Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 131: The power struggle subsides, and food prices rise

The small actions taken by Jiangnan to borrow grain from the imperial court, after being magnified by the long canal, turned into a huge storm.

It was mid-March when the newly appointed Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Wang Yingjiao, reported to the court.

"Because there are many issues with the grain transport this year, there are rumors in the capital that there is a shortage of grain this year. Grain merchants have heard the news and are hoarding grain. I am afraid that the price of grain will rise sharply. I think that the reform of the Zhaiyang General will be imminent, and the cunning will be rewarded. Those who take advantage of the situation to cause trouble must be punished. I request that Your Majesty issue an order to inspect all grain stores and make sure that they continue to sell grain at a fair price!"

"allow."

Zhu Changluo first agreed to this request in court, and then said: "The strict implementation of business taxes, whether merchants are still exploited by clerks after paying the deed tax, resulting in increased costs, cannot be ignored. The Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate should pay attention to this point under the feet of the emperor in the capital. Otherwise, it will be useless to just strictly order grain merchants to sell grain at a fair price."

How Jiangnan will respond to the emperor's many arrangements depends on how things develop, but their actions have already been transmitted to the capital.

In addition, the imperial court's strategy to increase revenue started with the currency, maritime trade, and commercial taxes, so naturally the first people to feel the severity of the situation this year were the merchants.

Before the administration of officials improves, it is impossible for merchants to immediately stop making deals due to previous inertia, and the deed tax dare not go against the trend and still become a typical practice today.

The cost they have to pay is higher, and with the rumor that there have been many accidents on the way of transporting grain to the capital this year, the price will naturally increase.

Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue looked at the emperor: You said before that you would not let the grain price in the capital rise sharply, is there really a way?

There are millions of people inside and outside the capital.

The owners of the grain stores and rice shops in the capital also have complex backgrounds.

For example, the owner of the six Baohe stores was the emperor, and there were countless other stores owned by nobles and dignitaries, as well as big merchants from all over the country.

Li Dai had just cleverly taken back some of the power of the ministry, and was now in charge of the replacement of local officials.

"Let's not talk about the rest. Let's inform Shuntian Prefecture and all the government offices! Thanks to your majesty's grace, the remaining part of the hard work and integrity rewards for the Beijing officials last year has been distributed. If you can't understand your majesty's will, don't blame me for giving more consideration to the list of local officials."

This hidden threat is naturally released externally.

If we don't draw lots, there will naturally be many people asking for favors and intercessions, and this is also a threat.

In short, if the emperor says the price cannot be raised, then it cannot be raised!

In the residence of a certain meritorious official, the butler looked worried and his wife was full of resentment.

"The soldiers are no longer useful, and the salaries are no longer available. Now I can't even make a living! My parents and my brother's family depend on that rice shop for their livelihood!"

"What are you arguing about? Can we let them starve? Mao Lan only removed the food and wages from the roster, and left the Jingwei's farmland untouched. Do you want me to go and make a scene in front of His Majesty?"

The Beijing Army’s abuse of power was never as simple as some fictitious numbers on the roster who were supposed to receive monthly rations every year. There was also the military farms of the various guards near the capital city, from which the Beijing Army selected its soldiers according to the system.

Not touching those properties now is indeed a "special favor" to the meritorious officials.

However, the issue of grain prices gradually affected the meritorious officials, which was ultimately a source of worry.

As for Zhu Changluo, he finally began to impeach him through secret reports.

"Sort it out first." Zhu Changluo just ordered, "Then let the factory guards conduct a secret investigation."

After saying that, he looked at a secret letter, which turned out to be from Marquis Funing.

A smile appeared on his face: "You know how to fight back."

This impeachment refers to the company that raised prices first.

Then Funing Marquis Zhu Jixun said that the owner of Jixian Hall was surnamed Qin, and was actually the relative of Duke Yansheng's concubine.

This is what Zhu Changluo is interested in.

The first counterattack was directed at Duke Yansheng, which was considered to be quite bold and resolute.

Yanshenggong's family runs a grain business, so they are naturally blessed with a unique advantage.

Not only does it control the throat of the canal, but the Yanshenggong Mansion also has large-scale sacrificial fields. In addition to the land accumulated from generation to generation, it integrates production and sales.

Maybe he will be interested in this bidding for Zhayang.

Not long after, another secret memorial was submitted, impeaching several great officials for secretly supporting a trading company called Changminghao, which was now buying up new grain in Tongzhou and hoarding it for profit.

The name is taboo, and it is so blatant, of course, because behind it stand big figures like Duke Dingguo, Duke Chengguo, and Marquis Wuding!
Zhu Changluo couldn't help but sigh at their eyes and ears.

The first batch of nobles who invested in the company naturally had to deal with Changming, and they also had to arrange for some people to take care of some specific affairs.

An open and covert struggle over grain prices in the capital has begun again.

Many meritorious officials' families were ordered by the officials in charge to pay all taxes and even to recover taxes owed in previous years. They also had many complaints about the continuous reduction and abuse of the Beijing military camp.

Funing Hou sued Jixiantang because of the discriminatory treatment. After all, the price of Jixiantang's grain had not been lowered yet, and there was only so much grain per day, which would be sold out as soon as it was sold out.

Qin Yongtai is not here, and his cousins ​​are just the chickens and dogs who "ascended to heaven" with him.

"Master, the news in the capital is not very good." The shopkeeper of Jixian Hall in the capital asked carefully, "Did Lord Yansheng give any instructions?"

"Since you know that Lord Yansheng is in the capital, what are you worried about?" Qin Yongning didn't care. "It's not like we haven't paid the full stamp duty. Now it's only increased by half a cent, how can it be considered a big increase? Not much is sold, and there is already a shortage of grain. If other families are willing to sell at a loss, then let them sell."

Of course, he was not completely brainless, but the fire was not burning now.

The Changming Company had stored so much new grain in its private warehouse in Tongzhou, and it hadn't moved anything yet.

This is a battle between the grain shops in Jiangnan, the industries of meritorious officials and the civil and military officials in the court. Since Duke Yansheng has not given any orders yet, there is naturally no need to pay attention to it.

Perhaps the civil and military officials are competing openly and joining forces secretly to let Your Majesty know the difficulty of stabilizing grain prices and the difficulty of increasing revenue from merchants.

There are big and small grain merchants. In front of the Wanping County Magistrate, a small grain merchant kowtowed and said, "Your Excellency, I also bought the new grain from the big merchants. The account books are all there. The purchase price of new grain has increased by 1.5 yuan this year. I have to pay taxes, hire workers, and transport grain. It is not my fault that the price has increased. It is no longer profitable."

After saying this, I wanted to offer my gift and ask them to show mercy.

"It is the emperor's will to stabilize grain prices!" said the Wanping County Magistrate. "The prefect has repeatedly urged us to do this. What can we do? Don't try this trick! Anyway, we will continue to sell at the previous price. If the price rises to 15 cents per stone and there is a civil uprising, will you be beheaded for me?"

"My Lord, please be merciful. This is indeed the price now. If you change it back to 13 coins per stone, I will be at a loss..."

"If you can't do this business, don't do it!" The county magistrate didn't care about him. "If you want to open a business in the streets and alleys under the jurisdiction of Wanping County, you must abide by the rules! The notice has been issued, let's go to the next one!"

He was cursing in his heart, but was urged by the magistrate to announce it to every household.

Fujing County is really a headache. These small grain merchants are okay, they can be dealt with by just scolding and suppressing them.

But what about those who have someone behind the scenes?
If the big grain traders do not agree, the grain price will still go up.

No matter how hard the officials in the capital tried, as time went by, towards the end of March, the price of grain in the capital gradually rose to more than fifteen cents, almost to one tael of silver per stone.

This price is actually not too bad. The price of grain in the capital generally fluctuates between 11 and 14 cents per stone. It has not risen to the level of two or three taels of silver per stone as in some years.

The Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Wang Yingjiao, is also nosy!

The emperor had not yet expressed his opinion on the rising grain prices, so the Ministry of Personnel, the Censorate and Shuntian Prefecture, after doing their corresponding work, could not help but relax a little.

In addition, with the secret arrangements made by grain merchants, the corresponding grassroots officials will gradually turn a blind eye.

Sun Wei, the governor of Shuntian Prefecture who had just taken office, had to face the problem head-on, so he submitted a memorial.

【Last year, there was a severe drought. The emperor ordered the refugees in the capital to seek food in the capital. The troops of Shuntian Prefecture and the Five Cities tried to provide relief. Many grain stores in the city donated money, and the grain reserves were emptied. Now that commercial taxes are strictly enforced, the grain transport is slow, and a lot of grain has been lost along the way. The price of grain in the capital has risen. The root cause is the grain transport river...】

Of course, what he said was the superficial truth. The fluctuations in grain prices in the capital this year did have causes and consequences.

Your Majesty, please respect the rules of the market. What can I, a mere governor of Shuntian Prefecture, do?

In short, if the grain price breaks through one tael of silver per stone this year, it is normal. But I believe that when all the grain is delivered and the people in the capital are stable, the grain price will fall back.

He knew that if the emperor still wanted to pursue the crime, he would probably not be able to escape, so he wanted to report it first.

As for the question, the cabinet ministers must also express their opinions and provide solutions.

Then the blame won't fall entirely on him.

Shen Yikuan and the other two looked at the question and brought it up when the emperor summoned them to the Yangxin Palace.

After all, when the emperor arranged the case of the Japanese pirates robbing the grain, he said that he would not let the grain price in the capital rise.

After reading it, Zhu Changluo said, "I understand. Anyway, since it has been reported, it's fine."

It seems like we have done our best to ask for a fair price, and that will be fair to the people.

Then the next day, eight stores in five cities inside and outside the capital opened for business.

Outside the store that had been renovated for a long time, the red silk plaque was taken down by the shopkeeper, revealing the four words "Changming Grain Store".

Afterwards, shopkeepers everywhere hung wooden boards outside their doors.

"The new store has just opened. We have new good rice at 13 cents per stone. If you need it, please support us."

This really shook up the grain market in the capital, which had just posted a price of one tael of silver for one stone of grain.

At the Dingguogong residence, Funinghou could not help but ask, "Duke, what is this all about?"

(End of this chapter)