With consideration in mind, Zhang Shenyan became more and more delicate.
Xiangyang City is clean and densely populated, with about 200,000 people. Although this is not the number in the past, considering the military disasters in the past few years, it is not bad.
People in short brown clothes are soliciting business, people in robes and silk clothes are strolling leisurely, and old people and children are walking slowly by. It is a rare sight in the troubled times.
"Grain shop——"
He looked up and stepped in.
"Old sir, do you want rice?"
At this time, a waiter hurriedly came over and saw that he was wearing gorgeous clothes and a smile on his face.
"How much does rice cost?"
Zhang Shenyan is just like Huanshou, with all kinds of rice available.
"Brown rice costs sixty cents per dou, old rice seventy cents, polished rice one hundred cents, fine glutinous rice eighty cents, soybeans thirty cents..."
The waiter introduced everything in detail. Seeing Zhang Shenyan's serious face, he smiled and said: "Old sir, everyone selling grain in Huguang now has this price."
Zhang Shenyan calculated in his mind that the price of stone rice was about one tael, and that of Jiangnan was already two taels. Considering the different regions, the price was not too expensive.
"Oh? What? Did you still discuss it?"
Zhang Shenyan said in surprise.
"Where are you talking?" The waiter looked at him carefully, shook his head and said with a smile, "You must be from out of town and don't know much about us."
"In Huguang Province, anyone who sells grain must join a grain store. There is a range of high and low prices. If you bid randomly, you may not be able to do business."
Although he doesn't know what the high and low prices are, Zhang Shenyan knows how to count. The highest price in the grain store is only one, two, five, and ordinary brown rice only costs six yuan per stone, which is really affordable.
"If your price is so low, wouldn't it mean that rice is flowing out, and Nanjing can get 20 taels of rice!"
Zhang Shenyan said that there is nothing wrong with it.
"Who wouldn't?"
At this time, the shopkeeper noticed that Zhang Shenyan's identity was unusual, so he hurriedly came over and said with a wry smile: "Not only is there a tax for entry, but there is also a tax for exit."
"The grain tax is also one out of ten, which is very high. Moreover, the Zuo General Soldier in Jiujiang has to pay a tax. When he goes to Anqing, Chizhou and other places, he also has to pay taxes."
"Furthermore, Taiping Prefecture (Wuhu) is a rice market run by Huizhou merchants. We transport rice all the way, and the price difference has long since disappeared."
Hearing this, Zhang Shenyan nodded: "This grain store is controlled by the imperial court, right?"
"That's right, you are so awesome!" the shopkeeper said with a wry smile: "The Secretary of Military and Political Affairs is in charge personally. The rise and fall of food prices cannot be carried out without his consent."
Hearing this, Zhang Shenyan nodded, turned and left.
"Shopkeeper, why is this guy asking questions?"
"Don't worry so much. Look at his appearance and temperament. He is no ordinary person."
The two people in the grain store were muttering.
After leaving the grain store, Zhang Shenyan exclaimed: "There is no escape for profiteers. If it were implemented in Nanzhili, wouldn't it be simple to stabilize grain prices?"
Immediately, he thought of the gentry and nobles behind the grain merchants, and couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly: "Who can keep their word? Even the emperor can't!"
Walking on the street, he suddenly realized that this was very different from Nanjing.
Even though Nanjing is prosperous, it cannot avoid starvation in the streets, prostitutes in groups, excrement on the ground, and diseases...
However, the streets in Xiangyang City are neat and clean, with no beggars dying of hunger, no prostitutes hawking on the streets, and no local gangsters.
This made him a little uncomfortable.
Immediately, a group of government servants in soap uniforms, holding five-foot-long water and fire sticks, suddenly started running.
I saw a very busy wine shop, three feet across the street, a shed was built, two chairs were placed, and the number of guests increased.
A dozen people directly demolished the wooden shed, creating a commotion.
Facing the shopkeeper's begging for mercy, people gathered around to see more and more people. The leader stood up and said loudly:
"We are not punishing you for being innocent. You are building an illegal building on the street. If you don't care, you are three feet away from me and I am three feet away. How can anyone walk?"
"I will dismantle it for you now. There is also a fine of five taels of silver. Go to the Yamen and pay it quickly."
With that said, the group of people walked away quickly.
The shopkeeper sighed, helpless.
Zhang Shenyan walked over and asked, "Why are these people so arrogant?"
"This is the newly established Urban Management Department. They have the final say in preventing floods and fires, rectifying the city's appearance, and building roads and canals."
The shopkeeper said helplessly: "In the past, the boss was in charge and just put some money in, but now that doesn't work!"
Zhang Shenyan was stunned and left directly.
There are village chiefs in the city, chamber chiefs near the city, and li and li in the countryside. They are all held by wealthy households and are autonomous.
Now that the power of these village chiefs in the city has been taken away, the management of the city has been done with all their heart.
Xiangyang City gave him too many surprises.
A glimpse of the leopard shows that the king of Hanyang who is assisting him must be a figure comparable to Zhuge Liang.
It's a pity, it's a pity that he committed himself to the king of Hanyang.
On the street, a simple and low-key carriage slowly entered Xiangyang City under the protection of several guards.
In the carriage, a woman in her late twenties was slightly raising the curtain and looking curiously.
Her hair is half pulled up and half combed, lightly tied with a beaded jade-like hairband, with white jade hairpins inserted horizontally, and a blue-white long skirt that fits her body, revealing an exaggerated curvature.
Her legs were kneeling on the soft cushion, and her round thighs were folded, showing a perfect and tight round shape.
With her beautiful eyes, she looked at the scenery of Xiangyang City in amazement and murmured: "Under Zhu Lang's rule, it is indeed a peaceful and prosperous age."
Thinking of this, she held her chest with both hands and squeezed out an arc. Her delicate facial features were full of smiles: "We haven't seen each other for a few months, Zhu Lang is becoming more and more capable."
However, immediately, she frowned and felt uneasy: "Zhu Lang is already married, and I don't know what will happen to his wife, and what will happen to me?"
Thinking of this, she became more and more uneasy.
Hanyang Palace.
Sun Xueniang's hair was styled into a pony bun, she wore a jade bow and a loose white coat and skirt. She spoke and acted dignifiedly.
She ordered people to tidy up the other courtyard in an orderly manner, and stood aside, looking at the furniture and decorations, and went in bit by bit.
"Sister, why are you so concerned!"
This is a girl wearing a light red coat and skirt, jumping over and combing her bun like a rabbit.
Sun Damiang pouted, hugged her sister's arm, and said dissatisfiedly: "The King of Hanyang has taken a concubine, and you still help to entertain her. This is too much."
"What do you know!"
Sun Xueniang shook her head, pointed her jade finger at her sister's forehead, and said with a chuckle: "The male is in charge, the female is in charge, and His Highness is away fighting. Naturally, I will be in charge of this palace."
"Furthermore, this wonderful fairy followed her from Xi'an to Hanzhong, and now comes to Xiangyang. It can be seen that His Highness loves her very much."
Sun Damiang puffed up her face, no matter what her sister said, she felt aggrieved by her.
As she thought about it, she looked at her sister's breasts, which seemed a little bigger than a few months ago.