The grain shops saw the influx of so many people and followed suit by raising prices. So even closed their doors entirely, leaving the masses even more panicked and helpless.
Since the people of Xiliang beca wealthy due to Cuiyu brocade, furs, and paper, they beca less willing to farm the already scarce lands, instead focusing on brocade, hunting, and papermaking. With food prices cheap and stable, people felt that farming was not profitable, leading to neglected lands over ti.
But just then, the grain shops in Yunjing suddenly raised prices and closed one after another, refusing to sell grain. Grain is the most crucial livelihood issue for the people, who toil for sustenance. The price increase is like cutting off the people of Xiliang’s lifeline, causing them panic.
·
It was late at night in Mingyang Palace. The shadows of the lamps flickered. The erald cloud gauze curtains, hung with red beads on copper hooks, swayed gently. The Empress of Xiliang sat behind jade bead curtains, reviewing morials. Her long hair was tied atop her head, with a jade crown, dressed as a man. But her brows were breathtakingly beautiful, like a peony king blooming in a Jinxiu brocade, dazzling and captivating.
Two ministers knelt outside the lightly swaying bead curtains, reporting to the Empress of Xiliang about the chaos caused by the sudden spike in grain prices in Yunjing. Yun Poxing held back a cough, his expression grave, standing silently by.
When the Empress of Xiliang received the news, she seed not surprised, put down her pen, lifted her tea cup, revealing a fair wrist, and looked at the Minister of Revenue and the Vice Minister who reported the news: "It has finally co..."
Unfortunately, she and the court officials realized it too late, and Cui Gongxing refused to admit it until the end.
But, as the saying goes, better late than never.
The sooner the issue is identified, the better it can be redied in ti, although the problem has grown large, it’s better than watching it grow larger.
Last month, after capturing Cui Gongxing into prison, the Empress of Xiliang issued a series of decrees encouraging farming, but with little effect.
The Empress of Xiliang was determined to eliminate Cui Gongxing’s shops, but now, most of Xiliang’s people relied on Cuiyu brocade for livelihood, and so on furs, with Cui Gongxing’s shops acquiring the largest volu in Xiliang.
If Cui Gongxing’s shops were closed rashly, no other rchant in Xiliang could absorb the daily production of Cuiyu brocade, cutting off people’s livelihood.
Moreover, Cui Gongxing was a smart person, her business was massive... and she involved the most influential Eight Great Clans of Xiliang; although two clans were no longer significant, the rest should not be underestimated.
The relationships are intricate, and Cui Gongxing, supported by the nobility and several clans of Xiliang, beca the largest grain supplier, which is why the Empress of Xiliang delayed killing Cui Gongxing; killing her might leave half of Xiliang’s people struggling.
The forr Empress of Xiliang, who despised rchants, favored Cui Gongxing because she taught her about Jin Kingdom’s customs, shared travel stories from other states, and tales from overseas, speaking against belittling won, advocating gender equality, which pleased the Empress greatly, so... even if the Empress of Xiliang didn’t regard Cui Gongxing as a confidante, she at least saw her as soone to converse with.
Unexpectedly, this very person... harbored ill intentions to harm Xiliang.
Indeed, as her father said, people from Jin... and Yan are the most cunning.
Over the years, like other nations, Xiliang despised rchants so much that they never took a small rchant seriously, only to find that this rchant could wield such power silently, weakening a nation.
During Cui Gongxing’s imprisonnt, the Eight Great Clans repeatedly pleaded for her. It wasn’t until they received an assurance from the Empress of Zhou that her shops would not be interfered with, affecting the Eight Great Clans’ profit, that they relented.
"Tomorrow, sell the grain previously shipped from Yan by the Minister of Revenue at regular market prices to the people," said the Empress of Xiliang, then asked Yun Poxing, "Great General, do you think maintaining this for so ti can restore the grain market price?"
Yun Poxing stifled a cough, turned and saluted to the Empress of Xiliang behind the bead curtain: "Your Majesty, I think... the urgent matter is to release Cui Fengnian. Cui Fengnian and the Eight Great Families’ interests are intertwined. So far, because it hasn’t affected the Eight Great Families’ businesses, everything was manageable. Now Cui Fengnian’s people raised grain prices, I’m afraid it’s just the beginning. If Cui Fengnian isn’t released, there will surely be further actions, possibly concerning Cuiyu brocade."
The Empress of Xiliang pursed her lips, lowering her beautiful, intense eyes, her voice tinged with a smile: "Unexpectedly, even the once mighty Great General of Xiliang fears the Eight Great Families."
"Cough, cough..." Yun Poxing couldn’t hold back and coughed several tis, then continued to suppress it until his face turned red, "I am not scared. This incident made realize how the Eight Great Families... hide their might and make concessions. It’s not yet the ti to think that empowering the humble is enough to contend with the Eight Great Families."
The Empress of Xiliang, unwilling to see Yun Poxing struggling to speak, signaled the eunuch beside her to offer Yun Poxing a seat and so tea.
Yun Poxing took the tea, drank a few sips, lightly coughed, suppressed it, and continued: "For example, this ti...if not for the Eight Great Families being blinded by profit, who would have noticed how the few farmlands in Xiliang were neglected, with the people all weaving Cuiyu brocade and hunting wild ga! Cough, cough, cough..."
The Empress of Xiliang closed her eyes in coldness.
Yun Poxing’s cough worsened, he pulled out a handkerchief to cover his mouth, coughing severely.
"Great General, please sit!" The Empress of Xiliang was deeply concerned about Yun Poxing’s health, watched him unable to hold on and sit down, then slowly spoke, "The nation’s interests are less important than their profits! I think... the Eight Great Families deliberately concealed this ti because they valued the imnse profits from Cuiyu brocade, and moreover, they anticipated... after Cuiyu brocade, they could use grain to again siphon the silver the people earned from Cuiyu brocade into their pockets."
After a long silence, the Empress of Xiliang opened her eyes: "If I’m not mistaken, the Eight Great Families must have hoarded a lot of grain! They were waiting for the day when grain prices doubled, and wouldn’t care about Cui Gongxing’s life or death."
It’s not that Cui Gongxing’s business skills were impressive, but the Eight Great Families’ greed was overwhelming.
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