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Chapter 229 Mutual Encounter (Third Change)
After being interrupted by Queen Zhou, Hu Guang stopped thinking about troubles for the time being.But when he woke up the next morning, he immediately called the relevant courtiers for a meeting.

In the Wenhua Hall, Hu Guanggao sat on the throne.A group of courtiers wearing scarlet robes below, including cabinet ministers, six ministers, and the eunuch Bingbi, the supervisor of ceremonies, lined up on both sides. This was considered a high-level formal meeting.

Hu Guang saw that it was almost done, and said with a serious face: "It's only the first day of the new year, and I summoned you all. There is really something that makes me sleepless, but you have a good plan, so I will play it. "

If it was in the past, the first day of the Lunar New Year was a day for taking a rest and bathing, and the [-]th of the Lunar New Year was a day for watching the year, so they should still be sleeping at this time.However, this year the emperor had already decreed that the new year would not pass, and he raised the seriousness of the matter discussed as soon as he opened his mouth, which made the officials below have to cheer up to deal with it.

But they are also a little strange, Jianlu has retreated, what else can happen at this time, it can rise to the point where the emperor can't sleep or eat?

Therefore, Wen Tiren, the chief assistant, who was the head of all the officials, stepped out of the line, and bowed to ask for instructions: "It is also the crime of the ministers who make the emperor's father restless, and please show your majesty that the ministers will do their best!"

"The ministers must do their best!" All the other courtiers followed suit.

Hu Guang nodded, and said solemnly: "You should know about the severe food shortage in the capital. Yesterday, I got a secret report from the Jinyiwei, saying that the provinces around the capital were also seriously short of food. Probably the reason is that around October last year, someone It was caused by the large-scale purchase of grain. Now the whereabouts of the grain is unknown, and this will seriously affect the disaster relief of the capital and the imperial court. If you have a good plan, please do it!"

When the officials below heard it, they were a little bit disapproving. After all, the food issue had been discussed before and a conclusion had been reached.

But when they heard that the surrounding provinces were also seriously short of food, they immediately realized the seriousness of the matter.

Wen Tiren's face also became serious, and after Hu Guang finished speaking, he immediately played: "Your Majesty, this matter is no small matter. I think that the matter of delivering food one by one before must be taken seriously, and the Metropolitan Procuratorate can send a censor to each province to supervise it." This matter!"

This matter has become serious enough to affect everyone present, so no one stays out of it anymore and speaks up.Just listen to the newly promoted minister Zhang Zhifa immediately followed up and said: "I would like to go to the Hu Guang area to supervise the grain and grass!"

The cabinet ministers went there in person, which means that the imperial court attaches great importance to this matter.

Another assistant minister, Xue Guoguan, was even more radical, and immediately played loudly: "Your Majesty, the grain merchants are so abominable. Taking advantage of the ravages of Jianlu, they wantonly bought grain and hoarded strange houses. I think that they should be strictly investigated and punished!"

After a pause, he made an even more astonishing point of view: "I believe that the capital's grain control policy can be implemented in the whole world, so that those profiteers will have no profit, and there will be no more such things!"

In the era of food shortage in later generations, there was indeed a time when the national food rationing system was implemented.But at that time, the state's control over the local area reached an unprecedented height, so there was a basis for implementation.

Now in the Ming Dynasty, the tentacles of the government only reached the county level.It might be impossible to realize the food control of the entire Ming Empire.Hu Guang knew this, and if he asked the original Emperor Chongzhen, he probably wouldn't know it.

Therefore, when he was about to veto it after listening, he saw Zhou Yanru, the assistant minister, and Bi Ziyan, the Minister of the Ministry of household affairs, who came out to object and said no.

Among them, Zhou Yanru even fell in love with Xue Guoguan and said: "Xue Dazui, why are you at ease, you dare to say such absurd words, do you want the world to be in chaos?"

"Absurd, why is the world in chaos?" Xue Guoguan immediately retorted loudly, "Go out and take a look at the grain control in the capital, isn't it very good?"

Having said this, he suddenly raised his voice, and continued to argue in front of the emperor: "Do you know that since the reign of Tianqi, food in Shaanxi has become increasingly scarce, and how many people have starved to death? Thieves are everywhere because if you don't become a thief, you can only Starving to death! Now whether it is Shaanxi, Gansu, Henan, and Shanxi are already suffering from drought, and it is very likely that the disaster of Shaanxi will reappear. Do you know?"

The seriousness of the matter was indeed beyond Zhou Yanru's perception, but he couldn't believe it, so he immediately sneered and said, "It's alarmist!"

As soon as Xue Guoguan was furious, he wanted to step forward and punch, but fortunately, there happened to be a Hubu Shangshu standing between the two of them.When Bi Ziyan blocked it, several other courtiers came over to persuade him, and the imperial court was a bit chaotic for a while.

Hu Guang watched them go from arguing to fighting, but he didn't get angry. He was afraid that the subordinates would be as silent as mud bodhisattvas.

The chief assistant, Wen Tiren, reprimanded first: "What are you two going to do? Are you reading the sage books for nothing? This is the imperial court, so let's discuss the matter. Who will try again?"

Zhou Yanru refused to accept it, and immediately replied: "It's Xue Dazui who wants to do something!"

"You thief, you don't care about the sufferings of the people, you only talk nonsense in the court, you should be beaten!" Xue Guoguan retorted immediately as he did his part.

It seemed that Wen Tiren's prestige was not enough to deter them, so Hu Guang had no choice but to speak loudly, "Enough!"

As soon as he opened his mouth, no one dared to speak anymore, and they all bowed down to listen to the holy will.

Hu Guang waited for a while, and then slowly said: "It is not feasible to implement food control across the country, but as Xue Qing said, the drought in the northwest will spread and last for many years. This matter must not be taken lightly. .”

After a pause, he glanced at Zhou Yanru, and then continued: "The current food issue, I think we must pay enough attention to it, so according to what Zhang Qing said, I sent important court officials to Huguang to supervise it."

Speaking of this, he named Zhou Yanru and said: "Zhou Qing, you are from the south and are familiar with the situation there. I need you to set off immediately and go to Huguang to supervise the grain. Remember, first, let the local area collect grain as soon as possible and transport it to the north. ;Second, it must not hurt the root of the locality, and there must be no shortage of food and starvation in the locality, leading to civil uprisings. Do you know how to measure it?"

"My minister obeys the decree!" Zhou Yanru had no choice but to accept the decree when he was called on.

Hu Guang turned his head to look at the silent supervisor again, and said to Cao Huachun, the eunuch of Bingbi and the admiral of Dongchang: "Jinyiwei is short of manpower, and Dongchang will also send people to check to see who dares to ignore it." The common people live and die, hoarding odd-living food to make huge profits!"

"Your servant obeys!" Cao Huachun immediately agreed.

After Hu Guang finished giving these instructions, he turned his head and said to the chief assistant Wen Tiren, "No matter how the south-to-north grain transfer is, it will be replenished from one place in Daming to another. In the next twenty years or so, there will definitely not be enough food. Therefore, I asked Honglu Temple to send people to inform the Nanyang countries that they should pay more attention to the matter of paying tribute to food. Wen Qing, the cabinet will follow up and participate in this matter, and we must let the Nanyang countries Try to pay tribute as much food as possible to alleviate the food shortage in the Ming Dynasty!"

　It's still in the afternoon, let's go to eat first.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)