Cao Qichang was the last of the ministers to walk out of the Xuanzheng Palace, and after he stepped out of the threshold, he glanced back in the direction of the Zichen Palace.

This slight action inadvertently ingested the eyes of Yuan Zhi.

His heart chuckled.

Although I don't know what Cao Qichang is thinking at the moment, this glance is definitely related to the contention for the reserve.

"Duke Ji." Yuan Zhi walked down the jade steps, saw Ji Hong standing on the side, and called out.

"The slave is here." Ji Hong took a few steps closer and bowed.

"Order, keep an eye on Cao Qichang, Yang Du, and Yu Kefan's mansion, etc., if there is any trouble, report it as soon as possible, day and night." Yuan Ze Dao.

"Your Highness, please rest assured, the slave maid has already made arrangements." Ji Hong responded respectfully.

"That's all right." Yuan Zhi nodded, turned to Gao Jin behind him and said, "It's still early today, I want to go out of the city immediately and go to the granary and several major grain stores in the capital to have a look." ”

"Yes."

It seems that the prince's private visit is addictive.

Gao Jin muttered in his heart, he didn't dare to stop, he knew the temperament of this young ruler.

As a senior chamberlain, I have seen too many palace fights and party battles, bloody and cruel.

The crown prince is in Miyagi, and safety is guaranteed.

But once out of the palace, the security of the capital outside the imperial city, especially the suburbs outside the capital, will gradually decrease.

A few days ago, the prince was followed by the Cao Mansion at the East Wharf, and when he heard Ding Jiu mention it, he panicked.

Today's Chaoji, the prince's side cannot be said to have completely defeated Cao Qichang and them, but at least it is a big victory.

Gao Jin kept staring at the court, and when he saw Cao Qichang's gloomy face, he could squeeze out the water.

He was sweating for the crown prince.

But he is only the head of the East Palace, according to the rules and etiquette of the court, he has no right to interfere in the affairs of the court, unless the prince takes the initiative to ask, he can express some of his opinions.

He had an idea, took the initiative to follow Ji Hong, and the two walked out of the Xuanzheng Hall together.

……

The final Jin Dynasty had six national reserve granaries in the country, and there was a warehouse in Huayin County, a suburb of Chang'an, called Guangtong Warehouse.

In addition to the national granary, each state capital and county has a reserve silo for use in times of famine.

Of course, there is also a reserve warehouse in the capital, at the Chuanji Bridge on the edge of the northern outer city, this reserve warehouse is mainly to ensure that the people of Kyoto eat food all year round.

Kyoto is unlike any other prefecture in that all aspects of Kyoto must be protected as a priority, and there must be no unstable factors.

This relief effort is special, and the Kyoto Reserve is also being used to transport it to a gathering place for the victims outside the capital.

Near the reserve granary, there is the largest grain market in Kyoto, commonly known as the Denjibashi Grain Market.

This grain market, which is equivalent to the grain wholesale market in later generations, is dedicated to the major grain shops and small vendors in the capital to wholesale and then go to retail.

When Yuan Zhi and the others came to Chuanji Bridge, it was already noon, and the surroundings were already crowded with people driving ox carts, mule carts, and wheelbarrows, which were full of grain, coming in and out.

The prince did not plan to go to the granary to reserve, but went to the Chuanjiqiao market to learn about the local grain market on the spot.

In the final Jin Dynasty, all industries and trades were mainly taxed according to capitation, and commercial handicrafts, hunters, etc. were all paid in coins, and even farmers were levied on silver.

Peasant households usually have no silver in their hands, so they have to transport their grain to the grain market or sell it elsewhere in exchange for silver money, and then go to the government office to pay taxes.

For this reason, the vast number of peasant households have no choice but to accept the exploitation of profiteers and large grain households, and even in a good year, they will not make much profit.

After paying a variety of exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes, the peasant households had little left, and when they were not able to harvest the crops in the second year, they had to buy grain from merchants at high prices to satisfy their hunger.

At this time, it is the time when the people are forced to flee and sell their sons and daughters.

The regulations of the court system are that taxes are collected to households, and many yamen are in order to save trouble, and a kind of Baotou or household collection business has appeared in various places, that is, middlemen.

This is usually filled by local magnates, or local wealthy families.

These middlemen pay taxes on their behalf, which is superficially convenient for the peasant households, but in fact they are exploiting at all levels.

What if people can't pay their taxes?

Then you have to work as all kinds of forced labor.

The coolies who drove the oxen and mule carts in front of them were pulled by the yamen to serve as servants.

Looking at the numb expressions of these coolies, Yuan Zhi came out of the mountains in his previous life, and naturally felt deeply, and secretly sighed in his heart for the suffering of the people's livelihood.

Ding Jiu and Jiang Wulang next to them had no heart or lungs, but they just rode on a tall horse and pointed out for fun.

Seeing that some people looked at themselves on the tall horses with envy, the two were proud.

It was crowded with coolies who came to transport grain and rice, and a spacious post road was packed to the brim.

On both sides of the post road, there were some soldiers guarding the grain, and the soldiers who carried the grain.

In addition, many rags-clothed victims, with their families, wanted to blend into the grain market to find something to eat, but the sergeants guarding the entrance and exit of the grain market shouted loudly and did not allow them to enter.

There was a commotion everywhere here, and seeing this, Yuan Zhi and they had to wait patiently, and when they were a little free, they went in again.

At this time, the sun was shining, and Ding Jiu saw that the prince was under the scorching sun, and he seemed to be a little inappropriate, and he was afraid that he would not be able to bear it.

He found that on the side of the grain market post road, a tea shed was relatively cool, and suggested going in to drink tea and rest.

Yuan Zhi nodded in agreement.

The old man who ran the tea shed saw two big men in military casual clothes and a young man shaking a silk paper fan walking in.

Ding Jiu's appearance is quite passable, but Jiang Wulang's face is hideous, and his face is full of meat, which makes the old man hesitate.

Jiang Wulang was snubbed, he glared, and snorted:

"What, I'm afraid that we won't pay for tea? Have you ever seen the horses ridden by the masters, this style, like a person who can't afford to pay? ”

"Ouch... What is this talking about, military master, please. ”

Jiang Wulang's broken gong roared loudly, which frightened the old man a lot, and he quickly nodded and moved the three of them to sit down and pour herbal tea.

Yuan Zhi drank coarse tea at a roadside stall for the first time, which was quite kind, as if he had returned to the feeling of being in the mountains in his previous life.

Suddenly, there was a sound of talking on the side of the road, attracting the attention of the three of them.

Two women dressed as maids complained in front of a few men who were running out of breath in front of them, carrying two large bamboo baskets and wearing coarse cloth clothes:

"I agreed with you early in the morning, why did you come now? It caused the two of us to wait stupidly on the side of the road for more than an hour, ate a lot of dust, and almost missed a major incident. ”

The men just kept shouting, and the young man at the head complained:

"Ouch, two grandmothers, the time you agreed on is tight, and you have to rush fresh, from the mountains to here, there are dozens of miles, but we set off before dawn, and the road is full of grain trucks, we can't walk, but this is finally catching up, isn't it?"

One of the maids snorted: "Okay, okay, stop talking nonsense, the apricots in your basket are fresh, are they adulterated?" ”