My client Li Yunlong

Chapter 166 The locust army cannot resist the principles of market economy.

"The Japs-controlled areas are maliciously raising food prices."

Jinan base area.

Ze County.

An officer reported the latest intelligence to the head of economic warfare.

"As of yesterday, in the Japanese-controlled Chi County, which is adjacent to Ze County, the price of grain is already twice the market price in Ze County."

"As for the imported grain we put into the market every day, in other markets in the base area, it costs three Hebei Nan coins per catty. In the Japanese-controlled areas, it has been sold for five New Hebei Nan coins per catty."

When it came to food prices, the officer gritted his teeth.

The Japanese are very vicious.

By maliciously raising the price of grain in the control area, goods will flow from the low-price area to the high-price area in the market, causing an outflow of food from the base area.

Although this move can damage oneself by one thousand and the enemy by eight hundred.

In the end, it was the people in the areas controlled by the Japanese who suffered the loss, but the Japanese obviously did not care about the lives of the people in the areas controlled by the Japanese. They only thought about how to destroy the price of food in the base areas.

Although the base area has strictly blocked grain exports.

Large-scale transportation of grain to Japanese-controlled areas is strictly prohibited.

However, it cannot be stopped on a small scale, and there will always be imported high-quality grain flowing to areas controlled by the Japanese.

And the numbers are huge.

"Five Henan coins per catty?"

Upon hearing this piece of news, the person in charge of economic warfare actually laughed.

Unknowingly, the new Hebei Nan coins have been firmly spread in the Japs-controlled areas. For this purpose, he did not even care about the Japs collecting silver coins in the base area.

Just follow the clues and catch a few Japanese spies who are too arrogant.

"Yes, new Jinan coins."

The officer who reported the report also laughed:

"Today, the currency in circulation in the Japanese controlled areas and counties around our base is also the New Hebei South Dollar."

"Even the joint coins issued by the Japanese and puppet troops were sent aside."

"However, it is only limited to a few surrounding counties."

"I see."

The person in charge of economic warfare smiled and nodded.

With the massive amounts of silver dollars falling, the first goal of the economic war, stabilizing the currency in the southern Hebei base area, has been achieved.

Now comes the second goal.

Promote the Jinan currency to the Japanese-controlled areas around the Jinan base area, so that the Japanese can also use the new Jinan currency.

Given the current market demand for silver dollars,

This goal is also very simple and can be said to be a matter of course.

And the devil,

Even if you know, there is nothing you can do.

Because this is absolute strength.

Unless the Japanese can resist the temptation of silver dollars.

···

"Do you use the new Jinan coins on Tubal Road?"

"Hey, we need to buy vegetables and horse feed from the local merchants nearby. Those merchants only accept this currency."

Jinan region.

Chi County.

The captain of the Japanese Heze Regiment, Colonel Heze, is inspecting the stronghold.

Recently, Tubal Road has captured many strongholds, especially in the past few days, the stronghold controlling transportation nodes in Ze County and a nearby county was attacked by Tubal Road. He urgently sent two brigades to support.

As he expected, the strength of Tubal Road in southern Hebei has increased again.

The two brigades encountered two heavy artillery pieces to block the bombardment and had no time to support them. As a result, the key stronghold was captured by Tubal Road.

Chi County, near Ze County, was exposed to the front of Tubal Road.

Although the troops in the southern Hebei region increased after the 27th Division stopped its raids, because all the troops were deployed to interfere with the communication lines between the Taihang base area and the southern Hebei base area, he only had two mobile troops in hand at this time, with a total of 1,500 troops. More than a hundred Japs.

This small amount of troops is not enough to drive away the Tuba Road who have established a foothold.

As a last resort, he once again strengthened Chi County's defenses and personally inspected various strongholds.

But when he arrived at the stronghold, Colonel Heze discovered an unexpected situation.

In Chi County, which is under the absolute control of the Locust Army, the main currency in circulation is the currency of the Eighth Route Army. There are even Locust Army in the key strongholds of Chi County, exchanging joint coins and even Japanese yen into new Hebei Nan coins.

"idiot!"

Captain Heze was immediately furious.

One of the essences of war is economic competition.

The Locust Army uses Tubal Road's currency. This is completely aiding the enemy and strengthening Tubal Road's power.

Moreover, the Eighth Route Army currency that circulates in areas controlled by the Locust Army and even started to be used by the Locust Army is also the best propaganda for the Eighth Route Army - look, the money used by the little devils is all issued by the Eighth Route Army.

"Starting today, the use of Eighth Route Army currency is prohibited."

"Once discovered, seize it immediately."

"Starting from today, Chi County only allows the use of joint coins and military tickets."

Colonel Heze, who was 100% military in nature and knew all about the economy, chose to use violence directly.

So what if the Tubal Road economy can be defeated?

What happens if currency circulates to areas controlled by the locust army?

In this world, force is king.

"Hi!"

The men immediately went to execute it.

···

"what?"

"Have all your Jinan coins been robbed by the Japanese?"

That day, businessmen around Chi County learned the news.

The Chixian Japs defined Jinan coins as currency prohibited from circulation. Once discovered, they would be confiscated immediately. If they complied, they would directly exchange the coins in equal amounts at the bank's exchange rate, one to one.

Those who resist will be directly arrested or even shot in serious cases.

"Correct."

"The Japanese are only allowed to use silver dollars, joint coins."

"They also set up checkpoints. Once new Hebei Nan coins are discovered, they will be confiscated immediately."

The businessman sighed.

"this··"

All the businessmen looked at each other.

To do business, you naturally need money, otherwise there would be no business at all by relying on barter.

New Jinan coins are not allowed to be used.

Only Union coins and silver dollars are allowed.

Not to mention the joint coins issued by the Japanese, they are depreciating every day. Today they cost ten yuan. If they are not guaranteed, they will only be worth nine yuan tomorrow, and they will only be worth seven or eight yuan the day after tomorrow.

Can this business be done?

Not to mention that silver dollars are inconvenient to carry.

Moreover, the value of silver coins in southern Hebei is very low. If they have enough silver coins in their hands, they might as well transport them to Shanghai and other areas and sell them to foreign merchants, which is much more profitable than doing business directly.

Who uses silver dollars to do business?

"Forget it, it's okay if Chi County doesn't go."

Everyone shook their heads and turned around.

It’s better not to make any money than to make money from linked coins. In the end there was only one businessman left.

"Coin-linking? We can only raise the price."

The businessman with six donkeys carrying some grain gritted his teeth secretly.

His business was to transport wheat bran, beans and other horse feed to the Japanese to make money.

Although he was reviled and called a traitor, these days, as long as he can make money, why do he care so much?

Besides, he doesn’t do this business, there are people who do it.

Although the joint currency depreciated from time to time, it was only circulated in the Japs-controlled areas, and it was difficult to exchange it for the new Hebei Nan currency. The Eighth Route Army base areas did not accept it at all, but supplies could still be purchased.

The only problem is that it's easy to lose money.

If you use this to do business, God knows one day you will lose money, and you can only increase the price to cope with it.

···

"price goes up?!"

"Doubled?"

Chi County.

The third brigade of the Heze United Army is stationed here.

Although the Japanese North China Front Army has more than 300,000 people, its control area includes the entire North China region, with a total area of ​​800,000 square kilometers.

The Japanese territory is only 370,000 square kilometers.

Not only the troops are severely dispersed, but also logistical supplies are a big problem.

Although the southern Hebei region is a plain area, there are not many roads.

And the quality is poor.

Relying on the Japanese's own poor transportation capacity and the Eighth Route Army's attacks on transportation lines, it is absolutely impossible to meet all the baggage needs of each garrison.

For this reason, the Japanese could only collect some unimportant baggage, such as vegetables, horse feed, etc., on the spot.

Many Japanese military personnel, especially junior officers, wanted to rob them directly.

Supplies are everywhere. If you don’t have enough, just go get them.

But the top Japanese leaders are not fools either.

The locust army is here to occupy, not just to plunder and then leave.

If they rob them all directly, they will push all the people to Tuba Road, or even drive them away, and then the locust army will guard an empty city?

The most effective is through economic means,

Loot slowly.

sustainable development.

That is the military depot plan in North China.

Continuously utilize the huge population and huge resources in North China to provide material and manpower for the imperial tanks.

"At the original price."

The captain of the Japanese army in Zhuchi County sounded cold.

Food prices were rising, he knew.

He is also prepared to give some more joint coins.

Anyway, if you don’t have enough currency, just ask the bank for it. You can get as much as you want.

But just double it!

Do you think the Locust Army is easy to deceive?

How can a mere businessman turn the world upside down?

"Hi!"

The staff officer didn't say much and went to execute it immediately.

···

"It's really hard to do business with the Japanese."

Looking at a pile of coins in his hand.

The businessman was holding six donkeys and was crying without tears.

He originally wanted to make a profit from the 500 kilograms of horse feed he purchased from other places.

but now···

He purchased grain, but he used the Eighth Route Army's New Hebei Nan coins. These Japanese joint coins were exchanged for New Hebei South coins on the black market. It would be a miracle if he could exchange half of them.

In this transaction, I basically lost more than half of my money.

"Why··"

The businessman sighed, packed up, and left with the six donkeys.

In today's world, there are wars everywhere, the Eighth Route Army, the Japanese, the Shanxi-Sui Army, the Central Army, bandits, mountain kings and so on.

Anyone who goes out to do business and make money must be mentally prepared.

If you suffer a loss, you can only knock out your teeth and swallow it in your stomach.

Otherwise, what else can be done?

Reasoning with the devil?

"Hey, try to do as little business as possible with Japanese people from now on."

He sighed.

I originally made some money doing business with the Japanese, but now I lost everything.

···

a few days later.

"Is there not enough fodder for the mules and horses stationed in various places?"

Colonel Heze received several telegrams from garrisons in various places in Chi County and was immediately dumbfounded.

"Funds not disbursed?"

Colonel Heze didn't understand.

Horse and mule feed, these unimportant baggage items, were procured from the market.

If it was a remote garrison, he would still understand.

But the garrison in a county cannot buy feed?

Is this possible?

"General."

Detailed report from the staff:

"According to a report from the Chi County Garrison, merchants on the market refused to pay with joint currency."

"idiot!"

Colonel Heze immediately cursed:

“Just take the damn people.”

"Where are the imperial merchants?"

Colonel Heze then asked.

This is the area controlled by the Imperial North China Front!

Although most of them are from the Republic of China.

But there are also a large number of imperial merchants among them.

"They demand three times the price, otherwise they will refuse to use Liancoin."

The staff officer lowered his voice.

Colonel Heze: "?"

　The fever reached 40 degrees... I lay down for two days.

　　

　

(End of this chapter)