A century-old family that runs through the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 182 This grain, this price?
Wenzhou Fucheng.

Compared with the starving places in northern Zhejiang Province, this place was much better. They did not suffer any disaster this time.

Many of the grains circulating on the market come from here.

However, as more and more refugees come to Wenzhou, and some traders from other places come here to buy food, the price of food in Wenzhou is also rising steadily, reaching double the original price. The people have obviously not been affected by the disaster. , but was also made miserable by the skyrocketing rice prices.

And this is already calculated compared to Taizhou Prefecture to the north of Wenzhou Prefecture and Ningbo Prefecture further north.In Taizhou Prefecture, the price of food has increased more than 20 times compared with normal times. There is still a price but no market. I don’t know how many people starve to death on the roadside.Ningbo Prefecture had slightly better relief because of the Yan family, but it also increased more than ten times.

And this price is still rising.

No food?Not really.Many big landowners have a lot of food and grass in their homes. Of course they cannot compare with the Yan family, but it is enough to help the people and stabilize prices.

But at this time, the big landowners were hoarding money, hoping to take advantage of the famine and make a fortune.

There are mourning victims everywhere in Zhejiang, but the grain storehouses of these landowners and gentry are so full that they are almost moldy.

At this time, at the top of the most luxurious restaurant in the city, seven local big shots were living in the same room.They were wearing fine silks and satins, and there were all kinds of delicacies on the table. The disasters outside the city seemed to have nothing to do with them.

These are the heads of the six most prominent noble clans in Wenzhou Prefecture. They control more than [-]% of the food in the government, and the lifeblood of the people in the whole government is in their hands. There is also one who is the prefect of Wenzhou Prefecture.

But at this moment, these big shots, who were usually aloof, were all smiling and toasting to a young man sitting in the middle. The young man just raised his glass lightly, and the gentry opposite was flattered and drank the glass in one gulp. He drank the strong drink and then laughed a lot.

This person is Yan Ling.Of course, his apparent identity is the younger brother of Duke Yue, which is the identity he asked the man in Nanjing to arrange for him.

It is said that a strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake, but the identity of the Yan family of the Duke of Yue in Nanjing made several of the most powerful gentry in Wenzhou bow their heads.

The prefect was also in the toasting crowd, looking at the people around him, he couldn't help but sigh.

Look at this one, his relative is an official in Nanjing's Ministry of Civil Affairs, that one is the son of someone in the capital, and that one over there is related to a certain adult in the Chief Secretary... Usually even if the prefect himself comes to find them, they are a bit agitated. I like to be indifferent, but now I am so enthusiastic!
But he also understood that after all, who would dare to offend someone from the Yue Kingdom’s palace!

After three rounds of drinking, the young man who was surrounded by stars finally started chatting:

"Everyone, to be honest, I am here to ask for something."

No one present is a human spirit. Of course they know that this adult is not here to trick them into having a drink. At this time, Yan Ling got to the topic. The eyes of those who were still confused just now suddenly became clear and they did something. He looked focused.

"Everyone knows about the severe disaster in Zhejiang Province this year. My Ningbo Prefecture was also severely affected! I don't know how many fertile fields were flooded and how many people were displaced. I saw it in my eyes and it hurt in my heart."

"I was in charge of the family under the orders of my brother, and I, the Yan family, have family traditions. How could I watch this tragedy happen? So I spent all my family wealth just to save the common people."

Yan Ling looked compassionate at this time. As he spoke, everyone around him quickly agreed and praised his kindness.

"My family is not well off either. Now all the food has been basically used to give out porridge, but the relief from the court has not arrived yet. I have no choice but to send people around to buy food."

"I heard that Wenzhou was not affected by the disaster, so I brought people here to buy food."

"But when I arrived at Wenzhou Prefecture, I discovered that Wenzhou Prefecture was not affected by the disaster, but it was also short of food. Everyone, what should we do?" The hint was obvious. Several people looked at each other, and someone asked:
"Sir, how much food do you want?"

"Ten thousand stones!" Yan Ling said with a smile.

"This is impossible!" As soon as the words fell, someone blurted out, and the faces of the people around him were full of surprise.

Ten thousand shi is a huge amount. Even the entire Wenzhou Prefecture may not be able to mobilize so much food!
"Sir, I'm afraid this is unlikely. Although our government has not suffered a disaster, it is not possible to provide so much." The Wenzhou magistrate also said.

"That's it...but I really need it, what should I do?" Yan Ling smiled and said:
"How about you open your respective granaries and I can buy as much as I can?"

As soon as this sentence was said, everyone understood that this was for their food!
Of course they are unwilling. The government's relief grain has not yet arrived, and the price of this grain will rise. If they stock up more, they will gain more by then.

But the person who came to buy it was the younger brother of Duke Yue, so the nature was different. They had to sell it even if they didn’t want to sell it!

Fortunately, according to the current market value, it is also a very high price, so it is not a loss.They comfort themselves like this.

Then someone said: "If you want to buy it, there is no problem...but the price of food is a bit high..."

Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by Yan Ling:
"The price of food, no problem!"

"I remember before, it was three coins of silver and one stone of grain, right?"

"I buy so much, you have to give me a cheaper price, just...two coins and one stone are enough. Don't worry, if I buy more, you won't lose money!"

"Bang!" After the words fell, there was a loud sound of a chair falling to the ground.

Turning around, I saw a man covering his head and getting up in a hurry.

He looked embarrassed, but he still said in reply:
"Sir, I, did I hear you correctly? You want us to sell you a stone of grain for two cents of silver?"

Not only him, but also the other gentry present were stunned.

Map of Yan Kingdom, is this the end?

No, this dagger is too sharp!

Before before, you also know it was before!
The grain output in Jiangnan is high, so the price of grain is generally much lower than in other places. Three coins of silver and one stone of grain are not expensive.

But that was also before!Don't think I don't know. Now in Ningbo, you can't even buy a stone of grain for three taels of silver. How can this compare?

Even according to the current price of food in Wenzhou Prefecture, it should be eight coins per stone!

Don’t worry, the more you buy, the bigger our losses will be!
Facing the strange expressions of everyone present, Yan Ling showed a strange look on his face, and he asked aloud:
"Everyone, do you have any questions? Is my price unfair?"

(End of this chapter)