I, the queen and the father, start with a deer as a horse

Chapter 13 Raising Food Prices
Fang Xiu frowned slightly, looked at Qin Xingyan with sharp eyes, and said coldly:

"80 taels of silver, plus the real 10 taels, it is 90 taels!"

"The Qingzhou refugees in Luonan Prefecture add up to 70 people."

"Even if it is calculated according to one stone of grain and one tael of silver, it is more than enough, how could it not be enough!"

There was a chill in his tone.

When Qin Xingyan heard it, he instantly understood.

Fang Xiang was suspecting that he was greedy for money and food for relief.

He wiped the sweat from his brow and hurriedly explained:

"Fang Xiang, since the drought in Qingzhou, the price of food in the capital has been rising."

"Now the price of a stone of rice has more than tripled in the market, even three taels of silver can't buy a stone of rice!"

Fang Xiu frowned even more when he heard this.

You must know that driving up food prices is a serious crime of beheading!

Where did these grain merchants have the guts to triple the price of grain at this time!
Aren't they afraid of being questioned and beheaded?
aside.

Qin Xingyan seemed to have seen Fang Xiu's thoughts, and explained again:
"Fang Xiang, according to my general rules, if the price of food has risen to [-]% of the imperial court's price, it can already be punished."

"The problem is that most of these grain merchants are not from me, but from Wu."

"More than half of the food I dry out comes from the state of Wu."

"These grain merchants in the state of Wu ignore my laws and wantonly drive up grain prices because they have grain!"

"But the imperial court has nothing to do with them."

"After all, if they are all beheaded, let alone how Wu Guohui will react, I will have to fall into a crisis of food shortage first."

Hearing this, Fang Xiu showed anger on his face, looked at Qin Xingyan, and asked:

"I am so dignified that I can't even be self-sufficient in food?"

For the feudal empire.

Agriculture is the foundation of the country!

Only when there is enough food, can a sufficient population be raised to develop business and technology, and grow oneself.

If even food cannot be self-sufficient, then this empire will not be far from disintegration!
This is also the reason why scholars, farmers, businessmen, and farmers rank second!

Qin Xingyan is the Minister of the Household Department, in charge of land tax, money and food!
Food cannot be self-sufficient, he is the primary responsible person!

Fang Xiu originally thought that Qin Xingyan would be terrified when he heard his scolding.

However, after taking a look at him, I realized that his expression was a little strange, as if he hesitated to speak.

Fang Xiu frowned, and said angrily, "Just say what you want!"

When Qin Xingyan heard this, he dared to say:
"Fang Xiang, in fact, the food I worked so hard was originally self-sufficient."

"However, five years ago, Wu Guoxing started to use grapes to make sweet wine. If the same land is planted with grapes, the price is much higher than that of grain."

"That's why some farmers switched to grapes during my work, and all the grapes they planted were sold to the state of Wu."

"In recent years, the price of grapes has dropped year by year, and those farmers have replanted food."

"It's just that the household department has been short of food in recent years, and it can't be made up for a while."

Fang Xiu was speechless for a moment.

"Aren't they out of their wits to ask farmers to grow grapes instead?"

"You can't even see such an obvious conspiracy, what are you still doing as the Minister of the Household Department!"

"This"

Qin Xingyan didn't know what to say for a while, with a submissive look.

It took a long time before he said cautiously: "This is not the meaning of the lower official, in fact, the lower official also persuaded the late emperor at that time, it's just"

Speaking of which, stop abruptly.

He glanced at Fang Xiu with a strange look.

Fang Xiu saw his expression and eyes.

Suddenly reacted.

For such an important matter, who can decide besides the prime minister himself?
in other words.

That brainless person was himself back then!

Fang Xiu looked at Qin Xingyan and suddenly felt a little embarrassed.

After all, such an obvious conspiracy, even Qin Xingyan, who is a treacherous minister like himself, could see it and tried to dissuade it.

At that time, I was determined to go my own way.

So much so that it has planted such a big hidden danger for the Daqian Empire!
Thinking of this, Fang Xiu couldn't help scolding the previous one in his heart: What a complete idiot!
"Cough cough!"

Fang Xiu picked up the teacup, took a sip, and continued, "I know the truth about this matter."

"You first take out 5 taels of silver, buy some grain and chaff from the grain merchant, mix them together and send them to Luonan Prefecture, as an emergency!"

"As for the problem of grain merchants driving up grain prices, the truth will find a way to solve it!"

Speaking of which.

His tone suddenly became severe, and his sharp eyes stared at Qin Xingyan.

"Qin Shangshu, the truth has a piece of advice for you!"

"Water can carry a boat and capsize it!"

"If you still want to live a few more years of prosperity and wealth, don't get distracted by this matter!"

"This time! The 90 taels of silver used to help the victims, even if even a penny is useless for the victims, the truth will punish you!"

"The method of the truth, I think you know it too."

"If the truth is known, after the imperial court began to provide relief, another victim starved to death!"

"Zhang Shuo and Liu Sanli's today is your tomorrow!"

When Qin Xingyan heard the words "Water can carry a boat, it can also overturn it", a strange light flashed in his eyes.

He subconsciously glanced at Fang Xiu, and suddenly felt in his heart.

Fang Xiang has become a little different since he woke up last time.

But what was different, he couldn't tell.

but.

One thing, he was sure of.

Fang Xiang is serious about helping the victims this time!

If something goes wrong, he will be the next one to be plucked by Yan Guo!
"Your official understands! This official must live up to Prime Minister Fang's trust!"

"If one of the disaster victims in Qingzhou dies of starvation, the officials are willing to take all the responsibilities!"

Qin Xingyan said solemnly with a solemn look on his old face.

Fang Xiu nodded, waved his hand and said, "Okay, let's go down!"

"The officer will leave!"

After Qin Xing said and saluted, he left Xiangguo's mansion.

Fang Xiu sat on the grand teacher's chair and began to think about how to deal with these grain merchants!
"The crux of the problem is not these grain traders."

"It's the Wu country behind them!"

"If they don't have the support of Wu Guo, they won't dare to drive up the price of grain to three times the price if they have a hundred guts!"

Thinking of this.

Fang Xiu summoned Shangguan Haitang and ordered: "Haitang, send some people to inquire about the news of Wu!"

"As much as you find out, tell me as much as you can."

In the past few days, Shangguan Haitang has been busy building an intelligence agency.

There are already some eyebrows.

There are many Wu people who are merchants in Qian State.

These businessmen are the most well-informed.

From them, they should be able to find out a lot of information about Wu.

Fang Xiu sees if he can find some useful information from it, as a breakthrough point to solve the food price problem this time.

Even if you can't find it, it doesn't matter.

Fang Xiu still has his last trump card - the system mall!
In the worst case, exchange some food from the mall to make up for the vacant relief food.

As for those Wu merchants who drove up grain prices.

Sooner or later, Fang Xiu will make them pay in blood!
after one day.

After collecting the information, Shangguan Haitang stood beside Fang Xiu and told:

"Master, according to those Wu merchants, the reason why they are willing to do business in the barren Qian State is because Wu State is at war with Yue State in the south!"

"The State of Yue is located in the southern border, and its national strength is far greater than that of Qian State and Wu State!"

"This time it is the Wu State that Yue State took the initiative to attack, and wants to seize the fertile land in the south of Wu State."

"The war between the two has just begun, and it will last at least a year without any accidents!"

When Fang Xiu heard this, his eyes lit up.

"If that's the case."

"Couldn't it be possible to let go and punish those Wu merchants who drove up grain prices!"

(End of this chapter)