Though nominally not Zhao Hanzhang’s, Zhao Hanzhang’s mother could still give the common people considerable confidence. Those who had come to buy grain finally calmed down somewhat. The atmosphere in the queue relaxed considerably, and the clerk continued measuring grain for them.
Someone in the queue quietly withdrew, and before long rushed into a small door, turned around to enter the front, “Owner, we’ve found out. It’s the business of the Great General’s mother, Madam Wang. I heard they transported a lot of grain—grain sacks piled to the ceiling.”
The middle-aged man was delighted upon hearing this and repeatedly asked, “Are you sure? Is it really the Great General’s mother’s business?”
“Most likely true. I saw soldiers in uniform guarding nearby too.”
“Good, good,” the middle-aged man said happily. “Open the doors and lower all grain prices. Do as they do and limit purchases too. Quickly!”
The clerk happily acknowledged and said, “Should we still use the large dou measure?”
The middle-aged man slapped his head and scolded with a laugh, “Want to bankrupt me? Switch to normal ones.”
The clerk went to replace the enlarged measure with normal ones.
This was a heavily disaster-affected area and unlike Luoyang wasn’t a major city, so grain prices had risen even more outrageously.
The Fang family was a well-known local landlord and grain merchant. When the Xiongnu ravaged the land, they had fled from their hometown, the whole family escaping for their lives. They didn’t return until Zhao Hanzhang recovered the lost territory.
Because they left late and returned early, most of their farmland wasn’t subject to national reclamation. Combined with their accumulated savings, they quickly rebuilt their capital.
Old Master Fang often told his son, “We received favors from the Great General, and our fellow villagers covered for us, which is how we could preserve our family business. We should repay this.”
So Old Master Fang was very enthusiastic about donating money to build bridges and pave roads, and to dig water channels. When this water disaster occurred, just as the gazette showed the first hints in February when most people still didn’t believe it, he began making preparations.
He spent money purchasing large quantities of grain from outside and also urged fellow villagers to store surplus grain, trying not to sell it just because grain prices were currently high.
He had originally intended that if there really was a disaster, he would sell at fair prices to stabilize prices. If Guo Pu’s prediction was wrong and there was no natural disaster, he would sell at low prices during the lean season, losing at most twenty to thirty percent. With his family foundation, gritting his teeth would get him through.
But he hadn’t expected the other wealthy families in the county were unwilling to stabilize prices. Moreover, they had the backing of high officials in the commandery governor’s office. The few merchant households united with the Fang family as leader simply couldn’t compete.
If prices differed on both sides, they would send people to harass. Even officials came to have talks. The several merchant households who had agreed with Old Master Fang to sell grain at fair prices all couldn’t withstand the pressure and had to set the same prices as them.
Old Master Fang, with two fists unable to fight four legs, could only console himself that as long as the green hills remain, there’s no fear of lacking firewood. Then he quietly switched to larger measures.
When common people came to buy grain, one dou of grain measured with the large dou could give two more sheng.
At the same price, grain bought at Fang family’s grain shop was more. The common people weren’t fools and vaguely sensed something, tactfully hiding this matter together.
After grain prices soared, Fang family grain shop’s business was the best among several shops. Though the others were indignant, they didn’t suspect. After all, Fang family grain shop was an old establishment in this county seat. That common people trusted them more was normal.
They never thought anyone would forgo making money, actually selling one dou and two sheng of grain for the price of one dou.
The court’s disaster relief grain arrived. Actually, it didn’t greatly impact them because the court limited who could receive disaster relief grain to those who couldn’t afford to buy their grain anyway.
The newly opened grain shop was equivalent to directly snatching food from their hands. This was hateful.
But the shop’s grain-selling clerk claimed it was the Great General’s mother’s business, plus there were soldiers nearby. For the moment they didn’t dare act and could only send people to investigate.
This kind of matter could be directly asked at the yamen. “That shop is rented, rented these past two months. Very cheap.”
“What? Have the landlord drive them out?” The clerk said, “If it were an ordinary family, driving them out would be fine. This is the Great General’s mother. Who dares drive her out?”
“Already asked clearly—it’s confirmed. Moreover,” the clerk lowered his voice, “Grand Tutor Xun is also here. He’s an imperial envoy. With such a commotion from the newly opened grain shop, if it were suddenly closed, we couldn’t hope to hide our affairs.”
The clerk urged, “You’ve earned quite enough during this period. You don’t have much grain left anyway, right? Why not sell it at fair prices?”
“It’s precisely because there’s not much left that we need to sell it at high prices even more. Why couldn’t they open later?”
If they’d come half a month later, they could have sold all their grain at high prices. Coming now…
Calculating the money they’d lose made their hearts hurt as if carved out.
“Fine, we’ll temporarily avoid their edge. If she wants to sell, let her sell. We’ll close our doors. When they’ve sold out all their grain, everyone else will have to come back to us.”
Having just made this decision, Xie Feng hurried over urgently saying, “Fang family grain shop has opened. They’ve also lowered grain prices.”
Zheng Zhi was furious upon hearing this. “Sycophantic lot! I’ve long found him displeasing. I invited him several times, but he declined saying he had matters. Turns out his ambitions were this lofty—directly currying favor with Zhao Hanzhang’s mother.”
Zheng Zhi spat and stood up. “I’m going to find my brother-in-law. If I can’t seal that Wang woman’s shop, can I not seal the Fang family’s?”
Zheng Zhi rushed to the commandery governor’s office. Yu Hong wasn’t in the office. He and Xun Fan had gone together for disaster relief. Zheng Zhi could only first visit his nephews and nieces.
By evening, Yu Hong and Xun Fan returned exhausted. The two walked while talking. “…We should also issue some volunteer work for cleaning silt and repairing roads, using work for relief, not needing long duration—about ten days would be fine.”
Before finishing speaking, seeing Zheng Zhi, Xun Fan tactfully stopped talking, nodded and smiled at Yu Hong. “I’ll go wash up first. We’ll talk more later.”
Yu Hong smiled and agreed. Zheng Zhi also respectfully bowed and saw Xun Fan off before saying, “Brother-in-law, seeing you so dirty and exhausted, I had the kitchen stew soup. You should drink a bowl first to warm your stomach…”
“No need. I still have much official business unfinished. Just say directly why you came to find me.”
Zheng Zhi complained in a low voice, “That Fang family, relying on being a local powerful clan, manipulates prices and squeezes out other grain shops. You can’t ignore this.”
Yu Hong frowned slightly. “I’ll have someone speak to Master Fang. But you don’t have much time left. Now the court’s disaster relief grain has arrived, plus the new grain shop opened by the Zhao family. I’d say you’ve earned enough money. Take advantage while grain prices are still good and quickly lower them to sell all the grain.”
Zheng Zhi: “When we bought initially, we paid high prices. Grain transportation costs are high. This is a reasonable price. If we don’t sell at this price, we’ll only lose money.”
He said, “We’re not like the Fang family. They’re local snakes—the grain was all bought locally with basically no shipping costs. Brother-in-law, I earn this money for my nephews and nieces. In another two years the nephews need to go to Luoyang to study. We’re all from branch families. To avoid being looked down upon, we can only bring more money. And there’s my niece—she needs to discuss marriage. If she has a generous dowry, perhaps she could marry into the Wang family or even the Zhao family…”
“Enough, enough, I understand,” Yu Hong was silent for a moment then said, “I’ll have people handle it. But I also can’t force others. At most I’ll have them close for a few days. You hurry and sell all your grain.”
Zheng Zhi acknowledged and left happily.
Yu Hong sighed and turned to go back to his room, only to see a person standing in the shadows of the corridor. Yu Hong was greatly startled, staggered backward two steps, and stared wide-eyed.
Xun Fan walked expressionlessly from the shadows and stood under a lantern.
Only upon clearly seeing it was Xun Fan did his wildly beating heart slowly calm. Somewhat annoyed, “Taijian, why didn’t you make a sound? You scared me to death.”
Xun Fan: “A clear conscience fears no ghosts. Why the fright?”
Yu Hong only felt his face burning. Fortunately, in the dim night no one could see, so he steadied his voice and said, “You misunderstood. My wife’s brother did engage in some grain trading but always followed market prices. That Fang family is a local snake, very domineering, insisting grain prices must follow theirs, so there’s some conflict between them.”
“I know the Fang family,” Xun Fan said solemnly. “Earlier you said the commandery governor’s office wanted to borrow grain from various families for disaster relief, but the Fang family refused.”
“Right, it was the Fang family who led the refusal, making excuses that they’re grain merchants who only sell grain, not donate it.”
Xun Fan quietly looked at him for a while, then turned and walked away.
Yu Hong was stunned, then quickly chased after him. “Taijian, what’s the meaning of this?”
“I visited the Fang family. The Fang family head, Master Fang, truly was unwilling to donate grain but was willing to donate money for disaster relief. He said grain reaching the yamen might not reach disaster victims. At that time he made an odd request, saying even if donating money, he wanted to donate to the county, have the county magistrate receive it personally, and insisted it had to be a county magistrate from the Great General’s recruitment examination or schools.”
Xun Fan stopped and turned to look at him. “I’ve always wondered why he would make such a request. Now I know.”
Yu Hong remained silent.
Xun Fan’s eyes reddened as he turned and walked away.
Reaching the guest courtyard, Xun Fan turned back and said in a low voice, “Don’t follow me anymore!”
Yu Hong sighed and said softly, “Do you really think I would embezzle disaster relief money and grain? My wife’s brother just went with the flow. You were also a local official—you should know how strong local powerful clan forces are. We outsider officials struggle with every step…”
“But this is post-war!” Xun Fan angrily said. “Most people fled and returned, with many newly settled households. The so-called local powerful clans mostly perished in war or had their power greatly damaged. They simply can’t cover the sky with one hand!”
“Otherwise, after the war ended, why did Zhao Hanzhang only constantly send troops to suppress bandits? Because as long as localities have no banditry and no one has weapons, in the short term no power can arise to dominate a region.” Xun Fan was bitterly disappointed. “I knew some local officials were petty and corrupt, seeking only private gain, but I never thought you were among them!”
Yu Hong suppressed his anger. “Based on the few words you heard, you suspect me so? We’ve been friends for over ten years…”
“Five years apart, I truly have difficulty distinguishing whether you’ve changed. The current me also lacks the time and energy to distinguish, so I’ll ask Yuan Li to come. Let him investigate whether it’s right or wrong.”
Yu Hong’s eyes widened as he shivered violently. Seeing Xun Fan push open the door to enter and about to close it, he quickly rushed forward to block it, looking at him incredulously. “You—you actually want to invite Yuan Li here? Are you mad? He’s a cruel official, a cruel official!”
Xun Fan looked serious. “He’s a cruel official, but he won’t wrong people.”
Yu Hong’s chest heaved. “How do you know he won’t extract confessions through torture? Moreover, if we go through his hands once, can we emerge unscathed?”
Xun Fan: “If it were before, I definitely wouldn’t do this. But he doesn’t dare torture innocent people now. Rest assured, if he doesn’t have any real evidence, he won’t dare torture you.”
Yu Hong: …But he wasn’t exactly clean either.
Xun Fan looked at the silent him and understood. With force in his hand, he moved to close the door.
Yu Hong forcefully resisted, saying solemnly, “Taijian, you should know—when water is too clear, there are no fish.”
“When water is too clear there are no fish, but when water is too turbid it will poison all the fish to death.” Xun Fan: “Take care of yourself.”
Yu Hong wanted to speak more, but Xun Fan couldn’t help it and loudly called, “Fengbi!”
The attendant who had been standing silently at a distance immediately came forward and bowed. “Lord Yu, my master needs to rest. Please return.”
Being blocked by Xun Fan using servants, Yu Hong had all his words stuck in his throat. He could only release his hand and watch as Xun Fan slammed the door shut.
Yu Hong turned and left. Only upon returning to the main courtyard did he realize his back was soaked. His face was somewhat pale. He called a servant and said, “Go quickly find Zheng Zhi and tell him to immediately sell all grain at fair prices. No—prices must not be higher than the Zhao family’s and Fang family’s.”
The servant was about to go when Yu Hong called him back, gritting his teeth. “Tell him Yuan Li is coming.”
Zheng Zhi had been unhappy with Yu Hong’s instructions. Hearing that Yuan Li was coming here, his face immediately paled. He asked, “There’s already one heavenly envoy here. Why is he still coming?”
“This servant doesn’t know.”
Zheng Zhi paced anxiously in circles. Those who had allied with him were coincidentally also here to hear news. At this moment all were somewhat frightened, whispering guesses. “Could he have heard some rumors?”
That would be even more terrifying.
Fengbi placed noodles before Xun Fan. “Master, you’ve labored all day. Eat something first before thinking more.”
Xun Fan took the chopsticks, picked up some noodles, and looked at these grayish-white noodles, his heart depressed. “I only thought he was honest and poor, so his family was in difficulty. I never thought this was all just a facade.”
Fengbi: “Speaking disrespectfully, among those serving as officials in the court, except for new officials fresh from schools, there’s not one official whose family is in difficulty, especially the remaining old officials.”
Xun Fan looked at him. “So you also think the Great General governing is better?”
“This servant doesn’t know those great principles you gentlemen discuss. I only know that after the Great General took power, the atmosphere among the people gradually improved—benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, trustworthiness, and courage. Unlike before when common people had to avoid others to secretly curse the monarch and officials.”
Xun Fan: “Now everyone curses openly.”
Fengbi smiled honestly. “The Great General said that as long as it’s not baseless abusive language, it all counts as suggestions, and officials must not obstruct it.”
—