Chapter 17: Taking over Jiangcheng, closing the granaries

Outside the Duke Prefecture.

A carriage and over a dozen Imperial Guards were waiting.

Seeing this, Gao Yang took Lv Luo and ducked into the carriage, but upon seeing the exquisite face of Shangguan Wan'er, he was filled with astonishment.

"Why is Lord Shangguan here?"

Shangguan Wan'er sat upright, her pretty face cold. "His Majesty has an edict, ordering me to accompany you to Jiangcheng."

Gao Yang pondered slightly and understood.

He sat down generously and nodded. "That makes sense. After all, it concerns the lives of a city's commoners; no mistakes can be tolerated."

Shangguan Wan'er was somewhat surprised, her beautiful eyes landing on Gao Yang.

She had not expected Gao Yang to realize so quickly the purpose behind Wu Zhao sending her along.

"Young Master Gao is indeed clever; no wonder His Majesty values you so much," Shangguan Wan'er said slowly.

"No wonder? Values me?"

"It seems I am not the only one undergoing His Majesty's assessment. If I am not mistaken, there is also the top scholar, Cui."

Once these words were spoken, Shangguan Wan'er's expression changed wildly.

She asked subconsciously, "How did you know?"

Seeing Shangguan Wan'er's reaction, Gao Yang understood everything.

He asked calmly, "How much authority do I have on this trip?"

Shangguan Wan'er replied in a deep voice, "As an Investigating Censor, acting on behalf of His Majesty to inspect the realm, you hold the power of life and death. Regarding everything in Jiangcheng, from the County Magistrate down to the commoners, Young Master Gao may command it all!"

"Including you?"

Shangguan Wan'er hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Judging by the imperial decree, unless Gao Yang went too far, she would also have to follow his commands.

"Lord Shangguan, look at my legs," Gao Yang suddenly said.

As soon as these words were spoken, Shangguan Wan'er's expression changed wildly; the temperature inside the carriage dropped by eight degrees instantly.

"Young Master Gao, isn't that remark a bit too presumptuous?"

Gao Yang rubbed his nose. It was confirmed.

This Shangguan Wan'er held the imperial sword from Wu Zhao, but as long as he was in Jiangcheng, he was the boss.

This matter was easy to handle.

A group of grain merchants profiting from a national disaster, wantonly driving up grain prices.

A cold glint appeared in his eyes.

Feeling the atmosphere in the carriage, Lv Luo's pretty face turned pale, and she carefully shifted her two straight, slender legs toward Gao Yang.

"Young Master, would you like to make do with looking at this servant's legs for now?"

The few of them remained silent.

The carriage soon drove out of Changancheng. After Gao Yang took a few more looks at Lv Luo's beautiful legs, he lifted the carriage curtain and gazed at the majestic Changancheng standing in the distance.

"..."

Two days later.

Jiangcheng.

Jiangcheng County Magistrate Du Jiang stood at the entrance of the County Yamen with a group of officials.

"How much longer until the imperial censor arrives?" Du Jiang asked in a deep voice.

Beside him, the Private Secretary, sporting a thin mustache, looked into the distance and said, "Magistrate Du, do not be anxious. The Censor should be arriving momentarily."

"Grain prices are skyrocketing. The four major grain merchants—Qian, Zhao, Han, and Lin—are each more cunning than the last, all feigning compliance while acting in opposition. Grain prices have already risen from forty wen per dou to one hundred wen per dou, a full sixty wen increase. The commoners can no longer afford it; how can I, the Magistrate, not be anxious!"

When Du Jiang spoke of these things, he could not hide the exhaustion in his eyes.

These past few days, he had exhausted every means, but even after opening the granaries to distribute grain, the prices continued to rise uncontrollably!

He was nearly in despair.

Merchants are driven solely by profit. Encountering the continuous torrential rains and disasters in Jiangcheng, how could they not ruthlessly profit from the national crisis?

Now, he could only pin his hopes on the Censor sent by the imperial court.

Otherwise, the hundreds of thousands of commoners in Jiangcheng would likely starve to death everywhere!

"Magistrate Du, people are coming from the distance."

Suddenly, the Private Secretary's voice rang out.

Du Jiang looked up and saw, at the end of the road not far away, a carriage slowly approaching amidst dozens of soldiers clad in armor and riding warhorses.

When the carriage came to a steady stop, Gao Yang lifted the curtain, stepped down, and took a deep breath of fresh air.

"Finally here!"

Gao Yang sized up Du Jiang, seeing a man in his forties wearing a blue robe, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins—clearly, he had been extremely busy these past few days.

Beside him, Shangguan Wan'er held the imperial edict and said coldly, "Magistrate Du, this is the Investigating Censor specially appointed by the Empress, specifically responsible for the great disaster in Jiangcheng. From this moment on, all affairs in Jiangcheng, large and small, shall be controlled by Young Master Gao!"

Du Jiang took the imperial edict, and after confirming its authenticity, his expression was one of shock.

Gao Yang was so young, yet he was responsible for the lives of hundreds of thousands of Jiangcheng commoners; wasn't this a joke?

But with the imperial edict in hand, even if Du Jiang felt dissatisfied, he could only endure it.

"Your subordinate, Jiangcheng County Magistrate Du Jiang, pays respects to Young Master Gao."

Du Jiang bowed respectfully, unable to hide the exhaustion on his face.

"Magistrate Du, no need for such formalities."

Gao Yang waved his hand with a smile, then went straight to the point. "I was delayed for two days on the road. Going and coming, what is the current situation in Jiangcheng?"

Du Jiang felt slightly more at ease; Gao Yang had just arrived in Jiangcheng, and at the very least, his attitude was decent.

"Young Master Gao, please come inside." Du Jiang reached out to invite Gao Yang into the County Yamen.

As he walked, he said, "These past few days, the torrential rain has just stopped. Jiangcheng is close to the river and prone to heavy rain. After being hit by this downpour, the commoners' grain harvest this year has failed."

"Within Jiangcheng, major grain merchants have seized the opportunity to hoard grain crazily, causing grain prices to soar from forty wen per dou to one hundred wen per dou in just ten days. If it weren't for my order to open the granaries to distribute grain, the prices would have soared even higher."

"Additionally, the heavy rain caused some farmland outside the city to be washed away, leaving commoners homeless. A large number of refugees have entered Jiangcheng, and they are in urgent need of resettlement, otherwise, riots may break out..."

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Wan'er frowned tightly, and she could not help but look at Gao Yang.

Everything in Jiangcheng was far more severe than what was in the memorials. Right now, not only did they need to quickly lower grain prices in the capital, but they also had to resettle the disaster victims; this was undeniably difficult!

"Young Master Gao, how should this situation be resolved?" Du Jiang asked aloud.

Gao Yang remained expressionless, listening quietly until he heard Du Jiang's voice, at which point he curled his lips into a smile and said, "This situation is not difficult to resolve."

Once these words were spoken.

Not only did Shangguan Wan'er look at Gao Yang in shock, but Du Jiang beside him was also amazed, as if seeing a celestial being.

"I implore Censor Gao to kindly instruct us. Your subordinate thanks Young Master Gao on behalf of the one hundred thousand commoners of Jiangcheng."

Du Jiang bent his waist and bowed respectfully.

This was enough to show that Du Jiang was a parent-official who cared wholeheartedly for the people!

Gao Yang looked at the gaunt refugees outside the County Yamen and said leisurely, "First, close the Jiangcheng granaries."

Once these words were spoken.

Shangguan Wan'er looked stunned.

Du Jiang's face was full of bewilderment, and then, filled with indignation, he said, "Is Young Master Gao intentionally teasing your subordinate?"

"Right now, even with the granaries open to distribute grain, it is difficult to curb the grain prices in Jiangcheng, let alone closing the granaries. Your subordinate fears that once the County Yamen issues the order, the grain prices in the city will instantly break through one hundred wen per dou!"

"With such sky-high grain prices, how could the commoners possibly afford to buy it?"

Du Jiang felt that the Gao Yang before him must be crazy; what kind of terrible idea was this?

Shangguan Wan'er also looked puzzled, but she did not say a word.

Wu Zhao had instructed that all affairs in Jiangcheng, large and small, were to be left to Gao Yang; unless absolutely necessary, she was not to interfere.

Gao Yang's expression was calm as he said faintly, "Da Qian has had either droughts or continuous overcast rain for the past few years. Our Da Qian's grain harvest is not abundant."

"How much reserve grain is left in the Jiangcheng granaries? Is it enough for the one hundred thousand commoners of Jiangcheng to eat for five days?"

Once these words were spoken, Du Jiang was instantly stunned.

"No... it is not enough, but once the granaries are closed, the grain prices in Jiangcheng will surely soar again. Wouldn't the commoners be even less able to afford grain?"

"Your subordinate finds it difficult to agree with Young Master Gao's words."

Gao Yang looked straight at Du Jiang. "Even if we continue to open the granaries to distribute grain, at a price of one hundred wen per dou, how many commoners does Magistrate Du think can afford it?"

Du Jiang's expression changed wildly. ===== CHAPTER 19 =====