Chapter 1069: Even Common Folk May Discuss Affairs of State

Inside Kaifeng city, commerce flourished and trade was developed. As for the various establishments, shops, and stalls, they numbered in the thousands, densely packed throughout the streets and markets, together creating Kaifeng's commercial atmosphere. He did not deliberately seek out any tall buildings or expensive locations—first, there was no need, and second, he could not afford it. While in Jinling, the Han family had already been hard-pressed financially, and moreover, arriving in Kaifeng, supporting that large household was no easy matter. This was also one of the practical reasons Han Xizai wanted to settle on a position as quickly as possible.

In fact, if he delayed any longer, Han Xizai estimated he would have to swallow his pride and take whatever position was available just to get by. As for aspirations and reserve—when faced with the pressure of survival, those became secondary concerns.

On a gently fluttering banner were written four large characters: "Taihe Teahouse." The calligraphy was neat, yet hardly worthy of Han Xizai's notice. Though called a teahouse, it was more like a storytelling house. In recent years, the "storytelling" industry had boomed within Kaifeng city, and many such establishments had sprung up in the bustling districts, using tales as their medium to attract customers.

This had spread from the government down to the common people. Originally, it was the court's Pacification Commission that, from military and civil affairs down to the populace, in order to maintain rule and guide public sentiment, promoted loyalty to the sovereign and love of the state, recounted the deeds of various heroes, and praised the loyal and righteous figures of successive dynasties...

But hearing too much of it grew tiresome, and so later more content was added—such as propaganda and explanations of major court policies, and reports on the war situation at the front lines. The people were never lacking in clever minds. This form of storytelling gained widespread acceptance, and as the content gradually enriched and shifted toward tales of the strange and marvelous, its appeal to scholars and commoners alike grew even greater. "Storyteller" became a fashionable profession, private storytelling houses sprang up, and listening to tales became yet another form of entertainment for the scholars and commoners of the Eastern Capital.

At the main entrance stood two burly-looking guards, there to prevent those who would sneak in to listen without paying, and also to collect the entrance fee. That's right—patronizing such an establishment required an entrance fee. The two of them, Han Xizai and his companion, paid ten Qianyou circulating coins. It was truly not cheap.

One could sense the atmosphere inside even from outside; upon entering, it felt even more lively and bustling. There were fifty or sixty people—quite a crowd. Not counting the storyteller's voice, it was not particularly noisy; what was heated was the atmosphere. The air was filled with the fragrance of tea, the smell of wine, and above all, the sound of human voices. The waiters inside were sharp-eyed and perceptive. Seeing that Han Xizai, though old, was neatly dressed and carried an air of distinction, they greeted him with eager attentiveness.

He followed them up to the second floor and chose a spot with an open view, directly facing the platform, with the street outside visible through the window. Additionally, going upstairs cost extra... He ordered a plate of dried pears and jujube rings, along with a pot of peach blossom honey, and Han Xizai's attention was drawn by the scene below.

In truth, Han Xizai was somewhat surprised by this form of entertainment known as "storytelling," and at the same time keenly sensed its role in guiding public opinion. If a person of seditious intent were to use it to delude the masses... Of course, anyone truly harboring such sinister designs would hardly dare do so in such a venue.

The storyteller on the platform looked not very old—around thirty years of age—and was clearly a man of learning. In fact, this profession was not something just any scholar could take up. Without eloquence, without the courage to speak freely under the gaze of many, one would likely be hooted off the stage.

Han Xizai felt that this storyteller before him could serve without any problem as a minor clerk in the government offices. Of course, this was merely Han Xizai's subconscious thought; what he was more concerned about was the topic he was discussing at the moment.

He was not telling a story, but rather discussing the matter that had been most talked about in Kaifeng recently. Ever since Emperor Liu issued the edict for civil and military officials both inside and outside the court to jointly deliberate on policies for governing the state, the civil and military officials in the capital had naturally been engaged in heated discussion and actively offering proposals. But the influence was clearly not limited to that—not only were court officials discussing it, but scholars and commoners among the people were also debating it.

And what this storyteller was talking about now were some results of the court's deliberations that had leaked out. Of course, he stated in advance: reporting hearsay, merely as conversation material, do not take it seriously. But despite saying this, it still aroused everyone's curiosity. Those present were a mixed lot, coming from all walks of life, of various identities and social classes.

"It is said that the court intends to abolish the fixed grain price and allow it to return to normal market prices, so that grain merchants across the realm will actively transport grain into the capital, to alleviate the Eastern Capital's annual grain shortage!" After taking a sip of tea, the storyteller dropped a bombshell.

No sooner were these words spoken than discussion immediately arose. A man sensitive to such matters promptly pointed out: "If the court doesn't control it, won't grain prices in the Eastern Capital rise again?"

In recent years, as Kaifeng's population grew, the pressure on grain supplies had also risen day by day. By the fifteenth year of Qianyou, according to the latest weights and measures, with a population of over a million inside and out, the direct annual consumption of grain was around 3.2 million shi. To ensure grain security, plus the salaries and benefits distributed by the court, at least 5 million shi needed to be imported. If the state's official granary reserves were to be maintained, even more would be required.

However, perhaps because the memory of the Eastern Capital's grain price of a hundred coins per dou in earlier years was too deeply ingrained, both Emperor Liu and the court had always attached great importance to it. After all, food is the first necessity of the people; to feed a population of over a million, the grain problem was absolutely the foremost concern. Therefore, over the years, grain prices had been strictly controlled. Each year, based on grain imports and reserve conditions, the grain price was set, and the specific price could fluctuate 1–2 wen above or below the official price according to market conditions.

In the process of unification, grain was also one of the strategic materials, with enormous consumption, which further intensified Kaifeng's grain pressure. However, due to policy issues, the enthusiasm of grain merchants had been severely dampened. In many cases, it was the government that took the lead, purchasing and raising grain from outside the capital and transporting it in.

Now, at last, it was Wang Qiwu who raised this issue before Emperor Liu. If things continued like this in the long term, with the court's executive capacity, it could still be maintained for quite some time. But for the court, it was not the optimal solution—rather, it would increase the burden.

Rather than that, it would be better to mobilize the enthusiasm of the merchants, letting them see that there was profit to be made, and they would naturally transport grain into the capital on their own initiative. Meanwhile, the court only needed to crack down on wrongdoing, supervise and maintain market order, and severely punish those who hoarded goods to profiteer. Moreover, with free grain prices, the court's official granary reserves could intervene in grain prices at any time. Emperor Liu had already agreed to this.

Of course, if such a policy were formally promulgated, the grain price in the Eastern Capital would inevitably undergo a period of turbulence—a rise was certain. For the common people of the Eastern Capital, that would hardly be something they welcomed, which was also why someone raised doubts on the spot.

But there were still some people of insight who immediately said: "If grain prices are too low, grain merchants naturally won't be willing to transport grain thousands of li into the capital, as there would be no profit. If this decree is promulgated and grain prices in the Eastern Capital rise, grain merchants from all regions will certainly import in large quantities—especially since the court has already pacified Jiangzhe, which is a land of fish and rice, abundant in rice production. Once the Eastern Capital has plenty of grain, prices will naturally fall. Moreover, the court surely will not allow grain prices in the capital to become too high—otherwise, what would the million scholars and commoners do?"

Clearly, masters are found among the common folk. With this man's explanation, everyone inexplicably felt much more at ease. Of course, the truly clever ones were already pondering whether to get into the grain business. For instance, a middle-aged man dressed as a merchant had a quick mind—if this were truly the case, then for at least one to two years, transporting grain to the capital would be highly profitable...

Things that could generate interaction were the most attractive, and clearly this storyteller surnamed Zhou was well-versed in this art. Seeing the crowd's reaction, a hint of a smile hung at the corner of his mouth as he summarized: "If the court issues this decree, I fear the capital's residents will rush to buy and stockpile grain. Grain prices will rise. Any patrons in the grain business should seize the opportunity for profit!"

Pausing for a moment, the man continued: "There is another rumor—the court plans, within one year, to recall all old coins and miscellaneous coins of every kind except the Qianyou circulating coins, and to set an exchange ratio. After one year, all old coins and miscellaneous coins will become worthless and can no longer be used in the marketplace..."

In the past, the court had also gradually carried out the replacement of old coins with new ones, achieving no small success in the Central Plains and the north. This time, however, it was mainly aimed at the newly pacified south, and was to be enforced mandatorily.

This piece of news likewise provoked a reaction, and immediately someone said: "If that's the case, I'd better exchange my old coins for new ones as soon as possible!"

"I wonder what the exact exchange method will be."

"The ones who should be worried are the people of Jiangzhe and Lingnan!" There were likewise clever people.

"Exactly. In my view, the ones most in need of exchanging are the southerners—the miscellaneous coins, iron coins, and lead coins they use won't work well in our Central Plains..."

"There's one more rumor, and those of you in business should pay attention. It is said that quite a few officials have suggested to the Son of Heaven that commercial taxes should continue to be increased..."

As these words fell, another round of heated discussion broke out. For a moment, this Taihe Teahouse seemed to have become a political forum, with people exposing inside information and debating all sorts of current political hot topics.