abnabooks Chapter 1531 I am willing to go through fire and water
Chapter 1531 I am willing to go through fire and water
Chapter 1531 I am willing to go through fire and water
Gulin went on to say, "The granary account is a mess, and it's hard to sort out all the mess. So at this moment, they are only worried about not having enough buyers, not about not having enough grain to sell. I know a few of the big merchants that buy grain regularly, and I'll ask them to buy it for me."
As long as the purchase is passed down through several levels, no one will know who is actually buying the grain.
He Lingchuan's eyes flickered. "If that's the case, you can buy it from Lu Yuanzheng while you buy it from the granary in private."
If the upper part is corrupt, the lower part will be corrupted too, and the granaries staff will not be truly impartial in their work.
Lu Yuanzheng still had some concerns about selling grain, so he at least left a bottom line for the granary. Tonglinji would look for these warehouses to buy again, but who could leave enough bottom line in front of money?
He went on to say, "Don't worry. In seven or eight days at the earliest and a month at the latest, all places will sell off a large amount of supplies, not just food. Just buy in large quantities, don't worry about the money for me."
Gulin was slightly startled, but soon understood: "Okay, still transport it outside the Great Wall?"
"Yes." He Lingchuan asked him, "Are there any difficulties in transporting grain out of the country?"
"There is one thing, but we can solve it." Gulin smiled, "In recent years, Yao Country has also sold a lot of grain. It is the country with good weather and no disasters in Shanjin, so grain is often exported at high prices. We are very familiar with those checkpoints on the border."
Yao State borders many countries, and they can greatly reduce risks by shipping goods in batches to different borders.
Besides, they pay taxes on a piece-by-piece basis, which is reasonable and legal.
"Also, we can use the name of providing military rations."
"Military rations?"
"Yes, Yao State has been exporting military rations to Pixia. There is no tax on this part, and the border checkpoints do not conduct detailed inspections. Many chambers of commerce use their connections to turn the outbound grain into military rations for Pixia. The daily throughput of those checkpoints is amazing! Let's put it this way, the actual export volume is at least seven times more than what is registered!"
Only veterans like Tonglinji and Gulin can understand the ins and outs of this business. He Lingchuan put a thick stack of banknotes on the table and placed a pill on the banknotes: "You will be rewarded if you work for me. After this, Tonglinji will be one of the best business houses in and outside Yao country!"
What a big tone, but looking at his recent performance in Tianshui City, Gulin didn't find it funny at all.
Tu Yuanhong had worked hard for more than 20 years to build up his connections and reputation in Tianshui City. How long had it taken this island master He? It was true that he came as a foreign guest, invited by the Yao King, but there were so many distinguished guests coming to Yao City every year, how could it be that none of them could be so successful?
Gulin picked up the pill and took a look at it: "Is there an antidote for this thing?"
"Of course." He Lingchuan said with a smile, "This is a serious matter, President Gu, I'm sorry."
The matter he entrusted to Gulin was too important, and the two sides did not have a very deep friendship.
So, let’s take action.
Gulin sighed and swallowed the pill in one gulp.
"Every fifteen days, my guards will give you the antidote. Take it and you will be healthy and able to move as usual."
“What if you don’t eat?”
"If you don't take the antidote for more than three days, your body will become as limp as noodles and you won't be able to stand up. If it lasts for a month, you will be paralyzed for life." This medicine is Dong Rui's latest invention. He proudly named it "noodle pills."
Not serious at all.
"I'll completely remove the poison from you once I'm done with my business in Tianshui City."
Gulin said seriously: "Island Master He, please be careful."
Don't implicate him!
He Lingchuan smiled slightly, stood up, pushed the door and left.
Gulin followed him out the door, but saw He Lingchuan's figure disappear into a corner of the garden.
He exhaled heavily.
When facing He Lingchuan, Gulin's mood was also extremely complicated.
The position of this island master He in Tianshui City is very delicate. He is just a foreign businessman, but he has dealings with all the rich and powerful people in the upper class, and he is also the most popular person in front of the king. Ordinary officials can't even get close to him.
Although he is all-powerful, all the power he has in Tianshui City is clearly "borrowed", and he is facing a figure like Qingyang Regent. People who are familiar with the political situation of Yao State wonder if this man will fall one day. It is like a castle built of sand, no matter how beautiful it is, it will disappear into nothingness in an instant when the sea tide rises.
But Gulin also understood one thing, that he and Tonglinji were already tied to Yangshan.
Wang Fubao leaned against the wall with his arms folded. Gulin looked at him and knew that if He Xiao really fell, he would smash him into pieces first!
Having said that, the main reason why He Dao was able to escape from Yao Kingdom unscathed is that he is an absolute benefactor to Tong Lin Ji.
He knew very well that Yang Shan's crazy spending of money and buying up supplies from Yao Kingdom was an abnormal behavior in itself.
Others may not know, but in his opinion, Lord He is well aware of the dangerous political situation in Yao State and is making extensive preparations to withdraw from Yao State.
Gulin doesn't mind this at all.
He was originally from Pei State. He had been running Tonglinji for more than ten years. He had seen the faces of the upper class dignitaries in Yao State and understood how xenophobic Yao State was.
Tu Yuanhong often discussed the situation in the Golden Plains with him when he was alive. He knew the status and role of Yao State in the Golden Plains better than most Yao people.
While riding the snail toad back to Yongquan Villa, Dong Rui asked He Lingchuan:
"Lu Yuanzheng really dared to resell so much public grain. Isn't he afraid of being exposed?"
"First, the grain replacement period of the public warehouse is coming soon. He just sold the grain a month in advance. When the autumn grain is harvested, it will fill the warehouse. This matter is just a dream." He Lingchuan raised his second finger. "Second, do you think Lu Yuanzheng's 370,000 was wasted? He submitted a letter of surrender to King Yao, spent the money, and was loyal. Even if the truth is revealed, can King Yao kill him?"
"To put it bluntly, the 370,000 taels of silver were used to bribe the king, to buy indulgences. Since the king accepted it openly, Lu Yuanzheng is his own man. All the civil and military officials in the court are watching, as are all the ministers who have submitted letters of surrender to him. Now is the time to unite against Qingyang, how can he start with his own people?"
Dong Rui couldn't help but be shocked: "Isn't this a golden ticket for corrupt officials to avoid death?"
He Lingchuan shrugged: "I've said it before, the poison of the pledge is very strong."
Dong Rui looked at him and laughed. No matter how poisonous it was, wasn't it still given to King Yao by He Lingchuan?
……
The water of Youhu Lake comes from Tong River, ten miles away in the north.
There has been too much rain recently, so the water in Tong River is a bit turbid and a bit turbulent.
There was a small black-sailed boat moored at the wild ferry by the river, and two men were guarding the pier.
At noon, a man in plain clothes wearing a bamboo hat came out of the woods, looked around and then walked towards the river.
The man guarding the bridge stepped forward to block the way. He stretched out his hands, one hand made a circle, and the other hand made a flowing water gesture. When the two men saw this, they immediately stepped back and said, "Please get on the boat."
The man jumped onto the boat, and the boatman gave a gentle push. The boat slid into the river and sailed away lightly.
Sailing on the water is quiet and silent.
The man walked into the cabin and saw only a low table with a lady sitting beside it, looking leisurely. It was Qingyang!
"General Bai, please take a seat."
Qingyang personally poured two cups of tea and pushed one to him.
The man sat down, took off his hat, revealing a mighty face.
White frank.
Bai Tan raised his cup and took a big sip. He did not glare at Qing Yang as he did in the court in the past. Instead, he was extremely respectful to Qing Yang:
"Master Regent, how are you these days?"
"Less work in the court, more freedom in the lake, I can also enjoy my old age, what's wrong with that?" Qingyang put one hand on his knee and looked at the whirlpool in the river, "It has just rained a few times, and the undercurrent in the Tong River can't even be covered by the surface."
Bai Tan also followed her gaze and looked at the rapids in the river: "Yes, the undercurrent can't be covered."
"I heard that General Bai bought Youhu Jingshe overnight. Now the price has skyrocketed four times, and the profit is quite good."
Bai Tan immediately said, "It's child's play to identify loyal people in this way!"
Qingyang glanced at him and said nothing, but his meaning was clear:
You bought it earlier than everyone else.
Even if he is just a bootlicker, this old General Bai's reaction speed is faster than that of ordinary bureaucrats.
"Please forgive me, Lord Regent. I can win his trust by catering to his preferences." Bai Tan touched his nose. "If I don't buy, others will. If I don't show my loyalty, others will. This is a farce, and the king is just taking the opportunity to make money. Everyone sees it clearly, and everyone has to play along with him. Besides, buying a first-row house is only 50,000, but the return is extremely generous!"
Qingyang put away his smile, stared at him for a while, and then slowly said: "General Bai, have you thought it through?"
Bai Tan said solemnly: "Master Regent, just give me your orders, I will go through fire and water!"
"Do you really want to take this risk?"
Bai Tan said solemnly, "In Tianshui City now, everyone is greedy. The king takes the lead in forming cliques and forcing his subordinates to take sides! Officials only know how to flatter, farmers don't farm well, merchants don't do business well, and everyone is trying their best to buy land in the new city, even at the cost of borrowing money from their entire family!"
"Qi Shuan's family is a bunch of wicked people. They have raised the interest rate on loans to 9%!" He exhaled heavily. "How could the eastward expansion of the capital cause the whole country to go crazy? If this continues, how will the country be able to cope?"
Qingyang asked him: "What's the problem?"
Bai Tan said the key point: "Of course it's the emperor! He has been blinded by greed and can't distinguish right from wrong, good from bad, and can't listen to honest advice. In the past month, seven censors wrote letters criticizing the eastward expansion of the capital, and the emperor actually demoted three of them."
"Someone has to..." He took a deep breath, "Someone has to stand up, put order out of chaos, and get Da Yao back on track!"
"General Bai is right to be worried." Qingyang said calmly, "This scene also happened in Beijia one hundred and eighty years ago. At that time, the bureaucracy was redundant and the treasury was depleted, but Lingxu City had to repair the Donglai Canal, move Chong'en Mountain, rebuild the Xushan Great Array, and renovate the Heavenly Palace. There were a series of major projects, and at the same time, there were several wars with foreign countries that year. Alas, such a large empire needs to spend money everywhere, where does the money come from?"
Bai Tan shook his head to indicate that he didn't know. He had been to Lingxu City and knew that the business there was highly developed and that farming was no longer the mainstay. Many of the ways of playing were unheard of by outsiders and were so advanced that they seemed like another world.
(End of this chapter)