Upon hearing this, Du Jiang was stunned.
"What?"
He hadn't expected that Gao Yang was serious.
He really intended to renovate the county office and host a grand event!
But this was clearly a year of disaster; the people were struggling to survive, and such actions would only further oppress them, leading them to their deaths!
"I will follow your orders, but Lord Gao, even though you are the grandson of Duke Dingguo, causing such a catastrophe is beyond what you can bear!"
Du Jiang's face was filled with anger.
Beside him, Shangguan Wan'er looked at Gao Yang with a complex expression and said with a bitter smile, "Young Master Gao, what exactly are you planning?"
"Otherwise, I will have to take over Linjiang City on your behalf!"
Shangguan Wan'er's expression was serious, her eyes filled with deep concern.
Things were getting out of control.
She needed to understand Gao Yang's intentions.
Hope suddenly ignited in Du Jiang's eyes, and he clasped his hands together, saying, "Lady Shangguan, please take action quickly."
"Otherwise, if the people revolt, it will lead to an irreparable disaster!"
Shangguan Wan'er looked at Gao Yang, her beautiful eyes filled with doubt, "You clearly don't like Buddha. In Chang'an City, there are many believers, I've seen them, their eyes filled with an inexplicable fervor, but you don't have that."
"In other words, visiting temples everywhere these days is not your true intention, and renovating the county office is even more baffling. You will return to Chang'an soon, so why do you want to renovate the county office?"
"To bear the infamy of a city, causing grain prices in Linjiang City to soar, Young Master Gao, you must give me an explanation!"
Du Jiang was also taken aback.
He wasn't a fool; as Shangguan Wan'er spoke, he too sensed something was amiss.
All these actions were very unusual. No matter how devout one might be, it was impossible to visit temples every day to burn incense and worship.
Renovating the county office was a thankless task, and Gao Yang would eventually return to Chang'an City. No matter how reckless he was, he wouldn't do something so thankless.
Could it be that Gao Yang had other plans?
Gao Yang stood outside the temple, overlooking the entire Linjiang City from his vantage point.
He said calmly, "Lord Du, do you remember what I told you seven days ago?"
Du Jiang frowned, instinctively responding.
"But with grain prices soaring and merchants greedy, how can they stop without reaping a hefty profit?"
Gao Yang said calmly, "Lord Du, let me ask you, if the Four Great Grain Merchants unite, how much can they lower the price even under pressure?"
"Eight wen, or eighteen wen? Even if the price is eighty wen per dou, how many people can afford it?"
Du Jiang was taken aback, and Shangguan Wan'er was also speechless.
"Unless you wield the butcher's knife and kill them all, but once you start killing, all the merchants in the city will be on edge."
"And for ordinary people, whether it's one hundred wen per dou, one hundred and fifty wen per dou, or even two hundred wen per dou, it makes little difference; they simply can't afford it."
"But with grain prices in Linjiang City soaring, and even the government ordering that grain not be sold for less than one hundred and fifty wen per dou, what will this attract?"
As soon as he said this.
Buzz!
Almost instantly, it was as if a bolt of lightning struck Du Jiang's mind.
With grain prices soaring to astronomical levels, ordinary people couldn't afford it, but who would it attract?
In the minds of Du Jiang and Shangguan Wan'er, a term almost simultaneously emerged.
Foreign grain merchants!
Could it be, could it be...
Du Jiang looked at Gao Yang in shock, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Shangguan Wan'er's heart was also in turmoil!
Even the usually composed Lüluo couldn't help but have her chest rise and fall.
Gao Yang's face was icy as he said, "The greedy Zhao, Han, Lin, and Qian grain merchants are sweeping up local grain and raising prices. Local small grain merchants are also hoarding, hoping to sell at sky-high prices."
"Greed is human nature; no merchant in the world is not greedy. But likewise, the news of soaring grain prices in Linjiang City will spread to surrounding areas at a terrifying speed!"
"In recent days, at the city gates and docks, the number of carriages and ships transporting grain has been increasing daily!"
"Linjiang City is now filled with foreign grain merchants, and the city no longer lacks grain."
"Currently, the grain price in Linjiang City is like a huge balloon, looking big but ready to burst with a single prick!"
"These merchants want to profit from the national disaster; this time, I will see them ruined!"
This light tone swept through the hearts of Du Jiang and Shangguan Wan'er.
Their eyes looked as if they had seen a ghost!
If things went as Gao Yang said, these grain merchants would face a great disaster, but Du Jiang felt no sympathy, only satisfaction.
These merchants profiting from the national disaster all deserved to die.
"But why does the lord want to renovate the county office and host a Dragon Boat Race?" Du Jiang asked, puzzled.
Gao Yang did not explain.
He simply said, "County Magistrate Du will understand in due time. For the people, even a grain price of fifty wen per dou requires money to buy."
Upon hearing this, Du Jiang's eyes, for once, did not show disdain.
He fell into thought.
Even at fifty wen per dou, the people still need money to buy.
These words gave him some insight, but he couldn't quite grasp it.
Du Jiang directly knelt down, "My lord, I am guilty. Not only am I foolish, but I also impeached you!"
Gao Yang said calmly, "The Four Great Grain Merchants are deeply entrenched, and who knows how many of their people are within the county office. That's why I didn't speak."
"The impeachment a few days ago is not worth mentioning; you need not worry about it."
But Du Jiang, sweating profusely, said, "My lord, just an hour ago, before I came to see the Censor, I wrote another letter, and the wording was even more severe and the tone more agitated."
Gao Yang: "..."
He looked at Du Jiang, his mouth twitching.
Du Jiang's hand was indeed quick!
Wouldn't Chang'an be in an uproar?
Shangguan Wan'er spoke up, "I will immediately write a letter and send it to Chang'an with a fast horse. Young Master Gao need not worry."
Gao Yang nodded.
These grain merchants were truly unlucky to have encountered him!
Gao Yang looked at Shangguan Wan'er and said, "Lady Shangguan, tonight, please fill sandbags with earth and sand from outside the city. Make sure the news doesn't leak; I have a big use for them."
Shangguan Wan'er immediately nodded, "I will use Her Majesty's decree to mobilize a troop from the garrison outside the city to assist Young Master Gao!"
Gao Yang overlooked the entire Linjiang City, his gaze filled with extreme coldness: "Today will be the last revelry for the grain merchants in Linjiang City. Tomorrow, I will show them what true despair is!"