The fiercest soldier of the border army

Not just Xie Anzhi.

Wei Zong and the others also perked up their ears.

They had come to trust Tang Shun unconditionally and suspected that he must have other motives.

But guessing is one thing, understanding is another.

Tang Shun stared at Xie Anzhi and slowly said, "The price of grain has risen from ninety-three coins to two hundred and sixty coins now, and the displaced people can't afford it. That's the truth."

"One peck of rice can last a strong soldier for ten days."

"It can feed ordinary people for fifteen days."

"The refugees can survive for a month on just porridge."

"It's not that easy to starve to death."

Tang Shun shook his head. "Those who starved to death were a minority."

"A minority?" Xie Anzhi interrupted sharply. "More than thirty people are already buried! Is that what you call a minority?"

"Lord Tang! Magistrate Tang! Why don't you open your eyes and see how many people you want to die before you're satisfied?!"

Tang Shun ignored Xie Anzhi's hysteria and calmly explained, "Compared to the tens of thousands of refugees in Wenchi County, more than thirty people are indeed not many."

"You should know that if we open the granaries and release the grain, the food will not last more than five days."

Xie Anzhi opened his mouth to speak, but Tang Shun waved his hand to stop him, "I know what you're going to say. You want to say that you can get the grain merchants to lower the price."

Tang Shun's voice wasn't loud, but every word was authoritative: "But do you know that at most they'll symbolically lower the price by ten or eight coins, just to make a show of it?"

"This is like cutting meat with a dull knife."

"Once the people run out of money, when the deep winter comes, they will still only face death."

Xie Anzhi remained indignant. "So, are we just going to sit idly by and watch grain prices skyrocket? And watch those grain merchants from other places make a fortune?!"

He pointed at Tang Shun and questioned, "Didn't you let grain prices rise?"

Tang Shun stood up, walked to the front of the hall, and stood with his hands behind his back. "That's right. If grain prices didn't rise, why would grain merchants from other places come?"

"Nowadays, grain merchants from Hedong, Hexi, Longyou, and Guanzhong are all rushing to Wenchi."

Tang Shun asked and answered himself:

"Why? Because the price is high and the profit is substantial! They are not afraid of the long journey and the effort involved; as long as there is profit to be made, they will keep shipping goods in."

"Now, Wenchi has no shortage of food. Grain from all directions is on its way, and in a few days, Wenchi's grain reserves will be enough for tens of thousands of refugees to get through the winter!"

Xie Anzhi froze, as if he had grasped something but couldn't quite make sense of it.

Tang Shun turned around and said, "The number of people who have starved to death these past few days is only a small number. If it weren't for these grain merchants, I'm afraid that less than one in ten of the refugees in Wenchi would survive. That would be a true hell on earth."

"What exactly are you planning to do?" Xie Anzhi asked. "You mean to rob these grain merchants to subsidize the people? But... wouldn't that be an act of illegality?"

"Even if we force these grain merchants to sell their grain at low prices, how will we silence public criticism afterwards?"

Xie An's anger vanished almost instantly, replaced by a worried expression.

These days, there are very few people who can easily become grain merchants.

If Tang Shun were to force grain merchants to drive grain prices to rock bottom, the Crown Prince's desk would likely be piled high with impeachments against him within three days!

"Force them? There's no need to force them. These grain merchants will sell at a low price on their own." Tang Shun said confidently.

"Absurd!" Xie Anzhi shook his head. "Merchants come for profit, precisely because the price is high."

"Why should they willingly sell their grain to the people at such a low price? Do you think you can afford it? The imperial court hasn't allocated a single grain of rice or a single penny to you!"

Tang Shun looked at Xie Anzhi and suddenly smiled faintly, "General Xie, you still don't understand."

Without offering further explanation, he looked at the remaining people in the main hall and instructed, "Cheng Feng, Wei Zong, Liang Enyi, Zhu Hang, Zhou Ren."

The five men stood at attention, cupped their hands, and said, "Present!"

"I've been drinking and eating meat these past few days, it's all for show."

"You must not forget who you are!"

"Cheng Feng, Wei Zong, Liang Enyi, take your soldiers out of the city and fill sandbags!"

"At this time tomorrow, you will push a hundred carts of 'grain' to the entrance of the county government office and spread the word everywhere that the military governor's office has sent ten thousand shi of disaster relief grain!"

Cheng Feng and the others were taken aback for a moment, then replied, "Yes!"

"Zhou Bing, take your men and immediately seal off the four gates of Wenchi County. Only entry is permitted; exit is prohibited!"

"Wei Zong, take some men to the county magistrate and tell him that I am here to levy corvée labor!"

"The pigs are fattened up, they're ready to be slaughtered!"

Tang Shun continued smiling, but his smile sent chills down everyone's spine. "This time, I will make those merchants who profited from the national crisis bankrupt!"

Xie Anzhi stood there, stunned.

"Lord Tang...Lord Tang, you mean...?"

Xie Anzhi seemed to understand, yet also seemed not to, frowning. "Prevent merchants from leaving the city, then spread false news of the imperial court providing disaster relief, forcing them to sell their goods?"

"That's right." Tang Shun nodded. "The labor costs incurred by grain merchants from afar are astronomical."

"If they can't get out, the losses will keep piling up."

"Those who know what's good for them should sell early; they might still be able to make a profit and break even."

"If they are so ignorant and continue to hoard their goods, I will simply wear them down and make sure they are ruined!"

"hiss--"

Inside the main hall, including Wei Zong and the others, they couldn't help but gasp in shock.

Liang Enyi, in particular, stared wide-eyed at Tang Shun.

Is this still the same border soldier who fought alongside them through thick and thin?!

With every gesture, he manipulated tens of thousands of displaced merchants and lay domineering!

"only……"

Xie Anzhi was deeply shocked. After a long while, he still frowned. "My lord, the people are already suffering. Why... do you still need to impose corvée labor, making their situation even worse?"

Tang Shun did not respond directly, but sighed softly, "You'll know in a few days."

Even if grain prices fall to normal levels, some homeless people still won't be able to afford it...

After speaking, Tang Shun looked around at everyone, his gaze finally settling on Xie Anzhi's face:

"Cui Yuanlang won over the people of Lingwu by lowering prices, relying on the Cui family's influence. Even at seventy-five coins, the price was still exorbitant compared to the usual fifteen coins per bushel!"

"When the people's grain reserves are exhausted and their savings are depleted, that will be the real chaos!"

"I know the plight of refugees, and I know I'm bearing the blame, but if I don't do this, the entire Wenchi will be plunged into chaos."

The hall was solemn and desolate.

It was as if all the previous sounds of music were an illusion.

Xie Anzhi slowly took a step back, finally understanding why the Crown Prince and the military governor had chosen him despite the opposition.

This is a far-sighted imperial envoy who dares to step over corpses to move forward!

boom!

Xie Anzhi lifted his robe and knelt down on both knees, sincerely admiring the situation. "Your Excellency's plans are far-reaching, and I, Xie Anzhi, am too incompetent to understand them. I have repeatedly disrupted things and even wanted to impeach you."

He bowed his head to the ground, pleading, "Please punish me, Your Excellency!"

Tang Shun raised an eyebrow, quickly stepped forward to support Xie Anzhi, and comforted him with a smile, "Commander Xie is full of passion and concern for the country and its people. What wrong has he done?"

"To say you're stirring up trouble is utter nonsense. You just wanted to impeach me, but you didn't have time. Once you've explained yourself, everything will be fine."

"Uh..." Xie Anzhi looked up, gave an awkward smile, "To be honest, Your Excellency, I have already written two memorials denouncing Your Excellency's faults, and the second one has just been sent out..."

Tang Shun's smile froze slightly.

The courier from Wenchi County changed to two fast horses, his thighs chafed raw, and without stopping, headed straight for Tingzhou...