The first thousand one hundred and ninety-three chapters startled the epidemic
[Biquge www.boquge.co] Yang Mi was startled, "Is it that serious?"
"You do the math yourself! For the money I paid for selling twenty sheepskins, I can only purchase two sheepskins now. Isn't that a tenfold loss?"
"That's true. Many places now don't accept new money and only accept old money. In another month, I'm afraid there won't even be new money in the market."
"Why?" It was Jiang Min's turn to be surprised.
Yang Mi smiled bitterly and said: "Do you still need to ask? Next month will be the tax month, and large-scale tax collection will begin. Household tax, room tax, exemption money, and so many miscellaneous taxes. After all, even for the lower class people,
It also costs fifteen guan per household. You merchants also need to pay business tax, which costs 30 guan per household. I have done a special investigation. I am afraid that most of the people at the bottom cannot even afford a few hundred guan. Every family depends on eating porridge.
How is it possible to get more than a dozen dollars to survive?"
"Is there any solution?"
Yang Mi sighed, "Isn't this why I came to discuss with you? Liu Feng wants me to come up with a solution within three days, how do you want me to get it? Can you help me ask His Highness King Jin what should I do?"
Jiang Min smiled and said: "You really found the right person. His Highness King Jin had an order two days ago!"
Yang Mi was overjoyed and asked quickly: "Where are the instructions?"
Jiang Min took out a pigeon letter from an iron box and handed it to Yang Mi, "I will be looking for you in the next few days."
Yang Mi quickly opened the pigeon letter. There were only two sentences on it, "Use gold as a sword and let the people out of the city!"
Yang Mi was stunned for a moment, then he slowly handed the note to Jiang Min.
He understood the phrase "let the people out of the city", but what did the phrase "use gold as a sword" mean?
Jiang Min immediately threw it into the brazier and burned it, and said to Yang Mi: "I can help you at any time if needed!"
Yang Mi lowered his head and thought deeply: "Let me think about what is the best way to let the people out of the city."
He really thought of a good idea!
...........
The next morning, a group of people carried a thin-skinned coffin out of the city for the funeral on the streets of Luoyang. Behind them, the family members were all naked and crying so hard.
A woman cried and shouted piteously: "O man! You died unjustly. Whoever killed thousands of people infected you with the disease. You died at the age of thirty. What will happen to us orphans and widowed mothers in the future?"
Live!"
The passers-by looked at the woman in fear. They could hear clearly that the man had died of the epidemic. Could it be that the epidemic had spread to Luoyang?
After leaving the city, in the wilderness outside the city gate, people set up firewood, placed the thin-skinned coffin on top, and burned it until thick smoke billowed out.
Many passers-by came and asked, "Why don't you just go to the grave?"
The first mourner sighed, "We also want to be buried in peace, but he died of an epidemic and must be burned!"
Passers-by were shocked and asked: "Is there a plague in Luoyang too?"
"No, I don't know where he got the infection. He died within three days of getting sick."
The passers-by dispersed in shock, and the mourners looked at each other with a smile in their eyes. When the woman saw someone coming, she quickly burst into tears and said, "Da Lang, you died so miserably!"
"
News of the epidemic in Luoyang first broke out in Yongfengfang. Tao Dalang, a resident in the square, contracted the epidemic and died. The news spread quickly throughout the city as if it had wings. Then, residents of Zhengsufang next door were also infected with the epidemic.
rumor.
For a time, the entire city of Luoyang was in panic. This news was like the last straw that broke the camel's back. Countless people who had originally wanted to escape to avoid taxes packed their luggage and fled out of the city with their families. There were people in front of several city gates in Luoyang.
It was a sea of people, crowded with people fleeing their homes.
The news soon spread to the Prime Minister's Mansion. Liu Feng was shocked and urgently sent Yang Mi to discuss the matter.
Not long after, Yang Mi hurried over, and Liu Feng asked: "Have you heard about the epidemic in Chang'an?"
Yang Mi nodded, "Not only did I hear about it, but I also sent someone to investigate and verify it!"
Liu Feng was still a little doubtful about the authenticity of the news. After hearing what Yang Mi said, he quickly asked: "What's going on?"
"The humble official sent someone to Yongfengfang to inquire about the doctor who treated the deceased. He confirmed that the deceased's symptoms were very similar to an epidemic, with persistent diarrhea, and he died three days after the onset of the disease. It was he who asked the family to carry the deceased out of the city and burn it instead of burying it.
He also suspected that the deceased’s family members were also infected.”
Liu Feng was shocked and asked urgently: "Where are the family members of the deceased?"
"It seems that he has escaped from Luoyang and is missing. There is also news that there is an epidemic in Zhengsufang. I wonder if it is true or not?"
Zhengsufang is close to Yongfengfang. This news is extremely true. Liu Feng asked urgently: "Have you sent anyone to Zhengsufang to investigate?"
"Of course they were dispatched, but no patients were found. It is said that several sick families had fled overnight. Someone confirmed that many families in Zhengsufang carried corpses out of the city at night ten days ago. I estimate that the source of this epidemic is in
Zhengsufang, there are just so many people running around that it’s impossible to find out.”
Liu Feng paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, quite upset. The emperor ordered him to raise 200,000 yuan of military salary within ten days. How could he raise it? The people in the city had already been raped to the bone and sucked out their marrow. Even if they were killed, they would not be able to levy the army.
When it comes to taxes, what makes him even more troubled is that the sales of salt, grain and rice have dropped sharply. Many people can't afford salt and rice, so they simply don't eat salt and live on porridge. But at this time, there is an epidemic again, which is driving him to death.
.
"Let's not talk about the epidemic! Isn't there any way we can raise military salary?" Liu Feng asked anxiously.
Yang Mi hesitated and said: "There is a way, but I dare not say it because of my humble position."
"Tell me, what's the solution?" Liu Feng asked urgently. At this time, as long as there is a way to solve the problem, he, the King of Heaven, doesn't care.
"Has the Prime Minister forgotten how he solved the military salary problem last time?"
Liu Feng was stunned for a moment, then suddenly remembered that last time he raided Qiu Jingzhong's house, and also raided Taiwei Yu Sheng and Situ Zhang Wuzhuo. He relied on the wealth of these three families to solve the military salary problem.
He understood what Yang Mi meant. There was really no point in trying to exploit and promote the common people. There was really no way to gain profit, so the only option was to prey on the big ones, either powerful people or wealthy businessmen.
Liu Feng first thought of the big businessmen. Last time, he had embezzled Taiwei Yu Sheng and Situ Zhang Wuzhuo, and was almost impeached and dismissed from the prime minister. This time he did not dare to attack the powerful officials in the court easily, but... Luoyang was
There are no big merchants in Erba Jing for a long time. The business is controlled by various powerful people, including Liu Feng. The meat and wine in Luoyang are supplied by the shops he invested in.
To attack the big businessmen was to attack the powerful relatives. He could not make the decision. The only group of people Liu Feng could think of who could take action were the big families in Luoyang, mainly the civil and military officials of the DPRK and China. These people no longer had real power and their families were generally poor.
Yes, they are just a group of sheep waiting to be slaughtered.
After much deliberation, this matter should be reported to the emperor first. Liu Feng felt a little confident and was no longer as anxious as before. He asked again: "How to deal with the epidemic?"
Yang Mi said calmly: "We don't know what the epidemic situation is now, but I believe that a patient will not appear for no reason. There must be many people who have been infected, but they have been concealed. From the investigation, we know
, these infected people and their families were anxious to escape from Luoyang City, fearing being caught or executed.
And we must learn from the experience of Songcheng County. Qiu Jingzhong refused to let the people out of the city, which resulted in a full-scale epidemic outbreak in Songcheng County. Beizhi believes that as long as the population in the city decreases, the infection will not be so rapid, so Beizhi suggested that the people at the bottom of the city be allowed out of the city."
Liu Feng nodded, "Sir, your idea is right, but I am afraid that the emperor will not agree to let the people out of the city!"
Yang Mi smiled lightly and said: "Don't worry, Prime Minister, the emperor will definitely agree."
"Why?"
"The emperor is concerned about the safety of the army and himself. Besides, the people infected with the epidemic fled to the areas controlled by the Jin army. The emperor must be very looking forward to the collapse of the entire Jin army and its withdrawal to Guanzhong."
Liu Feng suddenly woke up and said repeatedly: "Okay! Okay! I will enter the palace now."
Just as Yang Migang turned around to exit, he suddenly felt like an electric shock. He suddenly understood what "using gold as a sword" meant.
.........
Although Qiu Jingzhong was wiped out, Zhu Si was still unhappy, and the reason for his unhappiness was simple. He lost more than he gained by wiping out Qiu Jingzhong. Most of the territory was occupied by the Jin army, and his nephew Zhu Sui's life and death was unknown. He once sent people to Chang'an to demand revenge from Qiu Jingzhong.
Chang'an gave him the heads of Qiu Jingzhong and Zhu Sui, but also told him that they had not found Zhu Sui's body, nor had it been found among the prisoners of war. Zhu Sui's life and death were unknown.
In addition, the outbreak of the epidemic in the Central Plains made him very passive. He was always on guard, fearing that the epidemic would break through Hulao Pass and enter Luoyang.
Recently, it seems that the epidemic has not spread, which makes Zhu Si feel a little relieved. However, at the same time, the huge financial pressure makes him restless. Where can he find a military salary of more than 100,000 yuan a month?
Zhu Si was very worried these days. He had nothing to do but force the Prime Minister Liu Feng to find a way to make money.
But in fact, Zhu Si is not without money. He doesn't know how much wealth is stored in his inner treasury. Even he himself can't remember it clearly. But he is unambiguous about one thing. Public is public and private is private. He can't
Use your own internal treasury money to pay salaries to the army.
At this time, a guard reported, "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Liu wants to see you!"
"Announce him to come in!" Zhu Si was looking forward to it, not knowing what good news Liu Feng would bring him.