The Eldest Daughter Is Beautiful and Saucy
Chapter 986: Tun grain
Chapter 986: Gathering Grain
When the grain stores saw so many people coming, they followed their peers’ example and raised prices. Some even closed their doors. Now… the people were even more panicked and at a loss.
Ever since the people of Xiliang became rich because of jade brocade, furs and paper, they, who already had little arable land, were even less willing to put in the effort of farming. Instead, they focused on jade brocade, hunting and papermaking. Also, because the price of grain was cheap and the supply price was stable, the people felt that the profit from farming was not high, and over time the arable land became abandoned.
But at this moment, not only did the grain stores in Yunjing suddenly increase their prices, they also suddenly closed one after another and stopped selling to the public. Food is the top priority for the people’s livelihood. Isn’t it just for food and clothing that the people are struggling? The increase in grain prices is like strangling the throat of the people in Xiliang. How can the people not panic?
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It was late at night. The lights were flickering in the Mingyang Hall. The green cloud-like gauze curtains on both sides of which were hung with red beads by red gold copper hooks swayed gently in the wind. The Queen of Xiliang sat behind a beaded curtain made of emerald beads, reviewing memorials. The Queen had her long hair tied on top of her head and wore a jade crown, dressed like a man. However, her eyebrows and eyes were beautiful and intense, like the peony king blooming in a prosperous era, radiant and captivating.
The two ministers knelt outside the slightly swaying pearl curtain and reported to the Queen of Xiliang about the chaos caused by the sudden increase in grain prices in Yunjing today. Yun Poxing suppressed a cough, stood aside with a solemn expression and remained silent.
When the Queen of Xiliang received the news, she looked as if she had expected it. She put down her pen, picked up the teacup, showing a small section of her fair wrist, and looked up at the Minister and Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue who came to report the news: “Finally they are here…”
It’s a pity that she and the court officials realized it a little late, and Cui Gongxing refused to admit it.
However, there is an old saying that goes, “It is better to mend the fold after the sheep have been lost.”
The earlier the problem is discovered, the sooner it can be remedied. Even though the hole is already big, it is better than watching it get bigger.
After putting Cui Gongxing in jail last month, the Queen of Western Liang issued a series of edicts to encourage farming, but with little effect.
The Queen of Xiliang wanted to ruthlessly clean up Cui Gongxing’s shops, but now most of the people in Xiliang make a living from jade brocade, and a few rely on furs. In Xiliang, the shop with the largest purchasing volume is Cui Gongxing’s shop.
If Cui Gongxing’s shop was closed rashly, there would be no such large merchant in Xiliang who could consume the jade brocade that the people were making every day, and it would cut off the people’s livelihood.
Besides, Cui Gongxing is a smart person. Her business is big… and she has also pulled the eight most powerful families in Xiliang to participate in it. Although two of the eight major families are no longer a force to be reckoned with, the power of the remaining six families should not be underestimated.
Apart from the complicated relationships involved, Cui Gongxing, with the help of Xiliang nobles and several major families, has become the largest food supplier to Xiliang. This is why the Queen of Xiliang has not yet killed Cui Gongxing. If Cui Gongxing was killed… half of the people in Xiliang would probably be left starving.
The Queen Mother of Xiliang, who used to look down on merchants, did this because Cui Gongxing could tell her about the customs of the Jin State and the strange stories she encountered when traveling to various countries and at sea. Cui Gongxing did not look down on women, and even spoke of equality between men and women, which won the Queen Mother of Xiliang’s heart very much. So… later on, even though the Queen Mother of Xiliang did not regard Cui Gongxing as a confidant, she still regarded him as someone she could talk to.
Unexpectedly, it was such a person…who actually harbored evil intentions to harm Xiliang.
Just as my father said, the people of Jin… and the people of Yan are the most cunning.
It is also because Xiliang, like other countries, has looked down on merchants in recent years, so it has never taken a small merchant seriously. Unexpectedly, this merchant could have such great power and weaken an entire country without any sound.
During the time when Cui Gongxing was imprisoned, the eight major families kept coming to plead for mercy, and later they received a promise from the Queen of Xiliang that she would not interfere with the business of Cui Gongxing’s shops and affect the profits of the eight major families. Only then did the eight major families stop asking for mercy.
“Tomorrow, I will sell the grain and grass that I ordered the Minister of Revenue to transport from Dayan to the people at normal market prices…” After the Xiliang Empress finished speaking, she asked Yun Poxing, “General, do you think that if this continues for a period of time, the market price of grain can be adjusted back to normal?”
Yun Poxing tried hard to hold back his cough, turned around and saluted the Xiliang Empress behind the beaded curtain, and said, “Your Majesty, I think… the most urgent thing should be to release Cui Fengnian. Cui Fengnian has an intricate relationship with the eight great families. During this period, because he has not affected the business of the eight great families, everything is still fine. Now that Cui Fengnian’s people have raised the price of grain, I’m afraid it’s just the beginning. If Cui Fengnian is not released, there will definitely be another step, perhaps the Jade Brocade.”
The Queen of Xiliang pursed her lips, her beautiful and rich eyes half-closed, and said with a hint of smile: “I never thought that the great general of Xiliang who once dominated the world would actually be afraid of the eight major families.”
“Cough, cough, cough…” Yun Poxing couldn’t hold back any longer and coughed a few times, but continued to hold it back until his cheeks flushed. “This old minister is not afraid, but through this incident, I understand that these eight great families… understand that they should hide their power and make concessions. It’s not what this old minister and Your Majesty thought. The promotion of Han Su has already taken effect and can compete with the eight great families. It’s not the right time yet.”
The Queen of Xiliang couldn’t bear to see Yun Poxing forcing himself to talk to her, so she signaled the eunuchs serving him to give Yun Poxing a seat and serve him tea.
Yun Poxing took the teacup and drank two sips. He coughed twice to suppress the cough and continued, “For example, this time… If the eight great families had not been tempted by interests and blocked the eyes of the whole court, who would have known that in Xiliang, where there were few farmlands to begin with, the people would have given up farming and gone to weave jade brocade and hunt wild animals! Cough cough… cough cough cough…”
The Queen of Xiliang closed her eyes in chilly fear.
Yun Poxing was coughing badly and he quickly took out a handkerchief to cover his lips, feeling even more heartbroken.
“General, please sit down!” The Queen of Xiliang was very worried about Yun Poxing’s health. Seeing that Yun Poxing could not hold on any longer and sat down, the Queen of Xiliang slowly spoke, “The interests of the country are not as important as the money they make! I think… the eight major families deliberately concealed the news this time because they valued the huge profits that the Jade Brocade could bring, and they valued… the Jade Brocade, and they could use food to take the money that the people earned with the Jade Brocade and put it back into their pockets.”
After a long while, the Queen of Xiliang opened her eyes: “If what I guessed is correct, the eight major families probably have a lot of grain in their hands! The eight major families are waiting for the day when the grain price suddenly doubles, so why would they care about the life and death of Cui Gongxing?”
It’s not that Cui Gongxing is a capable businessman, but that the eight major families are too greedy.