The price of food is three or thirty taels, and 50,000 people die in one winter or 100,000 people. For this place in the capital, it is still too far away.
After Li Pin left, it was raining again in the capital. However, this autumn rain could not stop the hustle and bustle of the festive atmosphere in the capital. In the gatherings and feasts, it suddenly gave people the illusion that the raindrops never wet the ground. Guo Yaoshi captured Alu Taishi alive, and seized the title Baojian and the Great Seal of the Liao Taizong Yelu Deguang, which spread widely in the capital. The commoners in the capital were discussing topics such as triumph and offering prisoners, and they were wondering if we are now invincible in the world, when will the ultimatum with Jin Guo to completely withdraw the sixteen states will be issued, and so on.
In such an atmosphere, the Right Prime Minister's Mansion also held several banquets in a row, and one or two of them also invited Cai Taishi, Tong Shumi, Wang Hao, Liang Shicheng, Li Gang and other high-ranking officials from the capital to be present. It was very lively.
On the other hand, at this time, many fireworks venues in the capital are also booming. Fanlou was very busy. Ning Yi originally wanted to ask Li Shishi to meet, but he delayed it again and again - mainly because it was not urgent - and then heard that Shishi girl was running for an unjust case in the capital's brothel:
It is said that it was a courtesan named Tong Shuer among the brothels in the capital. In the past, he was in love with a poor talented man. He often used his own money to subsidize each other for food and accommodation. This was originally a common worry, but just recently, when Tong Shuer was picking up a guest, she encountered a grumpy staff member, and for some unknown reason, she accidentally beat her to death. When the brothel asked Tong Shuer's old friend to come forward. Only then did I know that the other party had taken the blame, and on the other side, the personnel and officials were looking for a relationship, and they were shifting the blame. The two officials were outraged. A group of brothel women went to the yamen, and many literati were also booing, and they wrote articles condemning the two officials for a while. It has also become a lively topic in Beijing.
The best place in Beijing. It is easy to have this kind of topic every time. The tragedies that come from the romantic account should preferably touch human nature and resonate the most with bystanders. in this hustle and bustle. Ning Yi and others were secretly working intensively. It's more like an underground job in the shadow of society.
Qin Siyuan has negotiated carefully with Cai Jing and others. In a certain sense, the approval of the other party has been obtained—the meaning of this kind of meaning lies in the approval of the other party. In fact, it is meaningless—that's the way the helmsman or the spokesperson of the big family is, Qin Siyuan at most greeted some people who need to say hello: I'm going to do something about the food price issue. If there is anything to offend, don't offended. After that, the friendship between the two sides can be kept on the surface, and the real victory or defeat depends on the fights of the people below.
Almost at the same time as Li Pin left, Yao Zunian, Monk Jue Ming and others also left the capital and began to lobby the Quartet. Qin Siyuan, on the other hand, had already completed the book and went south, and told Kang Xian the whole plan. Ning Yi, on the other hand, gathered the 18 carts of Zhuji Travel Business Quartet once, and then sent them to various places.
At this time, it is approaching the fifteenth of August.
****************
August 13th, one hundred and fifty miles away from Bianliang, Hengxian County.
"... The general situation is as I said below. The places like Hedong and Huainan are all short of food right now, and there are too many shortages, so this time the Right Prime Minister's Office will take the lead to do this. To be honest, outside Hou Yuan only as long as If you can provide food, the person who is in charge will accompany you, and when you get to the place, you will change hands. The first batch of food will be at least ten times the price. I hope that the price of that place can be reduced, so that some people can survive."
In the hall where the landlord surnamed Hou was entertaining guests, the person who spoke was still young, but his words and face were sincere, his hands were slightly folded, and he nodded while looking at the old man over there, while drinking a sip of tea.
"...Our owner is a kind person, and we know that Hou Yuanwai is also a kind person. The archway at the entrance of the village, the bridges and roads built nearby, all have Hou Yuanwai's name, so we asked Zai to come here early. You know it. After hearing about the situation in the disaster-stricken area, he said that he would donate food directly, sell it at a low price and distribute it for free, but our owner said that this is not possible, and the price cannot be beaten. The reason for this is that I believe Hou You also understand the staff. So the most important thing is to let people do business. The several routes set by the government are like this... "
The young man who spoke took out a map: "Our side is relatively close to Hedong Road. Your old side will transport the food to Qiaoxi first. When you get there, the government will arrange it uniformly, and the boat will be arranged by the government. The freight is only the current market price. It is up to you how much you pay. You will go by water first, then land, with officers and soldiers escorted along the way, and you will be transported for five hundred stones. Now this matter should have been posted on Qiaoxi, and you can always go. Just ask, we're just middle-of-the-road..."
Having said this, the member nodded, showing a kind and compassionate smile: "Xiao Luo, what you said is a great deed, the old man will definitely pay for it. However, the old man's family lives in Hengxian County, and there are two people in the family. I'm a steward, three sons, and I haven't been to any big place. I heard you say that the journey is so long. I heard that the public security in the disaster-stricken area is not good. If there is any problem on the way, the government will On the other hand, there is no way for us to ask for help. Since, as you said, there is a shortage of food in the north and south, why not let the government collect it in person, and then transfer it together..."
"Hou Yuanwai said it very well." Hearing him say this, the young man named Rollo nodded with a slight smile, recalling the rhetoric that Ning Yi had taught when he left Bianliang, "But what we know here is that if the government To come forward with full authority, one is bad reputation, and secondly, Prime Minister Qin said that disaster relief is a great good and a big battle. We can only win if there are many people who support it. Frankly speaking, if the government directly intervenes, the situation will be different. …”
He lowered his voice, "Some other people will get involved."
After saying this in a low voice, Rollo looked outside the door before continuing: "As for what Hou Yuanwai said if there was an accident. To be honest, the yamen is open, and if something really happened, it would be troublesome, but this time The matter is different, Mr. Hou. Let me tell you this, you can send someone to inquire about it. Before the first batch of grain is shipped, if the grain is more than a thousand stone, the prime minister will host a banquet in person, and will send Give a handwritten copybook."
"Oh?" The old man was moved, and then he thought for a while, "A thousand stones..."
"Outside Hou Yuan, this thousand stones does not mean that one person comes out, but it can be collected. For example, in this Heng County. If your Hou clan collects a thousand stones, one person can be received by the Prime Minister in person. You can also Going to tell some other people about this is all doing good deeds, one person is not enough. A group of people also have their hearts... "
Whispering. It was cloudy outside. It always seemed like it was going to rain. After more than an hour, when Rollo and the accompanying tailor came out of the yard, a cart with the logo of Suning came over. The companion asked, "How is it?"
"Oh, oh, oh, oh." Rollo tapped his forehead, "It's still the same, they said to think about it, but I bought something for more than thirty taels of silver... You know, like the previous ones, they wanted to sit at home, Some people come to collect the grain, and then the money and goods are cleared. They are reluctant to send people to Hedong or Huainan. These people are not short of money... But this looks like it can be done. "
"Brother Luo, how did you move him?"
"Hehe." Rollo laughed, "He has three sons, and I told him that there is such an opportunity to let the family go out and see the world, the book doesn't say anything... Well, it's better to leave after reading thousands of books. It’s a thousand miles away. By the way, I also know some officials, which is also taught by the boss. Anyway, I said that I will come back in a few days.”
He said, took out a small notebook from his arms, took out a charcoal pen, and drew a line in the crooked handwriting on the notebook. When the book was put away, he turned his head and sighed.
It has been three days since he left Beijing, and he has sold a lot of expensive things here, but he has not made any progress in persuading others to sell grain. Before this, he was the most outstanding among the shopkeepers that the owner had cultivated. At this time, he was worried in his heart that he might be surpassed by others...
In fact, in the first few days, what everyone who was on the lobbying mission could get was just intentions. This is not a bad start; the real problems arise elsewhere. When a dozen groups of people centered on Bianliang gradually lobbied, and various intentions were brewing, Rollo almost lost the business outside Hou Yuan.
It was a few days later, when Hou Yuanwai went to Qiaoxi to inquire about the situation in person, but the matter about the government's unified centralized grain escort and transport was not implemented, and the master in the government drove him out directly: "The county government is the country. Gongqi, how can you participate in such a businessman's stinking business, you are already old, and you don't seem to be a fool, how can you suddenly faint, and participate in such a businessman's trip, are you not afraid of losing your reputation!"
At this time, although the style of business has become very popular, and there are many big businessmen in various places, the position of businessmen is still extremely low in books and official positions. Hou Yuanwai was building bridges and paving roads in the local area, and his identity was already among the scholars and peasants. At this time, he was suddenly scolded as a trader and chasing profit, and he almost became angry all of a sudden.
On Qiaoxi's side, the original magistrate received a note from the Right Prime Minister's Mansion. This magistrate was a scholar of literary talent and had something to do with Qin Siyuan. Qin Siyuan arranged a few business routes this time, and the impact should not be too great. When he arranged for him, he originally believed that he would be considerate, but after the county magistrate came back, after thinking about it and discussing it with the master, he finally decided not to do it and returned it to him. Qin Siyuan wrote a letter of advice, stating that the resources of the imperial court could not be used as public utensils, and that merchants’ pursuit of profit was an unpopular approach, which violated the sage’s education.
This kind of feedback, in the first few days, was sent to the Xiangfu in more than one place. The first wave of obstacles began to appear. And the Prime Minister's response, in the next few days, came down resolutely!
Ning Yi's so-called disaster relief strategy that complements the economy and administration is actually similar to the macro-control of later generations. The original idea was said casually at a party, but Ning Yi himself knew the trouble. After realizing the seriousness of the rising food price, it took Qin Siyuan and others more than a month to formally decide to adopt it. During this process, Qin Siyuan did not know how much psychological construction was done.
This old man understood Confucianism best, but because of this, at the moment when he really raised his hand, he could no longer be shaken by this little bit of obstruction.
At the same moment, Li Pin had reached Hedong Road.
The carriage was banging bang bang bang, and it was driving on the uneven dirt road. The scenery on both sides of the road was bleak. Occasionally, you could see passers-by in ragged clothes, heading in the opposite direction to him, heading south. When the Shangdang approached, such people gradually increased. Some of them were on the road, dragging their families with them, walking like walking corpses. When they saw the carriage approaching, they stretched out their hands to beg, and some would cry twice and say a few words. In other words, more is silent.
When food prices rose, it was not yet the autumn harvest, and along the Hedong Road, the real disaster areas were not widespread, but the sudden increase in food prices led to sloppy and chaotic autumn harvests. It is said that in some places, people were killed. Up to now, the inflation of grain prices here has continued for two months, from the original two and a half kuai per shi to the current 30 per shi, everything has become like this. According to Ning Yi, food prices will probably be stable for a period of time, and the inflation will not be very fast. This situation will continue until winter, when the really terrible moment will come.
Occasionally, he would lift the curtain of the car to see the scene outside.
The city was approaching, and on the road ahead, there was a vague riot, and people were crying, shouting, beating and scolding. The carriage stopped near there. Li Pin looked out from the car. There was a man in ragged clothes who was injured on the side of the road, bleeding all over the place. A cart fell to the ground. Slightly better, surrounded the cart with three or five men with sticks, glaring in all directions, but the owner of the car was also crying.
After a few glances, Li Pin realized that the car had towed something, and it was going to the city. Due to the recent world, the master also invited a few men to follow to avoid being robbed. But when we got here, the wheels were suddenly smashed, the car fell over, and some vegetables and rice grains that were transported on it fell down. This time, people on the side of the road started to loot, and the following men first blocked, and then started to fight The stick began to beat people, but even so, most of the few things in the car were taken away.
Some people on the side of the road stole things and were beaten away, and some people were beaten to death. They knew they were wrong and didn't bother, but they had to fall on the road and cry. They were crying, and the owner of the car was crying too. . The woman in his family had a serious illness, and this car was originally going to be taken to the city to sell at a high price, and by the way, he went back to the doctor, but this time, it was also in vain.
Li Pin watched this scene with the master and guards he followed. Not far from the carriage, a filthy and thin little girl fell on the road. Her mother hugged her and cried and shouted. The little girl was beaten, and her head was bleeding. She was holding two rotten pieces in her hands. The vegetable leaves, she was probably very hungry and injured again, opened her mouth, and could not hear the sound of crying.
Master Chen, who followed him, hesitated to speak. Li Pin glanced at it, and finally spoke dryly, asking the guards who followed him, who were proficient in bruises, to quickly take the wound medicine to heal the person. The people around turned their attention to this side.
Sitting there, Li Pin remembered a few conversations he had with Ning Yi when he left Beijing: "This disaster relief, is Liheng going to the south or the north?"
"I'm not going, that's your business, I'll stay in the capital."
"Oh, Liheng understands this best, so he should be in the middle."
"Oh, not really, it's just invisible."
"Um?"
"Because..." He remembered that at that time, Ning Yi paused for a long time before speaking, "because this time you go there, you will see a lot of people, you went there to keep them alive. But the moment you saw them , you will understand that many of them will starve to death next. Surely... there will be some people, you can't do anything... "
At that time, he sighed because of this sentence, but at this time, he really knew what Ning Yi was talking about.
He watched for a while, and Master Chen told him not to get out of the car, for fear of causing some trouble, but he finally went down, looked at the little girl whose head was bandaged, and secretly put two in her clothes steamed buns, and then went back to the car. At this moment, he knew that it was meaningless.
Afterwards, the carriage set off with a bang, heading towards the city... (...)
ps: Well, I modified it a bit, it was before twelve o'clock ^_^