A thousand-year-old family begins with one fighting against ten thousand.

Bran and rice husks?

What does Cui Huan need these for?

These are all for feeding livestock. The Cui family doesn't have any livestock business in Yangzhou.

Given Yangzhou's terrain, with rivers everywhere, it's not suitable for raising livestock on a large scale.

"Nephew, what do you need this bran and rice husks for?"

Gao De asked, puzzled.

"I have a clever use for it, Uncle, you don't need to ask any more questions. You'll find out soon enough."

Cui Huan smiled mysteriously, knowing that once he started doing this, the aristocratic families would quickly realize what was going on.

With their geographical advantage and Yuan Jie in front of them, they could directly cooperate with local families they were familiar with and purchase grain from all over the country.

"In that case, we won't say any more."

"I'll arrange for someone to send the things to my nephew as soon as I get back."

Gao De nodded slightly, a thought forming in his mind. He decided to sell some of the bran and rice husks from his home to Cui Huan, as a way of giving the Cui family face.

We'll see what the Cui family is up to then; maybe we can jump on their bandwagon and make a fortune.

Most of the other aristocratic families shared the same idea: to sell a batch to Cui Huan and see what Cui Huan wanted to do with it, and whether they could make a profit from it.

Cui Huan was overjoyed. Even if each aristocratic family only sold him a portion, the total amount would still be considerable.

With the help of the Cui family's connections, they could also acquire a considerable amount from some smaller clans, enough to give him a delicious piece of meat.

"I thank you all, my uncles."

Cui Huan stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to the crowd, and smiled sincerely.

"Nephew, you're too kind. As members of the same prominent family, it's only natural that we should help each other."

Gao De also said with a smile, as if the two sides really had a very good relationship.

Cui Huan exchanged pleasantries with everyone again before seeing off the heads of the families.

As large quantities of rice husks, bran, and miscellaneous grains were delivered to Yangzhou City, Yuan Jie and Cui Huan replaced a large amount of grain and distributed it to the people.

As the porridge, mixed with bran, rice husks, and other grains, was distributed by the imperial court, the servants of many aristocratic families who had been sent there to eat the government's relief grain were unwilling to accept it.

How can they eat bran and rice, the kind of food livestock eat? How can they be full eating these things? They still have to do heavy physical labor for their masters; their bodies simply can't handle this kind of food.

But once their families sent them out to eat relief food, they would no longer provide them with regular food.

So this group of people began to report to the host.

Upon receiving the news, the various families immediately realized why Cui Huan had asked them to purchase those items.

So they all began to follow suit, selling the remaining bran and grains from their families to the local government within their respective spheres of influence.

The servants and guards in their respective households no longer ate the relief food. Having earned such a large sum of money, they didn't mind letting these servants eat normally.

Compared to what they earn, it's just a drop in the ocean.

In this way, the people could at least eat their fill of this porridge mixed with bran, coarse grains, and husks, so they wouldn't starve to death and could hold out until the imperial court's grain supplies arrived.

The news eventually reached the imperial court. Although the major families sent people to intercept it, the matter was so significant that even with their combined efforts, the blockade could not be maintained for long.

As long as the message can be delivered quickly enough to ensure it arrives before the imperial relief supplies arrive, that's sufficient.

They had obtained everything they were entitled to, and by the time the imperial grain arrived, or rather, just before it was about to arrive, this exorbitant profiteering would no longer be possible.

After news of Yuan Jie's actions in the imperial court spread, it caused a great sensation.

Many people began to criticize Li Bai, since Yuan Jie was the person he recommended and also his friend. Now that Yuan Jie had betrayed the court's trust, Li Bai was to blame.

"It is my fault."

Li Bai did not defend himself, but instead directly confessed his guilt to Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji.

"Alas, what crime have you committed, my dear minister?"

"Yuan Jie is a loyal minister, quick-witted and utterly devoted. For the sake of the people, he is even willing to tarnish his own reputation. How could I bear to punish such a minister?"

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, sighed and said with satisfaction.

"If all the civil and military officials were as loyal as Yuan Qing, how could the Tang Dynasty not prosper?"

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, remarked with emotion.

The courtiers were all puzzled, wondering what Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, and Li Bai were up to.

Why did Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, praise Yuan Jie for doing something that angered both heaven and man?

Only a handful of people in the court showed signs of understanding, their eyes filled with admiration.

By looking back from the effect to the cause, they finally realized the purpose behind Yuan Jie's actions.

If they were in that position, given their status, position, and prestige, they would naturally have more ways to handle the situation.

However, Yuan Jie was far inferior to them in terms of status, position, prestige, and even background.

To come up with such a method is already extremely impressive.

"Yuan Qing's actions have already been reported to me through the Grand Counselor. The burning of the Yangzhou granary and the coincidental destruction of granaries in various places by floods—such coincidences must be suspicious!"

"This matter must be thoroughly investigated! We must get to the bottom of it, and whoever is involved, we must find them out completely and show no leniency!"

"Is this situation limited to Yangzhou, Huainan, and the three prefectures, or is it the case everywhere?"

"Throughout the entire realm, across dozens of circuits and hundreds of prefectures, how many granaries exist? How many official granaries support countless corrupt officials?!"

The atmosphere in the entire court became extremely oppressive, the air heavy with the anger of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji.

Some officials from local powerful families broke out in a cold sweat; how could they not see through the trickery involved?

Which of them hasn't done something similar?

Is taking things from the country considered stealing?

If you took it, and he took it, why can't I take it?

How can I improve if I don't take it?

How can I integrate into this small circle?

Li Longji's lightning-fast gaze swept over one aristocratic minister after another. If he didn't need these people to serve him and to check Li Bai, he would have loved to kill them all.

No wonder Emperor Taizong spent his entire life suppressing powerful families, corrupt officials, and corrupt officials! They were all corrupt officials, corrupt officials, and corrupt officials who stole the country!

No, he must promote more officials who are loyal to him. Otherwise, he cannot control the Prince of Yan's faction, and the powerful families in various regions are ambitious and corrupt. There are too few officials in the court who truly belong to him.

Maternal relatives!

The only people he could quickly promote were his maternal relatives.

His beloved Yang Guifei apparently had a cousin named Yang Guozhong.

Perhaps we could promote him and organize a powerful force of relatives of the empress in the court to serve him.

After thinking for a moment, I realized that it was indeed a good idea.

After returning, he discussed it with Yang Guifei and suggested that she quickly promote this relative of the empress so that he could become prime minister at the same time as Li Bai. It was indeed a good idea.