In the early spring of February, the cold food is coming, the climate is warming, and Jiankang City is also recovering.

The refugees who had been placed in the camps earlier were only part of the Jiankang population, and there were many large numbers of so-called good families scattered throughout the city. But because of the lack of materials, they were only barely able to make ends meet in the past cold winter, and with the demolition of Changganli and other areas, these people are now gathered on both sides of the Qinhuai River.

The materials transported by Wuzhong have solved the urgent need of the lack of use in the capital. Nowadays, on both sides of the Qinhuai River, bamboo sheds are built everywhere, and trucks are parked on the bank, which are full of money and silk. As soon as a cargo ship arrives on the river, a large number of people rush up, ready to rush to the deal.

Hundreds of dollars of rice, thousands of dollars of salt, as long as there is goods on this waterway, there is no worry about sales, and there is no worry about not being able to sell at a price. Those who were lucky enough to scramble for the goods were able to buy their goods neatly, and then there would be families who would carry them to the city in ox carts and bamboo rafts, either for their own use or for resale.

Because of the shortage of materials, the market in Jiankang City is now chaotic to more than one mile, and the goods are two prices. Such a chaotic market will inevitably cause a large number of small families to go bankrupt, and those who participate in hoarding can take advantage of this to make a lot of profits, and secondly, they can take advantage of the chaos to hide the population, which can be described as killing two birds with one stone.

In this matter, the imperial court has no right to speak at all, because of the bad central finance, the right to speak on the market is almost zero, and it can only watch those who hold capital make waves.

Shen Zhezi rode on a horse and walked slowly along the Qinhuai River, parallel to him were Yu Manzhi and Shen Yun, and behind him was the ox cart on which Princess Xingnan was riding.

Looking at the noisy sides of the river, Yu Manyi sighed while shaking the horsewhip in his hand: "Originally, I only thought that the military disaster was the number one evil in the world, but now I know that there are too many killing methods in this world that don't need two knives at all." Yesterday, my family went to the market to buy rice, do you know how much it costs to fight rice? That's a thousand five! These black-hearted businessmen simply don't give people a way to live! In the past, stone rice was not enough for this price, and the world was disturbed, so what good did they have! ”

When Shen Zhezi heard this, he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed, now there are all kinds of commodities in the capital, but in fact, there are only three ways, Jingfu, Wuzhong and Jiangzhou. Among them, Jingfu and Wuzhong, there is no need to think deeply, it is the Wuzhong Business Alliance led by the Shen family, plus Yutiao's group of hidden overseas Chinese.

On the Jiangzhou side, there were also a large number of merchants and travelers who trafficked materials to the north, but they were all stuck near Gu Yi by Yu Yi of Xuancheng. To put it bluntly, the reason why the prices in the capital are now chaotic to this point is that a considerable part of it is the Shen family and the Yu family who are fueling the troubles. Yu Manzhi scolded the bald donkey in front of the monk, and scolded his own Lao Tzu by the way, but Shen Zhezi didn't know how to answer.

Shen Yun didn't know that his family was also making a big profit now, but because he heard that most of the merchants on the waterway were talking about Wu Yin, his emotions couldn't help but be biased, and after hearing this, he said: "Yu Changmin, you are a veteran, you only saw the high prices in the capital, but you can know that these business trips to the north are also a lot of hard work!" Don't say that the price of rice is in the middle, even in my hometown, at the beginning of the year, it was 100 yuan for rice! If it weren't for these caravans coming north, there would be more people starving to death in the capital! ”

"Ha, Shen Xiaowu, you are quibbling! You also said that the price of rice in your township is only 100 yuan, and the freight is from north to south, even if it is two or three times the profit, is it not enough for them to earn? How many times is it now? That's more than ten times! ”

Yu Manzhi said angrily: "In my opinion, we should kill all these profiteers who disregard the people's livelihood and hoard goods for sale!" Earlier, the rebels Dasuo Jiangdong could scavenge money and grain without a single strand! ”

Seeing that this guy who felt the hardship of the people and was jealous and hateful even had the idea of killing his father, Shen Zhezi opened his mouth and said, "What's the use of you arguing about this? It is the nature of businessmen to tend to go high and avoid low, and the price of rice at the fence is only six or seven hundred yuan, and it has exceeded a thousand yuan near the big truss. People have needs, people have what they want, if you really want to move the army, along the big truss to kill, kill cleanly, there is no raw mouth, naturally there is no need for rice grain. ”

Hearing this, both of them stopped arguing.

Similar to Yu Manzhi's worries, Shen Zhezi is not without it, although the prices in the capital are chaotic now, they are actually within the controllable range. Now, more than half a year has passed since the end of the counterinsurgency, and goods from all over Jiangdong have actually been mobilized here, including local families in Gyeonggi, who have actually hoarded a large amount of supplies.

At present, this shortage of materials is actually only man-made. Yu Yi was upstream, Shang Meng and Yin Jue were downstream, including Shen Zhezi's communication with people from all over the country when he rescued Han Huang, and they joined forces to carry out a small-scale blockade of Jiankang around the New Year.

The reason for this is, of course, profit-making an aspect. As the main battlefield of the previous rebellion, Xuancheng and Guyi, Wuhu and other places along the river were devastated more than Jiankang. Yu Yi himself is not a strong airborne there, and if he wants to open up the situation quickly, he needs a lot of money and food.

The Shen family, including Yu Tiao himself, even if there is accumulation, they can't help without a bottom line. Besides, this pit is too big, and if you want to fill it with the strength of one family at a time, even the Shen family will have to hurt your vitality. Not to mention that Yuzhou is not directly controlled by Shen Zhezi now, even if Shen Zhezi goes, he can't play like this.

Although it is immoral to make a fortune, I have to admit that this is a pretty good opportunity. If Yu Yi can't quickly open up the situation and spread the stalls, then the hidden dangers left behind are definitely not something that can be compensated for by that little moral satisfaction.

Of course, creating such a situation cannot be created just for the sake of profit. While squeezing people's wealth through price control, it is also expanding the depth and potential of the Jiankang market.

People, or ordinary people, after suffering a catastrophe, react to stress by hoarding as much as possible, shrinking up, avoiding communication with the outside world, and thus avoiding risks. In this way, no matter how many people there are in Jiankang City, they will be isolated from family to family and become lifeless. Without two or three years of recuperation, it is impossible to be active again.

Once such a situation happens, those who have capital and strength will use this means to engulf others and strengthen themselves.

By manipulating prices, Shen Zhezi targeted not only the families of small people, but also those who took the opportunity to be second-class dealers and profiteers. He has been waiting for a critical point, and when those people hoard to a certain extent, the torrent of materials that have been accumulated around him for a long time will immediately rush into Jiankang, and the price will be suppressed in a very short time.

Of course, this will cause a large number of small families to go bankrupt, but they are not desperate, and the refugee camps in Tunam have been open to accept the affected people. In this way, it is also possible to directly control a larger population.

The economic basis for the survival of the scholars is population and land, as long as the distribution of social resources does not change, no matter how clean the killing, the subsequent rise will be the same. With the premise of building a new capital, no matter how many people are scavenged, Shen Zhezi dares to accept it. Chaos is only temporary, as long as these people are stuffed into the workplace, society will not be chaotic!

Of course, these considerations, young people like Yu Manzhi and Shen Yun, have limited vision, even if they explain it to them, they may not be able to understand it. Shen Zhezi can also be regarded as doing good deeds without leaving a name, making profits while adding more people under the direct control of the imperial court. As long as there are people, everything is possible, whether ancient or modern!

The group traveled along the Qinhuai River all the way to the vicinity of Danyang County, where the Xie family now lives.

As soon as he turned into the alley, Xie Yi, who had been waiting for a long time, hurried up to meet him, and smiled from afar: "The humble house is a humble house, the streets and alleys are secluded, and I am worried that the horse will not find the way." ”

Of course, these words are humble words, Shen Zhezi and they traveled all the way, and the servants of the Xie family led the way in front. However, the place where the Xie family lives is indeed a bit remote, located at the back of Chengdong County, with narrow streets and alleys and even difficult for cars and horses. When turning into the alley, Princess Xingnan had to get out of the car and change to Bulin.

"Xie Er, you are also a wealthy person, why did you settle down in such a remote place?"

The group got off the horse, Yu Manzhi stood on tiptoe in the alley and looked left and right, the uneven street water had already overflowed the top of his boots, and the environment here was indeed not good.

"Yu San, after you returned to the capital, you have become noble, and you didn't dare to talk so much nonsense when you were lying in the mud pit years ago!"

Xie Yi stepped forward and laughed, and the friendship between them was also fateful, neither embarrassed because of the poor residence, nor dissatisfied because of Yu Manzhi's complaints.

Shen Zhezi handed the reins to the family members behind him, and he also thanked the family in large quantities. Although the location of this house is not good, the area is not small, but the streets and alleys are too cramped, and there are even people who build shacks in the alleys, which can't help but feel messy.

In fact, not only the Xie family, many of the old surnames of overseas Chinese from the south are not in a good situation in Jiankang City, and the location of Wuyi Lane, which is quite famous until later generations, is also numerous, and people like Wang Ge Gaomen are a minority after all. If it weren't for the dowry brought by the princess, Shen Zhezi would have to schedule if he wanted to live in Wuyi Alley.

Because the alley was narrow, the group continued to move forward, and Xie Yi introduced the young man who followed him before the crown, which was his brother Xie Huzi.

Shen Zhezi and Xie Yi are familiar with each other, but it is the first time to visit Xie's house, so it is also the first time to see this Xie Huzi.

Xie Jiaxuanfeng is strong, this Xie Huzi is also dressed like a celebrity, his clothes are scattered, and in this cold spring day, there is a cold wind through the hall, and his nose is a little red from the cold, but he is still dignified, his appearance is similar to Xie Yi, with a square head and a big face, and he looks very upright.

Because the princess came together, Xie Huzi went home first to report the news, Shen Zhezi didn't care, the eldest princess of Danyang passed the house, and she always had to put on a ceremony to greet her.

Seeing that the princess was also coming, Xie Yi couldn't help but be a little surprised, and said again and again: "But the family has a small gathering, how dare the princess come in person." ”

"Wuyi and I are already good families, and it is also appropriate to visit the elders in the house."

Shen Zhezi laughed, and when he looked up again, there were already several people in front of the Xie family's mansion, and the leaders were Xie Yi's father Xie Yi and cousin Xie Shang.