Chapter 37

"His Majesty has not forgotten us. Long live His Majesty!"

"Long live His Majesty!"

"..."

Lin Prefecture.

"What?"

"His Majesty used one hundred thousand carts of grain to go to Guangyang Prefecture for disaster relief, and all the commoners in the city witnessed the first batch of 'grain' being sent into the granary?"

Lin Lao was shocked and couldn't help but curse.

"These idiots, this is not grain at all; it must be filled with dirt or sand inside!"

"Trying to deceive me with this little trick is simply naive. Sweep it up with all your might. When the grain in the granary is gone, I'll see how he ends this. The grain merchants in the city aren't fools; they won't believe it!"

Lin Lao's expression was sinister, acting like a madman, no longer having his previous composure.

The three great grain merchants also regretted not dumping their stock earlier to make a big profit; on the contrary, they were now in a difficult position!

But since things had come to this, they could only grit their teeth.

"We will definitely do our utmost and advance and retreat together!"

Inside the County Yamen.

"Report!"

"There are still people buying grain in large quantities in batches!"

Gao Yang sat on a soft chair and sipped some tea.

He said indifferently, "If they want it, then keep selling, sell it all!"

Du Jiang gritted his teeth, "Do as the Imperial Censor says."

Private Secretary Bai immediately went down quickly.

Gao Yang stood up straight, stretched, and said to Du Jiang, "Official Du, accompany this official to change into casual clothes, and let's go out for a stroll together!"

"The real good show is about to begin!"

Du Jiang and Shangguan Wan'er were shocked, "Is the grain price about to plummet?"

Gao Yang nodded indifferently, "The stampede has begun!"

"The great trend is crushing down. In the face of such a trend, the Four Great Granaries are nothing more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot!"

At the same time.

All the major grain merchants in Linjiang City were plunged into panic, and the shopkeepers and clerks of the major rice shops were all walking anxiously inside their shops.

Especially some outside grain merchants, who felt that the sky had collapsed!

They had acquired grain from other places and traveled day and night to Linjiang City, just wanting to make a profit.

But now, the plan had completely failed.

Linjiang City opened the granaries to release grain, selling it at the price of one hundred and five wen per dou, and also blockaded Linjiang City, not allowing a single grain to leave the city.

This was a huge blow to them.

"The Imperial Censor is taking our lives!"

A grain merchant who had gone bankrupt trying to take the opportunity to get rich wailed.

They had incurred huge costs, and the transportation costs and losses were a significant number every day. Every day they stayed in Linjiang City was all cost.

If the grain price in Linjiang City really dropped and they couldn't sell the grain, returning dozens of miles was also a cost.

That was a net loss!

Center of Linjiang City!

A grain merchant wearing fine clothes with a somewhat pale and chubby face had a twisted expression and a ruthless look.

"The purchase price of seventy wen, plus the costs on the road, brings the cost price to a full eighty wen per dou. Selling one dou now can still earn twenty-five wen; if I'm any slower, I'll be bankrupt!"

"Sell!"

"Dump it all at a price lower than one hundred and five wen!"

Following the pale, chubby grain merchant's sale on the street, the commoners all gathered around.

For them, the yamen granary already had a line hundreds of meters long, and they didn't know when it would be their turn.

If the price was the same, or even cheaper, why not do it?

Following the first grain merchant's entry, the other grain merchants in Linjiang City couldn't sit still either.

"The damn bastard doesn't play by the rules. He sells, so I sell. My cost price is even lower. In case the Imperial Censor really blockades the city for ten days or half a month and doesn't let grain leave, I'll suffer a huge loss. I can still make a profit at ninety-three wen. Low-price clearance sale!"

"Ninety-three wen per dou!"

For the common people, they bought from whichever side was cheaper, and the grain merchants were afraid of a grain price plunge, especially these outside grain merchants, who dumped their stock even more frantically!

In an instant, the entire Linjiang City was boiling.

Even the commoners at the yamen granary heard there was cheaper grain and flocked there.

Du Jiang was stunned, "My lord, how was this done?"

Du Jiang was convinced.

He was truly convinced.

Everything was going according to Gao Yang's methods.

A large batch of grain at less than one hundred and five wen per dou—this was not afraid of the Four Great Grain Merchants of Linjiang City sniping at all!

The yamen could completely enter the market to buy and replenish the granary.

The Four Great Grain Merchants—Qian, Zhao, Han, and Lin—bought all high-priced grain!

Shangguan Wan'er's expression was complex.

She looked at Gao Yang, who was in control of the situation, and felt shocked inside.

At this moment, she suddenly understood the Empress's esteem for Gao Yang; he was truly extraordinary!

Gao Yang smiled indifferently, "These outside grain merchants are suspicious and fearful; once there is any disturbance, they will definitely sell one after another!"

"This is human nature!"

"Everyone is afraid of selling too slowly, everyone is afraid of bankruptcy, and dumping it all together will cause the grain price to plummet rapidly!"

Du Jiang said with admiration, "In less than a quarter of an hour, the grain price in Linjiang City plummeted by more than one hundred and twenty wen, reaching as low as ninety-three wen per dou. My lord's methods are breathtaking!"

Gao Yang looked at the scene of commoners scrambling for grain before him and said disdainfully, "Ninety-three wen per dou?"

"Official Du underestimates the stampede effect. These outside grain merchants are just firing the first shot of price reduction!"

"The real plunge hasn't even started yet!"

Gao Yang looked toward the location of the Lin Prefecture, his face full of implication.

Du Jiang's body shook, and he said in surprise, "My lord, are you saying the big grain merchants of Linjiang City haven't dumped their stock yet? But this is absolutely impossible. The Four Great Grain Merchants—Qian, Zhao, Han, and Lin—have always been in communication and are as solid as a rock; they cannot dump their stock!"

"But in the current situation, my lord's methods are already enough to give an account to Chang'an. This subordinate will definitely report to the Empress and request merit for you!"

Gao Yang gave a disdainful smile.

The Dingguo Duke Prefecture is beset by crises; to open up the situation, he must gain the Empress's trust!

Cui Xinghe has already pressed the grain price in Qingshui City to eighty-two wen per dou; how could his goal be ninety-three wen per dou?

He even bore the infamy for seven days!

"Solid as a rock?" Gao Yang suddenly looked at Du Jiang and sneered, "Official Du, you think too highly of these four great families. Remember one sentence: this sentence is not only applicable in this Da Qian world, but even after a hundred or a thousand years, it is still applicable!"

Du Jiang was startled and instinctively looked at Gao Yang.

He saw Gao Yang say word by word,

"It is easy to live together, but difficult to die together; it is easy to share wealth, but difficult to share adversity. In this world, there are no friends under the influence of profit. The plunge in Linjiang City's grain price, from the moment the outside grain merchants entered the city and this official opened the granaries to release grain, no one can stop it!"