Zhao Hanzhang used gold, silver, and glass to buy large quantities of grain at prices ten percent above market rate. When Magistrate Chai heard the news, he was stunned. “What does she need so much grain for? No, she even…brought armed troops, so why is she still buying grain at a high price? Shouldn’t she be forcing the price down?”

Changning said, “I’m afraid no one would be willing to sell grain at this price that’s only ten percent above market.”

That’s right—winter had already begun, Yingchuan next to Runan had suffered disaster, and with the Xiongnu army attacking Luoyang and Yuzhou, grain prices outside had gone crazy.

Although Runan Prefecture’s grain prices were still relatively stable, that was only because the autumn harvest had just ended. Wait a bit longer, and influenced by the outside, Runan’s grain prices would definitely soar as well.

If nothing else, they could form merchant caravans and transport the grain elsewhere—that could earn quite a bit of money. That wouldn’t just be a ten or twenty percent increase, but double or triple the price.

But Zhao Hanzhang’s so-called three thousand troops were right outside the city. No one dared refuse to sell.

Fortunately, she still had some conscience. The grain she wanted to buy was divided among several families. Although it would still pain them, it wouldn’t completely empty their granaries. They could still seize opportunities to make money in the future.

So they gritted their teeth and sold.

As for Zhao Hanzhang’s seemingly generous initiative to offer prices ten percent above market rate, the gentry and merchants sneered inwardly. Did she think they cared about that?

Especially the grain merchants of Shangcai County—they were currently controlling the daily amount of grain sold, wanting to save more grain for later. They didn’t care at all about this price that was only ten percent above market.

But doing business, what they feared most was thugs like Zhao Hanzhang. There was nowhere to seek justice. They could only consider themselves unlucky.

After Zhao Hanzhang paid and hauled away the grain, they immediately ran to the county office to complain to Magistrate Chai.

Magistrate Chai had wanted to hide, but couldn’t escape. Blocked at the county office, he could only sit down and listen to their complaints.

“Speaking of who has the most land, who in all of Shangcai County can compare to her, Zhao Sanniang? Yet she still forces us to sell our grain. County Magistrate, you are the people’s official parent—you can’t ignore this matter.”

“Yes, the Zhao family already dominates everything in Xiping. Do they want to rule over Shangcai too? Too domineering!”

“Yes, too domineering!”

Magistrate Chai held his forehead against the low table and sighed. “I’m helpless too. The transaction is complete, and it was mutually agreed—how can I judge it?”

Everyone got agitated. “How is this mutually agreed? County Magistrate, she has three thousand troops outside the city—do we dare say we won’t sell?”

Magistrate Chai said, “But you all didn’t come find me before the business was done. Besides, she didn’t force the price down—she even offered a price higher than market rate.”

Speaking of this, Magistrate Chai was confused and asked doubtfully, “If she’d forced the grain price down, one could say it was coercion. But she offered a price higher than market rate. After all, you have to sell grain anyway—who you sell to is the same, isn’t it?”

He asked, “Why are you unwilling to sell to her?”

Everyone fell silent.

Changning lifted his eyelids and glanced at them. After Magistrate Chai had silenced them, he explained, “They’re hoarding to drive up prices.”

Though Magistrate Chai wasn’t very clever, his comprehension was fine. Upon hearing this, he immediately understood and became so angry his face turned red. “At a time like this, they’re still thinking of hoarding to drive up prices. This year Shangcai County has already had it hard enough. If they drive up grain prices further, how many people will be left in my county by next year?”

Then he became worried again. “Zhao Sanniang bought so much grain from Shangcai all at once. Won’t Shangcai’s grain prices rise even higher and faster in the future?”

Changning said, “The County Magistrate could think of a way to keep them from daring to manipulate grain prices.”

“What way?”

Changning said, “Why not take advantage of Zhao Hanzhang’s momentum and purchase some grain from them to fill the granaries? Also, for this autumn’s taxes, we could actually submit only a portion and find some reasons to hold back another portion. When winter ends and we reach February or March next year during the spring shortage, we can release it to stabilize prices.”

Changning tempted him, “This way, not only will the common people benefit and not be harmed by high grain prices, but the County Magistrate can also make some profit, and the county office can save some money. Next year we can repeat this operation, and then this mutually beneficial practice of stabilizing prices and making money won’t be cut off.”

Magistrate Chai didn’t respond.

Changning gave him examples and calculated specific numbers. “Right now wheat prices have already risen to fifteen coins per bushel. At the current rate of increase, and with the chaos outside, after winter starts it will probably rise to eighteen or twenty coins. And from after winter until the summer harvest, there are at least four more months.”

He said, “Four months—given the pattern of crazy price increases during chaos these past two years, rising two or three times by then won’t be a problem. If the County Magistrate buys at fifteen coins per bushel now and slowly sells at twenty coins per bushel in spring, you can make quite a bit of money.”

Changning’s proposal was, “Of that, the fifteen-coin cost still belongs to the county office. The remaining five coins can be counted entirely as the County Magistrate’s private property. Twenty coins per bushel of grain is still high, but compared to thirty coins, fifty coins, or even higher grain prices, this price is still barely affordable for ordinary commoners. With you stabilizing prices, other families’ grain prices will have to come down a bit too. This is a good deed benefiting the people.”

“Not only does the County Magistrate make money from this, but you also gain a good reputation and merit. What could be better?”

With the numbers laid out, Magistrate Chai’s heart stirred, but he was still hesitant. “Will they sell to me?”

Changning said, “Be firm, County Magistrate. They’ve just been frightened by Zhao Hanzhang. Right now they’re still unsettled. Even if it pains them, they’ll sell you some.”

At the same time, Zhao Hanzhang was also saying to Ji Yuan, “Gentleman still needs to find ways to purchase grain from various places. I don’t mind paying prices higher than market rate. If ordinary commoners have grain they’re willing to sell, buy it all too.”

Ji Yuan thought briefly and asked, “Is my lady doing this to stabilize next year’s grain prices?”

Zhao Hanzhang sighed. “We’re supporting too many people under us. I’m afraid we won’t have much effect. I can only try my best to ensure those under us don’t go hungry. If we have surplus capacity then, we can stabilize prices. So we can try to buy as much grain as possible.”

“What’s the price ceiling?”

“No more than fifty percent above market rate.” Too high and she’d feel the pain too.

Ji Yuan understood and nodded. “I’ll start sending people to various places to purchase tomorrow.”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded with satisfaction. “I’ll bring Mother back to Xiping this time. Shangcai will still be entrusted to you, Gentleman.”

She needed to quickly think of a way to free Ji Yuan from Shangcai’s affairs—Xiping needed him badly too.

Just as she was thinking this, a retainer carefully entered from outside and whispered in Ji Yuan’s ear.

Ji Yuan was slightly surprised and turned to look at Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang raised her eyes to look at him. “What is it?”

Ji Yuan smiled. “Didn’t my lady once say you wanted to recruit Changning for your own use?”