In verse 24, several people looked at each other, not knowing how to answer for a while. But since the Queen Mother personally asked, it was naturally not good to be a stuffy gourd, Tang Xuan stood up, bowed and said: "I have been in the Eastern Han Dynasty for a long time, and Jiangnan is the land of fish and rice, and the water and land transportation is convenient. After so many years, there must be a lot of grain in stock. Secondly, although it has cut off contact with the north, the two provinces of Gulf and Kunzhou are already rich in rice, and there is a lot of grain storage. The other two provinces can also be self-sufficient, the terrain of several provinces in the south of the Yangtze River is relatively slow, and the transportation is both land and water, which is many times better than other provinces. Since there is no problem with the storage of grain and transportation. These hundreds of thousands of refugees have been staying in Nanning for less than a month, and the food they consume is probably limited. Even if the price of rice fluctuates slightly, it will never rise so fast. ”

This is what he said when he went to his house a few days ago, but he was not polite and took it out and sold it again. Wu Ming suddenly couldn't cry or laugh.

Tao Yu said strangely at this time: "So, what is the reason why Lord Tang thinks this grain is rising?" Tang Xuan smiled slightly: "Niangniang, who has more food now, the reason naturally appears on them." ”

Tao Yu's brows furrowed, and he thought for a while: "In this way, the rise in grain prices is all on the surface, mainly caused by the hoarding of big merchants and big families?" ”

Tang Xuan said: "The mother is wise. He is not good at slapping horses, but these words are convincing.

Tao Yu groaned, turned his head and asked Tao Ziqian: "Brother, how much surplus grain is there in the official warehouse in Nanning now?" ”

This question came to Tao Ziqian's area of expertise, and he shook his head and said: "As Lord Tang said, I have been in Han for a long time, and Nanning is an important place for north-south transportation. It is also the land of rain and rice, so most of the official warehouses are full, about more than 7 million stones, if these grains are only consumed by the current army, they will not be able to eat for a few years, even if they add more than one million people in the city, they will be enough to consume for several months......"

He was about to say more, but Tao Yu interrupted him, frowned and asked, "So, is the government capable of solving the refugee problem?" Then why not let the officials come forward to open warehouses and release grain to stabilize grain prices? ”

Tao Ziqian opened his mouth and was about to answer. Tang Xuan said: "Niangniang, the food in the official warehouse is prepared for the army, and now there are more than 200,000 people in the marine and land army near Nanning, plus there are still Qinwang troops from several provinces arriving one after another." Every day people eat horses and chew, which is also a huge number. And I don't know when this war with the north will be fought, if we open a warehouse to put grain to calm prices, then the grain and grass will be tight, once the army is short of food, when the morale of the army will fluctuate, it will really be a major event that endangers the community. So we want to transfer military rations, and I wish the prime minister that he will definitely be the first to disagree. ”

After listening to him, Tao Yu sighed for a while and said, "Although this reason is found, it is still at a loss. It's no wonder that if the problem is solved, Prime Minister Zhu will not throw this hot potato to you to solve it. ”

Reasons for the increase in food prices......

Although Wu Ming was silent on the side, the thoughts in his heart turned quickly. The current contradiction lies in the fact that the government has the ability to solve this problem, but it cannot use military rations without permission. And these hoarders have food in their hands, but they don't take it out and sell it. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration flashed in his mind, and there was a sentence in "Twenty-four Questions on Marching Strategy" that was "A soldier is like water that is amorphous, the virtual and the real correspond, and the virtual and the real are incomprehensible." Only those who are advanced can confuse the real with the false. He slapped the table and said, "There is." ”

Several people looked at him at the same time, a little dazed, Tang Xuan said angrily: "Lord Wu, what's there?" Wu Ming couldn't hold back the joy in his heart, leaned over and whispered his thoughts. After listening to him, Tang Xuan was stunned for a long time, and said, "Lord Wu, is this really what you came up with?" ”

"Exactly, if there is anything wrong, please ask Brother Tang to say it, and everyone will improve it together."

Wu Ming also had a little drum in his heart, and he didn't know if this method was feasible or not. Knowing that, Tang Xuan stood up suddenly, and said in a loud voice: "It's right, it's too proper, this trick kills two birds with one stone, it not only solves the problem of grain prices, but also the imperial court can not send a grain of military rations." ”

Tao Yu was a little puzzled and asked, "What is the method?" Tang Xuan smiled slightly and said, "Niangniang, Lord Wu has done me a great favor this time." I'll talk about it later, and I'll have to trouble you to give Prime Minister Zhu a message, if he nods, I'm afraid the effect will be better. ”

※※※Nanning City is slightly an irregular rectangle, the streets are criss-crossed, the main street of the whole city, there are 23 in the north and south, and there are 21 in the east and west. Each main street is more than 100 meters wide. There are so many main streets, not only the width is different, but even the bustling streets are uneven. The widest is naturally the square street in front of the Prime Minister's Mansion. But when it comes to the bustling Cheng dù, it is naturally the tea art street in the south of the city. There are not only all kinds of snacks and refreshments here, but also the most famous restaurants, tea shops and even green buildings in Nanning.

This is the most prosperous area in Nanning. The Baihe Tower, known as the first floor of Nanning, is located in the middle of the tea art street.

The biggest feature of this street is that it is bustling, usually bustling with people, and all kinds of horses and high cars flow in it. Even if the northern army is now pressing, the other streets are much deserted than usual, but this tea art street has almost no impact. It is still a scene of people flowing like water, traffic like shuttles, and a rising scene.

But today the tea art street is a bit abnormal, past noon. The newly established forbidden army yamen sent people to seal off the entire street. The notice was posted on the archway with the words "Tea Art Street" written on it, and then nearly 100 officials in brocade clothes and iron rulers stood on both sides of the street. The whole street was sealed off. Two of them stepped on their horses, struck the gong all the way, and said loudly: "The prime minister has an order, I will be on business in Chayi Street today, and the idle people should leave within the time of a pillar of incense, otherwise, they will be punished as spies." ”

The whole street boiled like a startled honeycomb, and many townspeople who were wandering inside ran out of it. It's wartime, and if anyone is convicted of being a spy, they will have to peel off their skin, even if they don't die.

When the two guards rode loudly from the tea art street and passed loudly. Hu Lan was leaning against a window on the top floor of the Hundred Crane Tower, frowning at the street below. The pedestrians below had scattered like a tidal wave, and after only a few moments, they disappeared without a trace. He couldn't help but feel a little confused, and sighed: "The word right does have invisible magic, just one sentence, you can decide whether people will stay, life and death." Let the whole street be prosperous, no wonder everyone loves to fight for power and profit. ”

The sheep behind him still stood like a javelin, silent. After a while, there was a sound of "oh" footsteps at the staircase, and Boss Zhao's chubby figure appeared at the door. Yang Jun glanced at the pensive Hu Lan, walked over lightly, and whispered, "Boss Zhao, is there something wrong?" Didn't Childe say, don't bother if you're fine? ”

Boss Zhao had a small smile on his face, and said cautiously: "Mr. Yang, the son has a life, and the little one dare not disobey, but just now the Steward Hu of the Prime Minister's Mansion passed the word." claimed that there would be a banquet in the Hundred Crane Tower tonight, and he specially instructed that the owner of the son must also participate. ”

As he spoke, he peeked at Hu Lan who was standing by the window out of the corner of his eye. But when he saw that the other party was still standing there, his feet were like old trees taking root, and he didn't move.

The Eastern Han Dynasty and Northern Mongolia have been attacking each other for many years, and they have been old enemies. The two sides have deep grievances. In this world, carrier pigeons are developed, and even the spy industry has also developed considerably. The pigeon Peng in Nanning receives news from thousands of pigeons every day, which can be seen in general. Naturally, not all of this is the news of the five provinces in the south of the Yangtze River, and a large part of it is the news sent by the "nails" buried in various places.

Communication in this world, with carrier pigeons as the main force. Naturally, pigeons are not unique to Jiangnan. The other empires used carrier pigeons for communication, and fast horses were used to deliver them except in exceptional circumstances. Slightly wealthier families have pigeons at home, and these pigeons are not as professional as the carrier pigeons in the army under simple training, but if they only go back and forth in a short distance, they will naturally not get lost. This is also one of the important means for ordinary people to communicate with relatives and friends.

Naturally, there will be no airport air control in this world. Every day, thousands of pigeons will rise in the sky over Nanning City, which is magnificent and a great spectacle. But everyone knows that this pigeon not only has its own, but must also be mixed with the enemy. After all, send "nails", dark piles and the like. It's not your Jiangnan patent.

The Hundred Crane Tower is the information contact center of Beimeng in the south of the Yangtze River. Boss Zhao of Baihelou is the person in charge of Beimeng's "nail" in Nanning. He was taken in by Beimeng since he was a child and sent to this building as a companion. Naturally, the backstage of this hundred crane tower is clear, and the Mr. Yang in front of him called out "Second Highness" by chance, and it is enough to have such a voice. The identity of the other party is already about to come out.

Inviting merit and competing for favor is the normal state of people. He thought that he could only be old in this position in this life, and if he was lucky, he could retire safely and enjoy his old age in peace. If you are unlucky, once you are found by the Jiangnan side, it will definitely be dead. He was tired of this kind of fearful life, and he just wanted to find a chance to get out of it, and now, this opportunity has come. Although this "second master" is not the crown prince, he is quite appreciated by the emperor of Beimeng, and he is supported by his uncle, Hu Yanhai, the king of Youxian, he wants to open his mouth to transfer himself back to Beimeng, is it not a matter of opening his mouth? Moreover, Beimeng does not have the tradition of "eldest son succession" for the throne of the emperor, and with this second master, once he ascends to the position of the Ninth Five-Year Supreme in the future, it is possible to get rid of it, and even go to another level.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but tremble all over. Twelve points of caution came to serve this master.

was feeling uneasy in his heart, Hu Lan seemed to hear Boss Zhao's words, turned his head, frowned, and said, "What does this old guy ask me to do?" Could it be that someone leaked the news and my identity was revealed? His voice was almost as small as a whisper, but in Boss Zhao's ears, it was like a thunderbolt on his head, and he said in a trembling voice: "Gong, Gongzi, Baihelou has always been safe and stable for so many years, and the confidentiality work has been done very well, and it is definitely not leaked by us." ”

Hu Lan looked at the middle-aged man kneeling in front of him like a dead dog, smiled, and said softly: "Boss Zhao, get up, this matter may be yesterday I invited Wu Ming to a banquet, so that Zhu Huaishun Teng touched me here, in fact, when I arrived in Nanning, I already had something to talk to the prime minister in power, if he found out here, then it might as well meet him." ”

Boss Zhao breathed a sigh of relief, and Hu Lan paused. glanced around at the Hundred Crane Tower. Still said slowly: "'The wood is beautiful in the forest, and the wind will destroy it'." This hundred crane tower can never be discovered by the other party. Of course, it is inseparable from the caution of the owners of the past generations. It's just that once this turmoil passes, I'm afraid it will be really exposed. When the time comes, you will go back to Beimeng with me. ”

He didn't say it very quickly, but the last sentence was nothing less than a sound for Boss Zhao, and he knelt down more respectfully, knelt on the ground and said, "Thank you Gongzi for your grace." ”

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