Please ask me to be the emperor

"The previous purchase of grain cost more than 754,000 taels, military expenses were 52,000 taels, the palace and King Shun's family spent more than 1,000 taels, and other various expenses also amounted to more than 5,000 taels. The total cost is about 812,000 taels. The remaining gold and silver are worth about 1.8 million taels."

"King Shun returned from the Eastern and Southern Expeditions and received another 800,000 taels of gold and silver, totaling 2.6 million!" Zhang Shenyan reported to Zhang Shunhui in detail.

Tsk tsk, it’s better to make money quickly by “robbing big players”! Zhang Shun smacked his lips and couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

If it develops according to the normal path, the taxes collected by the Henan Prefecture in full amount will only be four to five million shi. Even if Ruzhou, Nanyang and other places are included, the income is only one million shi.

All the troops were used to raise troops, but there were only 40,000 to 50,000 horses.

Now he has looted Prince Fu's Mansion, Prince Chong's Mansion and Prince Tang's Mansion, and obtained four times as much gold, silver, money and food. If we add in the income from the summer and autumn grains this year, it will be enough to support 100,000 people.

"It's easier if you have money!" Zhang Shun couldn't help but laugh, "Mr. Lu, please send someone to tell Wang Qingzhi that as long as he is willing to bring money, food, and firearms, I am willing to buy them at a high price! Whatever price the border area offers, I will not What’s the price?”

"This" Lu Weiqi hesitated for a moment and reminded him in advance, "rice in the border areas used to be worth ten liang per stone, but now it is around 20 liang. It's really..."

Wang Qingzhi is now related by marriage to his Lu family, and Lu Weiqi has no choice but to make ugly remarks.

"It doesn't matter, don't say two liang and one stone, even three liang and one stone, five liang and one stone, eat them all!" Zhang Shun said firmly.

Just kidding, the price war has just begun, where is this?

Food is the first priority for the people, and grain is the main food! If there is no food, people will die, so what is the use of gold and silver? You can't drink when you're thirsty, you can't eat when you're hungry, only whole grains are the way to go!

Zhang Shun had previously obtained information from Wang Qingzhi and learned that although the price of food in the border areas was high, compared with Mongolia and Houjin, it was as cheap as dirt.

For example, the highest price of grain in Houjin once reached "eight taels per dou of silver", which means one stone of grain cost eighty taels of silver. Even in recent years, the price of grain in Houjin has been hovering at "one dou of silver and one tael" all year round, which is One stone of grain cost ten taels of silver, which was basically about ten times the price in the Ming Dynasty.

The economy of the Later Jin Dynasty was already on the verge of collapse. If not for Huang Taiji's desperate fight in the second year of Chongzhen, I am afraid that the entire Liaodong would be "people eating each other, and everyone would be dead!"

Huang Taiji relied on the Eight Banners to enter the customs and carry out bloody plunder of the Ming Dynasty. He plundered a large amount of gold and silver so that he could pay the high price of "smuggled grain".

In fact, his approach, except that it was more bloody, was roughly the same as Zhang Shun's approach to plundering the clan.

However, for Huang Taiji, Liaodong was more remote and the imperial blockade was more severe. Moreover, because of the massacre of the Han people by Hou Jin, Liaodong's agriculture was greatly damaged, and its difficulties were ten times greater than those of the rebels.

After thinking through this, Zhang Shun became more determined in his strategy of "food war".

The higher the price of food in the north, the less Huang Taiji's money can't afford the price of smuggled food. If the money cannot pay the price of food, they have to frequently enter the customs to rob.

However, as bulk cargo, even if grain fell into the hands of Hou Jin, they would not be able to carry it out of the customs as long as they could not gain a foothold within the customs.

The only things they plundered were gold and silver that were light and easy to carry.

The more frequent the two sides fight, the greater the blow to northern agriculture. Then the entire north will fall into a situation of more gold and silver and less food, and eventually food prices will rise to an extremely terrifying level.

At that time, whether Chongzhen is willing or not, Huang Taiji will lead his Eight Banners to knock on the gates frequently and desperately. The word "food" is like a curse, which will consume all the flesh and blood of both parties.

While Chongzhen was fighting with Huang Taiji in the north, he watched the rebel army grow and develop in the hinterland of Henan. In the end, when the Ming Dynasty and Hou Jin Dynasty were exhausted from the battle, the growing rebel army took advantage of them.

Thinking of this, Zhang Shun ordered again: "Send an order to Zhennan General Xiao Qinhu and order him to use Nanyang's water and land transportation to make every effort to buy grain and grass. In addition to his own use, he can also use some to go to Ruzhou."

"Instruct Zhang Sanbai and Li Xin to take advantage of the water transportation of the Shaying River and send as many people as possible to South Zhili to purchase grain!"

"By the way, where is Li Baihu now?" Zhang Shun asked again.

"A month ago, it was heard that he was going to Nanzhili to buy grain, and by the way, he would invite a few more doctors to come and sit in the rebel army to reduce the pressure on Mrs. Xiang." Lu Weiqi responded after hearing this.

"Okay, let's leave it like this!" Zhang Shun sighed and urged, "Don't be afraid of spending money, be sure to buy rice and wheat in the treasury!"

Zhang Shun's thinking was very clear. However, the food and grass issue could not be solved in a short time. He had to wait for feedback on these measures.

Then several people discussed some daily matters. Seeing that Zhang Shun was absent-minded, the three of them left one after another.

Seeing Zhang Shenyan, Lu Weiqi, Song Xiance and others leaving, Zhang Shun couldn't help but shook his head with a wry smile.

What a coincidence, I just offended Lady Hong, Li Xiang and others, so I have to use them here, it's really hard to explain.

Just as Zhang Shun left his office, he was about to go to Li Xiang's residence. Unexpectedly, one person left in front of him, and he was leading another person to come in a hurry.

Zhang Shun looked up and saw, if this wasn't Li Baihu, which one was it?

Li Baihu obviously also discovered Zhang Shun, and he hurriedly took two steps and rushed over. He shouted out of breath: "King Shun, it turns out that you are here to make it easy for me to find him!"

"What's wrong?" Zhang Shun smiled bitterly and said that Li Baihu wanted to "settle accounts" with him, so he couldn't help but ask, "I also planned to ask you when you would return, but unexpectedly you returned early. Why are you so anxious?"

"King Shun, wait a moment, I want to introduce someone to you!" Li Baihu didn't waste any time and quickly pulled the person next to him over.

I saw that the man was about forty years old, dressed in brocade clothes, and looked quite wealthy.

Li Baihu then introduced Zhang Shun: "This is the taboo businessman of the Tang Cheng family in Huai, Xin'an. He is a wealthy businessman in Yangzhou."

"The Cheng family is a famous doctor. I went to visit him and unexpectedly met this brother. He also heard about King Shun, so he came to visit him personally."

Immediately, he introduced to Cheng Jia: "This is King Shun. Don't underestimate his youth. Now he has defeated the officers and soldiers in succession and is powerful in the world!"

When Cheng Jia heard this, he quickly went up and saluted and said: "I have met His Highness King Shun, but I didn't expect that he is so young and promising. It makes me and others who are wasting our years quite ashamed!"

"Please come into the house and do it!" Zhang Shun quickly returned the gift, led him into the house, and asked Wang Jinyi to serve tea.

After a polite exchange between the two parties, Zhang Shun asked, "I don't know why Mr. I came all the way to teach me?"

"Don't dare, don't dare!" Cheng Jia said humbly, "Cheng heard the name of King Shun in Yangzhou and it was like thunder. He even heard that King Shun was unparalleled in benevolence and righteousness. He bought grain at a high price last year. He really has no small ambitions!"

"Cheng came here just to make friends with Brother Li, so that we can take care of him in the future!"