Zhurou

Chapter 226 Price Reduction

Before the caravan entered the capital, the good news had spread quickly along the way. Some caravans that were still waiting and watching no longer hesitated and immediately rushed to the capital. In just one or two days, the goods in the city increased rapidly. The docks were filled with large and small ships every day, loading and unloading non-stop. There was also a constant stream of carriages and horses at the city gates. Even in the middle of the night, the wheels of the caravan never stopped rolling, whether on the roads in the inner or outer city.

As soon as the goods arrived, they were snapped up by merchants who had been waiting for a long time.

Although I don't know what happened and why the goods emerged in the market like water, but my place, which I had paid a high price early on, didn't receive any response. Not only that, once I sent people to their house to ask more questions, many people took the opportunity to cancel the contract and returned the deposit very readily.

Mo Xiang was ready to work in the front, and had already led a group of people to wait, and hired an accountant and a small worker to count and calculate the quantity. There has been a lot of rain recently, and the small workers have to unload the goods when there are goods, and have to sit idle when there are no goods, because the goods delivered are always sparse, and there are always people sitting on the ten or so benches outside. Moss grows everywhere, and only this area is rubbed shiny.

As for the specially rented large warehouses with convenient locations, only a few are being used now, and they are only half full - one of them doesn't even contain goods, but deposits and penalties returned by the merchant when the contract was breached.

After waiting for two days, seeing that the situation was getting worse, she hurried to Zhao Mingzhi to apologize.

Flipping through the account book Mo Xiang brought over, Zhao Mingzhi simply nodded and said, "It's okay, just follow the previous contract."

Mo Xiang was worried and said hurriedly, "But the prices of everything in the capital are rising. Your Highness has assigned me such an important task and given me so much money, but I can't even spend money to buy things. I can't even receive the goods..."

Zhao Mingzhi smiled and said, "What does it have to do with you? You are not a copper coin, round on the outside and square on the inside. How can that thing let you take it just because you want to?"

Seeing that Zhao Mingzhi was still in the mood to joke, Mo Xiang said anxiously: "But we have no goods to sell. What should we do if the price outside cannot be lowered? Although we have received a lot of fines sent over, looking at the current situation, I am afraid that even if we add them all, we can't buy back the amount that His Highness originally expected..."

"Wait a little longer..." Zhao Mingzhi said, "If the prices of everything in Beijing were not rising, why would they choose to lose money to keep the goods on hand? Aren't they thinking of raising the price further? The price difference is huge, so what does a small fine mean?"

"But this little extra fine doesn't stop me from buying goods, but once I do buy, won't it drive up the price again..."

Zhao Mingzhi looked up at the perpetual calendar, calculated the days in his mind, and then said, "Don't worry, it's just a matter of one or two more days."

No matter how anxious Mo Xiang was, he didn't dare to ask any more questions at this moment.

There were countless people waiting for her in the temporary rented warehouse and yard outside the palace. There were merchants coming to deliver goods, accountants coming to submit accounts and report, and many subordinates who were sent out to track the progress of purchases and finally came back to report. Mo Xiang couldn't help but shudder when she thought of that scene.

But she knew even more that the pressure and difficulties she was under could not be compared with those faced by Zhao Mingzhi.

Her Highness appears calm on the surface, but how many days has it been since she last slept well? How many things are waiting for her to decide? No one knows except herself.

Mo Xiang still remembered that when he came back last time, he saw several large pallets of memorials being carried in from outside, and there were countless more on the table and on the ground. Of course, just one look at them made one's scalp tingle, and there were even several court officials waiting outside the hall.

Mo Xiang forced himself to hold on a little longer and endured for another day and night, but he didn't collect much goods. While collecting them, he sold them at a slightly lower price than the market. However, such a small amount was like a heavy stone sinking into a pond, without causing any splash.

She had just slept for a while when she heard someone knocking on the door. A familiar palace maid was calling her name and said, "Sister Mo Xiang! Get up quickly! The price of grain has dropped today!!!"

Mo Xiang was unable to react at all. He opened his eyes and looked at the roof - it was a hastily rented house, and everyone was busy, so they had no time to decorate or buy anything, let alone put up the curtains. When he looked up, he saw bare walls on all sides, with tangled spider webs hanging down, and small spring and summer insects flying around.

She didn't even know what day it was. She felt like she was still in a dream. She was about to close her eyes for a while, but suddenly she came to her senses and jumped up. She didn't even have time to comb her hair or wash her face. She wiped her face twice in her slippers and went to open the door. She almost fell on the way, but she didn't care. She hurriedly opened the door and asked, "What did you say!"

The man outside the door did not delay at all. He even pretended to knock on the door with his hand and was breathing heavily. When he saw the door open, he immediately shouted, "The price of grain has dropped! When I came out of Liangmen Street, it was 150 wen a dou. When I entered this alley, it dropped to 140. It seems to be falling all the way. All the grain shops outside have opened their doors and are selling grain, but few people go to buy. Everyone is still waiting! They all say that there is still a drop in price!"

Mo Xiang was very confused and asked, "What's going on? Aren't all the families unwilling to sell, hoarding and selling at a high price? Why is it that suddenly... only the grain price has dropped?"

The palace servant said, "This morning, rumors were circulating that our front reported a great victory! The Di soldiers have retreated, and the Di leader, a man called Qimu, fell off his horse and died, and the new leader wants to negotiate peace. The news just came in, and there was nothing wrong. I don't know how, but in the morning, many vehicles came in from Waizhou and Guzimen. The queue was very long, and then the Nanxun, Xuanhua, and Xincao gates were also blocked. Outside the Nanxun gate, even those who wanted to go out early in the morning were stopped on the road, and the traffic was so stinky everywhere..."

"I've only been focusing on grains and haven't asked about anything else, but judging from the situation, I'm afraid that not only grain prices, but also the prices of everything else will plummet!"

The two were still talking when a man came running in from outside and shouted, "Many merchants have come outside, asking if the price we offered last time is still valid. They all want to sell their goods to us!"

Mo Xiang heard this, but he showed a rare relaxed and contemptuous smile in these days, and sneered: "In the past, you were begging to sell it, and you offered such a high price, but everyone wanted to break the contract. Now that you see the price has been lowered, you want to come back? That's wishful thinking! Do you really think you are a copper coin, round on the outside and square on the inside, and everyone will rush to beg you!"

However, half of her foot was exposed, her hair was messy, and there were a lot of things stuck to the corners of her eyes, which made her seemingly domineering words seem less impressive.

Of course, the news was not just received by Mo Xiang and his group who were busy receiving the goods outside. The capital city and beyond were already in a state of excitement. Besides ecstasy, there was also an indescribable atmosphere.

If the people were a little bit unbelieving when they heard the victory news from the front, now with this most powerful news as evidence, they naturally no longer have any doubts. Peace talks must be discussed.

The Jin Dynasty had been fighting the Di people on and off for many years. To say that they "lost more than they won" would be too much of a concession to the Jin people. Now even the emperor had been captured, and they had to pay "annual tribute" and conscript labor every year. Half of the country was lost, and almost nine out of ten houses in the north were deserted. The capital was also nearly lost. Only the refugees could understand the tragedy and pain involved.

And those who are most miserable don’t even have the chance to experience it.

It was not easy to win this time, although this victory came inexplicably - in retrospect, the people in the capital felt that except for the change of commander and the addition of some Western troops to the imperial guards, it seemed that other things were no different from before.

  But how could they win so easily?

Is it because of the blessing of our ancestors? Or is it because of chance? Or is it because the Di people lost their leader and there was internal strife for power, which made the front army unwilling to fight again? Or is it because the Western Army is really that powerful? Is Pei Yong really that capable?

With so many possibilities, there are naturally many different opinions.

Recently, due to the cleaning of the Bianhe River, many large and small cargo ships came in and out, and Baokangmen Wazi, next to a large dock, suddenly became lively. Several noodle shops and restaurants that were almost closed suddenly became popular, and many businessmen came to do business with carrying poles and carts.

By this time it was getting dark. The boatmen and laborers who had been carrying things at the dock all day stopped their work, too lazy to go back. Some ate the dry food they brought with them on the spot, while those who had less work walked out of the dock and looked for food nearby. They gathered in the streets and alleys. Some who wanted to eat noodles saw that all the seats were full, so they simply didn't even wait for tables and chairs, but got the cooked noodles, squatted on the ground with the bowl in their hands, and began to slurp the noodles.

After the victory, the Di people were ready to negotiate peace, and the atmosphere in the city was no longer so tense. In addition to free time, the price of work has been very good recently. Compared with the past, the daily wages of ordinary laborers have almost doubled, and the wages of experienced canal workers have more than tripled.

There were a hundred copper coins in my pocket, jingling against each other. Who wouldn't be happy to hear this sound? Naturally, I was in the mood to chat with them. When we talked about recent events, everyone wanted to interject.

"In my opinion, it's better to go to Xiazhou, which is not favored by God. There is a new emperor this time. Although the beginning was a bit difficult, those who have endured for more than half a year have finally made it through..."

"The Di thieves killed too many people and were too evil. I'm afraid God can't bear to see this."

"Didn't people always say that the governor surnamed Pei was very powerful? Whenever you ask where is safe, everyone says to go to Jingzhao Prefecture. I thought it was an exaggeration at first, but today, it seems that he is really capable."

But as soon as this was said, some people began to question, "I heard that it was because the Jingzhao Prefecture and the Di people colluded with each other and gave the bandits many benefits that they did not attack the Western Army."

Hearing this discussion, a man who had just crouched over with noodles suddenly snorted and sneered, "You know nothing! You're colluding with the bandits and giving them benefits? The north has been occupied by bandits for how many years? Can you read? Can you read a map?! Which of the west and north is closest to Xiping, Xiazhou, and Xingqing Prefecture?"

He finished a mouthful of noodles with chopsticks in just two or three bites, and moved the chopsticks back and forth in the air, as if he was commanding the world.

"It takes at least ten days to go from Xiping to Zhending by horse. My uncle is doing a big business in Jingzhao Prefecture. I heard that if we attack Fengxiang and Qingyang, if we run fast horses day and night, we can reach Xiazhou in less than three days. It will only take another two days to go to Xiping and Xingqing. Do you think the Di people are stupid? If the Western Army was not so powerful and so close, why would they not attack Fengxiang and Jingzhao Prefecture, but go around to attack Hejian and Zhending? Look at the annual tribute we pay every year. We have emptied our pockets, but they still come to attack us one day. How much benefit does Jingzhao Prefecture have to promise to shut the Di people up?"

This person showed off his connections, but was suddenly asked by someone next to him: "Is it true that the Western Army is as powerful as you said? The Di people are so close, why doesn't the governor surnamed Pei just go over and kill them all?!"

"That's a nice thought! Jingzhao Prefecture and the imperial court have always been at odds. When the one who lives in Xiazhou was in power, Pei Yong was asked to return to the capital to meet the emperor several times, but he ignored them. He was asked to beat the Di people, but he was not mentally ill. If all the Di people were beaten to death, he would be the next to die."

"If they didn't want Jingzhao Prefecture to help separate them, based on the Western Army's past behavior, they would have been attacked long ago - are they stupid?"

After this person finished speaking, someone nearby responded.

"That's not without reason. I've heard that the people of Jingzhao Prefecture are very wild. A few years ago, the imperial transport envoys who went to Jingzhao Prefecture were all beheaded. They are so arrogant and rude. If they hadn't fallen out with each other, how could they dare to touch the imperial officials? I heard that they even brought an imperial decree..."

"As for fighting with the Di bandits in the west, it's not that we haven't fought before." An old man who had just finished his noodles and was sitting on the ground smoking a water pipe finally spoke up. "I heard people say that in the past few years, the Di people often came to Jingzhao Prefecture to extort money, but they were defeated every time they came. Later, they also sent people from Fengxiang to garrison there, and killed them several times in a row, which scared the people. Later, they rarely went there, and would rather take a long detour through Yinzhou to Zhending and Hejian, rather than provoke Jingzhao Prefecture again. You see, Jingzhao Prefecture has been very stable for many years, right?"

"That's what I mean!" The man in front picked up a piece of noodles with chopsticks and while it was cooling down, he quickly interrupted.

"Why didn't you want to fight before, but are willing to fight this time?" someone couldn't help but ask.

"The emperor has been replaced, and the new emperor is a young one, just like a big white pancake just out of the steamer, very soft, can't you mold it however you want? It's a rare opportunity. Jingzhao Prefecture has so many soldiers in its hands, and their voices are louder than others. When we go back to the capital, we have money, people, and official positions. What can't we do?" Everyone worked hard and had no scruples when speaking, let alone any taboos. They commented on the emperor without stuttering.

"In my opinion, if the capital cannot be defended after the Di people's fighting this time, and the emperor really flees to Shuzhou, Hangzhou, and Xinzhou, and finally gives up all this large area to the Di people, even if Jingzhao Prefecture is very powerful, it may not be able to hold out for long with such a large area sandwiched in between, right?"

"No matter what the reason is, everyone says that it was Pei Jiedu who killed the Di bandit commander. What the officials and the emperor think is none of my business. If he can drive the Di people away, I will give him credit and remember him well."