Chapter 352 Red-top Businessman

Ziling, Chu King Palace Shangshu.

Xiang Zhuang was holding an imperial meeting, and the topic was about how to solve the problem of food shortage. In addition to the Ling Yin Xiang, there were also Shangdao Wu She, General Wei Bi Shu, and Baili Xian.

Food shortage has indeed become the number one problem that has plagued Chu.

Look at Liu Bang, he had just conscripted 500,000 and 600,000 troops to fight a large war with the Huns, but he was not angry. He immediately conscripted hundreds of thousands of troops to prepare to attack Jingxiang. Looking at Chu, he finally saved ten years of savings and finally gave up a million stone of grain, but after the two battles between Bashu and Huainan, he almost came to an end.

Although Bashu was a granary, the stored grain was transported to Xianyang, and the Chu army did not get any oil and water.

Jiangling had food, but Du Hong actually burned the granaries before the city was broken. The military supplies in Jiangling City were not lost, but the 500,000 and 600,000 stones of grain accumulated in the granaries were completely transformed into ashes. If it weren't for this, the Chu State could have conscripted more than 100,000 and 200,000 troops in the battle of Jingxiang.

Xiang Zhuang pondered for a moment and said, "In the end, the battle between Jingxiang and Xiang must be conscripted."

In the Battle of Jingxiang, although the Chu army was waiting for labor, there were strong cities to defend, and Gao Chu was in charge, if the Han Dynasty launched hundreds of thousands of troops to attack and Peng Yue's Liang army, it was hard to say whether the Chu army could defend it. Once Jiangling was in a hurry, Xiang Zhuang would certainly not sit idly by. It would be inevitable to mobilize the army to rescue.

Moreover, the rescue of soldiers is like putting out a fire, and the State of Chu must be prepared to send troops now.

Bi Shu bowed to Xiang Zhuang and said, "King, it is not a problem to recruit the government soldiers. The government soldiers of the five counties in Jiangdong have been replenished. Just one edict can summon 200,000 troops in half a month!"

"Wait, wait, wait." Xiang shook his hand anxiously, "Twenty-hundred thousand army?! King, now there are only tens of thousands of stones of grain left in Taicang. It's already summer. This storm is coming at a moment. This little grain has to be kept for emergency treatment. At this time, 200,000 army is summoned. What are the soldiers eating? I can't change the food."

Xiang Zhuang smiled bitterly: "I didn't say I wanted to pay grain from Taicang? Besides, how enough is the tens of thousands of stones of grain?"

Xiang said: "Where does not come from Taicang to pay grain? Since the reform was implemented, the relationship between the major families and counties in Jiangdong has been very tense with the imperial court. It is probably impossible to borrow grain from them. If you forcefully collect grain, or buy it in large quantities from the market, it will definitely cause turmoil and soar in the price of grain in Chu."

Xiang Zhuang nodded silently. It is absolutely impossible to force the collection of grain. Now the reform of Chu State has just achieved some results, and the people have gradually recognized the new law. At this time, we cannot do stupid things such as killing chickens and getting eggs. Even if we collect grain from aristocratic families, the gentry is not allowed. Aristocratic families and gentry are also the people of Chu State, and they are also elites among the people. How can we offend them casually?

However, Xiang’s other half of the sentence reminded Xiangzhuang why not buy grain from the people?

It is definitely not possible to buy grain from the Ziling Grain Market alone. The Ziling Grain Market is not big, and the daily transaction volume is only a few thousand stones. You all bought it. The officials, gentry, family members and handicraftsmen in Ziling City have no food to eat. This will definitely lead to distortion of the grain market and soaring grain prices, which is definitely not possible.

However, it is perfectly possible to buy food from the entire Jiangdong and even the entire Chu State.

The tax rate of Chu State is 10 taxes. In other words, the grain paid by the people to the treasury is only one tenth of the harvest. Therefore, although the treasury is short of money, the people have surplus grain at home. Although each household has not much surplus grain, it is only 3 or 5 stones, but if one piece is collected, the total amount will be quite considerable!

Not only the people of Jiangdong, Jingxiang, and Bashu counties may also have a lot of surplus grain.

Of course, it is one thing for the people to have surplus grain in their hands, and it is another thing for them to be willing to sell it.

In ancient China, the main economic model was the small peasant economy. The so-called small peasant economy means that every household could produce almost all the necessities of life. They farmed themselves, weaved their own cloth, raised chickens and ducks by themselves. They hardly needed to buy goods from the market to improve their lives. In this case, they would not sell excess rations.

For example, the current Han, Qi, Zhao, Liang, Yan, etc. are all small peasant economies. In these countries, if the government wants to buy food from the people, it is basically a delusion!

Xiang Zhuang had never thought of this before, and it was also based on such inertial thinking.

But in fact, Chu is an exception. Since the beginning of the reform, Chu has vigorously rewarded industry and commerce. After ten years of development, Chu's industry and commerce have become quite developed. Not only have the product style, type and quality have made great progress, but also with the emergence of large-scale handicraft workshops, commodity prices have also dropped significantly.

In Chu State, people who grow their own hemp cloth are far less expensive than buying them directly from the market. They grow their own grains and make wines, and they are far less expensive than buying the liquor from the winery directly. They taste pure. Others such as agricultural tools, paper, books, tableware, etc. can only be purchased from the market, but these require currency, and barter trade has disappeared.

Therefore, the people of Chu State had much stronger willingness to sell excess rations. Only by selling excess rations into currency can they buy goods from the market to improve their lives.

In other words, the State of Chu was not without food, but was scattered among the people, and the people were also willing to sell food.

However, purchasing surplus grain from the people is a huge and complicated task. Not only is it inefficient, officials at all levels will definitely take the opportunity to fill their pockets, which is definitely not possible. A word suddenly popped up in Xiang Zhuang's mind - the red-topped businessman!

Compared with officials of government agencies, businessmen are more able to endure hardships and work more efficiently!

Moreover, the business and finances with merchants are clear, which eliminates the risk of greed. How much food the merchants provide, how much gold coins the imperial court pays, and what penny you get, it is clear.

In Chinese history, the status of merchants was extremely low, and red-topped merchants did not appear until the end of the Qing Dynasty.

The so-called red-topped merchant is a special merchant with an official background, such as Dashengkui. When Kangxi conquered Junggar in the early Qing Dynasty, the three founders of Dashengkui were concessioned to trade with the army, and finally developed and monopolized the trade with Mongolia. For example, Hu Xueyan, thanks to Zuo Zongtang's strong support, he finally became the richest man in China at that time!

The reason why these red-topped merchants made a fortune is inseparable from the official support, but on the other hand, these red-topped merchants also gave great help to the government.

For example, when Kangxi conquered the Junggar, if it weren't for the many merchants who followed the army to trade, even the supply of military rations would be a problem, and the Junggar might not have been able to fight. There was also Zuo Zongtang, if it weren't for Hu Xueyan's borrowing and strong support, he would never have formed a foreign gun team, nor would he have had the feat of regaining Xinjiang later.

Today, the business of the Chu State is gradually booming, especially after the rewards and pensions of the meritorious soldiers and fallen soldiers were paid, the commerce of the four counties in Jiangdong has experienced unprecedented prosperity. The prosperity of business followed by a surge in tax liquor. Therefore, the treasury of the Chu State is not short of money, at least the funds for purchasing grain are definitely not a problem.

According to the current price of grain, you can buy twenty stones of rice with one hundred coins and one gold coin!

If all the money in the treasury is used to buy grain, at least 200 million stones can be purchased!

Of course, this is just an ideal state, and all gold coins in the treasury must not be put on the market.

Just like the economic stimulus plan of China in later generations, you can theoretically print unlimited banknotes, but how much banknotes can be put on the market is another matter. Four trillion is not something that can be put on just by putting it on.

Xiang Zhuang distributed nearly 10 million gold coins to the meritorious soldiers and the fallen soldiers, which is equivalent to having already set up a stimulus plan of 4 trillion yuan, which will inevitably trigger market inflation. At this time, if another 4 trillion yuan is immediately invested in the market, then the entire market and the entire monetary system will definitely collapse.

However, it should be okay to take out more than 100,000 yuan and buy one or two million stones of grain.

So, who will be the Red Xiang businessman? A slim figure immediately appeared in Xiang Zhuang's mind.

Xiang Zhuang said to the ministers: "Okay, let's discuss here today. You all go back first."

Xiang, Wu She and others looked at each other, and then they stopped discussing it. However, no one questioned anything. At that moment, the ministers stood up and said goodbye. Xiang Zhuang ordered Jin Xiang, "Zicheng, you can go to the Bashu Inn and invite Mrs. Qin to come over, and then said that I had urgent matters to discuss with her."

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The so-called Bashu Inn is actually an official service institution that is specially used to entertain Bashu officials, powerful inns, and a combination of accommodation and dining.

In the backyard, Mrs. Qin was embroidering brocade robe.

The maid Yu'er exclaimed while squealing: "Madam, your hands are so good."

Mrs. Qin smiled slightly and said nothing. Yu'er touched the smooth Jinzhan and said, "This material is so smooth. It should be the best Shujin? Hey, the style is like a brocade robe worn by a man. Madam, can you have a good appearance and then embroider the brocade robe to express your feelings to him?"

"Damn girl, what are you talking about?" Mrs. Qin said angrily, "This is embroidered for the king."

"King?" Yu'er was stunned for a moment and said with a low smile, "No wonder my wife has often entered the palace recently, hehe."

"Damn girl, what are you thinking about?" Mrs. Qin gave Yu'er a blank look and said coquettishly, "I embroidered this brocade robe to the king, isn't it for the Qin family? If the king can allow the Qin family to run a winemaking workshop in Bashu, then the Qin family will have another industry, and it will be just around the corner to recreate the glory of the past."

Yu'er looked at Mrs. Qin up and down a few times and smiled, "Madam, you can send yourself into the palace with a fragrant washing, which is much better than giving a brocade robe, hehe."

"You damn girl, let me see if I don't tear your mouth." Mrs. Qin was embarrassed and reached out to grab Yu'er.

While the master and servant were having sex, the old servant Qin Fu suddenly heard the voice of the old servant: "Madam, the king invites you to the palace, and the General of the Hu Ben is already waiting outside the inn."

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ps: Sorry, I'm late.


Chapter completed!