The drought continues and the disaster situation worsens.
What’s worse is that drought has also occurred in the Gyeonggi region.
It has rained three times since the beginning of spring.
The riverbed water level dropped significantly.
In serious areas, even the well water level has dropped.
Sweet potatoes are widely planted in various places this year.
Sweet potatoes are drought-tolerant.
This means that the price of rice and flour will continue to rise to an astonishing level.
The price limit set by the imperial court can only be effective for a short period of time, not for one, two, or three years.
People who used to eat refined rice and flour changed to eating half refined rice and flour and half brown rice and flour when the drought first showed signs of happening.
When news came from the south that the disaster was getting worse and the rebels were rampant, they stopped eating even refined rice and flour and switched to eating brown rice and flour.
All the refined rice and flour were collected as food reserves.
Many people do this.
In Xinmin County, the busiest place is no longer Wenqing Bookstore or the butcher and vegetable shop, but the grain and oil shop.
Every day, every grain and oil shop is crowded with people.
Regardless of whether there is food stored at home, people will flock to the grain and oil store to buy food.
"We are out of refined rice and flour. Only brown rice and flour are left. Please line up and don't squeeze. Anyone who disrupts the order will be kicked out and will not be served."
Boxes of brown rice and flour were placed in front of the grain shop.
Each person is limited to purchasing five kilograms.
Everyone has a grain and oil notebook.
If you buy five pounds of grain for today, a big red seal of the grain store will be stamped on the grain and oil book.
With this seal, it means that today's share has been bought. With this book, you can't buy a single grain of food at any grain and oil shop in the capital.
This is the purchase restriction in Beijing.
The Ministry of Revenue referred to the method used by the Sihai Trading Company to manage refugees and issued a small booklet to each family, recording the number of people in each family and the amount of food rations required.
People affectionately call the small notebook the grain book.
Since the grain book came into being, it has become the most precious item in the homes of ordinary people, even more important than money.
Because even if you have money now, without a grain certificate, you cannot buy a grain in any grain and oil shop in the capital.
As for those outsiders who rented houses in the capital, such as students, they were registered by the government and each of them received a grain book.
It’s just that the color of the grain book is different from the local household registration.
Who doesn’t have to worry about food these days?
Students at Shanhe Academy don’t have to worry about food.
While everyone in the capital was worried about food, the students of Shanhe Academy could eat to their heart's content.
Three meals a day. Breakfast: fried dough sticks, soy milk, steamed buns, and dumplings.
For lunch and dinner, each person is provided with two dishes and one soup, and enough rice.
The wealthy and powerful naturally don’t have to worry about food.
However, the imperial court was worried that they were hoarding food, so they kept a tight watch on the situation.
Want to buy food? Sure!
Shaofu will sell it to you.
Don't go to the grain and oil shop and compete with the common people for food.
All major bars and restaurants were severely hit and their business plummeted.
The bosses all looked sad.
I have no business but still have to pay rent. How can I not be worried?
Such a high-pressure and strict policy made everyone in the capital worry about food.
Students who rent houses in Xinmin County are even more eager to be admitted to Shanhe Academy so that they can eat their fill every day.
Not having enough to eat and having to study hard is really miserable.
Shanhe Academy, Shanhe Academy, why is it so difficult to get admitted to you!
The learning atmosphere in Xinmin County is unprecedentedly high.
As food became scarce, several girls' schools, including the Xinmin County Junior School, actually saw a small peak in applications.
Just because the school provides breakfast and lunch.
If you can pass the entrance exam to the Girls' Intermediate School, you will not only be provided with three meals a day, but also free accommodation. After learning the skills, you can work in wealthy families to earn money.
Some people had long set their sights on the girls' school in Xinmin County, but due to the famine, all plans had to be postponed.
Food, oh food, where can we get food?
From south to north, there are either droughts or floods.
There is almost no hope for summer grain this year, as summer grain production has been severely reduced from south to north.
The court suddenly discovered that there was so little food in the Zhou Dynasty.
Disasters hit the north and the south at the same time. People in the south of the Yangtze River used their fields to grow mulberry leaves, and the food crisis broke out suddenly, catching everyone off guard.
what to do?
The victims are waiting for life-saving food.
The soldiers at the border are also waiting for food.
People from all over the country are also looking forward to food.
People all over the world are looking forward to food.
Where does food come from?
If the food problem is not solved, the rebellion will flare up again after it is suppressed.
By then, killings of officials and rebellions will occur one after another. If one problem is solved, another one will arise. The Great Zhou Dynasty will be in danger.
"There's food in Jiangnan!"
Someone stood up, like a heavy hammer, hitting everyone's heart hard.
Emperor Wende's eyes burned with anger. "Does Jiangnan really have grain?"
"There's food! Jiangnan is a land of fertile fields stretching for thousands of miles. There are countless large landowners and estates. There's an endless supply of food there."
The court officials were angry!
It turns out they are stealing the landlord’s surplus grain!
This is copying your own background!
In the court, which family is not a big landlord? Which family does not have a full granary of grain?
But is there anyone who would like to donate food?
"absurd!"
"presumptuous!"
"How is this different from being a rebel?"
"Are you planning to commit robbery?"
The court officials all scolded him, wishing they could tear the person who broke the window paper into pieces.
Where did this guy come from? Can he become an official?
If you speak nonsense in the court, believe it or not, you will be dismissed from your post when you leave.
"Why are you so alarmed, my Lords? I said there's grain in Jiangnan, and I didn't mention banditry. The court could buy grain from the big landlords and send it to the disaster area. Jiangnan is quite close to the disaster area, which would save us money on the road! We might even have some grain left over to send to the capital."
That’s a good idea.
The court officials stroked their beards and nodded secretly.
The court pays for the grain, all right! It's just the right time to extort money from the Ministry of Revenue.
It would be a waste not to make money from the court.
"snort!"
Minister Zhao stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, going south to buy grain is certainly feasible, but I'm worried that someone will try to extort the imperial court's money with an unscrupulous attitude. Do they really think the imperial court's money just blows down from the wind? Such shameless people are truly disgusting."
After saying this, he swept his eyes over the Jiangnan officials one by one.
The officials of the Jiangnan faction were fed up and rolled up their sleeves to fight.
Zhao Laogou, who are you scolding?
Are the officials from your Hedong faction good people?
They relied on their mineral resources to raise prices. The brass used to cast their own coins came mainly from Hedong.
He also did a lot of things like privately opening silver mines, gold mines, and iron mines.
What's up?
Are you allowed to make money in Hedong, but not in Jiangnan?
Do the landlords in Jiangnan eat your food or drink your water?
That’s too much!
The two sides argued endlessly.
Officials from Hexi, Huaibei, Southwest, Northwest, and Lingnan all chose to take sides and joined this fierce battle.
Shoes and smelly socks were flying everywhere, and clothes and hats were all over the floor.
The stench in the Golden Palace was unbearable.
The court's morning court session instantly turned into a vegetable market.
Even the aunties in the vegetable market are not as good as her.
"Silence! Silence!"
"absurd!"
Emperor Wende smashed the teacup, snatched the whip from the big Han general's hand, and swung it hard.
Bang!
As soon as the whip sounded, the court became quiet in an instant.
Pah pah pah…
There were three more silent whips, and the hearts of the court officials trembled.
Oh my god, His Majesty is angry!
"Keep arguing! Why don't you? Do you think I'm a clay statue of Buddha, sitting here just for show?"
Emperor Wende picked up the inkstone and smashed it heavily on the shiny ground.
There was a loud bang, and many middle and low-level officials were frightened to the point of their legs going weak.
As for those bigwigs in the court, they all stood still like a mountain.
Neither quarreling nor Emperor Wende getting angry could shake them in the slightest.
"Your Majesty, I believe the person who goes south to purchase grain is crucial. This person must not only be able to purchase grain from the large landowners, but also severely punish those who hoard grain and profit from the disaster victims. Let them know the majesty of the imperial court."
It’s the Minister of Revenue, Mr. Zhao.
The bigwigs in the court nodded in agreement.
"Master Zhao is right. The court is in such a difficult situation, and some people are only concerned about hoarding grain and making money. They don't have any compassion at all. They deserve to die!"
"We need to buy grain and demonstrate the authority of the imperial court. The person who goes south to buy grain must not only have a high enough status, but also be decisive and ruthless when necessary to make an example of others! He must be bold and daring! Such a person is difficult to find!"
Emperor Wende asked sternly, "Which of you, my dear ministers, can help me with my worries while I go south to buy grain?"
"I'd love to help your majesty, but I'm afraid I'm powerless to suppress the local wealthy families in Jiangnan. I can't lower the price, and instead they'll take advantage of the situation to enrich themselves and mock the court's incompetence! I can't help your majesty, and I'm guilty of death!"
Some people are smart enough to be the first to stand up and say that they are incompetent.
Damn it!
Going south to buy grain and suppressing grain prices is really a deadly job!
Not only will you offend someone, you might even lose your head.
Officials from Jiangnan are not easy to deal with.
This group of people are very skilled at forming cliques and suppressing dissidents, and their methods are very sophisticated.
You have only a few arms and legs, so don't take on such a big responsibility.
He took the initiative to admit his incompetence. Although it was embarrassing, at least his official position and future were saved.
Immediately afterwards, several officials stood up and claimed that they were incompetent and could not share the emperor's worries.
“That’s enough!”
Emperor Wende was furious. "The court squandered money and food, only to support a bunch of you useless people. When we were vying for power, you were all so active. Now that it's your turn to share my worries, you've all become cowards. Since you're incompetent, get out! Stop occupying the toilet without doing anything. Come, strip them of their official uniforms and hats, and throw them out!"
The ministers were horrified and pleaded for mercy.
Emperor Wende was determined to crush the arrogance of his courtiers with drastic measures. "Anyone who dares to plead for mercy will be stripped of his official hat and uniform like those others and kicked out. The court will not support useless people who sit in office and do nothing!"
As soon as the words fell, no one stood up to plead.
Feelings are important, but official hats are more important.
The big Han general rushed in, stripped off the official uniforms and hats of several self-righteous officials, and dragged them all out.
Several officials were dumbfounded!
How could Your Majesty not play by the rules?
"Your Majesty, I am wronged!"
It’s such an injustice!
All the people in the court will be dragged out and beheaded one by one, and no one will be wronged.
Emperor Wende was furious and asked sternly, "Which of my dear ministers can help me with my worries while I go south to purchase grain?"
"Your Majesty, the person going south to purchase grain must not have any connections with the Jiangnan nobles, must be familiar with the complex relationships there, and must also possess a high enough status and sufficiently ruthless tactics. Such a person is hard to find!"
The words of the Minister of the Central Secretariat, Lord Li, pointed out the difficulty involved.
All the ministers agreed!
Yes, it’s hard to find such people!
He cannot have any connection with Jiangnan, he must be familiar with Jiangnan, he must have a high enough status, and he must use ruthless means. Where can you find such a person?
The Shaofu Housekeeper stroked his beard and said, "I can think of someone like that."
After saying this, he looked at the almighty Emperor Wende.
The Shaofu's steward was very cunning. He didn't mention the name, but he had already pointed out everything.
Emperor Wende immediately came to the same conclusion as the Minister of the Imperial Household.
There is indeed such a person in the court who meets all the requirements.
If he went south to purchase grain, there was a high probability that he could buy grain from the large landlords in the south of the Yangtze River at a more favorable price.
But Emperor Wende frowned.
Because the only person who meets the requirements is Liu Zhao.
He has a high enough status, fierce enough methods, and sufficient understanding of Jiangnan, but he has no interest involvement with the wealthy families there.
Emperor Wende asked, "Are there any other candidates?"
The Shaofu Household Officer shook his head slightly, "This old minister is stupid and can't think of a second person."
At this time, someone else stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, why not send the Second Prince south to purchase grain? The Second Prince has been to Jiangnan before and knows the area well, and he is also a very important figure. If he goes south, he will definitely be able to buy grain in time."
Emperor Wende frowned and couldn't help but look at the second prince Liu Ping who had been silent.
The Second Prince, Liu Ping, stepped out of the group, bowed, and said, "I, your son, am willing to go to Jiangnan to relieve my father and the imperial court of their worries!"
The Shaofu household official just watched from the sidelines.
The Minister of the Central Secretariat, Lord Li, waited and saw what would happen.
The Minister of Revenue, Lord Zhao, was anxious and stepped forward to ask, "Excuse me, Your Highness, how much money do you plan to spend and how much grain do you plan to buy? How will you transport it? How many people will you need to take south? Do you have a target? Where do you plan to buy grain? You can't just go to the market and find a grain store."
A large amount of grain is not stored in grain stores, but in the landlords' warehouses.
The series of questions left everyone stunned.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
