Chapter 721: If you can draw a salary from the bottom of the kettle, I will use my strength to fight

Datengxia East Wujingzhou.

Since he was ordered to fight against the barbarians, Gu Xingzu, the Marquis of Zhenyuan, led a large army to set off from here, and fought dozens of battles before and after. He is the eldest grandson of the Gu family, and since the heir, he has also followed the northern expedition to the south, and most of the time he has been in Guizhou, where his grandfather has been guarding for many years, so he left Guizhou after Renzong ascended the throne. What the imperial court hoped was that he could uphold the prestige of his ancestors and deter the barbarians of all ethnic groups, and the same was true for this army. However, after all, he is not his grandfather Gu Cheng who has been in Guizhou for decades, although most of the previous dozens of battles were victorious, but those rebels are endless, so he is anxious.

However, he has always been a woman who is unhappy, although in the interval between the war, but he is not willing to restrain himself, garrisoning Wujingzhou during this period of time, ordered to lead the troops to listen to his dispatch of the command of the guard and Xiang Wusu thousands of households for fear of the court to add crimes, all under the rule of the search for beautiful women to send. That night, he still fell asleep with a woman in his arms, but unexpectedly, in the middle of the night, there was a sudden knock on the door outside. Awakened, he was full of impatience, and opened his mouth to scold.

"What dog is so ignorant!"

"Master Hou, it's Sien County, the rebels over there in Sien County have occupied all the more than 30 mountains around Fulong, and the local officials are all in danger, so they all signed a joint letter asking Lord Hou to enter the army as soon as possible!"

"Advance into the army, the Great Tengxia here has not been cleaned up neatly, as soon as I leave, I may have to rebel, what kind of troops!" Gu Xingzu got up with a skelet, put his clothes on his body casually, and then said angrily, "The three armies have not moved the grain and grass first, let them go to Guangdong, this grain and grass can't be transported, even if I have great ability, I can't win the battle!" ”

Without any scruples, he stepped over the white female body beside him, and he pulled his shoes out of bed, and shouted while buttoning them: "Don't shout outside, come in and talk!" ”

At this time, the people outside pushed the door and entered the house. I saw that he had a short and strong figure, a slender face and a pointed chin, and thick eyebrows and big eyes, but it made this appearance look extremely elusive. He is Gu Xingzu's general, Gu Ping'an. The late first generation of Zhenyuan Marquis, who was later posthumously named the Duke of Xia, was once a personal soldier under the account of Zhu Yuanzhang, Emperor Hongwu, because of this, the Gu family spared no effort in the cultivation of the pro-soldiers and generals under the account, and Gu Xingzu now uses all the confidants and cronies cultivated by the Gu family themselves. Although Gu Ping'an's ability to fight is ordinary, he can do things properly and capably, and he is good at serving carelessly, so he has won Gu Xingzu's trust.

He knelt down on one knee and asked for peace, then stood up and said, "Master Hou, the head of the imperial court has also issued an order, and I am afraid that Sien County really can't delay it any longer." Hou Ye has now beaten the barbarians in Datengxia to the core, so he can move over. As for the military rations, Hou Ye was ordered to ask for it, although it was previously written that the two prefectures of Guangzhou and Zhaoqing were due to hurricanes and natural disasters, but they did not say that they would not be given, so there should be no delay. ”

"Forgive them and don't dare to delay!" Gu Xingzu snorted coldly angrily, and then suddenly remembered another thing, because he asked, "I heard that the newly sent eunuch Zhang Qian has already arrived halfway, I guess it should be the news of opening the sea, have you sent someone to Guangzhou Mansion, do you have a reply from the Xu family?" I've been spreading the news for so long, and they should have ordered this sea ship and so on, and they should have paid the money and food for the first half of the year? ”

"The little one was about to tell Hou Ye about it. Something went wrong with the Xu family, because now there is a new political envoy in Guangdong, who has just been sentenced to death for the crime of privately leaving the country, so they don't dare to ship again. In addition, the eunuch in front of the city capsized all of a sudden, and the relationship between the top and bottom would not be clear for a while, and there was only the benefit of receiving the goods, so only half of the money and grain in the first half of the year were paid. ”

"Half? Does he know who allowed him to do business so smoothly, and who opened the way for him to talk about favors in the government? After making so many excuses to prevaricate, he clearly took my words as a deaf ear! When he first knew that Zhang Yue was serving as a political envoy in Guangdong, what did he say? Zhang Killtou is isolated in Guangdong, and it is impossible to be as unscrupulous as before, but now people have never been afraid, and he himself has cowered! Tell him that every penny of money in the first half of the year is not a penny! ”

Seeing that Gu Xingzu's face suddenly turned pale, Gu Ping'an hurriedly explained: "But Xu Zhengping has already given a guarantee, saying that now that Guangdong is flooding, the price of grain will definitely rise, and the Hou Ye has transferred 40,000 stone of military rations, and the government is unable to stabilize the price of grain." The Xu family is one of the three largest grain stores in Guangdong, and as long as they are joined by the other two, the grain price will be raised by three or four times when the time comes, and at that time, the regular money and grain in the first half of the year will definitely be replenished. ”

"He'll take advantage of my use of soldiers to come up with ideas!"

Gu Xingzu looked at the copper leaky pot and found that it was just an ugly moment, but he didn't feel sleepy no matter what, so he simply ordered Gu Ping'an to fetch water to wipe his body. Rubbing his body red with the cold and biting well water, he changed into a clean robe, and after sitting back on the cedar chair, someone came in to carry the woman from last night away, and then took the soft towel handed by Gu Ping'an's hands, carefully wiped his face, and then applied the cold soft towel to his face.

"The Xu family is still respectful to Hou Ye, and this time someone said that if Hou Ye likes it, you can pick a few stunning ones to serve. There are also many enchanting and colorful ...... among Cantonese women"

"A woman is a woman, and the woman in the family is only used to reproduce heirs, and now these are just used to relax, does he think that I am the kind of mediocre person who is dedicated to women?"

Gu Xingzu ripped off the soft towel on his face, stared at Gu Ping'an, who was half-kneeling in front of him and pinching his legs, and commanded in a deep voice: "Send someone to tell him, don't think about these crooked ways to please him, what I want is real money!" Since he said that he could raise the price of food in exchange for money, then I simply helped him to draw his salary. You immediately ask people to go to Guangzhou to urge, and say that the military rations must be transported to Wujing Prefecture within ten days, otherwise I will write to the imperial court to sue the Guangdong political secretary for the crime of defaulting! I have already helped them to this point, if this trip is delayed any longer, Xu Zhengping will not have to send any more money, he should die for those crimes in the first place! ”

Gu Ping'an hurriedly bent down to agree, but when he retreated to the door, he couldn't help but stop, turned around and reminded in a low voice: "Master Hou's urging of military food is naturally due, and the little one is just worried about another thing." Zhang Yue is notoriously tough and ruthless, if he uses the official constitution because of the hoarding of grain merchants, I am afraid that the Xu family will not be able to deal with it. ”

Gu Xing's ancestor frowned, and after a while of silence, he laughed and said, "The Xu family is not just in business, and you still have to think about this kind of thing for them?" Since they are here with the other two families, let others take the lead in everything! Besides, the granary of the government is insufficient, and what has to do with it is the government's, so why don't people be allowed to raise prices? If you really find out about them, let Xu Zhengping take my post and go to the door of Du Si Zhensi! In the past, he dealt with either the Japanese or the Mongols, and then he was a traitor and a rebel, if such a trivial matter was also killed, even some people in the court would say that he was making a big fuss! Besides, he is alone after all, and it is impossible for him to say everything and move the division to come out with him! ”

"Master Hou is wise, let's do it for the little one!"

With Gu Xingzu's words, Gu Ping'an naturally had no worries. Think about it, whether it is food or population leaving the country, but the businessman's money-making business, no matter how strong Zhang Yue is, he can't blindly use the power of the government to suppress it, otherwise the pioneer will not only kill one person. So, after picking a proper little guy to report to Guangzhou Mansion, he put the matter behind him, and only single-mindedly planned the matter of moving troops to Sien County for his master. There are so many nobles in this court, but there are not many opportunities to lead troops to quell the rebellion, if it is planned well, not to mention that the title can go further, but the holy grace can be a little heavier, which is always good for the Gu family.

From Wujing Prefecture to Zhaoqing Mansion through Wuzhou Mansion, although there are many mountain roads along the way, but it is only two or three days of hard work, the Gu family went to the Xu family mansion in the southwest of Guangzhou City to submit a book, and after taking the palindrome, he did not dare to delay and hurried back. And with such a message, Xu Zhengping was naturally relieved. The people don't fight with the officials, although the Xu family has a big business, but if they raise the price of grain without any justification, it will naturally end badly. Although he and Xu Tao, who participated in politics with the political secretary, recognized their relatives, they just took his money and occasionally leaked a little more news, but it was difficult to really contribute.

Therefore, when he carefully placed the gold-gold post that had been sent with him behind the main hall, he immediately consulted with a few stewards of the house, and ordered someone to make an alliance with the other two grain stores. Sure enough, it was only three days later, about because of the urgency of Guangxi, 40,000 stone of military grain was shipped one after another, and the brigade of grain trucks was transported to Guangxi under the personal leadership of Xu Tao, the political secretary of the political department. And the day after the rations left the city, he immediately took measures.

Overnight, among the three largest rice shops in Guangzhou, the price of rice, which had been as high as 100 yuan for doumi, suddenly skyrocketed to 200 yuan for doumi, which immediately caused an uproar among countless people who bought rice. When the news reached the government, Governor Li immediately couldn't sit still, and immediately changed into his official uniform and went to the political secretary to ask for ideas. No sooner had he been led by the servants to the door of the second hall than he heard an angry roar coming from inside.

"Master Zhang, what do you say now? These people are obviously crazy about money! After the catastrophe, the military rations had just been shipped, and they didn't want to give relief to the victims and spread benevolence, so they took advantage of the fire to loot at such a time! Two hundred dollars for a bucket of rice, that is, one stone of rice for two feet of money, according to the current market price of treasure banknotes has always been only worth five cents, this is four hundred banknotes! If these profiteers who have no conscience are punished with all their strength, then they will have to force the people to rebel! ”

"I know Lord Xiang, you are worried, this matter has already been revealed, and I have already prepared ......"

"It's difficult for a good woman to cook without rice, Lord Zhang, once the 40,000 stone army food is transported, can you still drop food from the sky? It's even more of a joke to count on neighboring provinces, even if you ask people to borrow them before, it's too late! I told you a long time ago, I personally led the troops to raid those Mi Xing who dared to provoke the government again and again, so powerful, see who dares to do it! ”

"Master Xiang is thinking too simply, do you think these rice shops will hoard more food? At most, it is only a hundred stones, and these grains are just a drop in the bucket for the entire city of Guangzhou! Without the will of the imperial court, can you still raid those big merchants? Even if you and I make up our minds and simply check them together, do you think they dare to do such a thing without preparation, and will hoard food in their own warehouses? That's right, there are only popular uprisings in the world, and I have never heard of businessmen rebelling, but businessmen are slippery, and in this world, no one will be more cunning than those profit-seeking businessmen! ”

Hearing this quarrel, Governor Li stopped preparing to enter, and then he heard the sound inside stop, and he was about to step into the door, who knew that when he arrived at the door, he almost bumped into a person. Startled, he turned sideways, and immediately saw that the person who rushed out of the door in anger was Xiang Shaoyuan, the political envoy of Youbu. Seeing that he coughed earth-shattering as soon as he stepped down the steps, he felt a little unbearable, but remembering what was going on today, he had to quickly put down the matter, turned around and entered the door.

"Lord's ......"

"You don't need to say it, I understand your intentions."

Zhang Yue waved his hand to signal that Governor Li's mansion didn't need to say any more, and then said: "You let the government officials send a notice now, starting tomorrow, the government will sell grain in the two places of Guide Gate and Wuxian Gate, and each person will buy one stone of grain, and those who are willing to buy more, as long as they are willing to line up, they will buy it." The price of rice is one hundred and fifty dollars. ”

"However, the price of 150 yuan for this bucket of rice is too high, and ordinary people may not be able to afford it......"

"Of course I know that. But if you look at those rice shops that have put out two hundred dollars of rice but are still in the market, you will know that as long as the price is lower than them at this time, those people who can afford it will have a choice, and this is what I want! Remember, if the price of grain is lowered, you will push the price down to ten cents lower than theirs. In short, no matter what, if they lower the price, you will also reduce the price, and the price of rice must be lower than theirs, do you understand? ”

Although 150 yuan of rice is still expensive, it is much cheaper than the price of rice in the rice store, so Governor Li listened to Zhang Yue's explanation and mistakenly thought that this was the grain that he managed to borrow at a high price, so he didn't ask too much. As long as the government has grain to sell, it is enough that it will not provoke a popular uprising for a while and a half. He hurriedly bowed down and agreed, and hurried out of the official mansion without staying long.

When Governor Li left, Zhang Yue couldn't help but sneer. It is foreseeable that those rice shops will inevitably mess up all of a sudden, and even send people to pretend to be people to buy rice, but in that case, they will fall for him. He was much more prepared than they could have imagined!

An hour later, the messengers who struck the gong shouted throughout the city, and the proclamation was posted throughout the city. For those people who are worried that the rice store really has no grain in stock, and the price of rice will rise in a short period of time, it is undoubtedly great news that the government suddenly came forward to sell grain. For a while, the three rice shops that had just been crowded with people suddenly became deserted, and several shopkeepers and men who were originally busy sweating were suddenly caught off guard.