Meanwhile, in Linjiang City.
A ray of golden sunlight pierced through the clouds, enveloping the entire city.
In just one night, the grain price had soared from yesterday's exorbitant two hundred wen per dou, rising another twenty wen.
The grain price in Linjiang City had skyrocketed to two hundred and twenty wen per dou.
This was unbearable not only for ordinary citizens but even for some wealthy merchants.
The grain price had reached an inconceivable level.
Merchants were making huge profits, yet they continued to hoard grain, waiting for prices to climb even higher!
On the streets of Linjiang City, outside the county office, were emaciated citizens.
Their faces were filled with suppressed anger, gathering together with a fury that seemed to reach the heavens.
If it weren't for the fact that most families still had some grain reserves, not yet at the point of running out, a terrifying public outrage would have already overturned the county office.
But everyone knew that if things continued like this, chaos was inevitable in Linjiang City.
As if the roof was leaking during a night of rain, just as the public outrage in Linjiang City was about to peak, another piece of news arrived.
News suddenly came that the grain price in Clearwater City, dozens of miles away, had stabilized at eighty-two wen.
Instantly, Linjiang City was in an uproar.
Without comparison, there is no harm.
Linjiang City and Clearwater City were connected by the Clearwater River, only a few dozen miles apart.
Both suffered from the same disaster, and both saw grain prices rise to one hundred wen per dou, but in just seven days, Clearwater City's grain price stabilized at eighty-two wen per dou.
Meanwhile, Linjiang City's grain price soared to two hundred and twenty wen per dou!
Such a disparity was simply unacceptable to the citizens.
As a result, people secretly cursed Gao Yang vehemently.
Corrupt official, Skinflayer Gao, these were all nicknames for Gao Yang.
But out of fear of the court, the citizens dared not curse publicly.
Yet at this rate, although chaos had not yet erupted, the citizens were already on the brink of explosion!
Inside the county office.
Gao Yang stood with his hands behind his back in the main hall, his eyes looking outside.
Even with the county office doors closed, the angry voices of the citizens could still be heard.
Linjiang City was about to erupt!
Du Jiang was pacing back and forth in the county office, occasionally glancing at Gao Yang with a worried expression.
He was afraid that if Linjiang City descended into chaos first, it would be too late for anything.
But Gao Yang sat calmly, showing no panic, leaving Du Jiang anxiously helpless.
"Lord Du, you've been pacing back and forth since early morning, almost making me dizzy," Gao Yang said irritably.
Du Jiang stopped, smiling awkwardly, "My lord, with the public outrage outside, you may be calm, but I cannot sit still."
"Your composure is truly rare in this world!"
Du Jiang was genuinely impressed. If chaos erupted in Linjiang City, Gao Yang would be the first to bear the brunt, yet at such a young age, Gao Yang displayed a calmness surpassing even his own.
It was terrifying!
The advisor beside them was stunned.
Just a few days ago, he seemed eager to devour him alive.
Gao Yang picked up a cup of tea, took a sip, savoring the explosion of flavor in his mouth.
Then, Gao Yang said calmly, "Lord Du, bring the Linjiang County seal."
"The fish is in the net, it's time to kill!"
Upon hearing this, Du Jiang's eyes lit up with excitement.
He hurriedly brought the Linjiang County seal, exclaiming, "My lord, can we reel them in now?"
Gao Yang nodded, saying calmly, "Post a proclamation immediately: the grain warehouse in Linjiang City will fully open to sell grain at one hundred and five wen per dou!"
"This proclamation must be spread throughout every street and alley of Linjiang City!"
Then, Gao Yang turned to Shangguan Wan'er, "From this moment, dispatch troops to take over the docks. No cargo ships are allowed to leave the city!"
"Those who disobey, behead!"
Upon hearing this, Du Jiang and Shangguan Wan'er couldn't help but show excitement.
After seven days of restraint and planning, Gao Yang finally took action.
And it was a big move!
"We will follow your orders," they replied in unison.
Shangguan Wan'er was even more amazed internally.
Ruthless!
Truly ruthless!
Not only opening the warehouse to sell grain at one hundred and five wen per dou to impact the market, but also sealing the city gates and docks.
Under such actions, the major grain merchants would surely be in panic!
"My lord, I'm a bit worried. As you mentioned earlier, if we open the warehouse to sell grain, I'm afraid the warehouse won't have enough grain!"
"If the city merchants hold out for a few days, once the warehouse runs out of grain, what then?"
"Please advise, my lord!"
Du Jiang humbly sought guidance.
With grain prices skyrocketing, once the warehouse opened to sell at one hundred and five wen per dou, the citizens would surely rush to buy.
Gao Yang smiled and said, "Lord Du, have you forgotten about the batch of 'relief grain' outside the city?"
Upon hearing this, Du Jiang's eyes brightened instantly.
But he frowned again, saying, "The four great grain merchants of Zhao, Han, Lin, and Qi have been entrenched in Linjiang City for a century, with complex influences. They probably know the true state of the warehouse..."
Gao Yang's eyes flashed with coldness and disdain.
"They know, they can hold out, but can the foreign grain merchants and small grain merchants in Linjiang City hold out?"
"Sell first and profit, sell later and go bankrupt, not selling means a net loss from grain spoilage and high costs. If you were in their shoes, Lord Du, what would you choose?" Gao Yang said quietly, "A conspiracy can be avoided, but how do you avoid an open scheme?"
Du Jiang suddenly realized, his face turning red!
He understood everything.
Gao Yang was too ruthless!
He intended to crush the foreign grain merchants and force the four great grain merchants to sell!
"I'll get right on it!" Du Jiang said urgently, ready to leave.
Gao Yang added, "Wait!"
Du Jiang turned back to Gao Yang, "What else do you command, my lord?" Visit novelping.com for the full chapter.
Gao Yang said calmly, "There's not much grain in the warehouse, don't sell too quickly. Let the citizens line up to buy, registering household by household."
"Also, release news that Her Majesty has ordered disaster relief, sending one hundred thousand carts of grain to Linjiang City. I despise these merchants who profit from national disasters, so I want them all to go bankrupt!"
"The Grain Restriction Order might last ten days, or maybe half a month, depending on my mood!"
Du Jiang's scalp tingled instantly.
He said directly, "My lord, this plan is too vicious. These merchants are doomed to bad luck for ten lifetimes encountering you, and the grain price in Linjiang City will surely plummet!"
Du Jiang hurried out to carry out Gao Yang's instructions.
Shangguan Wan'er, however, was puzzled, "Such rumors, won't the foreign grain merchants be skeptical?"
Gao Yang sneered, "Lord Shangguan, you're mistaken."
Shangguan Wan'er looked at Gao Yang's handsome face, filled with doubt.
Gao Yang explained, "Lord Shangguan still doesn't understand human nature. These foreign grain merchants traveled dozens of miles to sell grain, losing at least a tenth on the road. Laborers and cooks need daily wages and food, and every extra day raises their costs."
"Even if they hold out and don't sell, returning would incur huge costs. At this point, even the slightest rumor will make them panic!"
"And the real brilliance of this plan lies in the stampede effect. The first batch of merchants to sell can still profit, but those who sell later won't even get the scraps..."
Upon hearing this, Shangguan Wan'er's expression became complex.
Lüluo's cute little face turned pale.
She looked as if she'd seen a ghost.
In recent days, Gao Yang had often teased her, laughing and joking.
But she hadn't expected him to be so terrifying.
"Young Master, you wouldn't sell me one day and have me count the money for you, would you..." Lüluo asked weakly.
Gao Yang laughed heartily, "Do I seem like that kind of person?"
Lüluo nodded without hesitation, then quickly shook her head.
Gao Yang: "..."
He reached out and pinched Lüluo's chubby cheeks, pretending to be fierce, "Give me a shoulder massage, and if it's not comfortable, you'd better watch out!"
Lüluo quickly brought over a chair.
"Young Master, please sit."
Then she diligently massaged Gao Yang's shoulders.
This made Gao Yang chuckle.
Even Shangguan Wan'er, looking at Gao Yang's handsome face, felt a wave of fear.
It was hard to imagine that the heart of a young master from a century-old military family could be so cunning.
But she felt a sense of satisfaction.
Suddenly, she recalled something Wu Zhao had said.
"The corrupt officials and treacherous merchants of the world are unimaginably ruthless and vicious. Ordinary means cannot restrain them; evil must be countered with evil!"
She suddenly understood.
The Top Scholar of Clearwater City, whom she regarded as a pillar of talent, was skilled in governance, but even with all his efforts, he could only stabilize the grain price at eighty-two wen per dou in Clearwater City.
But in Linjiang City, these merchants raised the grain price to two hundred and twenty wen per dou and were still not satisfied.
With Gao Yang's methods, how low would it fall?
Shangguan Wan'er wasn't sure, but she knew it would never be eighty-two wen per dou!