This time, Feng Quji was more polite and smiled brightly, as if he was asking a teacher.

"General Li, I have taken the initiative to raise the price of Xianyang's staple grain according to your instructions, if the forecast is good, the price of staple grain will soar twice in two days, and the price of other grains will also soar."

Li Zhao smiled, secretly said that the prime minister's ability to do things is strong, and he can do it for a while.

This was the first step in their discussion of dealing with the wealthy merchants.

"There's Lao Fengxiang." Li Zhao said, "Next, wait for the price to soar to the extreme, force the dignitaries to sell all the grain in their hands, and if anyone hoards, investigate immediately." ”

"It's not good!" Feng Qu listened to it and was stunned.

Li Zhao's method is a bit damaged.

You must know that Xianyang's grain reserves are mainly divided into three parts, tax grain, grain for dignitaries and nobles, and grain for merchants.

If the grain of the dignitaries is sold, there will definitely be a food shortage in the city, and the traders will definitely sit on the ground and raise the price of the grain, pushing the price of grain higher, so that not to mention the ordinary people, even the mansions of the dignitaries and nobles will starve.

At that time, Xianyang will really be in chaos.

Li Zhao smiled, he guessed Feng Quji's thoughts, and said ill-intentionedly: "Isn't there still tax grain?" Allocate a part of it for disaster relief, set up relief stalls, and receive a limited amount, which can solve the problem for a while. ”

Then he added:

"If you want to defeat the rich businessmen, you have to be ruthless, and you can only grieve these nobles for a while."

Feng Qujian thought about it and felt that it seemed reasonable, but he always felt that Li Zhao was selfish, how could he say it?

This kid seems to want to take the opportunity to rob, but there is no good way, so he can only follow this, and he leaves, and he wants to report to the emperor.

Li Zhao looked at Feng Qu's back, smiled secretly, and his heart was alive: Hehe! I'm still worried that the maize and rice piled up in Chang'an Township can't be sold, and at this moment, it's an opportunity!

A few days ago, my uncle came to see him and informed him of the situation in Chang'an Township.

Moreover, it is not a general sale, but a perverted sale.

For a while, the depression caused by imprisonment was swept away, and the joy was exchanged.

Also, didn't the emperor let him lead more people to do business? He is now leading these nobles to do business.

Yes, the sale of grain is the scope of business.

If it is really achieved, it will be much easier for the emperor to ban and suppress business in the future, after all, these people have already done business, and if they oppose the ban on business suppression, the emperor will have a rhetoric.

The next day, as Feng Quji said, the price of staple food in Xianyang City soared, and soon doubled, and the price of other supplementary food also increased.

For a while, the whole Xianyang was in a sensation, and those who had no food immediately rushed to buy it, and those who had food immediately hoarded it.

With the experience of the jade market before, these people have become savvy, they know one thing, when the price of staple food starts to soar, it will continue to soar, and hoarding is the best time at this moment.

It is precisely because of this trend that the intensity of purchases by traders has increased rapidly, and all sides are rushing for grain, and the price of grain in the market has risen almost twice as much as a day, and within three days, the price has soared fourfold, and grain shortages have begun to appear.

The common people could no longer afford to eat food, and some of the nobles had reached the point where they had no rice to cook.

So the aristocracy spent a lot of money to sell grain, but found that there was no grain to sell in the market.

Just when some of the grain hoarders were complacent, there was a secret force that forced them to sell most of the grain, and the magnates had no choice but to sell the grain gradually, but the traders soon snapped up the grain.

Although the powerful have made a lot of money, they have little food in their hands, so they can only take care of their own families, and have no time to take care of others.

Suddenly, the entire Xianyang completely fell into a food shortage, and starvation appeared.

The people have no food to eat, so they eat bark and weeds, which can be described as miserable!

When this situation lasted for a short time, some people remembered that there was rice in Chang'an Township that could yield 16 stones per mu.

This is the rice of life, so they came in a surge, but the rice fields were empty, there were only a few wild birds on the ridges, and even the foraging animals were hidden.

All the rice in Chang'an Township was harvested, and only a few farmers were raising seedlings, and when they wanted to go deep into forcing them to donate grain, the 300 Guards came fiercely, and no one dared to approach.

Since Li Zhao was imprisoned, the housekeeper has found enough 300 people, and under the training of no fist, all of them have become fierce people.

The people are hungry, but the price of food does not spare them because of their hunger, and the price continues to rise, soaring to eight times.

In the early dynasty, as soon as the palace was opened, the imperial history reported the matter.

In the palace, Zongzheng, who was eating palace food, did not know the value of food at all, and gave Yushi capital punishment in three or two strokes, saying that it disturbed the court and confused the public.

However, a royal history was punished, and there were still imperial historians who were not afraid of death who stepped forward to admonish, Chen said that Xianyang was in a state, starvation was everywhere, and the people's livelihood was ruined.

Zong Zheng was scared, and the whole person stepped down from the Jin Luan auxiliary seat, and looked at the ministers in disbelief, and all the ministers bowed their heads, speechless.

He didn't know anything, and immediately shouted, "Where is Han Shaofu?" ”

No one answered, and Zong Zheng was furious: "Where did you die?" Xianyang is the capital of the country, and there is such a dangerous situation without reporting it, allowing the food disaster to worsen, is this what Shaofu did? Damn, shit! ”

There is still no answer, but this matter is very important, no one wants to get into trouble, and as a flatterer, he is also timely to silence, and there is no flattery.

In the end, it was the waiter next to him who reminded in a low voice: "Zongzheng, Han Shaofu has been. was rested for a month, grounded and not allowed to step into the palace. ”

"What?" Zong Zheng was furious and shook his sleeves, "Who is so bold, in such an embarrassment, how dare to approve his rest, or January, what kind of system?" ”

"Even if he is Xiu Mu, why don't he order someone to supervise the market, Han Shaofu is derelict in his duties!" Zong Zheng was furious.

Originally, he was in a beautiful mood these days, and he felt that he was handy in handling the government and politics, but suddenly he was stunned by this.

The servant still responded timidly: "Zongzheng, you forgot, it's you. let Han Shaofu rest for a month, and also ordered him not to intervene in the affairs of the market. ”

Hearing this, Zongzheng's face suddenly turned ugly.

He remembered, as if there really was such a thing, and his tone softened.

"This is his duty, and he can't ignore it in vain!" There is no confidence in what you say.

Although the words were funny, no one responded, but Feng Quji couldn't help laughing, and hurriedly said: "Zongzheng, the matter has come to this point, we should go all out to correct the price of grain, what should we do, I hope it will be clear." ”

"I hope Zongzheng will make it clear!" Some courtiers also came out to join suit.

"Explicit?" Zongzheng is messy, he has never encountered such a thing, how can he make it clear?

But he glanced at Feng Quji, and the shelf was also put down, "Feng Xiang, you are the prime minister, is there a good plan?" ”

"There's no good way to get sick." Feng Qu quickly bowed his hand, bent over, and replied without thinking about it.

Zong Zheng was not happy when he heard it, and his face was angry: "You know that you are the prime minister, why is there nothing to do, this Zongzheng is just one of the nine Qings, how to make it clear?" ”

"Definitely!" Feng Quji smiled, "Your Majesty has a will, Lord Zongzheng is the acting minister, and the ministers also recognize that Lord Zong is wise and martial, and there must be a good plan." ”

These words made Zongzheng's face even more ugly, he couldn't, he had to glance at the ministers and asked, "Do you have a good plan?" ”

However, no one answered, and they all bowed their heads.

Zong Zheng's face turned pale, and his eyes fell on Jia Xiong, "General Jia, you have a lot of suggestions before, there must be a good plan at this moment!" ”

He pinned his hopes on Jia Xiong.

Jia Xiong was stunned, his eyes flickered, and finally pointed outside, and said in a low voice: "Zongzheng, the minister thinks that the soaring food prices are just for a while, and they will recover soon." ”

Again.

Although Zong Zheng likes to listen to flattery, he knows that the abnormality of food prices at the moment is very bad.

"Recovery, recovery! Do you have a in your brain? When has it been restored, this is clearly a deliberate act. ”

Zong Zheng pointed at Jia Xiong and scolded with his head and face, but Jia Xiong didn't dare to raise his head.

The court was silent for a long time, and Zongzheng, who breathed a sigh of relief, finally lowered his head and sighed.

Han Shaofu has been investigating this matter and has the most right to speak, and now he can only let him end his rest and return to the court immediately.

"Ben Zongzheng thinks that he must be a wealthy businessman, and Shaofu's investigation is right, maybe he has a good plan."

"Come on, invite Han Shaofu to the palace immediately."

"No!" The guards left, and half an hour later, Han Shaofu went to the palace, although the people were not angry, but their faces were full of anxiety.

He is worried about the dynasty.

has guessed that Zong Zheng wants him to return to the court in advance.

"Han Shaofu, the current grain price is like this, the people of Xianyang are miserable, you are Shaofu, quickly talk about how to solve it?" Zong Zheng couldn't wait to ask.

Han Shaofu did not refute him because of the previous incident, frowned, and did not directly say his thoughts, but asked, "Do you know what the price of grain around Xianyang City is?" ”

Zong Zheng was dumbfounded, he didn't know.

But a courtier came out and replied: "The minister has investigated, and the grain around Xianyang has also been purchased, and the price of grain has skyrocketed." ”

Han Shaofu's brows furrowed even tighter, and he no longer asked how the food was in the places farther away from Xianyang, because there was no need, the road outside Xianyang was far away, and even if there was food, the water would not be able to save the fire, so he could only give up his hand and say:

"There is no solution."

He was telling the truth, food prices had soared to this point, and he had never met it, so naturally there was no good solution.

"What then?"

Zong Zheng became anxious, pacing back and forth in the main hall.

Here, everyone had a sullen face, but Feng Qu was holding his mouth and laughing secretly.

All of a sudden, the atmosphere was unusually dull.

Suddenly, Zongzheng's eyes sharpened, staring at Jia Xiong deadly, and shouted: "General Jia, you have a lot of suggestions before, and you have won the righteousness of this sect, you will be responsible for this matter, and you must keep the price of food down as soon as possible." ”

When Jia Xiong heard this, his face was extremely ugly.

How is it possible for him to keep the price of food down? He's just a rough man.

Hurriedly knelt down and pushed back: "Lord Zongzheng, Xiong is a reckless man, he doesn't understand the affairs of the market, and he hopes to take back his fate." ”

Zong Zheng scolded: "You don't understand? Since you don't understand why you said that food price fluctuations are normal, you don't understand why you persuaded me not to pay attention to this, you bastard! ”

Jia Xiong didn't dare to touch Zongzheng's anger.

"That's just you, you also said earlier that food price fluctuations are purely normal, so it can be seen that you understand the affairs of the market, and this matter will be handed over to you."

Zong Zheng completely ran out of ideas and ordered mandarin ducks indiscriminately.

Poof!

Another knelt down and begged for mercy: "My lord, the minister knows that he is wrong, and the minister does not understand the affairs of the market, so the minister will not dare in the future." ”

"You?" Zong Zheng was angry and smashed the inkstone over, making a crackling sound.

His gaze swept over the ministers, and immediately more people knelt down and begged for mercy, these were the people who had flattered him before, but none of them could share their worries.

"You, you, all bastards, is there no one who is up to the task?"

Zong Zheng was anxious and completely panicked, and his previous aura was gone.

But the situation of the people without food must be solved, otherwise Xianyang will become a dead city.

Han Shaofu was anxious about this matter, and immediately said: "Zongzheng, please solve the urgent moment immediately and relieve the hungry people." ”

"Yes, yes!" Zong Zheng had no clue at all, he nodded whatever he said, but soon frowned.

How to solve it? He had no experience in this area, so his hands couldn't help but scratch his hair and his dandruff flakes.

Feng Quji couldn't hold back any longer, and laughed out loud, laughing so heartily, completely ignoring Zong Zheng's feelings.

"Feng Xiang, you." Zong Zheng was a little angry, "Why are you laughing? Is it true to bury the truth? ”

"Definitely!" Feng Quji still couldn't help but cover his mouth, but he explained, "Because I thought of a way to help the people, I couldn't help but laugh because I thought of a way to help the people." ”

"Oh!" Zong Zheng suddenly heard that there was a way, and he no longer cared about why Feng Quji smiled, his eyebrows furrowed, and he hurriedly asked, "How to do it?" Come on. ”

It seems so urgent, which shows his embarrassment.

Feng Quji stopped laughing, straightened his face, and responded: "It's not a useful way, but it's just a mitigation strategy, but to send food for disaster relief." ”

"Food for disaster relief?" Zong Zheng thought about it for a while, and immediately applauded, "Good way, it's so decided, and the key is not to let the people starve." ”

But the next moment, his brow furrowed again.

Food distribution is indeed necessary, but the food in the national treasury is not endless, and failure to solve the problem of soaring food prices will inevitably lead to more problems.

He thought about increasing tax revenue, but at the moment of spring ploughing, the grain has not yet been harvested, so it is obviously useless.

"But how can we solve the problem of soaring food prices?"

Zong Zheng had no choice but to put his hope on Feng Quji.

Feng Qujian shook his head, "I have just said that there is nothing I can do, but I can recommend someone, he may be able to solve the current problem." ”

Zong Zheng's eyes lit up, and he immediately asked, "Who is it?" ”

"General Li Zhao, Li Zhao."

"Li Zhao?" Zong Zheng was embarrassed and hesitated to say to himself, "He is a sin body, not good!" ”

"Waiting for sin? What is his sin? Feng Qujian retorted and sighed to himself, "Since this is the case, I can't either!" ”

Zong Zheng glanced at the ministers, and when he saw that everyone didn't speak, he nodded, but he had no choice but to invite Li Zhao.

"Then there is Prime Minister Lao Cheng to invite him on his behalf?"

"I'm please?" Feng Quji hurriedly waved his hand and stepped aside, "Everyone has been imprisoned in Xianyang Prison by you, why do you invite you?" ”

"I don't have this ability, after all, he is the one who sent you to prison, only you can please."

"That's it!" At this moment, Zong Zheng has no choice, Li Zhao is indeed imprisoned by him.

(End of chapter)