Chapter 20 The common people can still discuss state affairs
In the city of Kaifeng, commerce is prosperous and trade is developed. As for the thousands of various restaurants and shops, they are densely distributed in the markets, which together create the business atmosphere of Kaifeng. I did not go out to find any high-rise buildings and expensive land. First, there is no need.
, Secondly, they cannot afford to spend money. The Han family was already in a tight situation when they were in Jinling. What's more, it is not easy to support such a large family in Kaifeng. This is one of the practical reasons why Han Xizai wants to decide where to go as soon as possible.
In fact, if it drags on for a while, Han Xizai will probably have to lose his old face. No matter what position he is in, he will do it first. As for ambition, reserve, etc., they will be secondary when facing the pressure of survival.
On the slightly fluttering cover, there are four big characters "Taihe Teahouse" written in neat handwriting, but it is difficult for Han Xizai to read it. It is said to be a teahouse, but more like a library. In recent years, the "storytelling" industry in Kaifeng City has boomed, and it is a bustling city.
Many such restaurants have also popped up, using stories as media to attract customers.
This was spread from the government to the people. It was originally the imperial court's Xuanwei Department. From the military to the people, in order to maintain the rule, guide the people's hearts, promote the idea of loyalty to the emperor and patriotism, tell various heroic deeds, and praise the loyal and righteous heroes of the past...
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But if you listen to it too much, you will feel bored. Later, more content will be added, such as propaganda and explanation of the imperial government's policies and reports on the frontline wars. There is always a shortage of smart people among the people. This form of storytelling has been widely recognized.
When the content gradually enriched and turned into interesting stories such as strange stories and strange stories, it became more attractive to the scholars and people. "Storyteller" became a trendy profession, folk libraries emerged, and listening to books became another part of the people of Tokyo.
entertainment activities.
There were two strong-looking guards guarding the gate. This was to prevent people from sneaking in and eavesdropping, and at the same time, there was an entrance fee. Yes, there was an entrance fee to enter this kind of restaurant. Han Xizai and the two paid ten
A piece of Qianyu Tongbao is really not cheap.
You can feel the atmosphere inside from the outside. When you go inside, you feel even more lively. There must be fifty or sixty people, quite a few. Not counting the voice of the storyteller, it is not noisy. What is warm is the atmosphere. It is full of people
, there is the smell of tea, wine, and more of course the voice of human beings. The waiters in the restaurant are very discerning. Although Han Xizai is old, he is neatly dressed and has an extraordinary bearing. He greets him diligently.
I followed all the way up to the second floor and chose a seat with a wide view, facing the podium, and the street outside the museum through the window. In addition, you have to pay extra to go upstairs... I ordered a plate of dried pears and
Date rings, and a pot of peach nectar, Han Xizai's attention was attracted by the situation downstairs.
In fact, Han Xizai was a little surprised by the entertainment form of "storytelling", and at the same time he was sensitive to the role it played in guiding public opinion. If someone with different ambitions uses this to confuse people... Of course,
There really are people with ulterior motives like that, and they would not dare to be in such a situation.
The storyteller on the stage does not look very old, in his thirties, and he looks like a scholar at first glance. In fact, this profession is not something that ordinary scholars can do. He has no eloquence and cannot speak eloquently in front of many eyes.
With such courage, I am afraid that I will be kicked off the stage.
Han Xizai felt that there would be no problem for the storyteller in front of him to become a minor official in the government. Of course, this was just Han Xizai's subconscious thought. What he was more concerned about was the topic he was talking about at this time.
He was not telling a story, but was talking about the most discussed matter in Kaifeng recently. Ever since Emperor Liu issued an edict to allow internal and external ministers and workers to jointly discuss strategies for governing the country, the civil and military officials in Beijing have naturally had heated discussions and actively offered suggestions. But their influence is obviously not only
Limited to this, not only the officials of the imperial court were discussing it, but also the people among the people.
At this time, the storyteller was talking about the results of some court discussions. Of course, he stated in advance that what he said was just for conversational purposes and should not be taken seriously. However, even though he said this, it still aroused everyone's curiosity.
The people present were a mixed bag, coming from all walks of life, all identities, and all classes.
"It is said that the imperial court intends to cancel the fixed grain prices and restore them to normal prices, so that grain merchants all over the world will actively transport grains to Beijing to alleviate the annual shortage of grain and rice in Tokyo!" After taking a sip of tea, the storyteller broke out a shocking piece of information.
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As soon as this was said, a discussion immediately arose. A person who was sensitive to this immediately pointed out: "If the imperial court does not control it, won't the price of food in Tokyo be rising again?"
In recent years, as Kaifeng's population has increased, the pressure on food has also increased. By the 15th year of the Qianlong reign, according to the latest weights and measures, there were more than one million people inside and outside, and the annual direct food consumption was 320,000.
About 100,000 dan. To meet food security, plus the salary and welfare issued by the court, at least 5 million dan are needed. If you want to meet the national official warehouse reserve, you need more.
However, perhaps the price of 100 yen per dou of rice in Tokyo in the early years left too deep a memory for people. Both Emperor Liu and the imperial court always attached great importance to it. After all, food is the most important thing for the people, and they have to satisfy a population of millions.
The problem is definitely the top priority. Therefore, for many years, grain prices have been strictly controlled. Grain prices are set every year based on grain input and reserves. The specific grain price can fluctuate 1-2 cents higher or lower than the government's price according to market conditions.
In the process of unification, grain is also one of the strategic materials, which consumes a lot of money and intensifies the pressure on food in Kaifeng. However, due to policy issues, the enthusiasm of grain merchants has been severely dampened. In many cases, it is led by the government, from Beijing.
Purchase grain from outside, collect grain, and transport it to Beijing.
Now, Wang Pu finally raised this issue to Emperor Liu. If this continues for a long time, the imperial court's execution ability can still be maintained for a long time, but for the imperial court, it is not the best method and will increase the burden.
Rather than that, it is better to give full play to the enthusiasm of the merchants and let them feel that it is profitable, so they will naturally take the initiative to transport grain to Beijing. At the same time, the court only needs to do a good job in cracking down on lawlessness, supervising and maintaining market order, and severely punishing those who hoard. Moreover, the price of grain
With freedom, the imperial court's official warehouse reserves can intervene in grain prices at any time. Emperor Liu has already agreed to this.
Of course, if such a formal announcement is made, food prices in Tokyo will inevitably experience a shock and an increase is inevitable. For the people of Tokyo, this is not something that is willing to accept, which is why some people raised doubts on the spot.
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However, there were still some knowledgeable people who immediately said: "The grain is too low, and grain merchants are naturally unwilling to transport grain all the way to Beijing. It is unprofitable. If this order is issued and the price of grain in Tokyo rises, grain merchants from all over the country will definitely take action."
Import, especially now that the imperial court has conquered Jiangsu and Zhejiang, which is a land of fish and rice and is rich in rice. Once there is more food in Tokyo, the price of food will naturally drop. Furthermore, the court will not allow the price of food in the capital to be too high, otherwise millions of people will
what to do?"
Obviously, the masters are among the people. With this person's explanation, everyone felt inexplicably at ease. Of course, the really smart people were already thinking about whether to get involved in the grain business. For example, there was a middle-aged man dressed as a businessman who was thinking
Fast, if this is the case, then at least within one to two years, there will be great potential to transport grain to the capital...
Things that can arouse interaction are the most attractive. Obviously, the storyteller surnamed Zhou is familiar with this. Seeing everyone's reaction, with a smile on his lips, he concluded: "If the imperial court orders this, I'm afraid the people in the capital will
There is a rush to purchase grain reserves, and grain prices are rising. Those who are engaged in grain business should seize the opportunity to make profits!"
After a pause, the person continued: "There are other rumors that the imperial court plans to recycle all kinds of old money and miscellaneous money except Qianyu Tongbao within one year, and formulate an exchange ratio. After one year, all old money
, miscellaneous money becomes useless money and can no longer be used in the market..."
In the past, the imperial court also gradually replaced old and new coins, with considerable results in the Central Plains and the north. This time, it was mainly for the newly pacified south, and it was enforced.
This news also aroused reactions, and one person immediately said: "If this is the case, the old money in your hand must be exchanged for new money as soon as possible!"
“I don’t know what the specific exchange method is,”
"People from Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Lingnan should be worried!" There are also smart people.
"That's right. From my point of view, the people who need to be exchanged most are the southerners. The miscellaneous money, iron money, and lead money they use are not easy to use in our Central Plains..."
"There is also a rumor that businessmen should pay attention. It is said that many officials have suggested to the emperor that they should continue to increase business taxes..."
After saying this, there was another heated discussion. For a while, this Taihe Teahouse seemed to have become a political forum, where various hot topics of current affairs were discussed.