Updated: 2012-11-08

Everyone came to the mansion and sat down, Song Zhen told Su Jin the specific situation, originally Yangzhou Mansion was a good situation of stability and unity, but since the promulgation of the meal reduction order, I don't know why the normal grain shops in the market have closed down, and the people can't buy food everywhere, and at the same time, the black market is rising, and the high price of rice is scary.

The people endured for a while, hoping that the state government yamen would take some measures, but after half a month, the situation did not improve at all, the price of rice in the black market was getting higher and higher, the grain shops were still closed, and everyone's money bags could no longer bear the normal food needs.

If it's something else, it's fine, but there is no food, it's a real problem, you can wear tattered clothes, you can drink plain water, you can not go to Fireworks Willow Lane, you can walk instead of taking a mule cart, but no matter what method you use, you can't fool an empty stomach.

As the situation progressed, there were more and more displaced people on the streets, and people's anger became higher and higher, and finally broke out into a riot of smashing, looting, and burning. Disorderly behavior.

Song Zhen did not realize the seriousness of the problem at first, but when he realized the deterioration of the situation, all he could do was to send troops to enforce the ban and arrest the mob who took the lead in making trouble.

Su Jin listened to Song Zhen's narration, and sighed in his heart, reading well does not necessarily mean being a good official, although this Song Zhen was a high school champion and once served as the deputy prime minister of the governor's affairs, but it seems that he is a layman for governing government affairs.

Just like some people in later generations, when they read to a postdoctoral degree, their glasses are as thick as the bottom of a wine bottle, and in the end they can't even take care of their own basic life; Such people are not useless, they are very able to calm down when they do knowledge and research cutting-edge technology; If Song Zhen goes to be the head of the country, or to be a scholar of Hanlin and the revision of the history museum, he will definitely be like a fish in water, and it seems that it will be difficult for him to shepherd the side.

"Dare to ask Lord Song, have you investigated why the grain store doesn't sell grain?"

"This ...... I haven't asked yet, the officials want the merchants to buy and sell is their own business, and the government has no right to interfere when the merchants open or close their businesses. ”

Su Jin raised his hand and surrendered, Song Zhen actually had this idea, could it be that Song Zhen was a traverser? Engaging in a market economy in the feudal era? Even if it doesn't interfere in business, at such a juncture, how can you let the business do as you like?

Song Zhen saw Su Jin's depression and said: "Your Excellency, this government has always adopted an open policy for commercial affairs, and there has been no mistake in the past two years, I don't know what happened this time, my Yangzhou Mansion originally had enough rice and grain, even if the imperial court was in a hurry to urge grain this year, it would not be so, and the official was really puzzled." ”

Su Jin said: "Don't you know that there is a great drought in the south this year? If you go and see for yourself, even the canal has become a small ditch, and the water transportation has been changed to land transportation, haven't you made preparations in advance? ”

Song Zhen frowned and said: "Of course this government knows, but last year, my Yangzhou Mansion was the year of Dafeng, and the total income was more than 10 million stones, except for the amount handed over, the remaining grain should be enough for the 700,000 people of my Yangzhou Mansion to feed for two years, how could this happen?" This is exactly what the government cannot understand. ”

Su Jin was really speechless, as a parent official, he didn't even know about the fact that businessmen from all over the country gathered in the south to store grain a few months ago, who to reason with about this; Seeing that he couldn't talk to this lord of the mansion, Su Jin didn't want to waste any more saliva.

"Lord Fuzun, you don't have to worry, this envoy came on the emperor's orders to solve the current food shortage crisis in Yangzhou Mansion, this envoy just wants to ask the adults to help me act, and the rest of the things don't have to worry about for the time being, everything has me."

Song Zhen's expression was a relieved expression, as if a piece of was originally stuck to his face, but now it was thrown on the faces of others and sticked, and he was relaxed.

"Then there is the Labor Envoy, if there is anything that needs help, the government will do its best, but the lower official has a question, how will you solve the current situation?"

"That's a matter of the envoy, don't worry, do you feel a little disappointed that I came empty-handed? To tell you the truth, I have hundreds of thousands of stones of grain that can be transported to Yangzhou in half a month, and at least then I can ensure that Yangzhou Capital will be fully supplied within two months. ”

Song Zhen stroked his palms and smiled: "I see, the envoy is really timely rain, I didn't expect to be able to mobilize so much food at once, this official thanked the envoy on behalf of the people of Yangzhou Mansion." ”

Su Jin waved his hand and said, "Don't thank you first, have you ever thought about it in two months?" What happens when all this food is eaten? At that time, it is the first month of the new year, and there are still four or five months before the new grain goes on the market. ”

Song Zhen was stunned, rubbed his hands and said: "This is a problem, the situation may be even worse than now." Does the envoy have a recipe? ”

Su Jin spread his hands and said: "There is no magic formula in the world that can be tried, but from now on, this envoy will start to think about it in two months, and this is the errand that this envoy came here." ”

Song Zhen looked at Su Jin in a daze, this sixteen-year-old boy looked white and tender, but compared to him, he seemed so incompetent and mediocre, these things could make him unable to sleep for a few days and nights, and he couldn't figure out the key to the problem even if he was white, but this little envoy seemed to be fine, which made Song Zhen envious, self-blame, and worried; But in any case, the envoy is the only hope he sees at the moment, and he must be assisted to grasp this life-saving straw.

……

In the north of Luzhou City, a team of people and horses walked slowly on the official road, leaving Bozhou Majiayi has been four days, Majiayi to Luzhou is only two days away, under the instruction of Long Zhen, it took four days to reach the outskirts of Luzhou.

Yan Biyun had sent his servants several times to urge Long Zhen to speed up the journey, but Long Zhen always shirked it for various reasons, one moment some soldiers pretended to be sick, delayed in the small market town, and said that the weather was too cold, the wind was too big, there was too much gravel on the road, and he was afraid of hurting the horses if he ran fast.

Yan Biyun faintly felt that something was wrong, but then he thought about it, these were all guards who had been ordered by the emperor to do an errand, so they wouldn't be tired of playing anything, and no matter what, after all, Luzhou was getting closer and closer, so he didn't say anything, but secretly told his guards and Zhang Long to be careful.

Long Zhen's little eyes always circled around his carriage with bad intentions, so Yan Biyun and Xiao Xian'er did not leave the carriage one step, even their clothes were changed into blue ordinary clothes, and the veil never left their faces, and even when they stayed at night, they only ate the dry food they brought from home, and they did not touch any of the wine, meat, and dishes sent by Long Zhen.

Seeing the faint shadow of Luzhou City, Yan Biyun breathed a sigh of relief, she called Zhang Long and asked him to hurry to Luzhou City to inform the Su family and his Hefeng Mansion steward, and ask them to prepare for the reception.

The team entered the city of Luzhou, the people of Luzhou, who had never seen so many horse teams, watched and discussed, the news soon spread throughout the city, Zhu Shiyong, the prefect of Luzhou, learned that the Beijing Guards Department came to Luzhou on business, and the reaction was quite fast, and he immediately brought people to greet him.

Long Zhen has never enjoyed such treatment, and the prefect of Sipin is also a high-ranking official, and he talked to Commander Long Long by his side, acting like his master, and this sense of vanity made him fluttering and proud.

Yan Biyun saw it in his eyes and asked someone to invite Long Zhen to discuss the handover of grain transportation, but Long Zhen refused: "This lady, our brothers have traveled for seven or eight days to arrive in Luzhou, you always have to give us a rest, even if the envoy is here, he will not be so anxious." ”

Yan Biyun said: "What is this called by Commander Long?" The situation in Yangzhou is like fire, otherwise would the envoy rush to Yangzhou in such a hurry? This batch of grain is life-saving food, in case of a civil unrest, can the dragon commander bear the responsibility? ”

Long Zhen sneered: "How can this commander take on such a big responsibility, I only know that the emperor is not short of hungry soldiers, and since my brothers follow me out on errands, I have the responsibility to let them eat and rest their strength; Besides, transporting grain is not just lip service, you are in a hurry here, how can you transport it away without a vehicle? Just a few hundred cars are enough for our brothers to be busy, and this is not something that girls can do in a hurry. ”

Yan Biyun trembled angrily, and the Yan family couldn't help but step forward and scolded: "Keep your mouth clean, do you know who you're talking to?" ”

Long Zhen squinted his eyes and said, "What's the matter, you still can't fight?" You are not afraid of this, I advise you to stop and stop, I will give him three points of face in front of him, who are you, and come to reprimand you, so as to wait for the letter of the master, I know very well when to do things, and it is not your turn to speak. ”

Long Zhen said, and left with the guards like a gust of wind, Yan Biyun was angry, but there was nothing he could do; I had to tell everyone to rest for the time being, waiting for news from Long Zhen.

When everyone in the Su family learned that Yan Biyun had arrived in Luzhou, the old shopkeeper Zhang and the shopkeeper Zhao Da came to greet Rou Niang and others, Yan Biyun received everyone in the backyard of Hefeng Building, and everyone knew about the relationship between Yan Biyun and Su Jin, and the topic of meeting was always inseparable from Su Jin.

When he learned that this trip was to transport the 500,000 stone grain hoarded by Yan Biyun to Yangzhou Mansion, the old shopkeeper Zhang's brows instantly twisted into a pimple.