First Minister of Ming Dynasty

First Minister Section 566

Otherwise, how could it be sold so cheaply?

Some people don't believe it, but some people are willing to be the first to eat crabs.

They walked into the grain shop, and they recited a stone of grain.

After getting their hands, many people were stunned when they saw the grain, and immediately turned their heads, and another stone!

Some people even drove the car to buy it.

The food in the north, especially in Liaodong, only grows rice for one season, which has a long growth cycle, sufficient nutrients and high protein content.

The ancient northerners were tall and strong, which was related to the protein content in the grain.Of course, in later generations, meat is eaten casually, so the difference is not obvious, and the height of young people in the south has also risen rapidly.

But one thing is true, the food in the north does taste better.

High quality and low price, cheap price dropped from the sky, how can I not pick it up!

For a while, Beiping grain, or Liaodong grain, became famous in Yingtian, Suzhou, Hangzhou, and several other major cities and quickly seized the market.

The original grain merchants were caught off guard in the face of this situation.

what to do?Lower the price?

But the problem is that if the price drops to the same price as Beiping grain, they will lose money.

And even if it is lowered, it may not be sold out by others, right?

Why did the business that was sitting and counting money suddenly disappear?

For a time, the food market was full of mourners and became a mess.

Not surprisingly, Zhu Di was cursed again, saying that he disrupted the market and acted recklessly, which was the disaster of Ming Dynasty.

Someone has already published an article in the newspaper, asking the imperial court to punish Zhu Di and stop the food supply in Beiping, otherwise the world will be in chaos and the people will be in dire straits.

"Hahaha!"

Seeing this article, Zhu Biao laughed until tears came out, and kept patting the table.

it is good!

It was so good!

"Sun Xiang, I have been holding this breath in my stomach for several years, and it finally came out."

Seeing this, Sun Yan also beamed with joy.

The feud between them and the grain merchants has long been forged... The last time they checked the warehouses in various places, there was a large area of ​​deficit, and then the price of grain skyrocketed, and the people suffered unspeakably.

It even almost destroyed the big event of checking the deficit.

Since then, Zhu Biao has noticed that there are indeed a large number of powerful grain merchants who buy low and sell high, making a fortune.

Moreover, he also took advantage of the opportunity of the court to find out the deficit to make a fortune and interfere with the state affairs.

If it was Zhu Yuanzhang, he would have killed a person on the charge of hoarding.

After all, Zhu Biao was kind and did not do this.

Moreover, Li Shanchang had already been dismissed that time. If he continued to kill him, it would cause too much trouble, which he could not bear.

Now, the opportunity is finally ripe, the food in Beiping has arrived, and the time to reshuffle the cards has finally come.

"Food is such an important thing, it must be in the hands of the imperial court. This battle can only be won but not defeated!" Zhu Biao glanced at Sun Yan and asked, "Prime Minister Sun, can the food in our hands be enough?"

Sun Yan smiled slightly, "Your Highness, Beiping used to need food from Jiangnan!"

Zhu Biao took a breath suddenly, seemed to understand what Sun Yan meant, and nodded heavily!

Almost at the same time, someone also quietly went to Wang Guangyang's mansion and found the right minister.

"No matter what, you still have to help. The salt has been taken away. If you can't even hold the food, how can you make money?"

With a dark face, Wang Guangyang said angrily: "Don't ask me! This is a matter decided by His Royal Highness. There is His Majesty and Grand Master Zhang. In any case, it is not my turn to take care of it. Don't you have so much money? How about a point?"

Chapter 786 I Will Protect You

After Wang Guangyang drove the people away, he specially instructed the gatekeepers not to let such people in from now on.He cleans himself and keeps himself clean, so he doesn't see anything wrong, if he comes again next time, he will go directly to Yushitai to report it and arrest him immediately.

Good guy, Wang Guangyang is ready to turn his face.

Is this so sinister?

Wang Guangyang's intuition was terrible. Zhu Biao overthrew Li Shanchang, Zhang Ximeng and Zhu Yuanzhang did not care about reforming education, and these two were also in Peiping.

As a result, when it came to handling the food, they came back.

Although there are all kinds of coincidences in it, it is hard to say that it is intentional, but there are too many coincidences, which makes people feel that it is not so normal.

Wouldn't it be annihilation in one fell swoop?

Moreover, the matter of food is really complicated. Even Wang Guangyang can't tell how deep the things involved in it can be.

Once the world really falls apart, who can retreat completely?

Now Wang Guangyang only envies Li Shanchang, who escaped from the capital and can stand on the sidelines, what a blessed person!

"Li Xianggong, if I can go home safely and die in this life, I will die without regret."

Wang Guangyang sighed, but thousands of miles away, Li Shanchang was not so relaxed at the moment.Opposite him, stood Yan Wang Zhu Di.

Old Li pondered for a while, "Sit down, there's no need to do this, the old man and you are also connected by interests, and we depend on each other. I won't mistake myself for things that are related to my wealth and life."

Seeing his reassurance, Zhu Di finally nodded, "Mr. Li, I really can't see through. Where is the danger in this situation? Why does Mr. Zhang care so much, and my elder brother is actively promoting now... What I am looking at now is I'm at a loss, but I want to supply food to the south, and if I make a mistake, I'm afraid my ass will bloom!"

Li Shanchang couldn't help laughing out loud, after all, he is a hairy kid, it's a good thing that his butt is blooming, just don't have a blooming head!

"King Yan, in fact, Master Zhang has been advocating business for many years, but he has never started to really promote it. At most, he only made arrangements for talents, laws, and funds. Do you know why he dare not do it?"

Zhu Di shook his head, and said obediently: "I used to think that I was pretty smart, but after hanging out with you guys for a long time, I realized that I'm the stupidest one, and anyone can play tricks on me!"

"Hahaha!" Li Shanchang couldn't help laughing, "It's amazing that King Yan has this self-knowledge...By the way, isn't there a kid who is investigating the situation in Beiping and wants to evaluate how the governance is? He also wrote published an article saying that Zhao Song Zhifu is a fake."

"Yes, this person's name is Hu Yan, but he's a top student in Jimin Academy, and he's very good."

Li Shanchang nodded, "It's really amazing. It's not easy to see this layer at a young age! I might as well tell you why the cities of the Song Dynasty were so prosperous! Because they sucked the blood of the whole country and supported them with the power of the world. In Bianliang, people from all over the world serve scholar-bureaucrats, and that’s the result.”

Zhu Di nodded. Zhang Ximeng had said these words a long time ago, so there was nothing unusual about them.

Li Shanchang saw Zhu Di's contempt, and couldn't help sneering, "That's what I said, but do you know exactly what to do?"

Zhu Di shook his head.

Li Shanchang continued: "The trick is in the fields. The superiors have been farming for generations. I think you can understand that the farmers who have always rented and cultivated the land have to sell at least three to five to the landlord. The tenants will not have enough to eat from the beginning to the end."

Zhu Di was slightly taken aback, then nodded, "Indeed, indeed, that's what my father said."

"Then do you understand, what did the landlord do with the over-collected grain?"

Zhu Di was taken aback, "They like to store grain, but they can't store that much...they sold the grain to the city?"

Li Shanchang finally nodded, "This time you have got the point...whether it is the emperor's royal family or the ministers, they are basically in the city. If you want to support these people, you need not only the salary of the court, but also the city. The craftsmen in the village, the servants who serve others, the three teachings and the nine streams, the five elements and the eight works... In a city with a population of one million, in addition to the grain from the imperial court, there are more food from the merchants. Where do the merchants get it? These are the places Big family! Or it could be said that the gentry supported the prosperity of the city."

Zhu Di nodded again and again, "I understand this, but our Ming Dynasty attacked the gentry, so how did our cities get their food?"

"Good question!" Li Shanchang said with a smile: "From the very beginning, we have implemented the equalization of land. The common people are grateful and eager to pay taxes, which is enough for the expenses of civil servants and soldiers. As for the shortage, some merchants purchase surplus grain from the people, that's all. , it's not that difficult."

Zhu Di smiled and said, "Isn't this great?"

Li Shanchang chuckled, "What the hell! Didn't you see that another report was about land for people! Now each household has so many children, the land has to be redistributed, and the rations are not enough! Zhu Di, I Let me ask you, at this time, if you are an ordinary farmer, will you still provide more food to the court because of your gratitude?"

Zhu Di was suddenly shocked!

Because Zhang Shuning participated in the investigation of Rending Tianmu, he knew the key points very well.

Zhang Shuning did mention that the land needs to be redistributed, and once the land is distributed, it will cause a serious drop in taxation.

But there is one thing that this report does not mention, or it hides behind. Due to population growth, Huaidong Province, Zhejiang Province, Jiangxi Province, these densely populated areas can no longer contribute much surplus food.

Daming's current grain needs to be mobilized from Henan, Shandong, and Huguang. In addition, from Lingnan, Zhu Ying can still send a lot of grain, which ensures normal operation.

But even so, it is precarious everywhere and difficult to maintain.

It is certainly a good thing to distribute the land to the common people, but at the same time, it also gives the common people the power to control food.

Ordinary people must go all out to fill the stomachs of their families.Only tenant farmers have to pay high rents... and these rents have become necessary to support the city.

After seeing this clearly, we can roughly understand why it is so difficult to suppress mergers!People such as Wang Anshi, Zhang Juzheng, etc. will be regarded as treacherous and evil ministers by the past dynasties, and this is the reason.

You have moved the fundamentals, from top to bottom, except that the household department may be more abundant and the country can be better, the rest of the people, even including the emperor, may not benefit.

The whole world is an enemy, how can he escape the end of death?

"Mr. Li, this, is this still considered the prosperous Ming Dynasty? The emperor made great efforts to govern, and this is how it is governed?" Zhu Di couldn't help asking.

Li Shanchang chuckled, "This is not the prosperous age of Hongwu? If it weren't for the prosperous age of Hongwu, we would have encouraged nobles and powerful, famous families, exploited the people, and squeezed oil from the teeth of the people! I can tell you clearly that no matter what the culture is The rule of Jing is still the rule of Zhenguan, ordinary people who can eat enough and can read and write, my Hongwu Dynasty will be the best in all dynasties!"

Li Shanchang said disdainfully: "Speaking of which, the old man will be able to solve the mystery. How did Zhao Song become so good? Because Kaifeng Lin'an is so prosperous, the people's livelihood in Zhao Song must be difficult. Ordinary people are far worse than other dynasties! All the food was taken away by the aristocratic family, and it was merged, that's the result! It's a pity that those people soaked in the water of coptis can't write poems and lyrics, and no one is willing to speak for them, do you understand?"

Zhu Di was really dumbfounded. As a successor who has practiced Zhang Ximeng's great virtue secret book, Zhu Di understands this kind of thing thoroughly and is familiar with it.

But what he never expected was that the old guy Li Shanchang could see it so thoroughly, even Mr. Zhang couldn't understand it better!

"I said Mr. Li, you are so powerful, why, why don't you be a good person?"

Li Shanchang rolled his eyes angrily, "Am I a good person? If I were a good person, your father's world would have been gone! My experience in court is that I have to deal with a group of bad guys, and I have to abandon some good people who don't know what's good... Let's talk about food again, do you know why Zhang Ximeng dare not really promote industry and commerce?"

Zhu Di thought about it for a while, and said, "Mr. Zhang is afraid that after the development of industry and commerce, the city will expand, and too much food will be needed, so there will be no way to supply it?"

Li Shanchang nodded, "Basically, although Zhang Ximeng is not a good guy, he is still quite upright in some things. Think about it, in a word, to develop industry and commerce, a large number of laborers gather in the city, and the food needed doubles...he made a fuss for a while. If it’s less than that much, is it possible to allow the subordinates to annex the land?”

Zhu Di suddenly understood that it turned out that he came to Beiping to prepare for the establishment of the Tuntian Company, which had such a great effect!

"Mr. Li, do you mean that the master waited for Beiping to produce food before doing it?"

Li Shanchang thought about it for a while, and finally nodded, "No accident, it's true, the old man didn't expect it, and he really figured out a way! But to be honest, it's still a bit late!"

"late?"

Li Shanchang nodded and said: "Indeed, even if Zhang Ximeng didn't directly promote it, the industrial and commercial development of our Daming is quite fast. Suzhou and other places have already surpassed the Yuan Dynasty. In the city, there is a huge food shortage. This is also the last time the local treasury was checked. The reason for making such a big commotion! Those grain merchants are not ordinary people. They have quite some influence in the local area, some are simply leftovers from the original wealthy families, and some are grain chiefs!"

"Finance chief?"

"Yes, that's what Jiang Shangshu did! Only they can squeeze food out of the hands of the common people. I can tell you clearly that if you let it go, just relying on this food can nourish new scholar-bureaucrats. When the time comes As long as an opening is made and they are allowed to annex the land, it will not be long before the average land will disintegrate and disappear.”

Zhu Di's scalp tingled when he heard that, and he shuddered.

He suddenly slapped the table and shouted angrily: "Li Shanchang! You bastard!"

Lao Li was stunned by the scolding, and after a while, he suddenly laughed again.

"You scold me so much! King Yan, are you blaming the old man for not interfering?" Li Shanchang said to himself, "You should understand that the head of food was arranged by the superior, and Grand Master Zhang also agreed! Without these arrangements, there would be no Daming today. It's time, do you understand?"

Zhu Di was speechless for a long time, he sat slowly on the chair, his eyes were dull and his thoughts were empty.

Indeed, in the entire Ming Dynasty, only Li Shanchang could say this.

When Zhu Yuanzhang conquered the world, he made a lot of compromises. After all, no one is born as Emperor Hongwu, and he can kill and fight at will... Although so many roads have been blocked, from a food leader to a powerful man, this road is still difficult. Does exist.

It happened to be left by Lao Zhu.

No wonder the prince needs to supervise the country, Zhu Biao is indeed needed to solve these troubles.

While Zhu Di was pondering, suddenly Li Jinglong came.

"Yan Wang, Yan Wang! A letter from heaven!"

Zhu Di grabbed it with his hands, opened it, and couldn't help laughing, "Mr. Li, someone actually snapped up the grain we sent to Yingtian in private! They're going to buy up all the grain in Beiping!"

Li Shanchang was stunned, couldn't help but slapped his thigh, and lamented: "It's over! It's over! What is Li Lingzhi fainting! You bastards, you all die! Anyway, it has nothing to do with the old man!"

Listening to Li Shanchang's words, Zhu Di rolled his eyes and said meaningfully: "Mr. Li, it really has nothing to do with you?"

When Li Shanchang was stunned, Zhu Di directly said triumphantly: "Don't worry, I will protect you!"

After saying this, ignoring Li Shanchang's reaction, Zhu Di yelled at Li Jinglong directly: "Send another one million stones! Beat the gongs and drums and send it to Yingtian! I don't believe it, they can fight me!"

Chapter 787 Zhang Family's Third Child

Zhu Di left proudly, that was a pride.

But Li Shanchang, who was looking at his back, was not happy at all. To put it bluntly, after all these years, Li Xianggong knew more than Zhang Ximeng, not less!

After a little sorting out, you will find that education reform, fiscal and taxation reform, and promotion of industrial and commercial development... These few things are almost the most critical things in the Ming Dynasty.