Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 133: Jiangnan Divine Calculation, the Emperor's Chess Game
The matter was thus framed by the emperor.

What he said, of course, made Kong Shangxian and many others present at the court meeting tremble with fear.

This is enough to prove that the emperor is well aware of the current situation of the grain market in the capital, and it also proves that the emperor is behind Changming Grain Store.

Damn it... How could the emperor personally go against the grain merchants?
This is a situation that no one has ever encountered before.

In the past, the six Baohe stores, the imperial stores, the official stores, and the stores owned by nobles and relatives were all managed by specially responsible servants.

At first, everyone thought that the meritorious officials had lost the benefits of the Beijing camp and started to gang up on the grain business in the capital, so everyone tried it out.

Now Changming Grain Store not only "insists on not making money", but also increases its efforts to release grain. Everyone is already trapped in it.

How could we know how much the emperor, who pointed out the key points as soon as he heard the ministers come out to make requests, already knew?

How to do?
The problem lies before everyone who has connection with grain merchants, big or small, in the capital.

The emperor ignored them, but a word he said at the court meeting put many people in a dilemma.

If they changed the price tags outside their own grain stores, it would only make things more obvious.

What will happen if you don't change and insist on carrying on?
The most crucial thing is the rumor about the so-called flood in the south of the Yangtze River.

Is there anyone who can really predict the future?
The emperor was filled with murderous intent, but he refused to see any outsiders.

He had a very good excuse: the selection had entered its final month, and the Grand Empress Dowager and the two Empress Dowagers who had already been conferred titles in the palace would select concubines together with the Emperor.

Of course it wouldn't take that long, but since it involves concubines, what's wrong with the emperor paying a little more attention to his queen and concubines?
"... Grand Marshal, you are the Minister of War, so you should invite Duke Dingguo and others to discuss the matter of the Beijing Camp."

This time, Shen Shixing was invited to Tian Le.

"We have finally agreed on the issue of adding gold, flowers and silver. Why do we need to create more trouble and add more worries to Jiangnan?"

"What hidden worries?" Tian Le pretended to be confused.

"...Today I requested to stay for the meeting, and didn't the Grand Marshal come out to request it as well?"

"I can't stay out of it because there are rumors about the Cao army."

Shen Shixing looked at him with mixed feelings, and said earnestly, "We are all loyal to Your Majesty and serve as one. Brother Xizhi, why do you have to make things more complicated?"

Tian Le shook his head. "I don't understand what you mean by creating a complication? Ever since Minister Wang asked Your Majesty to pay attention to the grain prices in the capital, Your Majesty has already issued an order. Why is it related to Jiangnan now?"

"Brother Xizhi, why do you ask when you already know the answer?"

"Since you said so, I will speak frankly." Tian Le looked at him, "Your Majesty has already issued an order, but rumors are spreading in the capital. Your Majesty cannot be blamed for this. Someone is really not willing to give in. If this is the case, why is it so difficult for you, Your Majesty?"

"……Why."

In fact, Shen Shixing was just here to pretend to prove that he had done his homework.

The bad thing is the rumor that "there may be floods in Jiangnan this year". Who on earth dares to spread such a rumor and try to stir up panic in the capital?

There is no big grain merchant who can gain a foothold in the capital who is not well-informed.

It is already the end of March, and the White Spear Soldiers will soon arrive in Nanjing, right?

Grain Rain has passed and summer is approaching. Could there really be news of a disaster in the south of the Yangtze River at this time?
……

In the past, the emperor was always high and mighty, and was out of touch with the world.

This inherent impression is the fundamental reason why the major grain merchants in Beijing have been responding habitually and are now in a dilemma.

But now that the news has come, it will naturally spread southward at all costs.

By the time the news reached the south of the Yangtze River, it had already passed the beginning of summer.

The spring rain stuns the spring and clears the valley, and the summer is full of awns and the summer is hot.

There are 24 solar terms in a year, and summer usually begins after the fourth month of the lunar calendar.

The south of the Yangtze River has always had increasingly heavy rains starting from the Qingming and Guyu seasons. This year there may be more floods. There is no need for Feng Shui masters to calculate this rumor.

Since the ownership of the additional 200,000 taels of gold and silver will be determined by bidding and subscription, how could no one be interested in this regard?
In fact, every year in the past, there have been people who have been interested in these aspects and then obtained the approval of the Nanjing Ministry of Revenue.

This is an important means of forming a "debt" to be forgiven. But now that the news has come from Beijing, many people feel as if they have fallen into an icy cave.

"Sir, this..." A doctor from the Nanjing Ministry of Revenue anxiously found Zhang Yi, "This..."

He didn't dare to say it out loud, but Zhang Yi's expression became even uglier.

"...Hurry up and send a letter to Governor Niu. At the beginning of this year, the land tax in Jiangnan cannot be wrong. The Ministry of Revenue in Nanjing sent a letter saying that the flood season is approaching. Please pay more attention to the water conservancy in various prefectures..."

"I'm afraid it's too late, sir. Summer grain..."

"Go write!"

Zhang Yi just roared once, and then his heart started pounding.

Could it be that the fact that there was no mention of exemption in the edict of ascension to the throne is a chain of events?
First, make Jiangnan uneasy, and then start with the currency, customs, and commercial taxes, and talk about increasing revenue. He kept Xinjianbo and Xiangchengbo in Beijing for so long, knowing that the first urgent matter after ascending the throne was to transport grain to Beijing, and then he was concerned about the grain prices in Beijing...

Even though he was the Minister of Finance in Nanjing, Zhang Yi was unable to pay attention to the various businesses of the wealthy families in the prefectures and counties of Jiangnan.

But now, the news from Beijing is that the emperor mentioned a rumor in the capital at a court meeting, saying that "there may be floods in the south of the Yangtze River this year, and the harvest will be greatly reduced." Let's see if the prediction is accurate.

Isn't this bullying?
Jiangnan is so vast, is there any year when there is no place suffering from floods?
But now it’s passive!

The news was spreading from Nanjing to the surrounding areas, and in the southwest of Nanjing, Yingtian Governor Niu Yingyuan, Yingtian Inspector Wang Dewan, Yingtian Prefect Xiong Weixue and others had all arrived at Dashengguan.

The writing has arrived.

In compliance with the imperial order, more than a thousand soldiers from the Southwest Tusi Camp and the Yongwei Camp of the Imperial Guard set out on March 7th in response to an urgent imperial decree and have now arrived in Nanjing.

After a tiring journey, we will set up camp and rest in the southwest of Nanjing.

All these were enough to make people uneasy, but what was even more uneasy was that Luo Sigong, the pacification envoy of the Northern Pacification Division of the Jinyiwei, led the way and arrived in Nanjing in the company.

It was the proper courtesy for the governor of Yingtian and the prefect of Shuntian to come and greet and receive the emperor's personal guards.

Qin Liangyu, Ma Qiancheng, Luo Sigong and others stood at the front, watching the three people gradually approaching.

"Captain Ma, Madam Ma." Luo Sigong said in a low voice, "You are the generals of His Majesty's personal guards, you must not lose your dignity."

Ma Qiancheng looked at his wife, and Qin Liangyu's eyes showed a strange look, and then she said: "Line up, brace yourselves! Don't let the people of Nanjing look down on the White Spear Soldiers!"

The elite white-flag soldiers behind them, who had been selected by them, received the order and obeyed the order of the chieftain's wife in anxiety and excitement.

"Ouch!"

When they had cheered up from the march and straightened their formation, they all shouted a few times.

This certainly cannot be considered a demonstration. What does it matter if the Emperor's personal guards show off their military prowess?
Niu Yingyuan was very excited when he arrived.

"Captain Ma, Governor Luo, General Qin, and Governor Yingtian are here to greet you!"

Qin Liangyu wore the robes of a third-rank military officer, so she could naturally be addressed by her official title.

Niu Yingyuan has been in office for more than a month and is already beginning to feel that things are getting tough.

The five prefectures of Nanjing, Suzhou, Songjiang, Changzhou, Jiaxing and Lake Tai are like a quagmire.

After greeting everyone, Niu Yingyuan asked, "Where does the Ma Bazong's camp intend to stay? How long will it take?"

Ma Qiancheng first looked at Qin Liangyu, and then at Luo Sigong.

Of course Luo Sigong was more familiar with the road, so he answered on behalf of the other party.

"We will pass Nanjing and set up camp to the west of Zhenjiang Prefecture." Luo Sigong looked at Niu Yingyuan, and then at Wang Dewan, whose name he had heard before. "How long we will stay in Jiangnan depends on when the governor can arrange a boat so that your majesty's guards can cross the river safely. As for the food, don't worry, your majesty has already made arrangements. As long as there is enough food, this Zhenfu Envoy can send people to buy it at the market price."

"Okay! As our army is passing through, please accompany me to avoid disturbing the people! Governor Wang, I will ask you to go to Zhenjiang first and arrange for the stationing of the Emperor's personal guards!"

"I will follow the orders of the governor."

Wang Dewan had only been here for a short time. Although he was an inspector, he did not have to obey the orders of the governor Niu Yingyuan completely.

But in Nanjing, they are all outsiders.

Now, the emperor’s personal guards who have just arrived in Nanjing are also outsiders of Nanjing!
(End of this chapter)