Su Jin's strategy worked, and in the three days he left Beijing, as soon as the imperial court's edict on the purchase of private grain at an official price was promulgated, the eight-hundred-mile urgent messenger Liushui shuttled out of the four cities and went to the various prefectures to convey the edict.

The state capital where the edict arrived acted quickly, posted a notice to make the content of the edict public, and one stone stirred up a thousand waves, and the content of the edict immediately caused an uproar.

Not to mention that the official price of the imperial court was 10% higher than the market price, and the price of rice in the shops that were still selling grain in the market had risen to the usual price of 1 per stone, that is to say, the imperial court had to pay the consistent price of 2 per stone to buy, and such a price was unique, more than double the price of grain five months ago.

What is even more exciting is that the imperial court not only bought at a high price, but also attached greater benefits, and the series of incentives attracted these wealthy but non-status businessmen was huge, and some timid and careful people keenly felt a sense of ominousness after carefully studying the contents of the imperial court's edict.

Obviously, the merchants who can survive until November 20 are unwilling to sell grain, and the price after this limit completely blocks their grain sales channel, isn't this contrary to the original intention of the imperial court?

Careful and sensitive people will naturally consider the mystery carefully, will the imperial court let them store grain for profit? Their instincts told them that after November 20th, the court would not raise bait, but boards and butcher knives.

On the third day of the announcement of the edict, the state capitals of Mengzhou Mansion on Jingxi East Road, Yongxing Road Shaanzhou, Zezhou on Hedong Road, and Weizhou on Hebei West Road were reported to Beijing on the third day of the edict.

The three divisions of the yamen are brightly lit, the three divisions of the envoy Yan Shu together with the two three divisions of the judge and a subordinate official sit in the yamen, constantly receiving fast horse reports from the nearby states and counties, the master clerks are busy counting the numbers and prices, from the afternoon to the two watches, and finally one after another the number of grains purchased by the official warehouses of the twenty-seven counties of eight states near the capital have been counted.

Yan Shu instructed everyone to continue to wait at the yamen, and he hurried into the palace with statistics to face the saint; Zhao Zhen, who had already been asleep, heard Yan Shu's request to see him, and he didn't even put on his clothes, so he pulled his shoes and asked someone to take Yan Shu to his bedroom, completely ignoring the concubine who was still lying on the bed.

"How? How's it going?" Zhao Zhen hurriedly pulled up Yan Shu, who was kneeling on the ground, and asked.

Yan Shu got up and said in a deep voice: "Great joy, Your Majesty, this afternoon, after waiting for two days, the news of the states and counties near the capital has finally arrived, so far, the twenty-seven counties of eight states near the capital have purchased a total of 660,000 stones of grain, I didn't expect that such a work could be built in one day, and if it goes on like this, the situation is very good." ”

Zhao Zhen raised his eyebrows, reached out and took the statistical paper, glanced at it again and again, and shouted in his mouth: "Okay, it's really good news; Yan Aiqing, according to your speculation, according to this trend, how much grain can be collected in the whole country to survive this famine? ”

Yan Shu pondered: "Your Majesty, the minister has estimated that according to this trend, I can get at least 800 to 9 million stones of grain in the entire territory of the Great Song Dynasty, and the gap is not small; According to the minister's previous budget, the grain stored in our treasury plus the purchased grain needs at least 60 million stone to be put on the market next year's summer grain, and the gap is not small at present. ”

Zhao Zhen's heat immediately cooled down, and said, "At present, the government has less than 40 million stones of grain." ”

Yan Shu said: "The latest reported figure is 33 million, of which 10 million are absolutely untouchable, this is military food, people eat horses and chew, this 10 million is not enough; It seems that the intensity will be increased. ”

Zhao Zhen said: "Do the people have so much grain in stock? I'm worried that the people don't have that much food at all. ”

Yan Shu said: "According to Su Jin's estimate, the people's grain storage is at least 50 million stones, it depends on the means. ”

Zhao Zhen was surprised: "So many? But didn't you tell me just now that according to this trend, the whole Great Song Dynasty is only 9 million stones? ”

Yan Shu pointed to the statistical booklet and said: "Your Majesty, you see, the twenty-seven counties in eight states collect 660,000 stone of grain, but there are as many as 328 houses for sale, only 20 households above 10,000 stone, and the rest are mostly 1,000 stone and 2,000 stone. ”

Zhao Zhen read the booklet carefully, nodded and said, "If that's the case, what are they waiting for?" ”

Yan Shu said: "These people either have a backer, or a huge amount of grain storage, when the price of grain is too high and unwilling to sell at a low price, and the more they hoard more grain, the more they will benefit from it, next year's spring famine, the price of grain will definitely exceed two times, you think about it, a stone of grain to make consistent money, hoarding hundreds of thousands of dollars will earn hundreds of thousands of dollars, huge profits, I am afraid that it is fame and wealth, and the court will be severely punished. ”

Zhao Zhen threw the booklet on the table and said: "Then it depends on how long they can carry it, pass on the decree, and immediately ask the Chinese book to verify and distribute the rewards of the households that take the initiative to sell grain. It is also necessary to intensify the propaganda of the edict, clearly inform the policy after November 20, and coerce those profiteers who have a luck mentality. ”

The waiter promised and hurried to pass the decree, Zhao Zhen said to Yan Shu: "Su Jin's kid's method is quite effective, but he is really a talent." ”

Yan Shu said: "That's natural, otherwise would the old minister dare to recommend a sixteen-year-old man with no official position, no position and no merit?" ”

Zhao Zhen said: "The first step is easy to do, and the second step is the biggest test, speaking of which, they have been away from Beijing for a few days, I'm afraid they have arrived in Yangzhou Mansion." ”

Yan Shu said: "It's been three days, and Yangzhou Mansion is afraid that it will take two or three days, he will first arrange for the grain from Luzhou to reach Yangzhou, and Yangzhou Song Zhen must be in a hurry now." ”

Zhao Zhen said: "Look at Su Jin, when the grain arrives, there will be room for maneuver, I hope it will not cause a civil uprising." ”

Yan Shu said: "Can you let Yangzhou Mansion open a warehouse to release grain relief first, so as not to make a big fuss." ”

Zhao Zhen said: "Is there still food in Yangzhou Mansion?" Will there be such a thing when there is food? ”

Yan Shu arched his hand and said: "Actually, there is, the military grain of 100,000 stones has not yet been shipped, and it is still in the official warehouse in Yangzhou." ”

Zhao Zhen squinted at Yan Shu and said, "Stupid words, how can the military rations move?" Do you know the consequences of running out of food for the army? Even if there is chaos, not a single grain of military rations can be moved, and whoever touches the military rations will never be spared. ”

Yan Shu hurriedly said: "The minister knows, the minister is ignorant." ”

Zhao Zhen said gently: "You have to remember this, don't make mistakes in this, after Lu Xiangzhi next year, I intend to ask you to take over the phase, so this matter must be done well." ”

Yan Shu knelt on the ground and kowtowed: "The old minister should do his best to serve His Majesty Longen." ”

"Get up, you also go back to rest and rest, I heard that you have been nailed to the yamen for three days and have not returned, and you should also be careful."

"Emperor Xie cares, and the emperor rests early, so I have to come to disturb the emperor these days."

"That's natural, if you don't come, I will go to you, I hope the ancestors will bless you, and this time the food will be successful."

……

When Yan Shu walked out of the palace at night, Sima Jun, two hundred guards in the post station thirty miles north of Bozhou, was surrounding the commander and making Long Zhen listen attentively.

Long Zhen lowered his voice and said: "Brothers, our brothers have always been true to life, if they are good to us, we will be good to him, and if we are harsh, our brothers will not throw him a ball, since the envoy is so ignorant, we don't need to be polite to him." ”

"Yes, yes, the dragon commander said to you, what are we going to do?"

Long Zhen coughed and said softly: "This kid is relying on the emperor's order to run an errand, and relying on the power of the three envoys, if he comes hard, he will get into trouble, and he must use his brain." ”

Zhao Dutou said: "Commander Long, don't sell it, just say it." ”

Long Zhen glanced at the crowd: "All of you here are my good brothers Long Zhen, but I Long Zhen also have a family and a child, I am finished, the whole family has to starve to death, today for the sake of the brothers, I am willing to come up with an idea; But the ugly words are in the head, in case someone here runs to tell the truth, then I, Long, really want to go with him with a red knife and a white knife. ”

Everyone hurriedly said: "Absolutely not, the commander makes you rest assured, we are all brothers who have mixed together, and this thing will never be done." ”

Zhao Dutou saw that Long Zhen's face was still hesitant, so he said: "Everyone, what Commander Long said is reasonable, but each of your butts is not clean, to put it bluntly, if the things you do make those people in the two divisions know that they will all be punished by military law, I will not name them, but just remind you that if what Commander Long said today leaks half a word, Lao Tzu will lift all the old foundations of all of you, what robbed property, what prostitutes drank flowers and wine, what gambling and money, what pretending to be thieves and prostitutes. Wives and daughters, who of you knows these things, don't be a fool. ”

The soldiers became nervous and did not dare to look at him, apparently because it was true.

Long Zhen patted Zhao Du's shoulder and said, "Old Zhao, my own brother, what are you talking about?" We are all brothers, and I believe you will not eat inside and out. ”

Zhao Dutou said: "Commander Long, these things should be guarded against, in case a rabbit cub lard blindfolds his heart and runs to dig the corner of our team, can we have a break with him?" Not only him, but also his family, all of whom will suffer. ”

Long Zhen laughed and said, "No, no; My idea is that we don't have to be hard with him, since he doesn't treat us as people, let's ignore him as a bird, he is a Shangguan, and we will agree to all his orders, but on the errand, let's give him a dead dog who can't move - drag, everyone won't be out of business, right? ”

"Good way, let's pull him back everywhere and make him unable to do his errands......" someone chimed in.

"That's right, he's the emperor's order, once the errand can't be done, do you think what will happen to him? Not only him, but also Na Yan Shu will be unlucky. Long Zhen said with a smile.

Fang Du suddenly said: "But the dragon commands; If the errand is smashed, won't we also be unlucky? ”

Long Zhen glanced at him with disdain and said, "If you want to be unlucky, I'm really unlucky, what kind of bad luck are you doing things under orders?" I'm not afraid, but you're afraid. ”

Fang Du's head turned red and said: "That's not what I mean, the subordinates mean to worry about the commander, and the commander will be punished for us, how do we live in our hearts?" ”

Long Zhen said: "Don't worry, I have my own way to deal with it, I will carry the big things for you, no matter what, I have to vent my anger for my brothers, I even deduct our hard-earned money, I don't even take our grandfather in his eyes, don't give him some color, he doesn't know that the sky is high and the earth is thick, and he doesn't know that Lord Ma has three eyes." ”

All the soldiers shouted one after another, seriously agreeing with Long Zhen's plan, Long Zhen got up with a smile and said: "Don't make noise, don't make trouble, everything should be treated as if nothing happened, let this kid go to Yangzhou and wait for food, let's do it slowly, no one needs to rush." ”

In the midst of everyone's laughter, Long Zhen Shi Shiran went with a smile.