The Sage of Confucianism and Taoism

Chapter 922: Grain Disaster Fermentation

Fang Yun and Ao Huang got on the carriage and followed the schedule. They did not return to the county government office. They bought food on the way and ate it, and then arrived at the grain fields outside the city.

Since Ning'an County is close to the barbarian border, there are often small groups of barbarians sneak attacks. Few people grow grain, and large tracts of fertile land on the north bank are abandoned. Therefore, the local grain production in Ning'an County is extremely low and mainly depends on foreign land.

Thanks to Ning'an County being the northernmost hub of Jingguo, with a large floating population and many workshops, the people of Ning'an County can have a job to make a living as long as they are not too lazy.

Fang Yun has carefully studied the current situation of Ning'an County. The environment and productivity here are completely incomparable to the ancient Chinese country in later generations. There are huge gaps in all aspects. The standards of later generations cannot be used to measure the current Ning'an County. People with a little brains cannot do such stupid things.

Fang Yun was thinking about grain prices while learning about farming.

Ning'an County actually has enough food to eat, and most people can accept it even if they pay a high price for a month or two. But the problem is that the people in most areas do not have enough sense of security, and any disturbance may cause panic.

Not to mention the Shengyuan Continent, even in the future with a higher level of education, people from all countries will panic and buy medicinal materials or food because of diseases or nuclear radiation.

Ning'an County is close to the barbarian border, and the people here are more sensitive and more easily frightened, especially after Lan Xungu personally announced that the barbarians are about to invade, the panic will be pushed to a higher level.

Ao Huang could not see Lan Xungu's sinister intentions, but Fang Yun saw it clearly. What can cause panic among the people and what cannot cause panic among the people, a great scholar cannot be unaware.

Fang Yun read an autobiography book by a scholar who edited the "Wenbao". The "Wenbao" clearly stipulates that suicide incidents should be reported less or even not reported, because such news will trigger a suicide trend, and incidents of madmen or beasts hacking and killing children should be reported less or even not reported, because there will inevitably be inhumane beasts imitating.

In order to keep their names on Wenbao and strengthen their status in the Wenbao Editorial Office, some scholars often choose to pass on news that may cause imitation or panic to the Wenbao Editorial Office. These news will be rejected and recorded by the Wenbao Editorial Office. Once this person passes on too many articles of this kind, Wenbao will abolish his qualification to recommend articles.

As the leader of the Yingyang Army, Lan Xungu naturally knew that once the military control of Ning'an County was announced and the whole government was notified, it would definitely increase the panic of the people.

Fang Yun thought of Lan Xungu, snorted coldly, and a murderous look flashed in his eyes.

While in the field, Fang Yun kept receiving letters from his staff from all over Ning'an County.

"The workers in the county workshops are not panicking. They even laugh at those who think that grain prices will remain high. They all trust you very much. On the contrary, some workers in private workshops are making sarcastic remarks and then being beaten."

"There are few farmers in the county, but they have grain at home and are not worried."

"Some people from prominent families have been fanning the flames, spreading the word that grain prices will rise sharply, and even saying that grain is intercepted by monsters and cannot be transported into the city. I have recorded these people one by one according to your instructions."

"The wealthy families only have a little complaint, after all, they all store a lot of grain. Those poor people are not without grain reserves, but some people's reserves are about to run out, and they are panicking, fearing that grain prices will rise even higher, leading to Panic spread, which made those who had some grain reserves but not much afraid that the grain price would continue to soar, and began to buy some grain. "

"The first to panic were the elderly. They had experienced hunger and were most worried that their children and grandchildren would also go hungry, so they were the first to participate in the panic buying."

"The problem now is that many people are not well-informed. When they heard that the grain price had soared, they thought something big was going to happen and participated in the panic buying."

"Some people actually suspected that the monsters were about to break into Ning'an County and prepared to flee."

...

After Fang Yun sorted out the letter, it was already afternoon. He personally wrote a notice, saying that the grain price was very abnormal this time. It might be the work of spies from the enemy country, or it might be the secret layout of the traitorous literati. It would be resolved within ten days, so the people could rest assured.

The county printing workshop quickly moved, printed thousands of notices, and asked the yamen runners to post them everywhere.

Afterwards, Fang Yun personally used the spring thunder of tongue to repeat the content of the notice, and then said that it would definitely be resolved.

Soon, the staff distributed in various parts of Ning'an County sent feedback letters. Many people were no longer panicked, but they were still half-believing and half-doubting. If the grain price problem could not be solved in a short time, the people would inevitably panic more.

Fang Yun returned to the county government and issued two orders.

"Please invite the chief managers and main persons in charge of all grain stores in Ning'an County. I want to talk to them."

"Arrest those who spread rumors and mislead the public! Hand them over to the Dianshi for careful trial!"

As early as the Qin Dynasty, there were charges such as "crime of spreading rumors" and "crime of defamation", so Fang Yun had reason and evidence to arrest those people.

After issuing the order, Ao Huang took out the schedule and said, "You need to try a complicated murder case this afternoon, which may take the whole afternoon. How can you have time to interview hundreds of people from the grain store?"

"No time? Then let them wait in the county government office. If they still don't have time after 24 hours, I will let them go."

Ao Huang was stunned and smiled, "I understand. With the protection of the Yingyang Army, you can't do anything to them for the time being, but your attitude must be revealed. Then shall we try the case right away?"

"No, I won't try the case today. I have something important to discuss." After saying that, Fang Yun held the official seal in his hand and closed his eyes to rest.

Ao Huang realized that Fang Yun was using a letter to discuss important matters with others, but he didn't know what he was talking about. He scratched his head and was very unwilling.

What happened in Ning'an County was soon listed on the discussion list and attracted the attention of scholars all over the world.

There were many well-informed scholars on the discussion list. Soon, the news that Qingyuan Grain Store and Zuo Xiang's party colluded to manipulate the grain prices in Ning'an County spread in various countries and soon reached the ears of scholars in Ning'an County.

Many scholars in Ning'an County had just listened to Fang Yun's lecture today. Facing Fang Yun, who had "the words of heaven", they were already full of admiration. Even the children and grandchildren of officials of Zuo Xiang's party had their relationship with their families dropped to the freezing point after listening to it.

Without the instigation of Fang Yun's staff, a large number of righteous scholars spontaneously organized themselves and began to tell the nearby people the whole story.

The surrounding people all knew these scholars, so they naturally believed their words more and did not suspect that Fang Yun sent people to make up lies.

Early the next morning, the panic in Ning'an City had mostly dissipated, but more people were cursing the left prime minister's party, especially those who had just run out of food at home and had to buy expensive food, jumping up and down to curse.

However, all this did not stop the rise in food prices.

At noon on March 18, the price of coarse grains rose to five times the normal price!

Some noodle shops, steamed bun shops, steamed bun shops and hotels have begun to stop business. If the food is cheap, a large number of diners will come in immediately, and if the food is expensive, no one will come.

Soon, groups of beggars appeared in Ning'an City.

The people of Ning'an County are becoming more and more resentful, and fights, thefts and robberies have increased dramatically.

Since yesterday, there have been many more scholars with foreign accents in Ning'an County. Most of these scholars carry a box that is different from a book box, exactly the same as the doctors in Ning'an City.