the life of my chief secretary, how can you not count? ”

Zhu Gaochi thought about it for a long time before he said quietly: "You are bent on forcing them to death!" ”

Xu Jingchang smiled: "Don't they deserve to die? ”

This time, Zhu Gaochi was completely speechless, and after a long time, he smiled bitterly: "If I knew this, they would have been able to get 800,000 taels of silver if they listened to the bachelor's words...... Cousin, you don't think Xie Jin is too honest, do you? ”

Xu Jingchang smiled faintly, "No way, he is also from Jiangxi, and he is a true scholar." ”

It turns out that Xie Jin's name is a scholar!

Zhu Gaochi staggered back to see Zhang, and when he told him about the situation, Zhang was dumbfounded, and then showed a look of surprise.

"My father is really wise, and the prince of the country is really the virtuous minister of the country!"

Zhu Gaochi glanced at his daughter-in-law, "How did I find out that the two of you are more like a family?" ”

Zhang's face turned red and said angrily: "What bastard are you talking about? When we do business, we have to grab land, people, and money from the gentry and landlords! How can you win without thunderbolts? You are a woman's kindness! ”