He made a gesture, signaling the servants to rest assured. Then he bowed to Wang Hua and said, "I'm old, I'll see you in the future."

After saying that, he left with surprise.

Wang Hua didn't say anything, watched him leave for a long time, and then paid homage to Qiu Renjie with Elva Hsiao.

After seeing Xiao Zhouxuan off, it was about to enter July, but at this time the Luoshui River surged, the river broke through Luodian, and more than 2,000 households on both sides of the Luoshui River were washed away by the flood.

Even the painter Wang once accumulated half a person's depth of water, and many things were flooded. Nanshi also had a foot deep water. This was an important place in the capital. The court immediately organized manpower to block the gap and appease the refugees. But with the incident, the rice price rose sharply, from more than fifty to more than sixty to more than seventy to more than seventy to more than one hundred, and it did not stop until two hundred and thirty to stop.

The ministers were shocked. This was not the time when Wang Hua besieged Luoyang, but the city of Luoyang was panicked and temporarily raised prices. Not only Luoyang, but other places also rose with the sound due to floods. First, the rice price in Zhengzhou was close to the 200-civilian mark, and then the rice price in Guanzhong rose sharply. From the Wei River to the middle and lower reaches of Zhenhe, the rice price in many places was close to 200-civilian mark, or the 200-civilian mark had already broken.

This is a catastrophic event.

Why did Lao Wu envy Li Shimin? Every bucket of rice often float around five cents. Because rice is cheap, if it is calculated now, it is only a few cents per catty of rice. It is so cheap that most people can eat enough. When the people have enough stomachs, they will naturally not rebel. It has become more than two hundred cents, and it has become seven or eight yuan per catty of rice. You can imagine how many ordinary people can afford it?

There is no need for Wang Hua to go to the court to explain the reasons. Ministers, and even Li Xian knew the reasons. From the spring when the rice merchant borrowed Wang Hua to siege the city, the rice price still remained around forty cents after the summer harvest. It was known that the main reason was that the rice merchants began to want to hoard the market.

It has nothing to do with Wang Hua, but Wang Hua gave them a reason and a groove machine.

Why is this happening? We all understand that it is mainly cotton. Wang Hua repeatedly told Li Xian that the key point is in Longyou, which is the animal husbandry area, not the main grain-growing area. Li Xian also conveyed it like others. But the success of Li Xian Huangzhuang in Guanzhong made many people know that it was not only planted in Longyou. Of course, Longyou is good, the place is empty, the land price is cheap, and the taxes are low. However, there are many inconveniences in Longyou, which are far away from the Central Plains and the transportation costs are expensive. The second is that all ethnic groups are mixed, and they are sometimes rebellious, and there is no foundation for stability. The third is that management is difficult, and there is also because of the distance. Not many tenants are willing to go.

So last year alone, not only Longyou began to be full of Han people's footprints, but many people took cotton seeds from the Wei River to the Yellow River, and even to the Huai River Basin to plant them. Of course, because of the large number of planting, the price of cotton cloth dropped sharply, and high-quality fine cotton cloth fell from more than 30 ci per piece to more than 10 ci, and ordinary cotton cloth fell from twenty ci to ** ci. The price of linen cloth fell a lot.

But for cotton farmers, it is still a huge profit. The best fertile land earns only two or three stones per acre. Their land price is not the price of rice in Luoyang. It can be sold for more than 20 cents, and at most fifteen cents. There is no harvest of half a stake. But what about cotton?

Therefore, more people planted this year. It is not generally the whole world is gone. The court has also strengthened management, such as levied heavier taxes on cotton fields, added part of the income to grain farmers, reduced the taxes of a small amount of grain farmers, and forced the control of the proportion of cotton grain planting. This is not really what the ministers have to eat. But government orders are always one thing, and implementation is always another. For example, the Ninth Class of the Tang Dynasty. When the Wang family did not rise, they actually paid no less taxes than the Zheng family and the Yu family. On the contrary, because of the changes in government orders, the following is a mess.

Besides, during a period of alternation and change of regimes.

Therefore, there is a possibility of food shortage. Why is the word "possible" appearing? Because Jiangnan was not hit hard by this shock, it was also the main grain base of the Tang Dynasty.

But this is possible, which leads to unstable price factors. The market economy has a serious bearing effect. It is far from the fact that ten people harvested grain for twenty people this year, and the grain prices will fall by half. If the court comes forward, coupled with the operations of some wealthy families, it may fall slightly. If it is pushed down, it may fall by three times and four times. In turn, it will be even more serious.

If there is a shortage, even if there are ten people, the harvest of nine people will be a big problem. What should I do if the remaining person is? Starve him to death? This is unrealistic. Either it is divided equally, and even ten people will not be full. This is even more nervous. If you push it intentionally, it cannot be said that if you lack 10% of the food, it will rise by 10%. On the contrary, it will rise by several times, or even ten times. Now it is this situation. Wang Hua gave a wedge machine. Floods on both sides of the Yellow River have further fueled the momentum of the surge.

There is no complete set of capital principles now, but it does not mean that officials do not know it. It is possible that even Li Xian knows this reason.

But what should I do? After all, it is a private economy now. As long as it can be sold, even if it sells 500 cents per dou of rice, the court will have no choice. If the edict is issued, it will be fine. If my family has no food and no sales, it may cause greater panic. Or if it is not investigated, since the hoarding goods are all families with backgrounds, how can I check it? It will be a big trouble if I check it.

But what made the ministers depressed was that even if they had the courage, they would not dare to advise Li Xian. Last year, it was not obvious that with the bumper harvest of cotton this year, the price of cloth would drop. Once it dropped to five cents per piece of cloth, how many families would wear new clothes? And because of the emergence of cotton jackets, how many poor people in the north will die of less death in winter? This is also a merit.

As for the people's wealth, no one would think about it. Although cotton is a huge profit, this huge profit has been occupied by various landlords, and there are almost no poor people who truly benefit. Moreover, because of the huge profits of cotton, many cases of forcibly annexed land have occurred in various places, which has caused headaches for officials in various prefectures and counties. There are also many cases of forcing slaves to buy, in short, the world is in a raging way. It can be imagined that after July, cotton flowers will be officially picked, and there will be more "missing" people in various places.

It is not a big mistake for Li Xian. Li Xian’s intention is good. If the problem of grain and cotton is solved well, it will not only ignore the income of the court. It will not only solve the problem of people’s clothing, because it is also a process from cotton to cloth, which requires a lot of labor. Then women can enter various cotton workshops to bring income to their families, benefiting the country and the people.

But it is not entirely true that merchants are pursuing profit. Not only are merchants joining this game, but also common people from all over the country, famous families, and even royal relatives.

What do you think? You can't lead it from top to bottom. Even Li Shimin doesn't have such great courage even though he is alive.

Of course, when the rice price rose from more than 40 to more than 50, Wang Hua did not expect the consequences alone, but there were many wise people in the court. Just like Wu Sansi did not have wisdom? It was just that the wisdom was used incorrectly. He had expected this situation long ago, so he submitted a memorial and Li Xian also issued an edict to mobilize grain to Luoyang to balance the rice price.

However, this wave of price increases is different from the original price increase in some areas, and is almost spreading like the whole country. According to news from various places, the rice prices in Jiangnan are also rising. This time the court went to Jiangnan to transfer grain this time, and there may not be any satisfactory news.

There is another way to open the Hanjia Cang in Luoyang and forcibly hedge the price to the market. Although the Tang Dynasty was not as absurd as the Sui Dynasty, and stored grain in Luoyang that could be eaten by the people of the world for decades, hundreds of granaries often had hundreds of millions of jin of grain reserves. The largest grain storage base of the Tang Dynasty was in Luoyang because it was convenient for Luoshui and the Yellow River. Although Chang'an had the Wei River, the tonnage of ships that could pass through was much smaller. There were also some granaries in other places, but the scale was similar, which was slightly different from the Song Dynasty.

But this is not a one-stop method, forcibly circulating to the market, how can we ensure that the grain is handed over to the people who really need it? Instead of being annexed by some powerful people? In turn, it has no effect and instantly turns the country's property into private property. It is a way to hand it over to the people who need it. What if the grain is still tight after the autumn? Will the treasury buy high-priced grain reserves?

Or let Han Jiacang be empty? If that happens, even Lao Wu will feel uneasy when he stays in the hospital bed.

It can be imagined that the ministers were either worried or unwritten ideas, and the court was even more quarreling like a vegetable market.

Li Xian was not a wise master, and he had no idea after hearing this.

Or is it wrong to plant cotton, but why did you hear a lot of praise before?

It is wrong to not plant cotton. The main reason is that everyone has not faced the impact of good cotton, and the huge profits of cotton now. Once cotton is truly popularized, prices will fall and grain will return, this is inevitable for the market economy.

But this crisis is indeed related to cotton. This flood in history also caused great trouble for the Tang Dynasty, but it was not as embarrassing as it is now.

Li Xian couldn't figure it out, so he thought about it, ran to Shangyang Palace, and asked his wise old mother that he had gone.

Not to mention, their mother-son relationship has improved a lot now, especially Wang Hua's stimulation. A minister can be filial to his mother. Li Xian felt a little ashamed and uneasy. Of course, he followed Wang Hua to Shangyang Palace to listen to stories. Wu Zetian was unconscious for a long time last time and almost didn't wake up. He knew that he had not had much time, and his injustice gradually faded. It was also related to Wang Hua's story after telling stories five or six times in the palace, comforting the old lady's wounded heart. It was this transition that made the old lady recognize the fate.

After walking a lot, Wu Zetian was a little open-minded, and the relationship between mother and son began to turn cold into warmth.

Hearing Li Xian’s report, Wu Zetian thought for a while and said, “The Ai family has nothing to do with it.”

Li Xian was stunned when he heard this. What should he do if his old mother was so coaxed by a cow. Food is the foundation of the country. If the people in the world cannot have food, it will be dangerous.

Wu Zetian said again: "But the Ai family recommends someone to you, which will help you overcome this difficulty."

"Who?"

"Wang Hua, if you still suspect it, just pretend that the Ai family has nothing to say."

"No, the queen, it's Wang Hua who is unwilling to assist his sons," Li Xian said stutteringly.

"It's not that he doesn't want to assist, but that he keeps his low profile. Let's do this. You send an order again and say that the Ai family wants to hear the story." Wu Zetian glanced at him. There was another sentence she didn't say, and even Wang Hua didn't know. It's not that Wang Hua didn't want to assist, but Li Xian has not shown something that can reassure Wang Hua and enter the court. This is the same as the opportunity that Wang Hua thought in his mind. If Li Xian wants to use Wang Hua with confidence, he may have to wait until he dies.

Li Xian knew that Wu Zetian was false when listening to the story, so he persuaded Wang Hua to be true. He immediately responded happily.

But when I thought about it, I was so dizzy that I was so talented that I had to ask for help from others like Zhuge Liang before I could come out?

After a while, Wang Hua entered Shangyang Palace, and Shangguan Xiaowan and several secretary. Wang Hua started talking about Jia Baoyu's encounter with a ghost when he talked about last time, and continued until the sun turned into a torn fan. He looked at the sky and then ended.

Wang Huawang was about to get up and say goodbye, but Wu Zetian said, "Wang Hua, you should go to morning court tomorrow."

Wang Hua was stunned at first, then looked at Li Xian, and immediately understood it, with no expression on his face, and said, "I will receive the order."

Then he left.

Li Xian was still asking Wu Zetian suspiciously: "My Queen, you didn't explain it clearly to Wang Hua."

Wu Zetian said: "If you live in a high temple, you will worry about the people; if you live in a far away world, you will worry about the king. If Wang Hua still needs to explain it clearly in the Ai family, you will have a solution. Don't expect him to have any ideas, go."

Li Xian didn't understand it a little, but had to get up and leave.

The next morning, Wang Huazhen put on the real fifth-rank official uniform and arrived on the Tianjin Bridge. It was not dawn at this time, and although June was over, it was still drizzling in the sky. The water level of the Luo River was still surging. Many places were flooded in the two small continents under the Tianjin Bridge, and some trees were soaked in the water. This made some ministers see it, and their eyes were filled with worry.

But I was surprised to see Wang Hua.

But Wang Hua looked indifferent, looking at the nose and nose, looking at the mouth, looking at the stranger, and it was hard to ask.

The eunuch promulgated the imperial edict and the ministers entered the court.

Li Xian said, "Floods are flooding and food prices are soaring. All my dear friends have come up with good plans now."

After hearing this, many ministers immediately lowered their heads. Some ministers continued to think about showing their merits, but the ideas they came up with were not an effective one, and were immediately refuted by other ministers. In just a while, the hall became cold.

Li Xian looked at Wang Hua and said, "Wang Qing."

Wang Hua held his teeth in his hand and walked out of the train and replied: "I'm here."

Li Xian said: "Now grain prices are rising wildly in various places, and the seventeen prefectures in northern and southern Henan have encountered heavy floods. There are as many as 100,000 households. Do you have any good plans?"

Wang Hua did not answer, and he looked at his official uniform. Li Xian was stunned. Did he want to take the opportunity to be an official? It was not that he would not give him an official position, but that he did not do it. Not only Li Xian, but also other ministers also had this idea.

king

"Please say," Li Xian said happily.

But Wang Hua did not say that, and first he said to Wei Anshi and Yang Zaisi: "As the Secretary of the Central Committee, you are the emperor's great politics. I ask the two noble ministers, how do you assist the emperor's great politics? I only see that if this continues, in less than two years, countless hungry people in the world will rise up."

Wei Anshi was the Minister of the Central Secretariat, and Yang Zaisi was the Chief Secretariat, who was in charge of military and national affairs and assisted the emperor.

Wang Hua asked two people speechlessly.

Wei Yuanzhong closed his eyes, and that would not work. Wang Hua had already walked up to him and looked at Wei Yuanzhong condescendingly. Unlike the Song Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty was sitting in the train. Wang Hua said: "Grandpa Wei, I heard that you have excellent political affairs in Lingnan, why did you return to the capital?"

Everyone was so stunned that Old Wei was full of great hopes in the world. Why did he stay in Lingnan for the rest of his life and become a county magistrate? It would not be consistent with Wei Yuanzhong.

Wang Hua also said: "It has been several months since the price of grain rises, and this has long been the signs of today. However, officials from all over the country either sit idly or look at it, or are ignorant, or officials are mutual. May I ask Mr. Wei, as a servant, you are a servant, a cashier of the emperor's orders and the general clerk's position, why do these officials ignore it?"

Wei Yuanzhong did not answer, and smiled bitterly in his heart. Perhaps according to Wang Hua's statement, at least 90% of the officials in the world were unqualified. Could it be that all of them were dismissed?

Wang Hua came to Dou Lu Qinwang again, his eyes were a little complicated. Speaking of which, he was Li Dan's person, Wang Hua should be even more sarcastic, but he is the elder of Princess Dou Lu, and Princess Dou Lu is Yu Zhen's adoptive mother. Wang Hua felt very guilty about Xiao Yu Zhen.

But he still said: "Du Lu, in his position, he must do his own politics. If he keeps his strength, he must resign like me, regardless of his position."

He said directly that he kept a low profile, and he was indeed an "enteem gentleman" that made everyone laugh and cry. But there was a reason for Wang Hua's words. Doulu Qinwang believed that he was a specialty for Pushe and did not dare to make political affairs. Since then, the chief commander of the Tang Dynasty's disciples and provinces has no longer been the true prime minister.

But Wang Hua bypassed Zuo Pushe Tang Xiu Mule, which made everyone laugh and cry. Old Tang and Wang Hua have a good relationship, which is well known. He is both "clearly distinguished between public and private".

Wang Hua came to Zong Chuke, the Minister of War. Zong Chuke was stunned. I was in charge of military affairs and had nothing to do with me. He heard Wang Hua say to him: "Shangshu Zong, if the price of grain continues like this, have you ever considered what kind of food to distribute to the soldiers stationed everywhere?"

Zong Chuke was speechless and could not speak.

Wang Hua criticized the top officials of the three provinces and six ministries and the Censorate together, and then stood in the center of the hall and said, "I would like to ask everyone, Your Majesty is not Yang Guang and Hu Hai. But why did this crisis occur? If this continues, you will soon turn Your Majesty into Yang Guang and Hu Hai."

Everyone thought Wang Hua was exaggerating, but he couldn't argue. If the food price continued like this, the people would not be able to survive in a few years. There would be wars everywhere, and even the country would be destroyed.

"Yesterday, the emperor asked me to court morning, and I knew what the emperor meant. However, I have to say some things that I have to say. If this morning court is not instructed by His Majesty and the emperor, I would not even want to go to court. Because all I saw was a dispute and internal struggle. Today I became a Yuanwailang, tomorrow I wanted to be a doctor, then a doctor, then a minister, then a minister, then a minister, then a prime minister, then a prince.

But I had no talent, so I attacked each other, conspired and flattered, and even arbitrarily abolished the lord as a minister, using this to gain personal glory and wealth." Lian Jinghui and others also attacked again.

Jinghun stood aside, his face gloomy and gloomy, but he tolerated it and did not refute it. Now, Wang Hua has an idea, after all, state affairs are preferred, if there is no idea, take a look later.

Li Xian couldn't sit on the dragon throne anymore. He didn't know what Wang Hua wanted to do? Could it be that he would have dismissed all the ministers in the court before he would have made an idea. Wang Hua's eyes turned to him, so he bowed quietly, with a begging expression.

Wang Hua almost laughed, but he couldn't say that Li Xian was stupid. The good man, now the court has stabilized, especially Zhang Shuzhi has left. He breathed a sigh of relief and didn't want much change.

Wang Hua said again: "It's not that I deliberately choose each slaughter, and when you think about how to flatter each other and seek your own rank, you should also think about your respective responsibilities."

Although Wang Hua planned to make a comeback with a high profile, he gave Li Xian a face. Speaking of this, he stopped talking and did not continue.

Looking at Li Xian, he said, "Since Your Majesty and the Emperor summoned His Majesty to the morning court, I must fulfill my responsibilities. I can transfer 2 million stones of grain into Luoyang by the end of the year, and use 30 cents per bucket to the warehouse. But there is a condition that these grains are transported from foreign countries in order not to affect the total grain output of our dynasty. Therefore, there must be no barrier speed on the road, or make things difficult for every means, or tariffs are imposed."

Now it is impossible for the grain price to fall back to more than twenty cents. The price Wang Hua said was very reasonable. In this regard, the ministers also believed that in addition to the Tang Dynasty, there were also countries such as Tianqian Linyi and Zhenla, and they also heard about the Wang family's sea boats, but they suspected that Wang Hua mobilized grain from foreign countries into the Tang Dynasty, and the price was only thirty cents. Is it enough to cost?

But this is the Wang family's business, so they don't have to worry. Anyway, the Wang family seems to make a lot of money a year, and Wang Hua also likes to pay for money. They have become accustomed to it.

But Wang Hua had the idea of ​​Wang Hua. He could raise more than one million bulls of grain by himself. Other grains could be transported from the Tang Dynasty to small countries such as Linyi and Shuitinla, which would save costs relatively. If you seek hundreds of thousands of stones of grain, it would not be a big problem. Even if the grain transported from the south was still a little profit to make. This was also calculated repeatedly with Elva Hsiao. Even without Wu Zetian's request this time, the arrangement continued. In order to cover up people's eyes, Elva Hsiao went to the south and had transferred half of the ships that had cooperated with Baolinzhai.

"Therefore, the grain in Hanjia Cang can be opened and sold to citizens at a price of 40 cents or 45 cents per bull, and some hoarded rice merchants."

"But how to distribute it?" Li Xian asked. My husband had long thought about this method, but it was not satisfactory.

A smile appeared on the corner of Wang Hua's mouth, and he remembered something that had been covered for a long time.

This confident smile made the ministers in the palace have various thoughts, some were ashamed and some were jealous, and some were hated.
Chapter completed!