Chapter 262 Imperial Sword

"Come in quickly, Mr. Fang, have you had your lunch? The rice in the pot is still hot..."

"I've eaten, sister-in-law, please stop working..."

"You can't go outside!"

"Look what you said... Guangzong, come here and see what Uncle Fang brought you?"

Fang Ke's voice woke up Yang Ge, who had been napping with his chin in his hands. He opened his eyes and subconsciously glanced at the old shopkeeper on the bed. Seeing that he was still asleep, he got up and walked over quietly, leaning over and picking up the old shopkeeper's hand. After checking his pulse, he released a few rays of true energy to carefully check the vitality in his body for a moment, then tucked him in, turned around and walked out quietly.

Outside the door, Fang Ke, wrapped in a thick cloak, was holding Xiao Guangzong, who was wrapped like a ball. Xiao Guangzong puffed out his cheeks and had some candy in his mouth.

The snow in the yard has not yet melted, and Xiao Huang was lying in the kennel from a distance, looking straight at Fang Ke.

Seeing Yang Ge, Xiao Guangzong immediately let go of Fang Ke, threw himself into Yang Ge's arms, and shouted vaguely: "Second uncle."

Yang Ge bent down and picked up Xiao Guangzong, passed a ray of energy to warm him up, and asked softly: "The people sent to the capital are back?"

"came back……"

Fang Ke nodded in response, and saw that Yang Ge's eyes were black and bloodshot, and he couldn't help but persuade in a low voice: "Sir, the old man's health is important, but you should also take care of your own health... Otherwise, turn around. I'll send two careful brothers over to do something about it?"

"I'm fine."

Yang Ge smiled: "It was like this just after I woke up... How is the situation in the capital?"

In that room, Mrs. Liu Deng came out of the stove room with a teapot and greeted her in a loud voice like a cannon: "Don't stand here, come into the main room and sit down."

Yang Ge's eyes twitched and he smiled bitterly: "Sister-in-law, please keep your voice down, the old man is asleep..."

Mrs. Liu and Deng were good at everything, but she was too hot-tempered. She could only criticize the three old Liu family members plus Yang Ge, but she dared to talk about the other three!

"Look at me..."

Mrs. Liu Deng smiled sheepishly, walked quickly into the main room with a teapot, and came over soon with a chair in one hand.

Yang Ge quickly put down Xiao Guangzong and reached for the chair.

Liu Dengshi: "Guangzong, go into the house and don't disturb your second uncle and your uncle Fang talking about business."

Xiao Guangzong held Yang Ge's thigh and refused to let go: "No!"

Mrs. Liu Deng glared: "I count to three!"

Xiao Guangzong immediately let go, turned around and ran staggeringly towards the main room on his short legs.

The momentum was so fierce that both Yang Ge and Fang Ke couldn't open their eyes.

When Mrs. Liu Deng hurriedly asked Yang Ge and Fang Ke to sit down, each holding a bowl of hot tea in their hands, she turned around and continued her own business.

Fang Ke breathed a sigh of relief and laughed softly: "Brother Liu family is lucky!"

Yang Ge smiled "hehe": "How is the situation in the capital?"

Fang Ke: "I went to Beizhen Fusi, but I didn't see Master Shen..."

Yang Ge: "Which capital are you going to?"

Fang Ke smiled: "I have some things that I can't talk about when I return to Beijing."

Yang Ge smiled helplessly: "Thank you for your hard work during the Chinese New Year..."

"It's your job, so don't take it hard."

Fang Ke shook his head indifferently and continued: "Master Shen seems to be away from the capital. I was unable to meet with him. The information I got from brothers in other health centers is that the situation is generally consistent with what the eldest brother of the Liu family said. This is because Heavy snow cuts off roads, so food cannot get through in some places, and food in some places has to go north..."

After a pause, he concluded: "This food shortage should be temporary, and it should be alleviated when the weather gets warmer in spring."

Hearing this, the big stone hanging in Yang Ge's heart fell to the ground smoothly, and he took a long breath and said softly: "That's good!"

Fang Ke lowered his head and took a sip of hot tea. After pondering for a moment, he said hesitantly: "But when I came to Beijing this time, I heard some rumors on the streets..."

Yang Ge: "Tell me and listen..."

Fang Ke glanced at him and said in a low voice: "Some people in Luoyang City are spreading the 'One Whip Method' to favor commerce and suppress agriculture, putting the cart before the horse. Today, His Majesty is engaged in military warfare, and only eats the most grain. Ten of the ten warehouses are empty... As a result, the price of grain has risen. "

Yang Ge slowly frowned, sipped his tea and thought for a long time, and suddenly sneered: "What a smooth sailing!"

Fang Ke was stunned, and asked in a low voice with confusion: "You mean...someone is taking this opportunity to slander His Majesty and the New Deal?"

Yang Ge shook his head slightly and said: "On the contrary, these rumors... are most likely true."

Fang Ke was surprised: "Huh?"

"The national treasury's war-prepared grain reserves should go in the directions mentioned in the rumors..."

Yang Ge said calmly: "The reason why there were no problems before but now is because some people bullied the emperor who had just ascended the throne and was not familiar with government affairs. He deliberately allowed the new emperor to mess around and waited for mistakes to be made to give the emperor eye drops."

A person's brainpower and energy are limited, and no one can do everything personally and cover everything.

Otherwise, what else does the emperor need from his ministers? If only he could govern the entire country by himself!

The problem this time was that when the emperor was making decisions, the ministers who were supposed to fill in the gaps did not play their role. They might even be overtly or covertly encouraging the emperor to spend money more lavishly...

For example, when it comes to the grain stored in the treasury, the emperor does not know the incoming and outgoing accounts of the grain depot, as well as the details of the operation of grain channels. Doesn’t the Ministry of Revenue also know it?

When the grain allocated by the court exceeds the red line of grain stocks and the income is far greater than the expenditure, the Ministry of Household Affairs should stand up and tell the emperor loudly that he can no longer do this. If he continues to do this, problems will arise, or he should directly solve the problem. Put it forward, and let everyone discuss how to convert the money stored in the treasury into grain to support the court's major policies.

This is the responsibility of the Ministry of Accounts!

But now, when the court spends money lavishly on food, the Ministry of Revenue silently allows the court to continue tossing. When a problem arises, he spreads his hands and says, "Look, I warned you a long time ago to do this." You don't believe there is trouble, but now you know the pros and cons, right? ’

This move is not complicated, but it is very useful and deadly against new kings like Zhao Hong who are not familiar with government affairs...

And it is difficult to catch them, after all, they are executing the emperor's orders.

Fang Ke seemed to understand what he heard, and after racking his brains for a moment, he asked in confusion: "But, what's the point of doing this? Once the food road is opened, the food shortage will be alleviated immediately... …To set up such a grand scheme just to take a gamble with His Majesty?”

"well said!"

Yang Ge frowned: "Of course they can't play such a big game just to gamble with the emperor... There must be a follow-up to this matter!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Mang opened the courtyard door and walked in.

Seeing Yang Ge and Fang Ke in the yard, he couldn't hide his joy and strode over: "Good news, there is food!"

"Where did it come from?"

Yang Ge looked at Liu Mang: "Is the food channel open?"

"It should be OK..."

Liu Mang turned on his toes halfway, walked into the main room and carried a chair out: "The big grain shop we often visit in the capital, someone just came to say hello, and said that they have grain, and they can share it with us. A batch can be delivered within five days at the latest... That’s the price, which is only 10% lower than the market price in the capital.”

He said to Yang Ge with some dissatisfaction: "Our family will probably lose money on this deal!"

"Capital?"

Yang Ge frowned: "When did he arrive? On horseback or in a car?"

Liu Mang was stunned: "Just now..."

He thought about it carefully: "It should be riding a horse. He smells like a horse all over his body."

Yang Ge turned to look at Fang Ke: "When did you arrive?"

Fang Ke obviously knew what he was talking about, and said helplessly: "Before noon... I was so careless!"

Yang Ge shook his head: "I don't blame you. We didn't know this was the case at first. Besides, I don't think these people have been planning this for a day or two."

Liu Mang glared: "What do you mean? Who is short-lived plotting against you?"

Yang Ge smiled: "Don't worry about this...has he left?"

Liu Mang: "Not yet, I just sent them to the inn to rest..."

Yang Ge: "Tell them later that the price of grain is based on the purchase price in normal seasons, and they have to supply as much as we want, otherwise there is no need to negotiate this deal!"

Liu Mang: "Huh?"

Yang Ge laughed and said: "These people are doing unscrupulous things behind their backs. They are afraid that I will say anything, so they use food to block my mouth..."

"Fuck!"

Liu Mang slapped his thigh, stood up and said, "That's just a joke, let's break their legs right now!"

"No need."

Yang Ge quickly grabbed him: "We buy food with real money and silver, but we don't take advantage of them. If I should deal with them later, I will deal with them the same way!"

Liu Mang stared at him for two seconds, nodded and said, "Okay, if you have anything to do, just say it yourself. The business is a small matter, so I won't bear the embarrassment."

Yang Ge nodded: "I know it well. By the way, brother, you are in this business. Where does the food circulating on the market mainly come from?"

Liu Mang replied without thinking: "Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and the two lakes!"

Yang Ge held the tea bowl and lowered his head in thought.

Seeing this, Fang Ke took the initiative and said: "Sir, let me take someone to visit Jiangsu and Zhejiang..."

Yang Ge raised his head and looked at him: "This is your first year of marriage, and you won't be home during the Chinese New Year... Can you handle it at home?"

Fang Ke smiled and said: "Look what you said, who should I answer to for my duties? Besides, she went back to her parents' home during the Chinese New Year..."

Yang Ge also smiled and said: "You have to take care of official business, and you also have to take care of family affairs. Let's go to your father-in-law's house first to say hello to your sister-in-law. When you're done, go to the right office and make arrangements for the personnel. Come back later. , I’ll send you to Lianlianwu to borrow someone, so you have to do things first!”

"this……"

Fang Ke hesitated and said, "Luanwu had a fight with Li Kun from Shangzuo Institute just a year ago. Isn't it appropriate to bother him again now?"

"We are not working for the embroidered guards and the imperial court..."

Yang Ge smiled and said, "Besides, Jincheng is not as stingy as you think. He can distinguish between business matters and personal grudges."

He knew about the fight between Lianlianwu and Xiuyiwei Shangzuo last year.

Li Kun, the Qianhu in the upper left office, also came from a noble family. I don’t know whether it was because Lianlianwu didn’t resist when other government offices were causing trouble for Lianhuanwu, or because he felt that Yang Ge could suppress Lianhuanwu and Li Kun as a Qianhu back then. can also.

In short, he kicked the iron plate. The furious Li Jincheng killed all his accompanying guards, broke his limbs, took them back to the capital, and threw them outside the gate of Fusi, Beizhen.

This incident caused quite a stir at the time, and Xiuyiwei and Lianlianwu were at war with each other for a time and almost came to blows.

In the end, Fang Ke, wearing prison ox embroidered clothes, walked into the Yuelai Inn with Wu Eryong arm in arm and had a drink in public, which resolved the storm.

Fang Ke glanced at Yang Ge and said to himself: "Li Jincheng will certainly not be stingy if you come forward. Can someone else go and try?" He can break people's limbs and throw them back to Beizhen Fusi! ’

Yang Ge didn't notice the little look in his eyes and said to himself: "When you get to Jiangsu and Zhejiang, just check the grain storage and grain channels there to see if anyone is draining wages. Don't worry about the rest."

"If you encounter resistance, don't force yourself to come. Send the news and your location to Lianhuanwu in time. I will go there every three days... If you encounter an emergency and are too late to wait for me, Jiangsu and Zhejiang Third Division, Xichang, Mingjiao , White Lotus Sect, and Five Poison Sect, you can borrow people from them, and I will find an opportunity to repay their favor later. "

Fang Ke smiled "hehehe": "Look at what you said, how can I be so weak? When you led us to Jiangsu and Zhejiang, weren't we just a thousand households?"

Yang Ge straightened his face: "I'm telling you seriously...forget it, you go to my house later and bring the Lengyue Sword with you. If you encounter someone who wants to be tough, just take the Lengyue Sword with you." Come out and show him.”

Fang Ke winked and smiled: "I understand, 'Shang Fang Bao Dao', right?"

Yang Ge stood up while laughing and scolding: "Hurry up to your father-in-law's house and ask for leave from your sister-in-law. Talk to them properly and don't put on your stinky Qianhu airs. She will come to me to complain later. You will be done with it if I can't deal with it. "

Fang Ke stood up and muttered in a low voice: "Why do you keep turning your elbows outward..."

As soon as Yang Ge rolled up his sleeves, Fang Ke quickly turned around and left: "Brother Liu, Sister Liu, I'll take my leave now!"

Liu Mang sent him out of the yard, and when he came back, he stared at Yang Ge's dark circles: "We didn't have time to interrupt just now. If you want to help me, please help me. If you can't help, don't force me to help. This world is not yours." House's……"

Yang Ge turned around and walked into the old shopkeeper's room: "But I can help!"

Liu Mang followed him into the house and complained in a low voice: "You are so helpful and indebted to others. How can you be so helpful to others?"

Yang Ge: "Brother, let alone second brother, aren't you running around collecting food these days?"

Liu Mang: "This is what our family does. We can't make a lot of money when we have money to make, and let so many fellow villagers starve when we don't, right?"

Yang Ge: "Yes, our family members all have such virtues!"

Liu Mang was speechless.

Yang Ge walked to the bed, stretched out his hand to check the old shopkeeper's pulse, and then habitually released a trace of true energy into the old man's body to check his vitality.

Liu Mang watched him working until he sat on the edge of the bed, then sighed: "The old man is lucky to meet you in this life..."

Yang Ge whispered: "I am lucky to meet the shopkeeper here."