Zhurou

After a long while, one of them squeezed out a sentence from between his teeth, saying: "These bastards! They are raised and fed on weekdays, but when something happens, they don't say thank you, but add fuel to the fire!"

He stood up again, leaning on the top chair, and said: "At this time, everyone is like grasshoppers on the same rope, advancing together and retreating together, and they will die together."

He gritted his teeth and said: "The Shiyi Division belongs to the Jingdu government office. No matter how incompetent it is, it is still a government office. Why don't we just ignore us? Why don't we go and make a fuss together? It's useless. At least it will let people know about us." It’s not for someone to rub it round and flatten it!”

After sending out a blast of evil fire, this person strode towards the door, turned around and asked loudly: "Will you go?"

With the leader, the rest of the people are ready to move, but because there is no one who can hold back, they can't help but go to see Han Yuanwai again.

Han Chengxian frowned almost into the word "Chuan", and said: "At this moment, there is no one to help find out the situation. I heard that the official Pei of the Jingzhao Mansion spoke personally. If he came to the door rashly, the news would reach his ears and touch his ears. It's bad luck, this man has a very good life, and his reputation is also vicious..."

"No matter how vicious it is, is there anyone who doesn't love money and beauties?" The man said loudly, "Look for it, as long as it's a human, how can it be possible that there are no disadvantages, as long as you catch it, you won't be able to match it?"

He said again: "It's not just us, the rest of the grain stores should also be mobilized. There are three catties of nails in the broken ship. Are we businessmen going to be bullied?"

After saying this, many people nodded repeatedly, and after being teased, a group of more than ten people gathered and hurried out.

Member Han didn't stop them halfway, and waited for the people to leave before he called his subordinates, pointed to the direction where everyone was leaving and said, "Follow and see what's going on, and return early."

About an hour later, someone came back in a hurry, saw no one around, and said in panic: "Master, there is a message from outside, saying that all the people who go to the yamen are drinking tea and sitting in it, and there is another one." Those who gathered a crowd to go to the camp in the west of the city seemed to be making a big fuss, and they were all detained. The few we followed were too close, and they were also arrested. Only one was left at the end. Although they escaped , but I didn’t see clearly what was going on in front of me.”

Yuanwai Han already sensed that something was wrong, so he asked someone to investigate further, but he still didn't get a reply, but a dozen or so grain merchants returned together.

When everyone entered the door, they first bowed their hands towards Yuanwai Han, and one of them started to say: "We have been thinking about it for half an afternoon, and we think it is better not to bother. Yuanwai wants Ye Luo to return to Jinling City, and I am also ready to go to the tripod on this side Going to the south of the state, the last time I sent a letter from the north, it was said that if Di Bing called quickly, it would take ten days, and if it was slow, it would be next month. At this time, how can the food and silver be more important than life?"

"According to my point of view, we all need to come up with something. It would be best if we can get through the city defense army to get the things out. If it really doesn't work, I don't have time to delay here. At most, we can wait until tomorrow morning. If it still doesn’t work, we can only sell the seized items according to the price offered by the yamen, and then we will count as much as the exchange rate, and those who lose money will be taken as unlucky and stolen by thieves.”

Although no one answered in the hall, but judging from the expressions on the faces of the people, there were more people who agreed and less people who opposed, not only that, but everyone also went to see Han Yuanwai's attitude.

Having been at the head for many years, Han Chengxian naturally knows when to advance and when to retreat.

He stood up and said: "The old man is half buried in the ground, and he will go to Jinling again in the next few days, and no one is there. Naturally, the leader of this line should be a talented person."

He said again: "In the past, I had a few old acquaintances in the Yamen of the capital, and I was able to do something for you, so I gained a bit of face, but now it is different from the past, so I don't force myself to occupy this position - the capable will go, and the mediocre will win." Rang, we still need to find someone who stays in Beijing for a long time and can take the lead to help communicate with the Western Army."

Ever since Han Chengxian met the princess in the restaurant at noon, everything started to go wrong.

To be able to make such a big business, he thinks he still has a vision, and he has already prepared a way out.

In his vision, no matter how the situation deteriorates, with his several generations of management in the capital, he will never be embarrassed by the yamen.

Unexpectedly, one day, the carriage of Changlong Grain Company would also be impounded.

Originally, he wanted to take advantage of the chaos to get the last big sum, but since the momentum is not right, it is difficult to get out even if he takes advantage of the troubled waters, so he doesn't plan to stay in Beijing any longer. It is important to save his life early, so as not to leave too late It is not known when the property of the family was forcibly confiscated - looking at the results of the group of people who went to the camp in the west of the city today, isn't it clear?
No matter how painful the seized grain is, I can bear it after all, so as not to hurt my muscles and bones. I will wait for people to leave first, and then try to protect things in the future—after all, this one in the capital is only a princess at this time. Those who can really talk are far away in Caizhou, so they may not be unable to move.

When Han Chengxian made such a statement, no one knew that what he meant was also to leave early, so apart from asking to stay, they each had their own calculations in their hearts and did not mention it.

Sure enough, early the next morning, a small grain merchant went directly to the camp in the west of the city and sold the seized grain together.

There were also people who stored grain in the storehouse, although they were not detained, but because they were in a hurry to get out of the city, they took the initiative or privately found other merchants, or went directly to Daying in the west of the city, converted the grain into gold and silver, and fled with their valuables.

***
How could Zhao Mingzhi not be aware of such movement in the city?

She was still worried, fearing that if the people's hearts were in turmoil, the order would also be in chaos. She didn't want to know that countless convoys were detained at the city gate, mainly food, and a group of grain merchants were dissatisfied and went to the capital together. The government's demand for "fairness" failed, and when countless onlookers were attracted, a group of grain merchants who also came to beg for "fairness" were arrested outside the camp in the west of the city.

That night Lu Xianzhang went to the palace to report back, with a sad face still on his face, and said: "If you pull one hair and move your whole body, these grain merchants dare to surround the door, except because there can't be any more chaos in Beijing at this time, and they want to keep it for control." , I also want to wait for news from Caizhou."

"For example, in the Changlong grain store, not only uncle Tian Guo is standing behind him, but his niece is also the daughter-in-law of Yang Zhongcheng's cousin..." He counted several large-scale grain stores, and it turned out that they were either relatives of the emperor or the extravagant cover of the two houses. , "Every family has a share in it. Once Caizhou gets the letter, people will definitely come to ask questions, and it will inevitably be a hindrance."

"Only the extravagant money is important, but the lives of the people are not important?" Zhao Mingzhi asked, "The current situation in the capital, if these gangsters are allowed to act mischievously, the entire city will starve to death."

Her tone was no different from her usual speech, but there was an inexplicable coldness in it.

Lu Xianzhang didn't want to be misunderstood by Zhao Mingzhi, and quickly explained: "The people are no different from extravagance, but in the end it is the autumn of life and death, and people are required to do things everywhere. In addition to guarding against the separation of the people, we must also be careful of the separation of the two governments."

He half lowered his head, endured and endured, and still raised his eyes, saying: "The Central Plains is in chaos, and the Di people have penetrated deep into the hinterland. Although the two governments are far away in Caizhou, they don't care about food, supplies, servants, soldiers, or even the world. All officials must work together—Your Highness, no matter what happens at this time, you must be more patient..."

He also said: "What I say is not very pleasant, I only endure the calm for a while, but once the impulsiveness breaks the balance, I am afraid that it will be difficult to deal with it later."

Zhao Mingzhi then asked: "If you have endured as you said, how will you clean up the hands and ends in the city? Could it be that as long as you endure, the food will come out by itself?"

Lu Xianzhang said: "Of course not, we should first advise, and then the Kyoto government will come forward to supervise, ask the grain merchants to make concessions, lower the price a little, and then reduce or exempt commercial taxes in the future..."

Zhao Mingzhi frowned and looked at him.

Lu Xianzhang raised his voice two points, and said: "There is nothing wrong with merchants chasing profit, but if the yamen repeatedly makes enough gestures, then the grain merchants still don't know how to advance and retreat. If you don't send it, you don't have to worry about letters from the south, and then choose one or two troublemakers to make an example to others..."

He was afraid that the princess in front of him would not understand what he was thinking, and the explanation could not be called unclear.

However, Zhao Mingzhi frowned slightly.

The price of food is so high, the situation in the city is already on the verge of an arrow, how can we wait for the Yamen to make gestures again and again.

She pondered for a while, then raised her head and said: "I have no official position, let alone a errand, in the affairs of the government office in the capital, so it is naturally inconvenient to intervene. I only have one question to ask Mr. Lu—the chaos in the city at noon today, I don't know how much manpower was used to calm it down." ?”

Lu Xianzhang was silent for a while, and then he said honestly after a while: "The incident happened suddenly today, the patrol shops in the city and the state government are not manned enough, and finally we borrowed the strength of the city defense army to suppress the situation."

Zhao Mingzhi said softly: "The yamen has already made such concessions, and the grain price set this time is mostly considered by the grain merchants. I also made another promise, and even offered my own property as a reward, but still few people are willing to accept it. If there is any further delay, the rest It doesn't matter, but what should the people in the city and the refugees outside the city think?"

"If the injustice in the city resurfaces, and the scope is wider, it is difficult to control today, so what about tomorrow?"

"If the so-called skin doesn't exist, how can Mao be attached? Caizhou is thousands of miles away. If the city gets out of control, can you do anything to help?"

Lu Xianzhang clenched his hands into fists in his sleeves, paused, and said after a while: "How can I not know..."

When he raised his head again, his voice was inexplicably hoarse, and he said: "Your Highness's concerns are justified, but the word of balance between the court and the middle is unavoidable. If it can't be considered for the long-term, even if it can last for a while, when the root cause is investigated, it will actually be early. Hidden danger."

"I don't hesitate to be famous, but is it possible for the rest of the bureaucrats to do the same? Most of the grain merchants have been operating in Beijing for many years, and their roots are deep. The upper and lower officials, government servants, and patrol soldiers all have their own branches, and they are close to each other. Old, who is willing to come out and do that tricky thing?"

"People are afraid of difficulties, and everyone is afraid that once Cai Zhou comes to reply, sooner or later, the practice of today will be overthrown and repeated. The high-ranking people are not afraid, but the low-ranking ones will be liquidated."

"In this way, there will be no ministers to use, no soldiers to obey orders, and no one in the city..."

Lu Xianzhang solemnly persuaded: "The minister is not speaking for the grain merchants, but now is the time to endure..."