Chapter 911 Food Issues

  Bringing Nanzhonghe Hualan, Feng Yong suddenly remembered something again.

   Immediately called Wei Rong over:

   "Nanzhong will build a new school. Students who graduate next year will have an internship at Nanzhong School. After returning, they will be given priority in passing the Liangzhou exam."

  Wei Rong was slightly taken aback when he heard this:

   "But I don't know who the disciple wants to contact about this matter?"

   "Hua Niangzi, you know that?"

  As soon as Wei Rong said this, Li Yi beside him showed a meaningful expression before Wei Rong could speak.

   "Wenxuan, I'm afraid this matter will trouble you too. You have a solid foundation in Nanzhong, so please write a letter to Nanzhong to ask the big clan there to cooperate."

  The Li family and the Cuan family in Nanzhong are both aristocratic families and relatives by marriage.

  Cuan Xi, the current prefect of Xinggu County, is Li Hui's uncle.

  With their cooperation, this matter is much easier.

   "Brother, save it."

  In February of the 11th year of Jianxing, the Shangshutai of Dahan submitted a decree to the prime minister's office:

  In view of the increasingly frequent exchange of materials between Dahan and Wu, it is suggested to establish an easy market in Yong'an to manage the mutual market with Wu.

  The Prime Minister's Mansion quickly replied with one word: yes.

  After the beginning of spring, the main job of the government is spring plowing.

  After the spring plowing, it is time to prepare for harvesting wool again.

  The so-called plan for a year lies in spring.

  Whether it is farming or workshops, the most important time of the year is spring.

  Compared to these two tasks, the establishment of Yongan Yishi is relatively low-key.

  But this is also a matter of course.

   After all, it is impossible for a big man to spread the word all over the world. The purpose of Yongan Yishi is to destroy Jingzhou's grain output.

   Moreover, Yong'an Yishi mainly targets bulk materials and profiteering materials.

   These have little to do with ordinary people.

  Even for the price of food that is most closely related to ordinary people, the imperial court has always had a protective price over the years.

   You don't have to worry about being manipulated by the aristocratic family to sell low and buy high, as in previous years.

  Combined with Qu Yuanli and the farm cattle lent by the government, small landlords and self-cultivated farmers can live a relatively comfortable life as long as they are content and happy.

  Compared to Yong'an Yishi, which was calm in Dahan territory, it attracted some people's attention in Wu country.

  The Zhang family, one of the four surnames in Wu County, sent Zhang Bai, Zhang Wen's younger brother, to Jingzhou.

   It’s not okay if you don’t come.

  Because there are rumors that the price of jaggery may increase again this year.

  The Zhang family is now the largest brown sugar agent in Soochow.

   Of course, this is a relatively euphemistic statement.

   To put it mildly, it is the big comprador family of Wu.

   This cannot be blamed on the Zhang family.

  In addition to the too much money given by the Kingdom of Shu, one of the more important reasons is:

  Who said that in the Jiyan incident that year, Sun Quan laid such a cruel hand on the Zhang family?

  I also want to be loyal, but Emperor Sun doesn't allow it!

  A member of the Zhang family cannot be an official in Wu Guo.

  So I had to sell some brown sugar and become a rich man or something.

  As soon as Zhang Bai arrived in Jingzhou, someone came to his door immediately.

   "Mr. Zhang, has the price really increased?"

   These days, those who are qualified to grow sugar cane in Jingzhou and get the share of brown sugar are either the generals stationed in Jingzhou or the big families of Jingzhou.

  No wealthy family with a lower level is eligible.

  The most typical representatives are naturally the Zhuge family, the Kuai family, and the Cai family.

  The current Zhuge Jin, who is officially appointed as a general, left as the guardian, leads Yuzhou as a herdsman, and canonized as Wanling Marquis, is one of the top dignitaries in Wu.

  The Kuai family and the Cai family are the most typical representatives of Jingzhou aristocratic families.

  Cao Cao went to the south of the Yangtze River and swallowed Jingzhou. The representatives of the Kuai family, Kuai Yue and Kuai Liang, and Cai Mao of the Cai family, joined the Cao family.

   Who knows that the battle of Chibi will change the situation.

  Liu Bei took over the four counties in the south of Jingzhou, and borrowed the southern counties from the state of Wu.

   Representatives of the Kuai family and the Cai family followed Cao Cao to the north to become officials.

  The two families are both prominent families in Nanjun, so most of them still stayed in Nanjun.

   Just because of Zhuge Liang's relationship, the Kuai family in Nanjun was not hit because of their defection to Cao Cao.

   Then the State of Wu attacked Jingzhou, and because of Zhuge Jin's relationship, the Kuai family in Jingzhou was still flourishing.

   This is why the family likes to split their bets.

   No matter which one wins in this world, it will not lose.

  The person who came to inquire about Zhang Bai was Zhuge Jin's in-law family, the Kuai family.

   "I came here this time for this purpose."

  As the largest agent of brown sugar in Wu country, the Zhang family was naturally the first to know about the price increase of brown sugar in Wu country.

   When Kuai's visitor heard this, he immediately beamed with joy.

  The price of raw sugar has increased, and if you sell raw sugar, you can still have a share of brown sugar.

   This way out and in, there are bonuses, it's so cool.

   "The Shu people are willing to spend money, and the price of raw sugar has been rising in the past two years."

   "It's understandable to take Liangzhou." Zhang Bai's face was indifferent, as if he knew the reason long ago, "After all, Liangzhou is directly connected to the Western Regions."

  Who doesn't know that going to the Western Regions from Liangzhou is a golden road?

   Otherwise, why did the former and later Han dynasties try their best to control the Western Regions even though they were separated by a large expanse of quicksand?

  If something like brown sugar can be sold in the Western Regions, it will drive many people crazy.

  When the Kuais came to think of this, they couldn't help feeling jealous.

   Zhang Bai just glanced at the other party, and he already understood what the other party was thinking.

  He has seen too much of this expression over the years.

  Brown sugar and felt cloth are two bulky materials, which are really too profitable.

   Even Zhang Bai knew that the Wei people in the north wanted to buy these two things from Jingzhou at a high price last year.

  After all, although Xiangyang and Nanjun belonged to Wei State and Wu State respectively, the Kuai family and Cai family who were officials in the two countries broke off the relationship without saying anything.

  I saw him continue to say:

   "Mr. Kuai, I came here this time, and I actually want to ask everyone if they want to expand sugarcane planting. After all, the opportunity is rare!"

   "A rare opportunity?" Kuai's visitor couldn't turn the corner for a while, and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

  Zhang Bai gave a "tsk" sound:

   "Mr. Kuai, the Shu people are not fools. I heard that they have already built many plantations in Nanzhong. It is uncertain what the price of this rough sugar will be like in the future."

  Shu people captured Liangzhou and took the road to the Western Regions in their hands. The demand for brown sugar suddenly increased, so the price of coarse sugar also increased. This is easy to understand.

  But it is no secret that Shu people have been opening plantations in Nanzhong.

   It’s just because the people of Shu have fought against the people of Wei year after year over the years, and the money and food are not at hand, and there is also the source of rough sugar from Wu.

  So the sugarcane plantation in Nanzhong is not very urgent for the Shu people.

   But things are different now.

  Shu people took control of Liangzhou, and the demand for brown sugar increased greatly, so the price of brown sugar increased accordingly.

  But who knows if the Shu people will increase the development of Nanzhong in the future?

  You can’t just go and tell the Shu people that you don’t want to grow sugarcane, but let us do it, right?

  Sugar cane is a good thing.

  With it, there is one more way to appease the barbarians.

   More importantly, brown sugar is in the hands of Shu people.

   After Zhang Bai's reminder, Kuai's people finally came to their senses.

   Zhang Bai continued to say with some worry:

   "In the past, the two countries of Shu and Wei used troops every year, so they couldn't concentrate on cultivating Nanzhong."

   "Only last year, for a whole year, there was no movement between the two countries. If Shu really wants to be stable for two years, then Nanzhong..."

  Starting from the Battle of Longyou in the Wei and Wei Dynasties, the Shu people successively pacified Longxi, Jincheng, Anding, Liangzhou...

  The battles, big and small, never stopped.

   I heard that the Wei thief has deployed hundreds of thousands of elite soldiers in Guanzhong.

  If the Kingdom of Shu really wants to fight again, it will be considered a war that will overwhelm the country. Without several years of preparation, it may not be possible.

  If Shu has no plans to use troops in the next few years, then it will definitely speed up the development of Nanzhong.

  After the Battle of Yiling, didn’t Zhuge Liang just retreat and colonize for a few years?

  So Zhang Bai's worries are not unreasonable.

  Having figured this out, Kuai's visitor's face became a bit ugly.

  Market share, people in this era must not understand.

  But there is still a certain vague understanding of this concept.

   He looked at Zhang Bai and lowered his voice:

   "That Mr. Zhang means..."

  Zhang Bai doesn't keep a secret either:

   "Mr. Kuai, now that the price of raw sugar has risen, the sugarcane in Nanzhong of the people of Shu is not as good as ours in Dawu. If we don't plant more sugarcane at this time, when will we wait?"

   "According to the information I got, the Shu people want to completely appease Liangzhou and Nanzhong in the past few years, and I'm afraid they will vigorously plant sugar cane in Nanzhong."

   "Actually, brown sugar is still a trivial matter. I'm afraid that the share of brown sugar will be suppressed by the Shu people, and that will be a major matter."

  Hearing Zhang Bai's affirmation of his own idea just now, Kuai's visitor was shocked:

   "Are you serious?"

  Zhang Bai looked at the other party with deep meaning in his eyes, but said nothing.

  The people from the Kuai family immediately remembered that Mr. Zhang's elder brother, Zhang Wen, had contact with Feng Yong of the Shu Kingdom, and they heard that the relationship was pretty good!

   Speaking these words at this time, maybe he got some wind?

  Thinking of this, Kuai’s people came and said again and again:

   "That's right! The share of brown sugar is the most important thing!"

  According to the agreed rules, as much brown sugar as Wu Guo gave to the Shu people, the Shu people had to return as much brown sugar in a certain proportion.

  But if Shu people have enough brown sugar in the future, why would they return such a high proportion of brown sugar like now?

   "So... right now is probably the best time for us to grow sugarcane. Taking advantage of the high price and return share, we may plant more varieties. There may not be such a good opportunity in the future."

  Zhang Bai did not hide his purpose, and said frankly, "This is also one of the most important reasons why I came to Jingzhou. I hope to discuss with everyone a way to maintain this way of making money."

   "Zhang Langjun really has a heart!"

  The person who came came sighed, then cupped his hands and said, "I'm going back to the Hui clan, explain the situation clearly, Mr. Zhang just wait for my news."

  As one of the largest families in Jingzhou, and also related to Zhuge Jin who guarded Jingzhou, the Kuai family was also responsible for supplying food and grass to Wu Guojun.

   "Everyone knows that brown sugar makes money, but there is also a fixed amount of food and grass supplied to the army every year. The army's food supply in Jingzhou has been tight all these years."

   "If too much sugarcane is planted this year, there will be no food and grass in the future, and the general blames it, who can afford it?"

   Money and food are good things, everyone wants them.

  But no matter how powerful the family is, it has to follow the rules.

  If you want to enjoy privileges, you have to pay a certain amount.

  No matter which side Wei, Shu and Wu takes over Jingzhou, if the aristocratic families want to gain a foothold under the new power, they must show sincerity.

  The degree of sincerity represents the degree of optimism for the power.

  What is the most real sincerity?

  Of course it is money and food.

   "Yes, food is a problem. The general asked the generals in the army to open up more fields in order to solve the food supply in the Jingzhou army."

   "If there is insufficient food due to planting too much sugar cane, not to mention going to the general, even the general will not be able to pass."

   After being silent for a while, someone raised his mouth:

   "What about buying grain? What if you buy grain from other places to fill the gap?"

   Someone retorted on the spot: "Where in the world is there no shortage of food? Who will sell it?"

   There was another silence.

   After a long time, the person who made this suggestion muttered in a low voice:

   "I'm not sure about this. I heard that the price of food in Shu has been low these years, but I don't know if they are willing to sell it..."

   "I remember last year it was over two hundred dollars?"

   "It has fallen back a long time ago. The people who transported rough sugar came back from Shu, saying that the price of grain over there has returned to 120 yuan."

  February and March are the time when ordinary people’s homes are full of young crops and old food is exhausted.

  If it is only 120 yuan a month, then at most it is 150 yuan now, which is basically the highest price in a year.

   Between Shu and Wu, official envoys and private business travelers communicate continuously, and the Nanxiang Exchange is the reference standard for the prices of bulk materials in Shu.

  If you want to know the price of goods in Shu, you can just go to the exchange and find out. It is very convenient, and you don’t have to bother to ask.

  This business intelligence, in the past, only a few well-informed people would know, and you can make a lot of money by making a bad news.

   But now this method is no longer feasible in Shu.

   This is also one of the main reasons why large caravans always send important stewards to Nanxiang.

  Because the exchange not only provides a trading platform, but also helps caravans collect the prices of materials from various places.

   "That is to say, after the Shu Kingdom harvests grain this year, the price of grain will drop to 100 yuan?"

   "If it's true what the Zhang family said, the Shu people don't plan to use troops in the past few years, and I'm afraid it will be lower than this price..."

  Compared to the hungry and full meals of the people in Jingzhou, the food price in Sichuan is really low enough.

   It’s just that in this era, food is the most important strategic material just like iron. The price of food for Shu people is low, but what’s the matter with Wu people?

  Under the rule of Zhuge Liang, Shu State had strict laws and regulations. Without the permission of the government, who would dare to sell grain to other countries in private?

  Even if you want money or life, there is no way to sell it.

  After all, the geographical environment of Shu Kingdom, if you want to transport a large amount of grain, can you hide it from the government?

   "Wu and Shu are allies. They agreed to help each other and fight thieves together. Besides, the general and Shu's prime minister, Zhuge Liang, are brothers..."

   "That's right. If the general is asked to come forward, there is no chance."

   "I remember that Pan Chengming is Jiang Gongyan's cousin. Jiang Wan is now the governor of Shu's prime minister's mansion. Everything in Jincheng is in the hands of him. Why don't you also ask him for help?"

  The so-called Pan Chengming is Pan Jun.

  The year before last, he was awarded the Fu Festival by Sun Quan, and together with Lu Dai he quelled the rebellion of the Wuxi Man.

   Now it has been promoted to Taichang, and it is in Changsha to appease the barbarians.

   and Jiang Wan are cousins.

   "That's a good word!"

  If the General and Pan Taichang can really be persuaded to come forward to persuade the prime minister and prime minister Chang Shi of Shu, the possibility of this matter being negotiated is not low.

   Zhang Bai, who was specially invited here, quickly expressed his opinion:

   "I will also talk to my brother when I go back, and ask him to write to Feng Mingwen, urging him to facilitate this matter."

  Everyone was overjoyed when they heard this:

   "If this is really the case, then there will be seven or eight percent of this matter without talking!"

  Zhuge Liang, Jiang Wan, and Feng Mingwen, which one is not a person who holds real power in Shu?

   Not to mention the matter of coarse sugar, it has a lot to do with Feng Mingwen. Others may be unwilling, but is there any reason for Feng Mingwen to be unwilling?

  This person is known as "smart talk and seduction", so let him go to persuade Zhuge Liang, the confidence is a little bit greater!

  (end of this chapter)