Late Tang

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At the beginning of September of the second year of Qianfu, Li Jing had basically completed the reorganization of the 21st Army under his command.

After the reorganization of the various armies, Li Jing ordered the transfer of the fourth army of the newly reorganized Zhen[***] Fifth Army except the Yanyun Army to the sixteen counties of Ziqing Town, and transferred a fleet of the Water Army with a total of 2000 troops into the town. Jishuikou and Huanghekou were stationed.

Zhen[***]’s most elite Wuya soldiers changed defenses, moved to southern Liaoning with the reorganized Pinglu Army, Dengzhou was handed over to the United Army, Daxie Islands, Changxing Island, and Changshan Islands were assigned to Zhen[***] ***] The other three fleets that have just returned are stationed.

The fleet that went south has all returned, and there are thousands of merchant ships returning with them.These ships brought back the grain that Li Jing needed most, thousands of ships of grain. Although the profit was not too high in transporting grain from Lingnan to Dengzhou, Li Jing needed grain.These merchants also knew that the commodities in Dengzhou and southern Liaoning were extremely profitable at the moment, so after receiving Li Jing's guarantee, most of them brought food back on their return journey.There are also many Lingnan businessmen who, after accepting the high grain prices of Li Liang, Pei You and others, transported a large amount of grain to Dengzhou, preparing to make a fortune, and then brought a group of Lingnan Guangzhou, Annan Jiaozhou and other places sell popular Dengzhou products back home.

The price of grain brought by these merchants is very high, [-] yuan per stone of grain, almost ten times the price compared with three years ago.

Li Jing didn't bargain and asked for everything.

This batch of food was a lot. Megan brought back 100 million shi of food when he returned earlier.And now this batch is more, up to 500 million shi. To eat this batch of grain, it needs 500 million guan.

This is a huge sum of money. During the reign of Emperor Dezong, the total revenue of the two taxes of the imperial court was only 3000 million yuan, 600 million stone millet.By the time of Xuanzong, the total income of the imperial court was only 920 million guan a year.

Of course, this is because at this time, the only income of the imperial court is the tax and salt tea income of the 38 states in the southeast.

But it can also be seen that the money is indeed a lot.During Dezong's time, 600 million shi millet was worth 800 million guan, but now, 500 million shi grains cost two 500 million guan money, which is almost the current two-year tax revenue of the imperial court and the benefits of salt and tea.

Li Rang heard that Li Jing had agreed to buy the grain at a high price, so he couldn't help but hurriedly begged to see Li Jing.

As soon as they met, they immediately said: "My lord, in fact, we don't have to buy these grains now. I have calculated that we still have a lot of grains in our warehouse. Last year's autumn harvest and this year's summer harvest, although due to the bad season, the grain output Not high, but we have a lot of newly reclaimed land, and the harvest is not bad. We now have 200 army garrisons, each with 300 hectares, which is a full 500 ​​million mu. This is not counting the fields in the hands of the people, and there are nearly 500 million mu, we now have [-] million mu. In our military settlements alone, the average mu is one stone, and last year there was [-] million stone grain output."

"We now have a population of 200 million. According to three shi per capita, we can have enough food and clothing. Six million shi of grain per year is enough."

Li Jing shook his head, "No, 600 million shi a year is not enough. The figure of three shi a year is correct, but you haven't counted other things. It's a time of war, and there are often wars. When there is a war, the food consumption is huge Yes. And there are also war horses. War horses eat three shi millet a month. Have you ever calculated this? A war horse eats 42 shi millet a year. Now we need to build a cavalry force of 2 people and at least 100 war horses Left and right, these war horses alone will consume more than [-] million stone millets. Moreover, our large number of logistics pack horses, donkeys, and mules consume a lot.”

In a time of war, what is the richest thing?food!

No matter how many things of gold and silk, they are not as effective as money and food in times of war.Food is the most important thing. Now it seems that the price of food is expensive, but it can still be bought after all.When there is a price but no market, you can't even cry.

"The family has surplus food, so don't panic. We are not afraid of too much food, and we don't need to be afraid of expensive food." Li Jing tapped the table lightly and said to Li Rang patiently.

"I know that we still have about 700 million shi of food and grass. It seems that there is enough to eat to the bright side. But we can't calculate it like this. You know that we are going to use troops in Liaodong soon. The land of Liaodong , food is not easy to transport, the soldiers on the front line eat a bucket of food, and they have to consume three buckets on the road. Moreover, we have more than 2 soldiers and horses stationed in Ziqing Town, and these have to be transported from the rear. Besides, we I also plan to recruit some refugees to come to Liaodong, and they all need food."

"But we don't have that much money." Li Rang was a little embarrassed. Since he took over the purse of Zhen [***], Zhen [***]'s family was very rich, which made him very happy.But it is still quite difficult to spend 500 million guan to buy grain. "We still have about 1000 million yuan in our account, which is all our belongings."

"Exchange our commodities, war horses, cattle and sheep, fur, gold and silver, as well as our books and paper, perfume, liquor, fruit wine, rock sugar, cloth, and even weapons and armor and even ships and warships. These can all be sold. Well, Even those slaves captured by the Hu tribe can be sold."

"But these also require costs. If all of them are exchanged for food, they will not be able to sell to other people. Now we have finally opened up the business road along the Yellow River in Jishui, and we cannot run out of stock."

Li Jing frowned, "You first calculate, if we exchange all these goods in our hands for food, how much can we exchange?"

"It can be exchanged for up to 100 million shi. We also exchanged commodities for the first batch of grain. How about joining Dengzhou, Liaonan and other major caravans to eat this batch of grain?" Li Rang asked.

"No." Li Jing refused without thinking. This batch of food is very important and cannot be easily given to others. "Also raise the price of several of our unique products."

"In this way, you can buy another 20 stone at most."

Li Rang was a little depressed, sighed and said: "It would be great if there were more people in our gold mine. Gold and silver are in Lingnan, and they like it very much when they trade with Tibetan merchants. It's a pity that one or two A share of gold can almost be exchanged for two stones of grain, but unfortunately although we have several large gold mines, the output is still too little."

"Go back and think about other ways. If there is no other way, you can only eat this batch of food with other big households and caravans." Li Jing was also a little helpless, although he wanted to eat these thousands of ships by himself. Food, but I don't have the capital.

After Li Rang left, Li Jing was still a little restless.I was thinking in my heart, even if I let the big households eat these grains, I had to think of countermeasures first.The previous prohibition policy must be strictly implemented. Even if these big households bought grain, they should not be allowed to be second-hand dealers and sell it elsewhere.In any case, this batch of grain can no longer leave the territory of Dengzhou and Liaodong.

Another point is that if these big households have access to food, the price of food must be controlled, and they must not be allowed to manipulate the price of food and hoard it.It is necessary to limit the price of food, and finally to firmly control the food in the hands, and implement a rationing system for the people under the rule.Do you want to issue food stamps, and you can only buy food with food stamps?

Li Jing knew very well in his heart that food was the real hard currency at a time like this.Only when the price of food is stabilized can other prices be stabilized, and then the prices can be lowered, the lives of the people can be stabilized, and the economic order of the town can be a virtuous circle.Otherwise, with persistent inflation, it will be Li Jing who will be unlucky in the end, and it will be the dominance of Zhen [***] that will be hurt.

But if Li Jing wanted to lower the price of grain, he had to prevent someone from buying grain from him and then hoarding it, or simply smuggling it out as a second-hand trafficker.Therefore, it is very important that food is allowed in but not out.The same is true for food rationing and the prohibition of hoarding.

But it's still a little early to think about these things now. You have to get the food in your hands before you can think about these issues.Only with a large amount of food in hand can Li Jing do the above.

"Which beauty are you thinking about again?" Megan's voice suddenly rang in his ears.

Li Jing looked up, but saw that she came in at some point and was staring at him.

"Is there something wrong?" Li Jing returned to his senses.

Megan snorted dissatisfiedly, "Yesterday I kept saying that I wanted to marry someone as my wife, but today I immediately forgot about it."

"Why, I was just thinking about something. I just came back, why don't you take a break?" Li Jing stretched out his hand to grab Megan's waist, put her in his arms, and sat on his lap.

The beauty twisted her waist and hips a few times in her arms, but it immediately ignited Li Jing's lust. The beautiful buttocks rubbed against her under the robe, making Li Jing immediately raise her gun in salute.Megan felt it immediately, but instead she smiled coquettishly at him, and then twisted a few more seductively, causing Li Jing to take a long breath.

Li Jing was provoked, and she reached out to climb the pair of peaks, wanting to punish her on the spot.

But Megan laughed lightly, pushed Li Jing's hands away, turned around and left his arms, walked to the opposite side and sat down.

Looking at this female goblin, Li Jing could only sigh.

"Tell me, what's the matter?"

Megan said sternly: "Didn't you say last time that if I marry you, I can also lead troops in the future? Why is it that after this reorganization, the four fleets form a naval force, but I am not even the commander of the Raging Waves fleet?" , I want to ask if those people made a mistake."

"Oh, so that's what happened." Li Jing smiled lightly, "That's right, I've dismissed you as the commander of the Raging Wave Fleet."

"Why?" Megan's face was already a little unhappy.

"Because, I decided to divide the 8000 men and horses of the navy into sixteen battalions with four compartments, and you will immediately be promoted from the former commander of the Raging Wave Fleet to the deputy commander of the navy, as the deputy envoy of the navy, and also as the former commander. The box, that is, the envoy of the Raging Wave Fleet."

"Who is the military leader?" Megan asked with a smile.

"Of course it's Pei You. Why, don't you agree?" Li Jing also asked with a smile.

"If it's General Pei, I'd be convinced. What about Julie?"

"I'm going to let her be the commander of the navy march."

Megan nodded in satisfaction, "You still have a conscience." As he spoke, he took a box from the table on one side, and carefully brought it to Li Jing, "It's worthwhile for me to come all the way to bring you this gift. "

"What gift?" Li Jing didn't expect Megan to bring him a gift.

"Treasure, I bought it from a big food merchant in Guangzhou. It's a small thing, worth 100 million yuan!" Megan opened the box as if offering a treasure, and took out something from it.

Seeing this gift for the first time, Li Jing couldn't help being stunned for a moment. This thing is actually worth 100 million yuan?Immediately afterwards, a second thought arose in his mind, a thought that made him very excited. (To be continued.)