[Chapter 2072 Yan Wushuang Fanwai (27)]
In mid-July, good news came from Shandong and Hebei, saying that the test-planted potato yields more than 1,000 catties per mu and at least 700-800 catties.
Meng Nian said cheerfully: “If it is promoted, we will no longer have to worry about food.”
Yan Wushuang was not so optimistic: “Han Yuxi stipulated that the people in the northwest are only allowed to plant potato on sloping land and newly developed land, and are not allowed to use fertile fields.” This year, the planting area of potato in the northwest is very wide, estimated to be around 100,000, but it does not account for Half of the fertile land. Here, it is intriguing.
Meng Nian understood in an instant: “My lord, I will send someone to inquire about it.” I am afraid that there is something wrong with planting this potato.
Not long after, Meng Nian handed a superstition to Yan Wushuang: “My lord, the spy in Jiangnan sent it back in a hurry.”
“What did you say?”
“Our people found that someone secretly bought a large amount of grain. We just found out a few days ago that these grains were shipped to the northwest from various channels.” After speaking, Meng Nian looked solemn: “My lord, the northwest has a bumper harvest this year, Yun Why do Qing and Han Yuxi still need to buy so much food?” This year, the Northwest received hundreds of millions of catties of potato alone, as well as wheat and other grains, which are enough for the people of the Northwest to eat next year. Therefore, the unusual behavior of the couple made him uneasy.
Yan Wushuang’s complexion changed slightly, and he said, “There are rumors that Han Yuxi has the ability to predict. Do you think she knows there will be a big natural disaster, so she will store a large amount of food this year.” If only a hundred thousand stone, It won’t even be discovered by him. Obviously, they bought far more than that.
“My lord, if Han Yuxi really had the ability to predict, he wouldn’t have almost died that day.” Anyway, if he killed him, he didn’t believe that Han Yuxi had the ability to predict.
Yan Wushuang actually didn’t believe it, but he really felt that Yuxi sometimes acted strangely: “Whether it’s true or not, she can’t let her buy food in such large quantities. Meng Nian, immediately send someone to invite the eldest master of the Yu family. “Yu Baojia, the governor of Jiangnan, has long ignored the words of the imperial court. However, he and Mr. Yu are clan brothers, and they also rely on this governor-general. It is more useful for the eldest master to speak out about this matter than his direct order.
When the eldest master of the Yu family knew about this, he immediately wrote to Yu Baojia, asking him not to let the food from the south of the Yangtze River flow to the northwest.
As a result, not long after the letter was sent, the imperial court received an official letter from the northwest. On the official letter, several old farmers said that there may be a major drought in the northwest next year, so they will plant high-yield potato on a large area this year.
Meng Nian said with some doubts: “My lord, just when we found out that she bought a lot of grain, she said that there may be a severe drought in the northwest next year. Your lord, is it a coincidence?”
Yan Wushuang said: “This kind of thing would rather be trusted than not.”
Meng Nian said: “Han only said that there may be a major drought in the northwest, but did not say that there will be major droughts in other places.”
Hearing this, Yan Wushuang shook his head and said, “If it’s really just a major drought in the northwest, why would you send such an official letter to the imperial court with great fanfare. Don’t say more, hurry up to buy food before the news spreads, the more the better. Good.” When the news came, the food would probably rise sharply.
Meng Nian said suspiciously: “My lord, do you think that the Han family released this news because of the fear of our rising food prices?” With Han’s scheming methods, this possibility is not impossible.
Yan Wushuang nodded and said, “It’s not impossible for you to say it.” Therefore, the food must be bought, and the news cannot be leaked.
It was a good idea, but the treasury couldn’t get the money out. In the end, it was Yan Wushuang who took out the money and asked Meng Nian to buy food.
The news of a drought next year leaked out soon after. Some, like Yu Baojia, the governor of Jiangnan, scolded Yuxi and Yunqing for causing social panic. There are also people who prefer to believe what they have or not, and secretly stock up on food. However, because this year is a harvest year, even if there is such a rumor, the price of food is only 10% higher than usual.
Knowing this, Yuchen was a little worried, and said to Yan Wushuang: “My lord, I believe that Yuxi will not aim at nothing. My lord, let’s stock up on more food!” Once there is a severe drought, it means that there will be no harvest and the people will not be able to survive. go down. At that time, there will be social shocks.
Yan Wushuang said, “I also want to buy more food, but the treasury is out of money.”
Although Yu Baojia did not believe that there would be a major drought next year, he also began to restrict the flow of grain out of the south of the Yangtze River. However, he agreed to sell Yan Wushuang 1.2 million shi of grain at market price.
Hearing the words, Yuchen said without hesitation: “I still have a hundred thousand taels of silver on hand. My lord, take it all to buy food!” Once a famine year comes, money is dead.
Yan Wushuang shook his head and said, “This money is a drop in the bucket.” Besides, he wouldn’t use women’s money anymore.
The minister in the DPRK knew that Yan Wushuang had bought so much grain from his private house, and many people felt that he was too timid. Han Shi and Yun Qing were clearly trying to scare them with ulterior motives. Unexpectedly, Yan Wushuang took it seriously.
Yan Wushuang knew about the private criticism of some ministers but didn’t take it seriously.
After the grain purchase agreement was signed, Yan Wushuang asked his people to transport the 1.2 million shi of grain directly to Tongcheng. Even if there is a drought next year, with this 1.2 million grains, the soldiers in the border city will not go hungry.
For Yan Wushuang, no one can lose the soldiers of the border town. This is the same idea as Yunqing. This is also because both of them came from generals and knew the hardships and difficulties of the soldiers.
This year’s autumn harvest in Jiangnan also received a lot of grain. At this point, everyone was more and more sure that the drought that Yun Qing told Yuxi about next year was a lie to confuse the public. These people completely ignored the official letter and only said that there may be a major drought in the northwest next year, but did not say that there would be a major drought across the country.
Meng Nian and Yan Wushuang said: “My lord, Han Yuxi and Yunqing sent people to Jiangnan to buy food again. Yu Baojia didn’t stop him when he found out, he just raised the price of food by 30%. Unexpectedly, Han Yuxi and Yunqing still bought two A million stone grains.”
This is on the bright side. In private, Yuxi asked Tian Yang to buy a large amount of food and hide it.
Yan Wushuang said with a sullen face: “Han is the most shrewd, and other people don’t take advantage of her. She is willing to buy 30% higher prices. It seems that she is sure that there will be a major drought in the northwest next year.”
Meng Nian was also a little worried, but after hearing this, he still said: “My lord, there is a shortage of water in the northwest, and it is not uncommon for a major drought next year.”
“I’m afraid this drought is not only in the northwest.” If it were to spread to Shanxi and Hebei and other places, the court would be unable to relieve the disaster, and there would be chaos. It’s just that he only thought about it in his heart and didn’t say it.
Meng Nian hesitated and said, “My lord, why don’t we buy another 2 million stone of grain and store it up.” If there is a drought, at least the stability of the capital must be guaranteed. With these grains, the capital will not be in chaos.
Yan Wushuang hummed and said, “This time, you will go to Jiangnan to find Yu Baojia in person.” To save others from going, this guy opened his mouth. He didn’t want to be slaughtered by Yu Baojia like Han Yuxi.
However, Yu Baojia was only willing to sell them one million stone grains at the market price, and they had to buy them at the price they sold to Yunqing. Meng Nian didn’t have that much money, so he only bought one million stones.
This batch of grain was shipped by shipping, and it was already snowing when it arrived in Tianjin. Yan Wushuang thought about it and left this batch of food in Tianjin.
After the beginning of spring, Meng Nian and Yan Wushuang talked about it: “Your Highness, will you bring this batch of grain back to the capital?”
Yan Wushuang shook his head and said, “Leave this grain there and don’t move it.” Wait for the drought to break out, and then bring in this batch of grain, which will stabilize the hearts of the people and the army.
In April, not only the northwest, but also Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong and other places do not rain.
Excerpts from various places seeking disaster relief from the imperial court flew to the capital like snowflakes. The minister in the DPRK was panicked.
Yan Wushuang wanted to do disaster relief, but the imperial court had no money or food to use for disaster relief. Therefore, he could only look at how many people starved to death were written on the book every day.
It hasn’t rained for more than a month, and the seedlings have long since withered, and the ground is so dry that there are cracks. Many ordinary people could not see it any longer and began to flee the famine. Some went to the Jiangnan area, while others rushed towards the capital.
Originally, the imperial court made the idea to Jiangnan, and planned to let the eldest master of the Yu family go to Jiangnan to persuade Yu Baojia to take out food for disaster relief. As a result, due to heavy rains in the south of the Yangtze River, countless fertile fields were flooded. This situation has lasted for more than half a month, and although there will be no harvest, the production reduction is certain. Under such circumstances, how could Yu Baojia take out food for disaster relief?
The tide of refugees generally flooded out of the capital, which brought enormous pressure and great security risks to the capital.
Some of the ministers in the DPRK knew that Yan Wushuang had hoarded a large amount of grain, and they all begged him to bring this batch of grain to relief the victims. It is a pity that Yan Wushuang ruthlessly refused: “I have already sent all these grains to the border city. No one who is hungry can’t starve the soldiers who shed blood in the border city.” Although Liaodong was not affected, because of the particularity of the region, Liaodong could If there is no natural disaster, the food produced every year is barely enough to eat. So it is difficult to get food from Liaodong.
Rong Jianwen, the Minister of Officials, said worriedly, “Your Highness, if the court leaves these refugees alone, it will definitely cause trouble.” Once people are extremely hungry, they can do anything.
Yan Wushuang said, “What can you do?”
Master Xin, Minister of Rites, said: “My lord, the King of Pingxi has stored a lot of grain. We can borrow grain from him.” Not to mention the bumper harvest last year in the Northwest, they also purchased millions of grains from Jiangnan.
Yan Wushuang laughed angrily: “Do you think Yun Qing will lend us food?” You don’t need to ask about this, you know it’s impossible.
Mr. Xin bit the bullet and said, “If you don’t try, how will you know if they will borrow it?” Maybe he is so kind and willing to lend them food!
Lord Geng, the Minister of the Ministry of Housing, said: “My lord, give it a try!” Although he knew that King Pingxi and his wife might have agreed to it, there was no better way. Don’t say that the court has no money, even if you have money, you can’t buy food.
Seeing that many ministers agreed with this proposal, Yan Wushuang sent an official letter in the name of the court.
Yunqing and Yuxi replied quickly, and they did not say that they would not borrow food, but only said that the northwest had suffered a severe drought, and now many people were starved to death of thirst. In the official letter, the couple also expressed their hope that the court could rescue the people in the northwest.
