In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 956 I watched him build a magnificent mansion, I watched him host lavish banquets, and I watched his mansion crumble.
The next day, at dawn, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, the rain finally stopped.

As dawn broke in the east, a soft light shone through the clouds, gilding the blue tiles of the capital with a thin layer of gold.

As soon as the gate of Yuxing Pawnshop in the south of the city opened, several carriages were seen parked at the entrance.
A small black flag with the character "市" (city) embroidered on it was stuck on the carriage.

Several clerks jumped off the carriage and entered the brokerage firm.
The leading clerk spoke in a loud voice:
"Shopkeeper, we'll take all the land sold today, as much as you can get!"

The shopkeeper had just rubbed his eyes.
I thought I was still half asleep, but when I saw the silver, I immediately woke up:

"Sir, which department are you from?"
Are you serious? There are still tens of thousands of acres of land in the shop that no one is selling.

The clerk lifted up the waist token:
"Clerks of the Market and Exchange Bureau, bring up the land deeds! Cash settlement! All of them! Plenty of silver!"

"Alright, alright, I'll go get it right away!"

The surrounding residents and merchants had already gathered around.

Upon seeing that the government was taking over the land, everyone was in an uproar, praising the magistrate's wisdom.

The brokerage shop instantly became lively.
The officials took out their account books.
They registered the land title and paid the money at the same time, working quickly and efficiently.

At the same time, horse-drawn carriages bearing the character "市" (city) appeared at Taihe Pawnbroking Firm in the east of the city, Tongfu Pawnbroking Firm in the west of the city, and Shunchang Pawnbroking Firm in the north of the city.

Piles of gleaming silver were stacked in the brokerage shop.
The officials shouted, "Take as much as you can get!"
Many others chimed in to support this.
The entire capital was abuzz with noise, as land acquisitions were taking place everywhere.

When the news reached the Zhao residence, Zhao Mian was having breakfast.
Upon hearing the news, Zhao Mian's eyes widened in surprise:

"Did the Market and Exchange Bureau use silver to acquire land?"

"Absolutely true!"

"Alright, quickly send messages to all the households. Since the Market Exchange Bureau has money to collect..."
Let's buy them together and raise the price.
Once the Market and Exchange Bureau's money is depleted, they can have as much land as they want!

"Yes!"

The butler left in a hurry!

Zhao Mian looked at the plain porridge in the bowl, a slight smile playing on his lips.
He knew exactly how much silver was in the back office of the Market and Exchange Bureau.
Once all that money is spent, let's see how he manages to cause trouble!

As noon approached, many wealthy and elegant managers appeared in the brokerage firms across the country, working alongside the officials of the Market and Exchange Bureau to acquire land!
Land prices have jumped from 2.2 taels to 4 taels!
In an instant, the entire capital city was in an uproar!
Although four taels of silver is only forty percent of the original price,
But it's much better than 10%!

Hou Xian walked into the main hall of the Market and Exchange Bureau with a solemn expression and said in a deep voice:
"Sir, someone is helping us collect the land."
And they're still driving up the price; the land price has now reached four and a half taels.

Lu Yunyi was taken aback, his face showing confusion:

"who is it?"

"The letter from the Duke of Wei was from a salt merchant in Lianghuai."

A hint of absurdity flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes. How could there be such a stupid person in the world?
The land he owned was mostly acquired for around 1.8 taels of silver.

The land held by those people was paid for in real money at its original price.
After nearly two months of price drops, and even with extensive media hype, the price has only reached 20%.
They didn't buy when prices were 20%, but now they're aggressively grabbing land when prices are only 4.5 taels.
Have they lost their minds?

But that's not important. A ruthless glint flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes as he said in a deep voice:
"Pass down the order: the clerks of the Market and Exchange Bureau shall continue purchasing."
To control the pace, buy your own land, transferring it from one hand to the other.
We can't let the money run out, but we need to create the illusion that we can't outmaneuver them.

"Then have the people at each outpost start selling this afternoon, at five taels each. Since they want to buy, just dump it all on them!"

Hou Xian froze, his eyes widening in shock.

He suddenly understood the key point!

Transferring money from one hand to the other, neither gaining nor losing.

But the land that was previously bought for 1.8 taels was sold for 5 taels.
In just half a month, it easily tripled!
This...this.
He suddenly understood why the adults had such expressions just now; it turned out that the enemy had made a series of blunders!

"Go!"

Seeing him standing there in a daze, Lu Yunyi urged him on.

"Yes!"

Hou Xian's voice was exceptionally loud, filled with intense excitement!
Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, the sun set, and twilight slowly enveloped Yingtian City.

Inside the main hall of the Market and Commerce Bureau, candles burned brightly, casting a warm yellow glow through the thin gauze lampshade onto the table full of account books.

Hou Xian, clutching the ledger pages he had just retrieved from the last stronghold, was walking unsteadily.
From the old granary in the south of the city to the backyard of the pawnshop in the west, and then to the cellar of the general store in the north,

He personally counted the silver chests in all eight secret locations.
Each time he opened a box, the gleaming silver ingots made him dizzy, and his heart pounded wildly.

"Sir, the accounts at the outpost have all been settled!"

He lifted the curtain, his voice still catching his breath.

Lu Yunyi looked up and took the accounts.

My eyes swept over the words "73,000 mu"

His fingertips paused for a moment, then he looked down at the cost of one tael and eight mace, before a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"Have you figured it out? How much did you make?"

He placed the account book on the table, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.

The tea had gone cold, but that didn't disturb his calm.

Hou Xian quickly pulled the abacus closer, his fingers moving rapidly across the beads, the clattering sound particularly clear in the yamen.

He calculated extremely quickly, but he was still afraid of making a mistake.

After finishing the calculation once, I went back and recalculated, my fingertips trembling slightly.
"My lord, after deducting what we reclaimed ourselves, we netted 73,000 mu of land today, earning 3.2 taels per mu."
The total is 200,260 taels!
After deducting the commission paid to the brokerage firm and the deed tax paid to the capital government, the net profit was two hundred thousand taels!

As soon as the last word was uttered, Hou Xian abruptly raised his head.

His eyes widened, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

He has been in the Imperial Palace for so many years,
I've seen plenty of money, but I've never seen money so easy to earn!
A few days ago, when he was acquiring the land, he was worried that he wouldn't be able to get his money back.

Now, things have gotten much better; in just one day, the value has nearly tripled!
Lu Yunyi hummed in agreement, picked up a pen, signed his name on the ledger, and handed it back to Hou Xian:
How much land is left?

"There are still 160,000 mu left."

"These are all lands that were previously acquired for 1.5 to 1.8 taels of silver, mostly in Lijia Village and Wangjiaying, near the main road."

Hou Xian quickly replied, his fingers burning as he gripped the ledger.

If we sell all this land today, we can earn 500,000 taels of silver in half a month.
Oh my god
"Continue to buy tomorrow, don't stop, keep buying until the government's cash is all spent, let them set the price."

"Yes!"

Hou Xian didn't know what was going to happen.
But he readily agreed, and having seen previous examples, he was completely convinced.

"By the way, thank you all for your hard work today, whether it's the eunuch copying the accounts or the clerk who went to the land brokerage to collect the land."

Each person will be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver; you can arrange it.
"Distribute them tonight, so everyone can be happy."

"One hundred taels?!"

Hou Xian was truly stunned. His mouth opened, and it took him a long time to react.
"Sir, isn't this...isn't this too much?"

"It's not much, but if someone offers us a tip, we'll accept it."

Lu Yunyi interrupted him, a hint of a smile in his eyes:
"They're busy running around, having to watch out for spies and deal with people. What's a little reward compared to that?"

"Your Excellency is wise! This humble official will take care of it immediately!"

Before long, all the clerks and eunuchs involved in the matter were beaming with joy!

The entire government office was bustling with activity.

At the same time, the main hall of the Zhao residence was filled with a different kind of lively scene.

Chicken, duck, fish and meat were laid out on the octagonal table, and the wine pot was overflowing, with the wine dripping down the spout and onto the gilded tablecloth, but no one paid any attention.

Zhao Mian sat in the main seat, holding a jade wine cup in his hand, his face full of smiles.
Several salt merchants from Jiangnan and several silk merchants sat nearby, all with ruddy complexions.

"Lord Zhao, you are truly a diviner!"

A fat-faced salt merchant raised his wine cup and offered a toast to Zhao Mian from afar:
"Today, the Market and Exchange Bureau tried to seize land from us, spending nearly 300,000 taels!"
Their painstakingly scraped-together savings are probably down to only half left!

Zhao Mian laughed heartily, took a sip of wine, and felt the warm liquid slide down his throat, making him feel comfortable.

"I had expected they wouldn't last long."

"Does Lu Yunyi think he can fight us with just a few dollars from the Duke's mansion? He's too naive!"

He put down his wine glass and tapped his fingertips on the table:
"Tomorrow, put in even more effort and drain them of all their money!"

Sheng Wenyu, the manager of Dongning Trading Company, nodded hurriedly:

"Rest assured, sir, the trading company still has 100,000 taels of silver. We will continue to raise the price tomorrow."

"But... what if the Market Bureau doesn't try to take it from us tomorrow?"

"He dares not to snatch it?" Zhao Mian sneered, his eyes filled with arrogance.
"Now that land prices have stabilized at five taels, the common people, merchants, and the imperial court are all watching."
If he doesn't continue acquiring land, and land prices drop, it will be because he's incompetent.
And so much money has been spent...
If land prices fall, he'll lose a fortune.

His position as Director of the Market and Exchange Bureau is probably not secure!

A tall, thin salt merchant standing nearby chimed in:

"The sir is right! Although we spent a lot of money today,

But once we've exhausted the market's funds, the rest of the land will be in our hands.

Then we'll slash the land price again, from five taels to one tael.
When the people panic, the world descends into chaos.
"We can buy as much land as we want, and make all the money back in one go!"

These words struck a chord with Zhao Mian, who then raised his wine glass and clinked it with the others:
"Good! Tomorrow morning, all brokers shall get to work on time and make sure to acquire all the remaining land!"

"Once the Marketplace runs out of money, we'll slowly clean up the mess!"

Everyone echoed their agreement, the clinking of glasses and laughter mingling together.
This brought the atmosphere in the main room to its peak.

Zhao Mian, in high spirits after drinking, began to talk about his future plans: "Once land prices plummet and chaos ensues in the capital, the relocation of the capital will be postponed."

Then give Lu Yunyi another stigma from the Censorate.
They accuse him of abusing his power and disrupting commerce; they'll make sure he gets what's coming to him!
Let all the court officials see the consequences of opposing us!

"Your Excellency is wise!"

"Adults always think long-term!"

Flattery filled the air, and Zhao Mian's eyes narrowed with laughter.
In his view, he had already won the fight.

The night was deep, but the candlelight in the Wuying Hall remained burning.

A bright yellow halo enveloped the memorials piled on the desk.
Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon throne, holding a vermilion brush in his hand, looking at the memorials with a slight frown.

At that moment, almost inaudible footsteps came from outside the hall, and Wen Cheng strolled in:
"Your Majesty, I have something important to report."

"explain."

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was weary, yet still steady and powerful.

"Your Majesty, this is the detailed account of the Market and Exchange Bureau for today."

Furthermore, I have personally verified all the secret reports Hou Xian sent back from his various strongholds; there are absolutely no errors or omissions.

The head eunuch who was standing by stepped forward.
He took the box with both hands and gently placed it on the table in front of Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang opened the box and first took out the secret report.

The records on the document detail the Market and Exchange Bureau's actions for the day.

He read very slowly, his brow gradually relaxing:

"Has the silver been counted and verified?"

"Your Majesty, Hou Xian personally visited eight secret strongholds."
Every silver chest was pried open and inspected; the silver was piled up all over the yard, and even its weight was checked—not a single coin was missing.

Zhu Yuanzhang grunted in agreement and placed the account books on the table.
The knuckles tapped lightly on the table, and the only sound in the hall was the occasional crackling of the candlelight.

After a moment, he spoke, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible satisfaction:
"I was worried before that he would squander my money,"

Looking at it now, this kid really knows how to make money.
Those misers, even the imperial court couldn't collect taxes from them.

"We've already made two hundred thousand taels from them in just one day, excellent!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was somewhat excited. He reached for the cup of chilled tea beside him and took a sip.
"Any news from Zhao Mian's side?"

"Your Majesty, our spies report that the Zhao family is hosting a banquet tonight, and several prominent families are in attendance."

"They said they want another 300,000 taels tomorrow."

Competing with the Market and Exchange Bureau for land will deplete the Bureau's funds.

Once Lu Yunyi runs out of money, he'll drive the land price back down by one or two taels.
"Let's create chaos in the capital, so we can force His Majesty to postpone the relocation of the capital."

Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, slamming the teacup down on the table. A few drops of tea splashed onto the bright yellow memorial.
"Wishful thinking! I'd like to see it for myself."

The land they bought at high prices can withstand several rounds of upheaval.

He paused for a moment, looked at Wen Cheng, and softened his tone:
"Go to the Market and Exchange Bureau first thing tomorrow morning and tell Lu Yunyi that if he doesn't have enough money, he should tell me. The Imperial Treasury can spare some more."

"The minister obeys the order!"

Wen Cheng immediately kowtowed.

For the next three days, the sun in Yingtian City was exceptionally strong.
The scorching sun made the bluestone slabs scorching hot, but it couldn't dampen the bustling atmosphere inside the brothel.

On the first morning, as soon as the brokerage firm opened, the shop assistants of Jiangnan merchants crowded at the door, shouting out prices:

"Six taels! Land within ten miles of the capital is six taels per mu, I'll take as much as you have!"

No sooner had the words been spoken than the clerk of the Market Exchange Office began to shout:

"Six ounces and five cents!"

With back and forth between the two sides, in less than half an hour, the land price jumped from five taels to six and a half taels.

The common people watched with envy, the old farmers clutching their land deeds exchanging glances, some gritting their teeth and shouting:
"I'll sell my three mu of mulberry land for six taels and eight fen!"

A merchant in a brocade robe immediately chimed in:

"I want it! Cash!"

The brokerage shop was packed to the brim.
The shopkeeper ran back and forth with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone, sweat streaming down his face.

He couldn't stop smiling; the commissions he earned in the past few days were more than he had made in three years.

The next day, land prices rose again.

Taihe Brokerage in the west of the city
A steward of a salt merchant from Lianghuai carried two thousand taels of silver directly to the ground:

"Seven taels! I'll take as much land as you can near the capital's official roads!"

The clerk from the Market Exchange Bureau stood to one side, his brow furrowed, seemingly hesitant.
This hesitation was noticed by many, and the news was quickly reported back to the Zhao family.

Zhao Mian was looking at account books in his study when he heard this and suddenly looked up, his face lighting up with delight:

"What did you say? The Market and Exchange Bureau's treasury is empty?"

"Absolutely true!"

The scout knelt on the ground, his tone certain:
"Today, the Market and Exchange Bureau only bought less than 500 acres of land!"

Zhao Mian suddenly stood up, paced around the study a couple of times, his eyes growing brighter and brighter, and then suddenly slammed his hand on the table:
"Okay! I can't hold on any longer!"
Order that tomorrow morning, all the land deeds in your possession be thrown away!

Prices were driven down relentlessly, dropping from seven taels to five taels, from five taels to three taels, and from three taels to one tael!
Let everyone in the capital know that the Market and Exchange Bureau is out of money.

Look at this place, who's in charge here!

If anyone spreads the news again, the relocation of the capital will happen next year!

The butler next to him hesitated for a moment:
"Sir, what if the Market and Exchange Bureau has another plan?"

"Backhand?"

Zhao Mian sneered, picked up the account book and flipped through it:
They spent nearly 1.1 million taels of silver in total.
The Cao family's mansion and the Kaiping Prince's mansion have long been empty of silver; what other tricks could they possibly have up their sleeves?
Sell ​​it tomorrow, no hesitation allowed!

The butler dared not offer any further advice and bowed as he withdrew.

Zhao Mian sat down again, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and felt completely refreshed.
On the morning of the fourth day, just as dawn was breaking, the brokerage firms in the capital were in an uproar.

At the entrance of Yuxing Pawnshop in the south of the city,

A dozen or so merchants and their assistants, dressed in brocade robes, rushed in carrying thick land deeds, shouting as soon as they entered:

"Five taels! Five taels per mu! Who wants it?"

The shopkeeper had just opened the door when he was startled by the scene before him:
"Gentlemen, it was seven taels yesterday. How come it has suddenly dropped so much?"

"Cut the nonsense!"

A clerk slammed the land deed onto the counter:
"The capital is moving next year, so if I don't sell it for five taels, it'll be three taels soon!"

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding throughout the brokerage firm.

The newly arrived commoners and merchants panicked instantly; some clutched their land deeds, trembling.

"How could that be? Isn't the government still acquiring land?"

"Collect my ass!"

Another merchant's assistant scoffed, "Where are they? Where are they?"

Panic spread like wildfire.

Some people, eager to cut their losses, immediately shouted:

"I'll sell it! Five taels it is!"

Some people wanted to wait, but seeing more and more merchants abandoning their land, they couldn't help but panic:
"I'll sell mine too! Four and a half ounces! Cheaper than his!"

In less than an hour, the land price dropped from seven taels to four taels.

The brokerage firm was in complete chaos, with land deeds scattered all over the floor, and people scrambling to hand over theirs.
Some people are crying and shouting that they've been scammed again!

The constables came twice, but were pushed out by the chaotic crowd and could only sigh at the door.

Rumors began to circulate in the streets and alleys.

On the fifth day, land prices fell even more sharply.

At the Tongfu Pawnshop in the east of the city, merchants directly quoted a price of three taels, but still no one dared to buy.

A small merchant dressed in silk sat slumped on the ground, the land deed in his hand soaked with sweat, the writing blurred.
"I bought it for 5.8 taels, and now I can't even sell it for 3 taels. I can't make a living like this!"

An old farmer nearby was crying while clutching his land deed:
"This land is an heirloom of mine. I didn't sell it for seven taels, and now I'm offering it for three taels. I'd be letting my ancestors down!"

The brokerage manager, leaning on the counter, became sentimental again.
"Don't sell it anymore, or it'll really be worth only one or two ounces!"

But nobody listened to him; some even shouted out two and a half ounces, just to get the land sold.

Zhao Mian sat in his mansion, listening to his scouts report on land prices, and couldn't stop smiling.

He held up a jade wine cup and said to the salt merchants of Jiangnan:
"See? Wasn't I right? When the Market and Exchange Bureau runs out of money, land prices collapse!"

"I'll sell again tomorrow, driving the price down to two taels. I want Lu Yunyi to know he's still too green to mess with me!"

The salt merchants breathed a sigh of relief and echoed the sentiments:
"Your Excellency is wise! Wait until the land price drops to one or two taels!"
"Let's take the land back, and then we'll make a fortune!"

(End of this chapter)