Rise From the Humble

In the thirty-first year of Jiajing's reign, at the end of autumn, it was about six o'clock in the morning and the sun was just right.

Taizhou Fucheng, Chengxifang.

Xu Hai and others had changed into casual clothes and, accompanied by Taizhou magistrate Tan Lun and Zuo Zhen, visited Chengxifang on the spot. Chengxifang is the largest square in Taizhou Fucheng, and its transaction volume accounts for about three-quarters of Taizhou Fucheng. This is also the largest grain sales place in Fucheng, Taizhou, with all grain merchants of all sizes in Fucheng.

In order to deal with Zhu Ping'an urgently, the Jingnan investigation team only chose Chengxifang as a typical investigation site.

"The city is orderly, clean and tidy, which is rare during the flood. Magistrate Tan is very good."

After Xu Hai entered Chengxifang, he visually inspected the environment of the city and gave Taizhou Magistrate Tan Lun's approval.

Their inspection was almost a surprise attack. Taizhou Magistrate Tan Lun had basically no time to prepare. This is the most real situation in Chengxifang. It is orderly and clean. Taizhou Magistrate Tan Lun is very capable.

"Mr. Xu's ridiculous praise, Tan really doesn't dare to take it seriously." Tan Lun, the magistrate of Taizhou, said humbly, his face flushed.

Xu Hai and others have the important task of inspecting and investigating the floods in the south of the Yangtze River. Now that they can get their approval, when they complete their mission and return to the capital, isn't it possible that their achievements in governing Taizhou Prefecture will be heard by the emperor. If he caught the eye of the Holy Emperor because of this, wouldn't it be possible for him to rise to prominence? !

Therefore, although Tan Lun was modest on his lips, the excitement and excitement in his heart were beyond words.

Xu Hai and his party saw a grain shop not far into Fangshi. The grain shop was large and powerful.

"Let's go and have a look at this grain store." Xu Hai's face moved and he said softly. If you want to understand the disaster situation in Taizhou Prefecture, the grain store is a must-see. Through the grain store, you can get a glimpse of the disaster aspect.

"Please come," said Tan Lunli, the magistrate of Taizhou.

Tan Lun asked while explaining to Xu Hai, Zhang Wenbo, Peng Cheng and others, "This is Fujia Grain Store, named after the word 'Fujia Tianxia'. It used to be the second largest grain merchant in Taizhou Prefecture, and now He is the largest grain merchant in Taizhou Prefecture."

"Oh, who was the largest grain merchant in the past? Was it poor management and was surpassed by Fujia Grain Company?" Wang Meng asked casually. He was very satisfied with Tan Lun's "Even though" Zhu Ping'an fixed the evidence, so at this moment He was very considerate and willing to talk to Tan Lun more to show his closeness and friendliness.

"No. The original largest grain merchant was Mi's Grain Store. Twenty days ago, Mi's Grain Store drove up grain prices, sabotaged disaster relief and made fortunes. Its owner was beheaded by a certain person on the street. So, Rich A The grain store has become the largest grain store." Tan Lun shook his head gently, and told Xu Hai and others his achievements in strictly controlling grain prices with thunderous means. achievement.

"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Magistrate Tan's courage in carrying out his duties is truly admirable." Peng Cheng nodded.

"Master Peng, thank you. Tan couldn't do anything about it. These profiteers did not care about the life and death of the people and drove up the price of grain. The people were miserable. In order to strictly control the price of grain, Tan could only kill the chickens to scare the monkeys. That day, he cut off the lives of two large grain merchants. After this, the profiteers were frightened, and the price of food in Taizhou Prefecture finally stabilized. The price of 1,300 yuan per stone raised by grain merchants has stabilized at 500 yuan per stone."

Tan Lun explained modestly, disclosing the information that food prices in Taizhou Prefecture had stabilized.

Sure enough, when Xu Hai heard this, he praised Tan Lun's deeds and criticized Zhu Ping'an. "Only when food prices are stable can the people be stable. This is what Magistrate Tan should be like as an official who asks for orders for the people. Unlike some people, In the current flood situation, the people are in dire straits, and for their own selfish interests, they collude with grain merchants and drive up grain prices in the name of the government! Such officials are really a shame to our generation, and we are ashamed to be associated with them!"

While saying this, Xu Hai and others stepped into Fujia Grain Store.

Before they even touched the ground, they saw several angry people walking out of Fujia Liang.

"Bah! How can we open a shop when we don't have any food?"

"That's right, yesterday they said there would be food today, but today when we came with money, we were told there was no food?!"

"Bah! They had no food at that time. They thought the price of food was low, so they secretly sold it on the black market! The price of food on the black market has skyrocketed! Last time, the family really couldn't get over it, so we went to the black market. Mom Yes, death is expensive, but the food is still very scarce. If we go too late, it will be gone. Let’s leave quickly.”

Several ordinary people cursed angrily and walked out of Fujia Grain Store. After going out, they felt uncomfortable and turned around and spit several mouthfuls of phlegm at the grain store.

what happened? Is there no food in the grain store?

Xu Hai and others walked into the grain store, and before they asked, they heard the grain shop clerk say to them indifferently, "I'm sorry, gentlemen, the store has no food, you can go and check elsewhere. "

"I see your store has just opened for business. Why are you running out of food so quickly?" Xu Hai asked curiously.

"I'm really sorry. The store's grain stocks were sold out five days ago. The reason for opening the store today is to tidy up the store. The store will be closed now. When the store has grain, it will open again. "

As the store clerk spoke, he was sorting out the items on the counter of the grain store, packing them and filing them, as if he was preparing to close the store.

"I wonder when our store will have food?" Xu Hai asked again.

"It's hard to say. It may be ten days and a half month, or it may be one or two months. Who can say for sure."

The shop assistant replied without raising his head, and his tone was very cold, as if he was deliberately driving the customer away.

"I wonder how to sell the grain in our store?" Wang Meng asked.

"Five hundred cents, of course, five hundred cents per stone. This is the price set by the governor. The shop abides by the rules very well." The grain shop clerk seemed to have been trained. When someone asked the price, he reflexively changed the price. Reported it.

After hearing this, Tan Lun, the magistrate of Taizhou, nodded with satisfaction and glanced at Xu Hai and others, as if to say, look, what I said is right. The price of food in Taizhou Prefecture has stabilized at five hundred cents per stone. This price.

"But it's a pity that there is no food for the price." The shop clerk twitched his lips, his tone full of laughter.

"Gentlemen, please go to other stores and have a look." The store clerk said as if seeing off customers.

When Xu Hai and others turned around, they were about to go to other grain stores to take a look, but they heard the shop assistant behind them say: "Actually, if you go to other stores, it is probably in vain. Other stores are like this, with prices but no grain. "

"If you really want to buy food, you might as well go to the black market and have a look. There should be food there. How do I know? Haha, don't ask. I won't tell you if you ask me. It means I don't know anything."

The store clerk said to Xu Hai and others with a mysterious look on his face. After saying this, he would say nothing if asked again.