Zhou Yan was taken aback and said quickly: "Wang Taiwei, the food supply is limited."

Wang Zongliu said: "Is there someone maliciously hoarding grain to raise the price of grain?"

Zhou Yan's heart trembled and he said: "This is absolutely not the case!"

"Really not?" Wang Zonglio glanced at Zhou Yan. He was an old fox. What's more, Wang Zonglio was a famous profiteer. What was going on in the businessman's mind? How could he not know anything about it?

"No, last year the merchants maliciously hoarded food, which made the emperor angry. So many people died. Even if I have a hundred heads, I would not dare to do such a thing again!"

Wang Zongliu nodded, and that was right. The group of people who died last year were not just businessmen, but all the officials involved were also beheaded.

It stands to reason that no official would dare to use their brains here again.

Wang Zongliu asked again: "Then did you threaten those businessmen so that they must not lower than a certain price?"

Only bad people know how bad their methods are, and only profiteers know how cunning their methods are.

When Wang Zonglio asked this question, Zhou Yan's scalp suddenly became numb, and the soles of his feet were cold. A smile appeared on his face: "Wang Taiwei is joking, how dare I do this?"

"It's okay if you don't have it. Remember, keep food prices down."

Zhou Yan hesitated for a moment and said: "Wang Taiwei, my subordinates have asked me that the food supply is limited now, and I cannot suppress the food supply with just a few words."

"Those merchants are unwilling to sell at low prices?"

"Everyone is willing to buy at a high price, but there is really no other way because food is limited."

"We will discuss this matter later."

"Yes Yes."

After Zhou Yan left, he felt strange all the way, seven hundred articles?

Why does it happen to be 700 words?

The Qian brothers also planned to sell grain in Tokyo for 700 yuan, which was really a coincidence.

Zhou Yan didn't take it seriously either.

On the second day, Zhao Ningxuan and Chen Dong entered the palace and mainly asked about the current situation of the Agricultural Affairs Department. Everything went smoothly.

"There is one more thing I want you to do."

"Please give me your orders, officials."

"I plan to transfer the management of the Gyeonggi Road Granary to the Department of Agriculture. Based on the previous work, you must reorganize the grain reserves of various states and establish a practical grain reserve strategy."

In the Song Dynasty, there was a local government office responsible for grain reserves, called Tiju Pingsongsi, but the central management agency was in the Ministry of Household Affairs.

Due to administrative breakdown, granary management in various places was lax.

Granaries are a top priority in an agricultural society and cannot be ignored.

Since the new farmland policy is now placed in the Department of Agricultural Affairs, it is naturally very convenient to put the management of granaries under one unified management.

Chen Dong said: "Guan family, I have something to say about this matter."

"But it doesn't matter."

"Recently, 4 million dan of grain was collected from Gyeonggi Province. I thought that the imperial court could use part of it to sell it at low prices in the Gyeonggi Province states to lower the price of grain."

"That's what I have in mind, so I'll leave this matter to you. I'll transfer you from the Tiju ordinary department. I can give you three million dan to lower the price of food."

"The official sage."

"Oh, by the way, a special yamen will be set up in the Agricultural Affairs Department, called the Grain Reserve Bureau, to coordinate the local promotion and promotion departments. I have told Zhao Ding about this, and he will help you handle it."

"yes."

"Are there enough people?"

"The manpower is sufficient. Recently, many officials and staff have been added to the Agricultural Affairs Department."

"Okay, let's go and do it. If you have any questions, I will support you!"

At noon, Qian Jinshu was discussing with her brother: "Looking at the current situation, we should give up the Tokyo deal."

"Why? Didn't Mr. Zhao say that he would introduce people to us?"

"I always feel that the water in Tokyo is too deep for us to control. It is not easy for our family to accumulate it step by step. I don't want to take this risk."

Qian Jinshu said seriously: "Zhou Yan and the others are obviously warning all businessmen entering Beijing privately not to sell at low prices without authorization. This matter seems to be hidden, but if someone finds out one day, the consequences will be disastrous. I heard that last year because of the settlement,

Regarding the matter of food, when there are many heads being slaughtered in the capital today, a gentleman would not stand under a dangerous wall."

Qian Yuqing sighed: "My brother has also thought about what you mentioned."

At this moment, Qian Wu ran in from outside: "Officer, someone sent a letter from outside."

Qian Yuqing opened it and saw that it was a letter from the Taifu Temple Trading Bureau, inviting them to visit the Trading Bureau tomorrow.

On the second day, Zhao Ning dressed in casual clothes and left the palace again.

Moreover, he and Wang Zongli went out together, to the Yamen of the Commercial and Social Affairs Bureau.

Zhao Ning went there in a very low-key manner, and Wang Zonglio did not dare to go around publicizing it.

Not long after, businessmen from Tokyo were arriving one after another.

Zhao Ning sat in an inconspicuous corner and looked around.

After a while, he saw Wang Cai, Li Xun, Zhu Shen and some middle-aged men.

Not long after, I saw Zhou Yan coming over again.

After a while, the Qian brothers and sisters also came in.

Zhu Shen said: "Yameni, do you think that is Qian Jinshu?"

Li Xun was a little surprised: "Huh? How did she get in?"

Wang Cai said: "Didn't the yamen help her in?"

"She rejected me and I didn't help her get in."

"This is strange, how can she be qualified to enter here?"

Wang Cai glanced at a corner and suddenly said: "That person looks familiar."

"Isn't that Zhao Ning?"

"It's Zhao Ning!"

Wang Cai sneered: "He's actually here too!"

"Why is he here?"

"Let's go and meet him."

Everyone walked up to Zhao Ning, who was reading a book there. When he saw them coming, he didn't take a second look.

Wang Cai chuckled and said: "Guan Zhao, you are here too!"

Zhao Ning ignored him.

Zhu Shen said: "How can Guan Zhao come here?"

At this time, Zhou Yan came over: "What are you doing here? It's about to start, why don't you go in?"

"Shangguan Zhou, look at this person here!"

When Zhou Yan looked at Zhao Ning, his face immediately darkened: "Why are you here!"

Zhao Ning smiled and said: "Wang Zonglio invited me here."

"Nonsense! Who do you think you are, why Wang Taiwei invited you here?" Zhou Yan glared at Zhao Ning.

At this time, there were sounds coming from inside, and Zhou Yan couldn't say any more, so he walked in with a few people.

Zhao Ning's voice came from behind: "You control the price of food at two guan per stone. Does Wang Taiwei know about this?"

Zhou Yan immediately turned around and walked over, lowering his voice and saying: "I'm telling you, if you dare to talk nonsense today, be careful to pull out your tongue! This is not something you can get involved in. If you want to survive, just shut up!"

Li Xun also came over and said: "Guan Zhao, some things are much more complicated than you think. With your status, you can't afford to offend me. The most important thing is to save your life, do you understand!"

Zhao Ning didn't say anything. He stood up and walked to the backyard.

Not long after, the discussion in the front hall had already begun.

Zhao Ning was sitting behind, listening quietly.

This was the first time that the Commercial and Social Affairs Bureau of the Song Dynasty convened Tokyo merchants for discussion.

As an important part of the country, businessmen must obey the orders of the court.

From the year before last to the present, businessmen colluded with officials and took advantage of the chaos in the court to cause many things. It was time to put things in order.

Wang Zongliu mainly talked about the following points:

The first is about the registration and record keeping of trading companies.

The second is about price stability in Tokyo.

When it came to the price of grain, some grain merchants began to say: "Wang Taiwei, to be honest, grain is limited, so the price of grain has not been able to come down."

"Yes, food is limited, so there is nothing we can do about it."

At this time, Zhou Yan said to Li Chunmao, the doctor of Duti City Yisi: "Mr. Li, my subordinates have reported this matter many times, and the amount of food is indeed limited."

Li Chunmao said to Wang Zonglio: "Wang Taiwei, the lower officials and others will try their best to adjust the food price, but it still takes time. After all, it is a special period."

Zhao Ning heard all this clearly from behind, so he sent someone to the front to call Wang Zonglio.

Not long after, Wang Zonglio came.

Zhao Ning asked him to call Zhou Yan, Li Chunmao and others, as well as Zhu Shen, Li Xun, Wang Cai and others.
Chapter completed!