In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 954 Others are afraid, but I am greedy

In the following days, the entire capital city remained bustling with activity.

Countless people are selling land and houses.
But they soon discovered that, just like last time,
There were sellers but no buyers, so the price dropped day by day!

The more the price falls, the less likely it is that no one dares to buy.
Even if the major shareholders who were involved in the last sweet potato deal wanted to buy back the land they sold,
I was also very hesitant and decided to wait a little longer.

Strangely, after the price plummeted,
Some ordinary people and wealthy families, on the contrary, settled down.

I eat and drink as usual every day, and I'm even more relaxed than before.

You can even joke around with acquaintances.
The atmosphere in the brokerage firm was relaxed; everyone was comparing who lost less money.
Inside the newly established Shenyang Trading Company, Zhou Song stood on the second floor.

Looking at the wealthy landowners and ordinary people who came to sell land, their expressions were extremely strange.

Two groups that had never crossed paths before,
It's amazing that we can actually talk so well here today, even chatting about everything under the sun.
He had never seen such a strange sight before.

Even the major players involved in the last sweet potato incident didn't live in such harmony.

Zhou Song also discovered something else.

Compared to a market downturn, people who are experiencing a surge are more restless, and their anxiety stems from not earning enough!

He clearly remembered that if the wealthy man surnamed Chen in the north of the city hadn't recklessly exchanged land, he would have suffered almost no losses.
But it's precisely because they acted aggressively during market crashes and then bought back aggressively during market surges that they succeeded.
He lost a lot of money in the process, and I heard he's now bedridden.

Thinking of this, Zhou Song's expression became complicated, and he sighed softly.

Having traveled all over the country for so many years, and having managed to establish himself in Beijing, he had seen far too many things like this.
Without exception, it was all due to greed.

He sighed. To be honest, such a sharp drop in housing and land prices...
Once is enough; I didn't want to get involved this time.

However, as one of the most famous brokerage firms in the capital, Xin Chen Trading Company...

He couldn't refuse the demands of those wealthy individuals who wanted to sell their houses and land here.

Moreover, there are also adults who are out of reach of the world involved.

Just then, footsteps sounded from behind.
A middle-aged man who looked like a manager came up.
Holding a document, he stopped behind Zhou Song and said softly:

"Master, this is the situation of the various brokerage firms in the city today."
The situation is much more stable than yesterday; although prices are falling, they haven't dropped significantly.

Zhou Song turned around, picked up the document, glanced at it casually, and nodded slightly:

"Very good, send it out. Be careful, and make sure it doesn't pass through anyone else's hands."

"Yes."

The steward nodded, took the documents, and quietly left the second floor.

Take the hidden staircase at the back to enter a room in the backyard near the courtyard wall.

This was originally a storage room for miscellaneous items.

Although there were still piles of miscellaneous items, there were now three more people!
They stood in various corners, though dressed in ordinary clothes.
But their military bearing and the telescope they carried unmistakably confirmed that they were no ordinary people.

"This is the situation this morning, gentlemen, please take a look."

One of them put down the telescope, took the document, and nodded slightly:

"Thank you for your hard work, you can go now."

"Yes"

After the steward left, the man carefully wrapped the document and stuffed it into his pocket.

He pushed open the door and went out, arriving at the foot of the high wall to the side.

With a leap, he flipped up and disappeared into the yard in an instant.

The documents changed hands several times, passing through various clandestine channels.
At noon, the carriages carrying fruits and melons purchased from the inner palace entered the imperial city and were delivered to the Market Exchange Office.

The Market and Exchange Bureau's office has been completely renovated; not only have the plaque and main gate been replaced, but...
Even the ground was paved with bluestone slabs, and the edges and corners were polished smooth.

In some elegant spots, precious flowers and green plants were also displayed.
This gave the Market and Commerce Bureau an air of wealth and prosperity.

In the yamen, everything that could be replaced was replaced.

The walls were repainted, the tables and chairs were replaced with rosewood, and paintings by famous artists were hung on the walls. The only drawback was that the office was a bit small.

However, it doesn't matter; Lu Yunyi is already quite satisfied with this.

As the government office in charge of merchants, the Market and Commerce Bureau had to have the air of a nouveau riche.

It makes it obvious that someone is rich at first glance!

He sat behind his desk, unwrapped the oil paper package, and took out the documents inside.

Upon opening it, one finds records of the number of people at the entrance of the brokerage firms in the city, the number of people entering the shops to make transactions, and the amount of money received from the capital.

By comparing the documents from the previous few days, the trend is clearly visible.
There are more and more sellers, but fewer and fewer buyers!
"The time has come."

A ruthless glint flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes as he said in a deep voice:
"Xianzhi."

"grown ups!"

Gong Xianzhi rushed in from the doorway.

"Go and call Hou Xian over."

Before long, the young eunuch Hou Xian hurriedly entered, carrying two documents.
His expression was grave, and his steps were rapid.

What impressed him most during these days of contact was the efficiency of Lord Lu and his entourage.
If a task were to be done in the Imperial Shrine, it might take five or six days.
But here, it can be done in just a few hours.

This made him very happy, and he rushed over as soon as he received the news.

"Lord Lu, I have arrived."

Lu Yunyi nodded:
"Give the order: begin purchasing land in the south and north of the city."
Use external funds, but leave the government's funds untouched.

Collect as much as you can today; don't be stingy with your money.

Remember, act discreetly.

"Yes, my lord!"

Hou Xian looked solemn, his heart pounding.

He thought of the huge chests piled up in the back hall of the yamen.
Even though he was a eunuch in the Imperial Palace and knew many secrets, he had never seen so much cash before!

There were so many that they dazzled him!

Hou Xian received the order, turned around, and strode quickly towards the back hall.
They soon left the palace and arrived at an ordinary three-courtyard house in the south of the city where the silver was stored.

The back gate was locked with three brass locks.

When the soldiers guarding the courtyard saw him arrive, they quickly stepped forward to unlock the door.

As soon as the door was pushed open, the courtyard was filled with wooden crates gleaming coldly, each one sealed with a tape measure.

Pry open a corner, and the dazzling silver coins are so bright they make your eyes dizzy.

"The lord has given the order; we may proceed!"

Hou Xian lowered his voice and distributed tokens to the leading, rough-looking soldiers.
"These are your identities. As previously assigned, ten people per team."
They dispersed to the brokerage firms in the south and north of the city.

Remember, only buy the land title, don't ask about the price. If someone is selling, pay in cash on the spot.

But be careful not to let others realize you're in cahoots.

"Buy it and leave, go to the next dental clinic, you must be back to settle the bill before dark."

The leading soldiers, clutching their tokens and their eyes gleaming, responded in unison:

"Don't worry, Father-in-law, I guarantee it will be taken care of!"

Before long, the hundred or so people were divided into ten teams.
I quietly slipped out through the side gate of the courtyard and blended into the crowd on the street.

They carried loads on shoulder poles and pushed carts, looking no different from ordinary merchants on their way.

Yuxing Real Estate Brokerage in the South of the City!

The shopkeeper was dozing off on the counter.

After a few days of commotion, there were quite a few people in the brokerage, but not many deals were actually made.

Some people squatted at the door, clutching their land deeds, while the more respectable ones sat inside.
A sense of desolation permeated the dental clinic.

Just as everyone was dozing off,

Suddenly, a man in a blue cotton undershirt walked in, his voice loud and clear:
"Shopkeeper, do you have any land for sale? Land in Lijia Village and Wangjiaying in the south of the city."

The waiter who had been nodding repeatedly at the door suddenly woke up, thinking he had misheard:
"Sir, what did you say? You want to buy land?"

Those two plots of land still cost one and a half taels of silver per mu!

Fearing the man might be scammed, the shop assistant whispered a reminder.

The man pulled a fifty-tael silver ingot from his pocket and slammed it on the counter.

"Enough talk, let's write the contract now, and there'll be plenty of money."

Hearing the commotion, the old farmers at the door immediately gathered around, asking questions all at once:
"Sir, are you really going to buy it? How about I sell you my two acres of land for one and a half taels?"

The man nodded and looked at the waiter:
"Alright, bring them all here and write contracts for them one by one."

At this moment, the shopkeeper, who had been standing behind the counter, also rushed out excitedly.

He quickly took out his brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and began to write while pondering the meaning.
This is probably some big player trying to buy at a low price, which is quite common.

At the same time, several grain merchants also arrived at Taihe Real Estate Brokerage in the north of the city.
As soon as they entered, they said they wanted to buy the land. Silver was piled up at the entrance, a whole cart full, so shiny it was dazzling.

The surrounding people gathered to watch the spectacle.
Everyone speculated which wealthy family dared to buy land at this time. Suddenly, a group of unidentified but extravagantly wealthy people appeared in the city.

It quickly attracted the attention of various government departments.

In the residence of the Minister of Revenue, Zhao Mian was sitting in his study reviewing account books when a subordinate rushed in to report:
"Sir, today at the brokerage, a large client was buying up a lot of land. I heard he bought several thousand acres at once, all in cash."

Zhao Mian didn't even look up, tracing a few lines on the ledger with his finger:

"They're just merchants trying to buy at rock-bottom prices; they'll never amount to anything."

"With land prices in Beijing falling so much, even if they acquire it, it won't cause a major upheaval. Just be careful."

The subordinate bowed in agreement and withdrew.

Zhao Mian put down his pen, picked up his teacup, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.
He wanted to see how long the imperial court could hold out.

Let the rumors about relocating the capital circulate for a while longer, and land prices will drop to 10%. Let's see how they cry then!
In the study of the Duke of Wei's mansion, Xu Huizu was reading a military report.

The subordinate suddenly entered, his voice tinged with excitement:
"Sir, there's been some activity at the brokerage firm!"

Someone is buying up large amounts of land in the south and north of the city. Judging from their style, they seem to be one of Lord Lu's men!

Xu Huizu abruptly put down the military report, his eyes lighting up:
"Oh? You've made your move? How much did you buy?"

"We don't know yet, but the land of several brokerage firms has been bought up."

"empty?"

Xu Huizu frowned slightly. Such a grand and undisguised action did not seem to be the work of Lu Yunyi.

"Investigate again! Keep a close eye on the wealthy families in the city, and record any movements they make immediately."

"Yes!"

His subordinates responded and left.

Xu Huizu walked to the window, looked at the sky outside, and his expression became somewhat puzzled.

If we just keep buying like this...

While it may quench thirst temporarily, it cannot solve the fundamental problem.

Inside the Duke of Cao's mansion, Madam Yuan was sitting in the main room when the steward hurried in:

"Madam, someone is buying up large amounts of land through the real estate brokerage. The price of land in the south of the city has already risen to 1.8 taels!"

Madam Yuan's eyes lit up: "Was it Lord Lu who made the move?"

"Definitely! Our investment of 500,000 taels of silver wasn't wasted after all."

Mrs. Yuan smiled and picked up her teacup:

"Now that they've taken action, things are easier. Keep an eye on them."

Inside the Left Army Commander's Mansion, Han Xun, Zhu Shou, and several others were gathered around a table with a message that had just arrived from the brokerage firm on it.

Zhu Shou slammed his hand on the table:
"Good! Finally, something's happening! I knew Lu Yunyi had a way; in just one day, land prices have increased by 20%!"

Han Xun nodded with a smile:

"It seems that we'll break even on our 100,000 taels of silver investment soon, and might even make a fortune!"

Li Xin stroked his chin:

"I just don't know what he's going to do next. Should he go and acquire some more land?"

Han Xun shook his head:

"Don't meddle. Just do as Lu Yunyi says and wait."

As the hour of Hai approached, the sky became completely dark.

Those who bought land through brokerage firms have all returned to the market exchange.
He handed over the land deeds and the remaining silver to Hou Xian.

Hou Xian took the accounts and hurried back.

Inside the main hall, the horn lamps burned brightly, and Lu Yunyi sat at the table, holding an account book in his hand.

"Sir, look!"

Hou Xian handed over the accounts, his voice tinged with excitement.

"Today we harvested a total of 6,500 mu of land, costing 14,000 taels of silver."

A considerable amount of land has been acquired in Lijiacun and Wangjiaying in the south of the city, and Zhangjiabao in the north of the city.
The land price has risen from 1.5 taels to 1.8 taels, a full 20% increase!
Many people regretted not selling, saying they would sell if prices rose again tomorrow.

Lu Yunyi took the accounts, flipped through a few pages, his eyes calm and without the slightest ripple.

He put down the accounts and said calmly:
"Understood. Give the order: all operations are suspended tomorrow."

Hou Xian was stunned, his eyes wide open:

"Sir? Pause?"

"The price has just started to rise; if it stops, won't the land price fall back down?"

Lu Yunyi looked up at him, his tone still calm:
"Follow orders and do not leak any information."

Seeing his serious expression, Hou Xian dared not ask any further questions and quickly bowed in response:

"Yes, sir, I will go and give the order right away."

After Hou Xian left, Lu Yunyi looked at the document in his hand.

The money we're putting in today is just a test.

Let's see the reactions of the city's commoners and wealthy families.

More importantly, observe your opponent's response.

Inside the palace, Zhu Yuanzhang was sitting in the Wuying Hall reviewing memorials when Wen Cheng, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Palace Administration, quietly entered and bowed to report:
"Your Majesty, the Market and Exchange Bureau spent 14,000 taels of silver today."

Land brokers in the south and north of the city acquired land, driving up land prices by 20%.

They only collected supplies for one day before ordering a halt.

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his head, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, before he regained his composure:
"Oh? You're willing to spend money, but you didn't say why you're pausing?"

Wen Cheng shook his head:

"No, Hou Xian doesn't know either. He only said it was Lord Lu's order."

Zhu Yuanzhang put down his vermilion brush, leaned back in his chair, and pondered for a moment:
"Since he didn't say anything, we don't need to worry about it. He has his reasons for doing it this way."

Wen Cheng bowed in agreement and withdrew.

The next morning, just as dawn broke, the entrance to Yuxing Dental Clinic was already crowded with people.

There were ordinary people who didn't sell land yesterday, and small business owners who wanted to buy at rock-bottom prices.

There were also spies sent by some wealthy landowners; everyone was waiting for the wealthy landowners from yesterday to come and take back the land.

They had already found out that the man was a wealthy local from the north, involved in the grain and coal trade.
They have no method to their actions, but they have plenty of money!

But they waited and waited,
I waited all morning, but didn't see a single person.

Some small merchants couldn't wait any longer and hastily bought some land, intending to sell it once the price rose further.

"What happened? Why didn't that old man come yesterday?"

An old farmer clutched the land deed, stamping his feet in frustration.

The shopkeepers nearby also frowned:
"Yes, I thought it would rise to two taels today."
"I brought the land deed specifically, so why is no one collecting it?"

The brokerage manager was also anxious and sent someone to inquire at other brokerages. The person who returned said:

"No other brokerage firms are buying land either. I heard that the big spender from yesterday has disappeared."

The news caused an uproar in the brokerage firm.

Some merchants who had just bought land started to panic:
"Could this be a scam? Are they deliberately inflating the price to trick us?"

"I should have sold yesterday! Now the price is going to fall back down!"

Sure enough, by noon, some people started lowering prices to sell land:
"One tael and six ounces! Anyone want it? I'll sell it for one tael and six ounces!"

"I'll take 1.5 ounces! Cheaper than him!"

Land prices are like a kite with a broken string.

It plummeted from 1.8 taels to 1.6 taels in an instant, and it's still falling.

The wealthy households quietly reported the news back.

Zhao Mian sat in his residence and snorted softly:
"I thought he was some formidable figure, but he's just a nouveau riche. Keep pushing, drive the land price down to one or two taels!"

Inside the Left Army Commander's Mansion, Zhu Shou paced anxiously as he looked at the newly arrived news:
"What happened? Why did it suddenly stop?"

The land price has fallen again, so we've lost 20% overall!

Li Xin also frowned:
"Should we send someone to ask?"

Han Xun stopped them:
"Don't rush, don't rush. About that sweet potato incident last time..."

He's made some moves that were hard to understand, but he still profited in the end, didn't he? Let's wait and see.

(End of this chapter)