The appearance of Gwangju Prefecture changed overnight.
There are people walking on the road, but they are not as leisurely as before. They are dragging their families with carts and carrying burdens. The streets are bustling, but everyone is panicked. Children are crying and adults are shouting. It is like a rushing wave, and teahouses and restaurants are closed.
Half of the time, there weren't many customers opening the door, either chatting uneasily or peering out nervously.
The groups of merchants were no longer visible, the jewelry shops were closed, and the rice and grain shops were crowded with people. Many people were rushing to buy rice and grain, but...
"There's no more rice. There's no more rice." The store owner waved to the crowded people and showed everyone the empty food vat.
This situation happens in all rice and grain stores.
It is impossible that there will be no rice overnight. It is obvious that the grain merchants hid the rice.
"Brother Agui, Brother Agui, please help me." Someone who is familiar with the grain merchant begged, "I have an old man above me and a young man below me. I can't run. I can't survive this winter without food.
"
The grain merchant felt pity for him, so he pulled him inside to avoid others and said, "I can give you some of my own grain."
The man thanked him profusely and asked for the money. The grain merchant held his hand and said, "It's just that the price cannot be the same as before."
This is to take advantage of the chaos to raise prices! This is a common tactic during major disasters or military disturbances. When Guangzhou Prefecture was in crisis before, the price of rice and grains also soared, but it was severely stopped by the government, and Mrs. Wu even released countless
of rice grains, pushing prices down.
Reporting the increase in grain prices to the government is to arrest the grain dealer.
The man looked at the grain merchant with frightened and angry eyes. He heard the sound of horse hooves galloping past the window. It was the patrol of soldiers and horses added by the state capital. The sound of iron hooves struck people's hearts. As long as he shouted that there is a profiteer...
...
"I'm the only one willing to sell it." The grain merchant looked unafraid, "Everyone else has already hidden their goods and left here. Of course I have to leave too. There won't be any grain left. I'll sell some if I can."
If some of them can’t be sold, I won’t want them.”
If you don't want it, you don't just give it to them for free, you burn it or hide it in a place where no one will ever know it and let it spoil and rot.
"There will be chaos soon. Does the government still care about me, a grain merchant?" He smiled faintly, "If the government arrests me, I will donate all this grain to Mrs. Wu."
Guangzhou Prefecture is about to be in chaos. Mrs. Wu needs food even more. After receiving the food, she will definitely spare the businessman. The food will be used in the porridge vats to feed the homeless and beggars. He still can't get anything, and he will also offend others.
None of the grain merchants would sell to him...
The man hurriedly grabbed the grain merchant's hand: "Brother Agui is joking. If you are willing to sell me grain, you will save my life. The state capital is in chaos, and I can't fill my stomach with all this money."
The grain merchant accepted the 20% more money and asked the man to secretly take the grain away through the back door. Then he called in the next acquaintance. By doing this, he quickly sold out the stored grain and packed it with gold and silver.
Taking advantage of the chaos, he left the city and was caught by officers and soldiers before he could get out.
"A lot of businessmen are doing this, are they all arrested and sentenced to jail?"
"Food prices have been driven up by them."
"The state capital is fine, but the lower counties have already started looting."
"What will happen if we arrest them? Now people are panicked. If they are arrested, the people will not believe that it is because of food price speculation. They will only think that Gwangju Prefecture is really going to be in chaos."
"I'm already trying to refute the rumors, but it's of no use at all."
"The departure of those people previously triggered speculation. Now that the bandits have appeared and killed people, this speculation has been confirmed."
"It's now believed that the rebels are coming."
"My lord, my lord, we can't continue like this, otherwise the rebels will really come over."
Under this situation, the rebels attacked, the people's morale was shattered, and no city in Gwangju Prefecture could be defended. In the past, everyone had various suggestions, but now they all coalesced into one voice calling "Sir."
The prefect was sitting in the hall with a haggard face and red eyes. He had been unable to sleep for several days.
"What should we do?" he asked, "Everything that needs to be done has been done."
Those who can be here are the most important officers and generals, and there is no need to cover up what they say. Then one official stood up and said: "Talk to those aristocratic families."
"The government alone cannot appease the people. They don't believe us." An older official stood up and sighed, "To appease the people, we must rely on the people. Those aristocratic families are rooted in the land of Guangzhou Prefecture, and their roots are intertwined. Only they can stabilize it.
Only then can the people stabilize."
It is a rule that every official knows to maintain good relations with the local noble families. It seems that the rules cannot be changed in troubled times.
Everyone's eyes turned to the woman sitting in the corner. It was her decision to collect money and grain from those aristocratic families and to lend them land. Is it because the Wufu family did not understand this or was it because they were too rude and annoyed these aristocratic families?
, today’s troubles are no less than the arrival of the rebels.
The eyes in the hall were focused on her. Li Minglou did not make it difficult for the prefect to speak for her anymore, and took the initiative to speak: "Have those bandits been caught?"
Yes, the prefect was reminded to sit up straight: "Catch those bandits first and wipe them out to calm the people."
"Sir, those bandits are not from outside. It is said that they are panicked refugees and beggars. After they killed them, they all ran away." An official sighed and looked at Mrs. Wu again, "There are many internal refugees and they are mixed among them.
I can’t find it.”
It was also because Mrs. Wu was recruiting refugees, and the territory of Guangzhou Prefecture was mixed. Some thieves pretended to be refugees and sneaked in. Now they took advantage of the chaos in Guangzhou Prefecture to plunder.
Li Minglou frowned: "Does this mean these bandits are in Guangzhou Prefecture?"
Now it's not about entangling the bandits, it's about working with the aristocratic family to stabilize the people first. If we can't convince the aristocratic family, the chaos will continue even if we catch the bandits.
The officials in the hall wanted to speak, but a general in his twenties sitting over there spoke first.
"Yes." He stood up and said, "These people are not rebels, nor are they bandits from outside. Moreover, no suspected bandits left Guangzhou Prefecture after the incident."
What this man said was so sure that the officials frowned. You may not recognize a bandit as a bandit. How do you identify him among the refugees?
"When entering or leaving the territory of Gwangju Prefecture, any more than ten people from the same place will be registered separately." The general explained to them, "Report to the city gate defense and be strictly monitored by the patrol soldiers."
It is impossible for three or five people to become bandits. Only by gathering together can one be bold. If there are many of these fellow countrymen, they will be deliberately broken up and assigned different jobs and living in different places.
"No bandits can gather in large numbers in our Guangzhou Prefecture," the general said firmly.
When the government was discussing matters, most of them were civil servants. Only Yuanji and three other people attended the general meeting. They rarely spoke, so except for Yuanji, everyone was still a little unfamiliar with these three people. They only knew that one was in charge of soldiers and horses, and the other was in charge of city defense.
One is what kind of monitoring.
The person speaking now is the general in charge of monitoring and control, his name is Zhongliu. He is young and has a gloomy face. Especially his eyes are floating around, which makes people uncomfortable.
"Then who do you think these murderers are? Where are they now?" an official frowned.
Zhongliu's eyes sank slightly: "They are in Guangzhou Prefecture, I will catch them all."
Yes, but not already caught. The officials shook their heads.
"However, the relocation of these aristocratic families has been negotiated." Zhongliu said, "Although the Huang family has not left yet, the Huang family is headed by the Huang family, the Tian family, the Liao family, the Wu family, and everyone else has followed their arrangements. As for the people behind the Huang family,
Is there anyone behind this? We are investigating."
It turns out that the Huang family is the leader, but this is not surprising. Everyone knows without investigation that these aristocratic families must have joined forces. This has always been the case. The officials smiled bitterly, but so what if they knew? There is no crime if they move together.
, the reason is to help Gwangju Prefecture solve population pressure and save food rations.
The way the aristocratic family does things is to make you dumb and unable to tell the pain of eating Coptis chinensis.
"There are rumors among the people that merchants are driving up food prices, and they are indispensable for their participation." The prefect reached out and touched his head, "Mr. Zhongda, we all know this, but what can we do now?"
"Arrest them all?" An official smiled bitterly, and then looked at the others spreading their hands, "Then we really can't suppress this chaos in Guangzhou Prefecture."
Li Minglou motioned to Zhongliu to sit down and look at everyone: "What do you want to do now?"
The war matters should be obeyed to her, and the city management matters should be done according to their own methods. Everyone here breathed a sigh of relief and said: "Master, please go see Mr. Huang and summon the village elders to discuss how to pacify the village."
So in the end, the government has to bow to these aristocratic families.
The discussion came to an end after the results were reached. Li Minglou took Yuan Ji, Jiang Liang and Liu Fan and left the front office and returned to the back house.
Jiang Liang and Liu Fan did not resign this time but stepped forward.
"Young lady, I have something to say," he said.
Li Minglou turned around and saw Jiang Liang lowering his head to hide his expression. Liu Fan turned away slightly uncomfortably. It seemed that they not only had thoughts about what had happened.
"What do you think about the current affairs in Guangzhou Prefecture?" Li Minglou asked proactively.
"Young Madam, you should not think about it now, but take action." Jiang Liang raised his head and said, "Kill someone."
He stretched out his hand that was shrunk in his sleeve. His long and slender hand that always held a pen shone like a knife in the sunlight, and he raised it and waved it down.
Unexpectedly, this old scholar who could be knocked down by a gust of wind would open his mouth to kill people.
Yuan Ji was a little surprised. The adults sitting in the government office were also scholars, but after more than ten days of discussion, no one said even half a word of killing.
Li Minglou was not frightened and smiled.
The two writing gentlemen were invited into the room, and a little girl ran to fetch the teapot from Jiang Liang's residence. The young lady had asked her to send the teapot to Jiang Liang, saying that Jiang Liang would like it.
Jiang Liang was a little surprised and a little moved when he saw the teapot being placed at hand.
These untrained child servants are clumsy but more convincing.
It is because adults pay attention to their words and deeds that children will remember such small things as bringing him a teapot.
Li Minglou said: "The bandits who harm the villagers must be killed."
Yuan Ji added on the side: "They can't escape in Guangzhou Prefecture. We already have clues and can catch them soon."
Thinking of what he heard during the discussion in the hall just now, Jiang Liang's eyes sparkled and he said: "Sure enough, everyone in Guangzhou Prefecture is under the control of the Young Madam. Only a true Bodhisattva can use thunderbolts."
Since you have to do things, don't flatter him. This old thief is very annoying. Does it mean that people lose their bones when they get old? Liu Fan frowned and simply said to himself: "It's not just the bandits who want to be killed, but also the aristocratic families.
."
Li Minglou smiled: "Why don't you dare to say this in front of the hall?"
"It's not that I don't dare to speak, it's that those people don't dare to listen, and they don't dare to do so." Liu Fan said arrogantly.
Li Minglou said: "Because those people are neither bandits nor rebels. They are unarmed common people."
Liu Fan stood up: "Unarmed? They are unarmed, but they have disrupted the entire Guangzhou Prefecture. They are not bandits, but they disturb the people. They are not rebels, but they have caused the people to flee in panic."
He flicked his long sleeves and looked at Li Minglou.
"What's the difference between this and bandits or rebels?"
"They are also trying to mess up Daxia, so of course they will be killed."
Jiang Liang held the teapot at the side and reminded: "Sit down and say it, don't speak loudly." After saying that, he looked at Li Minglou with a smile, "Young madam, what I said before is the true Bodhisattva who has thunderbolt means. Young Master
If Madam wants to mercifully protect the city and protect the people in these troubled times, she must stop these actions that undermine the stability of the people in the city, otherwise the city will be destroyed and the people will perish, and all the efforts made will be in vain."
Liu Fan explained his meaning clearly for him: "In other words, the people gathered here because of the young lady. If there is really something wrong, the young lady is an accomplice."
Jiang Liang glared at him: "That's not what I meant."
Li Minglou said: "That being said, all they did was move. Guangzhou Prefecture is free to come and go. How can they kill people for this? If they do this, what is the difference between Guangzhou Prefecture and the rebels?"
Jiang Liang smiled slightly: "Young Madam is right. In fact, we want to ask, if these aristocratic families commit serious crimes, would Young Madam dare to kill them?"
Li Minglou smiled: "You are talking to me about killing people now."
Previously, Liu Fan said that he wanted to kill not only bandits but also wealthy families. Li Minglou asked him why he didn't say this in front of the hall. Liu Fan replied arrogantly because those people didn't dare to listen, let alone do it.
So now they are talking to her, which means they think she dares to listen and act.
Liu Fan was slightly startled, a smile appeared on his arrogant face, and he felt uncomfortable having some of his little tricks exposed.
So don’t speak so harshly, and go with the flow. Jiang Liang smiled and stood up: "Young Madam, dealing with aristocratic families is a matter for the government. It is not appropriate for Young Madam to come forward, but to be on guard against others, this Guangzhou Prefecture's
official
Most of the members are locals and have complicated relationships with these aristocratic families. Some of them are from aristocratic families themselves. The young lady is an outsider after all. So in order to prevent some things from being hidden by them, we want to come forward on behalf of the young lady and participate in this incident.
thing."
Li Minglou said hello and told Yuan Ji who was standing aside: "Take them to see the magistrate. These two gentlemen will be responsible for our affairs here. If you have anything to do with the government or the aristocratic family, you can tell them.
"
Yuanji responded yes.
Jiang Liang smiled and complimented: "Young madam, you are happy to do things."
Li Minglou looked at the two of them: "If it is found that the family is really guilty of breaking the law and disturbing the people, and the government does not dare to kill them, I will kill them."