SFS Chapter 273: Playing Hard to Get
Chapter 273: Playing Hard to Get
Qinghe Prefecture Government Office.
Qin Zheng walked in cheerfully: "Prime Minister, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Xia Bitu: “…”
Are you blind?
But he still said kindly: "Master Qin, the grain merchants want to see you!"
At this moment, more than a dozen grain merchants quickly knelt down and kowtowed to Qin Zheng.
Qin Zheng was very considerate and quickly stepped forward to support him.
However, his previous image of being decisive and ruthless has been deeply rooted in people's minds, and his current behavior has made grain merchants even more convinced that this plague god is definitely a smiling tiger.
He looks harmless, but in fact he is cruel and ruthless and kills people without blinking an eye.
However, they had something to rely on. These grain merchants controlled the lives of countless people in Qinghe. Presumably, even Qin Zheng, the plague god, wouldn't dare to do anything to them.
Didn’t Fenghua City only kill the leader and not the grain merchants?
Before coming, they had all agreed that no matter what, they could not hand over the grain in their hands at a low price. Even if they did not make a big profit, they had to at least make a small profit.
Seeing Qin Zheng's attitude at this moment, I knew that the bet was right.
After Qin Zheng asked these people to sit down, he asked with a smile: "Boss, is there anything I can help you with?"
The grain merchants looked at Xia Bitu.
groove!
Xia Bitu almost went berserk.
If you don't want to talk to me, can't I just sit in as an audience?
I am the imperial relief envoy, okay?
Is that a mistake?
Helplessly, Xia Bitu stood up and said with a dark face: "You guys talk."
"Goodbye, sir. I won't see you off!" Qin Zheng was also helpless.
This should have been the old fox's job, and he shouldn't have interfered. But who made these grain merchants distrust the old fox?
The most urgent task was to solve the food problem in Qinghe, so Qin Zheng had to take over the task.
He believed that the old fox would not be really angry. After all, he was helping him.
After Xia Bitu left, Qin Zheng said, "Can you tell me now?"
An old man with a rosy face said, "Sir, I am Li Shouben, a Qinghe grain merchant. I am grateful for the kindness of all the shopkeepers. I am now the boss of the Qinghe grain merchant."
Qin Zheng nodded.
Li Shouben said, "Your Excellency is upright and honest, and you don't like to beat around the bush, so I will speak frankly."
"Just say it!" Qin Zheng was very disappointed.
I thought to myself, your understanding is not comprehensive?
Why don’t you understand more that I am still a greedy person.
It seems that he will not give me any money. After all, I have already said that I am upright and honest.
However, next, Li Shouben took out a stack of silver bills from his sleeve and placed it in front of Qin Zheng.
Qin Zheng: “…”
"What is this?" Qin Zheng asked after taking a look at the banknote.
It's a bit unexpected!
Li Shouben said, "Your Excellency is honest and wholeheartedly serves the people. You have come all the way here to provide relief to the people of Guanxi. We are locals and grain merchants, but we are unable to provide free grain. I feel extremely ashamed."
Here are 50,000 taels of silver notes, which we have collected and are giving to you, my Lord, for disaster relief. This is also a small token of our gratitude to the people from grain merchants like us.
Qin Zheng thought to himself, it sounds nice and wishful thinking, you think you can get away with it with just 50,000?
Just as he was about to speak, Li Shouben pulled out another stack of silver notes from his other sleeve. "Sir, this is two hundred thousand taels of silver. This is all the money we have earned from grain business over the years. We are handing it all over today as a self-punishment. To be honest, sir, we were forced by the government to hoard goods. But we have not touched this ill-gotten gains. We have kept them, hoping for the day when the storm will stop and the sky will clear, so that we can take them out and hand them over. Fortunately, after all our anticipation, sir, you have finally arrived!"
What the hell!
Li Shouben's outrageous actions made Qin Zheng helpless.
Isn’t this too advanced?
Isn’t this very timely?
Qin Zheng was so embarrassed that he felt embarrassed to punish them!
They said that the government forced them to do this!
But, how can we pass the test like this?
Qin Zheng looked at the two stacks of banknotes and said, "I am very pleased! I knew that in this bright and clear world, there would be businessmen who love their country and their people. Who says all businessmen are profiteers?"
Li Shouben and others breathed a sigh of relief.
Sure enough, money can make all the difference.
Black can also turn into white!
Qin Zheng picked up the banknotes and said, "Shopkeeper Li is indeed the leader of the Qinghe grain merchants. This kind of example is a role model!"
Li Shouben smiled happily and passed the test.
Qin Zheng added, "The Qinghe grain crisis is due to hoarding. The emperor is furious and will conduct a thorough investigation and severely punish anyone implicated. Therefore, the governor of Qinghe is dead! Furthermore, his family and property will be confiscated and exterminated!"
Li Shouben and others turned pale.
They suddenly thought of a serious problem. Even the Western King's brother-in-law had his property confiscated and his family exterminated. What were they?
Everyone was shivering and breaking out in cold sweat.
The God of Plague wouldn’t take the money and then kill them, right?
Isn’t it normal for officials to go back on their word?
Qin Zheng said, "Originally, I was going to punish you, but while the law is harsh, it also includes opportunities for reform. Confessions are treated leniently, while resistance is treated harshly. Shopkeeper Li has already surrendered his illegal gains and imposed a fine on his own initiative, demonstrating his honesty. Therefore, I will naturally impose a lenient sentence."
The other grain merchants were a little confused. We also handed over the silver, so why does it seem like all of it belongs to Li Shouben alone?
God of Plague, am I wrong?
Li Shouben was also a little confused.
Su Xiaoman, who was standing next to Qin Zheng, wanted to laugh at this moment. Your sir's tactic of playing hard to get always worked!
At this moment, Qin Zheng looked at the other grain merchants and changed the subject: "Manager Li has set an example. When will you all hand over your illegal gains?"
what?
Shopkeeper Li and the others were all dumbfounded. It turned out that they were not overthinking it, but that the God of Plague had really misunderstood it.
Why is the God of Plague's ears not working well?
Aren’t these 250,000 taels of silver notes, our collective tribute?
Just as a grain merchant was about to speak, Li Shouben immediately stopped him with a look.
He smiled and said, "Sir, we are all law-abiding merchants. To be honest, the reason we are hoarding goods is because we are coerced by Qi Daozhong, the governor of Qinghe Prefecture."
The hoarding was obvious, and there was no point in denying it. But finding a dead person to take the blame was perfect. Li Shouben and the others had already discussed it and decided to blame it on the dead person!
Li Shouben continued, "Sir, we are just businessmen and can only obey the government. We..."
Qin Zheng thought to himself, he is indeed a profiteer. Putting the blame on the dead is indeed a good idea, and the dead will not jump out to refute.
"I understand!" Qin Zheng interrupted him, not letting him finish what he was about to say.
He continued, "Since there's a reason for this, I'll investigate. If that's the case, then you're not the principal offender, but rather an accomplice! I'll act according to the law and will never wrongly accuse a good person, nor will I let a bad person go!"
what?
Li Shouben and the others turned pale, and even the accomplices couldn't stand it!
The main culprit will have his property confiscated and his family exterminated, and the accomplices will be beheaded!
The God of Plague has made up his mind and is determined to cut them!
Isn’t this 250,000 taels enough?
Isn’t your appetite too big?
Although the dirty money they earned over the years was more than 250,000 taels.
But, can I still give it all to you?
If that's the case, why should I look for you?
Li Shouben quickly said, "To be honest, sir, although it seems that we have made a huge profit, in reality, we are forced to take advantage of the situation. We are very lucky to have made a small profit on top of our original capital. This 250,000 taels is not just mine, it is all we can get together now!"
Only then did Li Shouben have the opportunity to say this.
However, the charge of being an accomplice cannot be removed.
The other grain merchants nodded, and none of them wanted to pay any more money.
Qin Zheng knew that he wouldn't be able to get much silver.
This should be the bottom line for these grain traders.
But if you try hard, there should still be some!