Datang: I am so happy to marry a disfigured princess!

Chapter 112: Political and business cooperation
"There is only one solution for now."

After hearing Lin Heng's words, Li Shimin immediately asked: "What can I do?"

Lin Heng cupped his hands and said: "The sharp rise in food prices is partly due to the famine, and more due to local people hoarding goods and secretly controlling food prices."

"There is also food in the market, and this food can definitely sustain the affected people until the autumn harvest, and they will not even go hungry, just because the price of food is too expensive."

"As long as the price of food can be brought down, it doesn't have to go back to the original price. As long as it can reach one hundred cents per kilo, that's enough!"

After listening to Lin Heng's words, Li Shimin began to think about this matter. What troubles the local people now is indeed the price of food. There is food, but one stone costs [-] yuan or more. How can the people afford it?
Moreover, after three years of Zhenguan, except for the prosperous areas south of the Yangtze River in Chang'an, the price of food in other places cannot be calculated according to Chang'an. It will inevitably be much higher. In addition, due to successive years of disasters, the people have exhausted their savings to survive the winter. Where can there be money? Going to buy rice?
Li Shimin slowly said: "What are you going to do?"

Lin Heng said in a deep voice: "Business Dao."

Li Shimin frowned tightly, his face was ugly.

If it weren't for those merchants, would the north be in such a miserable state now?

User?Doesn't this challenge his bottom line? Do you want people in the world to say that instead of suppressing these merchants, Li Shimin strongly supports them?
This is absolutely impossible!

However, Li Shimin did not speak directly, but listened to Lin Heng's subsequent words.

"Father, the famine in the north is largely caused by the powerful and wealthy households behind it, interfering with normal business and causing the price of food to continue to soar, making it difficult for the common people to afford it."

"To deal with this method, the role of food must be to impact the market and stabilize food prices, and then cycle in this way again, and then the food prices can be brought down so that they can afford it."

Li Shimin frowned when he heard this: "You mean, if I want to use the food for disaster relief to make money, wouldn't it attract criticism from everyone in the world!"

Lin Heng complained in his heart that communicating with ancient people would be troublesome!

"Father, you should think about it. Which one will bring more benefits after food prices stabilize and more people will survive, or will the benefits from the grains that my father takes out for disaster relief will bring the biggest benefits?"

"Once the disaster relief food from the central government is exhausted, there will definitely be no food to eat in the north. By then, corpses will be everywhere, and it will be truly irreversible."

After listening, Li Shimin weighed again.

After food prices come down, once people can afford food, they will not starve to death. Moreover, this reduction in macro food prices will radiate to the entire north, and the ultimate benefits will be greater.

But once you do this, it means that people will start dying right away.

He couldn't bear to see this, but Lin Heng's previous description had already made it obvious that without active intervention, food prices would not be lowered at all, and they would not be lowered until the autumn harvest.

Once the food and grass are exhausted, the number of casualties will only increase!
Seeing Li Shimin's hesitation, Lin Heng said again: "Although they know that my father's treasury does not have much grain in the northern area, they don't know the specific amount."

"Once Your Majesty continues this kind of disaster relief and does not receive food supplies in the future, it means that the wealthy households who hold food will win."

"At that time, the price of food will continue to rise until it reaches a point where even if a person sells everything he owns and cannot get a stone of food, it will be over."

In history, real disasters are far more terrifying than this.

In the feudal era, food has always been the most cherished thing by the people, and they would even sell their children and daughters for a mouthful of food, because only by living can they be qualified to complain and curse the injustice of this era.

Although Lin Heng's tone was calm, Li Shimin's heart was aroused at this moment.

Li Shimin's hands were trembling. At that time, how could he have the dignity to be the emperor?

"If I agree, what will you do?" Li Shimin's voice was dry, as if he had been drained of energy.

Lin Heng said with a solemn expression: "Your Majesty needs to personally give the order, use the police instead of killing, tell the officials in the court and local officials from top to bottom, and mobilize all possible resources to cooperate with the transportation of food."

"This food can be His Majesty's disaster relief food, or it can be food from other wealthy families. In short, we must mobilize as much food as possible to the north for sale, always at a price that is [-]% to [-]% lower than the market price. Sell.”

"As for the local wealthy bureaucrats, we should try our best to encourage them to take the initiative to sell grain. They are not good people. They will not sell easily if they can't make money. But as soon as the grain arrives in Chang'an and the price of grain changes, they will inevitably waver. , We just need to let these people know that there is a lot of grain in the imperial court and Chang'an that they are willing to sell there to make money."

"At that time, once they can no longer keep it, they will definitely release the grain and sell it. If the cycle repeats, the price of grain will drop."

"We want them to see that the court allows them to make money, but don't go too far. If there are any who are too stubborn, or even wantonly harvest grain to deliberately raise money, their homes will be confiscated and beheaded!"

After listening to Lin Heng's words, Li Shimin was shocked: "Doesn't this mean that I am working with merchants to benefit the world?"

There was another sentence, 'I will be scolded.' Li Shimin didn't say it out loud, but after thinking about it, he realized that it was indeed the truth.

Is it appropriate for you not to let others earn money after they spent a lot of money to collect grain?

The grain storage in Chang'an is definitely comparable to that of the prosperous towns in the south of the Yangtze River. If they heard that the imperial court took the initiative to let them sell grain, or even provide transportation, and directly earn more than ten times the price of this batch of grain, how could they not do it?
In this case, wouldn’t there be food?
Li Shimin, who finally figured it out, showed a trace of temptation on his face. He looked at Lin Heng who was kneeling on the ground and said, "Get up."

Lin Heng stood up, muttering to himself that he was almost numb on his knees.

"Nowadays, there is no better way. In this way, if we can really lower the price of food and allow more people to survive, it doesn't matter if I bear the infamy."

"I agree with you."

Seeing this, Lin Heng couldn't help but sigh.

For the sake of the people, Li Shimin was willing to agree to integrate politics and business. This may not be surprising in modern times, but this is the Tang Dynasty, and this kind of thing has happened throughout the ages.

If you don't do it well, you will bear the infamy throughout the ages!
He is worthy of being the emperor of the ages, Li Shimin!

Li Shimin said slowly: "Except for food transportation, how do you need me to help you?"

Lin Heng said: "Once this matter is implemented, it will definitely touch the interests of local bureaucrats and powerful people. They will have a backlash, and this backlash will be huge."

"I just ask my father not to worry about anything else. No one should be killed. A strong rebound must be suppressed hard, otherwise all the efforts will be wasted!"

Li Shimin took a deep breath after hearing this and looked at Lin Heng in front of him, feeling a little complicated.

A few months ago, he was just a farmer, and Li Shimin looked down upon him at all. But now, he is asked to make suggestions on matters related to the country and the country.

Although it is the way of a merchant, it is the only way. He cannot let the powerful people of the aristocratic family give out food for disaster relief. This is unrealistic, and he has already agreed with the opinions put forward by Lin Heng.

As long as there is food, food prices will fall, and this famine will solve many problems.

"it is good!"

Lin Heng looked solemn and cupped his hands and said: "Since Your Majesty is willing to support me like this, I am willing to go to the north to provide disaster relief!"

(End of this chapter)