Chapter 49: A Huge Amount of Silver and Money
Chapter 49: Millions of Silver Dollars
"ten times!"
Liu Heiying's voice echoed slowly in the military tent, and seemed to affect the candle flame, causing it to sway slightly, making the tent feel a little colder out of nowhere.
After hearing this, Lu Yunyi's pupils shrank and a dangerous aura emanated from his body.
Since the Yuan Dynasty seized the heartland of the Central Plains, the nobles throughout the grasslands have lived more and more like the Han people.
They have learned everything from eating, dressing, living, transportation, etiquette, hobbies, and even pomp and power.
Even in today's grasslands, those nobles still wear Ming Dynasty brocade clothes, eat Ming Dynasty food, and use Ming Dynasty porcelain.
If the new grain is sold on the grassland, you can really make ten times the profit.
But Lu Yunyi became suspicious. Since Nahachu's defeat and Liaodong's incorporation into the Ming territory, there were only a few nobles left in the nearby grasslands.
To whom can Ding Xiangneng sell this rice?
But Lu Yunyi soon realized his misunderstanding and eagerly picked up the booklet to examine it carefully.
Since the 15th year of Hongwu, when Ding Xianzhi came to Qingzhou, the number of casualties among soldiers began to increase every year.
With a population of more than 5,000 people in a garrison, it was normal for dozens of people to die every year, so it did not attract attention.
Lu Yunyi traced back the years until he came to the 20th year of Hongwu.
This year, many soldiers were killed or wounded because they had to go out to fight.
But none of them died in such strange ways as before, and even the number of people missing inexplicably was very small. Only three people disappeared on the battlefield.
Lu Yunyi slowly raised his head, a dangerous light flashing in his eyes.
As a result, they came into conflict. After Naha was defeated, Ding Xianzhi stopped this dangerous business.
Soon he remembered something else, stretched out his hand and pinched his brow, then asked thoughtfully:
"Didn't your lover say last time that the centurions of the Qingzhou Central Guard rarely went to Manchunlou last year?"
Liu Heiying was stunned and also thought carefully, but because of drinking, his memory was a little fuzzy.
But he finally nodded slightly:
"Yes, I did."
"It turns out to be your lover." Lu Yunyi muttered and continued thinking.
Liu Heiying suddenly stood up, his body wide open and his eyes wide open as he exclaimed: "Fuck you, Brother Yun'er, you cheated me."
"Stop making noise." Lu Yunyi waved his hand casually and continued to look at the list in his hand.
After he had read through all of them, he picked up the grain and fodder accounts and looked through them carefully.
The more I looked at his face, the more serious it became, and the more frightened I became.
With such a large amount of new grain, let alone selling it all to the grassland, even if only 10% or 20% were sold, it would be an unimaginable amount of money for the entire Qingzhou.
This money can appear in Peking, Kaifeng, Yingtian, and in the south of the Yangtze River, but it cannot appear in Qingzhou.
The sum of money was so huge that Gyeongju couldn't hold it all.
After Lu Yunyi figured this out, he suddenly felt cold all over, his back went cold, and he muttered to himself:
"With such a huge amount of money, there is only a small commander behind it?"
Liu Heiying was stunned. "What are you talking about? Brother Yun'er?"
Lu Yunyi did not speak, but continued to look through the accounts, his expression becoming more and more solemn.
Finally, he put the account aside, his eyes empty, and said in a deep voice:
"A garrison has nearly 6,000 people. Each person gets two dan of grain per month, which is 12,000 dan per month, or 144,000 dan per year.
How much money do you need to buy these grains?"
Liu Heiying frowned, thought for a moment, and blurted out:
"If you buy grain in the south of the Yangtze River, you will pay five cents per stone.
If you buy it at Henan Provincial Administration Office, it costs 9 coins per stone.
If you buy it in Beijing, it will cost one tael and two cents.
There are also seasons, so we will not take that into account and take the middle value of one tael, so 144,000 shi is 144,000 taels."
Lu Yunyi frowned slightly and nodded gently.
He didn't know much about grain prices in different places, but Liu Heiying's calculation method sounded very appropriate.
After hearing this number, a creepy smile suddenly appeared on his face. He looked at Liu Heiying and asked:
"If there was a huge amount of money in front of you, how much would you take?"
Liu Heiying frowned more and more: "Of course the more the better."
Lu Yunyi took a deep breath and nodded heavily:
"Okay, then if we sell all of these 140,000 shi of grain to Nahachu, how much profit will we make?"
Liu Heiying's pupils suddenly contracted, and the atmosphere in the military tent became tense and solemn.
Like the calm before the storm, it is so depressing that it is almost suffocating.
The lights flickered, stretching the shadows of the two people long and casting them on the military tent.
After a long time, Liu Heiying's hoarse voice slowly sounded:
"If we multiply it by ten, the profit in one year is 1.3 million taels, and in five years the profit is 6.5 million taels.
However, due to the large quantity, the price may be lowered. If half of it is taken,
If we multiply it fivefold, we will make 570,000 taels of profit a year, and 2,850,000 taels of profit in five years.
"How much tax did the imperial court collect in the 20th year of Hongwu?"
"Eight million two hundred and fifty thousand taels, of which seven million five hundred thousand were land taxes, and seven hundred and fifty thousand were gold and silver."
Liu Heiying's voice became deeper and more sinister, and he seemed to be worried about something.
After a long while, Lu Yunyi's voice finally rang out:
"Great! We two brothers are so proud of ourselves for taking one thousand taels of silver from your father.
Now it seems that we are the frogs in the well.
Such a huge amount of money appeared in such a small place like Gyeongju, no wonder so many people turned a blind eye to it."
Liu Heiying blinked his eyes and stared blankly at the two books on the table.
Suddenly I felt my throat a little dry, so I hurriedly poured myself a cup of tea and drank it all in one gulp. Only then did I suppress my gradually rapid breathing.
"Brother Yun'er, are you saying that they sold all the food to the grassland?"
Lu Yunyi stared at him with burning eyes: "After Ding Xianzhi arrived in Qingzhou, soldiers began to be killed and injured.
Last year, the army marched north and Nahachu was annihilated, and the casualties among the soldiers stopped immediately.
Is this a coincidence? This is inevitable.
The people of the grasslands are dying or getting injured. Now that the Liaodong Regional Military Commission has been established, who will buy grain at high prices? "
"Well, this is too much. I don't think they dare."
Liu Heiying leaned forward, his face full of horror.
My father has been doing business for 30 years, starting from the Yuan Dynasty, and has only accumulated a fortune of tens of thousands of taels until now.
Most of it was land, farms and goods, and there was not much cash on hand.
This small garrison in Qingzhou earns nearly one million taels a year.
This is horrifying.
Lu Yunyi was also somewhat shocked by this figure. During the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, the people were rich, but this was too rich.
After a while, his face turned colder and he spoke in a deep voice:
"Selling a thousand shi is killing, selling ten thousand shi is killing, why not sell ten thousand shi?"
Only then did Liu Heiying slowly nod his head. If he were to sell, he would definitely want to sell as much as possible.
"Then what should we do? Should we continue investigating? We can't afford to offend the people behind this."
The military tent fell silent again. It was not that the two of them looked down on the third-rank commander.
But to accomplish this and earn this much money, a local garrison command room is far from enough.
at least at least
At least he is a noble of the current dynasty, or a royal relative.
If these people wanted to take their brothers' lives, they didn't have to do it themselves. They just needed to give a slight signal and someone would do it for them.
Lu Yunyi was also a little confused for a while, and the afterglow of promotion and wealth had completely faded away.
The higher his official position, the more he could feel the terror of those big men hanging above the clouds.
After taking a deep breath, Lu Yunyi decided not to just sit there and wait for death, and asked in a deep voice:
"Where is Guo Quan now?"
"The case should be investigated in the government office."
"Tell him to come back. We will go see Ding Xianzhi first to confirm something, and then go see Changxing Hou.
This matter is too big. I don't believe that the two marquises don't know.
We two brothers may become their pawns again.”
"Okay!" Liu Heiying stood up suddenly and left in a hurry.
The military tent became quiet, with only Lu Yunyi left.
Lu Yunyi looked gloomy. His father once told him,
Big men do not act ostentatiously. They often make moves silently and unpredictably. Although the process may be tortuous, they always achieve their goals.
Lu Yunyi looked at the food and fodder accounts and military rosters on the table, his eyes becoming increasingly profound.
This was always top secret in the past, and no one except the chiefs of the three divisions was allowed to see it.
But now it appeared so openly on the table of their two pawns.
Lu Yunyi suddenly felt that the two brothers were like chess pieces on the Qingzhou chessboard.
Being manipulated at will, going wherever one wants, going wherever one wants,
It seemed to be a spontaneous act, but at the critical moment, a pair of invisible hands gently patted it.
And now this pair of invisible hands is a waist badge from Hou Ye of Changxing.
With this badge, Guo Quan was able to access such confidential information, and the two of them were able to get a glimpse of the truth behind the matter.
If Lu Yunyi said that Marquis Changxing could not predict how things would turn out, he himself would not believe it.
Lu Yunyi suddenly felt a little depressed, so he stood up and paced back and forth in the room.
But my mood did not calm down, instead it became more and more confused.
After a quarter of an hour, Lu Yunyi still couldn't think of a better solution, so he sighed and walked out of the military tent.
He called over a soldier on patrol and said:
"I have to go out of the camp for something. When Liu Heiying comes back, ask him to wait here."
"Yes! Sir."
After giving the order to complete everything, Lu Yunyi rode his warhorse straight out of the camp and headed home.
Soon, he appeared at the gate of Lu Mansion.
Hearing the sound of horse hooves, the doorman Lao Zhang also poked his head out. Seeing that it was the young master who had not returned for two days, his face lit up with joy.
But soon, Lu Yunyi's face became gloomy and his movements became impatient.
The doorman, Lao Zhang, frowned slightly and quickened his pace. He came up to the horse and held the reins, saying, "Sir, is there something wrong?"
"Is father home?"
"Yes, the master just returned home and is now reading in the study."
"it is good."
Soon Lu Yunyi hurried into the main room and saw the head of the Lu family, who looked relaxed before committing a crime.
When Mr. Lu heard the footsteps, he looked in the direction of the sound and saw him hurrying over. He frowned and asked in a deep voice:
"Why are you so irritable?"
"Father, what happened?" Lu Yunyi asked briefly.
Mr. Lu put down the book in his hand, sat up straight, and said calmly:
"Since ancient times, generals have been neither arrogant nor impatient. You are now a deputy commander with more than a thousand elite soldiers under your command.
Although you don't have to be a general, you should always pay attention to your own likes and dislikes.
Look at you now, you are in a panic. If the soldiers see you, they will probably think that the grassland people are attacking you.
The superior does not show his joy or anger on his face.
Only in this way can your subordinates feel confident. This is the principle I taught you in the twelfth year of Hongwu."
Lu Yunyi also knew that he could not always remain calm and focused when facing major events, and he was a little frightened by the huge amount of silver.
Now seeing his father's calm appearance, his mood gradually calmed down and he became less panicked.
Lu Yunyi took a deep breath and said in a deep voice: "Father, it is my fault."
Mr. Lu nodded slightly, slowly stood up, walked to the table and sat down, and began to make tea in an orderly manner, as if everything was under control.
"What happened?"
Lu Yunyi then told all the details of the missing military family case.
From Chen Jingyi to Madam Ning next door, to the military's food and accounts, no matter how big or small.
Less than a quarter of an hour later, Lu Yunyi's voice stopped, and the only sound in the room was the clattering of the tea sets.
Mr. Lu took out a teacup, poured hot tea into it, took a sip, and said lightly:
"Finished?"
"That's just the way it is."
"Well, I'm glad you understand the meaning of this.
What makes me as a father even more pleased is that you know how high the heaven is and how deep the earth is, and you have not become arrogant because you have been promoted to an official position at a young age.
This is very good. People should be down-to-earth and hardworking, officials should be cautious in words and deeds, and soldiers should be modest and prudent.
But it is easier said than done, you must always keep it in mind.
As for the Qingzhou incident, it is not a big deal, so there is no need to panic. Just investigate the case as usual."
Lu Yunyi looked stunned. Isn't this a big deal?
Seeing him like this, Lu Dangjia smiled in relief.
He dipped his finger in the tea and wrote the word "rice" on the table.
He chuckled and said, "Look at how the word '饭' is written. It has a '食' and a '反'."
Lu Yunyi's pupils suddenly contracted.
But the next moment, Master Lu wiped away the food with one hand:
"All the great affairs of the world depend on this. Without food, there is only rebellion.
Food is the most important thing for people. This is not just talk, it can really kill people.
Many ministers in the court and the emperor started from humble beginnings, and they rebelled because they had no food.
Similarly, this is also the biggest thing in the world. Whoever touches it will die.
Let's look at the city of Qingzhou, are there any signs of rebellion?"
Lu Dangjia smiled comfortingly, his face still calm:
"It's just some silver. Not to mention old grain, even chaff,
As long as the soldiers have food, it's not a big deal. Continue investigating the case.
As for who is involved, it is not up to you and me to decide. It depends on what the two marquises in the army think."
Lu Yunyi still didn't quite understand, and spoke in a solemn voice:
"But this is a major case involving a million taels of silver. It might cause a stir and shake the court.
By then, the person behind this will be implicated, and I am afraid that I will be affected as well."
But Mr. Lu slowly shook his head:
"In the Ming Dynasty, there are countless people with millions of dollars in wealth. They dominate various places and do things that are shameful to the public, but they do not cause any disturbance in the court.
Some things will cause waves and shake the court, but it is only because there is a wind behind the scenes fanning the flames.
As long as the two marquises do not want to shock the court, this matter will not shock the court and will most likely disappear silently.
It was just an additional entry in a booklet in the imperial palace or the court.
These things must have been clearly investigated by the army when they arrived.
But he didn't kill the general in battle, and let Ding Xianzhi go first.
Now that you have intervened and Guo Quan has been implicated, the matter can be resolved by you, the two marquises.
This is the real intention of Changxing Hou giving Guo Quan the badge. Feel free to check it out.
As for whether the people behind it will be involved, you can rest assured.
The northern border is facing war, and the matter ends here with Ding Xianzhi. As for the people behind the scenes,
If my father is not mistaken, he has probably been punished by now and is still lying dormant, so he will not take action against you."
what?
Lu Yunyi was stunned: "The person behind me? Father, do you know?"
"I don't know, but I can guess."
"who is it?"
Mr. Lu looked solemn and sighed:
"In the 20th year of Hongwu, the army went out to attack Nahachu and passed through Qingzhou. At that time, this incident had already happened.
This can only be done by a nobleman, and he must be a nobleman leading troops, so that he can firmly control the Gyeongju Command Post.
So if any nobleman was punished during the 20th year of Hongwu, he was most likely the one behind it.”
Seeing his father's mysterious smile, Lu Yunyi's mind seemed to be hit by a heavy hammer, his pupils suddenly contracted, and he blurted out:
"Duke Zheng Changmao, the general's nephew?"
Mr. Lu nodded gently:
"When we went to fight Nahachu, the one who led the troops was Duke of Song Feng Sheng, Chang Mao's father-in-law. Do you remember why Duke of Zheng was convicted?"
Lu Yunyi's expression became more and more strange:
"Feng Sheng reported that Chang Mao had become violent and rebellious, disobeyed orders in the army, and had no respect for his superiors.
Duke Zheng also impeached Duke Song, causing Duke Song to be stripped of his military seal and Duke Zheng to be demoted to Longzhou.
Mr. Lu smiled and nodded:
"Yes, our Great Ming governs the world with benevolence and filial piety. What is filial piety? Respect your parents and honor your children.
Therefore, the mutual impeachment between the father-in-law and the son-in-law is a joke that can only deceive the common people and give them more gossip after dinner.
This funny scene, it can be said that the father and son are singing the same tune,
It is called impeachment, but in fact it is to avoid disaster.
Of course, these are just speculations between you and me, father and son, and cannot be taken seriously."
At this moment, Lu Yunyi felt like a frog in a well, with shock all over his face and cold sweat oozing from his forehead.
He had a strong intuition in his heart that this was the truth!
The capital is thousands of miles away from Gyeongju and has nothing to do with this case.
But hidden behind it is the inextricable connection.
It is extremely rare to be able to infer some clues from this connection. What is important is
He pondered over it for a long time but still had no clue?
As for my father, he only stayed home for a quarter of an hour.
Even Lu Yunyi had to admit that the value of the Ming Dynasty Juren's certificate had risen again.
Seeing his expression, Lu poured a cup of tea and handed it to him:
"You are still young, it is normal that you don't understand.
In this world, people have different talents.
Your talent is in the art of the army, and your talent as a father is in this devilish art.
You don't have to be depressed. When you enter the court, you will be influenced by what you see and hear, and then you will understand clearly."
Lu Yunyi was still a little shocked. He drank the tea in the cup and asked:
"Father, why don't you become an official?"
Lu Dangjia slowly shook his head: "Father just wants to live an upright life, and being an official is too tiring.
Well, hurry back to the barracks and investigate the case. Be confident and investigate."
Lu Yunyi's expression became clearer and clearer. He stood up and bowed to Master Lu.
"Thank you, father. I'm leaving first."
(End of this chapter)