No matter where you are, there is no shortage of people who want to make money from the national crisis. As long as you make money, you don't care about the life and death of others.
Therefore, the old saying in the world, there is a certain truth in business without treachery.
Zhao Kang hit the nail on the head.
Zhang Mingyuan sighed and said softly: "Grain merchants in Qingzhou and surrounding areas took advantage of this pest infestation and began to increase grain prices aggressively."
"Even if the court now allocates enough funds to distribute to the victims, it will not help."
"Just like Jiangzhou last year, even if the people have money, they can only buy high-priced grains, which in the end does not help."
Xiao Xuance was furious when he heard this. After all, he got involved in government affairs relatively late, so his thinking was relatively naive.
He immediately snorted and said: "This is still happening. These bastards are simply sucking the blood of the common people. Your Majesty, I sincerely request your Majesty to issue an order to order the grain merchants to lower the price of grain!"
In Xiao Xuance's view, since you businessmen have raised the price of food, I will just lower the price of food. If you don't do it, then I will arrest them all and prosecute them!
Before Xiao Linglong could express his position, Zhao Kang shook his head: "This is inappropriate."
The prince was stunned and looked at Zhao Kang with some confusion: "What's wrong?"
Some officials also said: "Yes, National Master, the imperial court will come forward to order merchants to suppress food prices. No matter how courageous those merchants are, they will not dare to go against the imperial court, right?"
Master Yang smiled bitterly: "What if the grain dealer stops selling grain from now on? Have you ever thought about it?"
Many people were stunned.
"Grain dealers don't sell grain anymore? So what are they going to do?"
"You can do whatever you want, as long as they have enough food to survive, they will never die of hunger."
Yang Qianyun said helplessly, then glanced at Zhao Kang: "When the imperial court intervenes in grain prices, a small number of grain merchants will naturally have scruples, but those powerful grain merchants will definitely unite to resist."
"They can not sell grain, or even use other methods to sell grain at a high price. For example, if you buy a bowl and get a pound of grain for free, the price of that bowl will naturally be extremely high."
"If we people want to be as clever as those guys who have been in the business field all year round, we are still far behind."
Xiao Xuance frowned: "Do they have the courage?"
Zhao Kang knew as soon as he heard that, although Xiao Xuance has grown up now, he is still a little immature.
Imperial power sounds supreme, but in fact it has many constraints and is not as lawless as imagined.
For example, if someone's grain merchants don't sell, how can you arrest them all and force them to sell?
Li Yuan nodded and said: "That's right. Last year, the flood in Jiangzhou relied on the generosity of the Imperial Master, who transported a large amount of food from Yuanjiang County to Jiangzhou to relieve the victims."
"This has subsided the food shortage in Jiangzhou just after it emerged."
Noticing that many eyes were looking at him, Zhao Kang raised his head and saw officials looking directly at him.
Zhao Kangle said: "Hey, gentlemen, don't say that we have no food in Yuanjiang County now. Even if we do, we can't catch a sheep, right?"
"The grain sent to Jiangzhou last year was all the savings of Yuanjiang County. Now it is powerless."
Many officials smiled awkwardly and looked down at the floor. Li Yuan's words made them take it for granted that this time Zhao Kang could also allocate food from Yuanjiang County to Qingzhou for disaster relief.
One person suddenly had an idea and said excitedly: "Don't we have sweet potatoes?"
"That's right! Why did you forget the sweet potatoes!" The officials' eyes lit up. Last time, it was also because of the food shortage in Jiangzhou.
Zhao Kang took them to Yuanjiang County to witness a bumper harvest of sweet potatoes. The yield of that thing was nearly a thousand kilograms per mu!
Yang Qianyun smiled bitterly, shook his head and said, "The sweet potatoes are gone."
Zhao Kang realized something, and Xiao Linglong, who was sitting on the dragon throne, explained: "Qingzhou's climate is suitable for growing sweet potatoes, so since we got the sweet potatoes, we chose Qingzhou as the place to plant them."
"This time the pest has spread throughout Qingzhou, and crops have been damaged to varying degrees. So those sweet potatoes in the field may..."
Yang Qianyun nodded and said that Xiao Linglong's estimate was correct. "The emergency report sent by officials in Qingzhou has clearly stated that all the sweet potato vines in the field were dug up and eaten by the victims."
After hearing this, the officials realized how serious the situation was.
"Is there no other way?" Xiao Xuance looked at everyone sadly, he was very worried about the situation in Qingzhou.
"Master, please stop being so secretive, right? You should be able to do something about it, right?"
Li Yuan saw the slight smile hanging on the corner of Zhao Kang's mouth. If Zhao Kang could still smile at this moment, he must have found a solution.
After hearing what he said, everyone's attention turned to Zhao Kang again.
Zhao Kang leaned back in his chair and said quietly: "There are many ways, but in the end it doesn't make much sense to treat the symptoms rather than the root cause, since these guys want to enrich the country."
As he spoke, Zhao Kang sneered: "That's exactly what I want!"
Everyone felt that the temperature in the hall had dropped a little for no reason, and some of them murmured inwardly.
Judging from what he said, this guy is going to take action to deal with people.
"If you need anything, Imperial Master, just tell me." Xiao Linglong secretly rejoiced in her heart.
Zhao Kang stood up and said: "I would also like to ask your Majesty to issue an imperial edict, saying that the disaster relief minister will be sent to Qingzhou to provide disaster relief. Please leave other matters to me."
"Okay, then I'll listen to the Imperial Master." Her Majesty the Empress said happily, and immediately began to order people to draft an imperial edict.
The officials were still confused as to what Zhao Kang was going to do.
After the court came down, the six ministers did not leave. They had all been notified by Zhao Kang in advance and now gathered in the side hall.
"National Division!"
Seeing Zhao Kang arriving, everyone quickly stood up to say hello.
"Everyone, sit down." Zhao Kang said casually, pulled up a chair and sat down.
Yang Qianyun first said: "What does the Imperial Master need us to do?"
Zhao Kang smiled and said: "It's nothing, I just want to find out the situation from the adults and talk to you all."
"Master, please speak!"
Everyone quickly sat up straight and listened attentively.
Zhao Kangdao: "If I remember correctly, Qingzhou is the most prosperous place in Daqian, where clans are entrenched and there are many clans, right?"
Li Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and his eyes were a little startled. He already understood what Zhao Kang wanted to do.
He immediately said: "Does the Imperial Master want to take advantage of this food shortage to rectify the powerful clan groups in Qingzhou?"
Zhao Kang looked at him and joked: "Master Li, you are really a roundworm in the belly of my master. Do the powerful clans in Qingzhou have any relatives of Master Li? If so, you can say hello in advance to avoid being accidentally hurt by me.
Got it!"
Although Zhao Kang said it with a smile, everyone felt a chill at the same time.
Wei Guan, Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, realized later: "Master, this, this, this, this, this, this, if we don't do this well, I'm afraid it will arouse the anger of the people!"
