Chapter 296: Response

Two days later, the market-closure action organized by Liu Xingwen, Xu Qiming, and others officially unfolded in several major prefectures including Yangzhou.

In the Jiangnan region, where handicraft industry was already highly developed, since large amounts of farmland had been converted to mulberry and hemp cultivation, most of the rice and flour in major prefectures like Suzhou was shipped in from Huguang and other places, then distributed through the dozen or so grain shops of various sizes scattered throughout the cities.

It was precisely because the daily grain supply was so abundant, and there had never been any worry of shortages, that residents of these large cities had no habit of storing grain — they would buy only enough to feed their families for a few days at a time, and when it ran out, they would simply go to the grain shop again.

By the first day after the market closure began, residents of the several prefectural cities suddenly discovered that the grain, oil, salt, and various sundry goods shops in the city were almost all tightly shuttered, and not even a single notice explaining why they had closed was pasted on the door panels.

In Yangzhou Prefectural City, just as many residents carrying baskets and sacks to buy these daily necessities were feeling bewildered, a sensational rumor quietly spread through the crowds: the court was short of money and planned to levy taxes on the prosperous people of Jiangnan — whether craftsman or merchant, everyone would have to pay a poll tax of varying amounts; if they refused to pay, the court would not allow grain from other regions to be shipped into Jiangnan, using food shortages to force the Jiangnan people into submission.

"What? How can the court act this way? Since when is there any precedent for taxing commoners?"

"Is this news true or false?"

"Since there's a rumor, it must not be false! There are treacherous ministers at court!"

"We common folk work hard to earn a few coins to feed our families — why should we be taxed? There's no justice in this!"

"Emperor Shenzong taxed us before, didn't he? What's so strange about this? At worst, we'll gather together and resist the tax again!"

"If the sky falls, there are tall men to hold it up. What do we common folk have to worry about? Better to hurry up and find a way to buy some rice and flour to take home — who knows when prices might go up!"

"Old Ding is right! Let's worry about what's right in front of us first!"

"But the grain and oil shops are all closed everywhere — where are we supposed to buy?"

Just as everyone was discussing and at a loss, someone shouted loudly: "The Four Seas Trading Company shops haven't closed! Everyone can go there to buy!"

The moment the shout died down, the ever-growing crowd surged in a rush toward the doors of the Four Seas Trading Company.

In the rear courtyard of one of the Four Seas Trading Company's grain shops, Han Dequan, who oversaw the Yangzhou branch, was directing the shop's laborers to unload grain. A long line of black-canopied boats sat on the waterway outside the rear gate, each laden with sacks upon sacks of rice — this was grain that the Four Seas Trading Company's Huguang branch had purchased locally and shipped over.

"Xiao Si! Watch your feet! What are you gawking around for while hauling a sack!"

"Ma Liu! You can't carry that alone! Get someone to help you lift it! You eat more than anyone on ordinary days, yet when it counts, you've got the least strength!"

"Everyone, put in more effort! After this is over, anyone who stood with the company through this difficulty will be rewarded!"

Ever since receiving the relevant notice from the head office, every manager of the company's shops within the market-closure area had begun stockpiling essential supplies against emergencies. After Li Ruolian arrived in Yangzhou, he had also dispatched a small squad of Embroidered Uniform Guard officers to each company shop, to handle any sudden situations that might arise and to protect the company's safety.

"Manager Han! You're not young anymore! Sit down and rest a while! I've been watching you shout yourself hoarse — you've got these laborers walking all cross-stepped! Hahahaha!"

Li Fengchun, an Embroidered Uniform Guard Squad Leader sitting on a stool, said with a laugh.

"You flatter me, General Li! This old man's heart feels a bit tight — I just can't feel at ease! Shouting a few times has made me feel much better! Seeing more and more people gathering outside the grain shop, I keep fearing some disaster might strike!"

Hearing Li Fengchun's jest, Han Dequan turned around with a slightly embarrassed bitter smile and said.

"I say, Manager Han, this Four Seas Trading Company and my Imperial Guard both belong to His Majesty — so you and I aren't outsiders. But you've been out in the world of commerce, so perhaps you don't know the might of my Imperial Guard! Let me put it this way: within the borders of the Great Ming, aside from His Majesty's own household, my Imperial Guard fears no one! Whether they be grand secretaries of the Grand Secretariat, local tyrants, or great generals of the army — in the eyes of my Imperial Guard, they are all nothing but chickens and dogs! Let alone this little Yangzhou Prefecture! If some blind fool dares to stroke the tiger's whiskers, my Imperial Guard will make sure he comes but never leaves! Set your mind at ease! I'm only afraid no one will dare come!"

Li Fengchun spoke casually to comfort Han Dequan, his tone brimming with pride, while Han Dequan wore an expression of half-belief, half-doubt.

Han Dequan, now past fifty, had originally been a manager under Fan Yongdou's trading company as well; after being assessed, he had been selected and sent to Yangzhou Prefecture, and over the past two years, with his rich experience in commerce, he had shifted funds this way and that, bringing considerable profit to the head office.

Back when he was at the Fan family company, he had frequently dealt with mid- and low-ranking officials in the yamen, and thus knew well how formidable the government masters could be. He had originally thought that people in officialdom were the very sky of the Great Ming — who would have thought that today a mere minor officer of the Embroidered Uniform Guard would speak such audacious words, with an attitude that showed no regard for any official under heaven? This could not help but make him doubt.

"Manager, two merchants have come outside the shop saying they wish to see you. They claim they want to buy up all the grain in our shop at a high price. How should this be handled?"

Li Fengchun, seeing Han Dequan's skeptical expression, was just about to continue showing off when the shop's accountant Huang Yuan hurried over from the front courtyard.

"Tell those men that this old man is unwell and not fit to receive guests! This shop's grain still has other uses — please ask them to see themselves out!"

Han Dequan, who had long anticipated this, waved his hand at Huang Yuan.

Huang Yuan acknowledged and turned to leave. Li Fengchun turned his head and gave a signal with his eyes — two officers in plain clothes followed silently after him.

"Other uses? Isn't grain meant for people to eat? What other use could it have? Isn't your grain shop in business to make money? What's the reasoning behind turning down a huge profit?"

In the grain shop's reception room, a thin man dressed in a sapphire-blue silk robe demanded of Huang Yuan.

"Honored sir, since our shop's manager has given the word, I can only obey. Please, both of you, take your leave — I wouldn't want to delay your business, sirs!"

Huang Yuan replied with a smile. The thin man exchanged a glance with the other, then both rose and strode out of the reception room with heads held high, pushing through the crowd of people squeezed at the shop entrance waiting to buy grain, and headed off to one side.

After they had walked several dozen paces, the two plain-clothes officers waiting outside the shop door quietly followed.

In the study at the rear courtyard of Xu Qiming's residence in the eastern district of Yangzhou, Liu Xingwen and Xu Qiming sat facing each other, while the thin man in the sapphire-blue robe stood at the doorway and briefly recounted what had happened.

"Alright, you may go. Pass the word down — no one is to approach this courtyard!"

Xu Qiming said in a low voice.

"Yes, master! This humble one takes his leave!"

After the man bowed and withdrew from the room, gently closing the door behind him, Xu Qiming spoke: "Lord Liu, could someone have leaked information? Though this Four Seas Trading Company has connections to the palace, it exists to earn money for the palace — why would it turn away piles of silver and do something so strange instead? Could it be plotting something?"

"The Four Seas Trading Company only has two grain shops in Yangzhou — how much grain can they stockpile? Even if they sensed something and released all their stockpiled grain, could it feed the tens of thousands of people in this city? Today's attempt to buy up their grain was entirely superfluous! When a few days pass and the Four Seas grain shops have no rice left to sell, that's when chaos will erupt in the city! Just wait!"

Liu Xingwen picked up his teacup, took a sip, and replied.

"I just fear that the longer we wait, the more complications arise! I estimate that more grain will keep arriving at the Four Seas grain shops. With those two shops open and selling grain every day, those petty commoners will feel secure! I think we should hasten the chaos in the city! Once civil unrest breaks out, officials will have a pretext to submit memorials to the court. This matter is of great importance — best not to delay!"

Xu Qiming said.

"What you say has merit! But as long as there's grain, civil unrest will be hard to stir. These petty commoners only see what's immediately in front of them — if nothing threatens their own interests, it won't be easy to incite them to riot with mere words!"

"In my view, we might as well go all the way — tonight, let the grain stockpiled at the Four Seas grain shops be reduced to nothing! Once they learn there's no grain to buy, and with rumors spreading on all sides, the petty commoners in the city will have no choice but to riot!"

Xu Qiming suddenly rose to his feet, speaking in a firm tone.