The Rebirth of Han Yuxi - Chapter 918

[Chapter 918 Food shortage]

A catastrophic flood occurred in the south of the Yangtze River, which soon spread to the capital. For such a big event, the imperial court could not block the news.

The next day, the grain price rose by another 50%. The price of grain was four times higher than in previous years because of the drought. With the rise in food prices, ordinary people cannot afford food at all. In addition, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, etc. have also increased in price, among which salt has nearly doubled.

Tie Kui’s wife Xiao became uneasy when he heard the wind, and called Zhong Shantong with a big belly: “It’s a mess outside now, and the price of food is one a day, so we should store more food in the house.” Don’t panic if you have food.

Zhong Shantong said with a calm expression, “Madam, take care of the miscarriage, there is something going on in the house, sir!” Xiao Shi had given birth to a daughter before, and now this is the second child! Although Tie Kui now has two sons under his knees, Zhong Shantong knows that what Tie Kui is looking forward to most is his first son.

Seeing the uneasy look on Mrs. Xiao’s face, Zhong Shantong thought about it and said, “Don’t worry, Madam, the food in the mansion is enough for us to eat for two or three months.”

Since Tie Kui heard Oak Xi say there was a drought in the northwest, he started to mutter in his heart, and then began to collect grain. Because of Tie Kui’s special status, it would definitely be bad if he hoarded food, so he asked Tong Chrome to come forward. Up to now, the amount of grain stored on Zhuangzi is very considerable. Of course, these grains are not for the people in the Iron Mansion, but for sale for money. Now that food is in short supply, and the price of food has risen so fiercely, this batch of food can definitely be bought at a good price.

When Xiao Shi heard this, he felt a little at ease: “If the Jiangnan flood is real, it will not be a matter of two or three months.” This means that Zhong Shantong hopes to buy some food and save it.

Zhong Shantong shook his head and said, “Madam, although Jiangnan, Taiyuan, Shandong and other places have suffered disasters, Liaodong has a bumper harvest this year, so Madam doesn’t have to worry about running out of food by then.”

When Xiao Shi heard this, he gave up.

In the evening, Zhong Shantong told Tie Kui about this incident: “Kuizi, the current price of grain is four or two to five cents and one stone. Are we selling the grain in our hands?” When they bought it, it was one tael and two and a half stones. Now sell it and make seven times as much.

Tie Kui shook his head and said, “Don’t worry, this is just the beginning. In the future, food will become more and more expensive.”

Zhong Shantong also had concerns: “Kuizi, the harvest in Liaodong this year is good. When the grain from Liaodong arrives in the capital, the grain will definitely fall.”

Tie Kui laughed when he heard this, and said, “Let’s not say whether the grain from Liaodong will be delivered. Even if it is delivered, the disaster will be so severe this year, and the grain will definitely rise.” Liaodong’s output is not much, in previous years We also need to buy a lot of grain from Taiyuan and other places.

Hearing this, Zhong Shantong couldn’t help but say: “I heard that the food in the northwest is very cheap, I don’t know if it’s true?” The capital said that the food in the northwest was cheap, so it should be true.

Tie Kui knew more about things in the northwest and said, “The price of grain in the northwest hasn’t increased, but the price has been relatively high since the beginning. Rice and noodles are 30 cents a pound, coarse grains are 20 cents a pound, and only potato is cheaper, only four cents. A pound.” The grains in the northwest are sold in grain shops set by the government, and the price is also fixed. However, there is one thing that is not as good as the capital. The purchase of grain in the northwest is based on the population. It is not like the capital can store a large amount of grain with money.

Zhong Shantong said: “After all, rice noodles will cost three to sixty-two stones. How come rice noodles are so expensive, more than seven times more expensive than potato?”

Tie Kui said: “The rice and noodles in the northwest are all purchased from Jiangnan, and the quantity is very small, but the potato harvest was a bumper harvest in March. The grain depots were too large to fit, so it was naturally cheaper.” After a pause, Tie Kui said. : “Actually, it’s not cheap. At that time, it was two cents a pound to buy potato from the common people. Now the selling price is twice the original purchase price.”

Zhong Shantong didn’t feel anything at all: “Four cents a pound is actually not that expensive.” If the price of food in the capital only doubled, I believe the people in the capital would wake up with laughter.

Hearing this, Tie Kui couldn’t help but say: “Yeah! It’s not expensive. Although it is twice as expensive as when it was purchased, the common people can still afford it.” Whole grains can’t be bought.

In just five days, food prices doubled. The common people waited in the grain shop early, but the grain merchants were not stupid, they closed their doors every day when they sold out the specified quantity. This situation caused confusion and panic.

Meng Nian said worriedly: “My lord, it’s not good to continue like this, we can’t let the food go up any more.” In the past few days, the entire capital has been turned into a pot of porridge.

Yan Wushuang put down the book in his hand and said, “It can last for a while if those grain merchants are arrested and forced to hand over the grain. What will happen after that?” The food in the capital is basically supplied by Jiangnan, Shandong and Taiyuan. Now these places have been hit by drought and floods, and they can’t take care of themselves. Where can there be food to supply the capital. It is precisely because the grain merchants know this truth that they dare to rise so fiercely.

Meng Nian said: “The harvest in Liaodong should be good this year. When the wheat harvest is good in October, we will transfer some of the grain to Beijing.” In this way, the chaotic situation in the capital can be stabilized.

Yan Wushuang said: “The grain produced in Liaodong is not enough for the army. Where can there be grain that can be adjusted to Beijing.”

Yan Wushuang did not intend to supply Liaodong’s grain to the capital. There are hundreds of thousands of people in the capital, and the food needed is not a small amount. Yan Wushuang would not let his soldiers go hungry for the sake of the people of the capital.

Meng Nian squirmed his lower lip, but did not continue to persuade him: “What about the capital? Without food, the capital will not be stable, and someone will surely take the opportunity to make trouble then?”

Yan Wushuang said lightly: “If you dare to make trouble, just kill.” Killing is as common as eating to Yan Wushuang.

Meng Nian stopped talking about this topic. What Prince Yan Wushuang decided was not something he could change: “My lord, it has been checked. It was Liu Yongnan, who was guarding Linzhou City, who killed Lin Gui. , he has been following Yun Qing since then, and is Yun Qing’s confidant.” If it were not for his confidant, it would be impossible for him to guard Linzhou City. This place is also an important military base.

Yan Wushuang stood up and said, “Yun Qing has a lot of henchmen.” In the northwest, all the generals guarding one side were all Yun Qing’s henchmen. His people came into contact with these people and tried to turn against them, but they all came back in vain. In this regard, Yan Wushuang had to admire Yun Qing, and he was ashamed that he could make the people who follow him so determined.

Yan Wushuang didn’t even think about it, which of the generals guarding the northwest side did not follow Yun Qing out of the dead pile. The friendship of life and death cannot be exchanged for any amount of money. This is also why Yuxi will tolerate them, because she knows that although these people have opinions on her, they have no second thoughts about Yun Qing. In addition, these people are not stupid. Their days with Yunqing are getting better and better, and their future is bright.

Meng Nian said: “After all, he has brought soldiers for so many years.” In fact, if the Rift Valley was not surrounded and annihilated, and almost wiped out the Dingbei Army, Yunqing could use more generals now.

In the evening, Yan Wushuang returned to the backyard. Yan Wushuang’s mood improved a lot when he looked at his daughter who was carved with pink and jade.

After dinner, Yuchen said: “My lord, I heard that the current grain in the capital has risen to fifty cents a pound?” Yuchen was referring to coarse grains here, and the prices of fine grains such as rice and noodles are even more ridiculous.

Yan Wushuang hummed: “These grain merchants are all ignorant of profit. Knowing the floods in the south of the Yangtze River, they can’t hide all the grain and don’t sell it.” Now the grain merchant is still selling grain, which is the result of his interference.

Yuchen thought for a while and said, “Your Highness, do you want to raise money for the people who were affected by the disaster?” The disaster in Jiangnan was so serious that the imperial court would definitely have to provide relief.

Yan Wushuang shook his head and said, “You just take care of A Bao and A Chi, you don’t have to worry about the rest.” Although Yuchen grew up with Han Yuxi, Yuchen is good at dealing with women in the house, not outside affairs. At the beginning, he wanted to tune in one or two, but now he has put out his mind.

Yuchen was a little disappointed.

After nearly three months of drought, the people in the northwest have reached their limit. In Henan and other places, you can die for a bite of food. Now in the northwest, ordinary people are also performing full martial arts for a bite of water. No, Lujiagou and the village next door had another fight in the morning because of the water distribution problem.

As long as there are no major casualties, the government will turn a blind eye. But if it causes heavy casualties, the government will not care about one, two or three, and will execute all those involved. In today’s world, if you get caught in a prison, you still have to provide food and drink, so it’s easier to kill someone if you don’t.

In the northwest, the government’s deterrent power is still very large. Therefore, although all martial arts are staged from time to time in many places, there are very few serious casualties. Even if there is, everyone hides it and does not dare to let the government know.

Oak Xi put down the memorial and rubbed his eyes. He read the memorial day in and day out, and his eyes couldn’t stand it anymore.

At this time, Xu Wu sent the documents of Linzhou City and Yanzhou City. Linzhou and Yanzhou were the places with the worst drought in the entire Northwest, and Yuxi was a little afraid to look at these two places now.

After reading it, Oak-hee was in a bad mood again. To Han Jianming, who just came in, he said, “Yanzhou and Linzhou killed two hundred and fifty-eight people in just one day yesterday.” At this temperature, if you are not careful, you will suffer from heat stroke. After the sun came out, I didn’t dare to go out at all.

Han Jianming was silent for a while and said: “Yesterday, more than 30 people died in Haocheng.” All of these people died because the weather was too hot.

Oak Xi sighed and said, “I hope the situation will improve until October.” In the face of natural disasters, what people can do is really limited.

Han Jianming nodded and said, “It will definitely be.” After a pause, Han Jianming said again: “Yuxi, I think the common people should know about the tragic situation in Henan and Shanxi.” With such a comparison, the common people will know what they are now How happy. In this way, Yuxi and Yunqing’s prestige among the common people was also increased.

Yuxi thought for a while and nodded, “The situation in Henan and other places can be released, but not in the form of notices.” It can be passed on by word of mouth, but the government does not come forward to publicize these things.

Han Jianming nodded and said, “Yuxi, there are disasters all over the place now, we need to save some food.” Now that there is a food shortage, the food in their hands is a bargaining chip.

Yuxi said helplessly, “How can I save it?” It was already purchased in limited quantities, could it be possible not to sell grain.

Han Jianming said: “Reduce the monthly purchase limit per person. The food saved can be used for many things.”

Oak Xi shook his head and said, “No, this will inevitably cause even greater panic.” The monthly purchase limit for each person previously set was precisely calculated, not a random number. Only the limited amount is actually enough for people to eat six or seven cents full. Oak-hee was thinking about the weather and couldn’t do anything at the time. It was enough to eat six or seven cents a day. But if it goes down any further, it won’t work.

Seeing this, Han Jianming knew that it was useless to persuade him, so he could only give up.

ps: The third update is around nine o’clock.