Only then did Su Qingyu understand what the old lady meant.
Her second uncle, Su Chengyan, was currently serving as a fourth-rank deputy commander of the Qianzhou Guard. Her second aunt and her children were also stationed there, and the distance between them meant they couldn't even return for the New Year.
She also has a third uncle from a concubine named Su Chengxun, who is now the fourth-rank prefect of Suzhou.
In her previous life, Old Madam Shen never mentioned this matter. For the next three years, my second uncle stayed in Qianzhou and was not transferred back to the capital.
But there was one thing she always remembered.
Two years after she got married in her previous life, her grandmother celebrated her sixtieth birthday. Her second and third uncles returned, bringing their families with them.
Second Uncle's words were all about the Shen family's decline, and he blamed her for not contributing much to the family. Third Uncle, on the other hand, had privately asked her twice if she was doing well and if the Shen family was treating her well. Before leaving, Third Uncle had specifically instructed her to send him a letter if she had any difficulties.
Su Qingyu suddenly had an idea in her drooping brows. She raised her head and said with a smile, "I'll remember it. I'll find a chance to tell Madam Shen."
When I walked out of Songhe Hall and headed towards Bishui Pavilion, I unexpectedly met Gu Ruoyun.
"The eldest lady is back. I heard there were rotten vegetable leaves and eggs thrown all over the ground in front of the Su's Grain Store. What's going on? Is this good business going to close down?"
Su Qingyu looked at Gu Ruoyun with a puzzled expression and said, "This is just the beginning. Tomorrow I will open the shop and sell five taels of silver per stone. One stone sells for two taels more than today. Do you know how much silver my stored grain is worth?"
"What's the big deal about throwing away some vegetable leaves and eggs? I don't have to clean up."
After saying that, Su Qingyu left with her head held high.
Gu Ruoyun narrowed her eyes. Five taels of silver? Then how much less would their shop have to sell today?
Thinking of this, Gu Ruoyun immediately ordered her maid Lu Ru, "Go tell Zhou Bu Ren that we won't sell it today. And ask other families how much they'll sell it for tomorrow. If they all sell it for five taels tomorrow, we'll sell it for five taels too."
In the evening, Lin Wenbai had someone deliver a letter with only four words: Everything goes well.
The next morning, Su Qingyu went to the shop early. Just like yesterday, there were long queues in front of all the grain stores in the capital.
When the Chenshi hour arrives, all shops open at the same time.
The listed price of Zhou's Grain Store is five taels of silver per dan, while the listed prices of Su's Grain Store, Lin's Grain Store and other medium-sized and larger grain stores in the capital are all one tael and five cents of silver per dan.
For a while, the entrance of Su’s Grain Store was bustling with people, and the people were all asking why the price had risen to one tael and five cents per stone again?
Lin Sheng explained loudly at the door, "Today, all grain stores in Beijing have a rule: if you bring your household registration, you will pay one tael and five cents per dan of grain, but each household can only buy two dan at most."
When someone heard they had to get their household registration, they hurriedly asked, "What if our two dan of grain isn't enough? Can't we buy more? If I use my household registration to buy two dan from you, can I still buy more somewhere else?"
Lin Sheng said, "Two dan of grain is enough for most families to eat for a month. By the end of the month, grain from Jiangnan will have arrived. No matter where you go to buy it, you'll find a seal on the back of your household registration. Once you buy two dan, you can't buy it anywhere else."
One of the people who had smashed the Su family's shop yesterday said embarrassedly, "Shopkeeper Lin, I'm so sorry. I misunderstood you yesterday."
Lin Sheng smiled and said, "You've been deceived. Our Su's Grain Store has been around for over 20 years. You can rest assured that the rice is good and the price is fair."
After everyone understood what was going on, they all went home to get their household registrations and lined up nearby to buy rice. Compared to yesterday's chaos, the capital was now in good order.
The shopkeepers of several shops in Zhou's grain store hurried back to the Zhou family, hoping to consult the shopkeeper Zhou for advice. However, before the shopkeeper Zhou could find out what was going on, the Zhou's grain store was sealed off by the yamen runners of Shuntian Prefecture.
The charge is malicious price gouging.
I heard that Zhou Bu'ren, the owner of Zhou's Grain Store, was also taken to Shuntian Prefecture for questioning.
The moment the seal was put on, the people cheered loudly.
Su Qingyu and Lin Wenbai were drinking tea in the small hall behind the shop and were startled by the cheers outside.
"Cousin, how did you convince the Shang family and the Fang family? I didn't expect it to be so smooth. They all agreed."
Lin Wenbo said, "I just repeated what you said to me to them. They were all very smart and agreed without hesitation."
"The Patriarch of the Fang family happened to be in the capital, and he took the lead in looking for Elder Xu. Elder Xu was very satisfied with the response strategies of our families this time."
"From what Lord Xu said, the imperial court will be preparing to deal with the grain merchants who raised prices in the next day or two. After meeting Lord Xu, the Fang family and the merchants were very grateful to me."
"Also, the court asked us to allocate some grain for disaster relief. I remember your instructions, saying that the capital's treasury can only allocate 200,000 dan."
Su Qingyu asked, "Did they believe it?"
Lin Wenbo chuckled and said, "Why don't you believe it? The Fang family can only offer 150,000 shi, and the Shang family can only offer 100,000 shi. Our family's contribution is still more."
Su Qingyu pondered for a moment and said, "Before the grain from Jiangnan is shipped over, grain in Northern Zhili will definitely be in short supply. The court will also squeeze grain from these major grain merchants in the future. You always follow them and act like you're just trying to get by. Don't give people the impression that you're rich and have plenty of grain."
Lin Wenbo nodded and replied, "I know what to do. I've dealt with government officials quite a bit over the years and I know their morals."
Seeing that everything was going well, Su Qingyu got up and returned to the Marquis' Mansion.
Gu Ruoyun was pacing anxiously at the door of the Marquis' Mansion, as if she was waiting for someone.
Su Qingyu signaled the carriage to stop, got out, walked forward, and asked, "Why is my cousin here? Is there something wrong?"
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