Clearwater City.
Cui Xinghe stood with his hands behind his back in the government office, holding a letter that had been delivered from Chang'an at the fastest speed.
Behind him stood the County Magistrate of Clearwater City, full of respect.
The County Magistrate watched Cui Xinghe's back with a hint of excitement on his face.
This Top Scholar Cui was truly remarkable.
In just one day after arriving in Clearwater City, he had used thunderous means to force the major grain merchants to collectively lower their prices by five wen!
The grain price in Clearwater City dropped sharply from one hundred wen to ninety-five wen, and the next day, he ordered the opening of granaries to release grain, buying up the market's grain and further reducing the price to ninety wen per dou!
The market price stabilized at ninety wen per dou.
Such methods left the County Magistrate of Clearwater City in awe. He had heard that in nearby Linjiang City, not only had the grain prices not been curbed, but they had also begun to soar...
After reading the letter in his hand, a trace of disdain appeared on Cui Xinghe's handsome face.
He then spoke directly, "The people of Linjiang City are truly unfortunate!"
Behind him, the County Magistrate asked curiously, "Censor Cui, what has happened? Why are the people of Linjiang City so unfortunate?"
Cui Xinghe turned back to glance at the County Magistrate and said indifferently, "Gao Yang, the grandson of Duke Dingguo, has arrived in Linjiang City. His first order was to command the four major grain merchants in Linjiang City not to sell grain for less than one hundred and fifty wen per dou!"
"One hundred and fifty wen per dou?"
"What?"
The County Magistrate was shocked.
Such a price would be enough to starve the people!
Cui Xinghe continued to speak to himself, "Duke Dingguo holds immense power. Although the Empress has ascended the throne and Great Qian is undergoing a reshuffle, Duke Dingguo is a veteran of three dynasties, and his prestige is known throughout Great Qian!"
"Gao Yang, with his status as Duke Dingguo's grandson, is even more powerful than my Cui Clan, yet he doesn't use his influence to pressure the greedy grain merchants into lowering prices!"
"Instead, he raises the grain prices further. It's truly foolish, wasting such a great status."
Cui Xinghe's tone was disdainful.
He thought of the Empress's arrangement and found it laughable.
He, Cui Xinghe, was a descendant of a prestigious family, the Top Scholar of Great Qian, surpassing all scholars in the land.
His insight and strategy were not something a wastrel who only knew how to play dirty tricks could compare to.
The Empress actually assigned them similar roles, one to Linjiang City and one to Clearwater City, clearly setting them up for a comparison.
And comparatively, Linjiang City was in a more severe situation.
Yet Gao Yang went to Linjiang City.
In Cui Xinghe's eyes, this was a great humiliation!
Gao Yang, a playboy who lingered in the pleasure quarters of Chang'an, while he, Cui Xinghe, was dedicated to studying statecraft at the Hanlin Academy. Yet, in the Empress's mind, Gao Yang was more valued.
This was an insult to his entire Cui Clan, and even more so to him, Cui Xinghe!
Thinking of this, Cui Xinghe's eyes grew colder.
"Convey my order to these grain merchants, not to be too greedy, or else they will anger me, and it won't end well!"
"The grain price in Clearwater City must drop another eight wen, to eighty-two wen per dou. They can still make a profit, so they should know when to stop!"
"If they give me face, when I return to Chang'an and become the Secretariat Drafter in front of the Empress, I will remember this favor. If not, then let each rely on their own means, but I'm afraid the cost will be unbearable for them!"
The County Magistrate was taken aback, "Young Master Cui wants to lower the price by another eight wen?"
In this way, the grain price in Clearwater City would be only eighty-two wen per dou, still much higher than the previous fifty wen per dou.
But the people could grit their teeth and tighten their belts to afford it, at least preventing a hellish scene of starvation.
Of course, in such a year of great disaster, a job that could support a family was precious, and for those without money, even if the price dropped to fifty wen per dou, they would still starve!
Cui Xinghe nodded, "I have secretly investigated and made a statistic of the grain prices along Clearwater River. The two major grain merchants, Liu and Tian, have been hoarding grain at prices ranging from fifty-three to seventy-one wen, not to mention the old grain from last year in their warehouses!"
"Eighty-two wen per dou, they can still profit, and it won't come to a desperate fight."
"As an official, one must be both strict and lenient, a stick and a carrot, that is the way to govern a country!"
The County Magistrate was full of admiration.
"Censor Cui's great talent, on behalf of the more than fifty thousand people of Clearwater City, I thank Censor Cui!"
"Great Qian is blessed to have Censor Cui!"
After speaking, the County Magistrate immediately went to convey the message.
The two major grain merchants in Clearwater City fell silent upon hearing Cui Xinghe's message.
On one hand, there was the goodwill of the Chang'an Cui Clan and the Top Scholar of Great Qian, and on the other, the prospect of tearing faces and resorting to various means.
But Cui Xinghe had left them a way out.
At eighty-two wen per dou, they could still make a substantial profit.
In this game of strategy.
Soon, the grain price in Clearwater City dropped again!
However, it was a slow decline, allowing them to earn a bit more, but Cui Xinghe didn't mind.
A sudden drop of eight wen would cause too much fluctuation in the grain price, while a slow decline allowed the two merchants to better control the price and earn a bit more.
After doing all this, Cui Xinghe looked towards the north of Clearwater City, his eyes filled with coldness.
"On one side, Clearwater City's price drops by eighteen wen, on the other, Linjiang City's price is one hundred and fifty wen per dou, or even higher."
"I, Cui Xinghe, am destined to shine throughout Chang'an!"
Cui Xinghe's eyes were filled with a strong ambition.
"..."
Linjiang City.
Outside the county office.
Angry citizens surrounded the county office, unable to control the fury in their hearts, venting towards the office.
"One hundred and eighty wen per dou, how are we supposed to live?"
"My lord, I kneel before you, begging for mercy beyond the law, please open the granaries and release the grain, or my entire family will starve to death!"
"Today, it's already more than one hundred and eighty wen per dou, it's broken through to two hundred wen per dou, and these damned grain merchants won't sell even at two hundred wen per dou!"
"These beasts who feast on the blood of the people, they'll get their retribution sooner or later!"
Wave after wave of voices spread far and wide, leaving Du Jiang inside the county office with a face full of worry.
He paced back and forth in the main hall of the county office, his brow furrowed with frustration.
The advisor beside him spoke, "My lord, if this continues, the people's anger will be uncontrollable, and it will be difficult to manage!"
Du Jiang stopped his pacing, turned to the advisor, "Is this situation something I wanted to see?"
"The Censor's proclamation was issued, how could the people not be angry? But what can I do? My memorial of impeachment was returned, Her Majesty ordered us to follow the Censor's orders, what can I do!"
The advisor also looked worried and desperate.
"Today marks the seventh day, yet the grain prices in Linjiang City have not dropped, instead, they've risen to two hundred wen per dou, twenty wen more than the one hundred and fifty wen per dou on the proclamation!"
"The people's grain reserves are running out, and the county office cannot open the granaries. In a few days, with the people's anger sweeping through, chaos will surely ensue!"
Du Jiang's brows were tightly knit, he knew this all too well.
"Where is Censor Gao?" Du Jiang asked, his eyes bloodshot.
Du Jiang's expression changed, "At the temple again?"
His face turned livid.
In these seven days, apart from ordering the major grain merchants not to sell for less than one hundred and fifty wen per dou, Gao Yang had either been playing on Clearwater River or visiting temples to pray!
He even wanted to renovate the county office and hold large-scale events!
With such negligence, how could the grain prices in Linjiang City drop?
"The seven-day period is up, I will go find Young Master Gao and see how he plans to lower the grain prices he guaranteed with his life!"
"..."
Outside Huaguo Temple.
This was the largest temple near Linjiang City, with countless people coming to offer incense, the place was bustling with activity.
In Great Qian, both Taoism and Buddhism were prevalent, neither overshadowing the other.
Throughout Great Qian, from high-ranking officials to ordinary people, the number of those burning incense and praying was countless.
After offering a few sticks of incense, Gao Yang was personally escorted out by the Abbot of Huaguo Temple.
The two were engaged in a lively conversation.
This scene made Du Jiang, who had come to find Gao Yang, grit his teeth in anger.
He didn't believe in Buddhism at all. In his heart, if there really were gods and Buddhas in the world who could hear the people's suffering.
Then why were there so many disasters in the world?
The gods and Buddhas were all a joke!
Once the Abbot returned to the temple, Du Jiang couldn't help but ask, "Censor Gao, seven days have passed!"
"Yet the grain prices in Linjiang City have not dropped, instead, they've continued to rise. Ever since your decree, the prices soared to one hundred and fifty wen per dou, and not only that, they've continued to rise, reaching a terrifying two hundred wen per dou. Since the county office posted the proclamation, there have been pleading citizens outside every day!"
"If this continues, the situation will surely spiral out of control, and by then, it will be too late. Aren't you afraid?"
Du Jiang spoke in despair.
He had initially wanted to quickly report to the Empress, hoping she would stop this absurdity, but not only did he receive no response, he was also instructed by the Empress to follow the decree!
And through his inquiries, he finally learned of Gao Yang's identity.
The grandson of Duke Dingguo, Gao Tianlong, a notorious playboy in Chang'an.
When this news arrived, he slumped in his chair in despair, unable to recover for a long time.
In the following days, apart from strictly ordering the county office's granaries not to release grain, Gao Yang began a leisurely mode.
Either taking him to enjoy the scenery along Clearwater River, which runs through the entire Guangyang Commandery, or visiting temples every day to pray, chatting with the Abbot, seemingly a devout believer.
Gao Yang visited all the temples near Linjiang City!
As the seven days passed, the grain prices in Linjiang City not only failed to drop, but continued to rise, far exceeding the one hundred and fifty wen per dou on the county office's proclamation, reaching a terrifying two hundred wen per dou!
And it showed signs of further climbing.
Gao Yang not only didn't use any means to curb this, but also wanted to take advantage of the disaster to renovate the county office and hold large-scale events!
Therefore, even knowing Gao Yang's foolishness, he couldn't help but remind him, hoping he would think of a solution.
If this continued, a great chaos was imminent in Linjiang City!
Gao Yang looked at Du Jiang, not answering directly, but asked indifferently, "Have the four major grain merchants made any moves in recent days?"
Du Jiang replied with a stern face, "Ever since the county office posted the proclamation, the four major grain merchants have spent a large sum of silver, buying up the grain from smaller merchants at a price of one hundred wen per dou, refusing to sell even at one hundred and fifty wen per dou, causing the prices to soar. They are now hoarding grain, waiting for the people's reserves to run out, intending to raise the prices further!"
"These people won't sell even at two hundred wen per dou!"
Gao Yang's face broke into a smile, his eyes cold, "Tomorrow, start recruiting workers to renovate the county office, and post a proclamation that I will host a grand Dragon Boat Race!"
"The winner will be exempt from commercial taxes for three years!"