funbook-pk Chapter 137 Price Limit
Chapter 137 Price Limit
"Master Wang, something terrible has happened. Something terrible has happened!"
Early in the morning, Wang Chengqing was immersed in a sweet dream. Lying next to him was his new eighteenth concubine, who was sixteen years old, just in her beautiful and graceful age.
"Why are you making so much noise so early in the morning? Is that what I taught you? It's unruly!"
While cursing, he let the servant into the house.
The servant didn't dare to look up. He knelt on the ground and said hurriedly:
"Master, people from the Liu, Xu, and Chen families have come. They said that there is a big problem with grain prices. Please go and discuss it."
After being woken up, Wang Chengqing simply got up. His concubine helped him put on clothes tenderly and lovingly, without showing any sign of anxiety.
There is a problem with the price. The price of grain in this city is decided by his Wang family. What could go wrong?
Wang Chengqing was not in a hurry at all. He washed up slowly and then went to meet the guests who had arrived early in the morning.
When Mr. Wang saw the panic-stricken looks on each of their faces, he laughed inwardly, they were all a bunch of old foxes, yet they could still be frightened. They really had lived in vain at such an old age.
Seeing Wang Chengqing coming, the head of the Liu family immediately stood up.
"Master Wang, this morning, the prefect issued an order that the price of grain cannot exceed thirty coins per catty. You said, we have so much grain..."
Will it fall into my hands?
Wang Chengqing snorted coldly. Now he saw clearly that Governor Su had broken off relations with them.
What, does he still dare to rob it?
"Did anything happen in the city last night?"
Mr. Wang suddenly thought of his instructions yesterday and asked casually.
"Nothing major happened."
Humph, what a waste.
Even if the matter is exposed, Wang Chengqing can still get away with it. Even if Prefect Su knows that he was the one who ordered that person, so what? Does he have any other evidence?
Seeing that Master Wang was as steady as a rock, the others also felt relieved.
The head of the Chen family had a worried look on his face. Among these families, his Chen family was the weakest and naturally had no say. Facing the suppression and reminders from Governor Su, and the threats and solicitations from the Wang family, he was in a dilemma.
Yesterday, the government opened its granaries and sold rice at a price of only 20 wen per pound. Although there was a purchase limit, it was enough to make them terrified.
You know, after the grain price went up, several of their families also stockpiled a lot of grain. Take the Chen family for example, the average price of grain was more than 20 wen per catty.
The price the Wang family paid for grain was lower than theirs, but it was also limited.
And according to his informants outside the city, the daily soup kitchen was resumed.
Either Governor Su was deceiving them, or he really had obtained a large amount of grain.
If it was the former, it would be fine, but if it was the latter, the head of the Chen family couldn't help but shudder, fearing that they would lose everything.
"Everyone, stop worrying. In Jiangzhou, what my Wang family says is still somewhat effective. In the past half month, no ship has come to Jiangzhou loaded with food." Master Wang picked up a cup of tea, took a sip, and said leisurely.
In his mind, his behavior was like that of a hermit giving advice on the country, but his stubby fingers and fat body made his performance seem a bit funny.
"The water route is not feasible, and the land route is even more impossible."
There are refugees all along the way, and transporting grain is risky and inefficient. Even if it can be transported into Jiangzhou City, the quantity is probably not much.
This is the Wang family’s confidence.
As Wang Chengqing expected, he saw through the tricks played by Governor Su.
He just wouldn't buy it.
"Since Governor Su has issued the order, we cannot disobey. However, we are short of rice and have no grain to sell."
Several people looked at each other, and finally laughed together.
It’s not that they don’t want to sell, it’s that they don’t have food.
Since we are not selling grain, what’s the point even if the price is very low?
They want to see how long the food in the granary can last after Governor Su's actions.
On the second day after the warehouses were opened and grain was released, the price of grain was lowered to 19 wen per catty. The purchase limit per person was still five catties, but the purchaser had to be present in person and could not buy on behalf of others.
Since anyone could buy it, many wealthy families with large grain stores at home still sent servants to buy grain, thinking it would be a waste not to take advantage of this good deal.
This vividly illustrates the saying: the richer you are, the stingier you are.
Fortunately, the government's grain reserves seemed to be unusually abundant, and they accepted everyone who came and sold grain to them.
Outside the city, the refugees who had been waiting for a long time lined up in a long queue. When they held their bowls in their hands, they all had expressions of disbelief.
Not only was there no sand in this bowl, but it was also thicker than any previous porridge. Although it still wasn't filling, it wasn't like before when it was just water.
For a moment, they were actually a little scared, fearing that this might not be the last meal.
It was not until the evening, when those who had entered the city to work returned with their food, that they believed that all this was true.
Zhou Yan picked up his daughter who rushed towards him.
"Nuannuan, Daddy has brought you some food. You will be full soon!"
Zhou Nuan touched her belly and blinked her eyes.
"Does your stomach swell when you are full?"
"Yes, when you eat, your stomach will feel full and your body will feel warm."
"Then Daddy, can we eat enough every day?"
"Okay! Dad will work hard to make sure our Nuan Nuan has enough to eat every day."
While coaxing his daughter, Zhou Yan recalled his experience of going into the city today.
As one of the fifty chosen men, he entered the city with the other chosen brothers, guarded by soldiers who prevented them from going anywhere else.
Among those chosen were carpenters, bricklayers, and strong people like him.
They were taken to an open space and soon someone came over and told them what to do.
Most people had helped others build houses in the village before, so they quickly got the hang of it. In addition to them, many residents from the city also came to work.
It was a little different from them. The people in Jiangcheng received wages, while they received food.
Speaking of this, those people still look envious.
Zhou Yan chuckled and felt more yearning for his future life.
Fortunately, they did not foolishly listen to others and rush into Jiangzhou City to be cannon fodder.
Most of those fools' heads were hung on the city walls.
People do not share the same joys and sorrows, and a storm is brewing in the Wang family at this time.
"Can someone tell me why that Su has so much grain? Did one of you secretly sell it to him?"
Mr. Wang originally thought that according to the way Magistrate Su sold the food, he would definitely not have enough grain in stock. You know, it was not just the common people who bought grain today. These old guys also put in all their efforts to buy all the grain they could.
Even so, the man surnamed Su said he wanted to reduce the price of grain to 18 cents per pound.
Is this going to reduce the price by one penny every day?