Of course, Zhao Hanzhang didn’t only instruct Ting He to stockpile grain. She also had Changning use national treasury funds to purchase large quantities of grain, cloth, medicine, and other disaster relief supplies.
When Changning heard these numbers, his scalp tingled. He hurriedly said, “Grand General, we’ve already purchased quite a bit of grain during autumn harvest following your instructions. Before the new year, we also bought considerable cloth and medicine. If we buy more now…”
“Buy it. It’s all disaster relief supplies.”
But Changning was unwilling. He quietly advised, “The disaster may not come. This subordinate believes what we’ve prepared now is sufficient. If we prepare more and nothing happens—of course, I’m hoping for peace and safety—but then what do we do with so much grain, cloth, and medicine? Purchasing now means buying at high prices.”
Stockpiling now was different from last time.
Last time he had ample preparation time. Starting from July, he purchased grain in small batches. At that time, with new grain about to be harvested, many grain merchants were reducing prices to clear old grain, continuing until August when new grain came in.
After new grain arrived in August, grain prices began declining widely in small increments. At that point, he directly assigned people to purchase from farmers at the same prices grain merchants offered. Purchasing then meant that whether or not this disaster relief grain would ultimately be needed, the national treasury wouldn’t lose money.
But purchasing now…
Common people no longer had surplus grain in their hands. They could only buy from grain merchants. Moreover, it was already January, and most grain merchants were holding grain waiting for price increases in February and March. They wouldn’t sell to the court at low prices.
If the natural disaster wasn’t severe enough to use this batch of grain, the coming and going would mean losing money.
As Minister of Revenue, he couldn’t tolerate this.
Zhao Hanzhang, however, was very insistent. She told him, “I’m taking my entire family fortune and having Ting He buy grain. If I’m personally willing to take this risk, why wouldn’t the court?”
“We won’t lose much anyway. The grain is in hand. During agricultural off-season when we conscript labor, it can be converted to worker expenses.”
Changning: “Transportation costs are high. Originally, conscripts’ meals were the localities’ responsibility.”
“You don’t need to transport grain to the capital now. Store it locally, and I’ll assign soldiers for your use,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “I’ve already promised to reduce labor conscription and tax burdens this year. That being so, the treasury will inevitably need to support localities. At that time, instead of giving money, giving grain is also acceptable.”
This was assuming surplus grain.
“Besides, don’t we still have all of you? This grain can also serve as official salaries.”
Changning was speechless. “…The disaster relief grain you’re adding is enough for civil and military officials’ salaries for ten years. Are we to eat old grain year after year?”
Zhao Hanzhang insisted.
Changning could only follow orders, grudgingly going to prepare.
However, privately he still couldn’t help complaining to Ji Yuan. “The Lady General trusts Guo Pu too much. Although he reads celestial signs and weather well, he’s still just a mystic. If he speaks falsely, won’t that bring great disaster to the realm again?”
Ji Yuan also frowned, feeling Zhao Hanzhang trusted Guo Pu too much. Judging from winter weather patterns, this year’s spring and summer would indeed see more rain, but spring rain was precious. For the north, more rainfall this year compared to previous years would actually benefit farming.
At worst, they could switch to planting rice. As long as they chose crops suitable for the climate, it wasn’t a bad thing. How could she assume it would only be disaster?
This was the north! How much rain could northern springs have?
At this time, forget Ji Yuan and Changning and other court officials—even Guo Pu himself felt Zhao Hanzhang was overreacting.
But Guo Pu differed from other court officials. He never believed Zhao Hanzhang would do things without reason. Could it be that Fu Tinghan had calculated something and quietly told her but not him?
Or had they received divine revelation and glimpsed some secret?
Guo Pu grew excited and immediately went into seclusion to observe the stars and calculate weather patterns. He also found all available historical rainfall data from the Supreme Temple and cross-referenced it one by one with historical star observation records.
Two days after Zhao Hu’s banquet ended, he recovered and discovered his good friend Guo Pu had actually missed his final day’s banquet. He hurriedly asked Wu Yin, “Is he sick?”
Wu Yin said, “Master Guo went into seclusion. Before entering seclusion, he was beating his chest in regret. However, serious matters took priority, so he could only reluctantly go into seclusion with regret.”
“What serious matter? This time I invited all the famous courtesans in the capital.”
Guo Pu enjoyed food, entertainment, wine, and beautiful women. It could be said that apart from power and fame, he liked everything. Oh, and gambling too—he had all five vices.
So after meeting Zhao Hu, Guo Pu quickly became his close friend. Their friendship developed so rapidly and intimately that even Zhao Song found it incredible, then felt a bit jealous.
Although dissatisfied, Zhao Hu still thoughtfully sent his good friend some good food and entertainment. “Tell him when he comes out of seclusion, I’ll take him out to play. I’m planning to open a pleasure house in the capital. As long as he comes, everything will be free.”
Wu Yin agreed and personally went to deliver the message.
Then Zhao Hu’s business application was rejected.
When Zhao Hu learned of this, he was furious. This was the first insulting rejection he’d received since backing Zhao Hanzhang. Everything he did was legal and compliant—why wouldn’t they issue him a market certificate?
A market certificate was this era’s business license, containing the operator’s name, business location, business activities, and so forth.
Of course, to avoid being classified as a merchant when the court later tallied population and property, Zhao Hu didn’t record his own name but put it under a steward’s name.
Then he changed the steward’s indenture contract to a free contract and signed a stack of agreements to ensure this property was his, but when the court tallied people and property, they couldn’t say it was his.
Just like modern corporate legal representatives who often take the fall—the company belonged to the legal representative, but also didn’t belong to the legal representative.
Zhao Hu had never imagined he’d be obstructed when processing a market certificate. Who in Luoyang would dare target him like this?
The first person Zhao Hu thought of was Zhao Hanzhang, but he immediately shook his head and dismissed her from his mind. It shouldn’t be her—she’d just borrowed money from him.
Then it was… Zhao Hu frowned slightly. “What is Fifth Grand-Uncle doing?”
Wu Yin bent at the waist, not daring to raise his head. “The Fifth Grand Elder is sunbathing at home.”
Zhao Song found Zhao Hu’s place too noisy. These past days, he’d been staying at their family’s new residence. It wasn’t far from Zhao Hu’s house, but he was too lazy to move. Unless Zhao Hu came to his door, or unless Zhao Hu caused trouble, he wouldn’t go out.
Even when going out, it was to scold people.
Zhao Hu’s brows knit tightly. “Does Fifth Grand-Uncle know about this? Did he have the authorities block me?”
Wu Yin: “This subordinate inquired—it seems to be the court’s intention, unrelated to the Fifth Grand Elder. But any more details couldn’t be found.”
Zhao Hu heard it wasn’t Zhao Song’s doing, and his confidence immediately returned. His anger built layer upon layer. “So someone in court wants to target Sanniang and is using me to make their move. Hmph! Other departments aside, what is the Ministry of Revenue? They eat mine, drink mine, yet dare to withhold my market certificate? How outrageous!”
Zhao Hu charged toward the Ministry of Revenue.
The ministry clerks were frightened and hurriedly went to fetch Changning.