"It's a busy job. With the little old man and his two sons, it's no problem."

"There are three strong working men in the family. Old man, you are very lucky. Maybe you can have a grandson this year."

"I accept the good news from the official." The old farmer probably started chatting with Chongzhen, and gradually lost his previous restraint, and said, "This year is a rare good year, but there are also bad things, namely the price of grain.

Too cheap."

"The price of food is very low?" Chongzhen frowned and asked again, "How much money?"

The old farmer sighed: "In previous years, when grain prices were at their highest, each stone was worth three yuan, but this year it is only one yuan and five cents, which is half the price. Fortunately, the grain tax can be paid with grain, otherwise we would have to eat again."

It’s a huge loss, but the old man’s plan to sell the extra grain and buy a cow seems to be in vain now.”

Chongzhen frowned and said, "Didn't the imperial court send anyone to buy it?"

"The imperial court also sent people to buy it, and the price was higher." The old farmer said quickly, "But the imperial court refused to give cash when purchasing grain, and could only give me a white note. Who dares to sell it?"

"Baitiao?" Chongzhen's brows furrowed even more.

The old farmer walked away carrying straw, and overall he was very happy.

Chongzhen, however, had mixed emotions. He was happy that Huguang had a bumper grain harvest. Even based on 40 million acres, 160 million shi of grain could be harvested, of which at least half, or 80 million shi, could be trafficked to Jiangnan.

Therefore, there is no need to worry about the food problem in Jiangnan.

Angry because someone picked peaches.

They actually want to take advantage of the great harvest and harvest grain from Huguang at low prices.

When we first had money to build water conservancy projects, you didn't contribute money. Now that the water conservancy projects have been built and Huguang has a bumper grain harvest, you jump out and want to pick peaches. How can such a good thing happen in the world?

If nothing else, most of these grain merchants have backgrounds.

Sure enough, when Li Jiaozheng was called and asked, everything became clear.

However, things were a bit tricky because one of the grain merchants was actually from Rugao.

Maoxiang died heroically at the foot of Shanyang City. He was a hero of the Ming Dynasty. Chongzhen also personally wrote a plaque with the words "loyalty, chastity and martyrdom" in handwriting and sent an imperial envoy to Maoxiang's family in Rugao. Maoxiang's old father, Maoqizong, came to Nanjing to express his gratitude. Chongzhen also once

I have been summoned, but now it has become a hot potato.

Li Jiaozheng added: "The other grain merchants also have their own backgrounds, such as Hengyang Wang Zihao, who is Wang Fu's eldest brother, and those grain merchants from Nanjing, who are either from Ge's hometown or are relatives of the Gonghou family."

"Don't talk about these troublesome things." Chongzhen suppressed the matter for the time being and asked Li Jiaozheng, "Li Jiaozheng, you said that after the lake embankment is repaired, at least four million acres of lake land will be available. Where are these four million acres of lake land?"

?”

"Your Majesty, haven't you already seen it?" Li Jiaozheng pointed at the paddy field in front of him and said, "This is it."

"Have you tenanted the lake fields?" Chongzhen asked, "How many shi of grain per acre are the rents set for?"

Li Jiaozheng said: "Because these lake fields are extremely fertile and can yield at least three shi per mu, the tenant rent set by the minister is 60%. Four million acres of reserved land are reserved for land, and the total rent is 7.2 million shi!"

"I originally thought of selling it to a grain merchant at five cents per stone."

"You can get at least 3.6 million taels, if you can make up for the cost of building the embankment a little bit."

"But I never thought that these unscrupulous grain merchants would only give me five cents per cent. I was so angry that I didn't sell it. I also persuaded my colleagues in the government to prevent the people from selling grain. This is why I came to Changde Mansion this time."

The prefect of Changde said: "I have asked the government officials to inform the countryside that grain is not allowed to be sold at low prices."

After hearing this, Chongzhen could no longer bear it and asked Li Jiaozheng: "What's going on with the Water Conservancy and Grain Bank? Didn't I ask them to purchase the surplus grain from the people in Huguang? Why do they buy grain with white strips?"

Li Jiaozheng smiled bitterly: "Your Majesty, this minister doesn't know either."

Li Jiaozheng was not in a position to interfere with the affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Chapter completed!