"There is some reason for this, but not much. After all, Yuanxiao can be made all year round, so even if the price goes up, it will only be a penny."
"The reason for the price increase this time is mainly because the price of rice has risen quite sharply in the past two days. If we don't sell it at such a high price, I'm afraid we won't even be able to cover our capital."
The vendor sighed as he spoke, "It happened just in the past one or two days. It happened suddenly. Many people who haven't bought food in the past few days don't know the inside story, so they said that the price of my Yuanxiao has increased dramatically and that I am doing a shady business. But even if the price has increased like this, I don't make much money. It's just hard-earned money."
In the past, it was sold for eight cents a bowl, and I made three cents per bowl. Now it is sold for fifteen cents, and I only make two cents per bowl. And the quantity sold has dropped suddenly...
And get scolded.
The vendor had a hard time saying it, but he didn't want to complain too much to the customers. He just shook his head helplessly, put the plump white Yuanxiao into the pot, and added a piece of firewood to the stove.
While the vendor was cooking Yuanxiao, Su Yujin took a piece of rice cake and said, "Has the price of food increased so fast in the past few days?"
"I heard about the rising grain prices yesterday, and I inquired everywhere overnight. The grain prices are not rising everywhere. This is only happening in the capital and several nearby states and prefectures." He Yanxiu replied.
"Why is this happening?" Su Yujin was puzzled.
Normally, the capital and its nearby states and prefectures are areas where grain prices are the most stable. One reason is that a large amount of official grain is transported to granaries near the capital in response to possible wars or disasters every year.
Once there is a shortage of food near the capital, in order to ensure stability near the capital, the government will open up the grain and sell official grain at normal prices to ensure the supply of food, while also preventing unscrupulous businessmen from taking the opportunity to harm the people.
It can be said that the grain prices here are more stable than those in the grain-rich Two Lakes region.
"Someone is buying large quantities of grain in the prefectures near the capital, and at a high price," He Yanxiu replied. "The price is extremely high, half higher than the usual grain price, and no matter how much, they will accept it. The grain will be weighed on the spot, and the silver will be settled on the spot."
"Many people thought the price was very reasonable, so they started selling their grain reserves. Some even thought of making a profit from it, buying grain from uninformed grain shops and selling it to those who bought grain at high prices."
"But even if the price is high, it is just after the Chinese New Year and there are still five months before the grain harvest. Many people are worried about the grain harvest and are still unwilling to sell their grain. The grain collectors see that they don't get much grain, so they simply raise the price."
"As a result, many people became very worried, thinking that something had happened. Food became very valuable, so people stopped selling food and started buying it instead."
"As a result, there is a shortage of food in the capital and its surrounding prefectures and cities, and prices are rising. However, the Ministry of Revenue has already come up with a corresponding plan."
Seeing He Yanxiu say this, Su Yujin nodded slightly.
After a moment, he asked, "Why are some people suddenly buying grain at high prices?"
And it was during the Chinese New Year.
"The person who bought grain at a high price has been found and is being interrogated." He Yanxiu said, "When we found him, he said that the reason he gave was that his master's family liked wine, but he felt that he had searched all over the world but had not found good wine, so he wanted to dig a cellar and make wine himself, so he needed to purchase a large amount of grain in order to make excellent wine."
"But we feel that this matter is a little strange, and we are going to investigate it carefully to find out the truth."
Food is the foundation of the people and also the stability of a country. If someone wants to make a fuss about this, it will absolutely not be allowed.
"Yeah." Su Yujin nodded again.
Two bowls of Yuanxiao were quickly served.
The texture of Yuanxiao is firmer than that of glutinous rice balls, and the soup cooked from it is also a bit more sticky than that of glutinous rice balls, but it tastes just as delicious.
The eight-treasure filling is rich in flavor, and the red bean filling is mellow and soft...
The most important thing is to eat it with two people, and exchange one or two from time to time, which can double the sweetness! We ate the sweet Yuanxiao for two whole days.
During this time, some other food is mixed in from time to time.
Fried dough, peanut butter, purple sweet potato glutinous rice balls, pumpkin sesame balls, fried milk, baked dried apples...
He Yanxiu felt that the sweetness these days was seriously excessive!
Of course, weight is also overweight.
When He Yanxiu returned to court on the 17th day of the first lunar month after the New Year, he attracted everyone's attention when he appeared at the first morning court session.
Even officials who had little interaction with him on weekdays looked at him sideways.
Even the Duke of Anguo was stunned for a moment, then he patted He Yanxiu on the shoulder and laughed, "It is said that after a man gets married, he will gain weight because of a happy life and a virtuous wife. But you haven't even gotten married yet, and you are already like this. How will you be after you get married?"
Being teased, He Yanxiu could only bow and smile faintly. He even tried to hold his breath, trying not to loosen the belt he had tightened with great difficulty, so as to avoid revealing his slightly protruding belly.
Greediness really does have a price!
Don’t be lazy about your daily morning exercises!
However, before planning to lose weight, He Yanxiu first went to check the interrogation status of the high-priced grain purchase.
Because this matter involves a wide range of aspects, the emperor personally ordered the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Revenue to jointly supervise it.
Minister Qian of the Ministry of Justice welcomed He Yanxiu and showed him the files. "They interrogated him for several days in a row, and also brought in Ding Maohe, the master he mentioned, for questioning. Everyone's statements were very consistent, saying that they just had a sudden impulse and wanted to dig a large wine cellar for brewing wine."
"As for why we want to buy so much grain and pay such a high price, it's because when Ding Maohe first told others that he wanted to build a winery, some people laughed at him for just relying on his family's inheritance to have no worries about food and drink and squandering money. In fact, he was a useless idiot and would never be able to build a winery."
"Ding Maohe felt that he had suffered great humiliation, and he wanted to let those who laughed at him see that he was rich and capable. So when he was collecting grain, in order to purchase it smoothly, he offered a high price, and even paid the temporary workers who were responsible for transporting the grain higher wages than ordinary people."
"I have personally asked Ding Maohe's friends and the Ding family's servants, and they all confirmed that this is indeed the case. And according to what Ding Maohe said, I also found out about the winery he is planning to build at this time, and everything seems to be fine."
"And Ding Maohe is also well-known in the capital. His ancestors were imperial merchants and the family is quite wealthy. Ding Maohe has been spoiled by his family since he was a child. He does things without considering the consequences. As long as he is happy, he doesn't care about the amount of money."
Due to plot requirements, the heroine's wedding date mentioned in the previous chapters was changed from April to February 22.
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