Infrastructure masters in the red building

Jia Fang got up early in the morning and wanted to sneak out of the house through the back door of Rong Mansion, but he was blocked by Jia Amnesty's men.

"Third Master, the uncle ordered me to come down. There is chaos outside. People in the mansion have to nod if they want to go out."

After several days of skyrocketing food prices in the city, the order in the city became chaotic.A big incident just happened in the west of the city the day before yesterday. A mob rushed into a small grain store, failed to grab the grain, and set fire to it, burning down all the granaries behind the store, and also affected the surrounding houses.

At this time, everyone in the food business in central Beijing was in danger. They not only hired a large number of nurses, but also jointly invited the commanders of the five cities to patrol the city day and night. In this way, the order in Beijing will be better.But the atmosphere is bad, and the people are full of resentment, anxiously waiting for the change to occur.

Jia Fang found Jia Amnesty and pleaded with him: "Brother, I have a reason to go out. I go out to do business."

Jia She gave him a stern face: "Dad told me before going out that when Daddy is away, our family can never get involved in Beijing's business affairs. Daddy solemnly entrusted this responsibility to me. I can't help but worry about...what on earth are you going out for?"

"For the sake of food." Jia Fang lowered his head and whispered, "The current situation in the city, I... feel uneasy. There is someone in the city that I can help, and I want to help."

Jia Amnesty continued to stare, "Then we can't just go out like this!"

Jia Fang couldn't help but get angry: How can I teach Jia Amnesty to nod and agree?

Unexpectedly, Jia She called the two nursing homes around him, pointed to Jia Fang and said, "This is your third master! He is away from home, you must protect his safety, if there is a piece of oily skin missing, I will take you all." Try."

Jia Fang was overjoyed at once, thanked Jia Amnesty, turned around to leave, only to hear Jia Amnesty reminded him from behind: "Third brother, you can do things with your heart, and elder brother will take care of other things for you."

This sentence fell into his ears, and Jia Xin felt a warm current in his heart.People of later generations read "Red Mansions" again, and they only think that Jia She is a villain through and through, but at this moment, Jia Fang can really feel the Jia She when he was young, and the Jia She when he had not turned bad - he is still a sincere person. And caring brother.

He solemnly bid farewell to Jia She, took Zhao Cheng and the two nursing homes out, and went straight to Wan Qing Building.Here he met Lin Ruhai and Shui Xian.Shui Xian looked out from the window, while Lin Ruhai turned around in the private room like a little old man with his hands behind his back.

"You're finally here." Seeing Jia Fang, Shui Xian's tone was quite flat.

Lin Ruhai rubbed his hands and said, "Is it about to start?"

Jia Fang hurriedly said: "Brother Ruhai shouldn't show up today, it's better to stay in the Wanqinglou."

Shui Xian also said the same thing: "Ru Hai came forward with this matter from the very beginning, and in the future, not only will it not do you any harm, but it will also greatly benefit your reputation. But today you are on the cusp of the storm, it is really not appropriate for you to let me know." You show up yourself."

Lin Ruhai obviously felt a little disappointed, but he knew that Shui and Jia were thinking about his safety, so he nodded in agreement.

Shui Xian looked at the sky and said, "Is it time to start?"

Jia Fang shook his head and said, "Wait a little longer, it's not too late to start again at noon."

Shui Xian didn't know why, so he looked at Jia Fang, but seeing that he insisted, he agreed.

Jia Fang stood on the Wanqing Tower, condescendingly looking down at the stone mill standing in front of the Wanqing Tower.Since the day when "gold and silver rice" and "Zhuangyuan powder" became popular, this stone mill has been grinding rice milk non-stop for twelve hours a day. Flowing out of the stone mill.

"After today, this stone mill will probably stop." Shui Xian looked at the stone mill, and suddenly said with emotion.

Jia Fang could roughly guess Shui Xian's mood: After all, during this period of time, "gold and silver rice" and "number one scholar powder" have made Wan Qinglou's reputation very popular, and he is making money every day.But starting today, the myth of "gold and silver rice" is about to be shattered, so Shui Xian said that the stone mill will stop.

"It's a pity." Jia Fang said.

Unexpectedly, Shui Xian straightened his eyebrows, raised his head and smiled and said: "But this is better, what's the 'Zhuangyuan powder', it is clearly 'cheong fun' and 'kuey teow' are the real down-to-earth food, the food eaten by ordinary people. It's time to return They are what they are."

At the gate of Yu Qinghang, the largest food store in the capital, since the morning, many people have gathered at the gate one after another.

There was also a tense atmosphere in Yu Qingxing. After the chaos of the previous few days, the staff of the grain store felt that they could hardly stand it anymore.

"Big shopkeeper, to be honest, we have stockpiled so much grain in the grain store, and if we continue to hoard it like this, the grain will be moldy... The common people can't afford grain, and we are short of money to turn around, so we really can't... Is there a price?"

Shopkeeper Shao sighed, and shook his head at the guy who asked him the question: "It's really not up to you and me."

The guy also knew he was asking in vain, and sighed.Another clerk came over and said to shopkeeper Shao: "Shopkeeper, recently there has been a nursery rhyme in the capital about the 'gold and silver rice' we bought."

Yu Qingxing was the initiator of the trend of "gold and silver rice" in the city, and it was also one of the grain stores that hoarded the most "gold and silver rice".For this reason, Yu Qingxing pledged the stored grain in the granary, and borrowed about 8 taels of silver from at least three banks to buy this miraculous grain sent from various places.

"What nursery rhymes, let me tell you." Shopkeeper Shao asked seemingly unintentionally, but his right hand hidden in his sleeve shook violently.

"The nursery rhyme sang: 'Gold and silver rice, half an ear. The farmer laughs, and the grain line dances.'"

"Shopkeeper, what do you mean by 'half ears'? Why are the farmers laughing, and why are the grain dealers jumping?" The guy who sent the message looked confused.

"'Half ears'..." Shopkeeper Shao stopped shaking after hearing the whole nursery rhyme, and sighed softly, "I'm afraid it's nonsense, so don't pay attention to it."

In fact, shopkeeper Shao couldn't understand more clearly: half ears, I am afraid it is a mistake of "half ears Dong", half ears Dong, is half Chen!

Gold and silver rice is originally a mixture of half new rice and half old rice. Where is the magical rice that has something to do with the "No. [-] Scholar"?

That's why shopkeeper Shao had given up his half-life fame of "tasting a hundred grains" at the beginning. Facing this kind of old and mixed rice, he confirmed against his will that it was the "gold and silver rice" of Jiangnan Shengu.

All the grain stores in the city believed in shopkeeper Shao's vision. Of course, Wanqinglou's massive purchases afterwards and the popularity of "Zhuangyuan powder" were all fueling the flames, which made the price of gold and silver rice so high that it was shocking.But looking back to the source, it was his shopkeeper Shao's words and a nod that made such a big drama of "turning old grain into gold" staged in the capital.

It all started with someone he went to meet that day and made a reason he couldn't refuse.

But today, when the nursery rhyme sounded, shopkeeper Shao knew that this big drama would end today, and that the curtain would end together, and he had worked so hard for half a lifetime to get the name "Hundred Valley Taste"... Maybe there will be others life, his life.

"Boss, there are people outside again," a clerk shouted in a panic, "There are a lot of people!"

Shopkeeper Shao turned around calmly and said, "Everyone, don't be afraid. You are only working for the owner here, and no one will hurt you. Come on, let's go out and have a look together."

In front of Yu Qingxing, a large group of people was really crowded at this time, not only the people in the city, but also many students from the Taixue.

The outspoken Tai student stood in front of the store, looked at the water sign in the store, and read out loud:

"Fine rice, one hundred and thirty cash per bucket."

"Medium wheat, one hundred and thirty cents per bucket."

"Medium chestnuts, one hundred and twenty coins per bucket..."

"This is almost double the price of the official warehouse. What kind of grain store are you running, or is it a black shop?"

As soon as the Tai student finished speaking, the people outside the grain shop shouted in unison: "Black shop, black shop, black shop!"

The shouts became waves, bursts of waves, which made people tremble with fear.But soon came the inspection of Wucheng soldiers and horses, opened a path from the crowd, squeezed to the door of the grain store, and shouted: "What are you doing? This is lawlessness. Do you want to gather crowds to make trouble?"

The leading inspector immediately pointed the whip in his hand to the leading students: "Hurry up and ask everyone to disperse, the matter is easy to discuss."

"No, this Yu Qingxing is the largest grain store in the city. Since this spring, this grain store has taken the lead in hoarding grain and driving up grain prices, so that the people in the city can't eat food, and the officials outside the city have no food to help. Lord, such a profiteer and troublemaker are standing in front of you, and you still let us disperse, and you still say that everything is easy to discuss?"

The inspector of the Wucheng Bingma Division couldn't hold back his face, and shouted angrily: "What's the use of telling us this?"

"If you want to report Yu Qingxing's illegal business, you can go to Shuntian Mansion, to the Procuratorate, or to the Metropolitan Procuratorate. You scholars, aren't you the best at writing complaints?"

Several patrol inspections all had an expression of "as long as you don't hang out on the street, it has nothing to do with me".

But the Tai students were not happy, and Lai refused to leave in front of Yu Qingxing, "We scholars must do something for the common people, right?" The shopkeeper shouted loudly: "Say, what kind of black-hearted money are you earning?"

The one who was caught was not the shopkeeper, but the accountant of the grain bank.The accountant said with a sad face: "I haven't made any money, gentlemen, this food is hard to come by due to the severe drought. You know, there is not much surplus food in our food store, and the purchase price of grain and rice from other places is already high. Adding road tax and labor, isn’t it just such a high food price? We can’t make a loss-making business, can we?”

As soon as the accountant opened his mouth, he was interrupted by the Tai student beside him.

"Don't listen to his nonsense—in Yu Qingxing's warehouse, there are [-] shi of rice, [-] shi of wheat, and [-] shi of corn. Does this mean that there is not much surplus grain? Does this mean that there is no hoarding?"

Every time the Tai students asked a question, the people who surrounded the food store three floors outside three floors shouted "profiteers" and "black shops".

The accountants and clerks standing in front of Yu Qingxing almost trembled in the face of the turbulent public opinion, and what frightened them most was that the Tai Tai student explained the inventory of the grain bank clearly, as if he had personally entered their warehouse and saw it with his own eyes. as in their books of account.

But how did they know? !

But the inspections by the Wucheng Bingma Division ignored it.The leader said coldly: "Our company's duty is purely to maintain the law and order in Beijing. We don't care about the others, and you will quickly disperse from here..."

The Tai students are still clamoring "how much bribes the food industry has given you" and "regardless of what should be controlled and should not be controlled strictly".Unexpectedly, at this time, the patrol inspector of Wucheng Bingmasi drew out the sword from his waist neatly with a "swipe".

As the saying goes, if a scholar rebels, he will fail in ten years.When the Tai students saw the sword, the menacing aura just now disappeared in an instant. They rushed down the steps in front of Yu Qingxing with their heads in their hands, squeezed in twos and twos, and disappeared into the crowd.

But the common people just took a few steps back, facing the weapons of Wucheng Bingmasi, someone in the crowd suddenly started singing.Just listen to him sing:

"Stay in Yuqing, stay in Yuqing, and suddenly meet a benefactor; lucky mother, lucky mother, accumulated merits. Advise life, help the poor and help the poor, don't be like the ruthless profiteer who loves money and forgets his conscience! It is multiplication, division, addition and subtraction, There is the sky above." ①

The voice was very hoarse, almost like a broken gong.But the singing is somewhat melodious.

At the end of his song, Yu Qingxing joined the thousands of people who were crowded in front of him and said, "...multiplication, division, addition and subtraction, there is a sky above!"

The meaning of the song was very clear, but when thousands of people sang it together, it had a shocking power, and the faces of the inspectors of the five cities and the accountants of the grain bank all turned pale when they sang.

The lyrics of this song are so powerful that it forces everyone to examine themselves, whether they are the ruthless profiteers who love money and forget their conscience.

……

Jia Fang and Shui Xian stood far away.

Shui Xian couldn't help being moved when he heard thousands of people singing this song, nodded and said to Jia Fang: "This song is well written."

Jia Fang: ...I copied my homework again.

At this moment, Shui Xian is sharper than ordinary people, with stars shining in his eyes, he pursed his lips and said coldly: "Where is there a 'ruthless profiteer', I'm afraid it is a 'ruthless profiteer'."

Jia Fang: ...I dare not say it even more.

But Shui Xian's eyes lit up and said, "Here we come!"

On the other road in front of Yu Qingxing, the government servants from Shuntian Mansion blew the gong to clear the way, and a large group of people came over in mighty fashion.There are also a few people who don't wear official uniforms, who also look like shopkeepers of merchants.

The people automatically made way for them.

Compared with the inspectors of the Wucheng Bingma Division, those wolf-like government servants in Shuntian Mansion are no different.They met each other twice and nodded at each other, indicating that they were both performing official duties.

One of the merchants appeared in front of Yu Qingxing, and said calmly: "Under the order of the governor of Shuntian Prefecture, Yu Qingxing will be searched."

"What? Why?"

Yu Qingxing's staff were all dumbfounded.

The accountant is the owner's confidant. At this time, he rushed forward in shock, and loudly questioned the leading yamen servant: "Under the order of the governor of Shuntian Mansion, how is this possible, how is it possible..." He seemed to want to say that Shuntian Mansion has always been No problem, but when it came to the point of speaking, I still had a little more quick-wittedness, and put back what I absolutely shouldn't have said.

The yamen servants turned to the merchants: "The three major banks jointly handed over the pleadings, and the positions financed by Yu Qingxing are unable to repay. As collateral, all the grain stored in Yu Qinghang's granary will be seized and handed over to the three major banks for disposal."

"What does it mean to be unable to repay the position?" The accountant was furious, "It's fine to stick a seal, but we have to confront the three major banks."

"I advise you not to bother," the leading yamen servant said coolly, "the five major grain stores in the city have all been seized. Now it's your turn."

Are they all blocked? ——Yu Qingxing's fellows looked at each other, feeling an ominous premonition welling up in their hearts.

"Why?" The accountant shouted unconvinced: "Rongtong's position should only be repaid tomorrow, and the usual practice is to borrow new ones to repay the old ones, and the bank will refinance—we pay back the interest on time every installment. !"

"This is because," one of the people in charge of the bank took a step forward and said to Yu Qinghang's accountant, "Guiliang Bank recently bet on the 'gold and silver rice' hoarded with a huge sum of money, which proved to be a scam. Then It is definitely not a famous Jiangnan rice variety, it is new millet mixed with old millet, it looks like two colors of millet mixed together."

"This is absolutely impossible!" The accountant shouted with tears in his eyes, "It would be fine if it was elsewhere, our shopkeeper is... but 'Baiguchang'!"

"Yes, shopkeeper Shao, where did shopkeeper Shao go?" Yu Qingxing's staff all thought about it, turned around and looked for someone again, and only some people came to their senses. Shopkeeper Shao didn't come out with them at all just now, and he didn't know where he went now.

"He also said 'Hundred Grain Tasting'. In my opinion, all the grain shops in the city were cheated by him alone." Another manager of the bank said teasingly.

But this matter fell on everyone in Yu Qingxing, who would believe it?

"Don't believe me? Look!"

The manager of the bank threw a bag to Yu Qingxing.The accountant grabbed a handful of rice from the bag with trembling hands. Sure enough, the rice was half gold and half silver, and the color was very beautiful.

"Is it gold and silver rice?"

"It's old millet mixed with new millet." The money manager said frankly, "I even tried to grind the rice milk, and the taste is exactly the same. Whether it is good rice rolls or Zhuangyuan powder, they are all made of this."

This fact directly overwhelmed Yu Qingxing—since it has been proved that the gold and silver rice is a scam, the price of this kind of grain will plummet immediately. Old millet is originally cheaper than new grain, and they paid a lot of money to buy it earlier. Gold and silver rice immediately became the most common grain, and the loss at this moment was enough to lose all the capital of an entire grain store.

The manager of the bank was right, even if it was delayed until tomorrow, Yu Qingxing would still not be able to cover the position that should be repaid.

The accountant was completely defeated and sat down on the threshold.

Some of the guys still couldn't believe it, and some gave up their resistance and were going to pack their bags.

One of the shopkeepers of the grain store waved at the people gathered in front of Yu Qingxing, and said, "Everyone, please rest assured that the grain stored in Yu Qingxing will be brought into the official warehouse. From tomorrow, the official warehouse will be open to supply and sell grain at a low price."

Once this promise is made, the people will be like a little water flying into a boiling oil pan, and it will explode with a "boom".

"Oh my god!"

Some knelt down to thank God, while others knelt on the ground and kissed the ground.

More people began to sing loudly with completely different emotions and tones: "Advise life, help the poor and help the poor, don't be like that ruthless profiteer who loves money and forgets his conscience! It is multiplication, division, addition and subtraction, and there is a sky above. "

The singing sounded in front of Yu Qingxing, and it was especially appropriate for the occasion.