Chapter 69

The officials retreated from court.

Inside the capital.

The news spread instantly.

In fact, the entire capital of Daxia was waiting for this news.

Gu Jinnian's violation of law and disorder, the indiscriminate killing, and the resulting hardship in Jiangning Prefecture, such a grave offense would result in the extermination of nine generations for anyone.

The officials had been suppressing their feelings for four days.

Everyone was eagerly awaiting whether the emperor would punish Gu Jinnian today.

Some believed that since Gu Jinnian was the grandson of the Marquis of the State, he might receive a minor punishment and then the matter would be dropped.

Others believed that the Gu family was powerful, and the imperial authority was wary. Given the current situation, a severe crackdown was inevitable to teach the Gu family a lesson.

The Marquis of the State personally attended court, and his presence on the way caused much controversy among the people.

Now everyone was waiting for the court session to end and to get a clear understanding of the situation.

In Plum Alley.

This was a famous alley in the capital, with large and small alleys connected in a series. Due to its vast area, it was a gathering place for performers, vendors, children, and the elderly.

Some people were discussing Gu Jinnian's affairs.

But at that moment.

A figure quickly approached, drenched in sweat.

"The result is out, the result is out."

"It's all a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding."

The person was a servant from an official's household, who had some status among the common people.

The court session had ended an hour ago, and the news had already spread among the nobility. The servants and maids had heard about it.

After learning the result of the court session, the news quickly spread to the common people.

"The flood in Jiangning Prefecture has been controlled. It was Gu Jinnian's strategy. Now the price of rice in Jiangning Prefecture has dropped to four taels per dan. The court has bought all the rice from the merchants and opened the granaries to distribute it."

The person took deep breaths, gasping for air, and informed the people of the news.

This statement immediately caused a huge stir.

"What's this?"

"The price of rice in Jiangning Prefecture has returned to normal?"

"What? Yesterday it was said that the price of rice had risen to several thousand taels per dan. How did it stabilize today?"

"This is impossible. The price of rice in our capital is five taels and three cash per dan. You say it's four taels in Jiangning Prefecture? Is that true?"

In an instant, the people were dumbfounded; they were still waiting for the result.

They didn't expect to hear this news.

"There's no mistake. This is the result of the court session. All the officials were stunned."

"It was Gu Jinnian's strategy, and the emperor deliberately kept it secret to prevent any treacherous ministers from colluding with the merchants."

"Moreover, the scholars who caused the disturbance have already confessed to being bribed to create trouble for Gu Jinnian, and even to plot to harm him."

The person explained, emphasizing that this was firsthand information, and he was eager to show off his well-informed status.

"What kind of strategy can make the rice merchants in Jiangning Prefecture lower their prices? It sounds like a fairy tale."

"Yes, where is such a strategy? I believe it if you say it dropped to several dozen taels per dan, but four taels per dan? I won't believe it even if I die."

"The price of rice in a famine-stricken area is cheaper than in our capital? Isn't that a lie?"

"Is that right? Do those rice merchants have such good hearts? If they had such good hearts, why didn't they do it earlier?"

The people didn't believe it at all.

"Don't disbelieve it. I didn't believe it at first either, but then I heard it from the steward of the household."

"This young lord is truly brilliant. Do you know how he did it?"

"He first had the governor of Jiangning Prefecture secretly cooperate with the merchants, allowing them to raise prices."

"Then he secretly sent people to drive up the price of rice in Jiangning Prefecture, and then he bought it himself. The price rose from 120 taels to 200, 300, 400, and even up to 600 taels per dan."

"At this point, I ask you, if you were within a hundred miles of Jiangning Prefecture, what would you do?"

The man's face turned red, facing the people's skepticism. He was determined to convince them.

As he asked the question.

The people almost immediately responded.

"Of course, we would sell rice."

"600 taels per dan? I would sell it for 300 taels per dan."

"Selling one dan would make me rich."

"Yes, not to mention a hundred miles. Even if it were three hundred miles, I would rent a few carts, find some strong young men, and do a quick deal. Selling ten dan of rice would secure my life."

The people answered instinctively, which was a normal thought.

"Right."

"The young lord wanted this effect. All the people in the eighteen prefectures around Jiangning Prefecture brought out their stored rice, and even some farmers harvested their wheat early and sent it to Jiangning Prefecture."

"After they arrived in Jiangning Prefecture, do you know what happened?"

The man was extremely excited, and he had the people's attention.

"What happened?"

"Tell us, don't dilly-dally."

The people asked, eager for an answer.

"The young lord immediately sent thirteen dragon boats to Jiangning Prefecture, all loaded with rice, and had the government open the granaries."

"In reality, the granaries and the transported rice could only last for less than half a month."

"But these people from other places didn't know. They only knew that the rice had arrived, and the suffering people no longer had to spend money to buy rice."

"These people from other places were in a panic. They wasted a day, and all the labor costs, accommodation, and even the risk of refugees looting the rice, made them anxious."

"So, in desperation, they drastically lowered the price. Someone led the way, and everyone followed. The price dropped from hundreds of taels to dozens of taels, but the refugees didn't buy it."

"Finally, when the price dropped to seven or eight taels per dan, some people started buying, but not many. They couldn't afford to wait, and the price eventually dropped to four taels per dan."

The man spoke with great enthusiasm, as if he were there.

"Do you know how many people from other places there were? It's said that there were over four hundred small roads in Jiangning Prefecture, all filled with people transporting rice, hoping to make a fortune."

"As a result, the rice merchants in Jiangning Prefecture suffered greatly. Under the government's strict prohibition on price hikes and the expectation of a good harvest in a month, they were worried their rice would become old, so they signed contracts with the government."

"The rice was bought at four taels per dan, and this was written in a memorial by the governor of Jiangning Prefecture, which was sent to the emperor yesterday."

"It's said that the rice stored by the merchants in Jiangning Prefecture is enough to feed the people for three months, and with the rice brought by people from other places, it's enough for two months."

"Five months in total, plus the upcoming harvest, and another harvest to come."

"The court has already sent people to reserve rice from the surrounding nineteen prefectures, and the Ministry of Works has sent people to repair the main roads in Jiangning Prefecture. It will take no more than three months to be passable, and by then, the court can transport rice."

"The people of Jiangning Prefecture will no longer worry about food and will not starve to death. Do you believe it now?"

The man took a deep breath, having spoken with great excitement, almost out of breath.

Indeed, after hearing this, and with such a clear explanation.

How could these common people not understand?

They put themselves in the shoes of the people from other places and found it all logical.

"Wow, this young lord is truly wise, to use such a strategy. Good, good, good."

"Speaking of this, I believe it. I wouldn't believe a sudden price drop, but I believe this strategy."

"Good, first, he used high prices to attract people from the surrounding areas to bring rice, then he opened the granaries. These people from other places couldn't stay in Jiangning Prefecture for long; they were there to make a quick profit. If they stayed too long, the costs would be too high."

"Moreover, we common people are law-abiding. If we can make a fortune, we will, but if we can't, we won't be upset. Unlike the merchants, who are cunning. Good, good, this strategy is truly good."

"Truly a man of great talent and wisdom, as one who can write timeless articles. The young lord is truly remarkable."

"Speaking of this, those scholars must have had a problem."

The people's opinion of Gu Jinnian changed almost instantly, praising him overwhelmingly.

They even began to doubt those scholars.

"Indeed, there was a problem. Suddenly gathering so many people, someone must have been stirring things up in secret."

"Yes, yes, speaking of this, I also think so. Have you noticed that we knew nothing about the situation in Jiangning Prefecture, but they suddenly knew everything?"

"Right, and another point is, the increase in the price of rice in Jiangning Prefecture, according to the situation at the time, had nothing to do with Gu Jinnian."

"Right, what does it have to do with Gu Jinnian? They just went to cause trouble for him, which must have been a plot."

In an instant, the people's perception of Gu Jinnian changed from a arrogant young noble to a victim who was dedicated to the country.

And Plum Alley was just a microcosm.

Throughout the capital of Daxia, such voices were everywhere.

The common people didn't believe it at first, but for some reason, Gu Jinnian's strategy was made public.

Theoretically, such a strategy should not have been made public, even if the officials knew, it shouldn't have reached the ears of the common people.

Someone was deliberately spreading this information, and after the strategy was made public, the people were enlightened.

Because from any angle, this strategy had no flaws.

However, the most troubled now were some scholars in the capital.

They gathered in groups, discussing the matter in their homes.

In the Zhang