Although it was already past You hour, the sky was already very bright, and the fleet quietly headed northwest along the Bian Canal.

Hong County is ahead. From a distance, the towering city wall looks ancient and quiet. The sentry figures on the corners of the city wall are vaguely visible, and the sound of water paddlings on the boats is particularly clear in the quiet evening.

Mei Kuang squatted quietly in the boat tent, staring at the river bank through the gap between the two straw curtains.

The front is to enter the dock area outside Hongxian County. For example, ordinary fleets often choose to berth at Hongxian County Wharf. Of course, there are also fleets busy rushing to choose to travel at night. The water flows in the Bian Canal and the river channel is straight. In addition to the unstable security, there is no other safety.

However, large fleets have special guards and guards, and are not afraid of ordinary water thieves. For example, more than 30 fully loaded "grain ships" from Meikuang's voyage will certainly not dare to travel at night because of the existence of water bandits.

People have been arranged to pay commercial taxes before. For large fleets like this, local tax offices basically use tax assessments based on ships. Occasionally, one or two ships will be randomly checked to check goods. However, in the current situation where grain is as expensive as gold, no one will believe that anyone will transport other goods under the guise of grain. It is not cost-effective and unreasonable.

A team of soldiers and tax collectors on the dock were talking and laughing, while looking at the slowly coming fleet, a businessman and a character dressed in an accountant were chatting and laughing with the officers and tax collectors, pointing at the fleet from time to time.

"Boss Niu, you have to make a fortune this time again, right? Xuzhou said that although there is too short of food, it is not as frequent as you do, right? You only took a boat last two weeks, and it is here again. There is too much food to transport to the bridge, so how can the price rise? Is it cost-effective?"

The officer leading the team was a character with Mingdu's head. He looked at the honest man with a smile and said carelessly.

"Haha, Zhang Dutou was joking. It was a bit of hard money to make. Everyone only focused on the price of our grain storage. They thought we were cheap to buy, but they didn't think about it. Our boss built more than 30 grain stocks in Shouzhou. How much does it cost?" The dumb man, that is, Boss Niu, said with a smile: "That's right, Shouzhou produces grain, but if you want to make money, you have to suppress the goods, and you have to suppress the goods. What if the weather and harvest this year is a good harvest? The price of your food will immediately drop, and you have to vomit a few pots of blood. So, this kind of business, if you don't have any capital, don't think about it."

"Boss Niu, don't interfere. We have no other intentions. The Jiedushi's mansion has long been in place. We welcome the grain ships from the south to Huaibei, Xuzhou and Sizhou. Even if you make a lot of money, we welcome them. Who made the heavens in Huaibei not good in the past two years?" The tax collector quickly explained.

He didn't want any problems with the grain ship from the south.

Although the grain prices in Xuzhou are not as strong as those in Heshuo and Pinglu and Taining Army in the north, they have almost always shown a stable upward trend. The grain prices in Sizhou have also soared, especially after the refugees in Yizhou in the north began to move south, this trend became even more obvious.

The grain ships from the south greatly alleviated the soaring grain prices. At the same time, the continuous transportation of grain in the north also brought generous benefits to the tax. Although the Jiedu Mansion ordered that some commercial taxes be reduced and exempted from grain ships transporting grain to the north, it was just a paper article, so there were naturally other ways to make up for it.

As for what Yao Chengtai and the others received so much food in Tongqiao, it was not the matter in Sizhou. Whether it was sold to Daliang or resold to Bozhou, it was not related to Hongxian's affairs.

"That's right, our boss is now preparing to seize this opportunity to sell more. After all, it's rare to have such a year. I heard that the three states of Yan, Yun and Yi are in a bad situation now. The grain prices rise three times a day, and there are also grain storage in Bozhou that are bottoming out. I heard that even the porridge shed is stopped." Boss Niu sighed, "Our boss is a charitable person. He would rather earn less than send this batch of grain over. This is also what he had agreed with Dashuai Yao."

"Okay, Boss Niu, don't cry in front of us, we know that if you earn your money, we will charge taxes according to the rules, and everyone will be happy." A faint and undetectable look of nervousness flashed through the eyes of Zhang Du's head, but it is difficult to be noticed.

"Of course it's good, that's good." Boss Niu bowed, "Tongqiao is urged to be anxious. I can't be with you today. When we return from Tongqiao, we will definitely invite you to have a drink."

"It's okay, it's okay, you're busy with yours, Boss Niu." The tax collector had a good attitude and looked at the fleet that was slowly docking. "It's worthy of being an old fleet. These ships are doing well and are well-behaved, and there is no such messy situation in other places."

After Boss Niu was stunned, he glanced at Zhang Dutou next to him quietly and said, "Hey, they are all veterans of sailing for many years. The water in the Bian Canal is so smooth. If you can't even play around, then how much food will you waste after entering the Huai River?"

Zhang Du glanced at the fleet expressionlessly and said in a deep voice: "According to the rules, draw two ships to see."

"It's okay, even if you look, even if you look, just draw the two in the front and two in the back, one in front and one behind?" Boss Niu smiled and said, "It's all the same, all the same."

"Just two ships, Lao He, just arrange for your tax authorities to go up and take a look. My people will not go up. After so many dealings, we can still trust Boss Niu." Zhang Du tightened his head tightly on his waist and looked at the distance of the dock road indifferently.

The fleet slowly slowed down. Boss Niu stepped forward and greeted the fleet. Soon the fleet continued to slow down until the two back docked. Two tax collectors from the tax authorities boarded the ship to check. After a stick of incense, Boss Niu greeted and said goodbye to everyone. By the way, he stuffed two strings of copper coins to several people, leaving the accountant, and boarded the boat and followed the fleet.

Near the pier, upstairs on a two-story building, with a few people quietly staring at the fleet that was leaving.

"Although there is no clue on the surface, there is no doubt that this fleet has problems." The armored general pursed his lips and his eyes were still chasing the fleet's sails. "How could the boss not go with the ship for such a big business? Waiting for the bridge? Are they not afraid of some problems on the way?"

"Also, the fleet is moving too orderly. How can I say that, as a veteran, I feel that it is not as messy as an ordinary grain fleet. Even if it is a little confused, it seems to be made intentionally." Another general replied: "The waterlines of the ships are similar, but it is estimated that they have made special adjustments and the ships are too quiet."

After hearing what his subordinates said, Yu Mingzhen had no attitude. He just folded his hands quietly, as if thinking about something. After a while, he raised his eyes and asked leisurely: "What do you mean by the Huai Youjun hiding in hiding?"

"There will definitely be several ships for more than 30 ships to carry food. One is used as cover, and the other may be used as food and grass. After calculation, such a large ship can carry at least two hundred people per ship. If the soldiers' weapons and armor are included, at least one hundred and fifty people will be included, which is at least the strength of two armies." The general wearing armor immediately made the calculation.

"Two armies, so they still want to rush to Tongqiao?" Yu Mingzhen showed an intriguing and complicated expression on her face, "Is it just that Tongqiao Fu Li, or is she trying to seize Xuzhou in one fell swoop?"

Neither of the two generals made a statement, so it was difficult to judge. Moreover, with the attitude of Huaiyou, their position should be said to be a collaborator, but the coach here, and such an attitude has already shown a lot.

When he learned that a large grain fleet was about to pass through Hong County, it aroused Yu Mingzhen's interest.

Logically speaking, if you want to sell food in Shouzhou at a high price, you should go from Huaiyin to Sishui, go back to Suyu, and go to Xuzhou.

I have issued an order in Xia Pi, and I have exempted commercial taxes on grain ships from the south, and the price of grain in Xia Pi is far better than that of Tongqiao.

The information he received also showed that Tongqiao did not open grain to Bozhou. Yuan Jun in Bozhou wanted to buy grain, so he basically bought it secretly from Songzhou. Songzhou could buy grain from Xuzhou, but after this change of hand, the price increased by 20%.

As the general wearing armor said, although the grain prices in Tongqiao are still high and are still rising slowly, their shortage and increase are much lower than those in Xuzhou and Xiapi, because this side is directly facing refugees from the north, and the pressure is greater.

The Huaiyou merchants had extremely well-informed news, and it was impossible not to know about this news. However, such a huge fleet still headed to Tongqiao. If they change to Xiapi and Xuzhou, they would earn at least 30% of the money, which would make people suspicious.

So Yu Mingzhen chose to observe closely, and also asked the army he brought to stand by urgently.

However, he did not make any moves, and he had not even considered intercepting the fleet.

It is obvious that the Huai Youjun was not targeting him. Whether it was targeting Fu Li or Xuzhou, Yu Mingzhen didn't care. The current situation was already time for the money to fall and the money was scattered.

Yu Mingzhen also considered whether to turn to Huaiyou, but after careful consideration, he felt that he still needed it.

Huaiyou expands too fast, so fast that it makes people feel that it is too heavy to have a lighter foot, and the bottom is too shallow. If you don’t pay attention, you can’t get up if you fall down.

Moreover, although Xuzhou is already in a state of late, there are still tens of thousands of troops. If Shi Feng, Shang Yunxi and Yao Chengtai were in the face of a critical situation, it is still unknown who will win. What is more important is what actions the Yuan army will do in the west, which may determine the victory or defeat of Huaiyou’s advance north, so Yu Mingzhen feels that he should take a look.
Chapter completed!