Chapter 440 Mutual Testing
When Zhao Yi returned to the grain shop, he was greeted by the shopkeeper. "Master, the government has sent us a message. They say that from now on, the price of grain sold to the people will be thirty coins per catty."
Zhao Yi's eyes were filled with a cold glint. The government had no control over grain prices, leaving grain shops to set their own prices. Now, someone has been sent to strictly limit the price of grain to thirty coins per catty.
The price is double that of other grain stores.
This shows that Feng Zhihuan was testing him.
In order to deceive his identity.
Seeing Zhao Yi didn't respond, the shopkeeper said tremblingly, "The official also said...that the people are suffering. There are many more beggars in the city, not to mention other places, where there are probably even more people who can't eat. But the government has no money to provide relief, so they can only ask the grain shops to raise their prices and collect more taxes to use to help the refugees."
Zhao Yi had a plan in mind: "According to the official documents."
The shopkeeper opened his mouth, wanting to say that the county magistrate was a corrupt official who didn't care about the lives of the people. The extra taxes collected were just going into the county magistrate's pocket.
The most important point is that with food prices so high, I'm afraid more people will go hungry.
On second thought, the government has issued the document, so if I don’t comply, I’m afraid it won’t work.
The shopkeeper swallowed the words that were on his lips and said, "I'll write the price on a sign and hang it on the door."
Zhao Yi nodded slightly and signaled the shopkeeper to do it.
The shopkeeper wrote the sign and hung it at the door.
Zhao Yi stood at the door of the grain shop, staring at the price on the sign.
After a while, he withdrew his gaze, got on the carriage and left.
The shopkeeper stood at the door, watched the carriage leave, and sighed deeply.
It was originally thought that the grain shop's business would decline sharply and would be insulted and smashed by the people.
Unexpectedly, to his surprise, the number of people coming to buy food increased rather than decreased.
The shopkeeper asked curiously, "The price of grain has doubled, why are you buying more?"
The people buying grain said, "Before, grain here cost only a few coins per jin. Then, when there was a shortage, the price rose to 15 coins per jin. Grain is so expensive that we only buy enough each day, hoping the government will send us grain. Then, when the shortage is resolved, the price will naturally go down."
"We waited and waited until your grain store delivered the grain. We thought the price would go down, but it went up again. We're not afraid of running out of food, so you're raising the price. If we don't buy more grain and store it, what will we do if we can't buy it later?"
"Isn't it? Food is expensive, but it's better than having no food at all."
The shopkeeper's mood became heavy and he said no more.
The soldiers hiding in the dark saw that the customers in the grain shop were buying grain in an orderly manner and no one was causing trouble, and they couldn't help but wonder.
As soon as the grain store closed, the soldier returned to the prefectural governor's office and reported to Feng Zhihuan, "Sir, according to the document, the grain store has raised the price to thirty wen per catty. Strangely, the people are not making a fuss; they are all buying grain in an orderly manner."
Feng Zhihuan frowned, unable to figure out what Zhao Yi was thinking.
It turned out that he guessed that Zhao Yi's identity was not ordinary, and even suspected that he was involved with Prince Guangling, so he deliberately raised the price of grain and collected more taxes to test him.
If the other party really has a background, he will definitely be dissatisfied with the documents issued by the government.
But the other party actually did it.
Could it be that Zhao Yi is really a businessman?
Businessmen make huge profits.
For them, the benefits of official documents outweigh the disadvantages, so naturally they would not be dissatisfied.
Feng Zhihuan waved his hand: "Keep a closer eye on it."
The soldier replied, "Yes."
-
In the next few days, all the grain in Zhao Yi's grain shop was sold out.
Not only that, but word got out.
The price of grain in Yongqing County was thirty coins per catty, and the supply was in short supply.
Well-informed merchants were eager to gather grain and sell it in Yongqing County.
Feng Zhihuan was a little surprised when he heard the news.
Before he could think about it, someone came in to report: "Sir, it's bad. All the officers and soldiers guarding the beggar have been killed."
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